Small intercommunicating online message boards are what maybe required at the community level to share, distribute and feeed-back information about activities, issues and initiatives taking place around very circumscribed geographic locations (like a neighborhood).
Neighbornodes are group message boards on local wireless nodes that allow anyone within 300 feet to post and read messages, and as they proliferate, networks will pass messages street by street throughout a geographic community.
As well as neighborly chat, these local networks are being used to discuss and take action on community issues such as noise levels.
It was developed by graduate John Geraci because the Internet, while really good at connecting people half-way around the world, is really bad at connecting people who live across the street from each other. DIY instructions for implanting a node in your street on the website. Via Rhisome.