Fostering the quality of life in Hillcrest, San Diego
Our Mission
Founded in December 2015, in response to developer-funded efforts to rig the Uptown Community Plan Update, Rescue Hillcrest continues to support new structures in scale to existing buildings, land use and urban planning for density appropriate to infrastructure and facilities, mobility that is about choices not mandates, and community development responsive to community input.
We believe in the need for real solutions to address the impacts of climate change. This means preserving existing affordable housing, ensuring new housing is actually affordable, and advocating for development that is adaptive and sustainable. (This also means recognizing the difference between embodied carbon and operational carbon on the environment in examining so-called "green" construction projects.) It requires questioning the rampant real estate speculation we see pushing our neighbors from their homes and businesses.
And since the 1988 Plan and need still call for a Hillcrest historic district for San Diego and a green park for Normal Street, we continue to push back against efforts to hijack both of these projects on behalf of private interests.
Get Involved
Uptown Planners is one of the 42 official Community Planning Groups recognized by the City of San Diego to provide a forum for public discussion of planning issues on topics related to land use, development, and discretionary projects in the six neighborhoods of Uptown, which includes Hillcrest.
As they did back in 2016, and each election since, developers have sponsored slates faithful to them to try and take control of the seats on the board. And since the pro-developer candidates are fighting to stop the board from providing authentic public input on land use decisions — especially on Plan Hillcrest — the stakes remain high.
All this, from people who claim to care about our community, but committed to replacing your voice in land use decisions. (This letter explains just one of their ongoing efforts to silence residents.)
So it's critical to register for meeting notices and attend when issues important to you are on the agenda, to ensure you'll be heard, and to vote in the annual election each March and special elections as they occur — such as on September 2 and 5, 2023.
The regular meetings of Uptown Planners are held on the first Tuesday of each month (except January and July) at 6:00PM at the Joyce Beers Community Center, 3900 Vermont St.
Thank You
We appreciate you taking the time to find out more about us and what's going on in our urban village. We are a grassroots group of residents, business owners, and stakeholders — your neighbors — who care about where we live and work, and concerned about our place in the big picture of what’s happening in the world.
We do not solicit money from anyone: this website and social media are volunteered. So we welcome your participation and support. Join us!