Mission Statement and Philosophy

The Jackson Heights Area Association (JHAA) is a neighborhood organization which represents Jackson Heights and several contiguous streets in the immediate area, as indicated on our Maps page.

Our mission

To serve as a clearing house of information for the neighborhood.
To address community needs, and to work with city officials and neighborhood residents toward solutions.
To preserve the natural and environmental beauty of the neighborhood.

Our philosophy

What makes a community great? The answer to this question is the same, whether a community is urban, suburban or rural. Great neighborhoods are built first and foremost around great neighbors - those who share and actively pursue common goals for the care and well-being of the area...and each other.

It is important to emphasize a high standard for the physical appearance of a neighborhood for practical reasons - reduction of crime, decreasing turnover, increasing property values - but also for the pleasure one receives from living in beautiful surroundings, a sanctuary from an over-stimulated and over-scheduled world.

At the same time, we recognize that there are other important elements which bring a collection of property owners together emotionally and psychologically as a community. These intangibles help create a lifelong attachment to, and love of, a neighborhood. We seek to create that bond among our neighbors through various means and channels, such as:

Communications - accomplished through our meetings, newsletters and our interactive email forum (a Yahoo Group). A traditional email list provides only one-way communications, but the forum allows all of us to participate in neighborhood-wide conversations at any time - to ask questions, to share helpful information and to stay informed of neighborhood issues.
Promotions - achieved through our public website, print media, real estate agents and other venues to promote our area to prospective homebuyers and to demonstrate the pride we take in our neighborhood.
Neighborhood Gatherings - such as our block parties, our events for children and our monthly association meetings.
Neighborhood Helpers - via independently-helpful individuals or our "Neighbors in Need" program, which recruits resident volunteers to help the elderly and infirm among us.
And, of course, Aesthetics - encouraged through maintenance and upgrades of our entry markers, Garden Club awards for "best" and "most improved" yards and mailboxes, Garden Club educational seminars, the Neighborhood Improvement Committee, and much more.

Our stance on outside issues

The JHAA takes no positions - political, commercial or otherwise. As an organization, we do not endorse candidates for government or other office, nor do we endorse any business, product, service or line of action.

At our meetings, we often have guest speakers. These speakers may be from non-profit groups such as the police or fire department or the Keep Mobile Beautiful program. If the speaker represents a commercial entity, they are told to keep the presentation focused on information and education, not on sales. The primary intent is to provide a forum for our members to ask questions and gain information about the speaker's area of expertise. Members may choose to use these products or services - or not - as they wish.

Likewise, in our newsletters, we often have a spotlight article or brief mention of a resident-owned business. The JHAA as an organization does not take a position on endorsing these businesses or services, and makes no claim as to the quality of the business or service mentioned. We seek only to inform so that members may make their own decisions.