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SOHO's 4,500-Square-Mile Mission
January/February 2025
 While much of SOHO’s work is rooted in the city of San Diego—due to the density of historic places within its boundaries—our mission stretches far beyond. SOHO is a countywide organization dedicated to ensuring the stories, structures, and cultural landmarks of all San Diego County communities are protected and celebrated.
San Diego County spans over 4,500 square miles, encompassing diverse landscapes and communities—from urban centers to rural towns, coastal villages to mountain colonies and desert outposts. With this greatly varied expanse comes a wealth of historic resources, each telling the unique tales of the people, places. and events that shaped them—coalescing into the brilliant mosaic of our collective heritage.
SOHO's work takes us to places like Warner Springs and the Santa Ysabel area with their 19th-century adobes, to Borrego Springs for its mid-20th century Modern treasures, and to Oceanside, where we’ve safeguarded iconic seaside landmarks. We’ve advocated for homes in Escondido, cultural sites in Chula Vista, military history in Coronado, and Victorian houses in the South Bay, just to name a few areas. These efforts reflect our commitment to support and engage with every corner of the county in preserving its past.
It’s true that much of our work focuses on the city of San Diego. The density of historic neighborhoods and sites and the formidable challenges of rapid development and evolving development-friendly policies demand significant attention.
Of the city's more than 100 neighborhoods, approximately 70 are considered historic or contain resources of significance. However, this focus does not diminish our countywide mission. The city often serves as a battleground where preservation principles are tested and refined, creating lessons and strategies we apply countywide.
We know you are deeply passionate about preservation issues that personally impact your community, and want you to know that we hear you. SOHO's small but mighty staff works to balance serving individual communities while meeting expectations as a countywide organization. Your passion for preservation inspires us, and we remain committed to advocating for the historic resources that matter to you.
And, of course, preservation isn’t just about saving individual landmarks. You will often hear more about our fights to protect the most well-known and beloved sites than about our actions in quieter or even remote, but vital historic places. Every community we serve contributes to this broader, multidimensional narrative, and every preservation victory strengthens our county's collective cultural fabric.
We ask our members, supporters, and community partners to solidly uphold SOHO’s mission and to recognize the ongoing challenges we face. Preservation is a collective effort, relying on collaboration and support from all parts of San Diego County. Together, we can ensure that the stories and places that have shaped our region's rich, authentic character are preserved for generations.
We invite you to join SOHO as a member, to donate funds, or to volunteer your time and skills. Your support is crucial to protecting and celebrating our shared heritage.
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