Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee Meeting Summary - May 19, 2021

The Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee of the San Diego City Council met virtually on May 19, 2021, at 9:30 AM. The meeting was held via Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic (Executive Order 29-20). Key agenda items included approval of prior minutes, fiscal year 2022 recreation center fund budgets, and an informational update from the Criminal and Community Justice Division of the City Attorney's Office. The meeting was live-streamed on the city's website and public comment was accepted via Zoom.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the committee actions of April 14, 2021, unanimously (3-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Non-Agenda Public Comment: One speaker mistakenly commented on item 1 and was asked to call back when that item was called. No valid non-agenda comment was taken.
• Item 1 (Fiscal Year 2022 Recreation Center Fund Budgets): Four speakers provided comment.
  • Caller ending in 7234: Expressed general concern about marijuana advertising and storefronts, arguing that they threaten youth mental health and that 77% of California cities do not permit marijuana storefronts. She urged the city to continue protecting sensitive locations.
  • Becky Rapp: Mother of three teens and raising a young boy due to his mother's drug habits. She praised the parks and recreation efforts but raised concern about large marijuana billboards in Barrio Logan, visible from residential windows, and asked the city to remove all marijuana billboards in and around neighborhoods, especially those experiencing health inequities.
  • Alita Chavez (District 4, representing Oakport Community Council): Commended staff for their work at Tijuana River Valley Regional Park but requested that communities of concern in Districts 4, 8, and 9 receive higher budgets and that recreational programs be fully maintained to help children cope with COVID-19 stress.
  • Sally Small (representing Emerald Hills Neighborhood Council and Choice Valley Community Planning Group): Echoed Alita Chavez's request for increased budgets in communities of concern (D4, D8, D9) for recreation center funds.

Discussion Items

• Item 1: Fiscal Year 2022 Recreation Center Fund Budgets
  • Staff from the Parks and Recreation Department (Andy Field, Karen Dennison, Sarah Arazzo) presented the proposed budgets. The recreation center funds were established in January 2018 after a December 2017 determination that fees collected by recreation councils were in violation of the city charter. These funds (60 separate funds) are derived from class registration fees and permit fees. Approximately 78% of fund balances come from recreation program fees and 22% from permit fees. The presentation highlighted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, staff pivoted to virtual programs (over 1,000 programs reaching over 9,000 participants), summer meals at 17 parks (over 250,000 meals), and grab-and-go holiday events serving 18,000 children. For FY22, staff proposed budgets similar to FY21 with minor adjustments, as many community recreation groups did not meet during the pandemic. Additional funding for equitable recreation includes $400,000 from the Mayor's proposed FY22 budget, $750,000 from the county, and a pending $150,000 from Price Charities, supporting 16 communities of concern with programs like movies in the park, Fern Street Circus, Junior Lifeguard, Learn to Swim, and flexible community-specific programming. Wi-Fi installation is underway: 23 recreation centers already equipped, with 35 more scheduled for 2021. An equity audit is underway and expected mid-summer. Recommended actions: authorize the Chief Financial Officer to appropriate and expend recreation funds in FY21 and FY22, including carryforward, and to permit expenditure of permit fees from outside geographic areas for department-wide programs.
  • Committee members discussed the balance between staff-run and contractual programs, the influence of community willingness to pay, and equity concerns. Council President Pro Tem Whitburn asked about Wi-Fi coverage (all but about 10 facilities expected after 2021). Councilmember Von Wilpert asked about the deficit in FY21 (approximately $20,000 more expenses than revenue) but was told carryforward funds cover such variances. She also asked about safe reopening plans, with staff noting a phased reopening starting June 1, 2021. Chair Montgomery Steppe inquired about agreements with little leagues: staff explained that youth nonprofit leagues pay nominal fees ($25 per field, $20 per team) and that special use permits allow leagues to perform higher-level maintenance in exchange for preferential use.
• Item 2 (Informational): Criminal and Community Justice Divisions Update
  • John Hammerling (Assistant City Attorney) and Nicole Crosby (Chief Deputy City Attorney, Head of Strategic Development) presented an update on the Criminal and Community Justice Division. They described the division's structure, strategic priorities (victims, guns, DUIs), and key initiatives. The division receives about 20,000 criminal cases per year for prosecution. They highlighted the Gun Violence Restraining Order (GVRO) program: since inception, over 1,000 firearms have been seized. In 2020, 35% of GVRO cases involved family violence and 35% involved threats of suicide. The Nuisance Abatement Unit targets substandard housing, particularly for vulnerable populations, working with multi-agency partners. An example from the Southeastern Division pilot showed an average call volume drop from 128 calls in two years prior to 13 in 13 months after intervention. The Prosecution and Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (PLEAD) program diverts low-level drug users to community-based services before filing. In 2020, 1,200 unique individuals were referred; about 800 were accepted and referred to treatment, and of those, 32% accepted some form of treatment. 87% of PLEAD participants were homeless or at some level of homelessness. The Special Prosecutions Unit handles firearms, vehicular manslaughter, hate crimes, unlawful marijuana dispensaries, and high-profile cases vertically.
  • Committee members asked several questions.
    • Vice Chair Campillo: Asked about ghost guns (unserialized firearms). Staff confirmed a troubling increase in ghost guns, including 3D-printed and assembled from parts. They noted the City Attorney signed onto supporting state legislation. Staff also said GVROs are being sought for ghost gun possession. Regarding state trainings, staff have trained about 350 agencies before the pandemic and expect to resume. On case issuance, overall issuance rate is high, with domestic violence cases being lower due to lack of independent witnesses.
    • Council President Pro Tem Whitburn: Thanked staff for work on ghost guns, GVROs, and unlawful cannabis enforcement. He also supported the PLEAD diversion program for addressing homelessness and behavioral health, noting the importance of repeated attempts to connect individuals to services.
    • Councilmember Von Wilpert: Praised the work on elder abuse and substandard housing. Asked about success rates of PLEAD vs. SMART program. Staff reported that of about 750 offers made via SMART, 385 accepted, 270 were assessed, and about 135 remained enrolled. She also asked about prosecutorial discretion regarding marijuana dispensaries, especially for historically disadvantaged individuals. Staff said they focus on illegal operators, often using nuisance abatement rather than criminal prosecution, and work with legal dispensaries that report illegal competitors. Regarding GVRO outreach, staff advised people to call the police or the City Attorney's gun violence response unit. On ghost guns, she asked if the council could pass an ordinance; staff said they would consider and get back to her.
    • Chair Montgomery Steppe: Asked for a future briefing on the PLEAD system to understand how individuals access it. She also praised the work on substandard housing, especially in Southeastern San Diego. She asked about high-risk team community engagement (domestic violence crisis support) — staff said it is confidential and connects victims to appropriate non-profit agencies (e.g., domestic violence council, Freedom to Thrive). She also emphasized the holistic approach to gun violence, including addressing underlying conditions (economic, behavioral health) and referenced the "Let's Live" initiative and "No Shots Fired" cognitive behavioral program.

Key Outcomes

• Item 1: Motion to approve staff recommendation (authorize appropriation and expenditure of recreation center funds for FY22, including carryforward and permit fee expenditure for department-wide programs) was made by Vice Chair Campillo, seconded by Council President Pro Tem Whitburn, and passed unanimously (3-0).
• Item 2: Informational only; no vote required.
• The meeting was adjourned at approximately 11:10 AM (estimated based on meeting duration) with next meeting scheduled for Wednesday, June 16, 2021, at 9:00 AM.