The new Neighborhood Association Registry, as part of a special agreement made Dec. 16 between the city and local neighborhood associations, is designed to remedy that separation by formally linking groups with the city, providing easier communication and perks including rent-free use of city buildings for meetings, and notices regarding city meetings.

"It enables them to form a relationship with someone in the city, so when they have issues, or they have concerns, they know where to look," Coryn Campbell, Neighborhood and Community Services manager said.

Campbell hopes to have registration forms and information out to the community by mid-February.

In addition, Campbell said there are $100 grants available for developing associations to use for newsletter printing,

refreshments at meetings or other expenses. Twenty dollars of that must be used to send a representative of the organization to the United Neighborhoods of Santa Clara County's annual conference.

Sunnyvale's newest neighborhood association, the Cherry Orchard Neighborhood Association, has already begun talking with community services department about using that $80 grant towards publishing its first newsletter.

Campbell said the city is trying to bring mobile home parks into the mix, because many in Sunnyvale already have established neighborhood associations, and many experience a heightened need for a direct line to the city.

Many mobile home groups in Sunnyvale are left out of the normal city proceedings because they do not have access to KSUN-18, the local channel that broadcasts city meetings and announcements. And Councilwoman Melinda Hamilton said many older residents of the parks do not go out late at night, which prevents them from attending council meetings.

Keeping a constant channel for communication has been the biggest hurdle in the past for the city, because as employees and neighborhood leaders change, contact numbers and relationships are also lost. As part of the registry, each association is required to provide a list of its officers, including one person acting as a liaison to the city.

A group must also hold at least one meeting each year, distribute a newsletter to all association members or develop and use an email list at least once annually.

In return, the city will provide members with press releases, public hearing notices and fliers regarding city operations, assist the organization in finding speakers for events, and offer—if resources permit—free use of city facilities for community functions.

In the past, the city ran a "Co-Sponsorship" program, in which groups such as neighborhood associations could receive free use of facilities by registering with the city. But in October of last year, due to budget cuts, the program was eliminated, ending co-sponsorship benefits.

Before the cut, the Department of Parks and Recreation absorbed fees for associations' use of public property. The fees will now come from the Neighborhood and Community Services budget. Campbell said the money will only amount to some $2,000, so it will not be a significant portion of the office's operations.

By streamlining operations, Campbell said the registry will save the city money in reducing the manpower needed to track down and organize so many neighborhood associations.

Connie Cook-Turner, president of the Sunnyvale Neighbors of Arbor Including LaLinda, said the old contracts for co-sponsorship were long and complicated, which discouraged many potential applicants. The new contract, just two pages, is a much more concise agreement.

While much of the registry—including the grants—is geared toward establishing an association, long-running groups like SNAIL, as Cook-Turner's group is known, will also benefit. While the group gets to use the Columbia Middle School teacher's lounge for meetings free of cost, without co-sponsorship it still has to pay fees to use city parks for larger events.

Cherry Orchard Neighborhood Association President Don Thomas said he hopes to hold meetings in the Las Palmas Park recreational building at 850 Russett Drive because it is within walking distance of many members' homes, making it a convenient meeting place.

By establishing a strong neighborhood, Thomas said he hopes to improve neighbor relationships beyond simple greetings and pleasantries. He said that the increased involvement of the city could help his organization grow, by providing support and an opportunity to network with other local groups.

"I can see the possibility of our newsletter going online," he said. "I can see some organizations with similar interests getting involved together."

Hamilton said that while the registry may facilitate greater communication, it isn't merely the responsibility of the city to reach out.

"Staff isn't going to go out and beat people over the head with this," she said. "There has to be an interest from the community."

The only drawback Thomas sees is the time it takes both to run a neighborhood association and print the newsletters or hold the meetings necessary for eligibility in the city's program. But he says the advantages of city involvement outweigh the drawbacks.

"I think it's an idea that is long overdue," Thomas said. "It's an important investment in the environment of the community."

Cook-Turner said that the involvement of groups like the Cherry Orchard Neighborhood Assocation are part of what makes Sunnyvale the town that it is, and she hopes to see that continue.

"This is a community that has always reached out to its citizens for input," she said. "I'm glad to see there are more associations now, and that the ones we already have are growing."