Neighborhoods

Sun Prairie is a place of vibrant and robust neighborhoods made up of housing with options for all. We strive to have options in all price ranges for those that desire to rent or own. People who come into our city have the opportunity to put down roots and grow with our community. 

Strong and active neighborhood associations provide many benefits to both neighborhood residents and City officials. In addition to encouraging more interaction between neighbors and creating stronger ties within neighborhoods, an organized effort to identify and formalize neighborhood associations within the City can increase communication and engagement with citizens.

Neighborhood Associations

Sun prairie’s neighborhood association program is in the works and came out of the Mayor and Council Strategic Plan. A Neighborhood Association is a group of residents, property owners and business representatives within a defined area with a common goal and/or identity, recognized by the City of Sun Prairie. Neighborhood associations devote their time and energy to improve and enhance the area that they live in. They offer a place to meet neighbors, exchange information, create projects, propose solutions and most importantly, have fun! Check back for more information on how to start a Neighborhood Association. 

Purpose

The City encourages the voluntary formation of Neighborhood Associations for the purpose of facilitating communication between residents, City staff and officials, fostering interaction between individuals on issues of common geographic concern and building a better community through collaboration.

Benefits

When asking neighbors to organize, they must first be shown some of the reasons and benefits for forming a neighborhood association. Neighborhood associations:

  • Build a sense of community.
  • Empower residents.
  • Identify and address issues in the neighborhood.
  • Serve as a tool in preventing neighborhood decline.
  • Provide a sense of security as neighbors get to know one another.
  • Supply a channel to meet neighborhood goals.
  • Unify the voice of the community (A collective voice is a stronger voice).
  • Provide an effective communication link with the City.
  • Increase awareness of decisions that impact the neighborhood.
  • Help bring people together through socializing and working toward neighborhood improvement goals.

Other neighborhood organizations

Homeowners Associations
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. Homeowners associations have established deed restrictions recorded with their subdivision. Deed restrictions are policies above the city’s regulations and are enforced by the homeowners association.

Membership in HOAs is typically limited to property owners, and during the subdivision buildout 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.