SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — City leaders are looking to bring millions in state funding to San Diego’s historic barrios. They’re asking for community input on how to spend that money.
Cynthia Ajani opened her coffee shop in Sherman Heights with one goal.
“Rejuvenation, that’s what I hope to see,” Ajani said.
She wanted to bring business to a neighborhood worn down by poor air quality and public transportation.
“We want a better quality of life for the residents of this area," Ajani said. "Period, that’s it. Better transportation, we want the streets cleaned, we want people housed.”
These issues are widespread among the historic barrios, including Barrio Logan and Logan Heights.
“I’ve always been surrounded by these loud trucks and machinery at the bay as my view and walking past junkyards,” said Elizabeth Chavez, an activist in Logan Heights.
The city’s environmental health coalition is applying for state funding to respond to these concerns.
“We’re envisioning everything from new park construction to neighborhood shuttles, to affordable housing production, to lead abatement in existing homes,” said Mayor Todd Gloria, San Diego.
This would be done through $44 million from the Transformative Climate Communities Program. All these ideas will be put into a proposal for the state to approve by August.
“That’s the kind of stuff we’ve heard from the community that we’re putting in this proposal that we believe will attract the attention of the state and make this a reality,” Gloria said.
The city is asking for the community’s input on where to implement this potential funding. Click here to go to the online survey.
