beyond the ballot: uptown's urban revolution 🗳️🌈🏙️
online voting has started, you can still vote for a more vibrant, inclusive neighborhood
tl;dr: online early voting for uptown planning elections started yesterday, august 8, 2024. here's why you should care and how to make your voice heard in shaping our community's future. the election day is august 20, 2024. find out if you are eligible to vote here.
hola mi gente, 👋
guess what? it's that magical time when we get to play sim city in real life! i know yesterday i said these endorsements weren’t going out until next week. but hell - even i forgot that early voting started yesterday!
yep, the uptown community planning group elections are upon us, and online voting kicked off yesterday, august 8, 2024.
if you live in any of the neighborhoods represented in the map above, register to vote here (it’s different than your regular voter registration with the county). now, before you roll your eyes and mutter "boring local politics" under your breath, let me tell you why this is actually really exciting.
the uptown community planning group are the folx who advise the city on everything from housing developments to where to put those little parklets people say they hate but actually secretly love. and now, we get to choose who sits on this group, every neighborhood inside uptown: middletown, banker’s hill, mission hills, hillcrest, and university heights. it's like the hunger games, but with more zoning laws and fewer fashion disasters (though i can't promise anything about the latter).
so, why should you care? well, unless you're planning to move to mars with elon musk (and let's be real, with that guy? and it may not even be possible… yet), these elections will shape the very fabric of our daily lives. want more affordable housing so your barista can actually afford to live in the neighborhood? care about having parks where you can walk your dog without feeling like you're in a game of frogger? dream of a future where you can bike to work without ending up as a hood ornament? then listen up, because this election is your golden ticket to making it happen.
why these elections are important
the uptown community planning group is the place where people like you and me can show up and advocate for a more inclusive and thriving neighborhood. imagine what we could do…
housing for all our neighbors (chosen family and otherwise)
more affordable housing = more diverse, vibrant communities
multi-unit buildings = perfect for fostering community connections
example: imagine transforming the dmv lot on normal ave into a mixed use housing, business, parking, and dmv - actually, assemblyman chris ward is working on that right now! (but the uptown community planning group is key in making that idea come to fruition)
streets made for living (not just uber-ing)
better public transit = easier bar hopping without the dreaded designated driver debate
bike lanes = safer commutes and a collective middle finger to climate change
walkable neighborhoods = more chances to "accidentally" run into your crush at that cute corner café
public spaces for all our fabulousness
more parks = more spots for picnics, puppy playdates, and third places for our community to gather and enjoy the neighborhood
community centers = new hubs for everything from salsa classes to startup incubators
example: picture fixing the little fenced off corners on the university avenue bridge and turning them into little parks and useable public areas!
why i'm writing about this: a note on queer urbanism
you might be wondering why your friendly neighborhood queer puerto rican is so fired up about urban planning. i mean, i have opinions on everything, so it comes with the territory. but here's the tea: i believe in something called "queer urbanism." it's not just about slapping rainbow crosswalks on every street (though that would be fierce and allowed). it's about creating cities that embrace diversity, foster community, and challenge the status quo – just like the queer community has always done.
queer urbanism is about designing spaces that are flexible, inclusive, and a little bit fabulous. it's about challenging the idea that suburbs with white picket fences are the ideal, and instead creating vibrant, dense neighborhoods where all kinds of people and families can thrive. it's about prioritizing public spaces where communities can come together, and building housing that's actually affordable for artists, activists, and other vital members of our community.
in short, it's about taking the best parts of queer culture – our creativity, our resilience, our ability to create families and communities out of nothing – and applying them to how we build our cities. i'll be diving deeper into this concept in future posts, but for now, just know that these elections are crucial for making these queer urbanist dreams a reality.
the piping hot tea on each neighborhood (and why it matters)
okay, mis amores. this is where i’m dropping the hot tea. but before i make like a bad server and spill, there’s some things i think i need to make clear.
i don’t think i’m anyone particularly special, just someone that really loves and cares for hillcrest. i love where i live, i love the neighborhoods around me too. but you know what i also wish? that my friends stopped moving out because they couldn’t afford rent. that the streets were more pedestrian and biker friendly. that we had better and stronger transit connections, and more green spaces. and god, we need more community spaces! (because it can’t just be joyce beers in the hub, come on now).
but based on my own research and the advice of people i trust, the candidates below are people that i think would make our beloved uptown a better and more affordable place to live… and exist! i also won’t be endorsing in every neighborhood of uptown because i don’t know the candidates well enough. so i’ll concentrate on what i know - and if i have any updates, i’ll share them right away.
hillcrest: beyond the rainbow crosswalks
endorsed candidates:
benjamin nicholls (business seat) - a fierce advocate & leader for our neighborhood’s queer businesses, champion of the lgbtq+ cultural district
anar salayev (nonprofit seat) - committed to making san diego more liveable and bikeable
alberto guardado (owner seat) - passionate advocate for affordable housing in uptown
isaac warner (renter seat) - someone whose candidate statement is, quite literally, all queer urbanism - transit, green spaces, affordable housing, everything
why they slay: these candidates understand that a thriving hillcrest needs to be both fabulous and functional. they're committed to preserving the neighborhood's queer identity while making it more accessible and diverse.
mission hills: not just for rich homeowners anymore
endorsed candidates:
wesley morgan (owner seat) - a champion of balanced development & keeping the charm and beauty of the neighborhood
why i back wesley: wesley is someone that truly cares about mission hills, respects its history, and also understands that it needs to be a more inclusive, connected neighborhood.
and the others? i do not know the other candidates, so i invite you to check out the candidates for the other seats here yourself. do you know them? want to warn us about any of them? let me know in the comments or at eddyplolz@substack.com.
bankers hill/park west: embracing the b in lgbtq (buildings, that is)
endorsed candidates:
zach thompson (owner seat) - advocate for smart growth, affordable housing, and enhanced public spaces
why zach’s fabulous: zach understands the unique potential of bankers hill to have a vibrant street life because it is safer, more affordable, and welcoming of all. and i think it helps he’s the founder of vibrant uptown, an organization i encourage people check out!
and the others? this is another case of not knowing the other candidates striking again. you can check out the candidates for all the seats here. let me know what you think in the comments or at eddyplolz@substack.com.
university heights: where the ostriches once roamed
endorsed candidates:
benny cartwright (renter seat) - community leader, kiwanis club of hillcrest president, and advocate for affordable housing!
why benny is on fleek: benny gets that university heights' strength is its diversity. he is all about fostering connections and making the neighborhood accessible for everyone.
and the others? yep, you guessed it. that haze of not knowing enough. at least i’m being honest, right? but you can check out the candidates for all the seats here. let me know what you think in the comments or at eddyplolz@substack.com.
middletown & medical complex: i’ll hold back here…
endorsed candidates:
aaaaand this is where i stop and admit that i do not know the candidates running for seats in these neighborhoods.
so, again, i invite you to check out the candidate statements here. if you have any insights - drop them in the comments or at eddyplolz@substack.com.
how to vote (because knowledge is power, honey)
check your eligibility here: if you live, work, or own property in uptown, you're in!
register to vote online here: it’s different than the registration that you vote for president with! so you will need to register and provide proof of residency.
in-person voting on august 20, 2024 from 6p-8pm: it's at the first united universalist church of san diego in 4190 front street
if in person, bring ID and proof of uptown connection (like a utility bill, for example - see more details here.)
key dates that should be in everyone's calendar (yes, even yours)
voter registration deadline: august 20, 2024 (literally the day of the election)
early voting period: starting august 8 (online) until august 20, 2024 (for keeners and commitment-phobes alike)
election day: august 20, 2024 (our very own super bowl of local engagement)
this is our chance!
let's turn uptown into the urban paradise of our dreams, one vote at a time!
look, mi gente, we're standing at a crossroads here. on one side, we've got the status quo – a uptown that's good, sure, but not great. on the other, we've got the potential for a uptown that's as vibrant, diverse, and fabulous as a pride parade crossed with a farmers market (now there's an idea for the next community event). we're talking affordable housing, public spaces that invite more than just pigeons, and streets where you're more likely to run into your neighbors than into traffic.
but this dream uptown doesn't happen by magic. it happens because of you. yes, you – the one reading this right now, probably while waiting for your latte or sitting on the 11 bus wondering why it's late. you have the power to shape our neighborhood's future, and it starts with casting your vote in these elections.
share this guide with your friends, your neighbors, heck, even that cute person you've been too shy to talk to at the dog park.
and don't stop there! drop a comment below with your wildest dreams for uptown. let's hear it all! or if you're feeling especially fired up, shoot me an email at eddyplolz@substack.com.
together, we can make uptown the kind of place that makes other neighborhoods green with envy. so let's do this! 🗳️🏙️
con amor,
edgard🌈
Let's hope residents take to the polls!