neighborhood blogging
tommyThe writer of one of Tampa’s best blogs is moving. David Scott Banghart started the Seminole Heights blog 18 months ago, and is now moving to Lutz.
So what’s the first thing he did upon making that decision? He started a new neighborhood blog. David will now be giving you the Word from Lutz.
The St. Pete Times wrote a nice article about Banghart and how the Seminole Heights blog has made significant changes in that community. Some excerpts from the article (emphasis mine):
Banghart blogged about an illegal boardinghouse harboring sex offenders, and his online readers rallied against it. He hammered about code enforcement, and the city created the Seminole Heights task force. He discovered that Scientologists moved into the neighborhood, and local newspapers followed the story.
Before his blog, residents of Old Seminole Heights, South Seminole Heights and Southeast Seminole Heights communicated through e-mail and phone chains mostly within their neighborhoods. Now, attendance is higher at events because everyone in the area sees the same fliers posted on the blog. “You post it on the blog, you’re going to get a turnout,” said Old Seminole Heights Neighborhood Association president Randy Baron. “I think it’s an excellent place for people to find out about things. It’s a one-stop shop.” And readers aren’t just residents. The media and city officials regularly check blogs for neighborhood news.
Shannon Edge, the city’s director of neighborhood and community relations, is a regular blog visitor. It’s a great gauge for what residents care about and alerts her to neighborhood issues, she said. She often verifies information posted anonymously on the blog with association presidents in order to pass it along to city officials.
“It’s very helpful for us to keep a pulse on the community, and there is nothing more satisfying for us in the city than when we can address an issue we were not aware of,” Edge said. “So blogs are a good way we can tune in.”
Banghart plans to turn the Seminole Heights blog over to residents, and maintain a role as overseer of sorts:
“This will be an evolution from an individual-driven blog to a community-driven blog,” he said of the Seminole Heights blog. “I think it’s going to evolve to a larger community perspective, and it’s great.”
“People have an investment in this blog because it’s their community. It’s their neighborhood,” he said. “And because they’re invested, it’s been so successful.”
I’ve spoken to David a number of times, and told him that he has found the perfect use for this medium. I truly believe a neighborhood blog can foster community in that neighborhood, and the Seminole Heights blog has proven it.
There are 104 neighborhoods in the city of Tampa. In addition to Seminole Heights and Lutz, Port Tampa and West Tampa have started their own blogs. David Jenkins started one recently for Tampa Heights. If you know of any more, let me know.
I believe strongly in these neighborhood websites, and encourage you to start a blog for your community. In fact, I’ll help you start one. If you think your neighborhood needs more attention, please contact me, and I will give you all the information you need to get started.
Loading ...
October 18th, 2006 at 10:47 am
That means he sold his house? Damn. Everyone but me.
November 2nd, 2006 at 1:15 pm
[...] And a new website to add to your growing list of neighborhood-focused blogs. Please meet the Historic Ybor Neighborhood Civic Association. [...]