By CW, The Freelancer
The Urban Collaborative Project (UCP) is bringing residents, agencies, and community partners to the same table through a new Community-Led Maintenance Workshop series focused on the Euclid Avenue corridor, stretching from Chollas Creekside Park to Brooks Huffman Plaza. The effort is rooted in a simple idea: the people who live and work in a neighborhood should help shape how it is maintained.
Working alongside partners including Diamond BID, Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation (JCNI), the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), and the County of San Diego Live Well Center, UCP is aiming to address long-standing maintenance gaps while building a more sustainable, locally driven model for stewardship.
The first workshop, held in late February at Horton Elementary, set the tone. Residents gathered over lunch before moving into a structured conversation that combined presentations, panel discussions, and small group dialogue. A maintenance panel led by Brian “Barry” Pollard helped ground the discussion in lived experience, while breakout groups gave participants space to identify priority concerns and share ideas.
What emerged was a clear picture of both urgency and opportunity. Residents pointed to ongoing public health and safety concerns, including illegal dumping and a lack of basic infrastructure such as restrooms and lighting. Others highlighted environmental challenges, calling for more trees, green space, and community-led approaches like rainwater harvesting.
At the same time, the conversation expanded beyond physical maintenance. Participants emphasized the importance of rebuilding social connections, suggesting block parties and neighborhood outreach as ways to reduce isolation and strengthen community ties. Economic concerns also surfaced, with interest in keeping resources local through job creation and tools like Maintenance Assessment Districts.
Workshop #2, held in mid-March, built on that momentum by shifting toward solutions. In partnership with the City of San Diego, the session focused on the policies and funding mechanisms that could support enhanced maintenance. Presentations covered topics such as special taxes, financing districts, and how public agencies coordinate services. Residents were encouraged to ask questions and provide feedback on how these tools could be shaped to better meet neighborhood needs.
The workshops are designed not just as information sessions, but as a collaborative process where community insight directly informs future planning. By connecting lived experience with policy knowledge, UCP is working to bridge the gap that often exists between institutions and the communities they serve.
Pollard captured the spirit of the effort in a moment that resonated across the room: “The cavalry ain’t coming. If we don’t improve our community, it won’t get done. Our message is getting through, and the turnout proves it.”
Community members interested in following ongoing efforts and upcoming events can stay connected through Instagram at ucprojectcdc or visit www.ucproject.org/
As the series continues, the focus remains on turning conversation into action and ideas into a shared plan for the corridor’s future. What that plan ultimately looks like will depend on how deeply the community continues to engage, and how willing partners are to meet that energy with lasting support.
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