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El Cajon, located in East San Diego County, is a
city of over 95,000 residents. El Cajon lies midway between Downtown San
Diego on the coast, and the rural mountain and desert communities that
comprise the County's vast eastern region.
From early 1800 until the 1950s, El Cajon's historic
Downtown served as the social, cultural and business heart of East County
. In the years that followed, extensive suburban development eclipsed El
Cajon's ability to thrive.
Between the 1950's and the 1990's, the concentration of extensive
low-income housing bordering the Downtown District, and the development of
malls and urban strip centers drew shoppers and businesses away from El
Cajon's inner core. As a result, Downtown El Cajon declined from a once
thriving community to one that became listed as "blighted" by the
Department of Housing and Urban Development.
In 1996, the City of El Cajon committed itself to transforming the city
into a dynamic urban center. This decision was born from the efforts of
hundreds of residents and business owners who worked side-by-side with
city and county government to create a revitalization plan. What is now
known to many as El Cajon CDC created bold and imaginative plans to manage
Downtown El Cajon.
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