Community and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - July 27, 2023
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Community and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - July 27, 2023
The Community and Neighborhood Services Committee of the San Diego City Council met on July 27, 2023, at 9 a.m. Chair Campbell presided, with Councilmember Campillo and Council President Sean Elo-Rivera (Vice Chair) present. Councilmember Whitburn was absent. The committee approved its June 29, 2023 actions and received an informational update on the Child and Youth Master Plan.
Consent Calendar
- Prior to the vote, public comment was received from Dan Smikowski, who urged free admission for children to the San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld and commented on other matters.
- Motion by Councilmember Campillo, seconded by Council President Elo-Rivera, to approve the committee actions from June 29, 2023. The motion passed 3-0, with Councilmember Whitburn absent.
Public Comments & Testimony
Non-Agenda Public Comment:
- Cesar Javier described health and safety concerns from a nearby ceramics/kiln operation and pleaded for the city to cease those operations.
- Joy Sanyata requested a dedicated agenda item on older adults (homelessness, digital divide, demographics) and urged more focus on homeless youth.
- Miguel McCall, co-spokesperson for the Roll Up for Equity campaign, presented postcards from a citizen survey on medical cannabis access and consumption lounges, urging council consideration during the social equity ordinance process.
- Terry Best, a District 3 voter, argued that cannabis outlets should be distributed throughout neighborhoods so people can walk to them, and advocated for equity for people of color in the cannabis industry.
- Terry Ann Skelly, a youth program volunteer, raised concerns about high-potency THC products and asked about enforcement measures such as decoy operations and code enforcement checks for flavored inhalable marijuana products.
- Dan Smikowski, in virtual comment, advised residents with air quality concerns to hire a private lab to analyze the air.
- Becky Rapp, a resident and planning group attendee, expressed concern about the SEED program expanding the number of pot shops by 36 and removing protective barriers; she said planning groups were not adequately informed.
- Kathleen Lippitt opposed expanding marijuana businesses using an equity lens, asserting marijuana harms youth and citing child safety concerns.
- Judy Strang questioned whether marijuana shops were the best investment for poor neighborhoods, urging education and career pathways instead.
- Blair Beekman spoke in favor of technology accountability and youth civic engagement, referencing an upcoming surveillance tech ordinance.
Public Comment on Item 1 (Child and Youth Master Plan):
- Joyce Sanyata praised the master plan and its focus on lifting up youth, families, and homeless youth.
- Aaron Hogeboom, director of San Diego for Every Child and co-lead of the Children First Collective, commended the Office of Child and Youth Success (OCYS) for its community engagement and urged sufficient runway and resources for broad participation.
- Blair Beekman again spoke on technology accountability and youth involvement in shaping democratic processes.
- Kathleen Lippitt cited statistics connecting marijuana use to child abuse/fatalities and youth suicides, urging council to consider how cannabis expansion might undermine child and youth goals.
- Judy Strang shared observations from two town halls, noting attendees were mostly youth-serving adults and advocating for direct youth outreach and mental health services.
Discussion Items
Item 1: Update on the Process and Received Community Input for the Implementation of a Child and Youth Master Plan
Andrea O'Hara, Executive Director of the Office of Child and Youth Success, presented an informational update. Key points included:
- The Child and Youth Master Plan (CYMP) aims to create a shared vision of services, programs, and resources for children, youth, and families through equitable cross-generational solutions.
- Phase 1 included nine multilingual virtual town halls held in May and June. O'Hara reported 95 total attendees; however, when Council President Elo-Rivera referenced 105 participants, she confirmed that figure as the total, creating a discrepancy in the transcript. Attendees were predominantly adults 25 and older (74%), with 27% youth/young adults and 29% parents/caregivers.
- More than 40 focus groups are planned (8–12 participants each), capturing well over 400 youth voices; 17 focus groups have already been completed, with significant outreach in City Heights and Southeastern San Diego.
- A contract was awarded to SAY San Diego in March 2023, following seven proposals reviewed by a team of five city departments.
- A questionnaire in English and Spanish received 58 responses.
- Fifty-nine organizations have signed up to participate in steering committees, which will focus on topics including youth empowerment, child care, education, and workforce development.
- Additional OCYS priorities include an internal child care benefit pilot program, collaboration with the county's child care blueprint, onboarding nine employee and empower interns, providing one-time grants for refugee students, and serving as liaison to the Youth Commission.
Councilmember Campillo expressed strong support, noted that nearly 30% of households have children and 49.3% of children live with foreign-born parents, and called the plan an equity and economic investment. Council President Elo-Rivera asked clarifying questions about participation numbers, division of labor between OCYS and SAY San Diego, and outreach to 14–17-year-olds, foster youth, and homeless youth. A representative from SAY San Diego explained that they are using grassroots partners and focus groups to reach underrepresented communities. Chair Campbell thanked O'Hara and the interns and expressed optimism about the future.
Key Outcomes
- Approved the consent calendar (June 29, 2023 committee actions) by a vote of 3-0.
- No motion was required for the informational item; no vote was taken on the Child and Youth Master Plan update.
- The next committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 7, 2023, at 1 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon. Welcome to the community and neighborhood services committee meeting of July 27, 2023. The committee liaison, Natalie Kessler will provide information and instruction. While members of the public are able to attend meetings in person, this meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and council administration will continue to make arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform. Additionally, members of the public who wish to provide virtual testimony must enter the virtual speaking queue by raising their hand before the queue closes. The queue will close when the last virtual speaker finishes speaking or five minutes after in-person testimony ends, whichever occurs first. This will allow for better meeting management between the two platforms and ensure the committee is able to manage and conduct city business. Chair Campbell. Thank you. And I will now call the roll. Councilmember Campillo. Here. And Vice Chair of the Committee and President of the Council, Sean Eloh Rivera. Present. Thank you. And uh Councilmember Whitburn will be absent from today's meeting, but I am also present. And uh also attending the meeting is Chris Ackerman of Vila of the Mayor's Office, Karen Lee of the City Attorney's Office, Bakou Patel with the Independent Budget Analysts' Office, and Natalie Kessler, our committee liaison. Natalie, please continue with public instructions. If you're attending in person and wish to speak on any items, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of chambers and place it in the box indicated at the speaker in this at the speaker's lecture and in the front of the room. Please do so in a timely manner to ensure proper meeting management. In-person testimony will conclude before virtual testimony begins. Members of the public can join the webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone by accessing the link which is listed online in the preamble language of the agenda on the city's webpage. To join the Zoom webinar by telephone, please dial 1669-2545252. When prompted, input webinar ID 160-990-0498 Pound. This information is also available on the agenda and will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each agenda item. Please note that if you're watching via City TV 24 or online, there may be a delay, and please participate via the audio on your phone and mute your TV or computer when it is your turn to speak. When I introduce the item you would like to comment on, please raise your hand by either tapping the raise your hand button on your computer, tablet, or smartphone, or press star nine on your phone. You'll be taken in the order in which you raise your hand. If you're in person, please come up to the reserve seats at the front of the room when your name is called and be prepared to come up to the lectern. And if you have joined the webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone, you will receive a pop-up notice to select to unmute your device. If you've called in, please press star six on your phone to unmute yourself. And we will review these instructions briefly again when the public comment period on the item is open. Also, as a reminder, please mute the volume on your TV or computer before you begin to speak. Chair Campbell. Dan Smikowski, please unmute yourself and provide your comments on the past committee actions. It occurred to me that any child unable financially to go to our beautiful zoo or sea world ought to be admitted at no charge. That's quite reasonable. We don't have a greater resource in America. No money, no amount of financial gain can ever replace that of a child. And we have beautiful golf course. Fifty-eight years ago. We play golf for almost free. We were issued a card, little card they checked off a card, and you could play at Mission Bay or Balboa or Tory Pines, and we played every day. We need this, San Diego. And on a on a separate note. And not enough aid to our own people here in America and the children of this country. We need to think about America first. Thank you. Thank you. And Chair, that will conclude uh comments on the past committee action.
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