The San Diego Promise Zone, on Oct. 1, 2016, became one of 22 federally designated Promise Zones in the United States and one of only four in California. The San Diego Promise Zone (SDPZ) covers a 6.4-square-mile targeted area that spans East Village and Barrio Logan east to Encanto and Emerald Hills and is home to the City’s most disadvantaged and underserved communities.

More than 77,000 San Diegans live in SDPZ. Unemployment is high (15.61 percent), and poverty is concentrated (39.06 percent). The area struggles with low educational attainment, insufficient access to healthcare and healthy foods, rising crime rates and the least affordable housing in the country.

Through the  Promise Zone initiative, federal government partners work with local leaders to streamline resources across agencies and deliver comprehensive support. Leading the effort, the City has partnered with numerous local organizations and agencies to develop programs and initiatives in six Working Group goal areas to improve quality of life and accelerate revitalization in the SDPZ.

The Promise Zone designation lasts for 10 years.

For more information about the SDPZ, contact the City of San Diego Promise Zone Director Katherine Crow at 619-533-6474.

Get Involved

• Join the SDPZ mailing list. Send an email to [email protected].
• Attend a Working Group Meeting. Working Group Meetings are held monthly. Check out the Promise Zone Events Calendar for the meeting schedule and meeting notes.

San Diego Promise Zone Working Groups

• Increasing Economic Activities
  Increasing Economic Activities Work Plan (Draft)
• Increasing Access to Affordable Housing
  Increasing Access to Affordable Housing Work Plan (Draft)
• Increasing Access to Healthcare and Healthy Foods
  Increasing Access to Healthcare and Healthy Foods Work Plan (Draft)
• Improving Educational Opportunities
  Improving Educational Opportunities Work Plan (Draft)
• Creating Jobs
  Creating Jobs Work Plan (Draft)
• Creating a Priority of Safety
  Creating a Priority of Safety Work Plan (Draft)

Learn more

• Read about the City's plan to improve the quality of life in the San Diego Promise Zone.
• Visit the Promise Zones page at the Corporation for National & Community Service (link is external) website.