Northeast Neighbors United

Neighbors United is a group of involved citizens in the northeast section of the city of Lancaster, PA. We improve the quality of life in our neighborhood by becoming informed citizens who take an active role in our community. 

Lancaster's Northeast

We represent about 3,300 households. Our neighborhood is bordered by Lancaster General Health, the SDoL McCaskey Campus and Urban Place (a hip 300,000 square foot community made for living, learning, working, shopping and dining). Our neighborhood has it all. Many people who live in the community also work here. We are within walking distance of the Amtrak Train Station and Downtown Lancaster. 
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This neighborhood is positioned to be enhanced through greater homeownership, increased neighborhood communication and advocacy, and opportunities for commercial growth and beautification as the Downtown expands and the demand for authentic urban living is increasing. 

Board and Committees

Lancaster Northeast Neighbors United is all about supporting your initiatives, connecting you to neighbors and services, and advocating for your concerns and hopes. We are decentralized, so rather than top down initiatives, we think that community organizing does better with neighbors sharing ideas with each other as the first step in creating change for the Northeast.

We created linked groups attached to this community that you can join. These are incubators for ideas, think tanks where you can collaborate with like minded neighbors. Our board members and the committees they lead are for those ready to take deeper dives & make ideas into reality. As ideas take shape we as an organization can support them and we can be successful in accomplishing our goals!
KATIE Chaffinch 2020 - present
Katie recently joined the Northeast neighborhood, making a home on North Plum Street. Originally from southern Delaware, Katie lived in Virginia and Kansas and eventually made her way to Lancaster in 2013.

She is continually inspired by Lancaster's hospitality, natural beauty, and intersection of cultures. Katie is especially excited to become a Northeast neighbor because of her work as a school social worker at Ross Elementary School. 

On any given day, you'll find Katie gardening, hiking, experimenting with a new kombucha blend, or attempting a Pinterest-inspired home decor project.
Carl Feldman 2018 - present
Carl Feldman lives on Reynolds Ave. and chairs the Communications committee. He is a member of Congregation Shaarai Shomayim with his wife Carli.

​He can be found walking his dog around 6th Ward Park most days or early in the morning riding his bike to the Lancaster Amtrak station where he commutes to work at the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. Carl enjoys the strong civic culture that Lancaster provides and talking with his neighbors about whats going on around town.
Tim Freund 2018-present
Tim Freund lives next to Triangle Park with Kate and their adopted dogs. They moved to Lancaster 6 years ago and have embraced the city as their home. They found the dense design of Lancaster makes for strong connections compared to the car centered sprawl of Midwestern cities. If you've spent time in or around Lancaster Cemetery you've likely seen Tim volunteering. We're lucky to have a 22 acre historic green space in our neighborhood, and together we can make it a gem of the city.

​Tim studied computer science, math, and sociology. He's a jack of all trades software engineer and currently working as the Site Reliability Manager for WebstaurantStore in Lititz. He probably can't fix your printer, but he can write code and teach you to do the same. His opinions on neighborhood development are heavily influenced by the work of Jane Jacobs, and he's willing to walk almost anywhere in the city if it means he can avoid parallel parking.
Steven Garner 2020 - PRESENT
Steven, who has been splitting his time between Lancaster and NYC for the last 15 years, is now a full
time Northeast city resident. He and his wife Kim live on East New Street, with their 4 cats, including the
formerly feral Oranje, and three younger cats that they adopted from ORCA in January.

Steven retired in January from an over 40 year career in the entertainment industry, working as a union
stagehand and lighting programmer in theatre, television, film, and live events. He has been active in
the Lancaster community and Neighbors United, including the annual Neighbors Night Out; and serves
on the board of Creative Works. A lifelong sports enthusiast, Steven enjoys walking over to McCaskey to
catch a basketball game or a track meet and working out at the YMCA. He is an frequent entrant in Lancaster
road races. He can be found on his front porch or in the backyard practicing his guitar for jams at
Tellus360.

​Steven has felt warmly welcomed in the Lancaster community, and looks forward to giving
back to it.
ALEXANDER KING 2019 - PRESENT
Alex moved to Lancaster from Scotland with his family in 2016. He lives on Shippen St. north of the cemetery and has two boys in city schools. His household includes Percy, a grey tabby, who can be seen wandering neighbors’ shady back yards, enjoying the outdoors.

​Alex is a real estate agent with LancLiving Realty and occasionally teaches anthropology at F&M College. He enjoys listening to the McCaskey marching & concert band perform, Scouting, hanging out with neighbors and sitting on his porch reading a book.
Kendra Saunders 2020 - present
​Kendra Saunders moved to Lancaster City in 2002 and lived for several years in the Northwest part of the city. She relocated to the 100 block of East Clay in October, and
she is eager to get involved in this quadrant of the city.

​In the past she has served on City Council and as a board member of Community Action Partnership. She currently
serves on the Community Advisory Panel of LGH and is a psychologist and professor at Millersville University.

During down time, Kendra enjoys walking and biking around the city, yoga, camping, and exploring craft breweries. She is excited to get to her new neighbors and neighborhood better.
AIMEE STRUNK 2019 - PRESENT
Aimee recently moved to the 800 block of North Shippen Street with her family. She enjoys the outdoors and can often be seen going for walks with her son to Central Market, Sixth Ward Park or Musser Park.  With a background in art, Aimee loves seeing all the artwork throughout the city. Additionally, she enjoys her job at a local non-profit for seniors in Lancaster County.
​RODNEY UPSHER 2018 - PRESENT
Rodney Upsher (right) lives on the 700 block of North Shippen Street with his wife Karen. Rodney is known in his community for his commitment to making the neighborhood a cleaner and safer place to live. He adopted a block for litter clean-up and can be found helping his neighbors with odd jobs. Both Rodney and Karen are regulars at the National Night Block Party.
​ANDREW WHALEN 2019 - PRESENT
Andrew Whalen grew up in New Jersey, traveled the world and finally laid down roots in Lancaster City. As a "shoo-fly migrant", he vacationed in Lancaster County and decided to stay. After more than a decade of City-living, he has found so much more! 

​Andrew, his wife Joy and two daughters, live on North Shippen Street. You will find them in their yard working in their garden or enjoying the shade of their English Walnut tree. Andrew loves to grill and will gladly offer you a place at the table. ​

​Andrew is a former Co-Chair of Neighbors United. His vision to make our neighborhood a Safer, Greener and Cleaner place, lead his family to adopt their block, plant a street tree and start Lancaster Plogs, making our neighborhood a Safer, Greener and Cleaner place.​