Downtown effort grows Block by Block

CHICO - Closing up her downtown shop one night, Anika Rodriguez watched a man on Second Street stumble into a tree planter while talking on the phone.

"He missed the curb and walked into that little tree dwelling and just fell flat on his face," Rodriguez, owner of Anika Burke, recounted.

The planter was low on dirt, she recalled, making it a hazard. Wanting to do something about it and improve downtown in general, she started the Block by Block Property-Based Improvement District initiative.

Months ago, Rodriguez, who is a PBID board member, went on a walk with the assistant city manager and the Public Works Operations and Maintenance director to discuss what downtown needed. The first thing she showed them was the planter.

Technically, she said, the planter is the responsibility of the business in front of it, but the city filled it with gravel anyway. She also told them Second Street was rather dark, so they put new cafe lights up.

"The city does listen to its citizens," she said. "When you do get involved, your voice is heard."

Block by Block is one of several new PBID initiatives aimed at improving downtown. PBID Coordinator Audrey Taylor said it's "like a neighborhood watch," and the purpose is to encourage business owners to take note of things that need improvements and to notify the right people.

"They're small changes, but I believe over time they will make a meaningful impact," Rodriguez said.

Other new initiatives include Safe Streets, which focuses on increasing police presence in the area, and Park and Go, focused on making parking "more customer friendly," Taylor said. Another initiative, Fresh Coat, involves working with businesses that need a new paint job or need to have their buildings cleaned.

"Anika has done a good job about really getting other people to help her and take action," Taylor said. "We're just trying to activate some things."

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.