Colonial Heights
Neighborhood
Association
Sacramento, California
About Colonial Heights
"Someday Colonial Heights may exist only as a memory in the minds of those who have lived there long enough to remember when it was a separate community and not a part of greater South Sacramento. Or it might become a section of Sacramento itself, enjoying the benefits of city government, and carrying the load of city taxation. Or it might burst forth in a fever of organization and activity and become the city of Colonial Heights, casting off its status as a suburb just outside the city limits."
The Sacramento Union - Sunday Morning - October 1942 - Boruff Smith
Colonial Heights was founded in 1910 as Sacramento's ideal subdivision. Now made up of about 700 homes, the diverse neighborhood encompasses the space between Stockton Boulevard, 14th Avenue, 22nd Avenue, and 58th Street.
The Colonial Heights Neighborhood Association (CHNA) was formed in 2010 as a follow up to the Colonial Arts and Recreation Effort (CARE) led for many years by Shirley Johnson and other dedicated neighbors.
The CHNA meets monthly (outside of November and December) on the fourth Thursday evening of every month, at the Colonial Heights Library unless there is a conflict with other meetings.
History
In 1981, Shirley Johnson, a resident of Colonial Heights founded an active neighborhood association called the Colonial Heights Arts and Recreation Effort (CARE) which she leads for over 20 years. The focus of CARE was the safety and security of the neighborhood centered around the park and activities for children and teenagers. This organization ran an after school program, a softball league, and made many improvements to Colonial Park, including the wading pool and the shade structure. The organization dissolved due to many reasons, the primary of which was Johnson’s failing health.
In 2007, several neighbors joined together and formed the current neighborhood association and created an online forum for the neighborhood. During the Great Recession, CHNA organized efforts to tackle vacant houses, absent owners, and squatters, and transient issues at the park. CHNA's primary focus during the downturn was to improve participation in the neighborhood through events such as National Night Out and organizing a Neighborhood Watch. Over time, CHNA continued to add events, such as the Easter Egg Hunt, Neighborhood Yard Sale, Movie Night, and Music Festival. CHNA also actively participated with city officials around an upgrade of the playground park facilities and changed and expanded the planned remodel. Issues at the park resulted in a neighborhood-wide vote on the disposition of the shade structure, ultimately resulting in a vote to remove all the walls. Key neighborhood-wide impacted and permanent projects include this shade structure change, the 103 palm trees planted on San Francisco Boulevard to replace dying trees, and the implementation of street toppers around the neighborhood in the shape of streetcars to reflect the pride and history of Colonial Heights.