Galveston Neighborhood AssociationsThere’s a saying that “good fences make good neighborhoods.” While it might be true that no one wants a nosey neighbor who is in their business all the time, I think strong neighborhood relationships make for great friendships, great fun and of course great neighborhoods.

If you move into a neighborhood with an association I urge you to join. I’m a past president and current treasurer of the San Jacinto Neighborhood Association and this ine group has done much for the neighborhood. It is designated by the city of Galveston as the area bounded by Broadway, Seawall and 23rd Street. It includes the Lost Bayou Historic District, so named because it was originally the location of Hitchcock’s Bayou which was “lost” when the island was raised. As the neighborhood with the longest frontage on the Gulf of Mexico, San Jacinto was also the heart of the development on the beach, and Galveston’s tourist industry. San Jac is the only neighborhood that is a Neighborhood Conservation District (NCD). An NCD takes the form of a zoning overlay and can be used to address appropriateness of demolition, new construction or rehabilitation in both residential and commercial neighborhoods. The area’s design standards are intended to address new construction and not existing buildings. his NCD focuses on preserving all that is good about our neighborhood as well as making a vibrant community for the future.

The San Jacinto and Lost Bayou Neighborhoods are home to many historic properties and corner stores. You will see all sorts of architecture in our area from Greek revival and Italianate to Arts and Crat and Victorian Folk. It’s a wonderful place to live and both the beach and downtown are walkable or a short bike ride away.

There are monthly meetings, picnics and pot luck events so being a member is a great way to socialize with new and old friends. An informative newsletter and an online community share news and a community garde is the heart of our neighborhood and home to the only Monarch Butterly waystation on the island. SJNA is having a meet and greet for all their neighbors at San Jacinto Park 19th and Avenue L from 10 a.m. to noon today.

As a Realtor, being involved in my neighborhood is a great source of information that I can pass on to potential home buyers. It’s a great way to ind local resources to give back to your community. There are many neighborhood groups throughout the island including Kempner Park, Old Carver, Cedar Lawn, Williams Borden, Denver Court, West Galveston Island and The Silk Stocking and the East End Historic Districts which work to improve their neighborhoods and provide social fun too. The Galveston Alliance of Island Neighborhoods website provides a list of all the neighborhoods and additional information at www.gaingalveston.com.

Make sure you get involved in your neighborhood. It’s another great reason why those of us lucky enough to live by the sea are lucky enough.

Tom is a President of the Galveston Association of Realtors and writes a weekly newspaper column about Real Estate in Galveston, TX.