San Diego Promise Zone Working Groups
The City of San Diego meets regularly in the San Diego Promise Zone (SDPZ), gathering Partner organizations, community leaders, local businesses and residents to plan activites and programs, apply for federal funding and support existing efforts. By sharing our resources, expertise and insights, we can better support the SDPZ communities of Downtown (a portion of East Village), Barrio Logan, Logan Heights, Southeastern and Encanto as vibrant, thriving neighborhoods.
You're always welcome to attend the SDPZ Working Groups, which are dedicated to creating and developing programs and activities the following goal areas:
- Increasing Economic Activities
- Creating Jobs
- Improving Educational Opportunities
- Increasing Access to Affordable Housing
- Creating a Priority of Safety
- Increasing Access to Healthcare and Healthy Foods
Calendar: Check out the latest San Diego Promise Zone Working Group meetings and SDPZ events
Increasing Economic Activities
Co-Chairs
Luis Ojeda, City of San Diego, Economic Development Department
Gary Knight, San Diego Futures Foundation
Goals
-
Strengthen the business base and attract new businesses to vacant land
-
Make infrastructure improvements and address disparities
-
Support small businesses, entrepreneurs and self-employed residents by providing small business owner training and removiing barriers to start-up/expansion capital
Current Priority Projects
Our Working Group has been engaging in business walks and personal community outreach to learn more about the business climate in the San Diego Promise Zone and its challenges. We share information about available resources that can help businesses grow. New in 2018: San Diego Promise Zone businesses with a valid City of San Diego Business Tax Certificate, 25 or fewer employees and a street-level, street-facing storefront are eligible for a 30 percent bonus in Storefront Improvement Program rebates.
Draft Work Plan
- Increasing Economic Activities
Increasing Economic Activities Work Plan (Draft)
Creating Jobs
Co-Chairs
Lydia Moreno, City of San Diego, Economic Development Department
Karmin Noam, San Diego Workforce Partnership
Goals
-
Connect Opportunity Youth (youth ages 16-24 who are neither attending school nor working) to employment
-
Increase the number of residents employed in middle-skills jobs in growing industry
-
Identify opportunities with employer institutions and champion model policies that encourage equitable practices
Current Priority Projects
Our Working Group has been focusing on connecting Opportunity Youth to careers in the advanced manufacturing and information and communications technology (ICT) industries through service providers, educational opportunities and job placement with participating employers.
Draft Work Plan
- Creating Jobs
Creating Jobs Work Plan (Draft)
Improving Educational Opportunities
Chair
Sandra Ainslie, Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation
Goals
- Increase the number of students meeting school readiness and grade-level expectations
- Increase the number of college/career-readiness programs for middle-school children
- Increase educational and career supports for Opportunity Youth (youth ages 16-24 who are neither attending school nor working)
- Increase the number of adults who are educated and prepared for middle-wage jobs
Current Priority Projects
Our Working Group is currently working to expand the San Diego Unified school district's online platform to include job placement opportunities and nontraditional schooling programs.
Draft Work Plan
- Improving Educational Opportunities
Improving Educational Opportunities Work Plan (Draft)
Increasing Access to Affordable Housing
Co-Chairs
Christina Bibler, Economic Development Department, City of San Diego
Goals
- Create new, ecofriendly, affordable and mixed income residential units along transit corridors
- Preserve existing affordable housing in the San Diego Promise Zone through capital improvement projects
- Administer loans, grants and other mechanisms to help households with low to moderate incomes become first-time homebuyers
Current Priority Projects
Our Working Group is planning a pilot program to assist Promise Zone homeowners with adding accessory dwelling units to their homes. The City recently passed legislation to make building these units easier, with special consideration being given to the Promise Zone.
Draft Work Plan
- Increasing Access to Affordable Housing
Increasing Access to Affordable Housing Work Plan (Draft)
Creating a Priority of Safety
Chair
Sandra Ainslie, Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation
Goals
- Use technology and community events to engage residents, businesses and schools in creating living conditions that promote personal safety
- Advocate for infrastructure improvements that deter crime and improve the quality of community amenities
Current Priority Projects
Our Working Group is educating Promise Zone residents about the value of the City’s Get It Done app, which allows residents to use a cellphone app or the Get It Done website to report issues in the public right-of-way and request City services such as potholes, broken streetlights, graffiti, abandoned vehicles and illegal dumping. Getting residents involved in caring for their neighborhoods promotes San Diego's sense of civic pride.
Draft Work Plan
- Creating a Priority of Safety
Creating a Priority of Safety Work Plan (Draft)
Increasing Access to Healthcare and Healthy Foods
Chair
Sandra Ainslie, Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation
Goals
- Build resident capacity and leadership through the creation of healthy foods choices and an accessible food system
- Champion practices and policies that promote a healthy food system
- Improve residents’ health through access to healthcare insurance, access to healthcare services, including mental health, access to appropriate care and support a continuum of care
Current Priority Projects
Our Working Group has begun outreach about Urban Agriculture Incentive Zones, which gives landowners property tax breaks for using vacant parcels for urban agriculture and an increase in the local supply of healthy produce.
Draft Work Plan
- Increasing Access to Healthcare and Healthy Foods
Increasing Access to Healthcare and Healthy Foods Work Plan (Draft)
Federal Investments to date: $4,867,387
(Click in to grant tracker for details on projects being funded)
Get Involved
- Sign up for our newsletter to hear about great opportunities. View our most recent. (link to most recent)
- Attend a Promise Zone meeting or event (link to calendar)
- Check out our success stories. (link to blog)
- Are you a nonprofit or business? Find out more about becoming an official partner! (link to partner page)
Improving Educational Opportunities
Goals
- Increase the number of students meeting school readiness and grade level expectations
- Increase the number of college/career readiness programs for middle school children
- Increase educational and career supports for Opportunity Youth (disconnected youth 16-24)
- Increase the number of adults who are educated and prepared for middle wage jobs
Current Priority Projects
Promise Zone partners are currently helping to expand San Diego Unified’s online platform to include job placement opportunities and nontraditional schooling programs.
Want to know more?
- Attend our meeting: Second Wednesday of each month at Jacobs Center for neighborhood Innovation
- Reach out to our co-chairs: Sandra Ainslie and Sara Boquin (Barrio Logan College Institute)
- Check out our metrics
Increasing Economic Activity
Goals
- Strengthen the business base and attract new businesses to vacant land
- Make infrastructure improvements and address disparities
- Support small businesses, entrepreneurs, and self-employed residents
Current Priority Projects
- Partners are pursuing new financing options for businesses in the Promise Zone to participate in the City’s Storefront Improvement Program. Promise Zone businesses are also eligible for a higher percentage refund of their project costs from program.
Want to know more?
- Attend our meeting: Second Wednesday of each month at Jacobs Center for neighborhood Innovation
- Reach out to our co-chairs: Christina Bibler (City of San Diego) and Gary Knight (San Diego Futures Foundation)
- Check out our metrics
Increasing Access to Affordable Housing
Goals
- Create new, ecofriendly, affordable and mixed income residential units along transit corridors
- Preserve existing affordable housing in the San Diego Promise Zone through capital improvement projects
- Administer loans, grants and other mechanisms to help households with low to moderate incomes become first-time homebuyers
Current Priority Projects
- Partners are planning a pilot program to assist Promise Zone homeowners in adding accessory dwelling units to their homes. The City recently passed legislation to make building these units easier, with special consideration being given to the Promise Zone.
Want to know more?
- Attend our meeting: Second Thursday of each month at San Diego Housing Commission
- Reach out to our co-chairs: Daisy Crompton (San Diego Housing Commission) and Jeff Zinner (Civic San Diego)
- Check out our metrics
Creating a Priority of Safety
Goals
- Use technology & community events to engage residents, businesses, and schools in their own safety
- Advocate for infrastructure improvements that deter crime and improve the quality of community amenities
Current Priority Projects
- Partners will assist in educating Promise Zone residents about the City’s Get It Done app after its relaunch Fall 2018. Getting residents involved in caring for their neighborhood is a great way to increase engagement, while making for more walkable communities.
Want to know more?
- Attend our meeting: Third Tuesday of each month at Valencia Park/Malcolm X Library
- Reach out to our co-chairs: Mary Baum (SAY San Diego) and Rosa Ana Lozada (Harmonium)
- Check out our metrics
Creating Jobs
Goals
- Connect Opportunity Youth (disconnected youth aged 16-24) to employment
- Increase the number of residents employed in middle skills jobs in growing industry
- Identify opportunities with employer institutions and champion model policies that encourage equitable practices
Current Priority Projects
- The workgroup is currently focused on connecting Opportunity Youth to careers in the advanced manufacturing and information/communications technology industries, through linking service providers to educational opportunities to employers.
Want to know more?
- Attend our meeting: Third Wednesday of each month at San Diego Workforce Partnership
- Reach out to our co-chairs: Lydia Morena (City of San Diego) and Karmin Noar (San Diego Workforce Partnership)
- Check out our metrics
Grant Tracker
The San Diego Promise Zone helps nonprofits connect with likeminded organizations to partner on funding applications and programs. Our goal is for residents to be better connected with the resources and opportunities they need to be successful. Below are the projects awarded to date.
Description
Funding Source
Amount
Award Year and Recipient Organization
For a second year, the Fair Housing Initiatives Programs will help nonprofit housing organizations in the San Diego Promise Zone to carry out activities to prevent or eliminate discriminatory housing practices.
Department of Justice—Fair Housing Initiative Program—Private Enforcement
$300,000
2017 The Legal Aid Society of San Diego
This project will create 120 livable wage, full-time, permanent jobs for low-income community residents, in the green energy or tech fields.
Health and Human Service- Community Economic Development Discretionary Block Grant
$780,000
2017 Partnership for Environmental Progress
This research studies the feasibility of connecting local urban agriculture to small markets within the Promise Zone, to increase residents access to fresh, locally-sourced produce. [Picture: Home Page, Grant Tracker – Grant 3]
Department of Agriculture—Local Food Promotion Program
$100,000
2017 University of California, San Diego in partnership with Second Chance Program