A series of home break-ins in the LOHO neighborhood has likely given new life to the LOHO neighborhood association.
Recently, neighbors gathered to draw up bylaws and elect a board of directors for the association, as well as to draw up a master plan for improvement to the LOHO neighborhood.
About 70 people attended a recent gathering for the organization, which was organized by John Morgan Hughes, the group’s acting board president.
“We had a good turnout, a good response to everything,” he said. “We drafted a board of directors and agreed on the skeleton outline of a master plan that we would like.”
Board members include: Hughes, Scott Wilson, John Lange, Elizabeth Dorroh, Anthony Sherman, David Minton, Patrick Case, Rob Peeples and Sara Gleason.
The meeting marks the rebirth of an association that was formed about eight years ago. However, activity with the group had fallen off in recent years.
“We have a formal legal entity, but we’re going to have to change some stuff and get it updated,” Hughes said previously.
The preliminary master plan includes gating several entrances into the neighborhood, as well as installing cameras and marquees at others.
The measures are all designed to boost security and increase property values in the LOHO community.
Last year, a string of home break-ins occurred in the Northside neighborhood. Hughes, a Highland Circle resident, was broken into twice.
Hughes, though, said talks of reforming the neighborhood group were ongoing prior to last summer’s burglaries.
“If you drive down Ridgewood Road, the renewal and gentrification is not growing out, it’s collapsing in,” he said. “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to look around and see it. More properties are being converted to rentals, which is usually a pretty good indication crime is one the way.
“We wanted to get out in front of it.”
LOHO runs north to south from Meadowbrook Road to Eastover Drive, and west to east from the I-55 North frontage road to Ridgewood Road.
The territory includes about 220 residences. About 150 homeowners have agreed to join the association and pay dues.
Improvements will be paid with an initial assessment and then will be funded by an annual dues structure, Hughes said.
The association is proposing closing off the Eastover Drive entrances to Berkley Drive, Eastline Drive, Northeast Drive and Pinewood Drive.
The plan also calls for closing Highland Circle and Crestview Drive at Meadowbrook.
Security cameras and marquees would be installed at other intersections, including Eastwood Drive at Eastover, Roxbury Road at Eastover and Meadowbrook, Douglass Drive at Ridgewood, and Highland Place Drive at Meadowbrook.
“It’s going to be pretty aggressive,” Hughes said.
For more information, contact Hughes at jmhughes44@gmail.com.
