Vandalism, graffiti, gun violence and tired commercial corridors in Pittsburgh's southern "Hilltop" neighborhoods mimic conditions in many city neighborhoods, but a unique intervention has begun.

A clear-eyed group of planners, leadership trainers and researchers have assembled a plan to bring nine neighborhoods together to collaborate in getting out of their collective rut.

The Coro Center for Civic Leadership has been a leader in a year of research, meetings, surveys and plans resulting in a nine-neighborhood brainstorming session scheduled for Saturday at Potters House Ministries in Mount Oliver.

The researchers practiced triage in selecting Allentown, Arlington, Arlington Heights, Beltzhoover, Carrick, Knoxville, Mount Oliver, Mount Oliver Borough and St. Clair from among some 20 neighborhoods south of the Monongahela River.

They used a computerized demographic system to define their range and create a control group of residents based on as wide a range of age, race, income and housing status as possible. When researchers knocked on doors, 143 residents answered, and 137 of those said they would participate.

"That's an amazing response," said Greg Crowley, research director at Coro. "A lot of people thanked us, saying they had never been invited to anything like this before."

None of the randomly chosen Hilltop residents has experience in community advocacy, he said.

"They'll be fresh eyes," said Judy Hackel, the veteran president of the Allentown Civic Association, which recently merged with Allentown's business association. "I try hard to think outside the box. I try hard to be optimistic, because I love my neighborhood. But when you've been doing this for 10 years like me, it's hard. It's going to be refreshing to see new people.

"If I can find five at this meeting who will work with me, it will be worth all those hours. Saturdays are the one day I kind of cherish, but I am committed to it because I hope something very positive happens for the Hilltop."

Councilman Jeffrey Koch said he had been promoting collaboration to attract Weed and Seed money when Mr. Crowley approached him about running the projects simultaneously. He embraced the idea.

"Our goal was to get $1 million from Weed and Seed over five years," he said, "but if we don't qualify, at least we'll have a [community] plan and a better idea of the solutions we need."

Results of the session will be incorporated in the neighborhoods' collaborative proposal to the U.S. Department of Justice's Weed & Seed program. Weed & Seed money targets neighborhoods in distress to more effectively fight crime and improve social services.

Coro teamed with Carnegie Mellon University's Southwestern Pennsylvania Program for Deliberative Democracy and drew in a coterie of planners, clerics, business owners and heads of nonprofits.

Researchers and volunteers attended 60 community meetings, interviewed 40 community leaders and wrote a handbook, "Moving Forward Together," in preparation for Saturday. They wore "Moving Forward Together" T-shirts when they went door to door. They invited numerous activists from other neighborhoods to attend and network with Hilltop participants on issues such as anti-social youth, housing development and marketing plans.

The Birmingham Foundation has provided a one-time, $25,000 grant toward the project.

Mary Phan-Gruber, executive director of the foundation, said the grant rewards the attempt to nurture leadership training, collaboration and new ideas.

"There haven't been many opportunities for the Hilltop communities to come together," she said. "This was an ideal way to combine a lot of efforts."

She said the neighborhoods suffer from a lack of capacity, or lack of professional know-how, staff and resources.

"People we talked to have a strong sense of community," said Mr. Crowley. "They said the Hilltop was a great place to live, but there's a real sense that, in the last 10 years, and even more in the last five, things have begun to turn."

Crime is the leading concern among people surveyed in Hilltop neighborhoods.

"Clearly, there is no debate about that," he said. "There's a perception that things are going downhill. People aren't investing. The businesses are older. People are older, without the resources to improve their properties. But businesses are hanging on.

"When Pittsburgh starts to grow, young people will be looking in neighborhoods for their selling points. People may want to live in the East End, for instance, because there's a Whole Foods."

He said the Saturday event should propel the Hilltop neighborhoods to examine their potential attractions and try to market them.

Ms. Hackel said the Hilltop needs an infusion of fresh ideas to shake off its ennui.

"I'm one of the youngest, and I'm 55," she said. "I'm excited about this. It's kind of a new concept, actually asking people to get involved."

To get involved or for more information, call Joanne Kilgour at 412-208-0250.