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North WG starts own neighbors' association
Group hopes it will keep historical feel to older community
By Kate Carter
Willow Glen's newest neighborhood association doesn't want dilapidation and eyesores in its community.
It wants broken and uneven streets and sidewalks repaired, no more ugly cars abandoned on its streets, rundown buildings and open areas reclaimed and restored.
Its primary goal is to make its neighborhoods a good place to live.
The North Willow Glen Neighborhood Association was started last fall by interim President Alison England and several other neighborhood leaders.
"It's an intact representation of an early working-class neighborhood," England said of the community. "The majority of people like the neighborhood, because of the character and would like to preserve it. We don't want people to come in here and make drastic changes."
The community is in the process of getting those dreams realized. North Willow Glen is within the boundaries of one of San Jose's 20 residential areas in its Strong Neighborhood Initiative program. The project teams community members with city officials, to improve the neighborhoods, using a projected $100 million of redevelopment agency money, as well as other possible funding sources.
England and other active members of the new association, including Dan Erceg and Debbie Palmer, have been regular attendees and leaders at the monthly initiative meetings in the Gardner neighborhood, north of the railroad tracks. They noticed, however, that their community had some concerns different from those in the rest of the initiative area, England said. They wanted their neighbors, many of whom weren't at the meetings, to have a stronger voice in having their concerns heard, she said.
"The neighborhood itself had to organize to be truly representative," England said. "The city has a lot more to offer its neighborhoods than they ever have. We need to be able to tap into what the city has to offer."
England said the older community, untouched by monster homes and crime problems, had some veteran leaders. They wanted a strong, cohesive group to meet their goals.
"We're trying to get all of our isolated heroes together," England said. "We want issues to be presented by an association and not by individuals."
England and others began meeting with District 6 City Councilman Ken Yeager and his staff to discuss their neighborhood concerns, as well as their plans to organize. In February, the group held an interim election of its board members--in addition to president, the group has offices for two vice presidents, a treasurer, a secretary and city and community liaisons. England said they plan to hold a regular election later this year.
At the May 22 meeting, England presented the group with their freshly minted bylaws.
The association defines its boundaries as the Union Pacific Railroad tracks to the north, Willow Street to the south, Prevost Street to the east and the west side of Bird Avenue, as well as both sides of Fuller Avenue up to Gregory Avenue on the west. England said the area has more than 600 association members, including residents, businesses and organizations.
Members over 18 years old and living within those boundaries are eligible to vote, not only for their board members, but also on specific items that affect their neighborhood. Votes planned for association meetings will be announced in advance; members can vote on items at the meetings, or two days in advance if they can't attend.
Although North Willow Glen is within the boundaries of the larger Willow Glen Neighborhood Association, England said the group started its own association because of its unique issues and its preference for an action-oriented style.
Nieghborhood improvements include a plot of open space near the corner of Bird and Fisk avenues, a cleanup day for Fuller Plaza (scheduled for June 4, at 9 a.m.) and a fence Union Pacific plans to build on the south side of the railroad tracks. The group made a number of decisions and, remarkably, ended early, pleasing almost everyone.
For more information contact Denelle Fedor, 408.277.2206, or by email at denelle.fedor@ci.sj.ca.us.
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
