Location Matters – Responsibilities of the Mission Hills BID
By Jamaal Jackson, President Mission Hills Business Improvement District
US Bank Mission Hills Assistant VP and Branch Manger
Though summertime officially begins on June 20, isn’t it true Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial launch of summer? The Summer Solstice occurs when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky, this year also landing on Friday, June 20. I am looking forward to summer sports, long sunny days, vacation time off with family, warm sunsets and welcoming visitors who know San Diego is the best location in the world for enjoyable summer climate.
If you know me, you likely know each year my family and I celebrate Juneteenth. June 19,1865 officially brought emancipation to all enslaved people in the last state in the confederacy, Texas. Over the years the observance was celebrated in other states and today Juneteenth is a federal holiday, observed this year on Monday, June 16, in the United States and highlights the historical and ongoing struggles for racial equality. Now-a-days, celebrations feature a variety of activities including historical reenactments, art, music and educational events.
Father’s Day on Sunday, June 15, calls for advance reservations at most venues. Consider planning ahead as you celebrate dear old dad or a close father figure and share a day with him, whether around the dining table, in the backyard or at a restaurant. Mission Hills is a great location for walks and talks and riding and rolling on a skateboard or a bicycle. Shopping and dining opportunities are also abundantly available throughout our neighborhood. Everything pairs well with a delicious beverage and meal. And remember, you don’t need to leave Mission Hills.
As the manager of US BANK Mission Hills, I am constantly reminded about the importance of location too. Most of my branch’s customers live or work in Mission Hills and are referrals from other happy Mission Hills patrons. They schedule an appointment or drive by and walk in to learn more about our banking services. They are exploring opportunities to increase the level of service they receive, the types of interest-bearing accounts we offer, the variety of loans we provide and what we can do for them. We all want the biggest bang for the buck whether it be for a home purchase or refinance, an automobile purchase or a savings account interest rate. All who stop by have chosen to be in Mission Hills because they know location matters.
Continuing the location topic, Mission Hills has come a long way since May 2018 when we were threatened by the City of San Diego with a homeless shelter taking over the old library building in the 900 block of West Washington Street; unimaginable now. Fortunately, nearly five hundred Mission Hills individuals signed a petition created by the Mission Hills BID and shared with our then-Councilmember who ultimately joined us in blocking this proposed homeless shelter. We all finally agreed no matter how dire homelessness is, the western entrance to the Mission Hills Business Improvement District was not the best location for a homeless shelter. We continue to seek our Councilmember’s support on planning, parking, budget issues and more.
This summer we are anticipating the opening of the Mission Hills Library Store at the old library location. Gift items for a seven-month old to a 70+ year old, including well-curated hostess gifts and so much more, will be available at the Mission Hills Library Store. Proceeds benefit The San Diego Library Foundation, so, you may shop guilt free. If you are interested in creating items for sale at the Mission Hills Library Store, please reach out to buyer@libraryfoundationsd.org to begin the conversation. If you wish to mention the Mission Hills BID encouraged you to reach out, please do.
Now, let’s really talk about location.
Each month at our third Wednesday of the month meeting, we explore the listings and sales of commercial real estate within the Mission Hills BID. Longtime tenants become owners and decade-long businesses sell their buildings. Everything we share is public record. We also welcome new businesses who contribute to the vitality of the neighborhood. A lot is happening in Mission Hills because location matters.
As the elected president of the Mission Hills Business Improvement District (BID) board of directors I accept the challenges that come with the position. I strive to approach every meeting with an open mind and with the goal of making an informed decision for the nearly 500 dues paying business tax certificate holders within the geographic boundaries of West Lewis Street, Fort Stockton Drive and Goldfinch Street, the West Washington Street and University Avenue corridors, Reynard Way and India Street’s International Restaurant Row who have chosen to locate their businesses in this BID. I put on my BID hat and remember the Mission Hills Business Improvement District was organized and established in March 2004 through the combined efforts of the local business owners and the City of San Diego’s Community and Economic Development Department. And the purpose of the BID is to improve the overall business climate of this commercial area through a committee system which includes: Promotions, Economic Development, Design, and Mission Hills Parking Advisory committees.
The Business Improvement District board strives to represent the best interests of all within our location boundaries. We encourage you to follow the City Council discussion related to updating Council Policy 100-18, which outlines how parking meter funds may be spent; by whom and where. We continue to hear resident and business owners’ disapproval of the doubling of parking meter rates, disapproval of proposals from the City of San Diego to change the on-street parking configurations from parallel to angle/head-in and the installation of parking meters and multi-pay parking stations. It is these concerns, and with the BID’s purpose front-of-mind, that the Mission Hills BID board of directors unanimously supported the Mission Hills Parking Advisory Committee’s (PAC) May 21 vote to maintain parking “as is” on the 4000 block of Goldfinch and the 4100 block of Ibis streets. We thank our business owners and residents who alerted us to their concerns. If you receive a notice from the City of San Diego regarding any proposed on-street parking changes, please contact MissionHillsBID@gmail.com.
We as a BID encourage the community of Mission Hills to continue to partner with us. Afterall, we all know location matters.
Category: Business, Events, Local News, Nonprofit
