San Diego Gas & Electric® (SDG&E®) has a long-standing tradition of service – not only to its customers but also to the communities where its employees live and work. SDG&E supports a range of initiatives through shareholder contributions, employee giving programs and volunteer efforts that drive positive change across the region. Through meaningful collaboration with local nonprofits, SDG&E is helping to build a future that is more equitable, sustainable and full of opportunity.
Learn more at www.sdge.com/community.
Community-Led Transformation in City Heights
In the heart of City Heights, where culture, commerce and creativity intersect, a nonprofit has been empowering residents and small businesses for more than 40 years. The City Heights Community Development Corporation (City Heights CDC) is dedicated to improving quality of life in one of San Diego’s most densely populated and economically challenged neighborhoods. Its mission focuses on expanding affordable housing, fostering livable neighborhoods and promoting economic self-sufficiency, so that every resident has the opportunity to thrive.
City Heights CDC advances initiatives that create opportunities and connect people to vital resources. Each effort is designed to reinforce the others, helping to ensure that residents can remain in the community they know and love. In 2025, City Heights CDC launched Beautify the Block, a community-led beautification day that brought together more than 200 community volunteers to clean, paint and revitalize University Avenue and its local businesses.
“City Heights is a community that takes care of its own. At City Heights CDC, everything is connected. When streets are clean and businesses are thriving, residents feel safer and more invested in their community,” said Alexis Villanueva, City Heights CDC President and CEO. “SDG&E has helped us bring that vision to life in ways that are visible, lasting and deeply felt.”
Through its collaboration with SDG&E, City Heights CDC has amplified both resources and volunteer power. More than 60 SDG&E employees worked alongside residents and business owners to create a visible, meaningful impact – demonstrating how hands-on collaboration can strengthen community pride and drive lasting change.
Q&A with Alexis Villanueva
Alexis shared how the organization is making a meaningful difference across the community.
How are you promoting self-sufficiency within the community?
This summer, we are opening the City Heights AI Community Lab, a first-of-its-kind, neighborhood-based training space that provides free, workforce readiness training to ensure access to emerging technology
How do residents feel about events like Beautify the Block?
A longtime University Avenue business owner told us he has spent 22 years trying to change the perception of City Heights, but Beautify the Block felt like a turning point.
Can you share insight into your new housing development?
We are thrilled to welcome residents to Cuatro at City Heights, our $98 million affordable-housing development along University Avenue and El Cajon Boulevard.
What are some businesses City Heights CDC has empowered to succeed?
We work with restaurants, auto-repair shops, dental and healthcare offices, travel agencies, retail stores and food vendors. Our CHOPPED program provides food entrepreneurs with business planning tools, mentorship and micro-grants to help them launch and grow.
City Heights CDC’s continued investments in housing, community services and economic development are helping transform the neighborhood into a vibrant destination where residents and visitors alike can shop, dine and experience a community unlike any other in San Diego.
