FROM E-MAILS and Web sites to computer programs designed especially for organizations, many homeowner groups on the Northside are turning to technology to conduct daily business.

Of the eight neighborhood associations interviewed by the Sun, all use technology in some way, shape or form to manage accounts, answer questions and keep members in the know. However, some neighborhood leaders still prefer traditional means of getting information out there.

Those who employ technology say specialized software and a Web presence make their jobs a lot easier. “Part of our management contract requires them to set up a Web site,” said David Lane, president of Ridgway, Lane and Associates. “It’s excellent for us and the association.”

The Ridgeland-based firm manages about 30 homeowner groups across the state, including Bridgewater and Reunion. He said Web sites allow associations to market their neighborhoods to outsiders and answer common questions that residents might have on issues like covenants and association bylaws.

Those who call the office are often directed to the site - a move that also saves time and money for office staffers.

Another benefit of having a Web site is that it can offer exclusive features for residents living in a particular neighborhood. Mark Frascogna, managing partner with Neopolis Development, said folks in Lost Rabbit can log onto the community’s neighborhood site to post messages and find out about construction.

LOST RABBIT, a mixed-use community located on the Ross Barnett Reservoir, is still being developed. Of the 800 homes planned for the area, about 55 have been completed or are now under construction, Frascogna said. About 30 residents have moved in.

“It’s a way to communicate in a controlled environment,” he said. “People can enter a password and see very specific information about the neighborhood.” He said the site is ideal for teenagers looking for babysitting jobs or residents wishing to sell vehicles.

Another Web site for Lost Rabbit can be accessed by the public. That site, Frascogna said, is a marketing tool.

Lane said Web sites are relatively inexpensive tools that are becoming popular across the United States. The firm that creates sites for Ridgway Lane charges a $150 setup fee, and between $30 to $200 a month to maintain it. He said the fee is based on the size of the neighborhood.

“We have three levels of security,” he said. Parts of the Web site can be seen by anyone who types in the URL, like information on covenants and properties for sale. “That’s information we want everybody to see,” he explained. Another level of security only allows information to be accessed with a password. The third level is just available to officers or administrators.

The Fondren Renaissance Foundation (FRF) also has a Web site which provides an events calendar, a map of the Fondren district, and links to information about renting the Cedars for a party or show.

And although it’s not a Web site, per se, Madison County Supervisor D.I. Smith said the Federation of Madison County Homeowners Associations has also benefited from having an online presence. The federation has a page set up with Yahoo! Groups, as well as a link to a Google blogspot.

SMITH HELPED the non-profit establish the pages after the group was formed in 2007. He said FMCHA needs a permanent home on the Internet, because it doesn’t have an address in the phone book.

The federation is made up of approximately 22 homeowners groups across the county and represents about 5,000 properties. Unlike some groups, FMCHA doesn’t have a specific meeting place. “It’s easier to find information on the Web than it is to search for a phone number,”he said.

In addition to providing a place to post comments, the Yahoo! page also includes contacts for county officials, a link to download bylaws and membership applications and a link to newspaper stories written about the group.

While some associations and nonprofits have sites, others rely heavily on e-mails.

Jimmy Stiglets, president of the Lake Trace Homeowners Association in North Jackson, said it’s the only way to get information out quickly to residents and other neighborhood leaders. In all, about 250 people are included when he sends out mass messages.

Sending out an electronic communication not only saves time, it also saves Stiglets money. “It’s much faster and cheaper and you can get the message there almost instantly,”he said. “And, you don’t have to pay for postage.”

Lake Trace uses e-mails to inform residents in on a number of issues, including crime trends. People are given quick information when strangers are in the neighborhood or if a crime has occurred. Stiglets sent out a mass e-mail earlier this year after he found out that a person had been murdered on Northpointe Drive.

OTHER areas also benefit from Lake Trace’s e-mails, including Crownepointe.

Susan Colbert, the association’s secretary/treasurer, said e-mails from Stiglets are often circulated around the neighborhood. With 35 homes, she said her subdivision is too small to warrant having a Web site or frequent e-mails.

Dennis Smith, president of Crownepointe’s neighborhood association will send out electronic messages when necessary. Otherwise, Colbert said leaders will hit the sidewalks and hand out fliers.

In Fondren, Office Manager Kristen Smith said the foundation uses both e-mail and traditional means of communicating with residents. “We send out a weekly e-mail and a hard copy quarterly newsletter,”she said, adding that FRF also mails out postcards in addition to its popular Web site.

Martin said the site is needed to address frequent phone calls and to keep the foundation’s 1,300 members up-to-date. “It’s sort of a one-stop shop for information,”she said.

IN LAKE Caroline, business manager Doug Jones benefits from another kind of technology - computer software.

He said the Lake Caroline Owners Association recently purchased and installed a program called 212 Software. The program, which was built specifically for the neighborhood, has a number of features that makes life a lot easier for business management.

It has programs that allow him to manage accounts and billing, as well as a storage system that allows him to organize complete histories on all of Lake Caroline’s roughly 700 property owners. Without it, he said it would take days for him to find information and respond to questions.

While many neighborhoods reap the benefits of technology, some Northsiders still opt for the old-fashioned way of doing things. Ray Howell, on-premises manager for the Northbay subdivision, is one of those people.

Although the association has a Web site, he still prefers to mail out newsletters and hand out information directly to residents. He said some association members don’t have e-mail accounts or computers. He also can’t guarantee that a person will receive or read the e-mail he sends out.

Said Howell: “Technology has benefits, but it doesn’t have all the answers.”