Coalition Empowers Residents to Reclaim Neighborhood

In Oceanside, Calif.'s Eastside neighborhood, residents had come to accept the drug dealing, prostitution and gang crime as part of a way of life. That is, until the North Coastal Prevention Coalition (NCPC) stepped in. Using a unique approach, the coalition empowered residents to take charge of their community and make Eastside a better place to live.

Doing community work in Eastside, infamous for its gang, the Posoles Locos, is no easy task. Not only is it one of Oceanside’s poorest communities, but it has a large Spanish-speaking population with 70 percent reporting themselves as Mexican descendants. That’s why when Carmela Muñoz started her efforts in Eastside, she knew she had to take a different approach.

“The residents didn’t trust the police or city officials, and many were afraid to say anything to the police for fear of retaliation,” said Muñoz, the NCPC’s project coordinator. “That’s why my first step was spending time creating a relationship between city officials, the police and community residents.”

Muñoz started by holding meetings with local residents. She quickly learned that residents were very concerned about the problems in the community. What Muñoz was hearing from the residents was confirmed by local data. According to a survey the coalition conducted, 67 percent said there was easy access to alcohol and other drugs; 64 percent said they didn’t feel enough support from Oceanside police, 64 percent said there was lack of lighting in the community, and 64 percent said drug dealing and use was taking place in the neighborhood’s main park.

Muñoz also learned that while residents wanted desperately to address their problems, they didn’t understand the system and were intimidated by the language barrier. So she convinced local police to conduct a Citizens Academy training in Spanish, where they learned how and when to report crime, and the ins and outs of how law enforcement works.

“It was the first step to help residents understand how the system works so they could start reporting crimes and working more with Oceanside police,” Muñoz said.

Little by little, a core group of citizens willing to get involved emerged. Munoz worked with the all-women Spanish-speaking group to teach them leadership and community organizing skills. Soon, these women were knocking on doors canvassing the neighborhood, talking one-on-one with residents, and taking their concerns to City Hall. They managed to get the city to fund street lighting and increase vigilance over the neighborhood park, where most of the gang and drug activity was taking place.

While Eastside has a long way to go, residents say they’ve seen a big improvement. The NCPC’s last survey found that police support increased 86 percent, crime decreased 81 percent, public lighting increased 83 percent, alcohol and drug abuse in the park decreased 80 percent.

Munoz said she’s happy with the results, but hopes the residents continue their efforts long after the NCPC is gone. “The residents are the only ones who can solve the problems in the community. They are the eyes and ears of the community. Hopefully, we have empowered the residents so that when we run out of funds, they can continue doing what they’re doing,” Muñoz said.

To learn more about the North Coastal Prevention Coalition, visit www.northcoastalpreventioncoalition.org.