I have been connected to the Hillcrest neighborhood my entire life. I was born here at what is now called UCSD Health Hillcrest in 1980, spent time at my mom’s Fourth Avenue office in the 1980s and early ‘90s, and have been hanging out here on my own or living here since 1997. Hillcrest is a neighborhood that I absolutely love and have given much of my life to, and it brings me much joy to be back writing about it for “San Diego Uptown News.”
Kiwanis Club of Hillcrest All-Inclusive
Summer is a busy time in Hillcrest with San Diego Pride and CityFest, and both events were again successful this year. Hundreds of thousands of people came to the neighborhood to celebrate the events’ 50th and 40th anniversaries, respectively. The Kiwanis Club of Hillcrest All-Inclusive, a rising star of an organization in the neighborhood, participated in both events in a big way.
At the San Diego Pride Parade, Kiwanis Hillcrest organized a contingent that included members of the local chapter and participants from Kiwanis clubs around the San Diego region. This was particularly historic because it was believed to be the first time that Kiwanis had a presence in a Pride parade anywhere ever.
If you’re unfamiliar with Kiwanis, it’s a global service organization founded in 1915 with nearly 500,000 members and club chapters worldwide. Kiwanis focuses on serving the children of the world but also participates in a variety of community service projects to improve our communities, all while having a good time and making new friends.
In an effort to serve the families and children of Hillcrest, the club hosted the Kid’s Zone at CityFest, leading arts and crafts activities, a drag queen storytime, and just creating a safe environment for kids at the event. All the kids and families who stopped by had a wonderful time, along with the volunteers.
If you’re interested in getting involved in the community and also participating in fun service projects that make the neighborhood a better place, consider checking out the Kiwanis Club of Hillcrest All-Inclusive. Meetings are held on the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at Uptown Tavern and typically include a featured speaker, club activity updates, and a good time with like-minded community members. It really is becoming one of the premier neighborhood organizations and everyone is welcome! Check out @kiwanishillcrest on Instagram for more information.
Hillcrest Town Council
When the Hillcrest Town Council (HTC) was formed in 2007 by a group of dedicated community members, it was surprising to learn that it was the first time a resident’s group had been organized in the neighborhood, which has existed since 1907! The Hillcrest Town Council was formed to serve as a voice of the neighborhood’s residents, whether they were renters, owners, or unhoused (added later to the mission), and it has amassed quite a bit of political power over the years.
Unfortunately, due to issues beyond the organization’s control, the board of directors voted at HTC’s monthly meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 13, to begin a process to dissolve the organization. Board members labored over this decision for several months and consulted with numerous community stakeholders before making this difficult decision.
For all transparency, I was a member of the final HTC board of directors who voted in favor of dissolution, along with my board colleagues Michael Donovan (acting Chair), Edgard Portela (acting Secretary), and Alex Marin. Over the last year or two, it was discovered that the organization had never filed the appropriate tax returns and other filings since at least 2015 and likely farther back, which led to a number of fines and a great deal of work to get the organization back on track with the various government entities.
On top of that, participation in the organization has severely dwindled since the COVID-19 pandemic, and it never really bounced back from the period when meetings were held virtually, taking away that in-person, neighborly feel that had existed for so long. It became a struggle to engage community members in HTC, so the board decided it was best to end it.
Any funding that the HTC held has been returned to the organization’s fiscal sponsor with the understanding that it will eventually be distributed to an organization that has the same vision of making Hillcrest a better place for everyone. It will take some time for the organization to complete the paperwork and other necessary items to make the dissolution official, but the organization will no longer hold activities, meetings or events. More information about the dissolution of the Hillcrest Town Council can be found at hillcresttc.org.
So what’s next?
Hillcrest Neighborhood Association
A group of community members and former HTC board members have been quietly working for a few months to establish a new residents’ organization, the Hillcrest Neighborhood Association (HNA). They are still working to gauge interest and study the feasibility of a new residents’ organization following HTC’s closure, but they believe it will provide the opportunity for a clean slate and exciting new opportunity for community members to get involved.
Former HTC board member Portela, who is one of the community members leading the charge for the HNA, said in a recent post, “The HNA isn’t just a rebrand or a fresh coat of paint on a crumbling structure. It’s a complete rebuild from the ground up, with a foundation strong enough to support all our community’s dreams.” Portela said the new organization will have a clear focus and mission, support diversity and inclusion at its core, and be transparent and accountable.
More information on the proposed HNA, including email list sign-up and opportunities to get involved, can be found here: bit.ly/4g6ltTa.
Up-to-the-minute Hillcrest updates
If you’re on Instagram, my best friend and soulmate Rick Cervantes founded the @HillcrestSanDiego account in 2019. He created it as a “love letter” to the neighborhood he loves so much, but never imagined the incredible growth it has achieved in just under five years. It’s approaching 30,000 followers and provides up-to-the-minute regular updates on Hillcrest events, happenings and culture. Plus, many “real life” events have been created from the account, including the annual Hillcrest Honors and quarterly Hillcrest Cleanup & Cocktails. Check out @HillcrestSanDiego on Instagram to be a part of this amazing community!
I look forward to sharing more Hillcrest updates in next month’s edition! Have a great September!
Top photo: Despite the heat, 82 people attended a Hillcrest Cleanup & Cocktails event on Aug. 4 to pick up trash and remove graffiti in the neighborhood. (Photo courtesy Benny Cartwright)