Stories Of Colina Park

Sponsors

Crawford Educational Complex, Multimedia and Visual Arts School
(View Website)
Crawford Educational Complex is a Gates funded small schools high school - with four small, autonomous high schools with their own career theme. The Multimedia and Visual Arts School uses multi-media and cross-curricular project-based curriculum to provide its 400 students with:

Heightened self confidence and the desire to be a life-long learner.
Cutting edge skills in computer-based technology.
The skills necessary for post-secondary educational opportunities and the modern workforce.
The skill sets needed for life long learning.
An understanding of their responsibility and contribution to the local and global community.

El Cajon Boulevard Business Improvement Association
(View Website)
The El Cajon Boulevard Business Improvement Association has worked to improve physical and economic conditions along El Cajon Boulevard since 1988. After years of focusing on infrastructure improvements, the Boulevard BIA recently established an Arts District. They are looking to the arts, and public art in particular, as an opportunity to (1) showcase the work of local artists, (2) honor to history and culture of the community and its people, and (3) continue the progression of revitalization along the corridor.

To kick off the arts district, the BIA recruited eight local artists to paint utility boxes along the corridor. The Utility Box Gallery looks to reduce the incidence of gang graffiti. More importantly, the art is intended to instill pride for people of all ages and nationalities living in this distressed community.

San Diego LISC
(View Website)
San Diego LISC is dedicated to helping community residents transform distressed neighborhoods into healthy and sustainable communities of choice and opportunity — good places to work, do business and raise children. LISC mobilizes corporate, government and philanthropic support to provide to local community organizations.

Since 1991, San Diego LISC has provided more than $165 million in equity, grant, and loan investments for neighborhood revitalization efforts throughout the County; leveraged more than $500 million of additional capital for neighborhoods and projects; and supported the development of over 5,000 affordable homes and more than 650,000 square feet of commercial and community facility space. In 2007, San Diego LISC launched the Neighborhood First initiative in the Colina Park community of San Diego.

Neighborhoods First
(View Website)
Neighborhoods First is a comprehensive approach to neighborhood revitalization that uses an innovative planning process – quality of life planning- as a central tool for improving San Diego neighborhoods. It is guided by three principles:
Comprehensiveness: With Neighborhoods First, the social, economic and civic fabric of a neighborhood is planned and developed hand-in-hand with physical development. It addresses neighborhood challenges and opportunities in a strategic, coordinated, and comprehensive fashion
Community Driven: Neighborhoods First adheres to an abiding conviction that neighborhood residents are experts on the challenges facing their communities. Moreover, these same residents, when provided an opportunity and the appropriate resources, are best-positioned to chart the course for a better future.
Action Oriented: Neighborhoods First maintains a keen eye toward implementation - identifying tangible projects that are guided by a collaborative vision, achievable in the near term, and accountable to a responsible party committed to seeing it through. Accountability is coupled with access to resources like early action grants, technical assistance and loan financing to inspire action.
San Diego LISC launched Neighborhoods First as a pilot initiative in two San Diego neighborhoods in 2007 - Logan Heights/Memorial, and Colina Park. Check out this documentary on the Neighborhoods First initiative.