Social Networking Platform Ties Neighborhoods and Government Together

Nextdoor, a neighbor-to-neighbor social media platform, is growing at breakneck pace: from 176 neighborhoods to more than 38,000 today -- that number represents one in four neighborhoods throughout the US.

With such an upswell, cities have taken note and have already green-lighted departments to leverage Nextdoor for neighborhood notification purposes and dialogues.

Most are using the service for police and other emergency management agencies: 212 and counting. For government, the emerging startup raises questions about sustainability, its business strategies and -- integrated into workflows -- how best to apply Nextdoor’s high-touch access to citizens.