In 2004 a small group of La Loma residents led by Michael J. Moradian, Jr. met to discuss the problems they were facing in their neighborhood. This group created an action plan that included creating a voluntary neighborhood committee, which would benefit the area called La Loma Neighborhood for all who lived and worked within the boundaries. They worked together to tackle crime, blight, and build a stronger, safer community, which has served as a model for others to follow. The City of Modesto also wrote an initiative to promote partnerships to engage neighborhoods and create a sense of community. The purpose was to create safer neighborhoods by getting to know each other and working together with city/county officials and agencies. Modesto Neighborhoods Incorporated was ruled as a California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation as a 501 c (3) in May 2012. It is not a political or religious group. It is set up to support the well-being of Modesto’s neighborhoods.