We’ll give you the basics about community gardens, describe the benefits you’ll reap, and explain the steps to take to start and manage a community garden program at your assisted site.They can range in size from one communal raised bed, to hundreds or thousands of square feet of individual plots, to several acres.Community gardens provide numerous benefits to residents and to assisted sites.The Insider consulted experts around the country who have started and managed resident community gardens at assisted sites.They gave us a list of 10 steps to take to start and manage a successful community garden program at your site:.Assign a point person from site staff to lead the planning process and oversee the gardening program.Other sites use their service coordinator office or HUD Neighborhood Networks program staff to oversee gardening programs, or even recruit AmeriCorps or Vista volunteers to do the major legwork.These volunteers often live at the site as part of their stipend and also become resident garden leaders.The staff member’s involvement can range from direct planning and supervision of the garden to being a point of contact for residents and partner organizations who will actually plan and run the garden program.Make sure the staffer you’ve assigned knows he or she must stay involved throughout the planning process and the gardening season, regularly visit the garden, and communicate directly and regularly with residents, says Michael Harris, sustainability projects coordinator at Foundation Communities in Austin, Texas.Success of your site’s gardening program begins and ends with resident engagement and participation in the planning process, says Beth Keel, sustainability initiatives liaison for the San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA), who oversees 12 community gardens for residents of SAHA sites.He recommends you survey your residents to gauge their interest in gardening and their desired level of participation.Practical Pointer: Survey and involve maintenance and other site staff, as well as residents, even if they aren’t assigned to manage the program, says Harris.It also builds employee morale and creates working relationships among staff members who would otherwise not interact, says Erika Slaymaker, environmental sustainability coordinator at Project H.O.M.E.Instead, they partner with experienced community organizations to work with the site staff and residents to plan, fund, install, and/or manage the garden.It’s important to partner with organizations that are truly based in the community and have existing relationships with other organizations that can support your garden program, says Mac Levine, founder and executive director of Concrete Safaris, an organization that runs gardening programs at NYCHA sites involving thousands of residents and tens of thousands of square feet of growing space.You may want to partner with several organizations that can contribute to different aspects of the program, such as gardening supplies, soil and other resources, funding, technical assistance, access to volunteers, educational opportunities, and potential income or vocational training opportunities for residents.At least one of your partners should have local experience and expertise in gardening, soil health, and growing food in small spaces, says Levine.The degree of involvement of your partner organization is up to you, depending on the size and needs of your garden program.But choose partners that have the time and capacity to help manage the program and will stay involved along with your site’s staff, says Harris.If not, or as a water supplement and conservation measure, consider collecting rainwater from rooftops.Plants grow best in soil that drains well and doesn’t dry out too quickly.Avoid areas where puddles form when it rains or are too sandy and dry.Almost all states have an agriculture extension service or soil-testing lab where you can send soil samples for testing for fertility and the presence of contaminants and heavy metals such as lead or arsenic.Make sure that the site has adequate access to deliver soil and other heavy supplies.Assess existing structures, fences, rocks, cement, shrubs, and trees to determine which you’ll need to move and which you can keep or reuse for the garden (for example, using a cement area for garden tables, or large trees as a shady area for resident gatherings).Determine if gas lines, water mains, or septic tanks exist below the area.Once you’ve chosen your garden’s location, hold planning meetings with partners, assigned staff, and resident leaders to: (1) spell out the vision and features for the garden; (2) design the space; and (3) assign planning, design, and construction tasks.You’ll probably have to hold more than one meeting to make sure everyone understands his role and responsibilities in garden planning, installation, and day-to-day management, says Levine.The garden team should create a plan that addresses the following topics:.If your garden is primarily for elderly or disabled residents, for example, you’ll want to install raised beds that are wheelchair accessible and high enough so residents can reach from all sides without heavy bending, says Keel.She recommends making at least a portion of any garden accessible for residents with disabilities and to make all of it accessible if you manage sites specifically for or have a large percentage of elderly and disabled residents.But if your garden is for families or youth, and your soil is in good health, planting in beds directly in the ground is fine.You’ll also want to decide if the garden spaces will be communal, meaning the residents share all the space and work on the garden together, or will consist of individual plots or raised beds, says Burkett.If your garden’s purpose is education, youth empowerment, community building, or therapy for older or disabled residents, you can use shared growing spaces that residents can plant and harvest together, says Sandra Gray of Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation.Also, you can keep better track of individual plots if they are in raised beds, and gardeners have less risk of plants being trampled or eaten by animals.You don’t need to chose the varieties—leave that up to the resident gardeners to decide—just consider the types so you can better plan the overall design.Types of plants residents can grow in community gardens are:.But some municipalities bar the raising of bees, poultry, or other farm animals, and you can face fines if you don’t follow the law.If you’re considering having a beehive or raising chickens for eggs, be sure to consult your site’s attorney to find out what local laws govern these practices.Decide the timeline for installing the garden and whether you’ll pay professionals or use volunteers to do the work, including cleaning the site, turning sod, building raised beds and structures, ordering soil, filling beds, ordering or starting plants, and setting up the watering system.In addition to growing food for residents to use at home, many gardens have educational and vocational activities.HUD rules encourage site owners and managers to create educational and vocational opportunities, and a garden is a good way to create these opportunities (see HUD Handbook 4381.5, Chapter 9: Neighborhood Networks Fact Sheet).HUD rules encourage owners and managers to educate residents on energy and other conservation issues, so incorporating these practices into your garden could help reduce water, energy, and waste costs at your site in the long run.Reduce water consumption by using rainwater tanks, mulching, efficient irrigation, and low-water plants; and.Path materials (wood chips, straw, pebbles, flagstone);.Trees, perennial plants, shrubs, and large bushes for shared/perimeter gardens.Step #7: Hold Launch Meeting, Create Garden Rules.Having residents create rules will keep them invested in the garden throughout the season and empower them to help prevent problems later.Spell out residents’ responsibility to supervise the behavior of nonresident guests [Rules, par.Spell out prohibited behavior, such as use of drugs, alcohol, firearms, tobacco, fireworks, and open fires (other than barbecue) [Rules, par.Require that all major garden equipment, such as rototillers, lawn mowers, power trimmers, and saws be used only by maintenance staff or by specified trained individuals over the age of 16 [Rules, par.State written warning notice and termination procedures for not complying with garden rules.If more residents apply than there are available individual beds, take their agreements anyway, and put their names on a waiting list.Depending on the garden program, waitlisted residents still may participate in communal activities.Be sure to add an indemnification clause to any garden agreement to avoid liability for injuries and damage caused by residents.To the extent permitted by law, Resident shall indemnify and hold harmless ABC Apartments, its managing agent, and its respective officers, directors, beneficiaries, shareholders, partners, agents, and employees from and against all fines, suits, damages, claims, demands, losses, and actions (including attorney’s fees) arising out of, or relating to, all acts, failures, omissions, and negligence of Resident, his or her agents, employees, visitors, guests, invitees, and contractors, arising out of or in any way relating to Resident’s use of the garden.Holding regular meetings will keep residents involved in the garden and ensure that any problems that arise are solved quickly.Conduct group activities, such as soil preparation, communal planting, composting, weeding, and harvesting; and.Plus, funders love to see photos of gardeners in action and hear about bottom-line successes, like the total pounds of produce grown or the amount of money residents saved in food costs throughout the season, says Slaymaker.Grants from partners, local government, and gardening, educational, and environmental organizations;.Here’s a list of Web sites with more information about starting your garden program, including where to find funding, technical assistance, volunteers, and supplies:.This Special Issue of the Insider was written by Carolyn Zezima, Esq., who is the president of NYC Foodscape (www.nycfoodscape.com), and a consultant with a track record of grass-rooting and managing organizations in the nonprofit sector.While in Illinois, Ms