A Whitton District story, street by street.
From postwar ranch streets to today's engaged community — the people of this neighborhood have been showing up for each other for decades.
A timeline of our neighborhood
The first homes
Postwar expansion reaches the Whitton District — the first ranch homes along our corridor are built and occupied by returning families.
An informal association forms
Neighbors begin meeting quarterly to coordinate street repairs and organize the first neighborhood potluck — the earliest form of the association.
Formally organized
Longview West Neighborhood Association is formally organized in December 1985 — a direct response to the Longview Redevelopment Area Plan, giving residents a unified voice as the neighborhood faced aging infrastructure and declining property conditions.
Chartered — and a citizens' committee forms
The association is formally chartered with the City of Phoenix. A citizens' advisory committee forms alongside the City Planning Department, recommending key amendments to the redevelopment plan. The group partners with Councilman Howard Adams to secure funding for street lighting and early park development.
Neighbors fight back — crime drops 75%
Partnering with Squaw Peak Precinct Commander Dave Thomas, residents launched Neighborhood Watch, shut down a problem bar on Indian School Road, and secured a first-of-its-kind city grant for Dusk to Dawn alley lighting. Crime fell by 75%. Seventeen drug houses were closed. National Night Out drew the Mayor, City Council, police, and fire. The association earned the City of Phoenix Excellence Award.
The newsletter begins
The first issue of the bi-monthly newsletter is printed and hand-delivered to every door in the district.
A new era online
The association launches its digital home — keeping the same bi-monthly dispatch, adding a year-round way to connect.
We learned that a community that works together works. The lights went up, the drug houses closed, and neighbors who barely knew each other started showing up to National Night Out like old friends. There are many fond memories — neighborhood clean-ups, carnivals with Longview School, spaghetti dinners, ice cream socials, and so much more.
Shannon Zetich
Founder, Longview West Neighborhood Association
A neighborhood that keeps showing up
Block Watch & Police Partnership
A strong Block Watch presence and close ties with the Phoenix Police Department's Mountain View Precinct and Neighborhood Enforcement Teams continue to shape safety in the district.
Commercial Corridor Advocacy
The association actively monitors commercial encroachment along nearby corridors to keep the neighborhood walkable, family-oriented, and true to its mid-century character.
Community & Schools
Close ties with the Creighton School District support local youth and school functions — carrying on the spirit of those early carnivals and spaghetti dinners.
