Below is a message from Mayoral Candidate Kevin Johnson summarizing his thoughts of the information shared at the Creekside Neighborhood Association meeting held on June 18th.
Creekside Natomas Neighborhood Association Meeting
Meeting Summary
I had the pleasure of attending the Creekside Natomas Neighborhood Association meeting on June 18, 2008. It was very clear from the comments, that many of the residents feel Natomas has not realized the lofty goals that drove its original conception and development. They were frustrated because:
1) They felt the community had been planned through isolated decision making. The result has been a community that currently has a lack of safe walking and biking paths and too little planning and funding of the regional park. To correct those missteps, they thought an important role of the next Mayor of Sacramento is to help plan the continued growth of Natomas in a collaborative manner that considers how decisions will affect the community as a whole.
2) There are a number of vacant buildings, stripmalls, foreclosed homes and unkept lots and yards that do not show the pride and vibrancy of the neighborhood.
3) Low-income housing is not distributed throughout the community; instead, developers have placed these units in certain pockets. The residents felt that that created an isolated dynamic that was not positive for the community.
4) The lack of technological jobs in Natomas, explaining that many Natomas residents have technology backgrounds that arenʼt being utilized.
5) They feel that public safety is not prioritized. There’s a lack of a Fire station on the west side of I-5, a police substation and of more officers to respond to property crimes. Though they were appreciative of the work of Dan Hahn, they stated that they needed the officer force necessary to investigate all of the crimes that were committed.
6) There are not enough meaningful programs and services for youth.
My Response
When I asked residents why they decided to attend that nightʼs meeting they cited a strong commitment to the community and a specific interest in the growth of the neighborhood as it affects their family and friends. I understand the frustration Natomas residents feel about the disconnect from Sacramento, and I will help to foster the unrealized potential of this community by continuing these productive discussions and moving forward on critical actions. Natomas residents want the next Mayor of Sacramento to ensure that tax dollars will be appropriately spent on public safety, including police and fire protection. I will ensure that the community has access to their fair share of these important city resources.
