Whats a Good Neighbor Agreement (GNA)?
When people are concerned about a crime or nuisance issue in their area, they may come together to develop a Good Neighbor Agreement (GNA). The GNA process brings together the people who are most affected by the issue-this may include nearby residents, business owners and property owners as well as representatives from law enforcement, crime prevention, the neighborhood association, the area business association and other community groups. At the GNA meetings, our facilitators help the group to clarify their concerns and work together to identify solutions that everyone can live with. It is also a good chance for the group to build lines of communication that will be crucial when issues arise in the future. Sometimes members of a community come together pro-actively when they anticipate a change or a challenging situation. One common example is when a shelter or other residential facility is coming into the neighborhood. In this case, the GNA is a chance to anticipate and plan for the
