Living in a New Economy: The Struggles, Triumphs of La Mesans

We’re excited to inaugurate a new series for Patch readers: “Dispatches: The Changing American Dream.”

Our first installment in this series is a report on the Gold-certified eco-friendly apartments on Fletcher Parkway—Alterra and Pravada—and whether tenants are benefiting from the solar panels on one of them.

Every day, the national media are full of stories about how American families, businesses and neighbors are adjusting to these trying times. So many changes are happening so fast that it’s dizzying.

National debates about unemployment, foreclosures, debt, religion, government and private enterprise all touch on fundamental ways in which we see ourselves and our communities.

At Patch, we want to explore that conversation on a daily basis so we can better understand how our neighbors are adjusting to the challenges and opportunities that surround us.

We don’t think there’s one American Dream, but a multitude of American Dreams that a multitude of people are working toward.

Looking out across nearly almost 900 Patch sites nationwide, we see businesses holding their breath deciding whether to expand; college graduates returning home because they can’t find jobs; and senior citizens bringing boarders into their homes to help pay their bills.

We also see bold new volunteer efforts, inspiring stories of local businesses that succeed because they innovated, and locals who’ve taken these trying times as a signal to engage more, not less, in their government.

At the purely local level, we want to know where we, as La Mesa neighbors, fit along these fault lines.

Nationally, a debate is taking place about which government-building efforts are “shovel-ready.” Locally,  merchants in The Village are grappling over a proposed PBID—property-based business improvement district.

Nationally, a debate rages about the education system, which is at the center of our dreams of a better life for our children. Locally, we know La Mesa schools are facing major hardships from budget cuts.

Dispatches will be built on the compelling vignettes and snapshots we unearth across all of our Patch sites.

And, of course, we want your help: Tell us what issues and what stories in La Mesa go to the heart of your American Dream.