Special San Diego City Council Meeting - September 22, 2025
Special City Council Meeting Summary – September 22, 2025
The San Diego City Council held a special meeting on September 22, 2025. The meeting covered proclamations, a consent agenda, an informational presentation on federal housing grants (CAPER), and council comments. The meeting began with a land acknowledgment. Councilmembers Campillo and Council President Lakava were absent for the morning session; all members were present in the afternoon.
Consent Calendar
- The council formally adopted Proclamations 600 and 601, declaring September 2025 as Transit Month and recognizing Remote Ocean Systems’ 50th anniversary. Passed 7‑0.
- The council approved the consent agenda (Items 602–612 and 614) unanimously (7‑0). This included amendments to allow Progressive Design Build procurement methods, a joint‑use agreement for open space in the Castle neighborhood, a settlement for a police collision, appointments to the Small Business Advisory Board, International Affairs Board, Board of Library Commissioners, and alternate members for the Commission on Police Practices (CPP) Executive Director search committee, and a continued declaration of a state of emergency related to Tijuana River sewage flows.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Audra spoke during multiple comment periods, criticizing the council’s stance on climate and energy policy, radio‑infrastructure health effects, police settlements, Pure Water spending, and arguing that government programs encourage dependency rather than self‑sufficiency.
- Dennis LaSalle (LaSalle Solutions) supported the Progressive Design Build amendments, urging the city to stay competitive with other agencies like the Metropolitan Water District.
- Blair Beekman spoke on several items, urging lower parking rates, better transparency on RFID and parking‑meter technology, supporting open cross‑border dialogue with Tijuana, and expressing support for HUD’s role in nonpartisan community investment.
- Carla Camacho (Ocean Discovery Institute) thanked the council for CDBG funding that supports tuition‑free science programs for youth in City Heights.
- Becky Rapp, Judy Strang, and Peggy Walker urged the council to adopt smoke‑free policies for all HUD‑funded multi‑unit housing to protect public health.
- Bob Kazuski urged the council to adopt President Trump’s executive orders on homelessness and drug abuse.
- Joyce Sandoval expressed concern about potential termination of the ESG program, requested corrections in the CAPER document, and praised the CPP selection process.
- Ernie Castle (Torrey Pines Gliderport pilot) spoke against commercialization and access fees at the public park.
Discussion Items
- Proclamations: Councilmember Whitburn presented the Transit Month proclamation, noting MTS ridership reached 80 million trips (a 7.1 % increase), recovering to 95 % of pre‑pandemic levels. MTS received the Department of Homeland Security’s Gold Standard Award. Councilmembers Ila Rivera and Moreno voiced strong support, emphasizing transit equity and environmental benefits.
- Consent Appointments: Councilmember Von Wilpert nominated Chris Ryle for the Board of Library Commissioners, citing his extensive publishing and graphic‑novel background. Councilmembers Ila Rivera and Foster praised the Progressive Design Build policy change as a tool for cost savings and transparency, and thanked community volunteers and appointees for their service.
- Informational Item 613 (FY 2025 CAPER): Economic Development staff presented the HUD‑required annual report. The city invested over $39 million in federal grant funds (CDBG, HOME, ESG), supporting 125 unique projects through partnerships with over 60 nonprofits. Outcomes included serving over 33,000 people, 353 small businesses, and constructing 15 affordable rental housing units (e.g., Nestor Senior Village). The public comment period on the draft CAPER ended September 18; the final report is due to HUD by September 28.
- Council Comments: Councilmember Campbell addressed a lockdown at Claremont High School due to a shooting threat and called for renewed action on gun violence. Councilmember Von Wilpert announced the opening of the new Terminal One at San Diego International Airport, a $3.8 billion project completed on time and on budget.
Key Outcomes
- Proclamations 600 and 601 were adopted unanimously (7‑0).
- Consent Calendar (Items 602‑612, 614) was adopted unanimously (7‑0).
- Item 613 (CAPER) was informational; no vote was taken. The final report is due to HUD by September 28, 2025.
- The council expressed concern about the uncertainty of federal funding for HOME, ESG, and HOPWA programs under the incoming administration.
- The meeting was adjourned to the next regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, September 29, 2025.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. I will now call the special city council meeting of Monday, September 22nd, 2025 to order. Clerk, will you please call the rule? Thank you, Council President Pro Tem. Councilmember Campbell. Here. Councilmember Whitburn. Here. Councilmember Foster. Councilmember Von Wilper. Council President Pro Tem Lee. Here. Councilmember Campio. Councilmember Moreno. Present. And Councilmember Elo Rivera. And Council President Lakava. Also attending the meeting, our assistant city attorney Leslie Fitzgerald, Deputy Director in the IBA's office, Jillian Andalina, Council of Affairs Advisor in the Mayor's Office, Coda Seizer, and myself, your city clerk, the NF Went this. Thank you, Council President Pro Tem. Thank you. A quorum is now present. We'll begin this morning with a land acknowledgement and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Councilmember Campbell. Thank you. Please rise. We respectfully acknowledge that the Kumeyay Nation are the original inhabitants of the unceded land now known as San Diego. Despite enduring the horrors of genocide and colonization, the Kumya spirit remains unbroken. We honor the resilience of their ancestors who fought to protect their culture and land. And today they carry their legacy forward, ensuring that their traditions continue to thrive in gratitude and strength. We stand with the Kumbiai Nation connected to our past and committed to a thriving future. Please face the flag and put your right hand over your heart, and let's say the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag. And to the republic where we just stand. Underground. Thank you. I'll highlight the slide on the screen that reviews the public, how the public can offer their public testimony during today's meeting. Please note that the time allocations for proclamations and consent items for the meeting management purposes is one minute per person, a maximum of three minutes for three items or more. If you're in person, please complete a speaker slip locate at the entrance of chambers and bring it to the front of the room. 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. Thank you, Council President. Thank you. We'll now dispense with the approval of the proclamation items. Clerk please proceed with public comment. The public comment period for the proclamation items is now open. If each speaker will have one minute per item per person, the proclamation items being approved are items 600 and 601. I added a couple of numbers to the camera. Thank you. And again, if you want that to happen, then you need to provide public transit that's going to be useful for everybody, and it's going to be easy, like they want to do it, where you don't have to incentivize that kind of stuff. And then for this remote ocean systems, I understand that you know, nuclear defense is something that is, you know, something that's important to, you know, want to pay attention to. But when you guys are pushing all of this climate stuff, and then you are, you know, promoting something that actually goes and deals with offshore oil and and potentially, you know, watches it remotely or whatever to make sure things don't happen.
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