San Diego Economic Development Committee Meeting - March 10, 2021
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San Diego Economic Development and Intergovernmental Relations Committee Meeting – March 10, 2021
The Economic Development and Intergovernmental Relations Committee met virtually on March 10, 2021, to discuss three information items: the Strategic Alliance of Ethnic Chambers' COVID-19 small business outreach, the Arts and Culture Citywide Impact Map, and the Fiscal Year 2020 San Diego Tourism Marketing District Performance Report. The meeting included public testimony on non-agenda items and each agenda item.
Consent Calendar
- The committee unanimously approved the actions from the February 10, 2021 meeting.
Public Comments & Testimony
Non-Agenda Public Comment:
- Barbara Gordon emphasized the need for city focus on youth mental health, substance abuse, and job training, especially given the lack of in-person schooling.
- Joy Sunata (District 3) shared a positive experience of a car-free Gaslamp, urging a reimagined new norm in all neighborhoods.
- Carol Green spoke about the loss of young entrepreneurs due to mental health issues and marijuana use, citing her son's death and urging caution in dispensary proliferation.
Item 1 – Strategic Alliance of Ethnic Chambers COVID-19 Small Business Outreach:
- No public comments were made.
Item 2 – Arts and Culture Citywide Impact Map:
- Peter Kaminski (Arts and Culture San Diego) thanked the committee and commission for the mapping tool, highlighting its importance for recovery.
- Joy Sunata (District 3) expressed excitement about the map and stressed equity in technology access for seniors.
Item 3 – Fiscal Year 2020 San Diego Tourism Marketing District Performance Report:
- Rebecca Ribsick (Downtown San Diego Partnership) praised the TMD as a public-private partnership that stimulates economic development.
- Elvin Lai (San Diego County Lodging Association) emphasized the TMD's importance for marketing and the ripple effect benefiting all neighborhoods.
- Dania Duke (San Diego Lodging Association) noted California is the only state not allowing meetings, urging council support for the TMD budget.
Discussion Items
Item 1 – Strategic Alliance of Ethnic Chambers COVID-19 Small Business Outreach
- The committee received a presentation from Donna DeBerry (Central San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce), Jason Pagiao (Asian Business Association), and Ricardo Lobilla (San Diego County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce) on the $500,000 city grant for underserved businesses. Highlights included:
- 213 grant applications denied due to federal paperwork burdens; $475,000 allocated out of $500,000.
- Over 21,750 targeted businesses reached; 2,553 minority-owned businesses served across the SBDC network.
- 42 presentations delivered, materials translated into 8 languages, and outreach via ethnic media (Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, etc.).
- Councilmember Kate questioned the types of businesses served (restaurants, personal services) and the breakdown of Asian businesses (Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean).
- Councilmember Moreno noted that Spanish-language media was not highlighted in the presentation; the Hispanic Chamber confirmed use of Radio Latina and Telemundo.
- Councilmember Ilo Rivera asked about barriers for applicants, with DeBerry citing systemic issues and the need for continued technical assistance.
- Chair Campillo emphasized the importance of trust and offered council support for future outreach.
Item 2 – Arts and Culture Citywide Impact Map
- Jonathan Glus and Christine Jones (Commission for Arts and Culture) presented the FY20 interactive map showing the reach of city-funded arts organizations. Key data:
- FY20: 383 unique outreach sites, 600,000 participants, 1,088 points of connection across the city; FY19 had 685 sites.
- The map helps identify equity gaps; District 8 had the lowest investment.
- Councilmember Moreno noted the disparity and asked about plans to boost spending; Glus mentioned outreach to new organizations (e.g., Sherman Heights Community Center) and using fiscal agents.
- Councilmember Ilo Rivera asked about biases in defining arts and culture; Glus noted the need for a cultural plan where the community defines arts.
- Chair Campillo highlighted the value of the tool and commitment to equity.
Item 3 – Fiscal Year 2020 San Diego Tourism Marketing District Performance Report
- Elizabeth Studebaker (Economic Development), Colleen Anderson (SDTMD), and Carrie Kapich (SDTA) presented the FY20 report, covering the severe impact of COVID-19:
- Visitor spending fell from $11.6B (2019) to $5.2B (2020); hotel occupancy dropped to 64% from 19% below previous year.
- Over 50,000 jobs lost in leisure and hospitality; TOT revenues down from $250M to an estimated $53M year-to-date.
- SDTA generated 1M+ group sales room nights pre-pandemic; overall ROI for TMD funding was 15:1 (down from 19.4:1 in FY19).
- Contractors funded included California State Games, USTA Tennis, Surf Cup, Holiday Bowl, etc.; some events were canceled with reimbursed costs.
- Councilmember Kate asked about FY22 outlook; Anderson noted budget pushed back, hoping for vaccine rollout. Kapich highlighted California's competitive disadvantage and the need for guidelines.
- Councilmember Moreno questioned why businesses with fewer than 70 rooms are excluded from TMD; staff explained the 2016 modification focused on highest ROI. Moreno called the change short-sighted and urged inclusion of short-term rentals.
- Councilmember Ilo Rivera asked about platforms (e.g., Airbnb) contributing; staff noted they pay TOT but not into the district, and a new district would be needed.
Key Outcomes
- The committee received all three information items without a vote.
- Councilmembers expressed support for the Strategic Alliance's work, committing to advocate for future funding and outreach partnership.
- The committee encouraged the Commission for Arts and Culture to continue equity-focused outreach and consider a cultural plan.
- The committee acknowledged the severe impact on tourism and called for state guidelines to reopen meetings and conventions. They offered to support advocacy efforts. The next meeting was scheduled for April 14, 2021.
Meeting Transcript
Chair, please proceed. Good afternoon. For executive order 2920, which suspends certain requirements of the Brown Act, some of the council members will be participating via Zoom, and no members of the public will be in attendance at the meeting in the interest of public health and safety. In addition, this meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and the committee liaison has made arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform. We appreciate the public's cooperation. I will go over the specifics of how to join the webinar and will give details on how the public can offer their public testimony. I will now call the meeting of the Economic Development and Intergovernmental Relations Committee on when of Wednesday, March 10th, 2021 to order. I will now call the roll. Vice Chair Kate. Councilmember Moreno. Here. Councilmember Elo Rivera. Present. And I am also present. Each committee member is attending virtually. Also on the virtual meeting is Jordan Moore, Fiscal and Policy Analyst from the Office of the Independent Budget Analyst. Brittany Bailey, Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Mayor Todd Gloria, and Deputy City Attorney Kate Malcolm from the Office of the City Attorney Mara Elliott. The public may view the meetings on public television on City TV, Channel 24 for Cox Communications and Time Warner Cable, or Channel 99 for the ATT, or view the meeting online by going to the City Council Committee's homepage at San Diego.gov and selecting the City TV Live Webcast blue button on the right side of the page. The committee meetings will be held virtually using the Zoom webinar platform. Members of the public can offer public comment on items by accessing the Zoom webinar online using a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone, or by calling into the meeting using a smartphone, cellular phone, or landline. The link to join the committee meeting webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone is listed on the agenda on the how to join by iPhone one tap. To join the webinar by telephone, you may dial 1669 254 5252 when prompted, input webinar ID 161 735 9340 Pound. This information is also available on the agenda and will appear on the screen during public comment period for each item. When I introduce the item you would like to comment on, you will raise your hand by either tapping the raise your hand button on your computer, tablet, or smartphone, or by pressing star 9 on your telephone. You will be taken in the order in which you raise your hand. You may also only speak once on a particular item. When our committee consultant Sophie Barnhorst indicates it is your turn to speak, she will call you by your name as it appears on the Zoom webinar attendee list, or she will read out the last four digits of your phone on your of the phone number if you've called into the meeting. That is how you'll know it is your turn to speak. If you have joined the webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone, you will receive a pop-up notice select to unmute your device. If you have called into the meeting by cell phone or landline, press star six on your phone to unmute yourself. I will review the instructions briefly again when public comment period on an item is open. Please wait until the item you wish to speak to has been called before raising your hand to speak. If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered. When you are announced as the next speaker, please unmute yourself and offer comments. Also, please mute the volume on your TV or computer before you begin to speak. A quorum is now present, so we will now move to dispense with the approval of committee actions. The actions before you are for approval for the meeting of February 10th, 2021. Do I have a motion to approve the actions? So motion. Second. Motion from Councilmember Shawnee Lo Rivera. Do I have a second? Eight seconds. I have a second from Vice Chair Kate. There being a motion and a second. We'll now take council member questions and comments and have each council member register their vote. Please remember to mute yourself once you've completed your comments. And we will begin with Vice Chair Kate. Yes. Councilmember Moreno.
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