Hillcrest Business Association

09/15/2026

The Hillcrest Clean and Safe team is making national news and leading a nationwide trend that's making Hillcrest safe. Bringing on full-time security for our business district has lead to a change in tone on the sidewalk where anti-social behavior is now an oddity where a year ago it was the norm.

"The trendy Hillcrest neighborhood of San Diego, California, was the backdrop for violent acts and hate crimes. Business owners had enough... 'It’s about setting a tone in the neighborhood,' said Benjamin Nicholls, the association’s executive director."

Private security spending and guard employment have climbed as companies and communities respond to high-profile attacks, even as violent crime falls.

09/11/2026

Election season at the Hillcrest Business Association coming soon and we're looking for nominations to the Board of Directors and the Greater Hillcrest Maintenance Assessment District Steering Committee.

Nominate a business that'd be a good fit to lead the neighborhood. The election will be held at the HBA Annual Meeting: Tuesday, October 13, 2026 at 5pm, at R. Place Restaurant, 1027 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103.

The Board of Directors has 7 seats open that serve through October 2028 and the GHMAD Steering Committee has 4 seats that'd serve through October 2028.

Find out more and check your dues status at www.hillcrestbia.org/election.

09/09/2026

City issues extreme heat warning! Cool Zones Open Until 8 PM Today

An Extreme Heat Warning is in effect for San Diego through 8 p.m. today, with high temps expected to continue through Thursday, Sept. 10.

The City has opened select libraries and rec centers as Cool Zones with extended hours. Free, air-conditioned spaces open to everyone. Service animals welcome.
Nearby Cool Zones for Hillcrest:
>>Mission Hills-Hillcrest/Knox Library — 215 W. Washington St.
>>University Heights Library — 4193 Park Blvd.
>>Central Library (Downtown) — 330 Park Blvd. (Auditorium open until 8 p.m.)
>>Balboa Park Activity Center — 2145 Park Blvd. (fans available)
>>Mission Valley Library — 2123 Fenton Pkwy.

Stay safe today: Stay hydrated and avoid overexertion, never leave people or pets in a vehicle, Check on neighbors, especially older adults, kids, and those with health conditions, and skip the trails during peak heat hours.

Take care of yourselves and your teams out there, Hillcrest!

09/09/2026

For the next 30 days, it's HBA Feedback Month. We Want to Hear From You!

From September 8 through October 13, 2026, the Hillcrest Business Association is opening up a dedicated space for feedback on our board members and staff.
Public comment is always welcome at our board meetings, but this is different. It's a focused window just for you to tell us how we're doing.

Have thoughts on HBA's performance? Something specific to share about a board member or staff member? We want to hear it. Comments can be submitted anonymously, and the more specific you can be, the more useful it is to us, however, all feedback is welcome.

This is your business district. Help us keep it accountable to the people it serves.
Share your feedback:

While the HBA welcomes feedback and comment throughout the year and makes time available at every board meeting for public comment, the HBA is creating a special process for members of the public to weigh in on the HBA’s performance. Specifically we’d love to hear how HBA Staff and Board Members...

09/08/2026

The Hillcrest Business Association is proud to have supported this past Saturday's Cleanup and Cocktails, backing Hillcrest's volunteers every step of the way. Our Clean and Safe Team handled the transport and disposal of everything gathered by the event's 100+ volunteers, making sure all that hard work actually made it off the streets and into our dumpsters.

Huge shoutout to every volunteer who showed up for Hillcrest this weekend. You do the collecting, we've got the hauling.

09/07/2026

Calling all Hillcrest creative businesses!

The San Diego Creative Industry Survey wants to hear from design, media, fashion, food & beverage, architecture and other creatives looking to grow!

The Prebys Foundation, in partnership with Upstart Co-Lab, is gathering input from mission-driven, for-profit creative businesses across San Diego County to better understand your goals, challenges, and capital needs. This will help shape future investment strategies for our region's creative economy.
✅ Takes ~30 minutes
✅ Responses kept confidential
✅ For creative businesses seeking investment capital to grow

Take the survey: https://www.prebysfdn.org/making-a-difference/san-diego-creative-industry-survey

Know a fellow creative entrepreneur in Hillcrest who might qualify? Share this with them.

The San Diego Creative Industry Survey aims to understand the goals and capital needs of local creative businesses dedicated to workers, communities, and the planet.

09/04/2026

Our Clean and Safe August Security Dashboard is live and the numbers tell a striking story.

The Hillcrest Business Association publishes a monthly Security Activity Dashboard tracking patrol activity across the Greater Hillcrest Clean & Safe Zone, and August's edition is now posted at www.hillcrestbia.org/cleanandsafe. This was our highest-volume month yet 650+ logged incidents and the data includes some interesting developments:
>> Five police or medical callouts in a single month. Two occurred on the same day, including a transient found passed out in the street on Washington St with emergency services already on scene.
>> CVS on Washington Street is now generating over 100 incidents a month which is nearly double the next busiest location. Consistent problems are logged in every time window from early morning through late afternoon.
>> The 7–8 AM window, before patrol officially starts, continues to be active, with the early-shift supervisor clearing overnight campers from multiple locations every single morning.

The monthly dashboard is part of our ongoing commitment to transparency and to keeping Hillcrest's business and security community informed and connected. Every month, same place, same time. Read the full August Dashboard at https://www.hillcrestbia.org/cleanandsafe

09/03/2026

THIS WEEKEND: Clean-up and Cocktails! Don't miss it!

Hillcrest Cleanup & Cocktails is just days away — Saturday, Sept. 5 — and it's your chance for the most fun you'll ever have picking up trash! Stay in the loop at www.instagram.com/hillcrestsandiego/

HBA is proud to support this event, hauling all the collected trash straight to our dumpsters and bringing our team and truck so volunteers can focus on making the neighborhood shine.

Spend Saturday making new friends, meeting neighbors, celebrating the spirit of Hillcrest, enjoying drinks and bites, and doing something good for our community — all in one afternoon.

Everyone's welcome, no matter what part of town you call home. Grab your gloves and grab a friend — see you Saturday!

09/01/2026

Hillcrest Business Association Promotional Toolkit has been updated with new promotional programs. You can see the full toolkit here: www.hillcrestbia.org/freetomembers

There are a variety of promotional programs in the tool kit but today let's focus on the promotional programs your business can participate in!

The best way to get your news seen is to tell us directly. Here's how to plug in:
>> HBA Member Promotions Form — Got a special, event, rewards program, or milestone? This is your catch-all to get featured in our newsletter, event calendar, and social.
>> New Resident Welcome Package — New high-rises mean new neighbors! Submit an offer to introduce your business to Hillcrest's newest residents from day one.
>> Social Media Giveaway Sign-Up — Two giveaways running through the rest of 2026: National Brunch Day (for brunch spots) and our new 12 Days of Hillcrest holiday campaign. One form, sign up for either or both.
>> Nightmare on Normal Street Costume Contest — Donate to the prize pool for Hillcrest's Halloween tradition and get your logo featured across our newsletter, social posts, and website leading up to the event.

The HBA currently provides a wide variety of services to Hillcrest businesses. The services, called the Toolkit, are can be useful to member businesses for a variety of challenges and issues. All the tools in the toolkit are provided to Hillcrest businesses and commercial property owners for free. S...

08/26/2026

HBA is teaming up for Hillcrest Cleanup & Cocktails! Mark your calendars for the next Cleanup & Cocktails on Saturday, Sept. 5, and it's the most fun you'll ever have picking up trash!

The Hillcrest Business Association is proud to support this event by hauling all the collected trash straight to our dumpsters — bringing our team and truck to help keep the cleanup moving so volunteers can focus on making the neighborhood shine.

Spend the day making new friends, meeting neighbors, celebrating the spirit of Hillcrest, enjoying drinks and bites, and doing something good for our community.
Everyone is welcome, no matter what part of town you live in. Find out more at: www.instagram.com/hillcrestsandiego/

See you there!