The Downtown Boston Residents' Association (DBRA) has just surpassed 600 members, up 20 percent from last year, making it one of the city's largest neighborhood associations.

More than 12,000 people live Downtown, with over 60 percent renters and the rest homeowners. Social media outreach and building a new website have been attributed to the organization’s growing success.

The DBRA urges more residents to join and contribute to the neighbourhood’s improvement through volunteer work as it transitions into the post-pandemic era.

"It feels like good momentum, and we're having success getting out into the neighborhood and community and getting in front of people. There is also a real appetite from residents in the community to be part of the conversation about what's going on downtown," said Matthew Broude, member of the leadership team at the association.

Formed in the fall of 2014, the organization is run exclusively by local volunteers.

Such topics as public safety, the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA)'s push initiative to modernize zoning for Downtown, and questions about housing and planning have been topping the meeting agenda list.

DBRA leaders plan to further raise the organization’s profile over the next years and aims to draw a more socio-economically diverse set of members, both renters and homeowners.

"We really want to get (more) renters involved. We want to make sure that we're getting university students and staff involved, people who have stakes in the neighbourhood and who are part of it but aren't necessarily always as engaged. I really do want to be welcoming to everyone," said Broude.

The association hasn’t had enough space available to conduct regular meetings. The meetings that take place in different venues across the neighbourhood runs under capacity to host over a 170 individuals, who on an average, attend these meetings including elected officials. Fitting them into a confined space has posed a challenge.

“We're kind of skirting up toward about 200 people and there's only so many venues actually Downtown that can really accommodate that kind of size,” said Broude.

DBRA leaders are now implementing innovative formats to host and organize meetings.

The organization has been hosting several neighbourhood networking events to give residents a chance to get to know each other, outside of the typical Q and A agenda meetings.

"We've been experimenting a lot with meeting formats and trying to sort of get away from town hall because Q and A formats don't lend themselves well to a large group like that. So, we're just trying to figure out creative ways to do that," said Broude, a Downtown resident for 17 years.

The association also wants to bring in more small businesses catering to the Downtown residential community. DBRA will be open to having business owners be a part of its organization and contribute to its growth. The idea is to make the area more residents’centered.

The organization will be hosting its next Neighborhood Social on July 11 at the Sip Café located on Post Office Square. Representatives of Elected Officials and the City are expected to be in attendance.