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New LHAIA President Wants You to Pitch In
Association aims for more involvement in improving area
Lake Highlands People, by Kristina Chesnutt
April 1, 2005
Steve Wakefield was tired of seeing irresponsible apartment ownership and management in Lake Highlands, and he wanted to do something to change the conditions.
“If we just all sit back and complain and do nothing, then nothing will happen. It will take commitment and service,” Mr. Wakefield said.
That’s why he joined the Lake Highlands Area Improvement Association. And his commitment to the organization is why he was appointed its new president this month.
Terri Woods, president of the association since January 2003, resigned March 4. Mr. Wakefield was promoted from the post of executive vice president.
One of Mr. Wakefield’s goals as the new president is to get more people involved in the group, not only with volunteering their time, but also with any ideas they may have. He hopes more residents will respond, even if it is just by writing letters with ideas they may have on ways they can improve the Lake Highlands area.
Another new project Mr. Wakefield has in the works is the idea of a community prosecutor. This would be a person dedicated to enforcement of code violations and minor criminal matters in Lake Highlands.
“They would work specifically in the area of Lake Highlands, and they’d be able to prosecute issues more quickly than having to go through the normal (Dallas) administrative office,” Mr. Wakefield said. “It has worked in several areas in the city, so we’re evaluating it right now to see if it would work in our area.”
Mrs. Woods said she resigned because she felt the association needed a change in leadership style.
“In late 2002, Robert Nelson, our first president, stepped aside because he felt the LHAIA needed a new direction and a passionate leader. Now two and a half years later, another change of direction and leadership style is in order,” she said in a written statement.
LHAIA was formed in 2001 after a small group of citizens united to battle problems at the intersection of Abrams Road and Skillman.
The organization has 20 homeowners associations and several crime watch groups within Lake Highlands that are members of the association and pay annual dues. A board of seven officers and 10 committee members, who are all volunteers, meet monthly to conduct association business. Public quarterly meetings are also held.
Mr. Wakefield said although there are some new projects coming up under his leadership, the overall goal of the board will not change.
“I think we’re all interested in accomplishing the goal in improving the social and economic conditions in Lake Highlands,” he said.
One way the group has accomplished this goal is working with homeowners associations on ways to address blighted apartment complexes. A good example is how the group helped affect a change at what is now Trimark Landing apartment homes, at the southeast corner of Forest and Abrams.
“It was a problematic complex with absentee owners. It was a source of a lot of crime in the area,” Mr. Wakefield said.
The association became involved in trying to get Trimark Realty Investments to purchase the run-down property, and then worked with the new owner on improvements to the complex.
“The property is a good example of what can be accomplished through community involvement and responsible ownership,” Mr. Wakefield said.
Dallas City Councilman Bill Blaydes, who represents District 10, said the Trimark deal is one of the association’s biggest accomplishments.
“The results of (them) working up there turned 26 acres of bad apartments into a developer doing something,” Mr. Blaydes said.
The group also is concerned with economic development in Lake Highlands. Board members are working with city officials and developers on new businesses looking to locate in Lake Highlands.
Mr. Wakefield said the association is interested in getting more restaurants (other than fast food), and more high-end retail businesses.
“We want to encourage and improve the retail options for people living in Lake Highlands,” he said.
Courtesy of Lake Highlands People
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