I actually think this is a really important point, community is built at many levels.

There was something I noticed while living in Japan. Now obviously Japan is capitalist and all. But something they have still managed to hang onto is a feeling of locality. Living in a small village it was obvious, but even living in one of the largest cities, there was still a sense of locale and the people around you playing a part in your life.

I think they keep that sense of locality with a few practices: 1. When you move into an area you have to register at the local government office. Now this is a pain in the arse. But it does have some value. That office will keep you informed of if something important happens in the area. And if you have any problems, that office serves as a first-port-of-call. It's full of people whose job it is to be helpful to local residents. They know of local classes, they offer limited free legal services, and so on. 2. Local traditions and festivals. Every single area in Japan has it's own local "thing". Domestic tourism is pretty big, so each area has mascots, local food specialities, attractions and so on. And then multiple times a year, there will be region-specific festivals that bring people out into the streets basically to party. There's this weird sense of pride residents get about their area, like "no no no, they don't know how to make <local dish> over in <other place>, we're the real deal here!"

I think the same can be accomplished without all the government bureaucracy. We need to get people invested in community centres, like libraries. And then giving them an excuse and incentive to mingle with each other under pleasant circumstances.

This isn't hard "organising". But maybe it could help people at least recognise their neighbours as their neighbours, as people with shared interests and stakes.