Longtime SOHA Board Member Ellen Vukovich Dies at 61

Ellen Vukovich, a longtime resident of Sherman Oaks and Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association board member, passed away on Monday at the age of 61 after losing her battle with colon cancer.

SOHA president Richard Close labelled Vukovich “the voice of Sherman Oaks," due to her outspoken demeanor and her passion for writing. Vukovich often wrote columns for the Sherman Oaks Patch and the Los Angeles Daily News.

Vukovich was also a staunch antagonist against developers aiming to build large-scale structures in Sherman Oaks, according to Close. 

"She wanted to make sure that projects built in Sherman Oaks were for the betterment of the residents in Sherman Oaks," Close said. "She fought major projects throughout the years, whether in the hillsides or on Ventura Boulevard."

"She was very vocal for the community, from her public writings to her head-to-head battles with developers and city council members that were too close to the development community," Close added. 

Vukovich, a nearly 30 year resident of Sherman Oaks, was on the SOHA Board of Directors for over fifteen years and served as the chairwoman of the SOHA development committee for almost a decade. In that position, Vukovich was required to review all developmental projects proposed for Sherman Oaks.

"She would go toe-to-toe with developers and councilmembers," Close said. "No one wanted to cross her. She was just a strong advocate for the community. 

Tuesday, Los Angeles city councilmember Paul Krekorian weighed in on Vukovich's effects on the Sherman Oaks community. 

"Ellen Vuckovich was a tremendous champion of Sherman Oaks," Krekorian said. "She was a forceful, compassionate advocate and always a joy to work with. She will be missed by all, yet her contributions will live on as her drive to make the community a better place will be felt for years to come." 

Vukovich is the second of two Ventura Boulevard protectors that has passed in the in month of August, as Fred Kramer, known as the "Father of the Ventura Boulevard Specific Plan," . 

John Isen, a SOHA board member that worked extensively with Vukovich, said that his longtime friend served as the voice of residents who felt that their protests went unheeded by developers and politicians. 

"She helped people deal with the city and developers," Isen said. "She knew local politicians and they knew her. She had developed a rapport with these people."

According to Isen, in March of this year, Vukovich checked into the hospital because of severe stomach pain. Doctors found that Vukovich had stage four colon cancer.

"She was a strong-willed person," Isen said. "She was determined to beat it, but her body was just too weak."

Vukovich is survived by her husband, Peter, and her two greyhounds and one whippet.