We have been reporting the Friends of Del Cerro (FODC) have been working diligently with the City of San Diego’s Park and Recreation Department on the initial maintenance assessment of the College Avenue median where all the pine trees are and maintenance on the Del Cerro Blvd. median between College Avenue and Madra.

We received a document from Michael Jones, the assistant deputy director, for the Open Space Maintenance Assessment Districts, confirming we were able to secure funding through the City’s Gas Tax which can be used to make basic repairs and improvements.

Through the Gas Tax Median Maintenance Program, $5,500 in city funds has been allocated to include painting the concrete rings in earth tones, planting 12 flats of Geraniums, 19, 5-gallon iceberg Rose shrubs, 14, 5-gallon Callistemon (Little John Bottle Brush shrubs), 60, 1-gallon calandrina (Red Maids) and 350 feet of drip irrigation hose. All plants will be planted in areas that are not directly under the pine trees.

The designated work to be done on the Del Cerro Blvd. median will include planting five additional trees in the vacant planting areas, including removing one existing stump and

removing the dead tree and stump. The great news is all of this is scheduled to be completed by the end of this fiscal year, which ends June 30.

As a result of our working directly with Get It Done city staff, a portion of the grant from our Councilmember, Raul Campillo, will be used to expand our efforts in reporting community concerns that can be efficiently handled through the Get It Done Program and its APP.

We are continuing to secure signatures to have the city conduct an election for Del Cerro property owners to vote against or for the establishment of a maintenance assessment district (MAD) to continue our community efforts to enhance and maintain city property in Del Cerro. City maintenance funds are very limited and with a $250,000,000 deficit facing the City Council for the 2026 fiscal year, city maintenance funds will most likely diminish.

For more information and to help with the proposed Enhance Del Cerro MAD, go to enhancedelcerro.org.

(Courtesy photo)