Our Mission
The Heritage Hill Association formed in 1968 to stop a variety of urban renewal projects that would have demolished 75% of the neighborhood. Its purpose is to provide neighbors a way of collectively building a healthy, historically preserved community where people can live and work in a secure and stable environment. Issues include land use, safety concerns, preservation, parking and traffic, education and other quality of life issues.
Remarks of the Board President, Jeremy Czubko, at the Annual Membership Meeting - December 2, 2025
"Good evening.
"Heritage Hill is known for its historic homes, but what truly defines us isn’t the architecture — it’s the community. And lately, the community has been tested.
"Too often, politics can feel less like collaboration and problem solving and more like competition. Power and influence have taken center stage in national, state, and even local politics, while the real work — hearing the stories of others, finding common ground, building trust, and helping improve the lives of others gets pushed aside.
"With changes to the federal government funding, our organization is facing a significant reduction in grant funding. We also have had internal disagreement that has created divisions between neighbors.
"It’s worth remembering how we got here. Decades ago, Heritage Hill was nearly lost. Developers had plans to tear down blocks of homes, and the city was ready to let it happen. But activists, families, and neighbors stood up. They weren’t a bunch of wealthy elites — they were progressive organizers, people of color, LGBTQ folks, and everyday residents who believed in solidarity. They fought not for prestige, but for preservation. Not for ego, but for community. That’s the legacy we inherit.
"And that legacy is visible in the very design of our neighborhood. On my block, most of the houses were built so the porches align perfectly. That wasn’t just architecture — it was intention. One look left or right and you can instantly see who’s outside, wave hello, and feel connected. The porch was meant to be a social spot, a place where neighbors could share life together.
"I’ve seen that spirit firsthand. Jeff and David next door would welcome us over with a glass of lemonade and good conversation. Our children might be crying or fussy, but they’d be rocked to sleep on their porch swing. That’s not just hospitality, that’s community. Jeff and David weren't neighbors to us, they are extended family.
"I'm also reminded of an old Polish tradition that my family still practices. Whenever there is a family gathering, we always have an extra seat at the table. This seat is symbolic to remember those we love and are no longer with us, but also for the unexpected new guests that we welcome. Heritage Hill can both remember the history of the homes, those who built them, those who preserved them while making space to welcome others to our community.
"I also think of Javon, Jakari, Petey, and Patrick, who used to show up in our driveway to play basketball. They never needed to ask permission, because they knew they were always welcome. That’s what belonging looks like. That’s how I think Heritage Hill should feel like for everyone.
"That same spirit is alive today in our Home Tour. Every year, Heritage Hill rolls out the welcome mat and invites anyone and everyone into our homes. It’s not just about showing off architecture, woodwork, or stained glass — it’s about opening our doors, sharing our stories, and reminding people that this neighborhood thrives because of community.
"But here’s the challenge: if we let the financial and political challenges of today create division, we risk turning the Association into a shadow of what it stood for instead of a platform for shared progress. We risk losing sight of the very values that saved Heritage Hill in the first place.
"So let’s return to the basics: respect, transparency, and cooperation. Let’s make Heritage Hill known not just for its homes, but for the way its people live together with integrity.
"Here’s my call to action:
Find value in others different from you. A voice of dissent is a voice that still cares enough to try to make a difference.While we respect the historic homes and the stories that come with them, let’s treat our porches, driveways, and sidewalks as places of hospitality rather than private domainLet’s ensure the Home Tour isn’t just an event, but a symbol of openness and belonging."Heritage Hill is historic, yes. But it’s also living, breathing, and welcoming. Let's never change that. Let’s honor the activists who fought for this neighborhood by fighting for each other — not against each other.
"If we do that, then ten, twenty, fifty years from now, people won’t just admire the houses. They’ll admire the community that kept them alive.
"Thank you."
Our History
As written circa 1990 by two co-founders, Barbara Roelofs and John Logie:
The seeds of Heritage Hill were actually sown in the mid-60’s. The area was fertile ground for several urban renewal projects incorporated with ancillary municipally-supported private development plans that would have ultimately leveled about 75 percent of the area which was traditionally referred to as the Hill District. Banks were “red-lining” the area and acquisition of properties by speculators and would-be developers was rife. The frustrations of individuals “fighting City Hall” were at an all-time high and the implications for home owners and residents were frightening.
The nucleus of the Heritage Hill Association founders met in early 1968 and developed the idea of forming a neighborhood public relations organization. The first general meeting was held June 24, 1968 at the WOOD TV building and was attended by 125 people, including two City Commissioners. On November 9, 1968 the Association was incorporated as a non-profit organization.
The first concern of the newly formed Association was to combat the onslaught of bulldozers and wrecking balls. In consultation with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a survey for designation as a historic district was undertaken and a preservation ordinance for protection was proposed to the Grand Rapids City Commission. This resulted in a moratorium by June 1969 on all construction and demolition in the area until studies were completed and proper enabling legislation at the state level was implemented. During that time every structure was photographed, evaluated architecturally and historically, and compiled in a document entitled the Feiss Report.
On March 11, 1971 Heritage Hill was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Three days later the Part I application for the Grand Rapids Public Schools’ College Park urban renewal project was approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This project would have destroyed all structures from Bostwick to College (eventually to Houseman Field) between Lyon and Fountain.
The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 stated that no federal funds could be used to the detriment of any site, landmark or district listed on the National Register and was uncontested up until that time. Armed with this act, the Heritage Hill Association invoked Lec. 106-D and demanded a compliance conference that stopped the urban renewal project at the District’s boundary and set a precedent for historic preservation throughout the United States.
Lobbying by Heritage Hill was a main force behind the implementation of State enabling legislation and the City Commission’s adoption of a local historic preservation ordinance, which became effective on April 23, 1973. This ordinance established the Historic Preservation Commission, and Heritage Hill became Grand Rapids’ first historic district.
On April 21, 1971, the Heritage Hill Foundation was organized as a response to a need for funds. Its 501(c)3 tax status allows private donors to make tax-deductible gifts. A Foundation Board of Trustees was established and the two organizations began meeting together. On January 1, 1972, the Heritage Hill Foundation hired an executive director and opened a full-time office.
The first Heritage Hill Tour of Historic Homes was held in May 1969 and was so successful that another Tour was held that October. For five years there were tours in the spring and fall.
Revitalization of the district began with Heritage Hill starting its own urban homesteading project, writing an ordinance for city-wide urban homesteading and convincing the City to implement its own program. Heritage Hill became the model for the beginning of many other neighborhood associations.
Battles were constantly waged during the early years of Heritage Hill. Plans to demolish houses for building and parking lots by private developers, commercial groups, religious, medical, educational, social and municipal institutions were fought. The Heritage Hill Association won most of them, but there were some compromises and several major losses.
As the organizations grew, so did their neighborhood involvement. In 1979, Heritage Hill became a target area of the city, making it eligible for community development funding for public improvements. A staff person was hired to compile residents’ needs and concerns.
In 1982, crime prevention became a top priority of both organizations. With a grant from the City, a crime prevention organizer was hired and a program of block club organizing and neighborhood watch began.
The Association is an action-oriented neighborhood organization which assumes an active role in the concerns of the residents of Heritage Hill. It is involved in zoning, housing, preservation, fund raising, education, planning, crime prevention, block club organizing and a wide variety of activities which affect the quality of life in the Heritage Hill Historic District. Its most important assets are its members who provide the Association with its clout and who are vital to the success of programs which it undertakes.
The Foundation is more directly concerned with the education on the fine points of historic preservation and the rehabilitation of historic homes in the district. It has undertaken major preservation/rehabilitation projects such as renovation of derelict homes and streetscape rehabilitation.
Working together, the two organizations are able to serve residents and property owners in Heritage Hill. With the Association involving itself in neighborhood problems and the Foundation undertaking historic preservation projects, the two groups constantly coordinate their efforts to make Heritage Hill a healthy, happy neighborhood. Our future looks promising.