By DAVE DOMESCIK | Staff Writer

PELHAM – In a move aimed at strengthening community ties and enhancing neighborhood support, the city of Pelham has launched a new Homeowners Association Collaboration Network.

The first meeting, held in May, drew more than 30 attendees representing 13 communities across the city. Led by City Manager Gretchen DiFante, the initiative seeks to establish a consistent channel of communication between neighborhood leaders and city officials—regardless of whether a neighborhood has a formal HOA, an informal group or no organized association at all.

“This has been a goal for some time,” DiFante said. “We want to understand how we, as a city, can help all of our neighborhoods be the best they can be.”

DiFante further explained that the idea to launch the network came from the city of Pelham consistently trying to better itself.

“I think as we try to get better with everything we do, especially community engagement, one of the goals that we’ve had for some time has been to figure out ways to better engage our neighborhoods,” DiFante said. “In any city, you’ve got to have strong neighborhoods. If you don’t have strong neighborhoods, you’re not going to have a strong city.”

The inaugural meeting featured roundtable discussions where participants shared their biggest challenges as volunteer leaders. A highlight of the gathering was a presentation from Julia McKay, executive director of the Alabama chapter of the Community Associations Institute. Through Pelham’s new membership in CAI, HOA leaders now have access to free leadership training and a variety of professional resources.

“It was excellent to have Julia there,” DiFante said. “She walked the group through each training module, and the response was overwhelmingly positive.”

CAI is an international membership organization dedicated to advancing excellence in the governance, management and quality of life of community associations. With more than 50,000 members, CAI has 64 chapters worldwide and relationships with housing leaders in countries around the world.

The organization’s vision is to be the global leader advancing excellence in community association living by advancing community association governance, management and quality of life by inspiring professionalism, effective leadership and responsible citizenship.

“We’ve been doing it in Alabama for 15 years now,” McKay said. “I’m really excited about Gretchen approaching me (for this project). We want to educate. We believe that better communities need better-educated board members, managers and industry partners as a whole.”

Originally envisioned as a quarterly or semi-annual meeting, the collaboration network is already shifting to a monthly schedule based on enthusiastic feedback from attendees. DiFante emphasized that the group belongs to the residents it serves.

“It’s their organization, their meeting,” she said. “We’re excited about what they will learn from one another and from professionals in the field.”

The HOA Collaboration Network is designed to promote citywide cooperation, encourage neighborhood-to-neighborhood support and provide city officials with valuable insight into the needs and goals of Pelham residents.

“A safe city, great parks, strong schools—all contribute to our growth,” DiFante said. “But strong neighborhoods are just as essential.”

Neighborhoods interested in joining the HOA Collaboration Network can contact Stacey Primero-Currier, executive assistant to the city manager and Mayor Gary Waters, for more information.