In late May, a nine person delegation from Eugene attended the 2013 Neighborhoods USA (NUSA) conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The delegation was part of the larger group that is organizing the 2014 Neighborhoods USA Conference in Eugene in May. The delegation to the 2013 conference included Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy and city staff, UO Assistant Director for Government and Community Relations, Karen Hyatt and representatives from Travel Lane County, Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce, and neighborhood leaders. Hyatt is a steering committee member for the 2014 Neighborhoods USA Conference.

Neighborhoods USA is a national non-profit organization committed to building and strengthening neighborhood organizations. NUSA encourages networking and information sharing to facilitate the development of partnerships between neighborhood organizations, government and the private sector.  The annual conference is the organization’s main conduit for accomplishing its mission and is attended by 400-800 people from around the country.

The Eugene delegation hosted a booth about the 2014 conference and provided a presentation.  This presentation included a short video featuring many Eugene leaders and community members, including President Gottfredson, the Oregon Duck, and students. The 2014 conference is expected to include programs about neighborhood sustainability and green initiatives, transportation and development, health, social services, public safety, and a “town and gown” track about complex relationship between local communities and institutions of higher learning.