NeighborWebSJ exists to connect neighborhoods to City Hall and to each other through the Internet.  The mission is to increase the flow of information from City Hall, provide timely news, a forum for discussion and link residents so they can learn from each other.

The idea of connecting neighborhoods through a central Web site emerged from a group of Strong Neighborhoods Initiative leaders attending the Community Leadership Institute, a national training seminar held in San Jose and sponsored by NeighborWorks America.  A NeighborWeb site was launched in October, and the new site on August 10.

NeighborWebSJ was launched with a focus on the Strong Neighborhoods Areas because of the program’s well-defined eographic area and organized volunteer base. But NeighborWeb SJ hopes to provide a central place for information for all neighborhood and homeowners associations in San Jose.

At a time when neighborhood funding has been significantly slashed, the spirit of cooperation and collaboration is even more essential to continue to make all neighborhoods clean, safe and engaged in civic activity.  NeighborWebSJ provides links to each of the 19 Strong Neighborhoods Areas and will add links other neighborhood associations.

NeighborWebSJ is providing space for the new CNAC  (the Coalition of Neighborhood Action Coalitions), the Neighborhoods Commission and other relevant resources.  The site will solicit contributions from residents as it develops.

Neighbor Web promises to  provide content that is not found on any other local Web site: Feature stories about neighborhood projects and cleanups, profiles of neighborhood leaders, news updates, a central calendar,  photo slide shows and video clips, links to other useful Web Pages and frequently updated announcements and invitations.

NeighborWebSJ is supported by a grant administered by the  New Voices program at American University’s School of Communication and funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.