San Diego City Council Special Meeting - June 10, 2025
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San Diego City Council Special Meeting - June 10, 2025
The San Diego City Council held a special meeting on June 10, 2025, convening at approximately 10:00 a.m. PDT and running into the evening. The session addressed a full agenda including capital improvement program (CIP) year-end monitoring, third quarter budget monitoring, a user fee schedule modification, adoption of the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, the Affordable Housing Fund Annual Plan, and the San Diego Housing Commission's FY2026 budget. The council heard extensive public comment on homelessness, surveillance technology, parks and libraries funding, and immigration concerns. Several key votes were taken, including the adoption of a $711.7 million Housing Commission budget and a $5.3 billion city budget (subject to mayoral veto).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Non-Agenda Public Comment (Morning Session): Multiple speakers addressed the council. Allegedly Audra reported three deaths at Tent City, calling for improved conditions. Blair Beekman raised concerns about the Miramar landfill and parking fund usage. Michael T. Meetum criticized the city's contractor for parking meters and urged transparency. Joyce Añata emphasized the dignity of homeless individuals. Virtual speakers discussed adolescent cannabis use, disposable vape hazards, marijuana advertising, and the Torrey Pines glider port access.
- Item 700 – CIP Year-End Report: Public comment included concerns about fund reallocation and transparency. Allegedly Audra questioned the city's trash fee revenue projections. Blair Beekman urged more community dialogue. Joyce Añata requested clarity on de-appropriations. Joanna Benavides called for defunding the police and investing in mental health services.
- Item 701 – Third Quarter Budget Monitoring: Speakers focused on homelessness spending. Allegedly Audra criticized the $6.7 million under-budget in homeless services, citing deaths at Tent City. Blair Beekman suggested transitioning to unhoused counselors. Joyce Añata asked about fire department overtime nuances. Virtual speakers John Stump and Laurie Saldaña urged the council to hold corporations accountable and address SDG&E franchise fee declines.
- Item 704 – User Fee Schedule: Short public comment. Allegedly Audra opposed fee increases, stating they burden the public. Blair Beekman asked for better coordination among parking commissions.
- Item 702 – FY2026 Budget Adoption: Over 70 in-person speakers and many virtual speakers addressed the budget. Key themes: restore funding for libraries, parks, recreation centers, and public restrooms; defund ALPR (automatic license plate readers) citing immigration enforcement risks; invest in youth programs and drug prevention; oppose police overtime overruns. Many speakers from the Community Budget Alliance and Mid-City Can Youth Council urged prioritizing community services over surveillance. Several speakers expressed fear of ICE raids and data sharing.
- Item 703 – Affordable Housing Fund: Speakers called for more affordable housing and criticized inclusionary fees. Julie Porter and Rachel Hayes highlighted the need for permits and housing for seniors and the unhoused.
- Housing Authority Item 1 – SDHC Budget: Speakers expressed concern over declining reserves and the impact of federal funding uncertainty. Natalie Rashke and others stressed the importance of rental assistance.
Discussion Items
- Item 700 – Fiscal Year 2025 CIP Year-End Budget Monitoring Report: Staff presented a $42.7 million request for appropriations, deappropriations, and reallocations. The report included mitigation efforts to address a projected $10.1 million general fund deficit, using funds from transnet, gas tax, and capital outlay funds. The IBA noted $4.6 million in eligible de-appropriations from prior allocations. Councilmember Campillo opposed the item due to the deappropriation of $6.5 million from the San Carlos Library project.
- Item 701 – Third Quarter Budget Monitoring Report: General fund revenues are projected to be under budget by $17.9 million (0.9%) and expenditures over by $12.8 million (0.6%), resulting in a negative net position of $115.2 million. The report requested authority to draw from the stability reserve (up to $10.1 million) if needed. Staff noted that since the report, sales tax receipts increased $4.4 million and TOT decreased $3.2 million, netting a $1.2 million improvement. Councilmember Whitburn moved approval, seconded by Councilmember Von Wilpert. Passed 6-2 (Foster and Moreno dissenting; Campbell absent).
- Item 704 – Modification to FY2026 User Fee Schedule (Parking Meter Fines): The item proposed increasing expired meter fines from $42.50 to $67. Councilmember Whitburn negotiated a compromise to $54.75. Motion passed 8-1 (Moreno dissenting).
- Item 702 – FY2026 Budget Adoption: The IBA presented a detailed review, identifying $16.1 million in net resources (after adjustments) and $12 million in recommended expenditure modifications. Four councilmembers submitted a late memo proposing $9.4 million in additional revenue from Billboards, Balboa Park parking, zoo parking, and credit card fees. The IBA cautioned about the risks of these unvetted revenues. Councilmember Foster moved a comprehensive amendment that restored funding for libraries (full Monday hours at 14 branches), recreation centers, public restrooms, Lake Murray and Lake Miramar access, brush management, stormwater, and $300,000 for the LGBT Center's substance use disorder services. The motion also included reductions to vacant unclassified positions ($2.99 million) and contingent funding for ALPR pending a surveillance review. After a recess to finalize language, the motion passed 7-2 (Campbell and Moreno dissenting).
- Item 703 – Proposed FY2026 Affordable Housing Fund Annual Plan: The San Diego Housing Commission presented a $32.8 million plan, with 78% allocated to rental housing finance. The council approved the plan unanimously (8-0, Campbell absent).
- Housing Authority Item 1 – SDHC Proposed FY2026 Budget: The Housing Commission budget of $711.7 million (after adjusting for the Rosecrans shelter) was presented. The budget faces a $16.9 million gap between federal MTW funds and rental assistance, requiring use of reserves. Councilmembers expressed concern about declining reserves and the need for future cost reductions. The budget was approved unanimously (8-0, Campbell absent).
Key Outcomes
- Item 700 (CIP): Approved 7-1 (Campillo no; Campbell absent).
- Item 701 (Q3 Budget): Approved 6-2 (Foster, Moreno no; Campbell absent).
- Item 704 (User Fees): Approved 8-1 (Moreno no).
- Item 702 (FY2026 Budget): Approved 7-2 (Campbell, Moreno no). The budget is subject to mayoral veto.
- Item 703 (Affordable Housing Fund): Approved 8-0 (Campbell absent).
- Housing Authority Item 1 (SDHC Budget): Approved 8-0 (Campbell absent).
- Housing Authority Minutes Approved unanimously.
- The council set a timeline for reviewing the ALPR surveillance report, with a public safety committee meeting scheduled for June 18, 2025, and a subsequent council vote on continued funding.
- The council directed the IBA to track the implementation of new revenue measures (billboard digitalization, parking fees, zoo parking) and report at mid-year.
Meeting Transcript
I was proud to serve in the Navy, and I wish I could have continued to serve in the Navy. I feel like we're being erased, and I want my uh service siblings to know you're not alone. There are there are resources here in San Diego. San Diego Pride Military Department, led by Lauren Henson, is available, and they would encourage you to march with them coming up next month in the parade. The San Diego LGBT Center has counseling services and uh services available for veterans. There's also San Diego Access and Crisis Lifeline. If you are feeling alone, if you are feeling like you're being erased, speak up, reach out. You know, reach a handout. Let us know how we can help. You are important to us. Uh veteran suicide is just too much, and we do not want that to happen here. We are here for our veterans. Thank you for being here with us today to say this is wrong, and we don't want it, and we're going to fight as much as we can. So, Nicole, thank you very much. Well, that was a very butch voice. And closing, I I uh I just want to say thank the media for turning out and and all of you. We've got to remember this. We have to remain in the suit of government and power. That's S-U-I-T-S. And we must return to the streets of activism, and they must know we're not only not going anywhere, we are here to stay and to fight back. Thank you very much. And let's hear it for our veterans and thank you all for coming. God bless you all. Three, two, one! It is great to be here in Mountain View to celebrate a big win for this community. Thanks to the persistent advocacy of this community, along with the dedicated efforts of our park and recreation team. Residents of the city came together and developed a new concept for this part of the park. Uh, with tennis relocated uh and with the sport of Fusal on the rise, uh, the community now has two footsal courts here. This project also includes, as you can see, new fencing and new lighting. That makes we can play at night too, right? That's very good. This is just a very significant milestone. These courts are more than just places to play. They represent our commitment to fostering strong, vibrant communities where families can come together, stay active, and create lasting memories. The City of San Diego's investment in this project shows a true commitment to our youth and to the future of our community. Four years ago, we launched my Parks for All of Us initiative, which reformed the way that we allocate funding for park projects, prioritizing projects in communities where they are most needed. Additionally, our parks team developed a dedicated source of funding for recreational activities in underserved communities. In its first year, the opportunity fund increased funding for six recreation centers and communities of concern, including the one right here in Mountain View, which meant that they went from a budget of 44,000 to more than 415,000. This is what I mean about making sure high quality park and recreation opportunities are available to all neighborhoods in our great city. We are truly working to create a city that works for all of us. Back in January, I announced that we would conduct a wholesale examination of our city's office space lease agreements, and where it was cost beneficial, I said that we would terminate or renegotiate leases and consolidate space to save taxpayer money. Today I'm announcing that we have renegotiated an office space lease agreement for the building at 525 B Street in downtown, where staff from multiple city departments currently work on six floors. We are making use of city-owned office space that had been remained vacant in 2019. As a result, we will save San Diego taxpayers more than 13 million dollars over the next five years. City staff from the engineering and capital projects department will move out of four of the floors at 525 B Street in downtown and relocate to this city-owned office complex here in Kirny Mesa. And staff from the fire rescue department will move to the city-owned Civic Center Plaza building in in downtown San Diego. What we're announcing today, $13 million in savings, is a great step to address that structural deficit. This is responsible, it is strategic, and it is a balanced decision. The kind that this moment demands. As important as that is, it is also a local responsibility as well.
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