Their house was only a few months old in 1963, and like many in the area, sold for just under $23,000. The couple knew all their neighbors at the time. The women in the area--many of whom stayed home to raise children--bonded over games of bridge, while their husbands got together for poker games.

"I think $10 only lasted me about an hour, even then," Harms says, laughing.

By the late 1970s, more and more of the houses in the area--which would one day be called the Panama Park neighborhood--had become rentals; some fell into disrepair. People weren't living there as long as they used to, so interaction with neighbors began to wane.

Then came the high-tech boom and a growth in population. Young couples moved into the neighborhood. With the diversity of the South Bay, the once primarily white neighborhood--as much of Sunnyvale once was--has become more varied, with more residents from Asia and India.

With the cost of housing skyrocketing, however, those couples were drawn into the workplace. Stay-at-home parents became scarce, and there were no children playing in the yards. The neighborhood was quiet and empty during the day, and residents didn't know each other.

Lately, even with the neighborhood much more diverse than it had originally been, a closeness is developing.

"The neighborhood is becoming warmer; a lot more people are walking up and down the streets in the evenings," Harms says.

He says his neighborhood is in the process of becoming "re-friendly."

Ironically, what originally sparked this shift was discord. In October 2003, residents were unhappy with a neighbor who was parking a recreational vehicle in the front yard. The unhappy neighbors took the issue to the city council, and the council changed municipal code to require all RVs and boats to be parked perpendicular to the street.

"Fourteen people did that," Harms says, "and we decided that there was more we could do together."

To that end, Harms and a few other long-time residents started the Panama Park Neighborhood Association, naming it after their park. There are now 45 members, and Harms is the vice president. He says a side benefit of the association is that neighbors are getting to know each other.

They communicate through a small newsletter and a Yahoo online group moderated by Reena Chatterjee, one of the newer residents of the area.

Chatterjee lives next door to Harms with her husband and newborn son. A sense of community is important to her. She says in India, her father raised her to care about her community and take the time to improve the places where she lives.

Eight years ago, when she left India to come to the United States, she found herself in a community where busy work schedules and fast-paced living prevented neighbors from getting to know each other as friends.

Finally, Chatterjee and her husband have found the community they were looking for through the association.

"American life being very busy, we don't really talk to our neighbors that much, but if you meet with the association, it gives you a chance to talk," Chatterjee says.

The borders of the Panama Park neighborhood are East Fremont Avenue and Dunholme Way to the north and south respectively, and Dunnock and Kingfisher Ways to the west and east. Panama Park, the neighborhood's namesake. sits in the southeast corner of the area.

Much of the neighborhood was built in the early '60s, and the original model homes are still there, sold to families long ago. In the past 40 years, homes have been rebuilt, rooms added and driveways extended, but much of the original look is still there, including expansive lawns, wide façades and trees in front of most houses.

Today, hybrid vehicles and SUVs line the streets, and the Harmses proudly tack their "Slow: Grandparents at play," sign on the liquidambar tree in front of their home.

On weekends, Little League baseball games take place at the park where Harms' son's soccer teams used to play.

Harms' son--who grew up on Glencoe Court--now rents and takes care of the house at the end of the street, where he raises his daughter on the same streets where he once played.

The city of Sunnyvale has been working hard in the past few years to bring more associations into existence as a way to develop a sense of community.

"Sunnyvale commonly scores high for delivery of city services, but when we asked if residents have a sense of community, the answers have traditionally been a lot lower," says Sunnyvale Communications Officer John Pilger.

Registered associations have quick access to city liaisons, so their opinions are heard and their needs met more easily.

Harms says the neighbors have worked closely with the city's neighborhood preservation department to monitor houses in the area and make sure landscaping and maintenance keep the area looking good.

Harms says when he first moved to his street, everyone mowed their own lawns and many neighbors met that way, but today residents hire landscapers.

He says that in addition to working closely with the city, the association hopes to make the neighborhood safer by establishing a Neighborhood Watch.

There have been a few isolated cases of vandalism or burglary in the area, mostly stolen bikes and lawn items kicked over by passing pedestrians.

"I wouldn't say its rampant vandalism," Harms says. "It's just kids who walk by and don't have anything else to do."

But by bringing the neighborhood together, residents will be able to recognize their neighbors, so they can more easily take notice of people who may not live in the area. Their first Neighborhood Watch meeting is May 24 at 7 p.m. at the Sunnyvale Community Center.

The association wants to do more than just work on visible problems. Chatterjee says she hopes that by getting to know one another better, neighbors will be more ready to help each other and get together for good times.

Harms said he is looking forward to the summer when they can hold barbecues or block parties to get people outside having fun.

"I think when we have our potluck in the summer, we'll have a lot of different ethnic foods," Harms says. "I've never tasted any curry dishes, but I bet I will."

Chatterjee says she is looking forward to meeting young families in the area as well as the longtime residents.

The Panama Park Neighborhood Association is the latest of Sunnyvale's neighborhood associations, and the tenth to register with the city. As an association, members gain access to city mailings, resources and the support of staff members who work directly with neighborhoods.

"They feel like they're a part of the decision-making process, and we feel that we get better input from their members," Pilger says.

Registered associations can use city buildings for events--the Panama association held its first meeting in the Ortega Park building--and can work with the city to bring in speakers, including public safety officers, city employees and experts on a wide range of topics.

"It's a good platform to discuss things. There are many things that you are unaware of, and with the association, you can get people to come in and help you," Chatterjee says. "As an individual, you can't get some of the things that you can as an association."

For more information about the Panama Park Neighborhood Association, contact Vice President Robert Harms at 408.736.9128 or email him at reharms@aol.com.

For more information on neighborhood associations, Community Outreach Coordinator Michelle Bromstead at 408.730.7472 or email mbromstead@ci.sunnyvale.ca.us.