Many of my friends have asked me why I support the Potrero Boosters Neighborhood Association. My brief on-the-fly answers never seem very convincing, regardless of my wholehearted belief in the organization. Hopefully this article will answer that question more eloquently than I usually do in person.
I joined the Potrero Boosters when I first moved to Potrero Hill over 20 years ago. The Boosters concern themselves with issues that are important to me as a resident of the Hill. The amount of work some of the members do is PHENOMENAL! I am not willing to put in nearly this much work to keep up to date on issues that effect the neighborhood, so I am very grateful to, and happy to support from the sidelines, those who are willing to do that work. The small yearly membership fee is a pittance compared to the efforts the organization makes on my behalf.
Do the issues the Boosters champion affect me directly? Not usually. But things like power plants, light pollution from the ball park, density and planning in the Design Center and Central Waterfront affect the neighborhood I love, and because of that it’s important to me. Not important enough to spend my own nights researching and trying to understand the issues, but certainly important enough to support wholeheartedly those who are willing to do so.
Do I agree with every position the Boosters takes? No. But in general the decisions they make and the fights they choose to be involved in are based on a sincere love of the neighborhood and desire to keep it – what? - certainly not “the same”; they’re not that foolish. To keep it a nice neighborhood where I would want to live.
Do the Boosters win their fights? They win some and they lose some. But most of the people I vote for don’t win, either. I support the Boosters for the same reason I vote – because I can; because I have to. It’s one important thing I can do with little cost or effort.
Because of the support of neighbors like me, and the hard work of those most involved in the organization, the Boosters is a known quantity in the halls and courtrooms of the city. It’s important to have at least a little clout so we don’t get completely run over by big developers and others who would profit in our neighborhood at the detriment of those of us who live here. A strong, active neighborhood organization is a force to be reckoned with.
During one of my discussions with a friend who asked what the Boosters do, he interrupted me, asking “Is all they do fight?”. He was using my own words. Yes, they do often fight. This usually takes the form of trying to keep development down to a dull roar. They fight big, inappropriate development projects which would seriously degrade the character of the neighborhood we love. They also fight for - for the parks, for street parking or signs, etc. They also like to party and are becoming more involved in issues such as support for the local schools and libraries.
I truly appreciate the immense efforts of those neighbors and friends who are willing to spend considerable time educating themselves about important issues and showing up – over and over when necessary - to voice their opinions about things that are important to all of us neighbors on Potrero Hill. I will continue to support the Boosters in whatever way I can.
Audrey Cole