May 2026 Newsletter

Note: We previously sent this newsletter in April. We are resending an updated version to ensure all neighbors receive it. We appreciate your patience and continued support.

Who We Are

West Uptown United is a non-profit organization primarily composed of neighbors in Bankers Hill, Hillcrest and Mission Hills — specifically the western portions of these communities. Our goal is to ensure the City of San Diego and developers pursuing large scale housing projects in our area comply with applicable zoning laws, safety requirements, and variance standards that have been circumvented by Complete Communities.

We are currently focused on a project plan for 3554–3560 Front Street just inside the southwest end of Hillcrest. Plans were submitted and accepted by the City to build a 7-story building with over 70 units. No permits have been submitted or approved, but the plans were submitted and accepted in January 2025. Our goal is to get ahead of any effort to demolish existing structures and to advocate for a more reasonably sized development that preserves the quality and character of our neighborhood.

What We Are Doing

• West Uptown United was officially incorporated on April 2, 2026.
• We have established a bank account, begun taking donations, secured organizational insurance, and filed for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. Upon IRS approval, your donations are expected to be tax-deductible retroactive to our date of incorporation.
• WUU has retained Everett DeLano of The DeLano Law Firm as legal counsel to help develop a strategy to address our safety, parking, and density concerns regarding the 3560 Front Street project. Our attorney is continuing his due diligence and does not have major updates available at this time. We are working closely with him to ensure he is fully informed of all developments.
• WUU has a resident artist, Deirdre Lee, who has produced designs representative of our neighborhood for our logo and print materials.
• We are working with the Uptown Community Planning Group (UpCPG), who will be sending a formal letter on our behalf to the Mayor, our City representative Steven Whitburn, and the City of San Diego Development Services Department. The letter will outline four key arguments: Fire and Life Safety; Affordable Housing Impact; Alley and Refuse Access; and Historic Character and Neighborhood Compatibility.
• We continue to expand membership, seek talent to grow our outreach and organizing efforts, and solicit donations to fund legal fees and operations.
• T-shirts featuring our logo will be available for purchase soon, with proceeds going directly to our defense fund. We are also considering yard signs.
• We are coordinating with multiple organizations across San Diego to send a message that we will not sit quietly while zoning and compliance are ignored to drive housing density at any cost in our neighborhoods. We have collaborated with Richard Santini from Preserve Golden Hill, Eric Law from Protect Point Loma, and Tom Delaney from Mission Hills, all of whom generously share their experiences from similar efforts.

We Need Your Help!

To continue to move quickly, we need your support:

• Donate to WUU by Zelle to westuptownunited or westuptownunited@gmail.com. To donate by check, contact us at westuptownunited@gmail.com for mailing instructions.
• Come to meetings whenever you can.
• Share your knowledge or research with Ransom Hamrick, who serves as the primary contact with our attorney.
• Identify a regular meeting space for up to 60 people.
• Spread the word — invite neighbors to get active, share contact information, and forward this newsletter.

Get Engaged — Join a Committee

We are urgently seeking both committee heads and volunteers for the following five committees:

• Liaison with Other Community Groups
• Media Spokesperson
• Fundraising
• Neighborhood Engagement
• Marketing, PR, Website and Social Media

To get involved, join a committee, or add your name to our contact list, reach out to us at westuptownunited@gmail.com.

Coalition Partners

• Preserve Golden Hill — Richard Santini
• Protect Point Loma — Eric Law
• Mission Hills — Tom Dulaney
• Uptown United and Uptown Community Planning Group — Mike Singleton and Dennis Seisun
• San Diego United Communities — focused on upcoming City Council elections

Core Group

• President: Ransom (& Christina P) Hamrick
• Secretary: Janet Shanberge
• Treasurer: Bob Burke
• Verena and Dennis Seisun
• Miles Weatherup (& Marty S)
• Ana DeCastillo (& Mike A)
• Lisa (& John) Allen
• Caren (& Will) Cambre
• Mike Singleton (& Sharon)

Together, we can effectively advocate for quality development in West Uptown!

West Uptown United is a California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation incorporated in April 2026. At the time this newsletter was sent, a 501(c)(3) application was pending with the IRS. Upon approval, contributions made after the date of incorporation are expected to be tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.