Sometimes political power begins at the neighborhood level.
That’s what has happened in Pacific Beach where a small group of neighbors banded together to deal with neighborhood issues. Realizing that the community had bigger problems that affected everyone living in Pacific Beach, they decided to broaden the scope of their organization.
SavePB.org was started by Marcella Teran, who wanted to start a community group where residents could express opinions about what went on in Pacific Beach and give them the right tools to help get things done, who to contact, etc.
In 2004, Teran was serendipitously seated at the same table with Teresa Quiroz at a forum. She discovered that Quiroz had started a community group in City Heights that had “the same goals I wanted for our group,” Teran said. She invited her neighbors to meet and asked Quiroz to speak with them about her organization. SavePB.org was off to a running start in early 2005.
SavePB.org has taken off like a rocket, especially considering that the only publicity has been word-of-mouth. More than 100 people showed up for the first meeting at the Earl & Birdie Taylor Library on June 6.
“We’ve had a great response from members of the community,” said core member Suzanne Landa. “It seems they were just waiting for someone to step in and address these community issues.”
“Our main goal is to help people find access to communicate with the appropriate agencies or to locate the correct resource to solve the problem,” Teran said.
Membership is free and now has grown to more than 350 residents. Interested residents can sign up on the Web site. Most information is disseminated to members via e-mail, which helps keep expenses minimal. However, those without computer access may call (858) 273-5656 to join.
Along with Teran and Landa, core members are Marcie Beckett, Scott Chipman and Monica Green.
“The five of us work together very well,” Teran said. “Each of us has particular skills to contribute.”
Chipman has lived in Pacific Beach for more than 30 years and said, “I’ve seen a significant decline in the business mix here. We used to have businesses that catered to families. Now we bemoan the continuing increase of liquor licenses in the community.”
Most members of SavePB.org are longtime Pacific Beach residents ” many for 30 years or more. Some are even second-generation residents, like Beckett, who lives with her husband and children in the house she grew up in. They understand the community and have a vital interest in its future.
A survey of members’ concerns resulted in a list of 15 top issues that need to be addressed. Top issues include the Pacific Beach Block Party, alcohol-related issues and parking problems. The complete list can be read at SavePB.org. Clicking on an individual issue brings up detailed information about it, including background information and ways for members to get involved. One important way is to join one of the sub-committees, for which members can sign up online, too.
“Just go to our Web site and click ‘join,'” Green said. “You will automatically get our e-mail updates.” She also suggests residents join one or more of the various sub-committees and “work on your hot button.”
Landa said new members shouldn’t worry about being inundated with electronic messages.
“We try to respect people’s e-mail,” she said.
Although there are no membership dues, donations are accepted. One anonymous donor gave SavePB.org enough money to cover the Web site, while others have given smaller amounts.
Just as the organization has no dues, neither does it hold regular meetings. What will be only its third meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 29, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the Taylor Library, 4275 Cass St.
At the meeting, Beckett said, “We will get feedback from the members and list our goals for next year.”
The core members encourage all residents to become members of SavePB.org.
“The people of PB have traditionally been laid-back and trusting ” so trusting that a lot of things crept up on us,” Beckett said. “Residents interested in helping establish the community’s future direction should get involved.”
In addition to their stated top issues, SavePB.org has taken on other community issues, such as the proposed relocation of the detox center to Pacific Beach.
The large network of residents successfully worked with District 2 Councilman Kevin Faulconer and Discover Pacific Beach to tell officials that Pacific Beach was not an appropriate location for a detox center.
Other accomplishments include hosting a candidate forum for the election primary for City Council representative, then co-hosting a forum for the run-off candidates. Additionally, SavePB.org collected public comments about residents’ concerns and made up booklets that were delivered to public officials to inform them of the problems.
Core members stress that SavePB.org is about more than just fighting the Block Party, even though that is the members’ number one concern. “We hope people see us as a group that wants to work to improve the community,” Landa said.