Bruce Good's OurHood unites neighbourhood communities

By Leigh Andrews

19 May 2015

Collaborative consumption, increasing internet penetration and the rise of digital trust all point to the importance of the OurHood app...

When last did you discover an app that actually has the potential to benefit not just your own life, but that of your entire neighbourhood community? That's exactly what OurHood Co-Founder and Managing Director, Bruce Good, had in mind when he took in rising levels of domestic crime, with residents feeling threatened and wanting instant access to an app to communicate with a group.

But there's much more to OurHood than that. Good also added a way for homeowners to be incentivised to ensure that their neighbourhoods are as safe and prosperous as possible, as an engaged neighbourhood has been proven to enhance property values. Then there's the fact that internet users are more trusting of the 'digital world' than ever before, as well as a trend for supporting local business and a desire for 'authentic' shopping experiences.

Blend it all together and what do you get? Active citizens taking on roles previously reserved for government, with OurHood as the platform for this engagement and interaction. But what exactly is OurHood? Good tells us more...

Bruce Good, Co-Founder and Managing Director of OurHood

1. Firstly, how did the idea for OurHood come about?

Good: The idea was born out of a need. Simply, a need which we have as residents in neighbourhoods in Cape Town to connect with those who live around us in real time.

There is no single, consistent, digital or offline platform for residents to use to connect with their neighbours in South Africa or even universally at present, and we saw the opportunity to develop a digital platform to make this happen.

We are driven by the steadfast belief that our product is not only necessary, it also has the potential to improve lives.

2. How does this differ from the concept of a neighbourhood watch WhatsApp group on your phone or crime stats and neighbour advice groups on Facebook?

Good: OurHood offers what Facebook and other applications such as Whatsapp cannot.

We have found many communities and Neighbourhood Watch groups leaving sites like Facebook and WhatsApp for a number of reasons.

1. Users find them very invasive, particularly WhatsApp notifications.
2. Posts on these platforms aren't organised into categories, so there is no way to search for old messages or to contain conversations within your region. WhatsApp threads quickly become very disorganised with valuable information gets lost in the multitudes of threads which start. OurHood provides clear categories to organise the conversations, where users can interact or source information, such as through a digital community notice board and trading post, crime alerts, emergency one-touch dial number lists per neighbourhood, special deals and offers targeted to a specific neighbourhood and quick access to home convenience such as ordering in printer ink directly from the app.
3. Users are quickly spammed with too many unnecessary notifications, whereas OurHood's users can choose which categories they want to be informed about.
4. We verify that every user on the platform does live in the neighbourhood by physical authentication.
5. WhatsApp groups are limited in number of users.

In essence, neither of these services are built for neighbourhood activity. They don't compartmentalise content or notifications, nor do they protect residents from fake neighbours. Privacy aside, Facebook isn't regional - you get messages from friends needing a nanny service in London - but you live in Cape Town By the same token, who is in charge of the WhatsApp groups in neighbourhoods? If I've just moved in, how do I join?

3. Well put. Is there a way for non-smartphone users to access the app or its services?

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Good: Absolutely - our first development and proof of concept was our desktop offering, www.ourhood.co.za.

Once this was perfected, with overwhelming uptake, we knew the time was right to build the Android and iOS apps, but OurHood still provides an outstanding service on web and mobisite - so we cater to anyone with access to the internet, not just via smartphones.

4. That leads us to privacy: How is the information entered kept private?

Good: Our system is 100% private. Every user is verified and must prove they live where they say they live. The quickest way to do so is by uploading a utility bill, showing their name and matching address. This procedure takes as little as two minutes. Another way is for us to send them a post card with a unique code identifier, which proves they do indeed live where they claim they live. Lastly, they can get two other verified users in their neighbourhood to approve them. Posts are monitored and can be deleted.

5. What's the uptake been like since the launch?

Good: It's been somewhat overwhelming, to be honest, and we're constantly adding systems and features to keep our users happy. We're currently enjoying over 200 signups a day and we have over 800 neighbourhoods, with an average of around 100 neighbours signed up in each 'hood.'

There's a huge advantage in actually knowing who lives next door to you. I think everyone's natural reaction to discuss WhatsApp and Facebook shows that there is a massive need for something like OurHood.

That's because neighbourhoods provide a sense of space, belonging and identity because where we live gives shape and expression to who we are. The response from South African citizens has been staggering - and speaks to how crucial a site like this is in building social cohesion and promoting safety.

Follow OurHood on Twitter for more.