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 ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

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 Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

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 includin ...

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 ...

'' ranked Oak Forest one of the "Five Most Underrated Neighborhoods In Houston."Connelly, Richard.
The Five Most Underrated Neighborhoods In Houston
" ''

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 i ...

'' referring to Oak Forest as the "new West University".Kaplan, David.
Oak Forest: 'The new West University'
" ''

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 i ...

''. 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 U.S. Route 290 (US 290) is an east–west U.S. Highway located entirely within the state of Texas. Its western terminus is at Interstate 10 southeast of Segovia, and its eastern terminus is at Interstate 610 in northwest Houston. It is the ...

. 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 ...

.Michel, Casey.
Purportedly Nonpartisan Houston Nonprofit Seeks to Arm Neighborhoods, Observe Effects
" ''

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 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 operates Station 13 Oak Forest at 2215 West 43rd Street; Station 13 is part of Fire District 31. Houston Fire Station 13

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 ...

's North Patrol Division with headquarters at 9455 West Montgomery Road. The Near North Storefront is located at 1335 West 43rd Street. VOLUNTEER INITIATIVES PROGRAM - Citizens Offering Police Support
" ''City of Houston''. Retrieved on September 23, 2008.

County, federal, and state representation

Oak Forest is within Harris County Precinct 4.

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 ...

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, Unit ...

.

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 f ...

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 concentrat ...

.

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 ...

. The community is divided between Trustee District I and Trustee District VII. Elementary schools that serve Oak Forest include:
Oak Forest Elementary SchoolGarden Oaks Elementary SchoolKatherine Smith Elementary SchoolStevens Elementary SchoolBenbrook Elementary SchoolWainwright Elementary School
In 2011 Jason Light of the real estate firm Light Group said many families were moving into Oak Forest and building new houses since Oak Forest Elementary "is a top-rated school." Parts of Oak Forest in the east are served b
Frank Black Middle School
while parts of Oak Forest in the west are served b
Clifton Middle School
Both Oak Forest Elementary and Frank M. Black Middle are on a single piece of property in Oak Forest Section 2. Parts of Oak Forest in the east are served by

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 Hou ...

, while parts of Oak Forest in the west are served by Scarborough High School.

Private schools

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 ...

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 i ...

'' 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 i ...

'' 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 c ...

in 1993 "shook" Oak Forest "to its foundation."Latson, Jennifer.
Somber tribute held to the teen victims
" ''

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 i ...

''. 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 Hou ...

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/AP.
Actor Patrick Swayze Dies at 57
" '' CBS''. September 14, 2009. Retrieved on October 21, 2009.

References

External links

Oak Forest Homeowner's Association

{{Houston, Texas Neighborhoods in Houston

Cityscape

Government and infrastructure

Local government

County, federal, and state representation

Education

Primary and secondary education

Public schools

Private schools

Public libraries

Media

Parks and recreation

Crime

Notable residents

See also

References

External links