San Dieguito for Drug Free Youthas Fiscal Agent forCoalition for Drug Free Carrillo Cluster - Drug Free Carrillo Cluster Coalition encompasses a large neighborhood of 20,000 citizens, 8 square miles, in the eastern region of the City of Carlsbad, located in California.
The Carrillo Cluster derives its name from its most notable landmark - the Leo Carrillo homestead and adjoining large rural parkland (27 acres). Leo Carrillo was the Mexican star of the Lone Ranger TV series and movies.
Two elementary schools and one middle school in the area also utilized the Carrillo name. There are approximately 2500 students in the Carrillo Cluster neighborhood, and it derives its ‘Cluster’ because of the cluster of these three schools and the housing around it.
Carrillo Cluster neighborhood was rural until ten years ago when there began a rapid ‘apartmentation’ of the area to create affordable housing. The development of the Carrillo Cluster neighborhoods has assisted the region in meeting the affordable housing needs required by the state, however without the essential infrastructure or neighborhood services.
There were not the necessary law enforcement or City code enforcement to keep the Carrillo Cluster neighborhoods safe.
Also, businesses were opening without appropriate oversight and scrutiny, especially bars, liquor stores, smoke shops, and very recently, marijuana storefronts, both permitted and even more, black market, pot shops.
A dangerous norm developed that alcohol and marijuana, and other substance use were without health and safety consequences, legal peril, and that making money was more important than obeying the sales to minors laws, advertising restrictions, or business permitting laws. Teen use of alcohol, and marijuana and other substances increased as access to them increased, and normalization amplified, and meanwhile, the teen perception of harm decreased.
Constant influx of young families with kids, often transient, with Spanish as their primary language, has packed the schools, stressed school counselors and strained their capacity to provide guidance. The schools have been slow in developing culturally relevant parent involvement programs, and youth alcohol and marijuana education prevention activities.
Carrillo Cluster families have embraced their Mexican/Latino heritage and have created a prevention Coalition called Drug Free Carrillo Cluster, primarily because they recognized that use and abuse of alcohol and marijuana and other drugs jeopardized the success of their children, without the reduction of these risk factors.
The Carrillo Cluster Neighborhood population is approximately 20,000. Gender is 55% female and 45% male; its cultural diversity is demonstrated by these demographics:
Hispanic or Latino - 51%, Anglo – 41%, Asian – 10%, African American – 3%, Two or more races – 5%.
