Meridian Hill Neighborhood Association, Washington, DC, USA - Meridian Hill Neighborhood Association

In 2009 MHNA started three new committees: Greening; Outreach; and Safety, and reached out to developers.

Greening

Held two cleanup days, one on May 16, 2009, and one on November 14, 2009, during which neighbors, including kids, mulched trees, picked up litter, and deposited large items in a dumpster, with the Fojol Brothers truck providing a complimentary food at the end;
Surveyed properties and sent letters to delinquent property owners, which were followed up with requests to the Department of Public Works to issue notices of violations to those property owners who were unresponsive; and
Lobbied the District of Columbia for additional trashcans on 14th Street and to have several alleys repaved, sidewalks bricked and additional trees planted. Worked with the District on rat abatement in alleys.

Safety

Created a V/W Streets Task Force to combat crime and promote safety, which meets regularly with MPD, Mayor Fenty's office, Councilmember Graham’s office, ANC Commissioners, neighbors and local businesses;
Gained regular police presence;
Hosted two neighborhood walk-throughs with Mayor Fenty and city officials;
Established a liaison between the Metropolitan Police Department and neighborhood building managers and condominium boards to share building camera video in order to fight crime;
Assembled a youth development team to engage kids with educational, career development and inspirational activities; and
Organized neighborhood ride-alongs, in which any MHNA resident may participate, with police.

Development

Engaged with UDR to install a green space on the empty Nehemiah site, on which construction is to commence shortly.

Outreach

Designated volunteer block captains to distribute flyers announcing upcoming events;
Converted the MHNA Website in a blog format, added links to neighborhood businesses and meeting notes;
Designed the MHNA logo and produced a window sticker;
Developed a database of neighborhood businesses, apartment buildings and condominiums;
Provided a forum for local organizations, including Martha's Table, Booker T Washington Public Charter School for the Technical Arts, MiDCity Business Association, and the U Street Neighborhood Association, and ANC Commissioners, to inform MHNA members about their activities and increase community participation by presenting at MHNA meetings; and
Arranged with local sculptor Robert Cole and the National Park Service to restore the Joan of Arc statue in Meridian Hill / Malcolm X Park.