Cesar Chavez Gets Organized

By Sally Smith

"We live on such a busy street. Our objective is to create a better sense of community on a block that has been ravaged by traffic to the point where you can't even yell across the street to your neighbor," says one longtime resident.
The block is Cesar Chavez Street between Guerrero and Dolores. And the resident is Ed White, who has lived there (and tended the dust-blown strip of grass and flowers on the corner) for 14 years.
White and about 20 of his neighbors have banded together to form the Cesar Chavez Neighborhood Association. The group meets the last Thursday of the month at First Church of God, located at 3728 Cesar Chavez (647-1330).
Pastor Mike Moberg and his wife, Ann, are among the charter members.
"We started as a SAFE [Safety Awareness For Everyone] group about six months ago, but now we're working on other issues, building community, and getting to know one another. Now we've got a real neighborhood, so that's good," says Mike Moberg.
The group is also exploring whether to apply for residential parking permits. "We might do the two-hour parking sticker thing," says Moberg. He admits that parking zones are controversial, because some residents can't afford the fees. "But if we identified people with financial difficulties, we might create some sort of a fund," he points out.
Still, the biggest concern is traffic. "People really come speeding through here," says Moberg.
The next meeting will take place June 24 at 7:30 p.m. Moberg and White say residents from all along Cesar Chavez, as well as the surrounding blocks of Dolores, Guerrero, 26th, and 27th streets, are welcome to attend.
"We're just getting our feet wet," notes White. If you have questions about the group, give him a call at 774-3237.