Sorensen Neighborhood

The Strength of Neighborhoods

Sep 02, 2007

By Kimberly Bretza and Terre Packham, City of St. Louis Park Environmental Housing Inspectors

St. Louis Park has a well-deserved reputation for being a safe, diverse and prosperous community. Most residents report a strong sense of
well-being and community pride. That?’s what the results of our most recent Vision survey have told us. Neighborhoods have become the city?’s most important asset because neighbors help neighbors and neighbors join together to resolve issues. This is what a vital community is all about. One of our main goals as a municipal government and as a community is to maintain a healthy and safe environment for residents and businesses, ensuring that St. Louis Park remains an attractive, safe and vibrant place to live. We think the secret weapon lies in the strength of our communication with each other.

High-quality relationships with neighbors require openness and flexibility. If your neighbor approaches you with an issue, listen and be open. Most people do not try to intentionally annoy their neighbors. Often, issues can be quickly resolved with a kindly-worded and respectful conversation between neighbors. Keep in mind that good relations with your neighbors may call for some compromise on your part. If you aren?’t able to reach an agreement, another option to consider is Community Mediation Services at 763-561-0033.

For help in resolving issues that involve violation of city codes and ordinances, the City Inspections Department offers the RAPline. This phone number, 952-924-2126, is the one to call when you want to Report A Problem. Property maintenance issues, nuisances, graffiti, code violations and unsafe infrastructure are examples of reasons to call the RAPline. When we receive a call on the RAPline, you?’re asked to leave a message including the problem, the address, and your name and phone number. All calls are kept confidential, but it is important that you leave a phone number in case we need more information from you.

Before calling the RAPline, try to determine if the neighbors?’ behavior is actually a violation of an ordinance. All ordinances are listed and described on the city?’s web site, www.stlouispark.org. Then get the facts. Is the issue a one-time occurrence or a chronic problem? Who is the responsible party? A city inspector will investigate the situation and enforce the appropriate codes and ordinances to bring any violations into compliance.

The invaluable collaboration of concerned and responsible citizens results in neighborhood issues being resolved quickly and effectively. The partnership between residents, neighborhoods and city government is the key to resolving shared concerns.