Public Safety & Livable Neighborhoods Committee Meeting - April 14, 2021
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Public Safety & Livable Neighborhoods Committee Meeting - April 14, 2021
The Public Safety & Livable Neighborhoods Committee met virtually on April 14, 2021, due to Executive Order 29-20 suspending certain Brown Act requirements. The committee reviewed and approved consent items, heard public testimony on marijuana normalization and police accountability, and discussed four major agenda items: FY2022 HUD entitlement grant allocations, San Diego Police Department officer wellness, the Tech Hire workforce program, and the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant update. The meeting lasted from approximately 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of March 10, 2020 committee actions: Moved by Vice Chair Campillo, seconded by Committee Member Whitburn, passed unanimously (3-0).
- Item 1 – Bird Rock Maintenance Assessment District Agreement: Approved unanimously (3-0) as part of the consent agenda.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Non-Agenda Public Comment:
- Becky Rapp (parent and youth group mentor): Raised concerns about marijuana use among youth and adults, linking it to mental health crises. Urged the committee to protect the city from normalizing marijuana and to educate about negative effects.
- Kathleen Lippitt (parent and educator): Compared the marijuana industry to Big Tobacco, arguing it targets low-income and minority communities under the guise of social justice. Asked the committee to resist legitimizing high-potency marijuana.
- Francine Maxwell (NAACP San Diego Branch): Requested public hearings on San Diego Police Department policy changes and outcomes, demanded a transparent investigation of the February 12 shooting of Mr. Penn, and criticized reliance on the Citizens Advisory Board (CAB). Announced a town hall on traffic stops on April 21.
- Item 2 Public Comment:
- Alexis Villanueva (Senior Program Manager, City Heights CDC): Supported the Community Economic Development NOFA, stressing that communities severely impacted by COVID-19 need recovery funding.
- Item 3 Public Comment:
- Samantha Jenkins (District 4 constituent, CAB member): Thanked the police department for the wellness presentation and asked for the timeline of the Center for Policing Equity study on SDPD practices.
- Items 4 & 5: No public comments.
Discussion Items
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Item 2 – FY2022 HUD Entitlement Grant Program Allocations & Annual Action Plan:
- Staff (Angela Nazareno Clark and Michelle Morano) presented the $28 million+ CDBG budget, $13.8 million HOME program, and $1 million Emergency Solutions Grant. Key allocations included $3.43 million through competitive NOFA, $1.3 million homeless set-aside, $10 million for a first-ever affordable housing NOFA, $7.7 million for city capital improvement projects (e.g., University Avenue Complete Street, Southeastern Mini Park), and continuation of Tech Hire, Connect to Careers, and city mentorship programs. The Consolidated Plan Advisory Board had unanimously recommended approval.
- Committee members asked about the affordable housing NOFA (managed by Economic Development, not Housing Commission), extensions due to COVID, and the status of the Cortez Hill Family Center (property sold to Community Housing Works for affordable housing, families moved to Palm Avenue motel). The SMART program at the motel is paused.
- Committee voted to recommend City Council approval of actions 1–28 (motion by Vice Chair Campillo, second by Committee Member Whitburn). All voted yes.
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Item 3 – San Diego Police Department Officer & Civilian Staff Wellness (Informational):
- Assistant Chief Keith Lucas, Captain Bernie Cologne, and Sergeant Edwin Coretti presented the department’s Wellness Unit, established in 2011. It includes 17 contracted therapists, 14 chaplains, over 100 peer supporters, and a 24/7 hotline. In response to COVID-19, a 24-hour hotline was set up for symptom tracking, testing, and contact tracing. The unit provides mindfulness training, the Corticle app, and family support.
- Committee members discussed the stigma reduction, budget (estimated $50,000–$100,000 annually), and services for addiction. The unit has two female staff to serve female officers. Committee expressed support and requested a budget line item for future funding.
- No vote required.
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Item 4 – San Diego Workforce Partnership Tech Hire Program Update (Informational):
- Michelle Morano and Kelly Wilkinson reported on the program’s fourth year. Since inception, 797 job seekers served (81% low/moderate income). In FY2021 (with $500,000), 115 enrolled, 66 placed in employment at an average wage of $21/hour. Notable success stories included internship conversions and Microsoft Azure certifications. Proposed FY2022 allocations: $800,000 for Tech Hire (target 132 job seekers), $200,000 for Connect to Careers, and $500,000 for the city mentorship program (from FY2021 carryover).
- Committee discussed the cost per participant ($800k for 132 vs. $500k for 115 earlier), the wage increase to $18/hour for internships, and engagement with major employers. About 55% of the budget goes to direct wage subsidies; 76 participants reported no fixed address.
- No vote required.
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Item 5 – San Diego Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Update (Informational):
- Megan Beale (Office of Homeland Security) explained the UASI grant, administered by FEMA. San Diego is one of 31 high-risk urban areas eligible. FY2020 allocation was $13.9 million. The grant requires 25% for law enforcement terrorism prevention, a 50% personnel cap, and national priority minimums (e.g., 7.5% for cybersecurity, 7.5% for combating domestic violent extremism in FY2021). The Urban Area Working Group (UAG) had previously operated without public Brown Act meetings, but as of March 11, 2021, the UAG charter was updated to comply with the Brown Act. The first Brown Act-compliant UAG meeting was held March 25.
- Committee questioned the risk assessment (THIRA), election security funding (portable bollards for polling places), and transparency. The city of San Diego’s voting member is Fire Chief Colin Stowell. Future council documents will include the list of funded projects.
- No vote required.
Key Outcomes
- Item 2: Committee unanimously recommended City Council approval of all 28 actions for FY2022 HUD entitlement grants, including the annual action plan and funding allocations. The final action plan must be submitted to HUD by May 14, 2021.
- Consent Calendar: Both the March 10, 2020 minutes and the Bird Rock Maintenance Assessment District agreement were approved unanimously.
- Informational Items: No formal votes were taken on items 3, 4, and 5. Committee members expressed support and requested follow-up briefings on specific topics (e.g., THIRA results, budget for wellness, and updates on the SMART program and Cortez Hill property).
- Next Meeting: Scheduled for Wednesday, May 9 a.m. (date not specified in transcript).
Meeting Transcript
Good morning per executive order 29-20, which suspends certain requirements of the Brown Act. The committee 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 you details on how the public can offer their public testimony. I will now call the public safety livable neighborhoods committee meeting of April 14th order. I'll now call the roll. Vice Chair Campillo. I saw you earlier, so I knew you were here. Committee member Whitburn. Good morning, I'm here. Committee member Von Wilper. Good morning, present. Thank you. Each committee member is attending virtually. Also on the virtual meeting is Falkland, Office of the City Attorney, Bakou Patel, the IBA, Matt Yagegan, Office of the Mayor. The public may view the meetings on public television on City TV channel 24 for Cox Communication and Time Warner Cable or Channel 99 for ATT or view the meeting online by going to the City Council Committee's homepage at Sandiego.gov and selecting the City TV Live Webcast blue button on the right hand 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, a laptop, tablet, or smartphone, or by calling into the meeting using a smartphone, a cellular phone, or a landline. The link to join the committee meeting webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone is listed on the agenda on how to join by iPhone one tap. To join the Zoom webinar by telephone, you may dial either 1669 2545252 when prompted or excuse me, when prompted input webinar ID 160780-2331 pound. This information is also available on the agenda and will appear on the screen during the 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 phone. You will be taken in the order in which you raise your hand. You may only speak once on a particular item. When our committee consultant Chloe Triplett 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 number if you have 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 to select to unmute your device. If you have called into the meeting by cell phone or landline, press start 6 on your phone to unmute yourself. We will review these instructions briefly when the 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 your comments. Also mute the volume on your TV or computer before you begin to speak. A quorum is now present. We will dispense with the approval of the committee actions of March 10, 2020. Do I have a motion to approve the committee actions? I still move. I will motion for that by the vice chair. And did I hear a second? Yes, ma'am. And second by committee member Whitburn. We will now take uh council member questions and comments, and each council member will register their vote. Please mute yourselves once you have completed your comments. Chair Campio. No questions, thank you. I vote yes. Thank you. Committee member Whitburn. Yes.
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