I have been struck by generational differences in participation here in our neighborhood. Those who weathered the difficulties the neighborhood experienced in the 1970s are often still the stalwarts in support of the Times and also those who question new phenomena they feel place the neighborhood at risk. The next generation are middle-aged, on the way to being empty nesters. They often have records of involvement but it may be of a certain duration while they get on with their busy lives. The still younger group of neighbors is not steeped in our history and may attend a concert or other event. Unlike decades ago, mothers frequently work outside the home and have greater constraints on their time.
Changes at the SDCC over the past decade have worked against increasing neighborhood involvement. When I moved here 30 years ago, the council office was a fulcrum of communication. Rumors could be put to rest. Neighbors could be asked personally to volunteer. But now, the office is open ostensibly Monday to Thursday from 10 to 4. Even with these truncated hours, no one is there during lunchtime. The board only meets nine times a year. Only one or two others check in to see the proceedings. The emphasis is on raising money but for what? Salaries. The loss of federal funds. If events of a historic nature don’t make enough money, forget them.
This has always been a friendly neighborhood where people of disparate backgrounds came together with the purpose of stabilizing our neighborhoods. If the council tosses the gauntlet to committees and is no longer a policy maker in its own right, it becomes a shell.
Those of us grey heads will not be around forever. We don’t want to see our institutions atrophy. Our neighborhood is challenged by Airbnbs, by a population that is over 20 percent students. We need to protect our diversity and stability and demonstrate the ability to adapt as new challenges arise. A sign of our success historically has been a high level of involvement. Let’s see if we can recapture that more widespread commitment.
