Sometimes, a bouncy house shows up in the middle of the block. Sometimes, people are picking up trash and planting tulips in the tree pits outside a building. Other times, groups of neighbors come together to make their voices heard about planned developments nearby.  

These are all functions of block associations, those smallest of civic organizations that help neighbors get to know each other and work together on the things that matter where they live.  

Steve Anderson is president of the Upper West Side Coalition of Block Associations & Community Groups. He joined WNYC's Michael Hill to discuss how they function.