Start a Yard of the Month Competition to build Neighborhood Relationships

Get Your Neighbors Involved with a Yard of the Month

Looking for a fun way to spruce up the yards in your neighborhood? Begin a Yard of the Month initiative!

Follow these easy tips to ensure your Yard of the Month competition is a success.

Give your neighbors plenty of ways to nominate yards in your community. Use an online form like Google Forms or have neighbors snap a photo of the yard and email it to a designated email address.

Create a beautification committee to set the criteria and judge homes. Some judging criteria examples include: Judge solely on the exterior appearance as viewed from the street, neatness, landscaping, new additions and color.

Consider only presenting awards April through August. It can be hard to maintain certain categories like color throughout the year. Add an award for major holidays and seasonal decorations.

Set a submission schedule. Give neighbors about a month to make submissions.

Make incentives for participation and offer prizes to winners. Give swag items to all participants such as basic gardening tools, seed packets, mugs or a gift cards to local gardening shops. You don’t have to break the bank on prizes, just recognize the winning yard in the neighborhood newsletter or on the website, or place a “Yard of the Month” yard sign in their front lawn.

Interested in starting Yard of the Month in Your Neighborhood but need funding? Apply for a Mini-Grant! Neighborhoods are encouraged to apply for the $500 grant if they are interested in: improving collaboration among residents, building their leadership team, creating new relationships, strengthening inclusiveness or increasing outreach to neighbors to improve the quality of their neighborhood.

For more information about mini-grants Email Neighborhood Planner Wendy Mora or call 972-208-8150.

Program Spotlight

BEST Break: Understand the Bond Referendum

The BEST Neighborhoods division invites you to connect through BEST Break, our virtual version of Neighbors Connect!

Understand your ballot! Join our Best Break as Director of Budget and Research Karen Rhodes Whitley breaks down what you need to know about the Bond Referendum on your Plano Municipal Elections ballot Saturday, May 1.

Wednesday, April 21

12 - 1 p.m.

HOA Legal Clinic

Best Neighborhoods hosts the 2021 Virtual HOA Legal Clinic in partnership with the Cities of Garland and Rowlett and Community Associations Institute DFW chapter.

Sessions equip you with tools needed to confidently manage your HOA. Speakers include attorneys, banking associates, community managers and more. Mandatory HOA representatives are encouraged to attend for advanced board member training.

There is no cost to attend this event, but registration is required.

Saturday, June 12

8:30 a.m. - Noon

Spring Showers are Here

April showers may bring May flowers, but March is a great time to take proactive steps to limit damage some heavy storms and rains can have on your home. Although we are all still recovering from our most recent winter storm, follow these steps to prevent damage and keep your home in top condition.

Clean Your Gutters: Gutters direct water away from your house, which helps prevents rot and other water-related damage. When gutters clog, water can go under the roof and down the side of the house. The quickest and easiest way to remove debris from gutters is to rinse them with a water hose.

Check Your Roof and Chimney: Rain can leak into your house if your roof is sagging or missing shingles. Fix these problems as soon as possible. Also check your chimney for cracks, gaps and missing tiles that could allow water into the house.

Cut and Trim Trees: High winds and heavy thunderstorms can bring down destructive tree debris. Fallen and weakened trees and broken tree limbs pose a significant threat in these conditions. Trimming landscaping reduces the potential for damage to your home.

Reseal Windows and Doors: Windows and doors defend your home against heavy rainstorms. When sealant deteriorates or fails, water can leak into your home causing severe damage over time. Reseal windows and doors before rains begin with weather-stripping, foam and caulk to help keep your home dry when it rains.

Prepare for Floods: If you live in an area prone to floods, be sure to place electrical cords, important documents, personal effects and furniture off the floor to keep safe from water. Also, stock up on batteries and candles to use in the event of a power outage.

Make a Difference in Your Community by Volunteering

Monthly opportunities to serve your neighbors begin in April and continue through the summer and fall for Plano CARES. Plus Saturday, May 8, is the Love Where You Live Service Day for the Clearview - Thunderbird Neighborhood.

Volunteers are the heart of the Love Where You Live program and help to improve our community and keep Plano beautiful. All skill levels are welcomed and appreciated. Please note, all city employees and volunteers are required to wear face masks/coverings whenever interacting with others in work spaces where you are unable to maintain a minimum of 6-foot social distance.

The Great Update Rebate offers residents up to a $5,000 rebate for most major housing repairs and improvements to your home. The application process is simple and the program has no income limits.

Your property must be 35 years or older and tax valued at $344,080 or less. Single family houses, duplexes, townhouses and condominiums qualify for this program.

Ask a housing and community services coordinator how to apply by calling 972-208-8150.

Does your home have a leaky roof? Siding in disrepair? Need weatherization? Or are essential repairs just not getting done?

The Housing Rehabilitation program offers assistance in getting essential repairs and weatherization done on your home.

Speak with a housing and community services coordinator to see if your qualify, call 972-208-8150.

Emergency Repair Assistance

Do you need assistance with emergency repairs in your home? You may qualify for our Emergency Repair Assistance program.

An emergency is a condition that poses a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the family generally within two weeks and without warning.

Emergency repairs are at no cost to the homeowner. Typical emergency repairs are made to plumbing, HVAC, electrical and water heaters.

Proof of property ownership is required and other qualifying criteria apply. To qualify, your family’s income must fall within the program guidelines listed below and your home cannot exceed the tax value of $349,945.

Income eligible households can apply through a housing and community services coordinator, call 972-208-8150.

Meet Our Team: Daniel Weyandt

What is your name, position and how long have you been with the City of Plano?

Housing and Community Services Coordinator Daniel Weyandt

I just celebrated four years with the City of Plano in March 2021.

What do you enjoy most about working at the City of Plano?

I really appreciate that every level of staff has the mindset of excellent service. Coming from working for a smaller city with fewer employees, the City of Plano does a great job of recognizing an individual and taking care of their employees.

What are you most passionate about?

Trying to better those around me, and anything that has to do with the Kansas City Chiefs.

If there was one thing you would want readers to know about the Neighborhood Services department, what would it be?

We have a great team who works across all three divisions trying to find solutions for the challenges the department faces and the concerns residents may face.

What makes the neighborhood you grew up in or where you live now special?

What makes the place I live now special is that it’s my first home with my wife. We have had the opportunity to open up our home to foster children because there are kids who need a home short-term or long-term, and we have the space. We enjoy and embrace the rewards and struggles. Our home always looks a little different with each placement and it keeps life interesting.

What is your favorite place in Plano and why?

The parks in Plano are great, and I have not found one that the kids we have in our home dislike. Also, the 2800 block of Biscayne Drive in Plano during Christmas time. It’s an impressive sight and always appreciated.

Thank you for making our community

a better place!

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