Hillcrest is a neighborhood in San Diego, California northwest of Balboa Park and south of Mission Valley. Hillcrest is known for its “tolerance and acceptance,” its gender diversity, and numerous locally-owned businesses, including restaurants, cafés, bars, clubs, trendy thrift-stores, and other independent specialty stores. Hillcrest has a high population density compared to many other neighborhoods in San Diego, and it has a large and active lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
Hillcrest is an older neighborhood which has gone through gentrification. Many streets are lined with trees. There are Craftsman homes and Mid-Century modern apartment buildings.
The 2000 Census showed that the neighborhood’s residents had a median age of 39 and that 49.3% had college degrees.
The 2000 Census indicates median family income in 1999 was $61,741 ($80,011 in 2010 inflation adjusted dollars).
In 2000, there were 43 percent of households in Hillcrest (zip code 92103) headed by unmarried couples who were gay or lesbian.
The neighborhood is governed by the elected officials of the city of San Diego. It is part of the San Diego City Council‘s Third district; the current councilmember is Todd Gloria.
The Uptown Planners is an elected planning group composed of residents, property owners, and business people from the Uptown area; it advises the city on land use and other issues.
An ad hoc town council provides a conduit for information from citizens with the government. The Hillcrest Town Council is an organization of local residents that was formed in 2007. It meets monthly. Its mission statement is “To provide a voice & enhance the quality of life for Hillcrest renters & homeowners while supporting actions that benefit our neighborhood.”
The Hillcrest Business Association has existed since 1921; in 1984 it became a city-approved Business Improvement District. The association supports most beautification projects in the neighborhood, stewards the iconic Hillcrest sign, organizes street festivals, runs the Hillcrest Farmers Market, it sponsors the annual “Taste of Hillcrest,” which offers food and drink samples from over 50 local bars and restaurants.
In 2012 the Hillcrest Business Association, with the support of many business people, created the Hillcrest Pride Flag.
The commercial area of Hillcrest is noted for its many restaurants. Scripps Mercy Hospital and the UCSD Medical Center are located here.
Hillcrest is a walkable neighborhood with cafés, restaurants, and shops near the main residential pockets.
Hillcrest is served by State Route 163 at the University Avenue, Washington Street and Robinson Avenue exits. University Avenue and Washington Street are the major east-west thoroughfares in Hillcrest; Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Avenues connect Hillcrest to Downtown San Diego through Park West and Bankers Hill.
There is bus service connecting to Downtown as well as to the Mission Valley trolley stops because of the presence of the University Avenue and El Cajon Boulevard transit corridors, the two busiest in the metro region.
Hillcrest “CityFest” is an annual street festival which features food, live entertainment, a beer garden and street vendors.
Other regular events in Hillcrest include a weekly farmers market on the grounds of the local Department of Motor Vehicles, a Book Fair and Mardi Gras.
San Diego Pride is an annual celebration each July for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. It features the Pride Parade on a Saturday morning, preceded by the Hillcrest Block Party on Friday night and followed by a two-day festival in Balboa Park. It is sponsored by San Diego LGBT Pride and is considered to be the largest civic event in the city of San Diego. The large rainbow flag approved in May 2012 was erected in time for the 2012 Pride Festival.
