"When I was in college, I was involved in a neighborhood association and I always understood their value and importance," Yeager says. "I also knew they were the best way for a group of residents to communicate to their city representative."

Yeager is a past president of the Rose Garden Neighborhood Preservation Association (RGNPA), a post he was holding when first elected to the city council five years ago.

Now, he says his District 6 "has more active neighborhood associations than any other council district."

There are eight neighborhood associations in the greater Rose Garden area, as well as several in neighboring Willow Glen and other areas.

Some, such as Shasta Hanchett Park Neighborhood Association (SHPNA) are extremely active, while others such as Baywood Redwood Neighborhood Association tend to get active only when there's a mutual concern, such as parking issues with Westfield Shoppingtown Valley Fair or prostitution in the area.

One person who understands the power of a neighborhood association is Yolanda Reynolds, who founded SHPNA two decades ago.

Had Reynolds not rallied her neighbors to organize SHPNA and make it a visible force, she says she believes that both Shasta and Hanchett avenues would now be four lanes wide and HP Pavilion events would have a negative impact on surrounding neighborhoods.

Reynolds, who has lived on Shasta Avenue for more than 40 years, laughingly recalls in the early days feeling "like a ward boss when I'd get calls from people with political interests, as well as the mayor."

Traffic was one of the key concerns that spurred Reynolds and her neighbors to organize an association, taking cues from the well-organized ones already in existence in Willow Glen and around San José State University.

When the arena was first proposed, SHPNA was immediately pro-active.

"I made [then-Mayor] Tom McEnery come to my house and walk from my house to the arena site to show him how easy it would be to get there," Reynolds says.

SHPNA's efforts to block the arena were unsuccessful, but Reynolds and others take pride in the fact that they forced the city to address such issues as adequate signage and parking. They also helped residents in the St. Leo's area get permit parking.

A decade ago, SHPNA joined forces with the RGNPA in forcing the San Jose Unified School District to stop plans to tear down Historic Hoover School.

After filing a lawsuit and gaining a favorable ruling, they were pleased to see the school district restore the older part of the school that is now used for some classes and also as a community center.

The collective power of a neighborhood association can't be underestimated, says Robert Solis, vice president of the Buena Vista Neighborhood Association.

"Right now, the only voice to your city council and council members is a true neighborhood association," Solis says. "You can have individual people going out, but a neighborhood association with a history of community activism is a reliable place for elected officials to look to for what's going on in the neighborhood."

Solis says one advantage of an active association is that it acts "as a clearing house" for area concerns.

"If they feel uncomfortable going to city hall, they can come through us," Solis says. "This is a chance for the normal people, homeowners and renters that live within the neighborhood association area to have a real effect on their living environment."

Daniel Chavez, outgoing president of the Burbank Community Association, says he's proud of the more than $1 million in grants and works that the association has been able to bring into the community over the last five years.

He points to sidewalk gutters, ramps for those with disabilities, surface drainage projects and lighting projects, all of which have improved the areas.

Tom Comey, president of the College Park Neighborhood Association, says, "Our neighborhood is a good example of what happens when you don't have one.

"Six years ago, we had prostitutes, drug dealers and gangs and a lot of the houses were zoned duplex and rented out as two homes. There was not enough parking so the streets were filling up with cars," Comey says. "Since we've been working more closely with the city and taking advantage of grants, those homes are converting to single, owner-occupied.

"Six years ago if you lived in our neighborhood there were no kids. You wouldn't walk around at night. Six years later there's a lot of people out walking and lots of kids out ... The whole character has changed from a tense situation with illegal stuff going on to owner occupied homes with kids. There's a definite cause and effect when you participate."

While the first priority of neighborhood associations is issues such as traffic and blight many also have a social aspect to them.

Ken Braley, president of the Cory Neighborhood Association, says joining the group helped him meet his neighbors.

"I lived here for 12 years and didn't know any of my neighbors. I don't have kids and everybody works. Meeting neighbors was a motivation for me."

The Cory group organizes events ranging from planting daffodils to organizing community yard sales and dumpster days.

SHPNA and RGNPA join forces each year for an Easter egg hunt and an ice cream social in the Rose Garden park.

Members of the Newhall Neighborhood Association, which restarted in 2004, has sponsored several community get-togethers, including a Fourth of July street barbecue and children's parade and a roving holiday party in December. Additionally, it's a neighborhood where spontaneous barbecues involving several households happen frequently.

John Hoskins, president of the Newhall group, says there were two motivations in working to restart the association.

"We try to give back to the community, but the heart and soul of it is just to get involved and encourage everyone to meet their neighbors. We moved here and didn't know anybody. Within a matter of weeks, we knew all our neighbors. Now when we leave, we know every one of our neighbors is watching our house," he says.

Thom Scheid, president of RGNPA, says one of his goals is to increase awareness and membership of the group.

"We haven't done a very good job on educating people on what our organization does," Scheid says.

He points out that membership dues underwrite some of the most popular neighborhood activities such as the ice cream social and egg hunt.

Communication between neighborhood association members ranges from occasional newsletters to active websites and listservs.

The most active is SHPNA Talk, which does not require association membership to subscribe to.

Some general messages are soliciting recommendations for contractors to work on hardwood floors or roofs, while others offer free items such as a folding table or even a pair of Maine Coon cats.

The majority of SHPNA Talk emails are opinion exchanges on everything from liquor sales in the area to train whistles at night to public access to Lincoln High School's new track.

Rick Partridge, who recently ended a two-year stint as president of SHPNA, describes the listserv as "an open forum. We encourage dialogue on issues such as development and a dog park. It's monitored only for appropriate content."

The SHPNA Talk group also serves as an early warning system on what's of interest and what direction participants are leaning on issues.

An initial posting often results in a flurry of responses and opinions. Advice is freely offered and it's not unusual to see recommendations to "call or email Ken and Megan."

Megan is Megan Doyle, council assistant to Councilman Yeager and the usual recipient of the resulting emails and calls, but good-natured about it.

She tries to attend as many of the neighborhood association meetings as she can each month and says, "I find those relationships to be very helpful. If something is going on, I can call and say, 'What are you hearing about this?' "

Doyle says it also helps her in researching constituent views for Yeager.

While neighborhood associations are positively viewed by most, those involved with them say it's often like walking a tightrope.

"When you become a neighborhood association president, you make enemies," says Cuevas of the Baywood group. "Not only are you helping people, you're creating problems."

Comey of College Park acknowledges that differences of opinion are common and many people feel very passionate about certain issues.

"Not everyone comes up with the same ideas on what's good," Comey says.

Burbank president Chavez says, "Typically, people get complacent when things are going well, but when something occurs then people will rally.

"Right now, it's kind of calm, it's the New Year."

Baywood Redwood Neighborhood Association

Boundaries: Around Westfield Shoppingtown Valley Fair, between Redwood Avenue and Monroe Street. Encompasses about 200 households.

Founded: around 2001

Membership: four or five active members

Dues: none

Website: none

Contact: Richard Cuevas, 408.246.3246

Group has worked hard to keep Valley Fair shoppers from clogging and parking on their streets and helped police close two prostitution parlors

Buena Vista Neighborhood Association

Boundaries: Paramour, Leigh Avenue, San Carlos Street, Meridian Avenue. Encompasses about 1,400 households.

Founded: around 1995

Membership: about 40

Dues: $15 for individuals, $20 for family.

Website: none

Contact: email to bvna@yahoogroups.com or write BVNA, P.O. Box 26953, San Jose, CA 95159-6953

The association's motto is "to protect, maintain and enhance the Buena Vista area."

Particular concerns include additional park areas, development, code enforcement, nearby businesses, neighborhood cleanup and anything that may impact the neighborhood.

Burbank Community Association

Boundaries: Highway 880, from behind O'Connor Hospital along Forest Avenue to Rutland Avenue, along W. San Carlos Street to Menker Avenue to Scott Street to Moorpark Avenue to S. Bascom Avenue to Downing Avenue. Encompasses about 2,500 households.

Founded: 1983

Membership: about 160

Dues: $15, individual; $25, family

Website: www.burbankcommunityassn.com

Contact: BCA, P.O. Box 28652, San Jose, CA 95159; 408.236.3769

The association's goal is "preserving and enhancing the quality of life in the Burbank area."

Very pro-active, it has obtained more than $1 million in grants over the past five years. The monies have gone to sidewalk improvements, putting in sidewalks, gutters and ADA ramps as well as increasing the number and wattage of streetlights.

The association sponsors an annual family health fair and participates in the Burbank Neighborhood Jamboree each June.

College Park Neighborhood Association

Boundaries: The Alameda to the Southern Pacific Railroad yards and from Taylor Street to Highway 880. Encompasses about 400 households.

Founded: unsure, but became active in the late 1990s

Dues: $10

Members: 25

Website: none. (The www.collegeparkneighborhood.com site is not affiliated and is sponsored by a real estate firm.)

Contact: cpna-leaders@yahoogroups.com or write CPNA, P.O. Box 28035, San Jose, CA 95159

This historic district's name dates back to 1866 when lots were sold to finance construction of the University of the Pacific campus. The university relocated in 1923 and Bellarmine College Preparatory now occupies that site.

The association's mission is "improving the quality of life, preservation of the unique character of our historic neighborhood and fostering the recognition of College Park as a model neighborhood in the city of San Jose."

Accomplishments include dealing with boarding houses and Sober Living Environment Group Homes so they do not negatively impact the neighborhood; reducing density levels in the city's General Plan so inappropriate high-density development doesn't take place; and installation of additional stop signs and traffic calming elements.

The association hosts an annual Oktoberfest.

Communication is via printed mailers distributed to everyone in the area and through an online listserv.

Cory Neighborhood Association

Boundaries: Area inside Winchester Boulevard, Newhall Street, Bascom Avenue, Highway 880 and Forest Avenue. Encompasses about 1,400 households.

Founded: 2001

Membership: 1,400 households. If you live within the boundaries, you're automatically considered a member.

Dues: None

Website: www.coryneighborhood.org

Contact: Ken Braley, 408.244.2268

The association's goal "is to create a sense of neighborhood and community. We want to strengthen the relationships not only between residents in individual homes, but also with our neighboring schools and businesses."

Sponsors events during the year, including "Dumpster Day" where dumpsters are brought in for residents to share.

A quarterly newsletter is sent to all households.

Newhall Neighborhood Association

Boundaries: Highway 880 to Portola Avenue and from the railroad tracks to Park Avenue. Encompasses about 350 households.

Founded: in the 1980s and restarted in 2004

Membership: about 100

Dues: $10

Website: www.newhallna.org

To Contact: email usfinswim@att.net

The mission statement is "to facilitate the neighborhood and give its citizens a voice in decision-making as it affects our neighborhoods."

Originally formed to get streets paved and sidewalks installed, the association restarted with the help of a grant to work on traffic problems and neighborhood blight; to increase community awareness and encourage socialization.

This past year it organized a Fourth of July block party and a Christmas social.

A quarterly newsletter is delivered to all the homes in the area.

Rose Garden Neighborhood Preservation Association

Boundaries: Highway 880, The Alameda, Naglee Avenue, Park Avenue, Rosecrest Terrace, Dana Avenue, Hester Avenue, Wabash Avenue and Forest Avenue. Encompasses 1,500 households.

Founded: around 1985

Membership: about 300

Dues: $15

Website: www.rgnpa.org

Contact: 408.236.2130; RGNPA, P.O. Box 28761, San Jose, CA95159; info@rgnpa.org

This group purposely includes the word preservation in its name because, President Thom Scheid says, "we started to preserve the character and charm of the neighborhood."

Hosts an annual Easter egg hunt and ice cream social with the Shasta Hanchett Park Neighborhood Association and a few events that are open only to members.

Members receive a monthly newsletter and all residents receive a quarterly publication.

Shasta Hanchett Park Neighborhood Association

Boundaries: Dana Avenue, Naglee Avenue, Taylor Street, Stockton Avenue, Park Avenue, Hester Avenue and W/ San Carlos between Hester Avenue and Race Street. Encompasses 2,300 households

Founded: 1985

Membership: 500

Dues: $20

Website: www.shpna.org

Contact: email membership@shpna.org or write SHPNA, P.O. Box 28251, San Jose, CA 95159

Under its umbrella, SHPNA works "to protect and advance the interests of Shasta Hanchett Park, Garden Alameda, St. Leo's and Cahill Park neighborhoods."

It has been very effective in working with developers and the city to assure neighborhood concerns are understood and met. They have been successful in getting plans revised so development is compatible with the character and density of the neighborhoods.

An e-bulletin is sent out on the 1st and 15th of each month to those with paid memberships.

There is also the SHPNA Talk forum, which is a very active email group, but doesn't require membership. The SHPNA Board does not approve content.