92 homes in Rolling Oaks comprise a friendly, cohesive neighborhood whose residents care about the upkeep and safety of their community.
Every neighborhood association is different—some start in response to one particular issue or crisis such as a redevelopment or an increase in crime. Others are more general in nature and are structured around many different issues. The Rolling Oaks Homeowners Association was created July 3rd, 1991, to bring people of diverse backgrounds together in a spirit of fellowship and to nurture this diversity; it is the root of their neighborhood personality.
What Does the Rolling Oaks Website Offer?
The Rollings Oaks neighborhood website is not a static information repository. The residents have used FREE Neighborhood Link utilities to put together a dynamic site with communication between neighbors, city officials, county officials, and local law enforcement.
The implementation of this online community has been so successful that Rolling Oaks on Neighborhood Link has been able to tackle some of the toughest issues facing the residents of any neighborhood: crime, unemployment, and education.
These impressive online innovations required no special computer savy on the part of the Rolling Oaks neighbors. There was no need to hire an expensive computer programmer or technical ‘geek'. No training in scripting languages or even rudimentary knowledge of HTML was required.
Rolling Oaks Website Success Stories
Rolling Oaks users routinely envision and implement new ways to effectively use their website. Through their online efforts the fabric of their local community has been greatly strengthened.
Using the online Neighborhood Link tools Rolling Oaks residents have:
- Posted 'Crime Alerts'
- Organized a Neighborhood Watch
- Posted Suspicious Crime/Activity Reports
- Increased neighborhood volunteerism
- Instructed neighbors in water conservation including the collection of rain water for irrigation
- Banded together in efforts to proactively stop crime.
- Facilitated self defense training and taught defense tactics
- Brought neighbors together to support the 'National Night Out' with local police
- Disseminated information about meetings with police and city officials
- Created a 'Jobs Information' section to help neighbors with employment
- Provided information about home repair and lawn and garden upkeep.
- Helped families find information about education
- Posted covenants, bylaws, articles of incorporation, etc.
- The list is endless...
Rolling Oaks Tackles Unemployment
Unemployment is a big problem in the Charlotte area. The Charlotte-metro unemployment rate is over 12%. Since the recession began 17 percent of the Mecklenburg County’s work force (80,000 people) have lost their jobs. Rolling Oaks residents have used the Neighborhood Link tools to create a ‘Job Information’ section of the website where information about job opportunities is routinely updated. There is even a page dedicated to jobs for teens. The ‘Job Information’ section has also been used by residents to post online information offering their services and trying to achieve some personal marketing in this difficult economy.
Rolling Oaks residents have recognized that acquiring new skills or changing careers is often necessary in a recession. To that end they have information posted about the Central Piedmont Community College’s (CPCC) resources for changing careers. CPCC is using $500,000 in federal stimulus money to create fast-track job training programs.
Rolling Oaks residents can find out what jobs are in demand. They can attend workshops and events educating them on their options. Through CPCC degrees, certificates, diplomas (or even non-credit training programs) they can then prepare themselves for new careers that are in demand!
Rollings Oaks Leads the Way
In North Carolina there are over 17,326 homeowner associations. Collectively, this represents over 2,025,000 households or 53% of the owner occupied households in the state. It also represents tens of thousands of volunteers that serve on association boards and committees.
Rolling Oaks is a clear leader in these endeavors. The cooperation between the community in real life and the community as they communicate online has allowed more effective communication about everything from crime prevention to tips on maintaining mailboxes. Rolling Oaks is a safer more enjoyable place to live as a result. The community is able to band together when there are specific needs like street lights or job training. All 17,326 HOAs in North Carolina, and associations across the country, can follow Rolling Oaks example to building stronger communities.
