Saturday, January 25th 2025, 10:54 pm
Home and business owners living in Ross Heights and Stockyards City will join the list of seven other neighborhoods that have participated in Oklahoma City's Strong Neighborhoods Initiative.
Oklahoma City Council approved the new neighborhoods joining the initiative during its Jan. 14 meeting.
The first cohort of neighborhoods started receiving assistance in 2013. According to the resolution passed by the Council, the Capitol Hill and Metro Park neighborhoods are expected to 'graduate' in June.
"The revitalization of a neighborhood is how to help people stay in their homes," said Wallace Johnson, the neighborhood association president for Ross Heights, who submitted the application on behalf of the neighborhood. "And not just get overrun by not knowing about a tax, not knowing that there's help and assistance."
According to Oklahoma City's website, the initiative offers "physical revitalization of housing and infrastructure as well as the expansion of citizen opportunities to improve quality of life."
"When you have hope and it is real, you're going, 'Oh, I'm going to go across the street and talk to the neighbor who I haven't talked to."
Johnson, who lives in the same house as his mother and grandmother did before him, wants to see positive change in his neighborhood. Projects such as lighting, beautification, and code enforcement are all important to him.
Likewise, on Oklahoma City's south side, Stockyards City resident Elizabeth Larios is excited to see what comes out of the program.
"We are no different when it comes to those basic needs of wanting to have a nice neighborhood where you can walk your dog, where your kids can play, where communities can gather," Larios said.
The program runs roughly five years in length.
"When your neighborhood individually becomes strong and becomes better and becomes more unified, that's better for the overall Oklahoma City community," Larios added.
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