1300 Block of Kains Avenue

1300 Block of Kains Avenue

Our motto ?…

… to make our neighborhood safe, attractive, and a fun place to live!

A bit of history

The current neighborhood association was organized in August of 1995. The first Summer Block Party was held that same month and the first business meeting followed a week later.

Officers were elected, monthly membership dues and a treasury were established, and a schedule of monthly meetings was set up. It was decided that the minutes of each meeting would be printed and distributed to each household along with the date and agenda for the next neighborhood meeting. A number of annual events that occur at approximately the same time every year were established.

Regularly scheduled meetings, along with several social events a year, are key elements promoting and cultivating a strong sense of community in our neighborhood.

Welcome!

Accomplishments

• Protected our neighborhood from crime by maintaining active status with the City’s Neighborhood Crime Watch Program and scheduling regular visits from our Beat Officer to stay informed of crime activity in our area.


• Improved the neighborhood by planting city trees for the entire block.


• Improved the neighborhood, with assistance from the City’s Anti-Blight Task Force, by eradicating a serious graffiti problem at nearby shops.


• Improved neighborhood by repairing badly damaged storm drain covers.


• Improved safety by working with the City to install speed bumps and add a red curb to the corner of a blind intersection, the site of many accidents.


• Promoted a harmonious neighborhood with tolerance and mutual respect by resolving minor disputes between neighbors, sometimes with the assistance of Berkeley Dispute Resolution Service.


• Developed a thorough and comprehensive Disaster Preparedness Program including community supplies, a neighborhood database, trained group leaders, and an annual drill and meeting at our emergency assembly site. We utilized the O.E.S. Dept. guidelines in developing our program.


• Improved communication on our block by establishing a neighborhood e-mail address and our own website. We utilized the City’s program offering free website space to neighborhood groups.


• Cultivated a strong sense of community and closeness on our block by organizing regular annual social events including a Block-Wide Yard Sale, Summer Block Party, Disaster Preparedness Brunch Meeting and an annual Holiday Pot Luck Dinner.


• Gained recognition from BYRN, Berkeley Y2K Network, as one of the best organized neighborhood groups in the City. We were asked to write a brief success story on our organization for their newsletter. BYRN published the article on the front page of their newsletter, which was delivered to every household in Berkeley.