Fellow Profile
David Flores
“The border only represents a pause in a person’s life. It’s time for it to become a welcoming place that can meet the demands of national security, while recognizing that these are places where people live, work and play.”
— David Flores
Fellowship Host:
Casa Familiar
San Ysidro, CA
Casa Familiar, the host of David Flores’ Rose Fellowship, serves the historic community caught between downtown San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico. During his fellowship, David was able to help the agency become a foundation for growth, as well as an instrument of understanding between its inhabitants, the socio-economic needs of the community and a unified planning voice to the different levels of government affecting this border community.
Chief among his contributions was the design and construction management of Casitas de la Florecitas, eight attractive, affordable, single-family homes for first-time homeowners. He also developed the San Ysidro Pilot Village Proposal, a community-based strategy so successful that the city committed nearly $1 million to help link affordable housing with public transportation and commercial development. And he was instrumental in winning a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts for a program designed to add the community’s voice to the federal redevelopment of the San Ysidro Border Station.
After completing his fellowship, David chose to continue with Casa Familiar where he is now the architectural design & development director. In 2004, the community voted him president of the San Ysidro Planning and Development Group, and he continues to serve as the group’s Chair through 2008.
A graduate of The University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Architecture, David organizes and directs “San Ysidro—Sin Limites/Unlimited”, a monthly community forum on housing and community development. David has also volunteered with the City of San Diego Planning Department, serving on the “Strategic Framework—City of Villages” Public Outreach Subcommittee. He heads the local effort for the “Mi Pueblo—Villages Create the City” San Ysidro Pilot Village.
Gallery
(hover over image to zoom)
David Flores
by Teresa Murillo, Casa Familiar, Inc.
San Ysidro Sin Limites/Unlimited Workshop on Landscaping. Participants heard from Landscape Architect and David on garden, patio landscaping, gardening in small spaces and had creative workshops on recycling materials as garden elements.
by Teresa Murillo, Casa Familiar, Inc.
San Ysidro Sin Limites/Unlimited Workshop on Landscaping. Through the workshop participants got to plant seeds for growing their own vegetables. Outreach was made through the local schools and community centers.
by Teresa Murillo, Casa Familiar, Inc.
San Ysidro Sin Limites/Unlimited Workshop on Public Art in the Community. Artists presented various projects to the community that looked at the integration of public art within the public right-of-way and private property. Some pieces were stepping stones made of concrete and broken pieces of mosaic tiles and marbles, wood fences with artists collaborating with school children to decorate them with recycled material and paint which would reduce grafitti.
by Teresa Murillo, Casa Familiar, Inc.
San Ysidro Sin Limites/Unlimited Workshop on Density. Participants were given "density" recipes where they had to place a certain amount of housing units, automobiles, open space and trees in one typical half block of the community.
by Eleazar Lopez, Casa Familiar, Inc.
San Ysidro Sin Limites/Unlimited workshop on Density. All of the community workshops in San Ysidro were presented bilingually and looked to gather community planning input for affordable housing planning strategies and to identify important community design issues.
by Eleazar Lopez, Casa Familiar, Inc.
San Ysidro Sin Limites/Unlimited workshop on Density. Architect Teddy Cruz has participated in some wokshops to integrate design ideas into Casa Familiar’s housing projects. The workshops continue and are utilized as a way to keep the community informed, but more importantly an active participant in the community.
by Eleazar Lopez, Casa Familiar, Inc.
The Rose Fellow along with Teddy Cruz presenting results of community planning efforts to the community where they begin to see the results of their input sessions.
by Harry Connolly
Completed project of 8 first-time homeownership units that were sold to qualifying families at 65% area median income. This view presents the front elevation of two homes with metal window grilles that were manufactured in Tijuana and low-water maintenance landscaping.
by Harry Connolly
Rose Fellow and the Ruiz family in the courtyard entry to their new home. The Rose Fellow was involved in the design and construction management for Casa Familiar. Photo by Harry Connolly.
by Harry Connolly
Rose Fellow in front of the Casitas de las Florecitas project, an eight unit first-time homeownership project.
by David Flores, Casa Familiar, Inc.
Sin Limites/Unlimited flyer distributed throughout the community inviting families to learn how to get involved in the San Ysidro Community.
by Teresa Murillo, Casa Familiar, Inc.
Rose Fellow teaching the Casa Familiar staff what the workshop will be about, what their roles will be during the presentation and workshop, and how they will be leading their own group sessions.
