Oak Forest is a large residential community in northwest
Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
,
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. Oak Forest is the third largest group of subdivisions in Harris County (behind Kingwood and
Sharpstown
Sharpstown is a master-planned community in the Southwest Management District (formerly Greater Sharpstown), Southwest Houston, Texas.Frank Sharp, a developer who would later establish
Sharpstown
Sharpstown is a master-planned community in the Southwest Management District (formerly Greater Sharpstown), Southwest Houston, Texas.Polish Texan and
Czech Texan
Czech Texans are residents of the state of Texas who are of Czech Republic, Czech ancestry. Large scale Czech immigration to Texas began after the Revolutions of 1848 in the Austrian Empire, Revolutions of 1848 changed the political climate in Cen ...
origins.Lomax, John Nova. Is Oak Forest the Friendliest Neighborhood in Houston? '' Houstonia''. April 7, 2014. Retrieved on June 2, 2014.
Originally, there was no telephone service. If a homeowner needed to place a call, they had to use one in the construction shack on the corner of Wakefield and Kinley Lane or one in the house of Frank Sharp’s niece on Wakefield. Telephone service finally arrived in the middle of 1948.
Sufficient acreage in Oak Forest was set aside for churches, parks and schools. Areas were also reserved for commercial development and this accounts for the many grocery stores, cleaners, service stations, etc., which are located along W. 43rd St. between Ella Blvd. and Oak Forest Dr.
When it was first established, Oak Forest had golf course and the part north of Brickhouse Gully and west of White Oak Bayou was in Aldine Independent School District. The land was ceded to Houston ISD in 1958. The original Oak Forest Elementary was built in 1951, followed by Black Junior High School in 1958 and construction on Waltrip High School began in 1959 with the first classes held in the fall of 1960. Stevens Elementary was added as the area grew beyond the capacity of one elementary school.
Oak Forest was originally an unincorporated area in Harris County. It was annexed by the City of Houston about 1949. Sixty years later, there are 5,523 homes in Oak Forest with a population of over 23,000. Oak Forest is the third largest area after the annexation of Kingwood.
'' Houstonia'' magazine stated that beginning in 2000 Oak Forest began attracting "creative types" who wanted to establish families or who could not afford the
Houston Heights
Houston Heights (often referred to simply as "The Heights") is a community in northwest-central Houston, Texas, United States. "The Heights" is often referred to colloquially to describe a larger collection of neighborhoods next to and including ...
or Montrose.Holley, Peter, John Lomax, and Todd Spoth. 25 Hottest Neighborhoods (). '' Houstonia''. June 1, 2013. Retrieved on November 2, 2015.
From 2005 to 2011 the number of house sales in Oak Forest increased by an annual average of 5.8%.
In February 2009 some Oak Forest residents reported increased burglaries and thefts.
In 2010 the ''
Houston Press
The ''Houston Press'' is an online newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in the Midtown area. It was also a weekly print newspaper until November 2017.
The publication is supported entirely by advertising ...
Houston Press
The ''Houston Press'' is an online newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in the Midtown area. It was also a weekly print newspaper until November 2017.
The publication is supported entirely by advertising ...
''. Friday August 13, 2010. Retrieved on November 3, 2012. 226 house sales occurred during that year.
In 2011 Jason Light, the owner of the real estate firm Light Group, was quoted in the ''
Houston Chronicle
The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With it ...
'' referring to Oak Forest as the "new
West University
West University Place, often called West University or West U for short, is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area and southwestern Harris County. At the 2020 U.S. census, the population of the city was 14,955. ...
Houston Chronicle
The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With it ...
''. April 11, 2011. Retrieved on March 28, 2013. Marlene Casares, a woman quoted in the same article, called Oak Forest as "like a little mini Bellaire, but with better prices."
By 2013 many families were moving into Oak Forest and nearby Garden Oaks.Shilcutt, Katharine. "Eat, Play, Love." ''
Houston Press
The ''Houston Press'' is an online newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in the Midtown area. It was also a weekly print newspaper until November 2017.
The publication is supported entirely by advertising ...
''. February 7, 2013 3 Retrieved on March 28, 2013.
In 2013 '' Houstonia'' magazine stated that Oak Forest, which was "starting to resemble a baby Bellaire or West University," was one of the "25 Hottest Neighborhoods" in Houston.
Cityscape
Oak Forest is in northwest Houston, outside of, and north of the
610 Loop
Interstate 610 (I-610) is a freeway that forms a loop around the inner city sector of the city of Houston, Texas. I-610, colloquially known as The Loop, Loop 610, The Inner Loop, or just 610, traditionally marks the border between the i ...
and east of U.S. Route 290. It is located near West 43rd Street, and is between T. C. Jester and
Interstate 45
Interstate 45 (I-45) is a major Interstate Highway located entirely within the US state of Texas. While most Interstate routes which have numbers ending in "5" are cross-country north–south routes, I-45 is comparatively short, with the ...
Houston Press
The ''Houston Press'' is an online newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in the Midtown area. It was also a weekly print newspaper until November 2017.
The publication is supported entirely by advertising ...
''. Tuesday June 11, 2013. Retrieved on June 12, 2013. Richard Connelly of the ''
Houston Press
The ''Houston Press'' is an online newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in the Midtown area. It was also a weekly print newspaper until November 2017.
The publication is supported entirely by advertising ...
'' said "Oak Forest itself is a less prominent little sister to Garden Oaks" and that "Oak Forest offers everything Garden Oaks does, more or less, but at cheaper prices." Connelly added that if the 610 Loop experiences heavy traffic in its mainlanes, "there are plenty of alternative ways to get home." In 2011 Mel Reyna, the owner of the real estate firm Reyna Realty Group, said that Oak Forest has a relatively central location in the Houston area and large lots, and that Oak Forest is relatively affordable.
As of 2011 Oak Forest has 5,480 houses. The original houses are 1950s style houses. In 2005 the median housing price per square foot was $104 ($ when adjusted for inflation). In 2010 it was $138 ($ when adjusted for inflation). As of 2011 housing prices for new houses range from $550,000 ($ considering inflation) to $700,000 ($ considering inflation), and housing prices for remodeled houses range from $200,000 ($ considering inflation) to $300,000 ($ considering inflation).
As of 2011 many homeowners tore down the original houses to build new houses. Jason Light of the real estate firm Light Group said that he had seen old houses torn down for larger new ones beginning in 2005, that few teardowns occurred during the
Great Recession
The Great Recession was a period of marked general decline, i.e. a recession, observed in national economies globally that occurred from late 2007 into 2009. The scale and timing of the recession varied from country to country (see map). At ...
, but that around 2011 teardowns were beginning to reoccur. Light said that other families instead choose to remodel their older houses.
Government and infrastructure
Local government
Almost all of Oak Forest is located in
Houston City Council
The Houston City Council is a city council for the city of Houston in the U.S. state of Texas.
Currently, there are sixteen members, 11 elected from council districts and five at-large. The members of the Council are elected every four years, w ...
District C.Oak Forest Section Map " Oak Forest. Retrieved on June 16, 2009. A small portion is in council district A.
The
Houston Fire Department
City of Houston Fire Department (HFD) is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of Houston, Texas, United States, the fourth largest city in the United States. HFD is responsible for preserving life and ...
operates Station 13 Oak Forest at 2215 West 43rd Street; Station 13 is part of Fire District 31.
The area is within the
Houston Police Department
The Houston Police Department (HPD) is the primary law enforcement agency serving the City of Houston, Texas, United States and some surrounding areas. With approximately 5,300 officers and 1,200 civilian support personnel it is the fifth-largest ...
Harris County Hospital District
The Harris Health System, previously the Harris County Hospital District (HCHD), is a governmental entity with taxing authority that owns and operates three hospitals and numerous clinics throughout Harris County, Texas, United States, includin ...
operates the Northwest Health Center at 1100 West 34th Street.
The
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...
Oak Forest Post Office is located at 2499 Judiway Street.
As of 2011 a proposed U.S. Congressional district would put Oak Forest in the same district as
Rye, Texas
Rye is an unincorporated community in Liberty County, Texas, United States.
Education
Rye is zoned to schools in the Hardin Independent School District
Hardin Independent School District is a public school district based in Hardin, Texas, Uni ...
.
Harris Health System
The Harris Health System, previously the Harris County Hospital District (HCHD), is a governmental entity with taxing authority that owns and operates three hospitals and numerous clinics throughout Harris County, Texas, United States, includin ...
(formerly Harris County Hospital District) designated Northwest Health Center for the ZIP codes 77018 and 77092. The nearest public hospital is
Ben Taub General Hospital
Ben Taub Hospital is a public hospital located in Houston, Texas within the Texas Medical Center. Having opened in May 1963, the hospital is owned and operated by the Harris Health System and is staffed by the faculty, residents, and students fro ...
in the
Texas Medical Center
The Texas Medical Center (TMC) is a medical district and neighborhood in south-central Houston, Texas, United States, immediately south of the Museum District and west of Texas State Highway 288. Over 60 medical institutions, largely concentrate ...
.
Education
Primary and secondary education
Public schools
Oak Forest's public schools are operated by
Houston Independent School District
The Houston Independent School District (HISD) is the largest public school system in Texas, and the eighth-largest in the United States. Houston ISD serves as a community school district for most of the city of Houston and several nearby and ...
Waltrip High School
Stephen Pool Waltrip High School is a public high school located at 1900 West 34th Street in Houston, Texas, United States, 77018.
Waltrip, which serves grades 9 through 12, is a part of the Houston Independent School District.
Waltrip has Hous ...
St. Rose of Lima Catholic School is affiliated with the church of the same name. In 2014 John Nova Lomax of '' Houstonia'' wrote that it "was the neighborhood focal point, and still is, some say."
Public libraries
Houston Public Library
Houston Public Library is the public library system serving Houston, Texas, United States.
History Houston Lyceum and the Carnegie Library
The Houston Public Library system traces its founding to the creation of the second Houston Lyceum in 18 ...
operates the Oak Forest Neighborhood Library at 1349 West 43rd Street and the Collier Regional Library at 6200 Pinemont Drive. The Oak Forest Library is in Section 1.
Media
The local weekly newspaper '' The Leader'' is distributed to Oak Forest.
The ''
Houston Chronicle
The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With it ...
'' is the citywide paper.
Parks and recreation
Oak Forest Park is located at 2100 Judiway,Our Parks O-Z ." ''City of Houston''. Retrieved on July 20, 2009. in Oak Forest Section 2. Candlelight Community Center and Park is at 1520 Candlelight. It has an indoor gymnasium, a playground, a lighted sports field, and a .45 mile hike and bicycle trail. T.C. Jester Park is located at 4201 TC Jester, West.
The Northwest Branch YMCA is the closest
YMCA
YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams in London, originally ...
to Oak Forest.
Crime
In 2013, Casey Michel of the ''
Houston Press
The ''Houston Press'' is an online newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in the Midtown area. It was also a weekly print newspaper until November 2017.
The publication is supported entirely by advertising ...
'' said "And until recently, ak Foresthad been one of the more placid" communities in Houston.
Jennifer Latson of the ''
Houston Chronicle
The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With it ...
'' said that the
murder of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Peña
Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person without justification or excuse, especially the ...
Houston Chronicle
The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With it ...
''. August 6, 2008. Retrieved on March 7, 2010. T.C. Jester Park has a memorial to the girls. In addition
Waltrip High School
Stephen Pool Waltrip High School is a public high school located at 1900 West 34th Street in Houston, Texas, United States, 77018.
Waltrip, which serves grades 9 through 12, is a part of the Houston Independent School District.
Waltrip has Hous ...
has a memorial to the girls, as they were students at the school.
In 2013 there had been a string of "driveway holdups" and the
Houston Police Department
The Houston Police Department (HPD) is the primary law enforcement agency serving the City of Houston, Texas, United States and some surrounding areas. With approximately 5,300 officers and 1,200 civilian support personnel it is the fifth-largest ...
asked Oak Forest residents to not venture outside during night hours. In response, the Armed Citizen Project, a nonprofit organization based in Houston, gave free shotguns to residents.
Notable residents
*
Patrick Swayze
Patrick Wayne Swayze (; August 18, 1952 – September 14, 2009) was an American actor, dancer, and singer known for playing distinctive lead roles, particularly romantic, tough, and comedic characters. He was also known for his media image and ...
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
''. September 14, 2009. Retrieved on October 21, 2009.
Independence Heights, Houston
Independence Heights is a community in Houston, Texas, bordered by 40th Street east of N. Main and 40th Street west of N. Main to the north, Yale Street to the west, Interstate 610 (Texas), the 610 Loop to the south, and Airline Drive to the east. ...
*
Acres Homes, Houston
Acres Homes is a neighborhood located in northwest Houston, Texas. The mile area is loosely bounded by the city limits and West Gulf Bank Road to the north; Pinemont Drive to the south; North Shepherd Drive to the east; and Alabonson Drive to t ...