Neighborhood groups are influential, yet uneven. City leaders want them to improve

There is a “wealth of knowledge and wisdom” among Denver residents that isn’t being tapped, according to Denver City Council member Paul Kashmann.

“We’re missing a lot of good ideas if we don’t do a better job of bringing them into the process of governance,” he said.

Kashmann views the city’s registered neighborhood organizations — a collection of 200-plus groups of residents who have gotten officially organized under city law — as one of the strongest tools to get Denverites engaged.

Some RNOs are influential players in city politics, shaping what happens — and what doesn’t — in their neighborhoods. The most effective ones connect residents, provide information and lobby local lawmakers. • Explainer: Want to get connected in Denver? Joining your registered neighborhood association m