SAN DIEGO — For over a century, Barrio Logan has been a refuge and culture hub for the San Diego Latino community. Its jewel is Chicano Park, where artists have used the pillars under the freeway to paint the story of the Latino-American experience.
“We’re becoming kind of a cultural touchstone for Latinos,” said David Favela, the CEO of Border X Brewing. “It’s a place where they can see their culture portrayed respectfully.”
Favela opened his brewery on Logan Avenue six years ago. Back then, there wasn’t much development on the street, which has become a central hub for businesses in Barrio Logan, but that’s since changed. Due to its proximity to downtown, public transportation, freeways and its rich cultural history, Barrio Logan has garnered lots of interest from investors.
“It used to be a very affordable place to live, one of the most affordable in San Diego," said David Alvarez, former City Council member and current resident of Barrio Logan. “People weren’t choosing to live here. They were living here out of necessity. That’s changed.”
Alvarez said that investment is good for a community like Barrio Logan, but there needs to be protections for the people who actually live there.
“We finally have a grocery store! Some of these improvements are really important for people’s lives," said Alvarez. “We’ve seen businesses where landlords have increased the rent and people have to move out.”
This is called gentrification, the process of changing the character of the neighborhood through the influx of more affluent residents and businesses. Businesses like La Bodega art gallery have shut down due to rising rents. Favela said his rents doubled when he signed a new lease on his building. But through rising costs, Favela said that he and his fellow business owners are doing what they can to hold on to the integrity of the neighborhood.
“We’re doing gente-fication," said Favela. "The word 'gente' means 'people' in Spanish. We’re building business to serve our community. We’re not waiting for people to come in and serve us. We’re ready to serve the people in our community now.”
