East County News Service

June 12, 2016 (Casa de Oro) – Nearly 100 Casa de Oro residents and businesses joined forces yesterday to clean up the Campo Road business corridor and strengthen community engagement in a neighborhood that is turning things around for a better future.  Following the work they celebrated the first-of-its-kind event with a barbecue and raffle, while also thanking the many business sponsors who made the event possible.

“The enormous turn out is an expression of the interest, commitment and passion of the residents of Casa de Oro to turn this neighborhood around from the increase of high risk businesses and increasing blight they have seen in the past ten years,” says Susan Caldwell with Casa de Oro Community Cleanup. Plagued by an influx the past few years of  7-10 illegal marijuana dispensaries, 12 alcohol stores, smokeshops, vape shops,and  hookah lounges, the community of Casa de Oro has said, “Enough!” 

This event was organized by:

Members of the Casa de Oro Community Alliance - a grassroots coalition working to revitalize Casa de Oro

Institute for Public Strategies

San Diego Sheriff’s Department

R.S.V.P. Volunteers

Grossmont- Mt. Helix Improvement Association

Residents

Business Owners

The Casa de Oro Community Alliance has been bringing together key stakeholders and involved residents since last September to revitalize their historic neighborhood.  Once the heartbeat of Casa de Oro, the target of the cleanup today was the 1 1/2 mile stretch along the business corridor of Campo Road. It was literally swept clean, cleared of weeds and debris- and even a few hypodermic needles laying in the gutter- to send a message that pride in the neighborhood can and will lead to positive change. 

The group is working to engage new business development and conducting outreach to existing businesses, identifying beautification projects, and looking to the future for a vibrant and inviting Casa de Oro combining the rich historic past with the invigorated vision for today.

Video Clips:

·        Bob Yarris- Chair of the Casa de Oro Community Alliance-

Clip 1- Intro https://publicstrategies.box.com/s/myl3x6x12j4gvg9gw5szf4c69ao9xs5m

Clip 3- Problem Statement https://publicstrategies.box.com/s/waxqjkj9u1o9nibbuglof24mewkow7yv

Clip 4- It’s About the Kids  https://publicstrategies.box.com/s/yb5qz42epzoknawb1lml1scc0c48qegq

·        Liani Howard- resident and employee of Starbucks at Casa de Oro-

Historic and Rich- https://publicstrategies.box.com/s/mzc3vx2lfjxmhlvt04bok1585xubotx6

·        Lieutenant Fred Magaña- San Diego Sheriff’s Department at Rancho San Diego _CLIP #2

Collaboration- https://publicstrategies.box.com/s/d0ztiaz0xqqvntva4jdlh4tqzra3w6bv

·        Jay Steiger-1- Alliance member and parent

https://publicstrategies.box.com/s/e5w7hhvf8dp7iqmrfzber2328rkqlhlb

B-ROLL:

1.     Group shot moving- starting to head out to begin cleanup https://publicstrategies.box.com/s/avjbj25khzpwiym5k0lm80xw0i6kvcjh 

2.     Group shot –broll group6 https://publicstrategies.box.com/s/18d4rjujxojbxmirnn59rx34cw2r30s1

3.     Map of cleanup area- 1 ½ mile stretch along Campo Road broll_map_1 https://publicstrategies.box.com/s/st1t8dqeazd83dcu47cf6rp61tlr7y2r

4.     Loading the EDCO Trash Bin with bags- broll16 https://publicstrategies.box.com/s/tpu58fete56pxb7un7adwqq960wkjeim