Bonita Building Blocks

“BUILDING A SENSE OF COMMUNITY ONE BLOCK AT A TIME” Building Blocks Logo

The goal of Neighborhood Services is problem solving through education. The challenge is developing an effective program to supplement enforcement efforts focusing on education and positive reinforcement. This is achieved through outreach and neighborhood based programs.

The Bonita Springs Neighborhood Services Department has developed an initiative to proactively work closer with our neighborhoods and increase neighborhood involvement and education. The objective is to build a sustainable program building team work with communities and changing the philosophical approach to addressing problems, issues, concerns and blight throughout our neighborhoods.

“Bonita Building Blocks” is a program developed to work with communities on neighborhood levels through extensive outreach. This program involves changing perceptions of traditional code enforcement through laying the ground work of changing perceptions of the role of code enforcement in the community. Bonita Building Blocks starts at neighborhood levels, one block at a time. The program will include recognizing well-kept properties, creating positive reinforcement for properties that are well kept, and introducing alternative programs to handle blight and violations in neighborhoods. These programs will include “thank you” cards for neighbors, recognition of properties that are well cared for, neighborhood clean ups, and participation in neighborhood events.

This is the basic program outline:
     Building Strong Neighborhoods
     Comprehensive program designed to build strong neighborhoods throughout Bonita Springs;
     To increase public awareness and education at neighborhood block levels;
     To develop an ongoing outreach program that builds cooperative efforts between neighbors and city staff;
      To preserve and strengthen neighborhoods;
     Addresses unique needs and diverse issues at neighborhood levels;
      Developed to address better community wide education, more effective response and addressing blight; and decreases code violations;
    Increase quality of life and property values;
    Creates and establishes a sense of community;

 Neighbors Helping Neighbors
     Members engaged in revitalizing their neighborhoods one block at a time;
     Common neighborhood Questions- neighborhood education;
     Beautify Bonita- Paint Your Heart Out;
     Participation in neighborhood events;
     Workshops- outreach.

Beautify Bonita:

Beautify Bonita is a program developed in Neighborhood Services to assist those who need assistance with the maintenance of their properties. This is a similar program to “Paint Your Heart Out” programs offered throughout the state. In short, staff identifies a needing property owner (owner occupied homes only); verifies they qualify for the assistance; identify what is needed to help (painting, landscaping, pressure cleaning, etc.); we organize supplies and volunteers with the assistance of area groups and businesses; and we complete the project.