HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 4/16/2024 - Memorandum From Jc Ward Re: Neighborhood Night Out 2024
281 North College Avenue
P.O. Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580
970.224.6046
NeighborhoodServices@fcgov.com
cc: Paul Sizemore, Director, Community Development & Neighborhood Services
Marcy Yoder, Sr. Manager, Neighborhood Services
1
Council Memo – Neighborhood Night Out 2024
Community Development & Neighborhood Services
MEMORANDUM
DATE: April 2, 2024
TO: Mayor Arndt and City Councilmembers
THRU: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
Tyler Marr, Deputy City Manager
Caryn Champine, Director, Planning, Development & Transportation
FROM: JC Ward, Neighborhood Engagement Manager, Neighborhood Services
RE: Neighborhood Night Out 2024
This memo aims to provide City Council members with information on changes to the Neighborhood Night Out
program in 2024.
The Bottom Line
Due to feedback received from neighborhood participants and program data, the City of Fort Collins will move
celebrations for Neighborhood Night Out to the second Saturday in August going forward. Additional funding
for neighborhood events, a wider variety of “plug and play” activity plans, and assistance for neighborhoods to
define and highlight their own special character will make Neighborhood Night Out a uniquely Fort Collins
event. These changes also help offer more engaging, fun experiences to connect City Councilmembers with
NNO hosts in their Council Districts and allow greater neighborhood participation.
Background
Neighborhood Night Out (“NNO”) has been hosted by neighborhoods across Fort Collins as part of National
Night Out since 2001. NNO features neighborhood-based social events visited by Police Services, Poudre Fire
Authority, City Councilmembers, and staff from various City departments on the first Tuesday night in August.
Neighborhood Services analyzed registration data from 2001 through 2023, surveyed participants beginning in
2019, and found:
• NNO registration plateaued around 94 events annually from 2006 through 2018. It was canceled in
2020 and did not offer visits from outside the neighborhood in 2021.
• 57 events were registered in 2022 and 44 in 2023. Many long-term hosts have not returned post-
pandemic, their reasons including enjoyment of the free time they had without organizing NNO, illness
or death, moving from the area (often to live with relatives), and economic constraints.
• Registrations show a consistent 70% requesting visits from Poudre Fire Authority and 25% increase in
staff visit requests.
• NNO incentives like mini-grants have been available to both Saturday and Tuesday night events during
NNO week since 2019. More than 30% of NNO events already moved to Saturday. But these weekend
events have not been eligible for visits from Police Services, PFA, City Councilmembers, or staff.
Survey responses indicate that the majority of hosts would prefer a weekend event with options for First
Responder and staff visits.
Based on the feedback received and trends observed, the following changes to Neighborhood Night Out will be
implemented in 2024 so the program can evolve to better meet current community needs and revitalize this
DocuSign Envelope ID: C6765775-8D56-4705-9CD3-CAA028180168
2
Council Memo – Neighborhood Night Out 2024
long-running program:
• Neighborhood Night Out will move to the second Saturday in August in 2024 and into the future.
This will allow greater participation for families with school-aged children and workers with conflicting
weekday schedules. It also gives event hosts more flexibility on event times and opportunities to offer a
wider variety of activities for participants that might require longer set-up time.
• Neighborhoods can highlight what is special about where they live. New this year, hosts can
select one of nine different “types” of neighborhoods that either reflect the current traditions and
character of their neighborhood or what they envision for their community’s future. A fun quiz is also
available to help neighborhoods identify where they land.
• More resources will be available to hosts. Each neighborhood “type” has 2-4 recommended
activities with event planning guides and tipsheets. Neighborhoods can also build their own “wild card”
type. NNO hosts can be matched with City staff from their area of interest and get to know folks whose
work aligns with neighborhood values. This is an opportunity for the City to meet people where they
are, in their own neighborhoods, addressing issues of the highest importance to the folks who live
there. For the additional work neighbors will put in planning and organizing “parties with a purpose”,
additional mini-grant funding will be available. More funding will be provided to neighborhoods working
together to offer walkable and bikeable, connected NNO events.
• There will be more ways to join the party! With fewer restrictions on event times, visitors from the
City and PFA can spend more time at each event, visit more events that work with their schedules, and
take alternative forms of transportation to NNO. Councilmembers and staff teams can opt to take
bicycles, e-bikes, scooters, or Transfort buses. (Vehicles will still be available for NNO visits as
requested.)
Next Steps
1. NNO registration and planning assistance for neighbors begin May 1st.
2. Please save the date for August 10, 2024. NNO events can be scheduled from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
3. Neighborhood Services will coordinate with the City Manager’s Office on Councilmember availability,
preferred modes of transportation, and requests to be accompanied by a staff team.
4. Councilmember NNO visit maps and event information will be provided in the July 25, 2024 Council
packets.
DocuSign Envelope ID: C6765775-8D56-4705-9CD3-CAA028180168