1. Start A Website or Facebook Page, a website is best.
2. Letter or Flyer - Compose a brief letter stating where the massive ADU is going in, how many units, the fact that there will be no parking, could eventually turn into Short Term Rental(s) and that you want to form a citizens group to try and stop it.
Host a date and time to get together at your home.
Put in your name and contact information and let them know anyone is welcome to join and you want them to RSVP to you.
Give a START and END time for this get together.
Also see No. 10 before setting your NEXT meeting date for the one after the one at your home.
3. Print out your letter or flyer
4. Knock on doors AND/OR gather addresses from your area
5. Mail the letters/ flyers with the addresses you have collected.
If you do not know their names just address to; RESIDENTS
6. Hosted get together - Serve light refreshments and have something printed up of ideas to move forward with the group.
You can use information from our website for meeting topics.
The whole point of all this is to share.
Have a sign up sheet. Ask everyone to provide their name and email contact information.
Mailing address or phone number only if they want to.
7. Town Council & Other Community Groups in your area - Look into your local Town Council and see if they are interested in the ADU BONUS program or Complete Communities and see if you can garner any support through them or any local Community groups.
8. Area News publication - There are many smaller community news publications on the web. Look for one for your area and write to them about the ADU situation and that you are forming a neighborhood group. Include pictures of the ADU site and folks who have joined your group with of course those people’s permission to have their picture in the article.
9. At your first meeting(s) -
ALWAYS START ON TIME AND END ON TIME
If you have anyone from a Community group or otherwise that wants to speak let them know they have 10 minutes or less and it must focus ONLY on the ADU or Complete Communities issue.
Be polite and kind but if they get off track tell them “we can have further discussion on that matter after we FIRST discuss the ADU or the High Rise issue facing our neighborhood.”
Write out your ideas to combat this project, feel free to use information from our website for topic ideas.
Again we are all about SHARING here!😀
Then ask about issues neighbors are currently having with the ADU or High Rise project and strategies to solve them. Everyone will probably want to take notes so provide paper and pens.
Again if the topic gets off track be polite but if they get off track tell them “we can have further discussion on that matter after we FIRST discuss the ADU or High Rise issue facing our neighborhood.”
10. Meeting place at area Libraries
The City has approximately 28 libraries and the downtown Central library where you can book a meeting room. Be aware it must be at least 2 weeks in advance of a date. This might be something you want to book BEFORE you host your first neighborhood meeting at your house so you have a date for everyone to get together again and share ideas. Be aware because of City Budget issues the Libraries will start charging for their meeting rooms as of November 1st 2025
Click on link below to find libraries and availablity to sign up
You must sign up a minimum of 2 weeks in advance of the date you want but no more than 60 days.
https://www.sandiego.gov/public-library/services/specialresources/meeting/meetavl
Let the group know you will have a second meeting schedule (Date/Time/Place) where you can express your progress, what worked, what did not work, more City contact information and what your next steps will be.
This is not meant to be an EVERYTHING guide on how to run a local ADU meeting in your neighborhood or Community but it gives you a guide on how to start. There are hundreds of things out on the internet to suggest how to run a neighborhood meeting.
Our suggestion is to keep it simple for the first one and very focused.
You cannot be all things for all people and you cannot solve everyone’s individual issues.
Our advice is to complete this one focused task before you tackle another
Because you can lose focus very quickly by letting yourself and your group get pulled into a million different directions.
Be aware there are generally 3 types of people
Those who only follow
Those who will help a little but take no leadership role
Those who will help and lead
Do not be discourage if the group ebbs and flows that is just the way community groups work.
Take care and enjoy getting to know your neighborhood and next time you can start on organizing something fun like a block party!😃