ABOUT US
The OHHA was founded in 1963. Historically, it was recognized as one of the pre-eminent homeowners associations in Mt. Vernon, advocating for quality of life issues. We would like to revive and reinvent our organization. We invite your help, membership, and active participation. We hope you join us. Membership dues are $20 per year.
What We Believe:
Oakwood Heights is one of the loveliest areas (some of us think it is the loveliest area) in Mt. Vernon. When we work together, we can keep it that way and make it even better. When we stick together, we can be of help to each other. We must work with other neighborhood and tenant groups in matters that affect all of us and our City.
A Voice for Oakwood Heights
We meet with members of the City Council, the Police and Fire Departments, the Board of Education about a range of topics that directly impact our neighborhood or city. We join with other neighborhood or city groups such as Mt. Vernon Neighbors United to cooperate and share resources on issues of common concern. Prior to city and school board elections, OHHA also holds "meet the candidate" forums.
Quality of Life
OHHA has been instrumental in maintaining and improving the quality of life in Oakwood Heights and in preventing projects and activities that would adversely affect the value of our homes.
Accomplishments include:
Blocking the establishment of a prison halfway house, additional group homes, low income housing, the conversion of Holmes school from an elementary to a middle school, erecting a parking garage at the Board of Education, the conversion of private homes to churches, the illegal conversion of private homes to multifamily dwellings, the FERC and Columbia Gas Transmission lines, prevention of commercial vehicle parking, and infill housing. Had these projects gone forward, your property values and quality of life would have plummeted.
What We Do
Neighborhood Maintenance and Improvement
Fight against downgrading variances and zoning changes in our neighborhood and surrounding areas.
Help enforce zoning regulations
Work on traffic and parking conditions (parking regulations, stop signs, speed bumps, no through trucking)
Meet with police on questions of safety, criminal activity, and questions of adequate protection.
Help enforce garbage regulations and trash removal
Encourage beautification and preservation
Politically
Hold an annual meeting with candidates for local office at election time
Send mass delegations to the City Council as necessary
Our goal is to maintain liaison with all City departments through a City Services Committee
Our goal is to have standing attendance at the regularly scheduled city meetings such as the monthly City Council, Zoning Board meetings, etc.
Socially
Revive the annual Block Party held in September
How We Work
Traditionally, OHHA had an elected Executive Board consisting of the following officers:
President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, and the Street Captains (one or two for each of our 13 streets). They were elected at the annual meeting held in June.
General membership meetings were called by the Executive Board. There were four general membership meetings per year. The role of the Street Captain was to be each block's first and chief contact with the organization.
As many of the founders and longtime members of the OHHA have retired or moved away, there is a need to revitalize and repopulate the organization. We realize that everyone is busy with work, kids, etc. However, if we can reorganize from the ground-up, block-by-block, we can be a strong and vital voice in Mt. Vernon once again.
Call for Block Captains
In 2002, the decision was made to table elections and concentrate on revitalizing OHHA, block by block, with a focus on nominating or identifying block captains.
The role of the block captain is to meet with neighbors, identify issues and concerns, and facilitate neighbors getting to know one another. Additionally, the block captain registers members with the OHHA and records resident contact information for the membership database. The block captain also disseminates
Newsletters, announcements, calls-for-action to their neighbors. If you would like to be a block captain for your street, please contact us. The Block Captain
Keeps their block up to date on meetings and issues that affect the neighborhood
Answers your questions on neighborhood affairs
Relays your complaints to the OHHA
Welcomes new neighbors and informs them about OHHA
Current Block Captains:
Help! We need block captains for North Columbus, East Prospect Avenue, The Esplanade, East Sidney Avenue, an additional block captain for Magnolia, Mercereau, Darwood, Willard, Lincoln, and Lorraine Avenues, There are block captains recorded for the following streets:
Magnolia Avenue: Fiorella Kelley
Sycamore Avenue: Lyndia Hayden
Hudson Avenue: Wendy Attipoe