Be Kind. Be Mindful. Be a Good Neighbor. 

The Good Neighbor Initiative (GNI) is a collaborative partnership between the Town of Chapel Hill, UNC Chapel Hill, the Town of Carrboro, EMPOWERment Inc., the Jackson Center, and other community partners. GNI is about promoting positive living experiences in neighborhoods where students and non-students live in close proximity.

Background

The initiative began in 2004 with an effort by the Chapel Hill Police Department to make door-to-door visits to student-rental properties in the Northside and Pine Knolls neighborhoods that had been trouble spots for loud noise and disruptive behavior. The idea was to talk to students before the academic year got underway about the local laws and ordinances that, if followed, would reduce the likelihood of problems between neighbors and visits from the police.

Over time, the geographic scope of the initiative has grown to include Northside, Pine Knolls, Cameron-McCauley neighborhoods, as well as Lloyd-Broad in Carrboro, North Street, Davie Circle, and the Dawes Street/Coolidge St areas.

The Good Neighbor Initiative has grown to include over 70 volunteers, visiting 1,200 homes, bringing student and non-student residents together in the spirit of community with a Community Cookout.

Being a neighbor is easy. Being a good neighbor is simple, but takes a little more thought.

Meet Your Neighbors

• New to the neighborhood or have a new neighbor?
  • Meet the folks who live around you.
  • Consider exchanging phone numbers.

Know Your Neighbors

• Your neighbors may be a family with young children, a retired elderly couple or someone who gets up for work/school early in the morning.
• Getting to know your neighbors will give you a better chance of knowing their community expectations.

Help Your Neighbors

• A neighbor can help by letting you borrow an item, collecting your mail while you are away, or calling the police if there is suspicious activity.
• Maybe your neighbor could use help getting their trash to the curb each week.

Respect Your Neighbors

• You may not always agree with your neighbor but try to respect the reasonable community expectations that have been established in the neighborhood.
• If a neighbor asks you to adjust your behavior due to it bothering them, give their request some serious consideration. You may be able to compromise.

Communicate With Your Neighbors

• Keep the lines of communication open. If there is a concern, it could be addressed early to avoid any long-term tension.
• Having a party? Let your neighbor know and ask them to call you if there are any concerns. Be sure to address the concerns or they may call the police first the next time.

For more information about GNI, or if you have questions/concerns, please contact:

UNC-CH Off-Campus Student Life | offcampus@unc.edu | 919-843-5827

Town of Chapel Hill Department of Affordable Housing and Community Connections | svinas@townofchapelhill.org | 919-969-5079

Town of Carrboro Communication and Engagement | clazorko@carrboronc.gov | 919-918-7314