When you combine Santa Ana winds, dry fuel, and high temperatures, you get extreme fire conditions.

We want Sandy against taking precautions today to make sure that if the worst were to come, that you're prepared, that you're able to take care of yourself, your family members, and whatnot.

This new service provides education about no cost and low cost home hardening retrofit options, defensible space, and the new zero to five ember resistance zone.

This service gives homeowners valuable information to make their homes more insurable and defensible against wildfires.

We are asking every San Diego to take simple yet critical steps to be prepared.

This includes clearing brush and debris on your property.

Another key addition to our response capability.

Together, we will get through this fire season, and we will remain one of the safest big cities in America.

All right, good morning.

I will now call the city council meeting on Monday, September 8th, 2025 to order.

Before we go to the roll, I want to welcome back the honorable council member from District Two, Dr.

Jennifer Campbell.

Good to see you back in chambers.

And note that your staff did a fantastic job in your absence.

So we're very, very grateful for that.

And we send our best wishes to the IBA Charles Matica.

But appreciate that Lisa Burns is stepping in to that.

So with that, Clerk, please call the roll.

Thank you.

Councilmember Campbell?

Councilmember Whitburn.

Here.

Councilmember Foster.

Here.

Councilmember Von Wilpert.

Council President Pro Tem Lee.

Here.

Councilmember Campillo.

Here.

Councilmember Moreno.

Present.

Councilmember Elo Rivera.

And Council President Lacava.

Present.

Also attending the meeting are City Attorney Heather Ferber, independent budget analyst, Principal Fiscal and Policy Analyst, Lisa Byrne, and myself, your city clerk, Deanna Fuentes.

All right.

Thank you.

Uh Clerk Fuentes.

The quorum is now present.

We will begin this morning with an invocation by Clerk by Clerk Fuentes, followed with the land acknowledgement and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Council President Pro Tam Lee.

The spirit of wisdom, charity, and justice, that with steadfast purpose, they may faithfully serve in their offices to promote the well-being of all people.

Despite enduring the horrors of genocide and colonization, the Kumiyai spirit remains unbroken.

We honor the resilience of their ancestors who fought to protect their culture and land.

Today they carry their legacy forward, ensuring that their traditions continue to thrive in gratitude and strength.

Ready to begin.gov backslash council mtg for meeting.

The meeting can still be accessed via www.sandiago.gov backslash council MTG for meeting and for calling participants, you will still dial 1669-254-5252 and input when prompted the new webinar ID, which is 1614 4662.

We encourage the public to review the updated details before the meeting to ensure smooth participation for the latest webinar access information.

Please visit www.sandiego.gov backslash city clerk bash participate.

I'll now highlight the screen on the slide on the screen that reviews how the public can offer their public testimony during today's meeting.

If you are in person, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of chambers and bring it to the front of the room.

No further in-person testimony will be taken once the council begins virtual testimony for better meeting management purposes.

Each speaker will have one minute per item per person.

If you would like to speak on three or more items, you will have a maximum of three minutes.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

With that, please read the closed session items into the record.

Conference with legal counsel existing litigation pursuant to California Government Code Section 54956.91 CS1, Manuel Duran versus City of San Diego et al.

conference with legal counsel, significant exposure to litigation pursuant to California Government Code Section 54956.9 D2.

CS2 is pre-litigation of the California Department of Transportation, Caltrans Claim, Conference with Legal Council, Existing Litigation Pursuant to California Government Code Section 54956.9 D1 is CS3 Larry Speller v City of San Diego, CS4, Terry Wilson versus City of San Diego, and CS5 Toya Heiswelch versus City of San Diego.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

And with that, please proceed with public comment.

I do not see any public comment speakers here, but I do see a gentleman writing one out in the back.

If you'd like to come up to the microphone.

No, we'll have somebody go back there and talk to you for non-agenda.

Thank you so much for that, though.

Um I see going to those participating remotely.

I've started the five-minute timer.

The original, if you can please unmute and let me know which item or items you wish to speak to.

Well, I'm gonna, you know, just go through as many as possible in three minutes.

All right, we'll have you for CS1 through CS5.

You'll have three minutes, please proceed.

All right.

So it's always interesting the litigation that you guys engage in and that we have to pay for.

I do appreciate that you guys put more information on the agenda as far as that goes, because everybody wants to kind of hide it, and you you do provide information that I think um uh you know I appreciate because it's beneficial and it doesn't make people have to go do a bunch of looking into stuff.

I think more boards should be doing that.

So good for you guys.

You actually get a gold star.

Um, but yeah, so vote uh vehicle versus a pedestrian.

These are kind of scary to think about, um, especially when it's a city-owned vehicle and um you know, kind of what took place with that, making sure that you guys are hiring um, you know, drivers that aren't going to be hitting pedestrians.

Um if so, then you know we're gonna have to be spending more money on that.

But uh another claim involving um damage to Caltrans property caused by a water main rupture.

You know, if this has anything to do with the infrastructure that is not being upkept and that's happening, causing damage to um you know more property because we've we see this quite often.

You guys need to be making sure that you're taking care of all of the infrastructure, not spending things like money that should go for that on things like a pride parade and stuff when our city is lacking and people are homeless and people are dying on the streets.

Um it's pretty crazy.

And then a trip in fall, you know, you guys have a lot of these, and even though this um trip in fall is, you know, they're alleging there's homeless encampments that were you know causing him to go into the roadway.

Um, there's a couple of issues there because you guys there are encampments all over the place, but you also are not taking care of the roads to make sure that if somebody has to detour off of a certain area that they're not going to be, you know, in some pretty rough terrain, and that's what you get is and any time that you're just kind of walking around the city, you guys gloat and you virtue signal as though you're like really doing something good.

But when you have to pay out like exorbitant amounts of money to people because um they're getting injured.

Um, proof is in that that you're not really doing what you need to be doing.

So it's just sad that um, you know, with things have to be proven through litigation to for people to see.

Um, and then this delinquent parking ticket collection process.

I mean, the whole thing that you're doing with parking right now is gonna set you up for more litigation because you're gonna give people more tickets because they're not gonna be able to keep up with paying the amounts that you guys have set forth now because it's gonna be ever changing.

Um, you're gonna make it impossible for people to park, but that's what you want.

You want to get us out of our cars, you know, walking on you know, rough terrain so that we can fall and trip and get injuries.

So I mean, until you guys are really willing to provide something that's going to help, all you're doing is costing the people money.

So how about you sell your house and pay for it?

Your time is concluded.

Going to the next speaker in 82 870, if you can please unmute 8700.

Uh, good morning.

It's so wonderful to have you back, uh, City Court Fuentes.

Thank you.

And uh, yes, you're very welcome.

And the rest of the uh team uh did do uh a wonderful job for can you tell me which items you'd like to speak to?

Yes, of course.

Uh one through four.

You'll have three minutes, please proceed.

Thank you.

Uh this so the consent number one.

This case arises from I'm gonna be repeating the titles of these, the descriptions, because I want the public and everybody to hear these words again.

Uh be patient, please.

This case arises from a motor vehicle versus pedestrian accident, which occurred on one seventeen twenty-four on El Cahon Belvar, Boulevard, and involved a city-owned vehicle.

The city's attorney's office will update the mayor and city council on the status of the litigation and seek direction.

I think the last sentence would be a valid reason for the item to be heard and discussed.

Questions.

Was it an employee who was driving the vehicle involved?

Were they on city business at the time?

Is this that dangerous intersection on El Cahone Boulevard?

I believe um I may be getting this wrong, where uh a death occurred.

A discussion would help in deciding the balance of the letter of the law and the spirit of the law.

Thank you so much.

I love them both of those so much.

Number two, I hope in pre-litigation there is an opportunity to discuss and possibly avoid litigation, settle early and avoid a trial.

Less money expended is appreciated so much by the public.

Thank you.

Number three, uh, trip and fall, forced to walk in street because of homeless blocking sidewalks.

In the past, I met this kind of situation several times at the post office at downtown.

I always backtracked and cross the street for a better route.

Please, public, be your own best advocate for your own safety.

Thank you.

Uh CS4, another trip and fall.

In my opinion, intersections are much more dangerous than sidewalks for pedestrians.

There are many more variables to consider before crossing an intersection.

Again, you're public.

Please be your best advocate.

So uh it's it's a new day.

Uh and uh council president Lakava, uh, good morning, and good morning to everyone.

I like the new arrangement changes good.

Uh love to all.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That does conclude public comment on closed session this morning.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

With that, we will now recess into closed session and reconvene council today at 2 p.m.

or shortly thereafter.

Making it through the darkness.

At Sandie.gov forward slash wildfire.

While we do everything in our power to protect this city, we can all make a difference by taking a few simple steps.

Today stay alert, stay informed, and stay prepared.

Thank you, San Diego, and I'll turn it back over to our mayor, Todd Gloria.

Thank you.

Chief, thank you.

Thank you for your incredible leadership.

I get to work with Chief Logan every single day.

I can promise you we are in good hands with Chief Logan and his team, the San Diego Fire Rescue Department.

They are actively working every single day to make sure we're anticipating weather conditions, as he mentioned, pre-positioning assets to make sure that we can have the quickest response possible.

Deeply indebted to the chief for all of his good uh work in this season that we're about to that we're entering into.

Let me just conclude with this.

The legendary Ron Burgundy said, stay classy, San Diego.

We are here today to say stay prepared, San Diego.

We want San Diego's taking precautions today to make sure that if the worst were to come, that you're prepared, uh, that you're able to take care of yourself, your family members, and uh and whatnot.

Chief shared a website that I encourage folks to check out.

We invite you all to take a look at uh this equipment and understand the investments that we're making.

A reminder that even in a difficult budget year, we continue to spend more than half of every dollar we get at the city on public safety.

A lot of that going to our fire rescue department to prepare for moments like this.

And lastly, I would say I recognize that uh for most people this is probably a decent temperature for our native San Diegan.

This is hot.

Um, and so I want to say, in addition to taking prote uh precautions in the event of a wildfire, I want people to take precautions today to take care of themselves as this gets so warm.

A reminder that the city offers a number of cool stations across the city.

Most of them are our rec centers and libraries, some of our senior centers, teen centers.

Of course, our city's municipal pools are open and available for folks who need to cool off.

I remind folks that uh leaving people, uh particularly uh children uh and pets in cars is a bad idea.

Please do not do that.

And let's be good to one another.

Let's check on our neighbors.

Uh, if you have a neighbor who uh maybe senior citizen lives by themselves, check on them today, would you make sure they're okay, make sure they have what they need.

Uh, and also maybe ask them about their preparedness uh for any potential wildfire.

We're all in this together.

Uh my promise to you all is the city will do absolutely everything we can to be prepared, but we ask for every San Diego's partnership to do their part too.

Together, we will get through this fire season and we will remain one of the safest big cities in America.

Thank you all for being here.

I'm happy to do one-on-ones and to give you a tour of the equipment that's present here this morning.

Thank you again.

I could not be more excited to join you all to celebrate in the completion of the long-awaited improvements to the Eggar South Bay Community Park.

For far too long, our South Bay communities have not received the level of investment that they have deserved.

But I want you to know that that is changing.

We are changing the way that we prioritize park and neighborhood improvements, making sure that no neighborhood is left behind, and that every San Diegan has access to safe and high-quality public spaces.

Here at Edgar South Bay Park, we have made significant upgrades that will benefit families for years to come.

This product replaced two existing playgrounds with a new play and fitness equipment and modern safety surfacing.

We've also added new seating, shade structures, drinking fountains, security lights, landscaping, and accessible walkways to make the park more comfortable and more inclusive for everyone.

If you guys have gone to any other parks in the city, this will rival any park in La Jolla in Carmel Valley, anywhere.

Let's make a promise to keep this park alive with activity, with kindness, with parties, and also with care.

This is your park.

Today, Edgar South Bay Community Park stands as a shining example of what can happen when we invest in equity, listen to the community, and get things done.

Wildfires won't wait and neither will we.

We will be prepared.

So wildfire risk is a year-round reality.

When you combine Santa Ana winds, dry fuel, and high temperatures, you get extreme fire conditions.

We want San Diego's taking precautions today to make sure that if the worst were to come, that you're prepared, uh, that you're able to take care of yourself, your family members, and uh and whatnot.

We have a new educational service available to homeowners with an at-home risk assessment.

This new service provides education about no cost and low-cost home hardening retrofit options, defensible space, and the new zero to five Ember resistance zone.

This service gives homeowners valuable information to make their homes more insurable and defensible against wildfires.

We are asking every San Diegan to take simple yet critical steps to be prepared.

This includes clearing brush and debris on your property.

Develop an emergency plan for your family, including what to do if you are asked to evacuate, and downloading the Genesis Protect app and registering for the Alert San Diego Text Alert program to make sure that you stay informed in the advantage of a cr of an emergency.

And lastly, right behind me is our Com One unit.

Another key addition to our response capability.

Together, we will get through this fire season, and we will remain one of the safest big cities in America.

All right, good afternoon.

I will now reconvene the city council meeting on Monday, September 8th, 2025.

Clerk, please call the roll.

Thank you, Council President.

Councilmember Campbell.

Councilmember Whitburn?

Here.

Councilmember Foster.

Here.

Councilmember Von Wilbert.

Council President Pro Tem Lee.

Here.

Councilmember Campillo.

Councilmember Moreno.

Present.

And Councilmember Ilo Rivera.

And Council President Lacava.

Present.

Also attending the meeting, our assistant city attorney, Leslie Fitzgerald.

Baku Patel from the IBA's office.

And my Council Affairs Advisor and the Mayor's Office, Coda Zizer, and myself, your city clerk, Diana Fuentes.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, a quorum is now present.

The reminder this is the first meeting back from the August recess.

So let's get on with our business.

We'll start out with Mayor, Council, City Attorney, independent budget analysts for city clerk comments.

And we'll start off with City Clerk Fuentes.

Thank you, Council President.

I did just want to take a moment to visit our to encourage you all to visit our new and improved digital kiosk located in the first floor of the lobby of the city administration building.

Also here to your right after you enter in the 12th floor lobby.

And now as you enter the council chambers, right in the back, we can have uh Kevin show where it's at right there.

There it is.

It is um a digital kiosk, which now you can actually view the entire city council agenda with all of the backup materials right from the touch of the screen kiosk, as well as submit any e-comments, making documents even easier than ever to access and view with the very large print.

You can also access public notices, room reservation schedules, planning commission agendas, and information on vacancies on the city's boards and commissions.

Additionally, I did just want to complete, uh, encourage you all to complete the Office of the City Clerk's public engagement and language access survey on the kiosk as well, or providing us your valuable insights on how you can how you would like to receive updates on city council agendas and how you would like to participate in city council meetings.

There's also QR codes in the back of the room where you can take a picture and do the survey on your phone.

Thank you so much, Council President, for the opportunity to give these updates.

Sorry, uh current eighth grade student uh at uh Pershing Middle School and a San Carlos resident from Council District 7.

Uh shout out to Councilmember Campillo.

Uh this is our fifth mayor for the day, and I believe he's had three of them, so he's in the lead.

Uh so kudos and congratulations to D7.

Um, I want to remind you all uh that uh I had the phenomenal opportunity to uh apply for then Mayor Marino Connor's Mayor for the Day contest.

I will freely admit I did not win.

Uh I was I came in third place, um, but I think I did okay.

Uh but uh I'm pleased to be standing here next to our first place winner this year, uh Landry Gage.

Uh that was uh that experience was definitely formative for me in uh encouraging a career in public service.

And so we resurrected this program for that very same reason.

I think all of us feel honored uh and uh grateful for the opportunity to serve our community in our city, and we want to make sure that the future generations of San Diegans are further encouraged to take up leadership positions.

Uh Landry's already doing incredible work.

We've crossed paths multiple times through uh good work in Girl Scouts uh and other uh model UN and other uh important uh undertakings.

Uh so she has all the makings of a future mayor.

She'll tell you a little bit more about that in just a moment.

I want the council and the members of the public to know that Landry spent the day uh shadowing different departments at City Hall, including our homelessness strategies department.

She checked out the new hub at the Central Library, uh, had lunch with our city attorney, Heather Ferber, and want to thank our city attorney for giving her some time.

Landry has her eyes on a lot of degree, so that was pretty key uh to get to meet uh uh uh an attorney.

Um I think it's hopefully been a meaningful experience to you.

I hope that it's encouraging you to stay the course uh when it comes to leadership, your hometown needed, and we're rooting for you.

Uh and so it's been a pleasure to spend the day.

We have we're gonna go check out terminal one uh in a little bit and inspect it before it opens to the public.

That's what a good mayor would do, right?

Um, and so uh I will finally just say that Landry's submission stood out amongst many really great pre uh uh put submissions by kids from all over our city.

Uh but she has a passion for creating more housing and being a good steward of our environment.

Uh she's uh mayor after my own heart, and so it was easy to select her to be our 2025 mayor for the day.

So, with no further ado, I'd like to give to you all uh Mayor for the day, uh Landry Gage.

Thank you so much, Mayor Gloria.

Good afternoon, everyone.

It's a true honor to stand before you today as San Diego's mayor for a day.

While this role is only temporary, the responsibility to contribute meaningfully to our city is one I approach with the utmost seriousness.

I'm here not only as a representative of this city, but as an engaged citizen who deeply cares about the future of our community.

San Diego is a vibrant, diverse community.

Yet, like all cities, we face significant challenges.

Issues such as homelessness, improving our educational system, increasing and creating programs for mental health, and the development of a more sustainable infrastructure are just a few of the areas that demand our attention.

These are not problems we can just overlook, and I'm not here to lie to you and say we have all the answers.

But I'd rather offer my perspectives and contribute to the conversations that will help us find meaningful solutions.

As mayor for a day, my role is to listen, learn, and engage with my fellow citizens.

Today is an opportunity for us to come together, share ideas, and explore ways to address these challenges.

And create thoughtful and collaborative efforts that will lead to lasting change.

Again, it is truly an honor to have this opportunity.

I look forward to working with all of you as we face these challenges head on and explore ways to build a stronger, more resilient, more united San Diego.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Council President.

As you can see, the future is bright.

Uh, Landry's representative of a great uh upcoming generation of San Diegans, and I can't wait to see what you all do with your career.

Thank you for the time, Council President.

I appreciate it.

Thank you.

And thank you, Mayor Gage.

We look forward to big things I had from you.

Thank you.

We'll go next to Councilmember Von Wolpert.

Thank you, Council President, and congratulations to our mayor for the day.

Um just more uh sad news that a report in our school shootings in America, as we know as we were on legislative recess in the last two weeks ago, there was a school shooting at an NCA St.

Catholic Church in Minneapolis, and two young uh students were killed.

There's also a 12-year-old girl named Sophia who still has a bullet lodged in her brain from that shooting, and she's still in intensive care.

Uh we need to continue to strive for a nation that does not allow children to be shot in their schools.

And we have the tools to do that.

We have gun violence restraining orders this city has led on.

We have universal background checks.

We have other tools to make sure that people can use guns safely without abridging the second amendment.

Yet we do keep guns out of the hands of people who want to do harm.

Um we can do this as a nation.

I just I just hope we do before there's another school shooting.

So thank you.

All right, thank you, Councilmember.

Uh, not seeing anybody else on the lights.

The clerk will now go over how the public can offer their testimony.

Clerk.

Thank you, Council President.

I'll highlight the slide that will be shortly on the screen that reviews how the public can offer their public testimony during this afternoon's meeting.

The order can be found on the agenda summary found online or at the table in the back of the room.

If you are in person, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of chambers and bring it to the front of the room into the clear box.

Council ambassadors are available near the entrance of chambers and can assist with questions and speaker slips.

No further in-person testimony will be taken once the council begins virtual testimony.

And as I highlighted this morning, there is a new webinar ID.

So please be sure to check out the agenda for the new webinar ID.

But if you are participating remotely, the www.sandiego.gov backslash council meeting MTG for meeting is still the one-stop shop to attend the Zoom.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

With that, please introduce item S400.

Item S400 is to authorize the first amendment to lease agreement between the City of San Diego and the Zoological Society of San Diego for the San Diego Zoo property located in Balboa Park.

If you'd like to speak to this item, now's the time to submit your speaker slip to the front of the room in the clear box, or if you are participating remotely, now is the time to raise your hand by pressing star nine or the raise your hand icon.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you.

All right.

I hate to call you staff, but uh as you settle yourselves in, please identify yourselves a record and let us know how much time you need for your presentation.

All right, good afternoon, honorable council president, council members.

I'm Casey Smith, Deputy Chief Operating Officer.

We'll need about six minutes.

When you're ready.

All right, I'm here to present the first amendment of the lease agreement with the zoo for the property located within Balboa Park.

With me today from the city is Christina Bibler, Director of Economic Development Department, Policy Advisor Emily Pia Tanesi, and Deputy Chief City Attorney Bill Witt.

We also have Adam Day, Treasurer of the Board of Trustees of the San Diego Zoo Wild Life Alliance with us.

The Zoological Society of San Diego or Society has operated the zoo in Balboa Park since 1916.

For today's purposes, I'll be referring to the zooological society as the zoo.

The current lease agreement was originally executed in July of 1979 and has a term of 55 years, expiring in July of 2034.

The zoo property is an important asset of the city and the region, and the zoo is a major contributor to local tourism, generating 3.9 million visits in 2024, with guests spending over 571 million in the region with a total economic impact of 925 million in San Diego.

Further, the zoo supports nearly 6,500 jobs.

In addition to the zoo within Balboa Park, they also lease and operate the San Diego Zoo Safari Park on City of San Diego Public Utility Department property in the San Pascual Valley.

Due to the current plans to implement paid parking in Balboa Park in this fiscal year's budget, the zoo approached the city and has requested to amend the parking section or section seven of their lease.

The society is interested in a minor amendment to accommodate the discussion about paid parking at the zoo lot.

However, they are also interested in extending their current lease for the zoo, and the city is committed to initiating further lease negotiations.

Lease negotiations for an extension of the current zoo lease will likely take several more months and will begin this month.

However, due to the timing of the implementation of paid parking in Balboa Park, the current lease change is being requested for council approval so the two parking efforts can be implemented and coordinated concurrently.

Any additional lease amendments or changes will require council approval and will be brought forward for the council's considerations.

It is the intent of these negotiations to implement a parking revenue share through the lease that would meet or exceed the city's projected budget assumptions from the zoo parking lot revenue in the FY26 budget.

For those listening uh who may not be familiar with the site for today's conversation on your screen, you will see outlined in yellow is the area known as a zoo parking lot within Balboa Park.

As previously mentioned, the zoo approached the city about striking one sentence in section seven of their current lease.

This is the only change proposed in the lease at this time.

Under the current lease, the zoo cannot charge uh varying rates and specifically the lease states.

Said parking fees shall be the same for all users of parking facility and no credit against admission fees or other fees charged by society shall be given.

This language prevents the zoo from reducing or removing parking fees for volunteers or staff and prevents them from charging discounted rates for city of San Diego residents.

Given the requested action is directly related to Balboa Park properties paid parking implementation and not intended to be a full lease negotiation negotiation amendment with the zoo.

A partial waiver of section 5 C6 of the recently approved Council Policy 700-10 on real estate disposition is necessary, which states the city will incorporate current city standard lease provisions and adjust the rent amount to current market rent.

This provision is generally intended for long-term leases, and as a reminder, this lease has less than nine years remaining.

The proposed actions before you today are adopt a resolution to waive part 5 C6 of the Council Policy 700-10 and authorize the mayor or designee to execute the first amendment to the lease agreement between the City of San Diego and the Zoological Society of San Diego for the San Diego Zoo property located in Balboa Park.

That concludes my portion of the presentation.

And at this time, I would like to invite Adam Day, Treasurer of the Board of Trustees of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance up to the dais to say a few words.

Good afternoon, Council President, Honorable Council.

Uh on behalf of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Association, it's uh my honor to be here to speak with you.

We partner with the city for over 100 years in a collaborative and respectful way, and we look forward to the next 100 years.

When the zoo first learned about the city's desire to start charging for parking, we wanted to approach the conversation exactly the same way we've always dealt with the city, with acknowledgement of each other's positions, constraints, and mutual respect for where we want to get to.

And we've approached those conversations in just that way.

We understand the city has certain constraints that they're operating under, and the zoo as a nonprofit association has a few constraints as well.

But today's action to be clear, the zoo has had the ability to charge for parking for many, many years.

In fact, since we've been operating the zoo, but we've never chosen to charge for parking.

Today's action will allow us, as city staff have indicated, to charge city residents less than non-city residents, in essence.

Without that change, we wouldn't be able to do so, and be the need to do so today is so that we can begin to uh start charging for parking roughly October 1st, in alignment with the city's plans.

This is the first step of a two-step process.

I've likened it to a game of Jenga.

It's a little bit complex and complicated.

Take one thing out, and the whole situation crumbles.

But we're confident in our relationship with the mayor's staff, the city attorney staff, your offices as well, to be back to you before the end of the year with step two, and we look forward to continued collaboration, and I'm happy to answer any questions.

Okay, uh, thank you, Adam.

Uh, we are available for any questions, and that concludes our presentation.

All right, thank you very much for that presentation.

Uh, I believe the IBA would like to make a few comments.

Yes, thank you, Council President.

Good afternoon, Council members.

I'm Baku Patel from the IBA's office.

As was mentioned in staff's presentation, this proposed first lease amendment was requested by the San Diego Zoo as they seek to implement paid parking at the zoo lot, concurrent with the city's broader effort for the rest of Balboa Park, which is assumed to occur in early October, pending council action on parking user fees scheduled for next week.

The change to the zoo's lease before you today is relatively limited as city staff begin negotiations of more significant amendments that are being sought by the zoo, including a potential long-term extension to the overall lease term.

Those proposed amendments, uh, as you just heard are expected to be presented to the city council later this calendar year.

Notably, today's action does not address how zoo parking revenue is to be shared between the city and the zoo.

As the council is aware, the FY2026 adopted budget includes a total of 15 and a half million dollars in parking revenue that is expected to be generated from Balboa Park as a whole, including at least three million dollars in revenue that's assumed to come from zoo parking.

In particular, four council members estimated that on an annual basis, the zoo lot could generate 11 million dollars in parking revenue, and a 50% revenue share with the city from that could total five and a half million dollars.

Those revenue estimates have not been vetted, but given the budget's reliance on revenue from parking at the zoo, it is necessary that a revenue sharing agreement between the zoo and the city be adopted in the current fiscal year.

Our office therefore recommends the city council seek some form of commitment from the zoo, ideally in writing, um but at a minimum with a verbal commitment today that some form of parking revenue sharing agreement will be presented to the city council later this year and at the latest when the council is asked to consider the additional lease amendments.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you for those uh comments.

With that, clerk, please proceed with public comment.

Thank you, Council President.

We do have several speakers here in chambers as well as on the Zoom, so we will be having to limit to a minute and a half.

Cesar Javier, if you can please come forward.

You have uh Bodita Javier seating new time, so you'll have three minutes.

After that, if I can have the following individuals, please come up to the yellow reserve seats.

Eleanor, Paul Kruger, Rosemary By Stark, allegedly Audra.

If you can all please come up to the yellow reserve seats, please proceed.

Okay, you come with something that well.

I cannot come here alone.

I need my wife, who is a victim of toxic gases next door in our community.

Eleven queens and kings.

That's what you feel and sense of you.

Well, is the king of flower?

Where are you?

Mayor Gloria.

It's the lower form of animals, like the tiger.

Donated by late historically, late widow.

If only to save his son from litigation.

He donated it at the zoo, Mr.

Whitburn, Citizen Whitburn.

You're always smiling when you see your colleague mayor.

Now answer us.

It's more of priority.

The environmental chair.

Look, we are both look like animals.

But I am superior animal.

King of heart.

The king of the bee.

And who is the king of the portal?

I mean Queen.

There.

Dr.

Campbell.

He cannot even medicate and cure the victims of the business by this compound.

We call City Hall, the headquarters of thinkers and public sermons.

God hear us.

Let karma prevail in our meet, so we would redirect their efforts to common public good, not only for the rich and wealthy.

But us, victims of the flood, victims of the volley, crisis, air pollution, water pollution, land pollution, postal pollution.

Where is your EIR?

Governing Board Member Dr.

Campbell.

You were absent the last time.

Good that you were present last time, and you were discussing for the first time the Tijuana River issue in the district of Queen, OP Tijuana pollution, Consulor Moreno.

Good.

You did not win in the election for District One boards of supervisors.

Mombargas step down.

That was a good message.

That was a karma signal.

He declared crisis.

And this thinker, Squinsen Kings, did never upceed or followed.

Thank you for that concluding comment, Nexus.

Your time has concluded, Sir Eleanor.

You have time ceded to you by Michael Brando.

Thank you.

You'll have three minutes, please proceed.

So city officials and NGOs pay about 25 cents per hour to park.

Whereas the living people of San Diego have to pay 10 hours to park.

That certainly seems fair and equitable, right?

So now you want to force the zoo to charge its members for parking so we can have more revenue sharing and steal more money from the people.

Just to be clear, I personally don't support the zoo because of its horrid treatment of the animals.

However, many people like to go there regularly to watch the animals and feel their presence.

The zoo is a beautiful and lovely place to relax and feel the serenity of the earth.

Many regulars visit the zoo on a daily basis.

Now the city will be making it cost prohibitive for people if they have to pay to park each day or even a few times a week.

These members who visit regularly often spend money on food and beverages at the zoo.

This increases the zoo's uh revenue.

With people visiting less often because of the cost of parking, the zoo's revenue will decrease.

Remember the kids.

That's a phrase I heard last week on the meeting on Wednesday when they were pushing money for child care grants.

Now those children who love visiting the zoo will be penalized because of excessive parking fees that make it cost prohibitive for their families.

Yes, remember the kids always, right?

One of the benefits of a zoo membership is free parking.

Don't overplay your hand here.

Don't reduce the zoo's membership fees.

Don't reduce the zoo's membership and stop stealing the people's money.

You people sit here and look at us with stone faces.

We know you're going to vote on it, but I'm telling you now that in the end you will not prevail because good always prevails over evil.

Paul Krueger.

Thank you and welcome back.

First, I'd like to just say if people stay on the topic, we would have more time for the those of us who are addressing the issue directly.

And secondly, I'd like to thank Mr.

Patel and his staff for promptly responding to my questions about parking revenue, and I was unable to get the answers from anyone else in the city.

Um, my first concern is that everybody know the zoo's not asking for this, that they're compelled to do it by your need to raise revenue to close the budget, and that such revenue might not be needed to the extent it is if there had been a concerted effort to review city employment and make cuts in employment.

Number two, please never forget how regressive these charges are.

People who are fortunate enough to spend ten dollars a day without thinking of it, um, will continue to go.

I spent more than an hour and a half at the Balboa Park Committee listening to people who who said they will not be able to use the zoo or the park if they have to pay even five dollars a month of five dollars a day for parking.

So please don't forget that.

Secondly, when we hear about charging city residents less than anyone else, we do need to remember the point made before about county residents who come to the zoo.

So I think there's a lot of issues ahead in negotiations, and I hope you'll keep some of those in mind.

Thank you for those concluding remarks.

Rosemary by Stark.

Good afternoon.

I'm sure you guys all enjoyed your bike commutes to work today.

Um this parking issue, paid parking at the zoo gives me such anxiety.

I've spoken to you before about general bellbo parking.

Um, but that's already gonna go through.

You already ordered your kiosk.

That's a that's a no-win on our part.

I do go to the zoo every single day.

Um for the zoo to even consider excluding members as a free parking, would knock out all the members that keep the zoo going year-round.

People are there in June.

That's when you guys did your parking study.

They are not there in December.

They are not there in January and February.

They're not there when it rains.

I'm there, Michael's there every single day.

We're there.

We were there when Maka died.

We were there when the Okapi was born.

Please do not allow this paid parking to be a broad stroke for all people, all same rate.

It can't happen.

You especially, please keep members in mind like me.

We want to be there, we're there every day.

Thank you.

Allegedly, Audra, if you can please come forward.

You have time seated to you by Evelyn.

Evelyn, if you can please raise your hand.

Thank you so much.

You'll have a minute and a half.

I mean, three minutes, please proceed.

Guess you get a discounted time if you have someone donating it.

Anywho, what is this money really for?

Because it's like you guys sit here and tell us this is what it's for.

But at the end of the day, that's not really where our money goes, because it's like you always need more money to get cost full cost recovery for things that you still don't even provide.

I mean, people are on the streets suffering.

Stephen Whitburn, your good friend Teresa's killing people in Tent City, where you say it's safe and saves lives, right?

You guys sit here and say that you want to protect children while we traffic them, right?

And medicate them, and you know, put them in such a position that uh, you know, they don't even know what's right or you know, how to even navigate life because you guys confuse them so much about the and push things in society, you have to push it through the children.

So it's like I you can't even be trusted, but all of this is doing is you're actually impeding your own ability to like have more people come and visit the zoo.

And you have you know a problem with having people come to the city when you take away parking, make it impossible to do that, but yet say you want revenue from it, and then you complain about slavery and stuff, and we're enslaving animals and we're making money off of them, and then we kill them by giving them vaccines and different things, right?

For COVID, because that's so important.

But you know, it's not like vaccines are toxic, right?

Right, right.

Right, Jennifer, they're not.

No, they're not, exactly.

We just listen to the makers and they'll tell you themselves.

But that's what's so sad is that you guys invert everything, and and you use our money to enslave us and do different things, and it's like you guys don't have a problem like paying those fees, right?

And you probably wouldn't have to anyway.

But the people that you're deciding that for that you claim to represent and claim to care about and make sure that they're you know thriving in life, everything you do destroys their life and their ability to do that.

That's why people leave.

They leave because you don't provide the things that need to be provided.

If somebody's homeless, you would rather exploit them.

Have them die in Tent City and tell them it's safe, right, Stephen, and then laugh when they die.

Yeah, that's the kind of stuff that you guys engage in, and you allow sexual assault to happen at Tent City and many other places.

Anything that has to do with kids, you know what?

You guys hire pedophiles so that they sexually assault the children, and we pay for it.

How cool is that?

How cool is that?

So it's good, right?

When we give you more money to do more nefarious things that much of it's going to probably go in your pockets for you know being paid to play the game.

But it'll be exciting when you meet our maker and you have to answer for all of those things.

It's gonna be pretty rough, but you know, those are the choices you make, so good for you.

That does conclude public comment here in Council Chambers.

I'm sorry, the five-minute timer going to those participating remotely.

Currently have seven speakers with their hands raised, starting with 8813.

If you can please unmute, you're gonna have a minute and a half.

Please proceed.

Hello, you are unmuted.

Okay.

Can you hear me?

Yes, please proceed.

Okay, so Gonzalo here, amen, brother Caesar, Javier, uh, karma will prevail.

And with respect to this item, uh, the amendment to lease with the zoological society.

Uh, I want to say clearly, first off, no animals should be caged in a zoo, and no dolphins should be performing at SeaWorld.

Uh, captivity is not education, captivity is cruelty, and the same greed that profits off of animals and cages is the same greed that preys on the people of San Diego.

Families are already stretched thin, taxed on their income, their homes, their food, their gas, and now you make it even harder just to enjoy the city uh that they already pay for.

Uh, these parking fees are egregious, they are not about helping the people, they are not about sustainability, they are about squeezing every last dollar from the hardworking families, keeping them in debt, and under control.

When people have to think twice about visiting a park, taking their kids or taking to the taking their kids to the zoo or enjoying a simple afternoon downtown because parking costs more than the outing itself.

You know, this isn't governance, it's exploitation.

And you wonder why there is a mental health crisis.

It's because the human spirit was never designed to live like this.

Just as lions do not belong behind bars, human beings do not belong trapped in endless debt, stress, and constant financial cages.

So today I will vote on cages.

I will time has concluded.

My apologies, John Stump, if you can please unmute.

John Stump, I can unmute for you.

There you go.

Hi.

Which side are you on?

They say.

Well, that's the big question here.

Which side are you on?

The residents who own the park and pay the taxes, or the zoological society, this private closed corporation, which has no representation designated by the residents of the city of San Diego or its elected officials.

My request today is that you continue this item because of the misrepresentation by staff.

But further, that the council directs staff to require that the private zoo corporation comply with all city rules concerning wages and hiring at the municipal zoo.

And that compliance extend to zoo contractors, vendors, and all its tourism.

This contract must be negotiated transparently.

It can't be just renewed.

It needs to be competitively bid, and the lobbyists need to be registered from the zoo.

This is a ripoff.

Paul the Bold, if you can please unmute.

Paul.

But actually, this will hurt you big time in the zoo, too.

You can expect a lot of people to uh shy away from the exorbitant parking fees.

They can't even get some kind of credit for on the admission charge.

And it looks like administration staffers and out of 10 in town visitors alike will be charged more just for parking.

You can expect less staff and visitors to come in and this will get you what you want at all anyway.

And of course, the children who enjoyed the zoo so much will be deprived most, although they have no vote at all or say in the matter.

It's very, very sad who you pick on.

And we do not know how the revenue will be shared between the zoo and the city, or how much the fee system will actually raise.

The corrupt bargain which you wish to foist on some of your citizens.

Just your time has concluded, Justin.

If you can please unmute.

You are unmuted, but I do not hear you.

These streets, we paid for them.

This zoo.

We paid for the case.

Can I say your name?

Every patch of asphalt, every brick.

Excuse me, sir.

Can you say your name?

Or taxes.

Blair Beekman, if you can please unmute.

Hi, Boy Beekman.

Uh happy September to everyone.

Um this was one of uh real important items that were brought up during the summer.

Um, parking, the future of parking in San Diego.

Um I was reminded uh from that time, uh, you know, people were making, you know, they didn't want to be paying exorbitant fees.

Um, they they work and live around the park.

They need help.

And um, this is a specialized place, but I hope it's part of a whole way of thinking of our parking that we're learning how to talk about it more openly and regularly.

Um, I think the ideas of a tier system that while city residents can get a lesser charge, citizens of the county can also get somewhat of a reduced cost, and then you know, out of town, out of county people can then pay a higher cost.

And I think you guys are into that idea, but you don't talk about that and make that clear enough as Paul Labol tried to say, you gotta be able to bring people around and make people comfortable because I don't know how to better say this, but San Diego, the city has just an awesome uh responsibility and and and years of uh understanding that they are kind of uh a mother to the county and to the area.

They they take in people uh really well.

They have a really good system to do that.

We have to still be practicing that and sharing those good goals and ideals.

I hope you can be doing that and really work on the prices.

You really keep them down.

I know you're thinking of all this, but really work for five dollars and two dollars, not seven dollars like a one.

Bob Kazuski here.

First, I endorse the comments of Paul Kruger, John Stump, and many others.

Second, I'd like to know how much of the people's money spent at the San Diego Zoo already goes to the city of San Diego.

And third, the leasing of our public parks needs to be scrutinized.

This city council, you Joe La Cava, should be creating a city park leases advisory board with representatives of the people to oversee the leased parks throughout the city of San Diego.

Can you do that, Joe La Cava?

Will you even propose it?

I'm betting you won't.

And that tells us a lot about who you really are.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Nicole Hayes, your final speaker.

The five-minute timer did conclude.

No additional speakers were gonna be taken, and nobody else has their hand raised in the queue.

Please proceed.

Hi, thank you.

Can you hear me?

Yes, please proceed.

Thank you.

Hi, my name is Nicole Hayes.

I am a resident of district three of Stephen Woodburn.

Um, I also attended the Balboa Park Committee meeting last Thursday and learned a lot of information I didn't realize, um, including that he office had already been purchased.

I I didn't know this was a done deal.

Um I'm speaking in opposition of the paid parking for the residents.

Um the amendment that's being made to the zoo looks like it's so that they can be able to exempt potentially people buying tickets to attend the zoo.

Um, if paid parking is going to go in effect, it should be equal and equitable across everybody.

However, I'd like to share that my daughter is a member of FTCDA.

She dances there and Balboa Park, including War Memorial, and we use the zoo parking lot for all of those, and when she performed the current tram doesn't take us anywhere near the zoo, near Casa Del Prado Theater or the Casa del Prado classrooms.

The residents should not have to pay the burden of whatever financial fare that city is in.

That does include public comment on item S400.

I will note for the record that we did receive six uh e-comments in opposition, and those were distributed to the council.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

So I'll turn it over to my council colleagues for questions and comments and entertain a motion.

And we'll start with Councilmember Campbell.

Thank you very much, Council President.

This item only removes one sentence in section seven of the lease between the city and the zoo.

This will give the zoo options to consider parking measures as well as the city.

And with that, I would like to make the motion to approve the first amendment to the lease agreement between the city and the zoo as per staff's recommendation.

Thank you.

All right, thank you, Councilmember.

So we do have a motion to move the staff recommendation by Councilmember Campbell.

We'll go next to Councilmember Elo Rivera.

Thank you, Council President.

I'll start by seconding uh Councilmember Campbell's motion.

I um and I appreciate the the clarity in the motion of what this action does.

And I I think it's important to focus on that provision that prohibited a discount for our residents.

And I think that that speaks quite a bit to the way that San Diego in the past did not prioritize residents when it comes to making the best use of our assets.

Thank you for being here and the work that you've done.

I also should take a moment to say thank you to Casey, uh, to Emily, Coda, uh, and everyone on the city team for working hard to make this happen.

San Diego Zoo's become one of the premier tourist destinations in the world.

And I think it's a fair question to ask for San Diego residents how that works for them.

And I don't think it's worked well enough up to this point.

There are certainly benefits that come from it with people visiting the region and um and staying in our city, but it it also isn't doing everything that it can.

And this action today will allow the zoo to work in partnership with the city to ensure that we make better use of what this of this incredible asset for the benefit of residents.

Um so um that should result in a better funded park.

That should result in a general fund that is less burdened.

Um it is a the beginning of a of a conversation that'll move us to I think again a better place in terms of uh leveraging assets for the well-being of residents.

Um I do want to mention that while this is not before us today.

My expectation is that we'll eventually come back will be a 50-50 split for any revenue above the three million dollar initial payment when the lease comes back to this to the council this winter.

Um that's fair, transparent, and sets a model for how we can think about shared responsibility and shared benefits in the future.

It also provides the opportunity to balance accessibility for San Diego families with the financial realities of maintaining one of the most beloved parks in the country.

Um the last thing I will say is this I I do very much want us to prioritize residents when it comes to discounts.

Um city has a responsibility to our residents.

Um and that has to take precedence over tourists and quite frankly, residents of the county who live outside the city.

And every time that we try to um cut a deal for for visitors or cut a deal for folks from other cities, we are asking the residents of San Diego just to subsidize those visits.

And so I appreciate the flexibility that this action gives us today and and and do um hope that it can be the beginning of the beginning of doing b business better for San Diego residents.

So thank you, Council President, and that concludes my second.

All right, thank you.

So with that, we have a motion by Councilmember Campbell and a second by Councilmember Ela Rivera to move the staff recommendation.

We'll go next to Councilmember Moreno.

Thank you, and thank you for the presentation.

I've had concerns about the various rate increases that San Diegans are taking on user fees, parking meter rates, and water rates are all increasing.

Paid parking with Balboa Park is also coming before us very soon.

And now paid parking at the zoo, um, which I know was uh put forth by the city and not the zoo.

Um I voted against all of the rate hikes because the cost of living is increasing at a pace that I know my constituents are having a difficult time keeping up with.

Actions like this are gonna make it even worse, and it ends up pushing the most vulnerable in our communities, while those residents who are more affluent will not be impacted.

Resident tax dollars already go to support the zoo each year via the charter mandate tax rate ordinance for the maintenance of zoological exhibits at the tune of 21.7 million dollars this year alone, and now they will have to pay residents will have to pay even more.

Although I do support charging non-residents to park at the zoo, it's unclear what may come forward uh for city um for what the city residents uh might have to pay.

Um, outside of either a nominal fee or no charge at all for residents.

I'm not in favor of a parking fee for city residents at the zoo.

Much like Balbo Park at large, adding paid parking to the zoo lot is going to make visiting the zoo more expensive for my constituents.

Uh for some families, being able to save for an annual pass to the zoo is not easy.

And buying a membership may be out of reach.

For a one-day pass, it would cost a family of four over 250 dollars to go to the zoo on any given Saturday.

Adding an additional amount for parking is gonna make it that much harder.

Although this amendment does not specifically set a fee that residents will have to pay, it is essentially the first step forward in allowing this to happen.

So I will not be supporting staff's recommendation or the motion at this time.

Thank you.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Moreno.

We'll go next to Councilmember Von Wilpert.

Thank you for the work on this and the presentation, and thank you, uh Mr.

Day for being here as well.

You know, we have the uh Safari Park, I still call it the Wild Animal Park, having grown up in uh North San Diego County, uh up in my district in District 5, and one of the benefits offered for membership is free parking at the Safari Park.

The Safari Park actually has been charging for parking for a while, and so I'm wondering will this give the zoo the flexibility to offer members free parking as well when this lease amendment goes through thank you, council member.

I will assure you that we're we're gonna work very hard in addressing everyone's concerns, including uh zoo members, city residents, county residents, etc.

Uh, we haven't worked on all the details yet.

This process has been moving very very quickly, but we're looking to try to address those all of those concerns.

Okay.

And that includes our members.

Wonderful.

Okay, so this amendment would allow San Diego residents to be charged differently, members to be charged differently, all of that.

Okay.

Um and I've read the amendment, it literally just strips out that one line uh prohibiting us from prohibiting the zoo from charging different rates for different people.

Um I'm also very excited about something going on in the Safari Park.

We're gonna have Elephant Valley opening up some point in January.

Invite everybody to come.

It's gonna be a huge deal for our residents, and also to learn about the incredible work that the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance does.

You know, a lot of the the proceeds that go to the zoo don't just go back to a private corporation, it goes to an international nonprofit that does conservation work around the country, and I focused a lot on that up at the Safari Park as well.

So this isn't the same as an amusement park or another organization.

Um so I know I do understand the delicate conversation we're having here.

I also want to thank the folks on Friends of Elbow Park and others who are here, Katie McDonald.

We're very lucky to have you uh in the arena for all this, and Andy Field, our Parks and Rec Director.

Um, this is a lot of moving parts and ongoing conversations that take you away from the normal things that you have to do every day.

And so I just want to thank you all for for being at the table for this too.

Uh, but I do hear the the people who come every day to the zoo.

We have people who come every day to the Safari Park as well.

Uh, and make sure that those folks who do support the zoo aren't aren't pushed out of this um accidentally in this process.

So thank you for your work, and I'll support the motion.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Von Wilpert.

Um, not seeing anyone else on the lights.

I'll offer a few thoughts of my own.

Uh I will join in and thank you, Casey, Christina, Emily, Coda, everyone that worked to pull this together with a lot of moving parts.

And Mr.

Day, I appreciate your willingness to appear today and answer any questions that might come up in the work in trying to puzzle this out.

As we heard, we all take considerable pride in the success of the zoo and the safari park and what both of them mean for our city and the region.

We take equal pride in both of those institutions, and we look to greater parking to the greater parking package coming to council next week.

We see the interconnected nature of every element of the Balball Park, and frankly, the entire city.

Charging for parking should allow us to better invest in the park with dedicated funds, deliver the revenue baked into our FY26 budget and keep our libraries and rec centers open.

So I appreciate the partnership in recognizing this and initiating your own parking management program in parallel with ours.

And to close on a couple of elements, one some of the public comment on the bifurcated nature of this.

Not ideal, but actually it really reflects the desire of the city council to move more quickly on parking in Balboa Park and to secure an agreement with the zoo for charging for parking on the zoo parking lot.

And the only way to do that and still hit that October 1st, plus or minus, was to take this initial action today and then bring the rest of the package.

So I appreciate both the zoo and the mayor's office and operations for adhering to both uh what city council put into the budget in terms of projected revenue as well as timelines in there.

I knew that I know that made you work a little bit harder, a little bit faster to pull all that together and certainly agree with the waiver of 700-10 in this particular instance.

Uh the conversation might be a little bit different with the phase two that will be brought forth uh perhaps later this year.

Um so again, um, you know, when we adopt a budget, we're essentially sending direction to the mayor's office in operation.

Uh, and this is the response, and again, thank you for the good work to make that all possible.

So I'll close there, and again, we have a motion by councilmember Campbell, a second by councilmember Ila Rovera to move the staff recommendation.

Clerk, please call the roll.

I sorry, the voting system, please cast your vote.

That passes unanimously eight to zero with council member Campillo absent.

Thank you, Council Mayor.

I apologize.

Um I pressed wrong.

You did say no in your comments.

My apologies.

I will correct that to have it to be seven to one with Councilmember Moreno voting no, and Councilmember Campillo absent.

My apologies for not catching that.

All right, thank you, City Clerk, and again, thank you for the presentation and the good work.

With that, uh Clerk, please introduce items S403 and S404.

Thank you, Council President.

Item S403 is the approval of an affordable housing loan agreement with 73rd Street Investors LP in an amount of $3 million for the 73rd Street Apartments Affordable Housing Project.

And item S404 is their approval of an affordable housing loan agreement with Market Street Senior Housing LP in an amount of five million dollars for the Market Street Apartment Affordable Housing Project.

If you'd like to speak on this these items, either S403 or S404, now is the time to raise your hand by pressing star nine or the raise your hand icon or to submit your speaker slips to the high lectern in the clear box.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you, uh City Clerk.

Uh as you may have taken, we will take one presentation by staff for S403 and S404.

Public testimony and council comment on these items will also be taken together, and then we will take separate votes on each item.

So with that, staff, please introduce yourself for the record and let us know how much time you need for the combined presentation.

Good afternoon, Council President Lacava and Council members.

My name is Michelle Morana with the economic development department, and it's my pleasure to present two bridge to home affordable housing loan agreements to you today.

One is Council Item S403 for a loan agreement for the 73rd Street Apartments, and item S404, a loan agreement for the Market Street Apartments.

I'll need about 10 minutes for this combined presentation.

All right, when you're ready.

Before discussing the loan agreements, I'd like to provide a brief summary of the Bridge to Home Program.

The bridge to home program has proven to be a valuable tool in allocating gap financing to assist in meeting critical affordable housing needs.

Since 2021, the economic development department has issued five rounds of its bridge to home notice of funding availability.

This has resulted in 20 approved loan agreements.

Two additional round four loan agreements are presented today, and a final round four agreement is tentatively scheduled for council consideration in October.

Altogether, these 23 loans will provide a total of 106 million dollars in affordable housing funding, creating 2,133 total apartments, which include 2,108 affordable rental homes, and of those 381 are permanent housing with supportive services.

An informational presentation on the bridge to home round four NOFA process was provided at the ED and IR committee meeting on December 11th of 2024, and loans for six projects were recommended to create 592 affordable rental homes, including 96 permanent supportive housing units.

The 73rd Street apartments and the Market Street apartments are two of those six projects that were recommended for funding.

These two loan agreements were presented to EDNIR last week, and the committee recommended approval of the loan agreements.

During the committee meeting, a question arose about how the bridge to home program is addressing affordable furthering affirmatively furthering fair housing goals.

My apologies.

The goal for the Bridge to Home Program has always been to promote affordable housing in high and moderate resource areas while also remaining in compliance with all funding requirements, any pre-existing agreements impacting properties, and applicable laws.

Since the city's settlement of a lawsuit related to fair housing, $500,000 has gone to a first-time home buyer program to increase homeownership in high resource areas.

And round six of the NOFA for bridge to home, which is due on the 26th of this month will provide bonus points for moderate high and highest resource areas to incentivize development in those locations.

For item S403, staff recommends city council's approval of the actions summarized on this slide.

These actions include approval of the loan agreement with 73rd Street Investors LP, authorizing the mayor to execute, administer and implement the loan agreement, authorizing a loan of $3 million for the project, and authorizing the developer deposit for city costs and loan repayments to be deposited to the low and moderate income housing asset fund.

As far as a project description, the 73rd Street apartments will be developed by a partnership owned and controlled by Eden Housing Inc., a California nonprofit with over 55 years experience.

Eden has developed over 12,000 affordable homes for low-income California families.

Eden Housing Management Inc.

will provide on-site management and maintenance, and Eden Housing Resident Services will provide on-site support services and programs for all residents.

Eden has entered into a disposition and development agreement with the county for a 99-year ground lease.

The site is located within a transit priority area within one block of a transit stop and a half mile of the 70th Street Trolley Station.

It's located in a mixed-use residential and commercial area near a grocery, medical center, pharmacy, elementary school, library, and a park with a community center.

The proposed five-story new construction development will include 119 affordable one, two, and three-bedroom apartments for families earning between 30 to 60 percent of the area median income, one manager's apartment, and 90 parking spaces.

The project will be lead silver rated with energy efficient appliances, HVAC, solar panels, low VOC materials, and stormwater filtration.

Amenities include elevators, a community room, a computer room, case management offices, laundry, bike storage, and outdoor courtyard with a playground and barbecue grills.

The loan agreement will provide a $3 million low and moderate income housing asset fund loan at 3% simple interest with the 55-year term to be repaid from residual receipts.

The city will also have 55-year affordability covenants on the 119 affordable apartments.

These tables show the projected sources and uses.

This represents 700,000 of total project costs per apartment and 396,000 per bedroom and 198,000 per person if we assume two people per bedroom.

Please note that these sources and uses of funds are based on estimates and assumptions and will be finalized at closing once all the financing sources have been obtained.

And then for item S404, staff recommends the city council's approval of the action items summarized on this slide.

The actions include approving the loan agreement with Market Street Senior Housing LP, authorizing the mayor to execute, administer, and implement the loan agreement, authorizing a loan of five million dollars for the project, and authorizing the developer deposit for city costs and loan repayments to be deposited to the low and moderate income housing asset fund.

Market Street Apartments project will be developed by a partnership owned by Affirmed Housing, a San Diego-based company with over 70 affordable housing communities benefiting over 14,000 veterans, seniors, families, and formerly unhoused Californians.

Affirmed has partners has partnered with the nonprofit compass for affordable housing to provide services and programming for tenants.

The project site is also owned by the County of San Diego and is located at 4588 Market Street in the Choice View neighborhood of the Encanto community planning area.

Affirmed has entered into a disposition and development agreement with the county for a 99-year ground lease.

The site is located within one quarter mile of transit stops within a half mile of the 47th Street Trolley Station and the Euclid Avenue Transit and Trolley Station.

Nearby uses include Choice View Elementary across the street, a medical center, pharmacy, churches, parks, and community gathering spaces.

The proposed two and four-story new construction development will include 137 affordable one-bedroom apartments for senior households earning between 30 to 60% of the area median income, one manager's apartment, and 90 parking spaces.

Amenities include a lobby, elevators, a community room, kitchen, management and resident services offices, laundry facilities, an outdoor courtyard, an art element by a local artist, and a community garden with a public plaza space.

This new community will comply with the California Sustainability Code with all electric systems and appliances, natural ventilation, rooftop solar, and one to two community cars for residence use.

The project includes a 7,000 square foot on-site child care facility to be operated by neighborhood house association.

The loan agreement will provide a $5 million low and moderate income housing asset fund loan at 3% simple interest with a 55-year term to be repaid from residual receipts.

The city will also have a 55-year affordability covenants on 137 apartments.

These tables show the projected sources and uses.

Staff recommends approval of the requested actions for item S403, summarized on this slide.

And recommends approval of the requested actions for S404, summarized here.

Representatives from the development teams as well as city staff are available to respond to questions, and this concludes my presentation.

Thank you.

All right, thank you for the presentation.

Again, we'll be taking public testimony on both S403 and S404.

So city clerk, please proceed.

Thank you, Council President.

We have several speakers with several speakers seating time if we can have Cesar Javier come up.

You're speaking on items S403 and S404 with Burita Javier seeding time to you.

You'll have four minutes for both items, items S403 and items S404.

And function healthily.

What we have in mind, we call dream is that this is a city property.

And if we really meant to have roofs for all San Jegans, rich or poor, specifically those homeless.

Sell this in a higher price when you purchase this.

And use that money.

Put a quality housing in a beautiful spaces like the Gulf Forces.

Can we do that?

While they're still living, sick, and hopefully will not die because of your good intellectual response.

Can we not do that?

Simple.

It may be hard, but simple conceptual approach.

How about that?

Citizen Rivera of our congested.

Like District 4.

Which you will stop then.

And up to now you cannot resolve this issue of put not seven.

We haven't heard the answer, the rational answer.

When is this affordable housing be realized?

Could it not be better perhaps to keep San Diegans get a quality kind of wealth getting jobs for all?

Dr.

Campbell, I want to clean up the compound here along with this affordable kind of living.

You create a job at a minimum wage, perhaps in starting at 20 dollars an hour.

Can we not do that?

To show our San Diegans the trust that is expected from you, as mandated by our constitution.

Bring this up.

Where is the constitution?

Show them domestic tranquility, public welfare for the rich and poor.

Are you doing this?

You're not following.

Therefore, you are violating the constitution.

You're criminals.

It reminded us why karma, I think the mayor now is exiled to Marcel, France.

It looks like a divine intercession now.

He the king of flowers is introducing the leadership of the city.

Looks like a young straight lady standing here, introduced to be like CEO.

Looks like the mayor.

And the mayor now is projected for an exile.

Must be.

How about that, Councillor Whitburn?

The accountable leadership in district.

District three.

This compound is within district three.

What are you doing, sir?

You weak at me, thank you.

And uh Sir Campillo, I hope she's not he's not sick for inhaling the toxic gas or ingesting uh not the clean food, which uh citizen Rivera missed in the increase of hospitality or this discounted price of commodities in the store.

Eleanor, after Eleanor LB, allegedly Audra, if you can please start making your way up to the front.

Eleanor, you have time seated to you by Michael Brando.

Thank you.

Karen, if you can please raise your hand.

And Patty, if you can please raise your hand.

Thank you so much.

You have four, and then Eleanor Michael Brando's also sitting you time for S404, so that is six minutes in total for both of these items.

Please proceed.

So I speak on both of these in one go.

I just need to see get carefully.

Correct.

You can split your time between the two.

Okay, so I'm going to start with uh affordable housing.

And it's interesting that this item was sneakily added to the agenda on September the 5th.

There are pages and pages of documents and Mamba Jumbo making it very difficult to research in just a few days.

Affordable housing, that's funny.

For whom is it affordable?

I don't know if we all understand, but I'm going to try to connect the dots because I do believe this council knows exactly what it's doing.

Fraud and deception have been perpetrated against the people, and this council is rolling out the UN sustainable development goals with this affordable housing scam.

And this council is rolling out the UN sustainable development goals with this affordable housing scam.

The fake pandemic was a perfect way to start rolling this out.

We need people on welfare in order to create affordable housing, right?

So let's see how this starts.

Step one.

Banks and equity companies want a place to put their funds.

They form a private partnership.

For example, and now these are just for argument's sake, they're not the actual numbers.

They put in $9 million, but they receive $10 million in tax credits.

Aren't those tax credits wonderful over the next 10 years?

And if that's not good enough, they also collect part of the rent, about 46% of the initial investment for the next 15 years.

This is safe for the corporations because the city, i.e.

the taxpayers, subsidize the developer.

Here's the problem.

The economics of this don't work because you can't build the buildings they have built for 10 million dollars.

So here's where you, the city, as well as the county come in.

The city gives the private partnership for land as well as loans over 55 years.

The loans are subordinated in your documents, and that means that the general partner as well as the limited partner get paid back first.

Now there's an apartment building paid for by the city and county via our tax dollars.

From years zero to 15, the limited partner gets their 4 to 6% return on their investment as well as their tax credits.

At year 15, the limited partner leaves the partnership, and the general partner who hasn't paid very much at all, gets the entire property to collect the rent from.

Then at year 55, affordable housing restrictions are lifted, and the rent can be raised to whatever.

The people living there will no longer be able to afford the rent.

They will be thrown on the streets and become homeless.

Thus, the affordable housing program will be repeated because homeless people will need affordable housing, right?

The goal is that eventually no one will be able to own their own home and will be herded into a packam and stackham owned by billionaire corporations.

So the bottom line is that the taxpayers are funding this entire fraudulent scheme.

Our taxes are being used to build a welfare society dependent on the government, thus causing yet another giant transfer of wealth from the taxpayers to the billionaires.

People will lose their homes because of exorbitant property and other taxes.

Then a slave society will be created.

San Diego, do you want to become slaves to the city?

We do not consent.

Now I'm going to ask the council do you know what you are doing, or are you just as unaware of your orders coming from above?

If you are unaware of what's going on, I suggest you do your research.

If you know what's going on, then you are compliment complicit in pure evil and you will not prevail.

So the next item, nothing to see here.

More affordable housing.

I don't think we need to worry too much about seniors, because Sean and Marnie have told grocery stores that they have to give these feeble-minded seniors hard copies of grocery coupons.

So, armed with those 25 cents off coupons, seniors will be well taken care of by the city.

Thank you, Sean and Marnie.

But anyway, let's get back to this affordable senior housing.

Again, affordable for whom?

I don't know that people are aware of this, but the city decided that homeowners cannot build more than four ADUs on their property.

However, the city, in its infinite wisdom, is allowing developers to build 53 units per acre of land for senior housing.

Yeah, let's cram those seniors into pack them and stackums like sardines in a can.

This will be great for the mental health of seniors because then big pharma can prescribe them black box meds to control their anxiety about living like sardines in a can.

Oh, and in 30 to 40 years, we probably won't need much senior housing because most of the 35-year-old and up population will either be mentally ill, isn't that what's being pushed on high schoolers and young adults?

Mental health crisis.

Let's convince everyone that they are mentally ill.

If people are not convinced that they are mentally ill, they will be sickened by your poo water that you are piping into everyone's homes.

The seniors will then be dependent on assisted living facilities to take care of their needs.

Yeah, we all know how that goes.

And for those of you in the 35 to 40 year age group behind me, pay careful attention.

You can stop this.

And for those of you who like to call this a conspiracy theory, pay even closer attention.

The difference between the truth and conspiracy is a few months to a few years.

Yeah.

Semper vigilance.

And by the way, here are a beautiful, beautiful, pretty, colourful thought.

The sustainable development goals.

Isn't that pretty?

Thank you, allegedly, Audra.

If you can please come forward, you have time seated to you by Evelyn.

Evelyn, please raise your hand.

And you've uh seated time to her for both items S403 and S404.

So you'll have four minutes, please proceed.

Ah, doesn't the truth just hurt like a bitch?

It's crazy when you hear that, because then it's like, but you guys still push what you're gonna push.

Uh and it's interesting because it's like affordable housing, like it isn't, um, obviously.

And that's not the point.

The point is to do what Eleanor was talking about, which is a whole racket.

And then I wonder because it's like think about the HUD list and all the people waiting for homes.

And it's like they can't even get funding to get into these homes.

So you guys are going to pretend to create these when there's tons of vacancies already in San Diego, right?

Just sitting there, but that's okay, and people are leaving in droves, and there's homeless people just waiting to get housing, and they're gonna die before that happens because all you gotta do is put them with Teresa Smith, Stephen Whitburn's good friend, and you can guarantee they'll lose their life or be sexually assaulted.

Um, but yeah, it's interesting.

So it's like you create these things, right?

Say 2028, 29 comes around when you say they're gonna be completed.

Um we'll see about that.

Uh, but then I'm just wondering with the funding being cut because of all of your guys' nefarious deeds.

You claim it's Trump, I know.

But, you know, if you guys weren't, you know, giving illegals housing over people in the community who have been waiting for a very, very long time, but you made the illegal immigrants priority.

Oh gosh, I wonder, is there gonna be any funding for them?

Or are we just gonna just be like, well, we want you to look at it.

It's something that maybe you eventually could have one day.

Don't worry about it.

I go home and I have a bed and a very nice home.

I have people that actually clean it for me.

Would you like to come and clean it?

Maybe you guys could have the homeless go clean your home, Sean.

Who knows?

They probably wouldn't want to do that anyway.

Because they would be concerned you guys would probably poison them, or who knows.

Um, but yeah, this is all just another racket.

So it's like you guys do it and you perpetrate as though like we do really good things for the people.

But a lot of people see right through you guys, and it's unfortunate that more don't, and they buy into everything that you guys are saying, and they're like, you know what?

They care about us.

They do.

They're giving us all of these things.

You're you know what?

They want us to get off drugs.

That's why they give us pipes and needles in Narcan, right?

I mean, it's so smart.

It is so smart.

It's interesting to like see what gods you guys serve and what's actually happening.

No, Joe.

Or you just shake it.

Who knows?

Um, it could be the vaccines, those things are definitely healthy, right, Jennifer, which means they work good to kill people.

They're genocide shots.

So just like you say you're helping people you're not, they're good, they're really not.

But they do work the way they were intended.

That is very true, because they were intended to kill people.

Oh, I know.

Doesn't it suck when the truth is just like right in your face?

And it's a First Amendment right to speak.

And I don't know if you saw what Trump put out today, but it is the manufacturers who make these things, and they're talking about the toxic things like the marisol that are in them.

All shots are bad.

But you guys want to sit here and even encourage children to get them.

You encourage women to get rid of their babies.

You encourage children to mutilate their bodies.

In Temacula Valley, they want girls to claim to be mentally ill if they don't want to change in front of a boy.

I know, doesn't it suck when the truth is a bitch?

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Sean, I know.

I know.

You look like Satan yourself.

It's cool.

It's so good.

There's like fire coming out of your head, but that's okay.

Yeah.

So, well, I'll be back.

That was fun.

I'm sorry at the five-minute timer because that does conclude public comment here in council chambers.

Starting with those participating remotely, we have eight speakers in the queue.

Paul the Bold, it will be one minute.

Paul, please unmute.

Would you like to speak on both items?

S403 and S404.

Thanks.

Um, so you'll have two minutes.

But the city cabal.

Oh, I mean council voted for it anyway.

Hope you do better on these leases.

30 to 60% of the area medium income.

AMI is not low income.

Kudos to Audar and Elinor for a highlighting this.

I said the 73rd Avenue apartments are offered financing to help the homeless and extremely low income people rent apartments there, but I do not like the 55 year alone.

A lot of things can go wrong in 55 years.

Rents not coming in as expected, bankruptcies, recessions, and so on.

You can do better.

I do not like that the market street departments again serve only 30 to 60 percent AMI, especially in the lower time concluded.

Next 8813, if you can please unmute.

Next, Andrea Ebbing, if you can please unmute.

Hi, my name is Andrea Ebbing, and I just wanted to um comment that we have a um situation in which we are struggling to meet a budget.

We're struggling to um close a gap that was created for us by um basically outpricing everyone in the entire community from being able to enjoy the free things they've always enjoyed in our community for 111 years.

Um and I'm just looking at Lisa C.

Jones.

I was here for the council meeting when she was given that raise when we have a 15-year wait list for section eight and nobody's being housed.

Um I'm just looking at it, looks like she got 106,000 of something called other pay in 2024, um, totaling 449,000 a year.

I think we should really look at what the other pay situation is.

152 million dollars of other pay was it paid to city employees in 2024.

And if we want to do affordable housing and things affordable in San Diego, we should probably look at the money laundering that's going on.

Becky Rapp.

Again, if you'd like to speak on both items, you do need to let me know at the beginning of your time.

Becky Rapp, please unmute.

Yes, yes, I would like to speak to both items, please.

Two minutes, please proceed.

Great, thank you.

Good afternoon.

My name is Becky Rapp, and I appreciate the presentation.

Um, as you consider approval of city loans for two important affordable housing projects, five million for the Market Street apartments and Encanto, and three million for the 73rd Street apartments in college area.

I strongly support the creation of new affordable homes for seniors, families, and individuals at risk risk of homelessness.

And I commend developers like Eden Housing for their consistent leadership in prioritizing resident health.

At the same time, these projects highlight a critical gap in city policy.

While federal HUD rules require all public housing to be smoke-free, privately operated affordable housing that receives city funds is not automatically covered.

Unless the developer voluntarily implements a smoke-free policy, this leaves residents open to the possibility of being exposed to first, second, and third hand smoke.

Relying on individual developers to adopt smoke-free rules creates an inconsistent standard.

In the city, if the city is investing millions of taxpayer dollars, it should ensure that all funded affordable units are both safe and healthy.

Doing so would protect residents, promote health equity, and align San Diego with other California cities that have already enacted comprehensive smoke-free multi-unit housing policies.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is one number ending in 8700.

If you can please unmute 8700.

Thank you, uh City Clerk Puentes.

Uh Joyce and Yata District.

Please proceed.

Two minutes.

Thank you so much.

I I I did a big pause and took a deep breath there because to be honest with you.

I almost uh lowered my hand.

I did speak on these two items at committee.

So I kind of, you know, got my butt covered.

But I just bear with me a minute.

I I'm trying to uh find compromise.

I'm trying to bring us together.

I'm trying to have the conversation.

I'm trying to find out the thread that is there.

It's a golden thread.

It brings all these differences together, and I haven't found it, folks.

So I I just wanted to put that out there.

And uh I'm I say yes to both of them.

I just my cup is half full, folks, and I'm gonna keep it that way.

It's kind of a holy grail.

So yes to both of them.

Um little concerned about 701,300 per unit on the uh 73rd street.

I know Council member uh Ilo Rivera, we've got one, two, and three bedrooms there, but it doesn't include the acquisition costs.

I'm still not clear on how we're gonna decide what's right and what's fair and what's not right and what's not fair.

So on the other one, Market Street, the only thing I wanted to say was this is the county item, I believe workforce report from the county.

It's a huge one, seven pages read it.

It's really great reading.

Uh 32 employees under recognition.

I apologize, Blair Beakman.

If you can please unmute.

Hi, Blair Beekman.

I have not heard Joyce over the past month.

It was really nice to hear her voice today.

Um, she's really building a really nice way to ask questions and and are you speaking on both items?

Yes, I am.

Sorry about that.

Uh to continue.

She's uh she's offering a really nice way to uh consider items and to ask questions.

Um it's really nice to hear.

And I wish I I had that sort of depth and dedication that she's been developing.

And uh so thank you for her words.

Uh I thank you for the words.

There was a previous public in-person public commenter who offered a very long public comment time.

It was very comprehensive in her concerns and worries.

I I would really love to learn how her worries and concerns can be better addressed and and talked about openly and worked on openly, and really get out the problems, the actual problems and sometimes superstitions involved, and working towards a community whole, because I think she has some good points, possibly some other points, maybe not.

There can be some real benefits in what you guys are doing.

My quick uh positive note is that these being county projects, they are going to have a purpose as a kind of a centerpiece, I think.

In how to build our mixed income.

Um, I've been learning over the summer that we can uh over the break that we are building many examples of mixed companies and some ideas already.

And uh I talk about it a lot in public comment time.

Um we just have to be more clear when we are, and this is one of those times.

These buildings sound like they can be centerpieces in in future development for the area, and how we do that positively and openly and making that clear.

I can offer a very broad positive stroke in that.

Uh Joyce asked some really in-depth questions.

She really got into asking more detail.

So good luck that you're working on this openly and building good communication and trying to work on very low and extremely low housing.

That's part of the problem with this item.

You don't do that with this item.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Susan, if you can please unmute.

We'll say the five-minute timer has concluded, and we have four speakers in the queue.

No additional speakers will be taken.

Susan, if you can please unmute.

Thank you.

Uh, my name is Susan Baldwin.

I'm an affordable housing advocate.

And I would like to speak about both items.

Thank you.

Funding uh the market street apartments and possibly the 73rd Street apartments, seem to conflict with um the concentration of poverty settlement agreement that the council approved in March.

Information, however, is not provided for either project regarding their location in a low, moderate, high, or highest resource area.

This information should be provided.

Also problematic is the failure of the staff report for the Market Street project to include the May 2024 action of the Troyas Valley Community Planning Group to oppose the project.

The report notes that the project went to the planning group but did not note what action was taken.

The planning group submitted a five-page letter dated 5 May 20th, 2024.

That should have been included in the staff report explaining their opposition to the project.

To leave that information out of the report is not acceptable.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Justin, if you can please unmute.

Justin.

If you're gonna speak on both items, I can't um have technical difficulties, we will move on.

Zoom user, please unmute.

Can you guys hear me?

Yes, please proceed.

Well, thanks.

I'd like to comment on both of them.

I got um a safety concern of these two uh low-income housing places.

Now, during recently, last two years, there's been seven transgender mass shootings in the United States.

Now, to address these problems, we should put red flag warnings on all trans people.

No guns for them, no bullets.

And if they want to live there, they cannot have guns or bullets.

And uh seven in the last two years, the one last girl or guy who shut up that church.

26-year-old, he said he was a girl.

And his mom went with that man.

That's like that's that's just not even good.

And our council person kind of told the half-truth on that.

She said it was a shooting, but it wasn't done by a transgender.

So if someone's a transgender and get a shooting, we need to hear about a man.

Just be careful next time.

Tell the truth.

Try to tell the truth the whole truth next time, not just half the truth.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you, Kathleen Lippett, your final speaker.

Please unmute.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

I'd like to speak to the uh housing projects on 73rd and on market, but also in Sarah Mesa.

So a recent item that project that was framed as veteran and family housing with Sarah Mesa Planning Group was for 60 units, only 22 parking spaces, and only one of which was for handicap parking.

But it wasn't even a handicapped parking space.

It was a drop-off for loading and unloading only.

Veterans with service dogs, I it made me wonder.

So you have a lot of veterans, many of them have service dogs because service dogs provide them with uh with the care that they need to address their PTSD syndromes.

66% are less likely to be diagnosed with post-traumatic dress syndrome when they have when they're paired with service dogs.

The veteran housing at 7759 Starling will have 400 square feet, no green spaces, no recreational facilities, and many of these veterans with service dogs, they will not be able to be accommodated in a dense high-rise housing space.

Squeezed into instead of for the benefit of the veterans.

So I hope that you will pay attention to this issue and address when you say it's for veterans or elderly to make sure that there are some green spaces, that there is someplace around there for them to have a little bit of recreation.

You can't just put up a high-rise, high-density housing and say that you've provided housing.

That's not housing.

Thank you very much.

So thank you.

That concludes public comment on this item.

All right.

Thank you, City Clerk.

We'll turn it over to the council members.

We'll take your testimony questions and comments on both items, and then we will require separate motions and votes on each of the two items.

And we'll start with Councilmember Ilo Rivera.

All right.

Thank you, Council President.

Uh appreciate the work on this.

I'll speak specifically to 73rd Street apartments.

Um it'll be coming in in District 9.

Um, first, thank you for sharing out the the estimated cost uh on the per bedroom and per person basis.

I I do think uh that that is is really important um as we assess the value of uh certain sort of sorts of projects versus others.

Um so thank you for that.

Do you do you mind sharing those numbers one more time?

No problem.

It's a total estimated project cost of 84 million dollars, which represents 700,000 per apartment approximately, 396,000 per bedroom, and then if there are two people in each bedroom, it would be 198,000 per person.

Thank you for that.

Um obviously still need to do lots of work to bring you know to bring construction costs down as possible, and um it is I think pretty clear here that in terms of uh value per bedroom, um value per person who's going to be able to live in these homes.

This is actually pretty competitive based on what we've seen over the last uh couple years.

Um so I'm glad to see that.

Mostly though, I'm just excited to see that there'll be two and three-bedroom homes coming to District 9 for folks to have sustainably affordable housing uh that they can depend on.

So um with that um Council President, I will make a motion to approve uh item the staff recommendation for item S403.

All right, thank you, Councilmember.

So we do have that motion on S403 to move the staff recommendation from Councilmember Ela Rivera, and we'll go next to Councilmember Foster.

I will second that motion.

All right.

Um I guess I was waiting for a follow-up on that.

Um so we're not going to take any other testimony on S404.

So if you want to make any comments, this would be the time.

Okay.

Thank you for that clarification.

Um and regarding S404, the Marcus Street Project, um, just listening to the public comment and the folks that called in.

Um it sounds like there's a little confusion regarding the public and and it in regarding the funds for um home to bridge.

Um, can you provide some clarification on the origin the origination of funds um for home to bridge as they do come from several different pots per se, and um also kind of it's my understanding, you know, even the local fund portion is restricted to where folks are thinking maybe these can be used for general fund type things and in other uses.

Councilmember, thank you for the question.

Uh economic development director, Christina Bibler.

So for the two items before you today, these are uh low mod income housing asset funds that we're using.

The low mod income housing asset fund is restricted to housing assets as part of the former redevelopment of the housing successor of those types of uh funds.

We can't use them on anything else but creating new affordable housing projects.

So therefore, the bridge to home, um, the items before you today are just those two pots of funds.

Councilmember, you also alluded to other funds that we manage, those include SB2 dollars, which is permanent local housing allocation, HUD dollars, which is CDBG community development block grants, and most recently, I think in the previous rounds, we did some home dollars as well, which is also HUD funds.

Thank you.

All righty, thank you for that.

And I do believe it did also if I heard one of the callers um indicate that there was no location provided in the supporting materials for the Market Street project.

I do believe there is a location map that is included as part of the supporting documents.

Um I believe it's referenced as attachment A.

Is that correct?

Yes, Councilmember, that's correct.

Okay, thank you for that.

Um, and also um I think um just for my last question is this has been a project that's been discussed for quite some time.

Does this get us to the final steps in regards to um what is required for council in moving this um item um forward to um see the units actually coming to fruition?

Thank you for the question, council member.

And then development team will be looking for other additional financing sources through tax credit applications the beginning of next year.

Okay, thank you.

So I would like to thank uh Mr.

Johnson and his team for willing to step up and be a part of the development that is much needed services in the community.

So with that, um I think that concludes uh my questions, and again um I uh second the motion.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Foster.

Not seeing anybody else in the lights.

Um I'll add a few thoughts of my own.

Again, thank you for the presentation and bringing these forward.

Uh I'm always debating about whether to respond to the comments of the public uh without fact checking everything I heard from the public.

This is how we bring truly affordable housing that will be affordable to those most vulnerable in our city.

And the 55 year contract has proven itself over the years, uh, and which is why we rely on that.

Um I don't think anybody up here is pleased with that in any stretch.

Staff does the very good work to bring this forward.

Developers do the good work under the landscape provided by the city, by the state, by the federal government.

And this is the only tool that we have to actually bring projects that are 100 percent affordable.

Uh and until we have a larger state and federal conversation, we don't have any other options.

So we're not meeting the need.

We're doing great work, but we know we're not meeting the need.

Uh, the 10 or 12 year, 15 year backlog of section eight vouchers.

Um, if we don't get those vouchers from the federal government, we can't deliver federal vouchers.

Um that's the way the system works.

So we're always arguing and lobbying for more section eight dollars to deliver on that.

So again, I don't think anybody's happy, but given the good work and the options that we have, this these are two by all uh appearances very good projects.

Uh Councilmember Elo Rivera asked about the numbers on S403.

The market street seemed to be substantially less expensive.

Did I hear that correctly?

Thank you for the question, Council President.

Uh for the Market Street senior apartments, the total cost is approximately 62 million, and that represents 449,000 per one bedroom apartment.

Okay, I don't know that we've seen a project at that price point.

Is there anything particular about those that we should be aware of or that we should carry forward in other projects?

Or am I missing something?

I might ask the development team affirmed housing to uh provide an answer to that question.

I believe they're calling in.

Okay.

Hi, good afternoon, and thank you for your question.

My name is Yenei Huvalcava, uh calling in on behalf of firm housing, the developer for Market Street.

Uh I'll just add that this is our current estimate for one bedroom apartments.

I believe the other project included uh larger units as well.

Um, this is just our our current estimate.

This is a uh a single building that includes a community space, an outdoor uh community garden, and a child care uh facility.

So these are our main spatial elements for this project, construction costs that are specific to this area, and and Kanto were used to provide this estimate for this project.

I'll take any other specific questions that you have.

Thank you.

All right, thank you for the clarification.

So it's basically when you compare bedroom count, they're pretty comparable, although the market street does have some extraordinary outdoor space.

So thank you for including that in that particular uh project.

So with that, on item S403, we have a motion by Councilmember Elo Rivera and a second by Councilmember Foster to move the staff recommendation.

Clerk, please call the roll.

I'm sorry, the voting system, please cast your vote.

That does pass unanimously, eight to zero with council member campio absent.

If you want to flip, okay, we'll take council member foster to make the motion to move the staff recommendation.

Councilmember Elo Rivera to second.

And uh with that, Clerk, please call the roll.

I sorry the voting system, please cast your vote.

And that passes unanimously eight to zero with council member campio absent.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

Thank you to my colleagues.

Thank you for the presentation of those two items.

And I'll please introduce item S405.

Item S405 is the Mercado Apartments assigned assignment assumption and amendment to loan documents.

If you'd like to speak on this item, now is the time to submit your speaker slip to the clear box at the front of the room.

Or if you are participating remotely, please be sure to raise your hand by either dialing star 9 or the raise your hand icon.

Thank you.

All right.

Thank you, City Clerk.

With that, staff please introduce yourselves for the record and let us know how much time you need for your presentation.

Good afternoon, Council President and Council members.

My name is Michael Wong, and I'm the program manager for the successor agency, and with me is successor agency coordinator Leal Alacone.

The item before you today is the Mercado Apartments Assignment Assumption and Amendment to Loan Documents.

I will need approximately five minutes for this presentation.

All right, when you're ready.

The request today is the committee recommend that the council uh recommends approval for this staff report action summarized as approve the assignment, assumption, and amendments to loan documents, authorize and request the mayor to execute and carry out the amendments and associated documents.

For background, in 1992, the former redevelopment agency entered into a DDA and subsequent implementation agreement with the San Diego-based nonprofit Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee on Anti-Poverty of San Diego, also known as MAC.

The DDA provided a 1.98 million dollar affordable housing loan to MAC towards the construction of the 144 unit Mercado Apartments project that was completed in 1994.

This was the first housing project developed by MAC, and since then, MAC has completed over 1,000 units of affordable housing in San Diego County.

As shown, the existing Mercado Apartments Project is located in the Barrio Logan Community Planning Area at 2001 Newton Avenue in Council District 8, within the San Diego Promise Zone and the San Diego Opportunity Zone.

The project is within a quarter mile of the Barrio Logan Trolley Station and near retail restaurants, grocery stores, and other key amenities.

This affordable housing project was completed in 1994, consisting of 24 two-story buildings with 144 1, 2, and 3 bedroom apartments.

MAC has obtained city and coastal commission approvals for the project, which is a combination of substantially rehabbing 132 existing units and removing 12 units to accommodate a new four-story building with 92 noon units.

Temporary relocation of households during each of the 132 existing units interior remodeling and any tenants of the 12 displaced units will be given preference for available vacant on-site units or in the new construction units.

A relocation consultant will work with all residents, comply with all relocation laws and regulations.

This is a rendering of the new 92-unit building.

Okay.

As you may recall, back in March of 2025, the City Council approved the bridge to home loan agreement with MAC for the rehab and new construction project.

MAC now wishes to amend the 1994 loan documents in connection with the proposed rehab and resyndication.

When completed, the total project will include 222 total affordable units consisting of one, two, and three bedroom units at 35 to 60 percent of AMI.

The remaining 132 existing units will be substantially rehabilitated with new interior finishes like appliances, cabinets, and windows, as well as exterior and site improvements.

Other features include private balconies, bicycle repair shop, and the existing on-site child care center will be expanded with a secure outdoor play area and new classrooms.

Sustainable features incorporate all electric appliances, energy efficient fixtures and lightings, and drought tolerant landscaping.

The project total project when completed will include 222 total affordable units consisting of one, two, and three bedrooms at 35 to 60 percent of AMI households.

The assignment assumption and amendment to city loan documents will facilitate the new construction and renovation project by keeping the the city's existing loan in place, extending it and the affordability competence for 55 years after project completion.

By amending the project scope for the permitted project, updating definitions and terms to current financing industry standards, including updated definitions or provisions for operating expenses, permitted transfers, for closure, and residual receipts, as well as permitting the new financing with city loan subordination.

A tentative schedule for MAC plans to apply for the tax credits on September 9th of 2025.

And if successful, construction could begin in the second quarter of 2026.

The construction period is anticipated to be approximately 26 months, and the apartment homes will be affordable for 35 to 60 percent AMI households for small to large families for 55 years.

Staff recommends approval of the requested actions in the staff report.

In conclusion, we're requesting the committee the council to uh approve this action shown.

Representatives from Mac is also hasn't to answer any questions.

Thank you.

All right, thank you for the presentation.

Clerk, please proceed with public comment.

Thank you, Council President.

Cesar Javier, if you can please come forward.

You have time seeded to you by Burita.

You'll have three minutes.

Caesar and Purita Survivor in this urban jungle.

San Diegans are intelligent.

They're gifted with 11 fingers, intelligence.

You cannot cheat us.

Councillor Locava.

You cannot cheat us.

You cannot hide from us.

We will see you in the grocery store.

We will see you in your fancy hotels and your neighborhood.

We will see your daughters and sons.

We will see your parents like your parents, Councillor Rivera.

One time we were down below, like an affordable housing like this, and say, can we help you, Mom, sir?

Oh, we would like to see our son.

Who?

Oh, my son Rivera.

Don't worry, Mom.

We are praying for them because they are leading us according to the laws we call constitution.

Domestic tranquility, public welfare, but foremost, justice, a system that is justice for all rich and poor.

Very very clear.

This again is a destruction in the guise of helping San Diegans to her roop that is economically capable from the purchaser or renter.

Look at our statistics, Councillor Likov.

You are the only ones who own property here.

Most of us are renting.

We're just lucky that we have inherited a piece of single family property where we cannot enjoy.

Can you imagine affordable housing with that amount per month of rent?

Well, probably owning it in several many decades.

But in our case, an example of this is that we cannot enjoy it, even if it's on our property, because of this kings of thinkers.

Public health, public safety are not taken care of.

How much more in this projected affordable?

When can it be affordable?

Answer us.

What we'll look at now with your performance, sell this property, and allocate that money to build a nice and suitable home and suitable surroundings.

You have time ceded to you by Evelyn.

I'll go to Eleanor.

You have time seated to you by Michael Brando.

You'll have three minutes.

Again, this was added three days ago.

Let's make it really difficult for people to research this thoroughly.

Oh no, we don't need to.

This is more of the same.

Let's steal taxpayer money to provide a few affordable housing units for low-income families or those deemed to be at risk for homelessness.

What does this mean?

How do you determine who is at risk for becoming homeless?

Is it the families who can't afford to buy groceries because of the cost of living has skyrocketed?

And low-income families are always the first to be impacted.

Of course, the middle class can be taken care of after the poor have been rendered homeless.

Is it those people who cannot afford to pay their property tax because the city council has added an extra property tax onto everybody's home owner, every homeowner's property bowl in order to provide RFID trash cans to monitor and track everyone?

Is it the people whose homes will be liened because they can't afford to pay this illegal tax?

Sounds like a land grab to me.

Is it the people who lost their jobs because they refuse to be injected with poison?

Is that it, Jennifer Campbell?

I do believe you were very vocal a few years ago, stating that homeless people should be forced to be injected with poison if they wanted to be provided with housing, right?

For those who think affordable housing is a great idea, be careful what you wish for.

Once your housing has been provided, your behavior will be controlled, your housing will be in a 15-minute city where you will not be allowed to wander fall, or you will be fined.

To this council, I ask all of you, is there a single member of this council who has an ounce of integrity, decency, or morality, or are the greenbacks all you care about?

Is this the future you want to leave to your children and your grandchildren and your families?

We do not consent.

We, the living, breathing people of San Diego, do not consent, and you will not prevail.

Allegedly, Audra.

Evelyn, if you can please raise your hand.

You'll have three minutes, please proceed.

So I wonder if this place is still infested with bugs.

Who knows?

Um, wouldn't be surprised if it was.

I mean, look what's going on with Ash Street.

We're still gonna deal with the asbestos, whatever.

Um, but it's interesting because you guys talk about 55-year leases, and this is like been 31 years and it's already taken a crapper, and now we got to put more money into it so that they can have more affordable housing.

And how were those people treated before?

I don't know, there's some things online about some really bad reviews.

Uh, but we just gotta hide those because we need people to not know about bug infestations and things like that.

Um, and you're gonna have to relocate people, so it's like, are these people actually going to be able to move back in?

Who knows?

Because there could be something where it happens that they won't.

And again, when we don't have funding to give people section eight housing, it's like we're just building it, going, I don't know, eventually maybe then we'll find the money for them to move in.

It's like we'll just have all of these vacant places sitting around that people can just look at and wish to be in, but they're just gonna have to continue to wait, you know, 10 to 15 years.

Eventually you'll be in there.

Don't worry about it.

You're on a list.

We're really trying to get that list down, but it keeps growing.

It's crazy.

And then we do prioritize some people over it.

So who knows?

You might be waiting 20 years, but at least you can see it being built, right?

It's just sad because like none of you guys have to worry about that kind of stuff.

You don't have to worry about how you're gonna eat, how you're going to where you're gonna sleep, right?

If you can actually take care of your kids.

You're just like, we it doesn't matter, you know, as long as I can take care of them, like as long, you know, these other people can suffer.

We'll just pretend to help them.

I mean, like you guys should actually go through the process of trying to get affordable housing, like undercover.

Go in and see and see what it's like, and like see how the process works.

So you could say firsthand, oh my gosh, it's amazing.

It works really good.

I got help lickety split, I'm in a home, and it's a fantastic.

Or would it actually prove that everything that you guys are doing is is fraudulent?

Would you go, wow, the system is actually messed up?

But then why would you want to expose that?

Because you want people to believe that what you're doing is good.

It's sad.

Because if you actually went through that process, you would see it.

You would like you should have some kind of committee that does that kind of stuff.

But that's why all these auditing things, all of this stuff, it's a bunch of nonsense to make it seem like people are being held accountable, like there's checks and balances.

And at the end of the day, everything just gets worse, and it's like, wow, it's pretty interesting to watch.

Well, people like you sit up on a diet and you're like, it's so great.

It's like the hunger games.

It's pretty funny.

Uh, it is.

But it's very sad too because people suffer at the cost of what you guys do, and you don't give a crap.

I've started the five-minute timer here in Council Chambers, going to those participating remotely.

Starting with Paul, if you can please unmute, you'll have a minute and a half.

Uh, okay, the Mercado apartments.

Let's get serious about the affordability crisis.

The overview says it will provide the housing for people making 30 to 60 percent of the area median income AMI.

However, the project description changes this to 35% to 60%.

Get your facts straight, but neither is affordable to the extremely low-income people.

Time to get real.

San Diego should be welcoming to all renters above and below 30% AMI.

Why?

You never know.

The city council, after their term, which may come sooner than you think, may actually uh not make the millions of uh possibly fraudulent dollars that they're making, and be reduced to one of these 30% or lower AMI people.

So let's include them all.

I urge you to reject this.

And of course, we don't have we don't know how much they'll be needed by the time they're built.

So I'd suggest looking to things like 3D printed homes, tiny homes, shipping container homes or nobi homes to keep up with actual demand, which may be less if you put taxes and fees, which makes hand egg and move at more time.

If you can please unmute.

John, I can't unmute for you.

I will have to move on to the next speaker.

Blair Beekman, if you can unmute.

Hi, uh Blair Beekman.

Thank you for this item.

Thanks a lot for the words of Paul Lebo.

I was just about to say uh the same thing.

Um it is the our first council meeting of the fall after a long uh August break.

So you're presenting two kind of interesting housing items that uh talk about AMI uh housing for people uh uh 30 or 60 percent uh below the AMI lines, and um that translates to about 48,000 for the previous item.

I don't know what that quite quite translates to this item, but I think about the same.

You know, you have to have an income of 48,000.

So while that is helpful, what Paul said, I mean, there's a whole range of 25,000 to 40,000 dollars, uh 48,000 dollars uh of income of people that is not being talked about.

And I would guess that would be a large majority of all the unhoused who are living on San Diego streets.

And think of even less than 25,000.

Think of how many people are make less than that.

And I'm just I'm talking about 25 to 40 to 45, 50.

Um, we don't know how to better talk about uh what exactly is affordable housing and nice presentations by council person lacava, but it's we can do better, and we build our mixed income future that these are good, really good starts for mixed income ideas, but it has to be with the intent to really everyone wants to build lower income housing in the neighborhood, also.

Good luck in those efforts.

Thank you.

Thank you, Nexus branding in 8813.

Okay, and I just wanted to say for the last call, too, before you start my time that I did, in fact, I was still on the call and I was not called.

So but anyways, on to this item.

Okay, so let's see.

So again, this is not about helping the community.

This is about control, manipulation, and incremental power.

Many, if not, yeah, definitely the majority in this demographic.

They don't even know how government works.

And I say that respectfully because they are working hard just to make ends meet.

Anyways, uh many don't engage, they don't question, uh, they don't resist.

And that is exactly how they are exploited, step by step, policy by policy, loan by loan.

They are pushed further under the thumb of a system they do not fully understand.

This isn't speculation or conspiracy.

This is evident in every move the city makes.

Every affordable housing project, every amendment, every assignment is another cog in the UN Agenda 21 machine.

Keeping people dependent, distracted, and controlled.

Everything government touches, moves slowly, deliberately, incrementally.

And in the slowness lies their power.

It confuses, it frustrates, it manipulates.

It leaves good people like Joyce Signata questioning, wondering, doubting, just like the government wants.

Confused people are easier to control.

Rooting for you people with only a lot of people.

Your time has concluded.

Next is phone number ending in 8700.

If you can please unmute 8700.

I did speak on the Mercado apartments at committee, and I do say yes on it.

But I did learn at that committee meeting that wow, uh, it's it's old, isn't it?

Goes way back trying to process it through to get where it is.

And now it's going to, I think we got two more years.

So wow.

But here's a question that came up for me uh a few minutes ago.

Um, and uh I'm gonna talk about this uh on a non-agenda again today, because I I know I will run out of time, City Clerk Fuentes.

Uh, but I'm gonna talk about project vouchers.

You know, those are the vouchers.

The difference in Section Eight vouchers, and and the project vouchers are attached to projects that are being built and rehabilitated and so forth.

So and those are also, I don't know if they're being stopped.

I think we should we're in a gray area right now.

And I think HUD, uh I may be wrong on this stuff, you're not just right, but I think HUD is coming out in October of this year with more clarification on where we're headed for the project vouchers and section eight vouchers.

But I I will speak more on this and non-agenda public comment.

But I I think this is a lost area that's very gray, and that it absolutely is time that we must concluded.

I apologize.

Your time has concluded.

Also, my apologies, but before Joyce started speaking, the five-minute timer had concluded, and we had three speakers in the queue, with the first one being Joyce Nata.

The last two speakers are one plus and then John Mirko.

One plus, if you can please unmute one plus, I can't unmute for you.

You are playing games, so we can't get our one minute and 30 seconds.

You are playing games, so we can't get our one minute and 30 seconds.

Can you say your name, please?

This is Jamie District 1.

You are just cutting us off and not allowing us to unmute.

This is not economic development.

This is not helping the less fortunate.

This is a wholesale transfer of wealth from the middle class to billionaires who want to pack us in at 51 families per acre so they can hit their target return on investment.

Let's be clear.

We are paying more so they can pay less.

Us, the taxpayers will be on the hook for inflated bond interest money that will go to billionaires.

Meanwhile, billionaires get to borrow public money for peanuts and turn around and profit off land.

Buildings and developments that they now control because we pay for it.

Most of us have to borrow at seven percent, so that we can have the money extracted by you in tax.

So you can lend it to the Silverwoods at three percent.

You make our housing expensive and call it affordable housing.

Affordable housing is double seat.

Not only do you want to steal our money, you want to steal our time.

So I called in on my phone.

You are playing games, so we can't get our one minute and 30 seconds.

Does that conclude your comments?

Thank you.

Next is John.

If you can please unmute.

John, would you not hear you here?

I will have to move on.

Justin is my name.

District three.

That does conclude public comment and item S405.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

We'll turn it over to the council members.

Questions, comments, entertain a motion on this 405.

We'll start with council member Moreno.

Thank you for the presentation.

Um, this project preserves and renovates 132 affordable units and adds 90 to new ones serving families at 35 to 60 percent of the area median income.

Uh, preservation of existing affordable housing units must remain one of the city's top priorities.

We simply cannot afford to lose any affordable units, even while we build new ones.

Earlier this year, I worked closely with our housing commission to propose and pass an affordable housing preservation ordinance.

And just last week we discussed um moving forward with an affordable housing preservation fund at L UNH.

Uh it's much harder and more uh much more expensive to replace these units once they're lost, and this project both preserves and creates new affordable homes.

With this project, affordability will be extended for another 55 years, providing long-term housing stability.

That kind of lasting affordability is what allows families to stay rooted in their neighborhoods and build better futures.

Beyond housing, the project includes expanded child care, better play areas, green space, and sustainable features.

These additions improve quality of life for residents and show how affordable housing can also build healthier and more resilient communities.

Barrio Logan residents have consistently advocated for more affordable housing to address long-standing community needs.

And the Mercado Apartments project directly responds to that call by preserving 132 existing units and adding 92 new affordable homes for low-income residents.

The developer MAC will use low-income housing tax credits and private financing uh to complete this innovative project.

Um additionally, a 2.3 uh million dollar uh relocation budget supports residents during construction while um with prior uh priority for um displaced tenants.

Um I think this is a good project, uh, and I'm excited to see uh come to fruition, and I urge my colleagues to approve this very important project, and I move to approve staff's recommendation on this item.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

So we have a motion by Councilmember Moreno to move the staff recommendation.

We'll go next to Councilmember Foster.

Thank you, Council President.

And again, I will second the motion.

All right, thank you, sir.

So we have a motion by Council Member Moreno and the second by Council Member Foster to move the staff recommendation.

Not seeing anyone else on the lights.

Clerk, please call the roll.

I'm sorry, the voting system, please cast your vote.

My apologies.

I thought I'd press time.

That does pass unanimously 8 to 0 with council member Campillo absent.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you.

And again, thank you to staff.

So with that, Clerk, please introduce our last item, item S402.

Item S402 is the Balboa Park San Diego High School Connections Report.

This is an informational item.

If you'd like to speak on this item, please submit your speaker slips to the front of the room in the clear box.

And if you are participating remotely, please be sure to raise your hand by pressing star nine or the raise your hand icon.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

Uh, unlike some of the other items today, this goes off in a little bit different direction.

And I will kick this off with uh with providing a little bit of context.

As my colleagues and the public might recall in October 2021, this council approved a 99-year lease allowance.

San Diego High School to remain within Balboa Park.

During the 99-year lease negotiations, there was much discussion that the modernization of the school lies within the southerly entrance corridor leading from downtown to Balboa Park.

I hope we can all agree this is an important corridor as the southern entrance to one of our city's jewels.

An entrance that historically has been neglected, not befitting its importance.

At that time, my colleague Councilmember Whitburn and I called for the formation of a working group to research and develop ideas of how we could better connect Balboa Park, San Diego High School, San Diego Community College, and downtown.

We know the community college would be in, given the lush landscaping of the Park Boulevard frontage.

At that hearing, we got the commitment of Sandy Unified to also join in.

And thanks to the help of Andy Field and the Parks and Recreation Department, the Balboa Park San Diego High School Connections Working Group was created.

And Stephen Hill, who was then with the mayor's office, joined in and helped keep the group focused and going.

The working working group has held hundreds of hours of meetings with local stakeholders, city staff, and the neighboring communities.

And as you will hear in a moment, they have compiled a list of recommendations that focus on maximizing a shared public benefit and stronger integration between the urban and park environments around Balboa Park.

So with that, uh Mr.

Stepner, please introduce yourself and your colleagues and state let us know how much time you will need.

Thank you, Council President.

Um is Michael Stepner.

I use the honor of being the chair of the uh working group.

With me today is Renee Smith, who is a member of the working group.

With me today is Renee Smith, who is a member of the working group, uh, Ross Porter, and uh Andy and Brian Schoenfish were also here, the members of the working group.

Uh I thank you for the opportunity to present this report.

It uh we're responding to the city council's direction as you mentioned, and we are coming back with a list of suggestions.

It's been my privilege to serve as the chair of the working group.

It's a group of individuals, as you said, who represented diverse interests, diverse park interests, but all came together because of their love of the park and what can be done.

Uh it included the Forever Balboa Park, the Cultural Partnership, Committee of 100, the Downtown Partnership, the School District, the Community College District, and the City, and many others participated in the work of this.

I want to thank them all for their hard work and their dedication to the park and to our city's crown jewel.

Uh, what I'm going to present is not a plan, it is a planning framework.

It's really a list of ideas, how they connect, and how we might frame projects as we move forward to improve Balboa Park.

So, with that, the slideshow is up and no, no, don't change yet.

Thanks, Brian.

Uh, I just want to say something about the title.

It says Balboa Park, San Diego High School Connections.

The first connection that we have talked about is Kate Sessions.

Kate Sessions, who's the mother of Balboa Park, also previously served as the vice principal of Russ School, which is now San Diego High School.

So we're sort of completing a legacy of how she saw the connections between the park and the and the uh school.

Next slide, please.

We are talking about the vision.

The first uh oh I guess you have a different slide than I have.

Uh well, I I can't, I'm sorry.

They sent you the wrong slideshow, but it you've approved the 99 year lease.

I may just skip ahead and go forward because 15 minutes is what I think I need.

Uh John Nolan, who was the planner for the city in 1908 and 1927, and also the plans for the park, talked about one of our greatest assets, and that's the connection between Balboa Park and the Bayfront through Center City, tying this all together, something we've talked about for years.

San Diego High School has been a fixture in Balboa Park for many years in the subject of having to leave uh in 2024.

Uh but in 2016, the community passed a uh ballot measure to allow the park to stay for 99 years.

Next one.

The one of the things we're building on is the modernization plan for Balboa for our San Diego High School.

It is really the impetus and it the approval of the ballot measure allowed them to go ahead with their redevelopment and also the redevelopment of uh uh city college next door.

Next slide, please.

Uh and City College is moving forward with its facilities, it's building faculty and student housing on its site, it's reduced redoing Seville Theater.

It is talking about uh redoing the Balboa Stadium, which is where the Chargers played many years ago, and it's really talking about as something that came up during the hearing on the lease agreement uh from councilmember Monica Stepp, Monica Montgomery Steph.

How do you grow the park?

How does the school become a school in a park, not a park, not a school occupying park land, and how does it really begin to grow the park by reusing some of the land that on the high school campus, the college campus connections, the 14th Street Promenade is being planned now to run through the uh college campus and around the high school campus and out to the uh across the bridge to uh inspiration point.

Next slide.

Some of the things we've been talking about is transportation circulation, park boulevard, Rust Boulevard, 14th Street as I mentioned, Rush Boulevard is the link between the two campuses.

It served as an edge.

What came out of this process was a discussion between the school district, the college district, and the city about how do you make that edge a link.

How does it tie the two campuses together and how do you maximize the public benefit from both those educational institutions?

We are talking about improving roads and pedestrian bridges.

If you've ever crossed into inspiration point from the campus of the high school, it's a cattle chute.

It is not a safe place, it's not a comfortable place, but how do you connect that?

There's much discussion about other bridges to connect the park back to the downtown and to the adjacent neighborhoods.

We are talking about the parking lots.

San Diego can uh San Diego City College has thousands of spaces that are unused evenings and weekends.

How do we tie those into the park to meet the parking needs of the people who come to the park?

And then the John Nolan Parkway, connecting the uh bay to the park along Park Boulevard, changing that name to the John Nolan Parkway, which is something your council approved in 1936, but never quite got implemented.

But we're hoping that can now happen.

Next, please.

We want to include entry signs, freeway the freeway lids that have been talked about by a group called San Diego Commons, parking lots, as I said, and we want to bring back design review.

That's a recommendation of the parks master plan and of the uh Balboa Park group to really look at how we can think about these projects in a in a more holistic way to improve the quality of the park and what gets built.

Next, please.

Some of the bridge enhancements we've talked about are shown on these diagrams.

Uh some of those bridges were there and taken out for the uh for the freeway, but bringing some of those back again long-term goals.

Next, please.

And we want a green rust boulevard, as I said, really turn that into an entry to the campuses, an entry to the park, and also the uh green the uh park boulevard.

Next, please.

We also uh are talking about education.

The park boulevard is a major education corridor in the city, from the library to the Prado and to the zoo.

There are all sorts of educational institutions, cultural institutions, something like 25,000 students at the high schools and at the uh college in the and the private schools that are in the area.

How do we tie all that together as part of social infrastructure and and tie these uses together with programs and other things?

Next, please.

One of the ways we looked at connections is this thing that this diagram that is on the uh on the website right now on the city's website, prepared by the development services division to um look at the connections, historic connections as well as the current and proposed things that are going on and how they all tie together.

All these things are connected, and if you connect them, you'll get more bang for your buck, we believe, in terms of the project development.

Next, please.

The Burnham Center has been working with the coalition to really look at governance and finance, and they will have some recommendations in the near term about how to tie some of this together and perhaps financing schemes that will help pay for the improvements in the shortfall that has occurred in the park.

Next, please.

Implementation, this chart is something well, it's in our report.

It really is is uh looking at how all these things tie together.

What are those projects?

What are the partnerships that make them happen?

What does it take to connect the things to other kinds of projects that uh we think that by looking at different this in a little different way, and this is a goal of the prioritization framework that the uh park department chartered and was presented a couple months ago.

How to look at these things not as one items off by themselves, but as items that connect.

That if you do one and do something else, you may be able to accomplish more than just doing one by itself.

Next, please.

And that really concludes the report.

We uh we would like to just our recommendations really are to accept our report as as a planning framework, direct city staff to review its recommendations and look and see how they might fold into the work that's going on, uh, incorporate them as appropriate into Balboa Parks prioritization framework, the uh document, the expected update to the park master plan and other projects and planning materials, and request that other groups, the other park stakeholders, the nonprofits also look at this as how it ties in with, for instance, the cultural partnerships experience plan, the uh Forever Balboa Parks uh Strategic Plan, all these things really fit together, and that we think that the uh Balboa Park Committee must be the oversight body that looks at all this and sees how it ties together.

And with that, I will conclude my report.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

All right, thank you, Mr.

Stephner.

Oh, we do want to we will before we leave, leave each of you with a copy of the report, because it would be rude if we didn't.

So thank you.

Uh, with that clerk, uh, please proceed with public comment.

Thank you, Council President.

Starting with Cesar Javier, if you can please move, come to the front of the room.

You'll have three minutes.

Please proceed.

Cesar and Purita survivors in this uh great uh city, the finest city.

Sir, this is a serious matter.

Thank you for your uh presentation.

I think it's it's true, uh beyond uh this empirical, and thank you for that.

It gives us the passion, this the spirit to bring about clarity on what is happening.

You know, all this to tell you the truth are all corruption, in short.

How about saying Balboba Park in connection with our homeless desperate survivors?

How's that?

High school people, city, college students are stable at this point in time, state and condition.

Right, sir.

They're healthier, they're vibrant because of Dr.

Amber's uh doctoral degree.

They don't smell urine over there, right, sir.

Connection with our homeless San Diegans.

Six hundred of them.

Mayor Gloria has promise.

Early January.

Oh, we'll see to it that by April all of this homeless in our jurisdiction will be roofed.

They use the city heights, they use uh Father Joe, and they use Uncle Foster Councillor of District 4, the neighboring district of District 9.

Connection with the homeless.

I think that's the priority at this point in time, state and condition.

Why not?

Please inhale the purified water, Dr.

Campbell, Councillor Lachaba, a civil engineer according to Wikipedia Google, consular civil engineer, mathematician, hydro hydraulic uh board passer, what else?

He knows the principle in civil engineering connection with homeless dying San Diego, sir.

Please.

Your effort is gigantic.

Let's inhale the clean air and reverse the course.

Councillor, mayors, King Flower is the king in there.

Parks and recreation.

He is the king there.

Why?

Because the milking cow.

The gulp courses.

Your time has concluded.

Eleanor, if you can please come up.

Eleanor, you have time seated too by Michael Brando.

I see you, Michael.

Thank you.

Karen, if you could please raise your hand.

And Patty.

So you will have six minutes on this item.

Again, recently added, not giving the public much time to consider the ramifications, and there are many.

What we do know from this council's track record is that once they put an item on the agenda, even if it's for informational purposes only, they plan to approve it.

We are not distracted by some of the council members opposing anything.

That is for the distraction purposes only.

There were several items here that caught my eye.

The downtown partnership, the climate action plan, freeway loads, and mode shift.

Yeah, all part of this.

After sifting through some of the mumbo jumbo designed to obfuscate and confuse, it's becoming clearer to me that all of this is tied together with affordable housing proposals.

This Balbaba Park Connections is a plan for land sales and public-private partnerships as well as zone changes, all part of the UN sustainable development goals.

Number 13, climate action.

Number nine, industry, innovation, and infrastructure.

And number 17, partnerships, partnerships for the goals.

The efforts put into lobbying for this are put forward by real estate lobbies, contractors, and university and healthcare expansions, all designed to influence and control the people.

Land is being taken away from the people to build high-density, high-rise buildings.

They will tell the people where they can and cannot walk, drive, play, sleep, etc.

This will turn the billionaires' desires into public mandates, which, by the way, do not have to be obeyed.

The partnership goals are merely partnerships between the county and city and billionaire developers.

Because there are only a few minutes to talk about what's often droned on for hours.

I'd like to mention another item, which is mode shift.

First, the city removes street parking and car lanes.

Then they create bike lanes.

This is all to change the way people get around.

This Balboa Park agenda does not have the developers provide parking spaces for all their high-rise buildings.

That would be far too costly for the developers.

So what do they do?

The city, together with the developers, say that the people have to change their mode of transportation, i.e.

no more driving, and also super expensive parking at the cost of the taxpayers.

So taxpayers basically your behavior will be changed through the theft of your money.

Now let's talk about freeway lids.

I had to look that up.

I had no clue what it meant.

My understanding of these freeway lids is just more high-rise buildings built on top of freeways.

Does this sound appealing to you?

Would you like to live there?

Balboa Park was created as a gift to the public to be used for public enjoyment and not for private gain.

This park should not be handed over to private corporations.

This must be stopped by the council, or we will consider the council to be committing treason against the people if they approve this item.

Now I know that this council is going to sit here showing disdain for speakers and also showing us their beautiful glossy charts, pictures, and ignoring public anger while buying time to implement their agenda.

I ask the people of San Diego to pay attention to the language used in the presentations we hear.

These presentations are presented as good and wonderful for the people and for the planet.

We get shown beautiful glossy charts and pictures and hear beautiful sounding words.

There is new vocabulary that we hear constantly, like sustainability, equity, diversity.

These are nefarious agendas.

They are nefarious agendas behind this new language and behind the agenda for the 21st century.

As always, Semper vigilance.

Ross Peter Porter, if you can please come forward.

Ross Porter, after that, I'll be allegedly Audra.

Here we go.

Well, um, I don't think there's much nefarious in this report.

Uh I helped Mike and Renee and the and the other uh participants put this thing together with an idea to improve the connections between the school and the community.

It's a labor of love for me.

I I'm a third-generation San Diego High School graduate.

Uh, three generations of my family have attended San Diego High School and uh contributed to community ideas.

And what you find in this report, thanks for the compliments on the beautiful pictures and the and the charts.

I hope you'll have a chance to read it.

It is very well written.

Uh credits to Roger Schole for the for the writing.

Uh it's a short read, but it really ties together so many of the long-term ideas that can help improve connections from the very starting points of uh Rust Boulevard and and uh shared uh parking facilities and better tram service to the much more um thoughtful and and long-term vision of um expanding the park by putting proper lids on the freeways.

There's a seven bridges tour of San Diego, and I assure you the pedestrian bridge over Interstate 5 east of Balboa Stadium is not on the tour for reasons that Mike alluded to.

The um vision of the uh of the plan is simply one that we hope you will encourage other city departments to take up and and use in ways that uh will help future master plans and so thank you for that concluding comment.

Allegedly, Audra, you have time seated to you by Evelyn.

Thank you.

You'll have three minutes, please proceed.

It's not on the tour because it's right by Tent City.

You have kids walking by people that you claim are like need to be put into you know behavioral health institutes and all this, you need to medicate them.

Right, Stephen.

You're so nefarious.

Um, but yeah, it's just interesting.

I'm wondering, you know, you want to do connections.

Why don't we go back to using the tunnels, right?

That connected the school to the park.

Or are you still using those, Stephen, to traffic children, right?

So we don't want anybody to know that, right?

Oh, so stark.

It's you know, you're like a game show host.

It's so funny uh to watch demons self-implode.

Anywho, yeah, it's just uh interesting the things that you guys want to do, and you you do you present it in such a great way.

We've got such nice little pictures and stuff, you know, to make people think you're really doing good.

Yeah, but when you're soulless, yeah.

Do you is it fun to do steering contests?

I know.

Oh, am I doing it right?

I know, right, Steven.

Right.

Right.

It's so fun, isn't it?

It's good.

How many people or more are gonna die on your watch that those kids have to walk by?

Right.

Who knows?

But it's good downtown partnership is involved, right?

Because they're the ones participating in killing people along with Theresa Smith, your good friend.

Right.

And the city looks like shit because of them, right?

We pay millions of dollars to do it.

Oh, it is so funny.

It is good.

I'd like to take a moment of silence for all the people you're killing that those kids have to walk by.

Like Tammy that you laughed at conclude your comments.

No, it does not.

You just interrupted a moment of silence for Tammy.

That Stephen just enjoyed that.

He did I rebuke you, Satan.

Get behind me.

That includes well, the comment here in Council Chamber, starting the five-minute timer and going to those participating remotely, starting with Andrea Ebbing.

You'll have a minute and a half.

Please proceed.

Hi I um I do think we need to uh consider the youth in San Diego as well as the elderly.

Um definitely a school being in Balboa Park is you know, as it has stood for so long.

I mean, it just brings up the idea of what's everybody gonna do when that turns into paid parking.

And then what's everybody gonna do when that paid parking isn't even fair and balanced for the people that are coming into town that are gonna go, wait a second, I have to pay more because I came here, spent my money to visit this place, and I have to pay more than residents.

It's a huge turn off.

I think that students are gonna struggle um in so many different ways by the changes that are being presented to Balboa Park and what is in store for the future of Balboa Park.

Um I think it's gonna change the landscape for the students, for the parents, for the visitors, and like Audra said, there's a whole bunch of homeless people that they have to walk by, and I don't know if anybody's noticed, but there are like 10 people dead in the last week.

There's been like four shootings, a couple of people were burned alive in a car, multiple people found dead, no suspects, and our district attorney is focused on getting council member Luke Schaefer charged with a felony so that he can't vote on a development case.

Um I think the rampant crime, um the increase in in uh parking fees and changes that are being made with violence are not good.

My apologies.

Phone number ending in 8700, if you can please unmute thank you, uh City Clerk Blendes.

Uh chair of the working group, Stepner.

I am so honored to have you in the chamber and speak to us.

This is important work, and I'm just thrilled to have you be there as the chair of the working group.

Thank you so very much.

I I know about your work.

Thank you.

So a couple of things.

Um I want uh internships to be promoted.

I want summer camps.

I want reform of the park management and finances.

I want to develop curriculum links between parks and schools.

I haven't had a chance.

I I think they're in the backup, those 60 uh recommendations.

I'm really, really excited to go through those.

And I'm so glad that this is moving forward.

This is really, really important.

Uh I live downtown and I I just think that it's it's a wonderful idea.

I was a little confused.

Uh, you know, I love the uh world capital uh event that happened in 2024 last year, um uh between TJ and San Diego.

And I saw the name of that uh event on the vision future page, right at the top.

And we'll decide any additional comments can be emailed in.

8813, if you can please unmute 8813.

I always feel like she's talking for like three freaking minutes.

Can you hear me?

Yes, we can.

Please proceed.

Okay, 444.

Shut the door.

Okay, isn't it something how only a few always decide for the entirety of the population?

They like to give us the illusion of things like votes, uh, of speaking up of opposition, but in the end, they always serve the mighty dollar, don't they?

They always only ever serve their contracts, their ambitions, their climb up the political ladders, and they always serve an agenda designed to keep society under control.

Just like communities such as Barrio Logan and uh the majority of Vivian Moreno's district, um people have no clue what is happening.

And the ones paying attention, all they can do is scream the obvious, only to find their voices drowned in the machinery of government.

Too many want to believe in something in this government in this board, and they give passes where none are deserved.

They overlook decades of track records filled with exploitation, greed, and broken promises.

But the truth is undeniable.

The system thrives because we allow it.

And for those who continue to look away, to make excuses, to see past the obvious, know this.

You are leaving a mess for the future generations.

You may not have children to inherit it, you may not feel the weight of it today, but there are people who will inherit what these reckless boards carelessly put forth.

And those of you who continue to give government a free pass by believing there's nothing wrong, nothing nefarious.

You're time to be entirely disciplined.

Next time, next speaker is ending in 7499.

The five-minute timer has also concluded.

We have four remaining speakers.

No additional speakers will be taken after that.

Please proceed.

Bob Kazuski here.

I just want to comment on Michael Stepner's participation and recommendations on this project.

I believe Michael Stepner also served on the Tory Pine City Park Advisory Board well over a decade ago.

During his tenure on that board, Mr.

Stepner condoned the spending, or should I say, wasting of a big pile of city money on the Tory Pine City Park General Development Plan with no intention and no plan of ever carrying it out.

All the while, Michael Stepner totally ignored the glaring lack of oversight in our own city park.

Unless Mr.

Stepner would like to revisit his participation in the Tory Pine City Park Advisory Board, I feel compelled to tell this council that he has zero credibility with me, and all of his recommendations should be viewed with great suspicion.

I urge Mr.

Stepner to consider revisiting his role in that advisory board with current hindsight to regain his lost credibility.

That's all I have to say at this time.

Our next speaker is Blair Beekman.

If you can please unmute.

Hi, thank you, Blair Beekman.

My Zoom may be uh of a bad thing, maybe cutting out.

Sorry if it will.

Uh, thanks a lot for this item for me.

Um, with all the parking issues of Balboa Park this past summer.

I just got this vision of you know, all the tech involved and new smart meters.

There's a real technology feature that's going to be along that corridor.

And I found it just sad and troubling and worrisome.

And you offered this report today that uh it's on your minds too, I think.

And the report today was so peaceful and organic and uh about human beings and you know building trails and walking issues and and what can be you know a human human connection between uh you know uh environment.

This is an incredibly historic area.

Um thank you.

That it sounds like you want to be working in those good terms, and that's a starting point.

What um Audra had to offer about uh going to the Kent City area a bit more, bringing that, including that into the process more.

Good luck in those efforts, um, including you know, worries of future tech concerns, what exactly that one include, and how to make that check accountable.

How can we just simply more openly talk about that?

We have a real problem just to do that.

If we make those kind of steps, that's building the kind of uh organic feature this project seems to be offering.

One plus, if you can please unmute.

This is Jamie District One.

What they call investment is really just a quiet heist.

You are bandits stealing our wealth, donating it to billionaires like the Silverwoods.

Wealth isn't disappearing, it's being moved upstream from the many to the few.

You want to pull out lanes on the road causing traffic and smog.

You take perfectly good roads and turn them into traffic jams.

You forgot to put 95% of the cars and traffic jams on the pretty pictures.

You want to put a lid on the freeway?

What's wrong with the sky?

You want to force people to stay within 15 minutes of their house if they have one.

If not, you want to force them to stay within 15 minutes of their stack and pack apartment.

You raise your taxes, raise the cost of living, then turn around and hand out low interest loans, subsidies, and insider access to the billionaire class.

The middle class is being slow roasted over bond debt and inflation.

While the wealthy harvest assets with money that isn't even theirs to add insult to injury, you want to bulldoze our historic buildings.

Please stop trafficking our children.

Why would you link Bob Boa Park to a high school?

That's disgusting.

We are not in a system of shared prosperity.

We are in a system where your stability is collateral for someone else's game.

This is the transfer of wealth, not by accident, but by design.

Let's have a moment of silence for all the people who have lost their homes because of your scams.

Our final speaker is Paul, if you can please unmute.

Yes, um uh Eleanor, uh Elinor and Audor said most of uh what I think.

But um I was going to say we do have to go back and look at really basic thing principles, like why the park exists, started out as an international exposition, and then became um public land, a land for the entire city.

Now, uh high school, that's like student stuff, you know, that they can close it down or make it private or whatever they want, but it's for the students, not the public.

Um and uh also another thing that I don't believe anyone really highlighted was that you know, if you put a high school in a park, that's putting kidnappers and whatever other criminals there are right next to the students.

Not a good idea.

And um, of course, if there's uh $10 fee just to park there, that's not going to be very good for any students who are learning to drive or whatever anyway.

Your time has concluded.

That does conclude public comment and item S402.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

Um Richard Barrera, who was the I think chair of San Diego Unified School Board, um, who uh agreed to join in the conversation, could not make it here, but he did send an email in support of the good work that has been done by the working group.

So I appreciate the Mr.

Barrera's weighing in.

Um so uh Mr.

Stepner, uh it's good to see you uh in chambers, and thank you for the presentation.

Um I want to thank for highlighting the importance of reconnecting the communities in and around Balball Park and San Diego High School.

And I heard some comments.

San Diego High School is there.

The voters of San Diego said it can stay there, so I'm not sure what the connection is by some of the public comments.

I hope there's no confusion there.

We're not talking about introducing a new school or taking up any more parkland for a new school.

So uh this is just San Diego High School, which is already there, as I said.

So I want to thank all those who participate in the working group.

Uh the report, the analysis is extensive.

I would have expected no less by the individuals, and certainly should serve as a framework as we plan and invest in Balboa Park and San Diego High School's future.

And I appreciate your emphasizing this is just really that framework, and it's no action uh that we're gonna be doing today or even tomorrow.

I'm impressed by the extensive community engagement, and I'm glad to see that the working group was able to leverage other stakeholders like the World Design Capital and Burnham Center for Community Advancement on design and funding strategies.

I want to thank all the city staff that participated.

I see a couple in the back.

Uh, and um I always appreciated running into Stephen Hill, uh, who has since retired, but uh uh the good work that he did as well.

So I think the the key point um that I'm gonna ask the mayor's office is uh to have this report circulated on the operation side so appropriate departments can provide feedback so we can actually ask the working group to finalize this report, hopefully by the end of the year.

Yes, Council President.

You have our commitment to circulate it to relevant departments um and circle back uh by the end of the year.

Right.

I appreciate that very much.

Again, thank you to everybody that participated in the working group and all the voices uh over the past couple of years in this uh work together.

Uh there's a lot of volunteer work embedded in that uh in that report.

Again, this is an information item, but I'll turn it over to uh the district three council member who holds the Balboa Park in his district.

Councilmember Whitburn.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you for your partnership on this.

Uh Mr.

Stepner, Mr.

Smith, thank you both for all of your work on this, uh, to the entire uh working group.

Uh really appreciate all the time and effort and love uh that went into uh the presentation and the uh product that you've delivered.

Uh it is really good to see uh Andy Field and Brian Schoenfish here.

Andy Field, the Parks and Recreation Director, Brian Schofish, the deputy director of the city's urban division, downtown.

Uh it is the visual personification of the downtown and park uh connection right there.

Uh appreciate you both uh being here, and I think that um highlights the importance of what we're talking about here.

Uh it's important to periodically bring these uh ideas forward.

Uh some of what's in here is relatively new.

A lot of these uh have been ideas that have been around for a long time, but it's important to surface them so that we could take advantage of them when opportunities arise.

Um obviously right now the city is not positioned uh to invest a lot of resources in some of the ideas here that uh would cost a lot of money, but there are other government agencies that are better resourced.

Uh and there are opportunities that uh come up from time to time, uh, and we want to have these ideas at our fingertips and have some sort of sense of the prioritization which was we might uh with which we might approach them uh should that funding become available.

Uh it's an obvious vision in many respects.

What we're talking about here, connecting the park better to downtown and to the bay.

Uh John Nolan, as you mentioned back in 1908, uh was talking about that.

And of course we should do that.

Um it's not necessarily an inexpensive proposition, but it's something if we're gonna be a world-class city that uh we are, that we should figure out how we how we get that done.

And uh having the uh re uh construction of San Diego High School uh and all the work going on at City College as a catalyst for some of these conversations, I think is useful.

Um the joint use agreements, of course, are uh something that's an inexpensive way to get the community more involved in uh that area.

Uh but I mean there are other ways uh that we could really enhance uh the the connection between the park, the the freeway lids uh is is something that uh would really uh improve the connection on Park Boulevard, on uh uh uh on sixth uh freeway lid.

It's beautiful.

I mean, it really does uh a beautiful job of of that.

I'd like to see that uh uh assemblymember Alvarez, who used to represent District 8, he's been a big proponent uh in working on some things up in in Sacramento around uh promoting free lay freeway lids and getting more funding for them.

Uh so I uh hope that we will uh uh keep these ideas uh at the forefront that we will pursue uh funding as those opportunities arise, uh, and that we will do everything we can to better connect the park uh with our educational institutions with the growing residential population uh downtown uh with the business community.

We got Petco Park at the other end of Park Boulevard and of course San Diego Bay.

Uh so looking forward to uh seeing what uh comes out of this in the short term and certainly in the long term.

Thank you.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Whitburn.

We'll go next to Councilmember Elo Rivera.

Thank you, Council President.

I just wanted to say thank you to uh you, Council President, for making sure this came back to us, uh, Councilman Whitburn for staying um engaged on this, uh Brian for the work, and then um to the folks from the public who engaged in this process.

I'm sorry you've had to hear everything you've had to hear today.

You've committed a lot of time and effort and to ensuring that one of San Diego's crown jewels doesn't just continue to do well, but has an even brighter future than it's than it's had a great past.

Um so thank you for that.

Um I mean we have this is just a reminder.

We have people who show up on a regular basis and commit a lot of time and effort with no pay and no fanfare.

Um and I just want to make sure that you get that appreciation and the comments that you've heard today certainly do not reflect my appreciation uh for the work that you've done.

So thank you for that, and thank you to the others who've uh showed up in a positive way today.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank Councilmember Yel Rivera.

We'll go next to Councilmember Von Wolpert.

Um, thank you.

I too just want to thank you for all the work that you have put into this and and to the council president for bringing this back, and to our council member from District Three, who um knows intimately Balboa Park and the San Diego High School more than we do.

I'm very glad to see that we are continuing continuing the legacy of the San Diego High School.

That was a great opportunity to be able to vote on.

Um Kate Sessions Park is one of my favorite places in the whole city of San Diego, and I thank her for her legacy as well.

And my one question is and it could be in the report when we read it, but there is so much to do to plan for the future of this region, especially with the growth that Council discussed.

If you could do one thing first, what do you think the first next step should be?

It's a hard question to answer, Councilmember.

I I think one of the things we had talked about is some of the things around the high school.

The high school and college are doing remodeling and rebuilding.

And we talked about Russ Boulevard.

There's also all the parking lots that are behind the stadium.

That really could be park.

And and the school district has been very cooperative.

They they have added that to their list of things they want to look at in the colleges as well.

And I think that really grows the park for for downtown, but for the neighborhoods to the east as well.

And I think that that would be a good starting point.

Uh I think having the schools work with the institutions, continue to work with them to establish relationships.

And uh I do want to say I I have a connection at the high school who's working on that, happens to be the vice principal who is my son.

So we make sure that those conversations will continue.

But I think that starting with the school, this the area around the schools, and I think key as Councilmember Whitburn said, keeping all this on the forefront.

Don't put it away in a drawer.

We are talking about an update to the Bellwell Park Plan.

We don't have any money, but we can we should still talk about these things and not forget about them and plan for the future.

And I think uh the even the long-term thing like the DEX.

I I do want to say that in Council District 9 at the Teralta Park.

I sat here many years ago when we talked about it being three blocks.

And we're still waiting for those other two blocks, but uh I think keeping those in mind, things take a long time.

I again I was when you talked about the Mercado a few minutes ago.

I said at this deck in 1991 when it was approved.

So it's just you gotta keep flagging away.

And I think that's what you're all doing, what the community is doing and what we're doing.

Thank you very much, and thank you again for the presentation.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Von Wolpert.

Uh, not seeing anybody else on the lights, I'll just wrap up and say thank you again for everybody that's involved, uh, your patience uh so that we could bring this to uh the full council uh in a more public discussion uh about this report.

We'll look forward to the operation side, what they might contribute to that so you can finalize it uh and go on to your next big idea, which I'm sure you have plenty of.

So uh with that, we'll wrap up this item, which was information only and no action will be taken.

We will now take up non-agenda public comment.

The council members respect and appreciate the public's input and are fully committed to protecting every participant's free speech rights at council and committee meetings.

Clerk, please proceed with public comment.

Thank you, Council President.

Per Rule 2.7 on agenda public comment is an opportunity for members of the public to comment on items that are not on the agenda, but within the subject matter jurisdiction of the city council, each speaker will have two minutes.

Please note if there are eight or more speakers on a single topic, the maximum time for the topic will be 16 minutes.

If you are in chambers, please submit your speaker slip up front in the clear box.

If you are joining us virtually, please raise your hand to speak by tapping the raise your hand icon, or if you're a calling participant, star nine.

If I can have the following individuals, please come forward to the yellow reserve seats.

Eleanor, Michael Brando, Cesar Javier, Borita Javier, Chad, Heatherly, and Karen Vogue.

If you can all please come forward, we currently have 12 speakers in chambers for non-agenda.

Ellen, are you our first speaker?

I haven't called out all the names yet.

Just the first few to have them come up to the front row.

Please proceed.

Firstly, I'd like to say that due to technical difficulties at Wednesday's meeting, my speech was not fully recorded.

But weather details were given instead.

So before I start, I'd like to let you all know that it's warm outside.

Jennifer Campbell, I see she's left, and Henry Foster, the disdain that you showed for speakers last week at the meeting.

People you are supposed to be serving is absolutely appalling.

We see you, we hear you, and when people try to overreach into your personal lives, demean, dehumanize, etc., we, the city council, have your back.

Those are the words of Roel Campillo, who's not here today.

I want to know was he openly mocking the people of San Diego, laughing inwardly when he uttered those comments.

We do not consent to your tyranny and overreach.

We do not consent to your trash can scam.

We do not consent to your RFID chips in our bins.

We do not consent to being tracked and monitored, thereby dehumanizing us.

We do not consent to the extra fees that you have attached to property tax.

We do not consent to subsidizing bonuses for you or your NGOs, because it has been to say the least, a gross mismanagement of city funds.

We do not consent to your poo water initiative, and we don't consent to any of your enslaving us.

There's a special place in hell for people who prey on others.

Decide where you are going to be.

We do not consent.

We hear you, we see you, and we are watching you.

People are waking up.

So, in the words of Monica Montgomery Step, you'd better be careful.

We are watching you, and we do not consent.

And Stephen, perhaps you should try to take the smirk off your face.

Your time house speaking.

Michael Brando.

Isn't it amazing how these are fantastic to use at these meetings?

I only took them off when the speakers came to speak, so I could hear what they had to say, and when the callers spoke.

Because mostly everything that comes out of all of these people on this dais is garbage.

And let's talk about systemic narcissism and psychopathy.

Isn't it interesting how Jennifer Campbell, Dr.

Death, Dr.

Death, Jennifer Campbell can't stand the heat, and she flees and runs out of the room.

Just like the one who shows high traits of malignant narcissism, Sean Elo Rivera.

Let's talk about health for a minute.

This is a classic, classic picture.

I hope this shows up on your city video.

Look at this fool.

And she calls herself a doctor.

This was when she was threatening arrest of people who did not go along with the COVID scam policies.

She threatened arrest.

But it also shows how stupid she is, Stephen.

She's stupid.

She's wearing a cloth mask.

Now, if one truly believed in the invisible killer dot, you can hear me, good.

They would know that a cloth mask does nothing.

It does nothing.

It's like throwing some sand through a chain link fence.

And yet this woman has the gall to want to sit up here along with a lot of phony doctors and give people medical advice.

The good news, and I love this.

Isn't it beautiful how all of this is coming to light?

And a lot of you are going to be changing size from where you're sitting because it's inescapable what's coming.

It's inescapable.

How good can it get?

Thank you.

Caesar Javier, if you can please come forward, you'll have two minutes.

Thank you, Mike.

Yes.

I'm mistaken.

Come on.

Michael, your Michael, your headphones.

Oh, my goodness.

I'll have to use this for next time.

Thank you.

Okay.

I appreciate it, Joe.

Yes.

I am free to have your senior taxpayer with existing medical condition.

The topic.

Ceramics.

And Cairn operation situated at 523, Streamview Drive, San Diego, California, situated in the Sanch Alcoon.

Designated neighborhood is in violation of California.

Land use and planning laws.

One for variants, which explains that projects, businesses must be in accord with health, safety, and public welfare.

Ceramic business is also in violation of California environment in land use laws on nuisance.

Over the years, we suffered the impact of exposure to toxicities, such as a sneezing, coughing, dirty eyes, dissonance, unusual, headache, and useful heart palpitation.

We were hurt physically, emotionally, and financially well.

We had emergency hospitalizations and diagnosed by our respective physician that health.

Cesar Javier, that was Borita Javier's two minutes.

We are please proceed.

It is the air pollution control district rule or Code Rule 11, excepting 20 industrial and manufacturing, including.

Simple.

Manufacturing of this emits toxicity as a result of that.

What chemical transform into something by a heating?

When I came to the residence, it was wood fuel.

And then during the pandemic, I thought they stopped, but they converted it into gas operated.

Therefore, the process becomes more of quality product because it has to reach a temperature of 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit to 2,400 degrees Fahrenheit.

The city came over and did ex inspection and didn't notice that the volume inside the scale is more than 30 cubic inches, and they haven't seen the rule that that is a violation in the construction.

This is our governing board, uh, including the uh King Flower.

Their vote looks like absentee because the king of flowers just sit in there.

Yeah.

Yeah, that's his role to protect businesses where he could get milk.

Like this.

He has a neighbor in Kensington that is doing this.

Thanks.

Chad Heatherly, are you here?

Hi, my name is Chad Heatherly.

I represent the San Diego Square Dance Association.

Um I have a proposal for the city council.

If you'll give me your undivided attention for two minutes, I promise not to insult you or your ancestors.

So COVID 19 hit square dance clubs like a tsunami.

And this parking proposal will be a second wave if you approve it for parking lots.

We have five clubs that meet here every week.

If you approve this proposal, some of them will not survive.

We provide joy, mental and physical exercise for hundreds of people.

We provide we we raise tens of thousands of dollars for charities like the City of Hope.

I would like to recommend that you attend one of our square dances before you vote on this proposal.

I think it might change your vote when you're aware of how much joy people come, people who come to the dance experience.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Karen Vogue, if you can please come forward.

After that is Patricia McClure, Paul Kruger, Michelle um Pfeiffer, Mr.

Man Bernard, Evelyn, and allegedly Audra as well as Ramsey's Laura.

If you all can start coming up to the front row, that'd be greatly appreciated.

Please proceed.

Okay, thank you.

I would like to thank the remaining council members for sticking it out until non-agenda public comment.

I'm disappointed to see that Miss Campbell is not here, Kent Lee is not here, and Miss Moreno, I was hoping she would stay so I could thank her for voting no for the increased costs for the water um charges.

I would also um like to thank council members Foster and Wilpert for voting no on the trash tax.

I thanked Mr.

Foster last week, and then I came again to thank the full council today.

Um not happy about it.

I know that uh attorney Michael Aguirre has a lawsuit to file an injunction about that.

I don't like how it um how the cost study was done and um how the original estimate was 23 to 29 dollars and then it was like 47 dollars that's added to people's property taxes.

I felt that it should be added another way, like to our water or sewer rates rather than our in our property.

We're a property owner, and that just adds another burden to us.

Um the other thing is that they have RFIDs on the trash cans, and we're buying I don't know how many trash cans at God knows what cost.

There's plenty of trash cans that are perfectly good.

And I did some research on these RFID chips.

I don't like them, but you can actually put a little plug into an existing trash can.

So that could have been an option.

I don't know how you guys were advised on that.

Speaking of that, there's a study in Abu Dhabi some years ago about these smart trash cans and smart bins where they require a QR code that people have to use so their personal trash is actually tracked.

So I hope that's not a stepping stone.

And thank you for listening.

Thank you.

Patricia.

Please come forward.

Uh first, before I start, I do want to address the fact that last week I also spoke and a minute and a half of my public comment, which is public record, which is to be held for two years according to federal law under my first amendment right, uh, was dubbed over with weather and music.

Um that's all I'll say about that.

I've probably eaten into some of my time now, but I'll start.

The services and initiative supported by property tax revenue include a lot of public services, including resident waste management service.

Proposition 218 prohibits local governments from imposing fees on property owners for services that are available to the public at large, like garbage collection and sewer.

Then enter measure B.

I know that the city has been working for almost 20 years to find a way to charge a fee for tracks collection.

Yes, revenue was needed.

For the office, though, of the independent budget analyst report number 2510.

When the fiscal impact statement was done for measure B, it was grossly underrepresented.

It was 28% off in that this the environmental services reported that they served 285,000 customers.

When actuality, after the green bins were uh rolled out with the RFID chips then, the actual number was 222,485 customers.

That's 62,515.

That's a big error.

Due to the people's ordinance, this is a quote from the independent budget analyst report.

The city has not kept track of how many bins each property uses and thus cannot charge for additional bins without first accounting for them.

That's the purpose behind the RFID chips.

It's so you know what you're doing.

Paul Kruger.

I don't see Paul Krueger here.

Michelle I can ask the following individuals to please come up to the front row.

Evelyn, allegedly Audra and Ramses Larren, please come up to the front row.

Please proceed.

Hello, my name is Michelle Pfeiffer Uma Thurman Bernard.

I'm calling I'm coming to you to um ask for help.

Um I'm so glad you took the time to hear me.

I've been asking for my Social Security to be returned to me.

I am uh in a boarding house, and I um I'm having trouble uh acquiring uh a cash flow.

I get sixty dollars per month after they pay my bills.

Uh I have a pay company that pays my bills, and um I don't know anybody who can re l who can live off of sixty dollars a month.

I can't even afford to ride the transportation.

Um I don't want to get so involved in my uh depression that um be discouraged if I can not receive your help.

I won't I'm asking for um help also with my kids.

I am also one of the Susan B.

Anthony's um uh Indians that was um the first uh Susan B.

Anthony president of this country, and uh among other um government families that are related to mine.

Um I am asking also for funding for to be increased for my Social Security to be returned to me.

It was um $1,100 a month, and they said I couldn't survive off of that, which is much more than I'm not um it's not as much as an I'm I'm I'm sorry.

I'm not getting that much now.

I'm asking for some type of monetary assistance, and also for my children.

I just gave uh uh a return of um uh birth of about 98 million.

I know that's hard to read to believe, but you have to have um uh birth record.

I mean, um your time has concluded, I'm sorry.

But if you have any written comments, we can definitely distribute them to the council.

Okay.

Thank you.

Evelyn.

Wow.

You guys are great.

Great comedians, actually.

Yeah.

Awesome.

And you know what?

You guys are for the people, but for the people getting killed, for the people getting used.

Oh, and poor kids to get trafficked.

Yeah, yeah.

You guys know that though, right, Steven?

You know that.

Can't even look at me.

Right.

Um, so I am the mother of Malaya Gonzalea, which your guys' county has kidnapped for me.

And um, yeah, they're not you guys are going to return them.

They're gonna come home because they have never been abused or neglected, and they're actually super loved, super incredibly loved.

So, yeah, so you guys need to stop using people and pr stop pretending to care because you guys honestly do not care.

Yeah, you guys don't care.

You guys just are up here saying, Oh, oh, this this one person, this one person got got killed or shot.

Oh, so sad.

Yeah, so sad.

Yes, it is sad.

But you know what?

It's also sad that you guys are using us and our money and our children and just funding funding funding what?

What are you guys funding?

Nothing, right?

You guys are just putting that extra money in your pocket, which is it's great, right?

It's great for you guys.

Yeah.

And as long as not your children suffering, who cares, right?

Who cares?

Yeah, yeah, I see you.

See you.

Yeah, who cares?

Um, my kids actually every time um our visits end, they cry.

They cry.

My three-year-old and two-year-old cry for me, telling me, mommy, I want to go home.

Yeah, yeah.

Thank you.

Allegedly, Audrey, if you can please come forward.

I love how you like to condemn people for exercising their first amendment right.

It is so telling anywho.

Oh my gosh, what happened there?

Well, seems like something happened.

Anywho, I was gonna show you that or let you listen to the poison that goes into the vaccines, right?

That we tell people are so healthy, right?

It's so incredible, you know, the lies that get spread by people who are in this faux power.

It's like you guys feel so powerful being up on this diet, and you get your accolades and you double speak, and you know, you get paid a pretty penny to how did I use 45 seconds?

That's crazy.

Um, you know, do all of these things and and you really don't care.

I mean, you know, Marnie, it's like you talk about these shootings, but let's talk about the trans shooters that have come like in the past few years.

Why don't we talk about that?

It's like if it was something else, you would highlight it.

But it's sad that we can't even look at that and say, well, dang it.

Is that an issue?

Seems like it, right?

When there's massive amounts of that happening, just like when massive amounts of people die at 10 city, Stephen Whitburn.

And you don't do anything to stop it.

In fact, you perpetuate it because you tell people that it saves lives to be there.

And you claim it saves lives for children to mutilate their bodies where they'll never be the same.

It's really sad.

It really is, because it's like, man.

Like you guys are are are going to have to answer to these things, and I would hope that you would course correct because it's not looking good.

Starting the five minute timer here in Council Chambers going to those participating remotely.

We currently have 17 speakers in the queue, starting with Oh, my apologies, you were the last one.

Oh, my apologies, you were the last one.

I had taken them out before.

My staff was really good.

Sorry.

Please proceed.

All right.

Uh, my name is Ramses Lara.

Uh, I had the opportunity to attend the Balboa Park community uh committee meeting the other day, and I wish you guys were there to see it.

You know, we had probably over 80 people there, and not a single person was in favor of putting paid parking in Balball Park.

We had representatives from the community group saying that any paid parking to Babwall Park will completely destroy their community groups.

They will destroy attendance, it will destroy people's desire to come to the park, it'll destroy the infrastructure for people to park their cars in Balball Park and ride the bike around the city.

Like, why would we waste all this money on bicycle infrastructure if we don't have anywhere to put your car while you're biking around the city?

How is that supposed to work?

How am I supposed to be here without paying it cost me like 12 to 15 dollars just to show up and park here?

Usually I when I have the time, I park my car up at Balball Park and ride my bike down.

But that's not gonna be an option for me anymore.

So outside of that, we're just hemorrhaging money.

Like we have a deficit of over 200 million dollars in this in the city, and we're about to get like 15 maybe out of Balboa Park by like scraping our poorest individuals, the people that go to parks and actually enjoy the services of this community.

We're gonna scrape 15 million dollars out of them for what reason?

When we have so many different other sources we could be taken from.

Mind you, we all remember when we were originally not going to increase the budget for the police this year, but there was a veto and it had to be done.

That was 30 million.

So for that 30 million, we're spending on police, we're getting 15 back by scraping it out of Bow Will Park.

How is that gonna be worth it?

Why do we need this?

Mind you, I went to a different commute committee meeting the other day for the police oversight committee.

They I heard the testimony of a family who their brother was killed in 2023, and eight individuals who fired upon him and killed him for a traffic stop violation are still on the service today.

One of those individuals brought his own hollow tip bullets and killed that man.

Not issued by the police department, he brought his own bullets.

Thank you for that concern.

So I want you to know the police's department is insanely corrupt.

And my apologies, I have to be fair with everybody.

Sorry, the five-minute timer here in Council Chambers going to those per participating remotely.

We have 17 speakers in the queue, starting with Frad and Saint Maxwell, if you can please unmute.

Good afternoon, Francine Maxwell, Southeastern San Diego.

I want to thank our commissioners on the CPP for their times and their talents and the time that they spend away from home.

But I'm also wondering why this council hasn't asked for the annual report.

There's no date.

We've been given that it's nearing completion, but we have been due the annual report for quite a while.

So we're asking the council members to ask the hard questions.

Get in a safe space and find out why our commissioners are being blocked to the liaison.

The CPP staff does not run the CPP.

This is an independent commission.

We fought hard and long to make sure that they would not get labeled CLERB 2.0.

So we have um instances where the commissioners have been blocked from their request, saying that the police department can only respond to staff as an accurate.

Those are paid staff by the city of San Diego.

We are independent.

So you had HR in the room to be just an observer who's doing the next hiring for the executive director.

Completely understand that, but the commissioners can't go to the mayor's office.

The commissioners can't run the HR when they're being blocked by CPP staff.

Again, San Diego Police Department said that they wanted to build trust.

They are you're not holding them accountable for not building trust, but we want to build a bridge of trust.

We have a lot of things, sustained findings that this council is ignoring.

That's fine.

Some people are up for re-election, but again, we do not want RCP to look like the old CLERB, the old CRB.

We want them to be true CPP.

Please do your job.

Ask for a report.

A person that said that they could be the interim executive director, and the um council has farmed off a lot of his work.

Thank you.

Next is Madison, if you can please unmute.

Okay, thank you, Council Members, for your time this afternoon.

I want to draw your attention to a growing public health concern highlighted in a recent report from Marijuana Moments on August 19th, 2025.

The article notes that younger Americans, millennials and Gen Z are increasingly turning to cannabis drinks instead of alcohol at after work gatherings.

In fact, one in three workers now prefers THC beverages over traditional alcoholic drinks.

At first glance, some argue this is positive.

After all, alcohol is widely known for its health risks.

But replacing one intoxicant with another is not a solution.

Cannabis use among young adults brings its own harms.

Impaired driving, reduced cognitive performance, workplace safety issues, and higher risk of dependency.

The same poll showed that nearly one in five adults now use cannabis regularly to unwind after work.

That normalization blurs the line between recreational use and habitual reliance.

Research also shows that daily marijuana use is surpassing daily alcohol consumption nationwide.

This trend means more young people are beginning and ending their days under the influence of THC, which can impair memory, motivation, and mental health.

While cannabis may be marketed as a safer alternative, the truth is it poses unique risks to developing brains, professional productivity, and long-term well-being.

San Diego has already seen the impact of increased marijuana access from higher rates of emergency room visits to challenges in regulating unlicensed products.

The growing market for cannabis drinks is only accelerating that problem.

Council members, I urge you to treat this not as a harmless lifestyle shift, but as a public health issue.

We need stronger education for young adults, tighter regulations on cannabis beverages, and clear strategies to prevent dependency.

If you can please unmute.

Thank you.

Families want city leaders to support them in raising healthy drug-free children and sensible drug policies that reduce or eliminate unhealthy and unsafe youth choices.

Not increase them by partnering with the marijuana industry to create a moral hazard for residents, especially for youth.

Thank you, Councilmember Von Wilper, for your empathy and compassion for the unnecessary loss of young lives from irresponsible gun use.

Per the CDC, over 4,752 children and teens died from gun-related injuries in 2021.

But equally important is the unnecessary life loss of life from drug abuse and overdose that resulted in nearly 73,000 children who lost a parent to drug overdose in 2020.

The increased availability, promotion, and normalization of high potency marijuana has contributed to mental health illness that too often spirals into drug overdose, self-harm, or suicide.

Youth cited marijuana as the drug that began their drug abuse journeys at only 12.5 years of age when brain development is the most vulnerable.

Please stop ignoring the continued upward trend of youth drug abuse and addiction that stems from the city's support of marijuana businesses that contribute to drug abuse, mental health problems, and homelessness.

Please also read the recent obituary of our local 22-year-old who lost his battle with addiction.

He cited his drug abuse began with marijuana.

It would help you appreciate to prioritize youth over the marijuana industry interests.

The city is playing a tragic part in these losses.

Thank you for letting me speak.

Thank you, Nexus, Barbara Gordon, if you can please unmute.

Thank you for listening to me today.

As a public health educator, it's been hard to watch the marijuana industry infiltrate our community.

Most science experts agree that there is no data to support increasing marijuana outlets in the city.

Marijuana has the potential for abuse and has no scientifically proven medical value.

Therefore, adding more pot shops would only imply to our children that marijuana is safe.

That couldn't be further from the truth.

Research tells us that marijuana use is associated with schizophrenia, psychosis, anxiety, cardiovascular issues, and more.

And it disputes research indicates that marijuana could be used as a therapeutic option in treatment of many disorders, which is not true.

The community is tired of smell of marijuana flooding every public space.

That smell tells our children that marijuana use is safe or normal.

The data is clear, marijuana is a dangerous dog that has only become more dangerous over time.

We must protect our children from predatory marijuana businesses that will addict our children and others that which they want to become consumers that will become consumers for life.

Adding more marijuana outlets invites heavier use with high potency THC, which add more addiction to our young people, which adds long-term cost for individuals and communities.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Becky Repp, if you can please unmute.

Good afternoon.

My name is Becky Rath, and today I wanted to share something with the council that I shared with the land use and housing committee.

There is a serious public health concern with San Diego's smoke-free housing protections.

HUD requires all public housing to be 100% smoke-free, protecting children, seniors, and residents with health conditions from exposure to secondhand smoke.

However, if an affordable housing project is privately owned, even when it benefits from public resources, such as Section 8 vouchers or local housing funds, that rule does not apply.

Skyline Apartments in Rancho Bernardo is one such example.

It's a privately owned affordable housing project that accepts housing subsidies, but because it's not owned or managed by the housing commission, the HUD smoke-free protections do not apply.

This means that low-income families living there may still be exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes simply because of who owns the property.

Two families with the same income living in subsidized housing are treated unequally when it comes to health protections.

This is critical as San Diego prioritizes affordable housing across the city.

We're seeing a significant uptick in projects virtually in every planning group area.

It is not fair that public dollars can support housing where children in vulnerable populations are still still subject to toxic secondhand smoke.

I respectfully urge you to adopt a policy requiring all projects that receive affordable housing funds, private or public, be designated smoke-free.

This would close the loophole, create consistency across our housing system, and ensure taxpayer dollars only support housing that protects health and safety.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is one on branding in 7234, 7234.

If you can please unmute.

My name is Terry Ann Skelly, and I'm here as a planning group member and a community volunteer.

One of the youth programs in San Diego that is important to me is the STORTSMART program provided to high school students and their parents by California Highway Patrol.

Alcohol and drug use are a nationwide roadway safety concern, as almost one in three traffic deaths involve an impaired driver.

As you can imagine, insurance companies care a great deal about teen driving.

Included in the Start Smart presentation is a team parent agreement from Triple A of Southern California Automobile Club.

And information from UCSD and from California Department of Traffic Safety regarding marijuana impaired driving by young adults, which shows that it is increasing in communities that permit marijuana stores.

There are studies show that driving, while under the influence of marijuana negatively impacts attentivess, perception of time and memory.

Impaired memory can affect the ability to draw from past experiences, especially in emergency situations.

Study shows that drivers with only a small amount of THC in their blood can feel the effects and increase their risk of getting into a crash by 25 to 35%.

Perhaps it's time for a closer look at marijuana businesses' impact on the health and safety of our San Diego residents.

Thank you for hearing my concerns this afternoon.

Thank you.

Next speaker ending in.

I mean, Blair Beekman, if you can please unmute.

Hi, uh Blair Beekman.

Uh thanks for the meeting today.

Uh for me, it was my first public meeting of the fall.

Um thank you.

Um I wanted to offer a little bit of uh health cleaning uh today.

I'm sitting in a library right now, so I gotta lower my voice a bit.

Um, I want to do some house cleaning uh items.

First off, um I heard it sounds like there's at least four council persons who've taken off before uh open forum is is is spoken.

You guys have been making a habit of doing that now for a few months now, and it's kind of annoying.

And I think you should be developing ways uh and talking to each other before these uh council meetings that you know maybe two sorry, maybe two people can um I know I'll try to calm my voice.

Um, maybe two people can uh speak to um or mute people can um leave a council meeting at open form time and and and everyone else has to stay.

Uh really talk amongst yourselves on such issues.

I think it's important uh for you know community and council.

Um a really tough one.

There's about you know five regular speakers who speak on the marijuana issues like today.

Um I I think you know they hang out together and and they talk to each other.

I think it's it would be interesting if maybe one or two of them spoke at public comment time and can kind of speak for the group each week.

Um, it can be it's an idea.

I know I like to speak as an individual also, but um, I don't know, it may be more effective way to work and saves time for the process.

Uh sorry to for that, but to also offer the first two years.

It was nice to hear Francine Maxwell and her ideas and views on things uh again.

Um I hope that you guys are working on uh tech issues and really wanting to address the future of AOPR, and that it can be really limited.

Um I've got many more things to say.

Uh I'll see you guys tomorrow.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is speaker ending in 8813.

If you can please unmute.

Uh Judy Strang, if you can please unmute.

Good evening, City Council.

Thank you for this opportunity.

I've enjoyed particularly the meeting agenda items regarding affordable housing.

Like you, I care a great deal about those who need housing.

And I'm very concerned about the issues that lead to homelessness or decreased income.

That means that our residents need help with affordable housing.

I shared last week at land use and housing, and and perhaps earlier at San Diego City Council, that the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States is smoking and vaping.

And research continues to roll in regarding this situation and the impact that poor health has on those of our residents who are, shall we say, income impaired.

There is a blogger that we particularly in the tobacco prevention community enjoy.

And this morning he sent us his name is Stan Glantz.

He's a professor emeritus from UCSW, I'm sorry, SF Medical School Division of Cardiology.

And he sent over this morning some of his research, his recent research, regarding the role of smoking in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD.

And they've been able to tease out how much of that is caused by tobacco and how much of it is caused by marijuana use.

And oddly enough, tobacco use has decreased a great deal, whereas marijuana use has increased.

And with that is the opportunity to study just marijuana smokers.

And they have found as no surprise to you that inhaled cannabis smoke is significantly associated with COPD.

And you can only guess what that means for disease and health of our San Diego residents.

We do not need more vaping stores here in the city.

The time has concluded.

If you can please unmute.

We call it theft.

You cloak tax as duty, but it's really theft.

We labor, you siphon.

We build, you skim.

We create, you collect.

You are toll collectors on roads we've already paved.

Every cent you take is not money.

It is time carved out of our lives.

Hours away from our children, years spent under work, moments that can never return.

You steal years of our life and hide it under the word tax.

You steal years of our lives and toss them to billionaires like party favors.

Your progress means metering and billing our garbage and tagging our bins with RFID.

In your world, even trash owes rent because nothing escapes your tally.

Not even trash.

What's next?

Slapping a meter on our toilets and billing us by the flush.

Leaders don't bleed their people to fatten themselves.

Leaders don't give gifts to billionaires like Jim Silverwood with their people's money.

Leaders don't build chains and call them laws.

Understand this.

Tax is not civilization's price.

Tax is the leash.

We see who holds the leash.

You aren't guardians of the city.

You are thieves in suits, parasites with pens, doormen demanding payment to enter homes we already own.

When trust crumbles, when the leash snaps, you will discover you were never holding us.

You are only strangling the last thread of trust that kept you there.

One who devours his host never reigns long.

You are cannibalizing the living body you depend on.

You claim to govern, yet you carve the city into cuts and bleed it dry.

A city blood dry doesn't die.

It hardens.

The blood that once fed your coffers will clot into resolve.

And when it does, you'll find no more to take.

Hear this.

You aren't leaders.

You are scavengers dressed up as statesmen, pecking at a carcass.

You are fat pigs at a banquet of corruption, slurping greedily at the trough of big business while the people starve.

Call it tax.

Call it duty.

Call it law.

Keep slurping, council.

We don't forget.

Time is concluded.

Next is Paul.

Please unmute.

Hi.

Um please give back or after this, give the speaker back to phone number 8813.

Give all the speakers the same speaking time.

Your trash fees are tax on property owners to make up for the huge deficit.

And it's the result of bad decisions, deferred maintenance that you are responsible for.

People are angry.

They rejected your property tax.

So now you're resorting to scam on very shaky legal ground.

Huge or extortion fees or expensive gimmicks in order to work.

And not those fees only on people who live in single family homes or in buildings with less than four units is pure discrimination.

A mockery of your equity gambits over the years.

People in multi-unit buildings make about the same amount of trash as people in single family homes.

It's nonsensical to charge trash makers more because of the structure they live in.

The city needs money, but the burden of digging government out of the hole it's climbed in should not be shouldered by less than half the city's households.

And especially since Muslim do not earn medium income.

Then uh you and staff didn't tell these feeds yourselves.

How do you hired Bayer consultants for setting the highest trash collection fees in the state?

And I'm sure it was without our tax money.

About four point.