Ten simple ways you can improve your neighborhood. 

Quality of Life is about you. Every day, you have the power to improve the community. 

1. Report crimes immediately.

Police cannot act without first hearing about the problem from you. Graffiti, petty vandalism or something much more serious should be reported. Calling won't guarantee that police can fix the problem, but failing to call can guarantee that they won't. Don't assume someone else has already called, make the call yourself. For Emergencies call 911, for non-emergencies call 732-442-4400.

2. Report all nuisance and other non-criminal promptly.

Examples of these items are junked cars on lawns and in the street, old mattresses left to rot in the backyard, broken furniture on porches, garbage piling up. When you find yourself thinking, "Someone ought to do something about that"-do something. 

If you live within our organization's neighborhood boundaries, we encourage you to report issues to us. This will allow us to track the issue and the City's responsiveness.    

3. Take away opportunity for crime.

Think about your home, your car and even your lifestyle and ask what you could change to take away the opportunity for crime. Lock your car and never leave valuables, even for a few minutes in the car. Trim bushes or trees on your property that offer too-convenient hiding places. Also, trim where trees and bushes block clear view of your front door, or make it difficult for a person to see out the windows of your home. Make your front porch visible and make sure your home looks like it has eyes on the neighborhood.

4. Turn your porch light on.

Do this every night at dusk and keep it on till dawn. Consider installing a motion sensitive light to brighten dim walk ways near your home. Crime tends to decline in neighborhoods that are well lit. Turning on porch lights is a simple way to start this process. It also makes the street feel more “welcome” to good residents who are out for a walk in the evening or early morning hours. Lit porch lights communicate a higher level of caring for the neighborhood by residents. This can become a daily routine or it can be accomplished by installing a timer. It is also immediate. Encourage other neighbors to do the same. 

5. Walk around the block.

It sounds simple, but it is a great way to meet neighbors, and get to know your neighborhood while getting a little exercise. Walk at night if you are comfortable doing so, and if not, your neighborhood needs more involvement. Chat with neighbors and kids while walking, they will get to know you too.

6. Pay attention to aesthetics.

It's more important than you think. If you let eyesores in your neighborhood go on long enough, you no longer "see" them. Even though you may ignore the obvious ugly, visitors never do and the message we send out by leaving garbage cans out, litter around our homes speaks louder than what we say as a community. Show your pride by preserving the character of your neighborhood.     

• Litter. Clean it up even if you didn't put it there. People are less likely to litter where there isn't already litter. You can help stop littering in your neighborhood by taking away the litter that attracts it. Hint: Take a garbage bag while walking through the neighborhood. Pick up any litter along the way. As a by-product, you can get some exercise built into your day.
• Trash Cans. Trash cans should be taken in after each trash pick up.
• Satellite Dishes. Install them only towards the back of your home, not the front facade. Remove those that are not in service.  
• Work vans/work vehicles. Park them off the residential street.
• Commercial vehicles. It is against Code to park them on residential streets after hours and weekends. It is against Code to park them on residential property. There are several private lots in commercial zones that rent parking spaces for these vehicles.   

7. Drive slowly through your neighborhood.

While we often call for stop signs, lights, and speed bumps, we often forget that we can organize a means to slow down neighborhood traffic sooner. Remember that it is legal to drive a few miles per hour below the speed limit in your neighborhood. For example, if the speed limit is 25, try 20 instead. Regular slower driving on neighborhood side streets by multiple neighbors will dampen the desire of racers to use your street – it isn’t as fun to cut through a neighborhood if the likelihood of being stuck behind a car traveling at a more respectful pace has increased. Also, do it on every side street in the neighborhood, not just the one near your home.

8. Meet the youth who live on your block and greet them by name.

This is one of the simplest steps an adult can take; yet it can make a profound difference should there be a future need for adults and young people to speak to each other in the midst of a neighborhood crisis. Also, it is difficult to help form a safe and supportive community for children without the adults and children knowing each other. Even those without children should know to whom the various children in the neighborhood belong. In this way, each adult is better able to help in an emergency and is better prepared to discuss problems immediately as they arise.

9. Volunteer. 

If you want to make a greater contribution, you can donate towards any of our projects or volunteer. We have volunteer opportunities to fit every individual.

Volunteer

10. Stay where you are.

Stable neighborhoods are built on the commitment of long-term residents who would rather live in a healthy community then move to a bigger house. Communities reach stability when conscientious citizens allow their roots to grow deep and help transform a geographic area that exists as a "neighborhood" in name only into a real community of involved people. Please, stay and help.