Social, Economic, and Business Case for Elimination of Cruising Ordinance
Developed by Jose Gomez, National City resident, for United Lowrider
Coalition of National City
A New Path Forward: Lowrider Culture in National City
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Alignment with Mayor’s strategic economic development plan
Stimulation of investment (QOF) and local business growth
Identification and nurturing of economic greenfields within the QOZ
Individual empowerment and cultural proliferation
Monetization local art, artistic expression, and vehicle exhibition
Drive taxable revenue to National City
A Case For Economic Development: Growing Housing and Income Vulnerability
Solutions and Benefits
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Cruising and Lowrider culture
strengthen community ties, empower
aspiring youth, and empower cultural
and economic development
Policy can be stimulus for change
instead of barrier to economic growth
Statistic Insight
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National City has largest average
household size in the region, yet
lowest percentage of homeowners.
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More than 2/3rd of residents live with
family members or rent
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22.7% of the population lives in
poverty -- the highest rate in the
region
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Residents’ incomes not keeping pace
with rapid increase of housing/rent
prices. Housing prices increased
4.5%, 2.1 percentage points above
income increase of 2.4%
Key Statistics by Region
City
Avg Family Size
Homeowner %
Income Growth %
Poverty %
National City Public Safety: Then and Now
Key Insights
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National City today is a different city
from the National City of the 80’, 90’,
and early 00’s
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Safer today, but in lagging behind
neighboring cities in economic
liberalization, policy, and cultural
development
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Macro-economic trends introducing
vulnerability into community
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Dramatic reduction of burglaries and
thefts, -64% and -26% respectively,
between 2008 and 2020
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Property crime ratio reduced -49%
from 2008 levels
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Violent crime rate also down from
2008 level, -16%, recent uptick from
2018 onward -- aligned with national
trends; COVID, housing affordability
Key Crime Indicators (Measured per 100,000)
Why Cruising and Lowrider Culture Makes Sense
Economic Development Opportunities
Cultural Development Opportunities
• Lowrider culture and car club leadership attract can be
leveraged to patronize local business
• Chicano culture can be an incubator for expression,
personal enjoyment, and behavioral health/wellbeing
• Cruising traffic can be steered to stimulate local
business in Qualified Opportunity Zone (QOZ) and
investment into Qualified Opportunity Funds (QOF)
• Artistic elements of lowrider culture and exhibition,
strengthen community ties, drive awareness of deep
tradition, and empower individuals to achieve
• Cruising enthusiast attract outside locals from outside
• Embrace cultural and demographic shift in National City
National City, redirecting taxable revenue from exiting
the city and attracting additional revenue to neighboring • Eliminate stigma of lowrider culture, and reposition as
cities
tool for social empowerment and mobilization
• Lowriding and Chicano culture can be monetized,
enabling new business opportunities and creative land
use (pedestrianizing strategic locations): local flea
market, food truck events, art shows.
The Business Case
Key Insights
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Lowriding cruising and events attract 30
spectators per unit, generating an average
of $200-$500 per vehicle per hour (PVPH)
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Financial modeling suggests annual
financial injection of $900,000 to
$1,300,000 through cruising/lowrider policy
liberalization
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Food truck events and steerage to key
economic development zones and be
income generator instead of damper
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Low impact hours, day of week, and
location can reduce city resource use
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Key locations such as 8th avenue and El
Toyon can be beta test sites for steerage
strategy
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Key locations may also mitigate vehicle
non-compliance