Tom Bullock's Good Neighborhoods Safety Plan

 

Click here for a detailed printout on Tom Bullock's Good Neighborhoods Safety Plan

Below is a story on the two neighborhood safety forums I organized in Ward 2. This is an expanded version of an article that ran in the Sept. 18 issue of the Lakewood Observer."

Bullock Forums Point Way to Building Neighborhood Safety in Ward 2

Growing List of Residents to Become “Part of the Solution” by Starting Block Watches

More than 100 Lakewood residents participated in two recent neighborhood safety forums to address crime, noise, trash, and absentee landlords and to keep Lakewood streets safe, clean, and family friendly. The forums, organized by Ward 2 City Council candidate Tom Bullock, provided residents a chance to express their concerns, hear answers from experts, and begin to organize neighbors on their own streets.

 “I’ve walked every street of Ward 2 and talked with thousands of people on their front porches, and Lakewood residents are looking for neighborhood-based solutions to crime, trash, noise, and absentee landlords,” said Bullock. “As a first step, I’m helping neighbors organize Block Watches and ‘Good Neighbor Associations’ on any street where there’s interest.”

Block Watches can make crime-fighting more effective by partnering with police, and neighborhood associations can help resolve quality of life problems, said Bullock.

“We’re adding tools to Lakewood’s problem-solving toolbox. We need to become part of the solution ourselves, since we can’t lean on the police to do everything,” said Bullock. “Both police and housing inspectors work more effectively when partnered with an organized network of informed neighbors.”

Two residents who spoke at the forum, Mara Manke and Carol Mason, are leading such an effort on Lakeland Avenue, and it has already helped improve safety and resolve problems such as clutter in yards and middle-of-the-night noise.

Neighbors can also encourage a sense of ownership, pride in homes, and courtesy and respect to people of all ages, said Bullock.

“By working as a neighborhood, we can make ‘safe, clean, and family-friendly’ contagious,” said Bullock.

Other panelists who spoke at the forum included realtor Greg Graham, Lakewood High School teacher Sean Wheeler, and fair housing expert Karen Kuramoto.

A July forum focused on identifying problems, with residents sharing their experiences, while a September forum focused on solutions, including how to start a Block Watch and providing a “Neighborhood Troubleshooting Tip-Sheet” to help residents solve problems themselves.

Other tools include a reference sheet for city services and a “neighborhood guide” to welcome residents and inform all neighbors of community standards.

A follow-up meeting for Block Watch leaders is planned for October 10, 7:00 p.m., location to be announced.

Click here for a detailed printout on Tom Bullock's Good Neighborhoods Safety Plan

Click here for a copy of the Neighborhood Troubleshooting Tip-Sheet handed out at the forum. This is a growing list of self-help tips to solve neighborhood problems. We'll keep adding to this list; help your neighbors by sharing your questions, tips, and ideas.