Surrey Heights Neighbors

District Five has an interest in helping organize a welcoming and connected neighborhood. Tell us your ideas for how neighbors can welcome new residents and businesses in Payne Phalen. What would make our community a community of welcome for all?

By Executive Director

As far as use of the website, if they login and provide an email address, we notify them when major postings are made.  We invite all neighbors to our events, meetings, picnics, etc...

I would add, however, that the district web sites aren't the eaiest things to find (they are kind of nested in the St. Paul gov't website, and I didn't know to google "Payne-Phalen", because I didn't know that was what the neighborhood was called!) 

Being a relatively new resident, I'd say by the time I got around to discovering assets like the site and community meetings, I was pretty much settled in already.

Another tough thing about welcoming new neighbors in Payne-Phalen is the fact that there are so many renters.  I'm surrounded on each side by renters, and they come and go quietly without so much as a "for rent" sign going up or down.  It can be easy for them/me to get isolated.

I think if we know they are coming into the new area we can always send a welcome postcard that has the web address and other contacts?  This would be nice if we know a source where we can obtain new people who moved to the area.

I would say that most people, especially minority citizens are most felt isolated. I know years ago when I moved into the area I don't see any welcoming neighbors at all.  Mostly are very quiet.  Maybe some even are scared of me moving in being that I am a minority. 

How do we make people feel comfortable so they can participate more?

Anyway, I am no proud to be part of this area. I'm always out to work out improvement to relationships.