top of page

International District Choice Neigborhood

Community Meeting (April): Draft Plan

About 30 people attended Community Meeting #4 which was hosted on Thursday, April 3rd at Wainwright Manor (5601 Gibson Blvd).

The goals of the meeting focused on:

  • Reviewing refined Housing Concepts

  • Prioritizing People and Neighborhood Strategies

  • Providing updates on Early Action Activities


The meeting format included open engagement activities through stations that displayed materials and prompts for resident input; it also included a game activity designed to discuss People’s strategies. Amongst the different activity stations, there were:





Housing Concepts Conversations: Residents learned about design proposals for redeveloping two housing sites: Wainwright and Grove through illustrated boards and physical models. Residents provided their input on the different possibilities of layout, housing typologies, and density with models of the sites. They were also asked to prioritize design elements related to housing, amenities, services, and activities for open space, sharing their feedback on why these elements are more important to them.




A few highlights from this feedback included:

  • Fences, gated entries, and secure parking

  • Housing units with secure patios, balconies, and clean, well-lit interiors

  • Parking closer or next to homes or units

  • Spaces for gathering: community rooms

  • Community gardens, dog parks, kid parks, and shaded seating areas

  • Accessibility to food markets and healthcare facilities

Neighborhood Key Projects: Community members were asked to prioritize projects in the neighborhood by choosing 6 ideas they found most beneficial. Illustrated boards showed visual references for each of the projects, a display that invited residents to vote on their preference.

The top key projects were:

  • Expand transportation options to support access to health services 

  • Increase events and activities amongst service providers

  • Community garden at Phil Chacon Park

  • Transform alleyways into recreational and community spaces 

  • Activate vacant lots in the area, such as Kathryn and San Mateo, with growers markets 

  • Install murals highlighting important areas throughout the neighborhood

Early Action Activities: Community members learned about updates regarding proposed Early Action Activities, and were encouraged to continue providing their feedback. The planning team installed yard signs on the areas where future improvements will take place. Residents were invited to walk through the space with a guide to experience how it could look and feel. They could also sign up to get involved in the upcoming implementation phase. 

Highlight insights included:

  • Residents prioritized outdoor improvements that encourage interaction among neighbors, such as seating areas, exercise equipment, and safety enhancements

  • They also expressed interest in gathering spaces that support multiple uses, including recreation, health activities, and diverse programming

  • Preferred mural themes center on a sense of place and community safety

  • Easy-to-grow, food-producing vegetation was identified as ideal for inclusion in community gardens at the housing sites


People’s Bucks: Residents were asked to prioritize projects amongst 14 options related to four categories of the People section of the plan: Education, Safety, Income and Employment, and Health. Through a participatory budget exercise, each resident allocated their "bucks" to their priority projects after learning about them all. The results indicate what the community believes will generate the most positive impact and indicate which initiatives should be prioritized.

The top priorities resulted in:

  • Improve access to nutrition and fitness services and programming

  • Advocate for dignity among unhoused residents

  • Create safe and accessible environments for youth recreation

  • Increase sense of safety through infrastructure improvements

  • Connect resources to address underlying issues of poverty and homelessness


Choice Loteria: At the end of the meeting residents participated in a community-inspired version of lottery bingo where they explored 40 projects proposed under the People theme of the plan. The winners of each round identified projects they considered most helpful to implement in the International District community:

  • Little Libraries

  • Career Counselor

  • Disability Services

  • Mental health

  • City leaders

  • Job training


A big shoutout to our community ambassadors and everyone who collaborated with enthusiasm on this event!


The next community meeting is scheduled on Saturday, June 14, 2025.

 
 
bottom of page