Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee Meeting - September 7, 2022
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Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee Meeting - September 7, 2022
The Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee of the San Diego City Council met on September 7, 2022, to consider a consent agenda, a response to a grand jury report on smart street lights, a HOME ARP allocation plan, and informational items on the CAPER and community paramedicine. The meeting included public testimony on multiple topics, including the PROTECT ordinance, flavored tobacco, and marijuana businesses. All action items were approved unanimously.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Committee Actions (June 8 and June 20, 2022): Approved unanimously with no discussion.
- Item 1 – Helicopter Maintenance Contract (Rotorcraft Support Inc.): Approved as an ordinance (not a resolution) authorizing a 10-year agreement (5-year base + five 1-year options) for up to $10.4 million for parts and helicopter maintenance services for the San Diego Fire Rescue Department. The correction was made to reflect that an ordinance is required due to the 10-year term.
- Item 2 – Personal Protective Equipment for Firefighters: Approved as part of the consent agenda.
- Item 3 – (Not specified in transcript, but included in consent): Approved.
Public Comments & Testimony
Non-Agenda Public Comment:
- Francine Maxwell (Southeastern San Diego resident): Requested the committee ask Council President Sean Elo-Rivera to provide more than 72 hours' notice for the CPP ordinance, citing the need for community preparation.
- Judy Strang (parent advocate and public health educator): Called attention to flavored THC marijuana products attracting young adults and requested the committee form a work group to study emerging data.
- Becky Rapp (District 5 resident): Raised concerns about a marijuana outlet applicant (Urban Leaf) in Rancho Bernardo, stating that the city accepted self-reported distance measurements and traffic studies without verification, and urged enforcement of municipal code safeguards.
- Peggy Walker (public health educator): Cited a NIH Monitoring the Future report showing marijuana use among teens and young adults (ages 19-30) reached an all-time high in 2021, and urged the committee to question policies that encourage high-potency drug use.
- Caller ending in 7651 (organizer with Asian Fazer Collective): Expressed support for the PROTECT ordinance, sharing personal experience of being stopped for balding tires and having his vehicle searched while holding a newborn. Noted a July 2021 Center for Police Equity report showing disproportionate stops of Black, Latino, and LGBTQ+ communities.
- Christina Mananka (associate director of Asian Clodia Collective): Called for support of the PROTECT ordinance to address racial justice and equity.
- Brandon Segua (District 7 resident): Requested the committee hold police officers accountable and support the PROTECT ordinance, citing disproportionate stops and searches of marginalized communities.
- Weidad Schlota (California Democratic Party 78th District Delegate, District 3 resident): Urged approval of the PROTECT ordinance, citing stop rates: Pacific Islanders at 126%, Latinos at 60%, Black people at 85%, and mentally disabled individuals at 81% higher than the white population. Stated that PROTECT would require probable cause for stops.
Public Comment on Item 4 (Grand Jury Report):
- Seth Hall: Welcomed the IBA's proposed response as focusing on community engagement, but expressed concern that the conversation continues to frame the smart streetlights as a surveillance system rather than the originally intended climate data purposes.
Public Comment on Item 5 (HOME ARP):
- Francine Maxwell: Criticized the lack of disaggregated data on how $802.5 million in homelessness funding is spent on African Americans, who make up less than 6% of the regional population but have the highest unsheltered rate. Called for more than one minute of public comment time.
Public Comment on Item 6 (CAPER): No speakers.
Public Comment on Item 7 (Community Paramedicine): No speakers.
Discussion Items
Item 4 – Proposed Response to Grand Jury Report: Smart Street Lights – Wasted Investments
- The IBA presented the proposed response (IBA Report 22-25), which disagrees with several findings and recommendations. Key points:
- Finding 4 (exigent need for accelerated legislative action): Disagree – crime rates have not increased dramatically compared to historic levels.
- Finding 5 (annual loan payments of $2.3 million for unused equipment is fiscally irresponsible): Disagree – actual annual loan payment for cameras is $1 million; total loan drawn was $19.9 million, not $30.2 million.
- Finding 6 (privacy advisory board should include law enforcement and victims' rights advocates): Partially disagree – the city supports diversity, but appointees must meet ordinance requirements.
- Recommendations: The mayor's proposed responses include prioritizing smart streetlights through the surveillance technology ordinance process. The council's proposed responses state that lifting the moratorium without completing the privacy advisory board review and cost-benefit analysis is not warranted or reasonable.
- Committee members expressed support for the response, emphasizing the need for transparency and oversight. Councilmember Von Wilpert noted that the original program was sold as an environmental sustainability project but failed to deliver on those promises. The committee approved the response and forwarded it to the full City Council.
Item 5 – HOME ARP Allocation Plan ($20,956,979)
- Presentation by Angela Nazareno Clark (HUD Program Manager) outlined the city's plan to use HOME American Rescue Plan funds for affordable rental housing development and acquisition/development of non-congregate shelters. The plan is based on consultations, surveys, and identified gaps, including 200 affordable rental units estimated. The city will not fund supportive services directly (better sourced through county) or tenant-based rental assistance (already funded by other programs).
- Committee discussion: Councilmember Von Wilpert asked about the 500 crisis response shelter beds identified in the community action plan; staff clarified they are part of the shelter system. Questions about substance abuse and behavioral health services were answered by county partnerships. Council President Pro Tem Montgomery-Step emphasized the need to disaggregate data by race, particularly for Black populations overrepresented in homelessness, and requested a timeline for the RTFH ad hoc committee report on Black homelessness.
- The committee approved the allocation plan and associated actions (items 1-7) unanimously.
Item 6 – Fiscal Year 2022 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) (Informational)
- Presentation by Michelle Morano (Economic Development Department) summarized $37 million in HUD entitlement funds (CDBG, HOME, ESG) supporting 127 projects, serving over 19,000 people, 341 households, 219 businesses, and improving six community facilities. Highlights included: 230 affordable housing units (including Ivy Senior Apartments), 7,000+ individuals experiencing homelessness served, 219 small businesses supported, and public services reaching nearly 7,000 people. The draft CAPER is in a 15-day public comment period (through September 16) and will be presented to the full council on September 20.
- Committee members thanked staff and noted the importance of fair housing investigations. No action required.
Item 7 – Community Paramedicine Introduction and Strategic Vision (Informational)
- Presentation by Deputy Chief Jody Pierce and Program Manager Ann Jensen (San Diego Fire Rescue EMS Division) on the Resource Access Program (RAP), which began in 2008 and addresses high 911 utilizers and vulnerable populations. The program uses specially trained community paramedics to provide care navigation. Key updates: State law AB 1544 (Community Paramedicine and Triage to Alternate Destination Act) takes effect October 1, 2022, allowing ambulances to transport to sobering and mental health destinations. The program is transitioning to the formal name “Community Health Program.” The team includes 8 community paramedics, 2 clinicians, 2 FALC positions, a county human services specialist, and a planned psychiatrist. One case example: a homeless woman with meth addiction and mental illness who called 150 times a year was connected to housing and heart surgery, and has not called in a year.
- Committee members praised the program and offered to advocate for funding and county coordination. Councilmember Von Wilpert noted the importance of conservatorship tools and the city attorney's new unit. Staff noted that the program is a national leader.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda (Items 1-3): Approved unanimously (motion by Von Wilpert, second by Campillo). Item 1 was corrected to an ordinance.
- Item 4 – Grand Jury Report Response: Approved unanimously to forward to the full City Council with the proposed response as presented.
- Item 5 – HOME ARP Allocation Plan: Approved unanimously (motion by Von Wilpert, second by Campillo). The plan authorizes the acceptance and expenditure of $20,956,979 and submittal to HUD.
- Item 6 – CAPER: No action taken; informational only.
- Item 7 – Community Paramedicine: No action taken; informational only.
- Next Meeting: The committee will reconvene on October 6, 2022.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning, everyone. While the public is allowed to attend the meetings in person, we encourage you to maintain six feet of social distance as well as follow California mask guidelines where masks are strongly recommended. In addition to being able to attend in person, this meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and the committee liaison will continue to make arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform. Additionally, members of the public who wish to provide testimony via a call-in or an internet-based service option must enter the virtual speaking queue within five minutes after the conclusion of in-person public testimony or before the virtual speaking queue is exhausted, whichever occurs first. This will allow for better meeting management between the two platforms and ensure the council is able to manage and conduct city business. We appreciate the public's cooperation. Committee member Von Wilpert. And committee member Campio. Here. Thank you. Also attending the meeting is Laura Easton, Office of the City Attorney, Charles Monica, R IBA, and Chloe Triplett, Office of the Mayor. If you are in person, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of chambers and place it in the box indicated at the speaker's lectern at the front of the room. Please do so in a timely manner to ensure proper meeting management. 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 website. The link to join the committee meeting webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone is listed on the agenda. To join the Zoom webinar by telephone, please dial 1669-254-5252. When prompted, input webinar ID 160-780-231 pound. Please note that if you're watching via City TV 24 or online, there may be a delay. If you are in person, please come up to the reserved seats at the front of the room when your name is called and be prepared to come up to the lecture in the order called. If you've 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 into the meeting by cell phone or landline, press star six on your phone to unmute yourself. We will review these instructions briefly again when the public comment period for 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, please mute the volume on your TV or computer before you begin to speak. A quorum is now present, and we will now take up the approval of the committee actions of June 8th and June 20. Tiffany, uh, please proceed with public comment. The public comment period for this item is now open. If you are in person, please be sure to have your speaker slip submitted and come to the reserve seats at the front of the room when your name is called and be prepared to come up to lecture in the order called. Members of the public who wish to provide testimony via call-in or internet-based service option must enter the virtual speaking queue within five minutes after the conclusion of in-person public testimony or before the virtual speaking queue is exhausted, whichever occurs first. If you already joined the Zoom webinar online or by phone, please raise your hand if you wish to speak. If you're watching on City TV or the live stream online, it would like to call into the meeting to speak. Please call 1669-254-5252. When prompted input webinar ID 160 780 2331 pound. As a reminder, virtual speakers, please raise your hand to speak. You can do so by selecting the raise your hand button or input star nine if by phone. So we'll go to the virtual queue. See one person with their hand raised currently. So go to Christina Peggy. Christina Peggy, I don't see you anymore in the queue. So I'm gonna go to phone number ending in 7651. Phone number ending in 7651, please unmute yourself. Phone number ending in 7651, please unmute yourself. I see you have unmuted yourself. Can you please speak? Yes, we can hear you. Yeah, can you? Okay, my name is Juan, and I'm uh organizer with Asian Fazer Collective. I'm calling in support of the Protect Order.
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