New faces are joining the effort to keep our neighborhoods vibrant. (Mission Hills BID)
Community Advocacy, Uptown

A Fresh Slate of Uptown Advocates Emerges

By Frank Sabatini Jr.

Mission Hills, Bankers Hill, Hillcrest, Middletown and University Heights will now be represented by a group of younger and more diverse volunteer planning advisors, thanks to the recent formation of Vibrant Uptown. 

The advocacy group received official recognition in late May by the San Diego City Council to replace Uptown Planners, which advised the city for a number of years on issues related to land use and development within San Diego’s urban neighborhoods.

Those who pushed for the change wanted representation from a wider demographic of people who will now include renters rather than homeowners only. They also pushed for the inclusion of younger generations and people from varied economic classes that Uptown Planners generally lacked.

The shakeup was fueled in part by City Councilmember Joe LaCava, who sought to reform the policies that govern city-planning advisory groups.

Vibrant Uptown is currently creating a board of directors that will also welcome business owners and representatives from non-profit organizations. Its mission is to work with local leaders for creating “a more vibrant and livable community” through the expansion of affordable homes and compact mixed-use zoning. It also calls for improving transportation options and reducing greenhouse gasses and other harmful pollutants.