National attention has hit Uptown San Diego before. Travel Mag named North Park an up-and-coming neighborhood in 2024 with its trendy, artsy vibe and many interesting small businesses.
The award-winning Lafayette Hotel’s renovation also garnered national attention, with Esquire naming it the top new hotel in the world. So, in the top five Uptown stories this year, it was a surprise to note nothing from North Park made the list. Instead, eyes moved down to Buona Forchetta in South Park where an ICE raid disrupted the quiet neighborhood.
Hillcrest made its own headlines in 2024 with a combination of a bold new housing plan, the declaration of a new LGBTQ Cultural District, and multiple hate crimes targeting the LGBTQ+ community. Hillcrest’s prominence continued this year. Some of those previous stories reverberated in 2025, with protections for LGBTQ+ businesses tested and a new fund established to clean up the neighborhood after hateful graffiti incidents.
Maybe in 2026 University Heights will get a slot if San Diego Unified approves a major housing project for teachers at its headquarters.
After review, these were the top five stories that affected Uptown in 2025.
1. Buona Forchetta ICE raid
ICE raiding the kitchen staff of beloved South Park spot Buona Forchetta led to an outpouring of grief, shock, anger and fear in the community. Counter protests didn’t reach the height of those in Los Angeles, but it was still part of organized local pushback to immigration enforcement actions increasingly seen as punitive and inhumane.
2. Balboa Park parking fees
The city of San Diego’s desperate attempt to fill its budget shortfall with new and increased fees hit its crown jewel: Balboa Park. The unpopular parking fees at Balboa Park have yet to be implemented, but 2025 overflowed with debates over how vehicles would be charged and how much that would cost.
3. Turmoil at Pride
San Diego’s largest single-day civic event was marred with controversies during a year in which LGBTQ+ people came under national attack. San Diego Pride was the only Pride organization to keep Kehlani as a festival headliner after the singer’s pro-Palestine remarks. As a flurry of Jewish organizations and businesses pulled out of Pride festivities over that, former staff, volunteers and board members raised separate concerns about the current leadership at Pride not focusing on advocacy. On Thursday, Pride announced its fourth executive director in a year.
4. Number One’s disputed patio
On its face, noise complaints about a bar’s back patio aren’t a big deal. It probably happens to most entertainment venues. But those complaints started after a big development went in, and the simmering discontent around Number One opened up wider questions about preserving history and neighborhood culture. Bar patrons and its owner feared these residents moved into an attractive new neighborhood but would fundamentally change its makeup by complaining about what made it a desirable place to live in the first place. This ties into another theme as anti-development forces grew during the year: anti-density advocates formed coalitions rather than focusing on piece-meal preservation efforts.
5. Hillcrest unites against hate
As mentioned above, Hillcrest experienced a number of hate crimes in 2024 and responded with volunteerism (and more police surveillance). National issues affected the gayborhood too. Local businesses hosted events on how to protect immigrant workers and protesters rallied for transgender rights amid a national crackdown.
