How to call the shots in your neighborhood

Step 3 Find out when the meeting is

Most neighborhood associations have their meetings at the same time and location every month or every other month. Some have the sense to publish the actual date of the next meeting, but many just say, "third Thursday of every month at 7 pm at the library" and expect you to figure out the actual date of the third Thursday of the month. If you find the latter, then I strongly suggest that you put it into your electronic calendar as a regularly occurring event rather than expecting that you'll figure it out every month.

I found the date of the next meeting for my neighborhood association by looking at the front page of the newsletter I found on my doorstep. I could have also looked online at the Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association's Web site for the next meeting date.

Some neighborhood associations send out newsletters to members only, and that newsletter will give you the date of the next meeting. To become a member, you can either sign up online (though sometimes you actually have to print and mail your form) or go to a meeting and sign up in person. It usually costs somewhere in the range of $5-20 to become a member for a year.