ADVANCING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES: SPRING VALLEY RESIDENTS MAKE EFFORTS TO REDUCE CRIME AND HARMS FROM DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, WHILE IMPROVING COMMUNITY HEALTH

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By David R. Shorey, East County Program Manager, Institute for Public Strategies

December 12, 2022 (Spring Valley) -- Spring Valley residents have become agents of change for their community’s health  and welfare and their work is having significant results. The Spring Valley Community Alliance has become actively engaged in planning and land use issues and neighborhood health and safety concerns, while securing resources for community transformation.

Spring Valley is faced with several issues such as overconcentration of alcohol retailers; lack of investment in public infrastructure; drug use and crime in and around parks; areas without walkable sidewalks; significant industrial activity located near homes and recreational areas; and higher levels of pollution exposure relative to other parts of the county. Residents there know that changes in both policy and physical infrastructure are needed.

Photo right courtesy SVCA

A recent significant accomplishment was the awarding of a $300,000 community planning grant from the California Strategic Growth Council to the County of San Diego and the SVCA. The grant, a part of the Transformative Climate Communities Program, funds development and infrastructure projects that achieve major environmental, health, and economic benefits in California’s most disadvantaged communities. The County of San Diego recently identified Spring Valley and La Presa as environmental justice areas and this grant falls in line with the County and SVCA's vision of transforming these areas into climate friendly and prosperous communities.

“We received this grant because Spring Valley is a disadvantaged community that has been underserved for so long by the county,” SVCA Vice President Christopher Pierce said. “The area was not well thought out or planned, it’s kind of all mashed together.”

Photo left courtesy SVCA

The Spring Valley-Sustainable Environments & Engaged Development Strategies grant will work on planning efforts that include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving the environment and public health, and increasing economic resiliency and workforce opportunities for the residents of Spring Valley.

Jamaéla Johnson from Supervisor Nathan Fletcher’s office and Ryan Trabuco from Supervisor Nora Vargas’s office have been working with  SVCA on the grant application in addition to the County’s Environmental Justice Department, Department of Homeless Solutions and Equitable Communities, Department of Public Works, the Land Use and Environmental Group, Planning and Development Services and representatives from the Climate Action Plan. Other community partners have also been brought into the effort, including the Spring Valley Chamber of Commerce, Bancroft Center for Sustainability, Bikes del Pueblo, San Diego Youth Services, and San Ysidro Health.

Photo right courtesy SVCA

“For far too long, an interactive community engagement model for planning, land use and development in the unincorporated communities of our county has been absent,” Trabuco said. “We look forward to elevating what’s best for the community, what’s best for the County and to advance the collaborative in Spring Valley.”

This grant is just one aspect of SVCA’s larger efforts to improve the health and welfare of Spring Valley residents. The SVCA is working to reduce crime, address homelessness, reduce/address drug and alcohol harm, and improve community conditions in the area. The SVCA strives to accomplish those efforts through service on boards and commissions; attending meetings with elected officials and law enforcement; conducting assessments of local alcohol selling establishments; utilizing County services; and hosting community discussions and clean-ups.

“We realize that decades of poor planning and unregulated growth have taken its toll on Spring Valley, and that it’s not going to be a quick fix, but we have to start somewhere, instead of just accepting the status quo,” Pierce said. “Gradually, as more and more residents and businesses gain a sense of pride in their community, Spring Valley will prosper.”

The SVCA is making headway with audits and working with local liquor stores that have improved their appearance by covering graffiti and managing trash. SVCA members along with the California Alcoholic Beverage Control are piloting a program to visit alcohol retailers on an ongoing basis to encourage owners to follow standards of operation that they agreed to when receiving their liquor licenses. So far, the owners are receptive and are taking steps to improve their businesses.

“These establishments have cleaned up trash and graffiti, greatly improving the appearance of their storefronts,” Pierce said. “We are looking to build rapport with these owners as we increase the number of stores visited and hope to continue to have open dialogue and forge a healthy relationship.”

Thanks to efforts by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and County Code Compliance, Pierce says that there have not been any illegal marijuana dispensaries in operation for quite some time. If an illegal dispensary is known to still be in operation, it should be reported to either department. Residents and visitors are encouraged to join SVCA’s increasing number of volunteers. There are more ways to get involved with SVCA other than the community clean-ups. Its focus is to empower the community to come together and correct the environmental injustices that have plagued Spring Valley and La Presa for years.

Looking forward to 2023, the Alliance will be hosting Spring Valley Day, a large festival and celebration of the community with local vendors, County departments, craft fair, car show, live entertainment, and much more. Spring Valley Day will take place on Saturday, April 29, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in front of Bancroft Elementary School.  Check out www.SpringValleyDay.com for more information. Interested community members are invited to visit SVCA’s website at www.TheSVCA.org for more information about how to get involved.

“The website was created for the community and contains all of the knowledge that we have learned from working with various County departments and other agencies” Pierce said. “It’s a valuable resource filled with lots of great information that folks can go to when they have questions about Spring Valley.”

Follow IPS by clicking on the links to its social media platforms: IPS East County Facebook, IPS East County Twitter, East County Youth Coalition Instagram. Our website is at IPSEast.org.


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