PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Lost cat? Burglar sighting? Looking for a babysitter? Move over Facebook, because a new social networking site is sweeping the nation that aims to increase community awareness and bring neighbors closer together.

Lawrenceville, Highland Park, Spring Hill, Fineview and Thornwick Drive are among 900 American neighborhoods that have joined “Nextdoor.com,” a website that helps neighbors get to know one another and share information about events and social gatherings.

According to a national survey, 28 percent of people do not know any of their neighbors by name. Nextdoor.com makes it easy for neighbors to contact one another and promotes a sense of community and safety.

For some people, their Facebook friends are not their neighborhood friends. This website is exclusively for families in neighborhoods, and is perfect for younger residents who are moving in and are comfortable using digital media.

On this social network, all members must verify that they live in the neighborhood.

Members can adjust their privacy settings to show just the street name they live on, not their whole address.

Some 300 Lawrenceville households have signed on to “NextDoor Lawrenceville.”

“We have a lot of younger residents moving in these days. Many feel very comfortable with digital media, and they’re able to plug in to the community through this,” Lauren Byrne, a member of NextDoor Lawrenceville, said.

Nextdoor.com has already spread to 43 states since it launched in October.

RELATED LINKS:
Nextdoor.com
More Featured Stories