How Pomona Can be A Top 100 Best City in America

By Nancy A Matarrita

Setting goals and having a plan to reach them, such as is being developed through Collective Impact Pomona's Promise will help turn around Pomona for the better.

Amenities: Being part of a great city means having things to do, places to do them and a decent climate to do them in as people engage with neighbors. Amenities, like our downtown and the Fairplex draw tourists and differentiate us. Parks and recreation provide opportunities for healthy activities for residents and this is where we need great improvement, with more programs for youth and seniors, walkable paths, art and cultural celebrations and more.

Demographics: Fortunately, Pomona boasts a wonderfully diverse community, but we need to tap that diversity to seek innovative culturally sensitive solutions for our community.

Economy: SouthEast Pomona has lost large retailers, gas stations, industrial companies and the years of neglect are evident. Now, as we move out of the great recession, it's important that quality development spreads throughout Pomona, and brings jobs home to Pomona residents. As long as we have high unemployment and aren't focusing on development, we can't move into the 21st century.

Education: Pomona schools are finally improving each year as charter, career ladder and innovative schools have been added. But opinions matter on sites like Greatschools, so our students and parents need to join the ranks of those praising our changes. We also need to get our adults educated and graduated.

Healthcare: Although we already have top 100 healthcare facilities in Pomona, our residents' health indicators show we aren't making healthy choices and we don't have good access to healthcare. We can encourage healthier living through structures and policies.

Housing: There's no denying our housing costs are way to high, but we can work on maintenance and rehabilitation, as well as low income housing options.

Social and Civic Capital: Despite the distressing spike in murders last year, overall crime rates are headed down, but not fast enough to put us within reach of the top 100. Collaborating with the community and safety personnel, we can work together to improve our rates.

Transportation: Pomona is blessed to have two Metrolink stations, linking to buslines, and we have freeways criss-crossing our city. But, with poor prospects for jobs in the neighborhood, residents end up commuting an average of 30 miles to work and this reflects poorly on our city.

Being on the Pomona's Promise Team, I am working on indicators that we can improve so we will move forward to becoming a top 100 best city in America. It will take all of us working together, but it can be done! Keep a positive outlook and a smile in your heart.

Thank you for voting for Nancy Matarrita!