Boulevard
Oaks Civic Association
P.O. Box 540331
Houston, Texas 77254
Voice: (713) 528-2622
E-mail: info@boulevardoaks.org
Boulevard
Oaks is one of Houston's premier inner city neighborhoods, noted for its
beauty and grace. Located near Rice University, approximately four miles
southwest of Downtown, its boundaries are the Southwest Freeway to the
north, Morningside to the west, Bissonnet to the south, and Graustark/Parkway
to the east (plus the 5300 blocks of Cherokee and Mandell, the 1700 blocks
of Albans, Wroxton, Bolsover and Rice Blvd., and properties facing Ashby).
There are more than 1,200 residences, together with some 30 small businesses
along Bissonnet and Sunset. See
Map. A wide variety of housing is found in the neighborhood ranging
from old mansions to bungalows, and a small section of ranch-style homes
built after World War II, though many have been recently replaced by larger
two-story homes. The advantages of Boulevard Oaks can be summed up under
three headings: location, beauty, and neighborhood culture.
August - September 2024 Newsletter
US59 Bridge Entrance Beautification
Beautification plans to landscape the entrances to Boulevard Oaks at
the four US59 bridges are still the pending. The project estimates to
landscape the entrances at Hazard, Woodhead, Dunlavy, and Mandell is
$35,000. To date, only $1,500 has been raised toward this project.
We invite you to make a donation to the Beautification Fund as part of your annual membership payment using the button below. Suggested donation levels are $50, $100, $250 and $500, but any amount is welcome. We hope to raise the remaining $33,500 by the end of the fiscal year, to launch the project in the 3rd quarter of 2024. The bridge entrances have become an eyesore ever since the Montrose Management District was dissolved several years ago. The weeds harbor trash and provide cover for the homeless people. are unsightly. Replacing these areas with the gravel and reducing the need for costly maintenance will enhance these key entrances at a lower overall cost than other options.
The Patrol Needs You Now!
Our most important neighborhood amenity is without a doubt the Patrol
Service which operates 24/7 and responds to neighbor's calls, alarms,
and concerns in only a few minutes, much faster than HPD can respond.
The number of local residents supporting the Patrol Service has declined
recently to the point that its continued existence or, at a minimum,
its ability to operate around the clock, is in jeopardy. Our SECURITY
and the sustainability of our valued Patrol Service is at stake.
The Southampton / Boulevard Oaks Patrol was established in November
of 1984 by both civic groups to provide patrol and police response services
to Boulevard Oaks, Southampton and the Southampton Extension. This non-profit
organization is staffed by off-duty HPD officers and operates 24/7.
Our neighborhoods have benefited greatly by having a Patrol Service
staffed by off-duty HPD officers dedicated specifically to our neighborhoods.
If you are not already a subscriber, we invite you to join us in taking
responsibility for our mutual protection. Contrary to what some believe,
no portion of your Boulevard Oaks Civic Assn. membership dues is used
to support the Patrol.
Patrol subscriptions run $125 per quarter or $500 per year. Please consider
subscribing online via the Patrol's website at https://sbps.memberclicks.net/
For more information, please review the Patrol
Benefits Form which contains important information about how the
Patrol provides value for you and your family, as well as how to initiate
your subscription if you do not wish to pay online. We hope that,
after reviewing the form that you will become a subscriber to the Patrol.
Your support is critical to all of us.
Bike Map for Boulevard Oaks
Tired
of being stuck home and desperate to have your kids go outside and play?
Take your family for a bicycle ride! It’s a fun, safe, and healthy
way to spend time outside while observing Houston’s stay-at-home order.
Check out the
handy Boulevard Oaks bike
map and explore your neighborhood on bike!
Luckily, our neighborhood streets are pretty much all bike-friendly and
pleasant to ride on. If you wish to get a little further out,
Hermann Park is an easy bike ride away. For even longer rides, Buffalo
Bayou Park has excellent bike trails. You can reach either destination
using the suggested routes in the map we have provided. Visit www.BikeHouston.org.
City of Houston Sidewalk Variance
The city recently changed its standards for sidewalk replacement form 4 ft. wide to 5 ft wide regardless of location and type of street. This new requirement is detrimental to our street trees and alters the character of our neighborhood by creating more paved surfaces. BOCA encourages all neighbors who are contemplating a sidewalk replacement and builders building new homes to replace sidewalks with 4 ft wide sidewalks to match the rest of the neighborhood. The city has a variance procedure that is easy to follow. The application can be found here. Select “HOA Letter” as your reason for requesting the variance. Please attach our letter to your request. The BOCA letter can be found here.
Trees for Houston/Boulevard Oaks
Please
help keep the" Oaks" in Boulevard Oaks by making a tax-deductible donation
to the Trees for Boulevard Oaks program and help keep the neighborhood
green. Your contribution will allow us to replace trees that have been
lost recently, plant new trees in locations where redevelopment has
created new planting opportunities, and to water at-risk trees in locations
without access to irrigation. Let us know if you have a specific need
for a street tree.
Click the Donate button below to sponsor an event or to donate to a special project. Use the drop-down menu for a list of options and make a donation in any amount. You can pay with a credit card, debit card, or with a PayPal account.
(Members can sign up for limited time-sensitive neighborhood news through BOCA E-News.)