Neighborhood Association Program

Lake Oswego's neighborhood association program began in 1974 with the development of the original comprehensive plan.  Neighborhood Associations are an officially recognized channel for citizen participation in land use planning in Lake Oswego.

Today, there are 25 recognized neighborhood associations in Lake Oswego. These volunteer organizations bring neighbors together to improve the livability of Lake Oswego's neighborhoods. Neighborhood members elect boards to represent their views before the Planning Commission, City Council and other public bodies and to maintain ongoing communications with City government. The role of neighborhood associations and the process for recognition by the City Council is defined in the Citizen Involvement Guidelines.

Find your neighborhood, on the map of the city's neighborhood boundaries in the City's interactive mapping tool, LO Map. Find the contact information for your neighborhood association.


Resources for Neighborhood Associations
 

Neighborhood Association Resource Guide

This guide provides recognized neighborhood associations with information to help run a successful association. The guide describes the role of a neighborhood association, City requirements for maintaining recognition, resources and benefits of recognition, and helpful tips for your organization. A must read for any new board member or neighborhood pursuing official recognition by the City.

Funding for Neighborhood Associations

The City provides funding for recognized Lake Oswego Neighborhood Associations to communicate information, organize members, and foster neighborhood cohesion.  Every Neighborhood Association is pre-approved for the reimbursement of certain expenses, plus the City offers additional support for one-time projects in priority areas.

Pre-application Conference Training for Neighborhood Representatives

In 2004, the City began inviting neighborhood association representatives to attend pre-application conferences for development projects occurring in their neighborhood. Representatives must attend a brief training session in order to attend; these are held approximately twice annually, or upon request.

Neighborhood Drop Box

Republic Services will provide up to 15 donated drop boxes per year to be used for neighborhood cleanups or other special events with a neighborhood/community benefit. Please use the Neighborhood Drop Box Application form to apply for a free drop box through the City, and do not contact Republic Services directly for these requests.

Neighborhood Association Insurance

The Neighborhood Coalition of Lake Oswego is a not for profit entity that provides general liability insurance at no cost to neighborhood associations for meetings and events. Insurance is available to all recognized neighborhood associations within the City of Lake Oswego. An application must be completed for participation in the program. One application may be used for all meetings in a one year period, events require an application for each event.


Other Neighborhood Organizations

Homeowner's Associations
Within Lake Oswego’s neighborhood associations are many more homeowners associations (HOAs). Homeowners associations are private corporations typically established by a developer during the development process to provide for the ongoing management and maintenance of common areas and amenities, and in some cases to review the design of new or remodeled homes within the development. Membership in HOAs is typically limited to property owners, and during the subdivision build-out also includes the developer. Non-owners typically do not have association voting rights. The City does not require HOAs to maintain contact information with the City. Neighborhood associations are voluntary groups that typically represent a larger geographic area and include both renters and homeowners as voting members.

Community Planning Organizations (CPOs)
Community Planning Organizations (CPOs) are comparable to the City of Lake Oswego Neighborhood Associations and are recognized by Clackamas County. There are six CPOs in the Lake Oswego Urban Services Boundary and adjacent to the City limits. They are the Birdshill*, Forest Highlands*, Lake Forest*, Rosewood*, Southwood-Woodland Park, and Stafford-Tualatin CPOs.

Contact Information

Erik Olson, Long Range Planning Manager, (503) 697-6524

Iris McCaleb, Administrative Assistant, (503) 697-6591

Email:  neighborhoods@lakeoswego.city

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