Neighborhood Improvement
Since its inception CHCDC has helped residents to define neighborhoods, create associations and to participate in planning improvements including Mid City Transit Interchange project which created the transit plaza decks at SRI 15, siteing 4 new schools and other needed public facilities. Hundreds of street trees have been planted and hundreds of dusk to dawn lights installed to provide visual relief, shade and night lighting on public rights-of-way.
We are working continuously with residents, property owners, elected representatives and city officials to inform neighborhood improvement plans. The more people appreciate and use their neighborhoods, the more secure and valuable they become. Current Neighborhood Initiatives include:
Neighborhood Enhancement Project-CHCDC staff works with a core of 27 volunteers to help identify neighborhood infrastructure deficiencies, potential code violations resulting from the foreclosure crisis and opportunities for cooperative property maintenance remediation using CDGB funding.
Safe Routes to School- while participating in new schools design and the remodeling of existing schools CHCDC was able to advocate and obtain funding for the installation of multiple cross walks and pedestrian pop outs to enhance to safety of children while walking to school. CHCDC has been awarded a CALTRANS environmental Justice grant to obtain parent input to existing safe routes to school plans and create safe route, deficit and proposed enhancement maps for 9 Mid City schools. revitalization of identified neighborhoods
Neighborhoods First Quality of Life Planning-in a unique collaboration with LISC and a steering committee composed to 17 non profits partners, CHCDC led a year long quality of life planning process for the Colina Park neighborhood in City Height. During this second year we will be working with residents, government and community groups to implement elements of this resident created community plan.
Annual Colina Park Night Out Event- CHCDC has coordinated this anti crime and violence event with residents of the neighborhood for the past 2 years. Additionally, the gathering and candle light march helps demonstrate residents commitment to safety in this one of our most beautiful community parks.
Health Equity by Design- in partnership with County Health and Human Services and WalkSanDiego CHCDC is working on a project to create a blueprint to assess the effect of the built environment on health. Land use, access to transit, open space, quality of the environment and community planning decisions have a direct impact health. Resident and community organizations will be involved and educated on how to effectively advocate for change. The California Endowment planning process now includes a Built Environment for Healthy Sustainable Communities momentum team
Mid City MOVES Mobility Coaliton is a collaborative effort focused on advocacy for equitable intermodal transportation and effects, unmet promises and development around the SR I 15 corridor:
- Air quality at Central Elementary School and Teralta Park
- Diversion of I 15 truck traffi
- Bus Rapid Transit North and South to job centers
- Development of smart growth alternative to maximize Transit Plaza economic devleopment
- Access to alternative modes of transportation; Urban Trails network from Mid City to Mission Valley
Since 2007 the group has facilitated multiple community forums on the issues including may 2008 City Council Candidates forum with over 250 attendees at which all candidates pledged support of the SR I15 “Covenant”; See link to CenterlineTransi.com
Accomplishments include removal of mid city portion of SR I15 as a good movement corridor on the Regional Transportation Plan, Creation of a SRI 15 working group which created 4 alternatives to BRT at the transit plaza interchanges with SANDAG. These alternatives are in the EIR process and air quality study has been completed at Central and Teralta Park.
The CHCDC has organized many events that foster community unity including the International Village Celebration (IVC) which began in 1996 with the help of the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture. During its thirteen year history, attendance at the one day celebration grew to over 50,000. Continuation of the unique event, which highlighted community diversity and contained health and job fairs as well as 4 stages of entertainment and vendors, is being evaluated by CHCDC.
