Year in Review

December 2015
Volume 7 Issue 12

By Councilmember Todd Gloria

Councilmember
Todd Gloria proudly
represents
Balboa Park

2015 is a year that I will remember for several programs and projects achieved to advance the quality of
life in San Diego.
The City recently transitioned our interim housing facility from a 16-week winter tent system to a year-

Bankers Hill/Park West round indoor housing facility in order to use our limited homeless services funds more effectively. The
Downtown building includes 350 interim beds, and approximately three times as many people will receive services
Golden Hill through this change. Learn more below about the tremendous impacts of this change, and other
Hillcrest

progress made to address homelessness.

Middletown Of the neighborhood improvements completed this year, the one I hear most about is the
Mission Hills implementation of smart parking meters, many of which are equipped with pay-by-phone technology.
Normal Heights Also, well soon cut the ribbon on the dog park improvements at Ward Canyon Park which were added
North Park

to the City budget earlier this year. Other neighborhood investments are outlined starting on page 5.

Old Town As a policy wonk, I was proud this year to secure greater transparency in the Citys referendum and
South Park initiative laws, and ensure City workers could start earning sick leave. I include other policy wins through
University Heights out the following pages, and look forward to the Climate Action Plan gaining approval this month.

At this time next year, Ill be wrapping up my time as your Councilmember. I am confident we will then
recount the successful completion of many other critical initiatives that will help make San Diego a truly
Climate Action Plan, p. 2
Infrastructure Update, p. 2 great city.

In this issue

Community Connection, p. 3
Earned Sick Leave, p. 3
City Finances and Efficiency, p. 4
Progress Toward Equality, p. 4
Centennial Wrap Up, p. 5
Neighborhood Investments, p. 5
Tracking Todd, p. 8

Homelessness Progress
Homelessness remains a complex and critical challenge throughout San Diego, and its impacts would be
far worse without the efforts of the last year.

Interim Housing Facility: The transition of San Diegos interim housing facility from a seasonal tent to a
permanent structure open year round occurred on April 1 and was fully implemented on July 1. Through
September 30, 1,414 unduplicated clients were served; 863 clients exited the program and of that total
Contact Todd
454, or 53%, left for permanent or more stable housing; and 749 clients who exited, or 87%, left with
202 C Street, MS 10A
one or more source of income during the reporting period.
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone 619-236-6633 Housing First: In the year since the City and the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) committed to the
Fax 619-595-1481 Housing First approach, many positive impacts have been realized. Among Housing Firsts achievements
toddgloria@sandiego.gov
are the investment of more than $8.2 million by SDHC toward two new affordable housing
www.sandiego.gov/cd3

developments that will generate 121 new studios with supportive services; renovations of the 101-year
old Hotel Churchill, which will be home to dedicated units for homeless veterans, youth aging out of
foster care, and adults exiting the corrections system; and 180 new federal rental housing vouchers are
assisting homeless and formerly homeless San Diegans.

@ToddGloriaD3

Funding: The San Diego region was awarded more than $16 million in federal grants in 2015 to support

www.facebook.com/ housing and serving programs for local homeless people. These funds renewed effective projects
toddgloriad3

Continued on page 7

Climate Action Plan Moves Forward

The City of San Diego is poised to implement the aggressive Climate Action Plan developed by Councilmember Todd Gloria.
Scheduled for consideration by the City Council on December 15, the Climate Action Plan sets measureable goals that will help
protect the environment from further harm, including the transition to 100% renewable energy use in San Diego by 2015. Much
work in 2015 has led to this pivotal point, and Councilmember Gloria is proud of the additional steps taken this year toward energy
and water efficiency.
Water Use: The City Council approved new water regulations designed to ensure the City meets its state-required 16% reduction in
water usage. Thanks to the regulations and continuing conservation efforts by San Diegans, the City has used about 20% less this
year than 2013.
Solar Power: San Diego ranked second among major U.S. cities for installed
solar panels in the Environment California Research & Policy Centers
Shining Cities report. The report said San Diegos solar stature is largely
due to the clear commitment to solar energy from Councilmember Gloria
and other City leaders.
The fact that our City ranks second nationwide in solar proves that this
option makes both environmental and business sense for San Diegans,
Councilmember Gloria said.
Los Angeles again topped the list for most solar power installations in the
Shining Cities analysis. However, San Diego is gaining on the lead set by its
southern California neighbor, installing 42 megawatts of solar power during
2014 as compared to L.A.s 38 megawatts over the same time. According to
researchers who examined solar power installations in 65 American cities in nearly every state, San Diego had enough solar energy
online at the end of last year to power more than 32,000 homes.
Continued on page 6

Infrastructure Progress
Local neighborhoods have seen increased infrastructure
investment this year with several streets and sidewalks repaired
and significant progress made on both the Upas Street Pipeline
Project and the University Avenue Pipeline Project.
While the budget approved by the City Council includes $29.2
million for street repairs and $3.2 million for sidewalk repairs,
Councilmember Gloria remained concerned about the lack of
identified funding sources for more than $2.16 billion of San Diegos infrastructure backlog.
Also this year, the City completed long-awaited assessments on its public facilities and sidewalks, both of which included a growing
list of needs and a lack of funding options. Councilmember Gloria looks forward to analysis of the financing plan recently proposed
by Councilmember Mark Kersey, but would prefer a proposal for new revenue to dedicate to deferred maintenance.
Councilmember Gloria supported SANDAGs effort to move forward with a 2016 ballot measure to fund transportation, water
quality, and other regional projects. He noted, Since I walked door-to-door and visited 25,000 households in 2008, San Diegans
have consistently made it clear to me that they want fewer potholes, smoother sidewalks, and no more water main breaks. In
response, I have long advocated for the development of a proposal for a much-needed new funding source to address the Citys
maintenance backlog. While resources from SANDAGs measure would be collected and invested throughout the region instead of
wholly directed at the Citys $1.7 billion deferred maintenance funding gap, I believe it could provide a long-term solution to some
of the Citys neighborhood infrastructure problems. The ballot measures specifics are being developed, and SANDAG expects to
have a final draft for public review in Spring 2016.
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Community Connection: The Todd Squad is Working for You

Strengthening Public Safety

The City of San Diego is again trimming trees in the public

right of way, and staff have already been seen providing
service in North Park and University Heights in District
Three. The simplest way to find the schedule is to visit
www.sandiego.gov and search tree trimming.

An all-way stop sign was installed at the intersection of

Kansas Street and Howard Avenue.

The guard fence at the intersection of Adams Avenue and

Texas Street was replaced.

A stop light at the northeast corner of 32nd Street and

University Avenue was repaired.

At the request of a nearby resident, the intersection of

Herbert and Myrtle was evaluated for stop signs. City staff
determined the location qualified, and installation should
occur in Spring 2016.

A Dead End sign will be installed at the intersection of

Clark and Guy Streets.
Infrastructure Investment

A right turn lane was installed on Upas Street at 30th

Street.

Unnecessary red curb was removed from Balboa Drive to

allow for additional parking for Redwood Bridge Club
members.

A Cortez Hill resident reported trench work had formed a

pothole on Ash Street and 8th Avenue. City's Streets
Division filled in the pothole.
Sidewalk and alley repairs were completed between
University/Lincoln and Arizona/Hamilton.
Street repairs were completed in the 3500 block of 33rd
Street and in an alley east of the 4600 block of Oregon
Street.
Parking conversions on Park Avenue and Illinois Street
resulted in the creation of 11 new parking spaces.
A water leak was repaired in the 3900 block of 30th Street.

Community Character

A shield will be installed on a streetlight located on 35th

Street south of
Meade Avenue to
redirect light from
shining directly into
the window of a
nearby home.

Signs were installed

highlighting the
Burlingame Historic
District (pictured).

Earned Sick Leave

On April 27, the San Diego City Council unanimously approved Councilmember
Todd Glorias proposal to provide earned sick leave for hourly City employees to
comply with A.B. 1522, the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014.
City employees are committed to San Diego, and allowing them to earn sick leave
will help ensure their continued ability to serve the public in a healthy and
productive way. When I learned that over 1,300 of our employees, many of whom
worked closely with the public, didnt have the ability to take sick days, I knew
something had to be done. Providing workers with fair pay and benefits is always a
good investment, said Councilmember Gloria.
Addressing the needs of workers is an ongoing interest of Councilmember Gloria.
After championing the successful approval in 2014 of a measure that increased San
Diegos minimum wage to $11.50 per hour and provided earned sick leave of up to
five days per year, corporate interests challenged the compromise measure
through a referendum, forcing the item onto the June 2016 ballot.
While that implementation is paused, Im excited that Assemblywoman Gonzalez
secured three earned sick days statewide, said Councilmember Gloria.
A.B. 1522 was authored by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez and entitles individuals working in California for 30 or more days
within a year to paid sick leave of no less than one hour for every 30 worked. The law, which goes into effect July 1, 2015, allows
employees to earn up to three sick days per year. As a charter city, San Diego had to take steps including meeting and conferring
with its employee organizations in order to implement earned sick leave. Most City employees earn annual leave which can be
used for either vacation or sick time. Over 1,300 City employees, including recreation leaders, seasonal lifeguards, and library staff,
are not currently eligible for annual leave and will now benefit from sick leave through the implementation of A.B. 1522.
Page 3

City Finances and Government Efficiency

As Councilmember Todd Gloria wraps up his fifth consecutive year as Chair of the Budget and Government Efficiency Committee,
the fiscal strength of the City cannot be questioned, and improvements were made to increase efficiency and transparency to two
City functions.
Finances: In August, the Citys independent auditor released his Performance Audit of the City of San Diegos Financial Condition,
which determined that between Fiscal Year 2005 and Fiscal Year 2014, San Diego scored among the best compared to six cities of
similar population size for its financial improvements.
The annual budget approved on June 8 demonstrated the Citys continued focus on core services, and included several priorities
requested by Councilmember Gloria including

$2,300,000 for additional library hours spread across 23 branches and the Central Library;

$1,000,000 for the Penny for the Arts Program;

$100,000 for an interim dog park at Ward Canyon Park in Mid-City while funding is identified for phase one of the permanent
expansion; and

$100,000 to fund a staff member to reinstate the Citys Film Commission and allow San Diego to take advantage of state tax
credits.
Government Efficiency: The City Council unanimously approved in October the referendum process reforms proposed by
Councilmember Gloria. The approved amendments include the filing of additional campaign statements with the City Clerk during
the signature gathering period to increase transparency and provide more timely information on campaign funders. The City
Council is scheduled to consider additional reforms on December 8.
Earlier in the year, Councilmember Gloria announced the City Councils approval of updates to the Citys Utility Undergrounding
Program (UUP), generated from a year long collaborative process. The approved updates include direction to improve coordination
between the Mayors office, Council offices, UUP staff, utility companies, and the community through a formalized process to
establish local preferences prior to the start of engineering design in each affected neighborhood; revise UUP documents to ensure
consistent language; expand UUP website with current program and project information, illustration of utility company above
ground equipment and city owned equipment, graphic depiction of where above ground equipment may be located, design
options, and a flow chart of community participation in the design process; provide public information support from the citys
Communications Department and UUP staff; revise and simplify public notice mailers; create design options; examine innovative
equipment design and sizing; implement quality control; and implement Council training.

Progress Toward Equality

2015 saw the monumental affirmation by the Supreme Court that the Constitution provides same-sex couples the right to marry
throughout the nation.
The Courts decision makes it unequivocally clear that all Americans are free to marry the one they love, and I thank all of those in
the LGBT community and our allies who have fought so hard, shared their stories, and struggled to help us reach this point, said
Councilmember Gloria.
Understanding that more progress is necessary, Councilmember Gloria secured City Council approval of an amendment to add
gender identity and gender expression as types of unlawful discrimination to the City of San Diegos Nondiscrimination in
Contracting Ordinance.
Further, the San Diego City Council kicked off a study of local lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) significance
thanks to a state grant.
The San Diego LGBTQ Historic Context Statement will provide a broad historical overview on the growth of gay and lesbian
identities, communities, and politics in San Diego and focus on themes and geographic areas associated with known resources. The
Context will be in a succinct format to provide guidance to staff and the public in identifying and evaluating potential historic
resources relating to San Diegos LGBTQ history, but is not intended to be a definitive history of LGBTQ San Diego.

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Balboa Park Centennial Wrap Up

Throughout 2015, San Diegans and visitors celebrated the centennial
anniversary of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in Balboa Park.
Councilmember Gloria focused on attracting investments to the Park that
would help ensure its beauty and significance for at least 100 more years.
These efforts continued through November, when Councilmember Gloria
joined the Patrons of the Prado to dedicate a Centennial Time Capsule in
Balboa Park that will be sealed until November 16, 2115. The capsule
includes a letter from President Obama, submitted by Councilmember
Gloria. The Councilmember also presented a proclamation in honor of the
Museum of Mans 100th anniversary, and celebrated the purchase and
planting of 100 new drought resistant, California-friendly trees made
possible by the generosity of the San Diego Foundation and the Balboa Park
Conservancy.
From the seasonal events and institution programming to the investment in all level of Park infrastructure, the Centennial
Celebration successfully drew people to San Diegos crown jewel all year, said Councilmember Gloria.
A few other highlights of the Centennial include:

San Diegos historic Balboa Park was recognized in October by the American Planning Association (APA) as one of six Great
Public Spaces on the organizations annual Great Places in America list;

Philanthropic benefactors donated $1 million in annual Family Explorer Passes for at-risk and underserved San Diego families
through Balboa Parks Community Access Pass Program (http://www.communityaccesspass.org/);

The Japanese Friendship Garden was expanded; and

The Museum of Mans iconic California Tower was reopened to the public for the first time since 1935 after significant
upgrades.

Neighborhood Investments
From parks to renovations of historic structures to smart parking meters, neighborhoods throughout District Three saw
tremendous investment in 2015.
Parking Meters: Continued improvement of the Citys smart parking meter technology generated the addition of mobile pay
technology to between 800-900 smart parking meters in Hillcrest and Mission Hills. Should the pilot prove successful, drivers will
be able to pay for parking via a cell phone app at all meters in the City.
Parks: Faultline Park, the first public park to open in East Village in more than a decade, opened on August 28. Elsewhere
Downtown, work is nearly complete at Horton Plaza Park. In addition to reviving the 20,000-square foot historic park, a public plaza
is being created.
An interim dog park is being created at Ward Canyon Park in Normal Heights in response to requests from Councilmember Todd
Gloria and countless Normal Heights neighbors. After Councilmember Gloria included Ward Canyon Park improvements in his list of
budget priorities, and several community members made their cases for the funding at budget hearings last spring, funding for the
improvements were included in the budget. The dog park is expected to open in early 2016.
New park space is hard to come by in older, urban neighborhoods, which has generated growing interest in the development of
parklets. Parklets, or pedestrian plazas, are spaces in the dedicated public right-of-way like parking spaces, unused bus stops, or
other vehicular areas that are publicly accessible to all and are intended to provide a space for enjoyable public interaction. As a
relatively new concept, parklets did not easily fit into permitted project categories, meaning extensive investment and review were
necessary. Councilmember Gloria successfully championed regulatory revisions to ease the siting of parklets. The new policy lowers
the review cost and clarifies the requirements for parklets including what needs to be submitted for a permit and location
restrictions.
Continued on page 6
Page 5

Neighborhood Investments (continued from page 5)

Parklets are popular means of bringing character and public spaces to our communities, and I am glad that the City of San Diego is
making it easier to make these great additions to our neighborhoods, said Councilmember Todd Gloria.
Historic Preservation: Retrofits for two key structures in District Three moved forward in 2015. The historic water tower in North
Park is set to undergo a seismic retrofit in coming years, thanks to action taken this year. Also, the 100 year old Georgia Street
Bridge, which spans University Avenue, will be retrofitted in the coming years, thanks in part to the City Councils acceptance and
expenditure of $9.5 million of federal funds to complete construction of the project. The scope of the project includes seismically
retrofitting and rehabilitating Georgia Street Bridge and the existing walls that extend along University Avenue between Florida
Street and Park Boulevard.
These federal funds will ensure the historic Georgia Street Bridge will remain a landmark between North Park and Hillcrest, said
Councilmember Gloria.
Community Projects, Programs, and Services: Councilmember Gloria and his Council colleagues unanimously
approved creation of the South Park Banner District in March. The formation of the district was requested by the
South Park Business Group to help identify the business area of the neighborhood and reflect community
character. City of San Diego Community Projects, Programs, and Services (CPPS) funds will be used to pay for the
banners.
CPPS funds are being used on additional projects throughout District Three. An allocation of $6,602 went toward
the operation of a portable pool last summer at the Adams Avenue Recreation Center. The Centennial Bike Ride on
May 2 benefited from a contribution of $2,500. Two projects in North Park were also completed: a study bar was
added to the North Park Library (pictured), thanks to an allocation of $10,516, and $2,105 was used to complete
the LED conversion of some streetlights in the neighborhood.
Councilmember Gloria allocated $19,000 to the Citys Arts and Culture Commission to assist with the restoration
and repair of El Charro, a sculpture in Presidio Park. The sculpture was given to the City of San Diego by the
Mexican government in 1970. The sculpture depicts a rider, wearing a bolero jacket, chaps and a broad-brimmed
hat, sitting astride a male horse. The sculpture is in poor condition and is currently at risk for structural failure.

Climate Action (continued from page 2)

Energy Efficiency: The City of San Diego and Balboa Park were honored as Energy Efficiency Grand Champions at the 10th Annual
San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) Energy Showcase event in June. Both were honored for implementing energy efficiency measures
and raising the bar on energy saving efforts. The Citys three-year energy savings were 14,424,554 kilowatt hours (kWh), equivalent
to carbon dioxide emissions from 1,119,215 gallons of gasoline consumed. The City also saved 25,225 therms, equivalent to carbon
sequestered by 3,429 tree seedlings grown for 10 years.
Transportation Options: Increasing transportation options is a key element of addressing climate change. Councilmember Gloria
proudly supported San Diego Forward: The Regional Plan when it was approved by the Board of
the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) in October. Throughout its development
over the past several years, Councilmember Gloria, who also serves as Chair of the SANDAG
Transportation Committee, strongly advocated for expanded transportation options. His efforts
are reflected in the approved plan. In the first five years of the plan alone, three out of every
four dollars will be spent on transit and active transportation projects, and Council District Three
neighborhoods will see additional benefit in future years with Rapid lines, a streetcar, and
millions of dollars in projects improving biking and pedestrian facilities.
Making walking and bicycling feel safer can help more people consider active transportation as a
means of getting around. The City Council approved an amendment to Council Policy 200-07
Marked Crosswalk Criteria at Uncontrolled Locations to incorporate changes in pedestrian
safety practices and technology. The City anticipates installing four times as many crosswalks in
the upcoming year as occurred in previous year. The revised policy also includes the potential
for special crosswalk treatments like flashing beacons and raised crosswalks, and
Councilmember Gloria advocated for additional funding to implement these in appropriate
locations.
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Addressing Homelessness (continued from page 1)

already in operation and funded new projects including the Homeless
Management Information System, Connections Housing, and rapid rehousing.
Councilmember Todd Gloria continues to advocate for additional
resources to address the growing homeless population. In October, he
joined Congressman Scott Peters and other officials in welcoming
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Julian Castro to
San Diego to discuss local challenges.
Secretary Castro announced that HUD will open a comment period in
Spring 2016 on revising the current formula for how federal
homelessness funds are allocated. In 2014, despite having the fifth
largest homeless population in the country, San Diego received the
23rd most funding.

HUD Secretary Castro (center) met with local and federal

leaders in February about homelessness.

Overall, the San Diego Housing Commission invested $68,096,672 between July 1, 2014 and June 30, 2015 on homelessness
prevention and solutions including the renovation of Hotel Churchill, dedication of 25 apartments for homeless San Diegans, the
transitional storage center, and several voucher and transitional housing programs.
Part of the comprehensive approach to addressing homelessness is increasing the supply of affordable housing stock. In 2015, the
City Council took steps to create and maintain 1,487 affordable units, and Councilmember Gloria helped celebrate the completion
of many units, including those at Civita in Mission Valley. More are under construction as part of projects like Atmosphere in the
neighborhood of Cortez Hill, which broke ground in March.
A city of economically diverse people must have housing stock of all kinds, said Councilmember Gloria. Im proud of the work we
have done in San Diego to build affordable units throughout our city.
On June 2, Councilmember Gloria helped announce the impressive results of Project 25, an initiative of the United Way (pictured).
Results: 36 formerly homeless people were housed, and
taxpayer costs decreased 67%, meaning $3.5 million was
saved over the course of a 24 month period. These are the
final outcomes for Project 25, United Ways initiative to
permanently house at least 25 of San Diego Countys
chronically homeless, high frequency users of public
resources.
Twenty-eight individuals enrolled in the program and were
housed in the first year. The individuals ranged in age from
22 to 61, with a median age of 47. Five were veterans. All
of the individuals studied had some form of mental illness,
a serious physical disability and/or a diagnosable substance
abuse disorder. Many had all three. As a result of Project
25, the median expense per user decreased from nearly
$111,000 in 2010 to less than $12,000 in 2013.
As of June, 33 participants remain housed in their own apartments (three passed away from natural causes during the program),
have health insurance and receive preventative health care through a community clinic versus regularly accessing emergency care.
Stable and secure housing for chronically homeless and frequent users of public resources, combined with a comprehensive set of
health and social services, can yield a dramatic reduction in the use and expense of various public services.

Page 7

Tracking Todd
1

1. Todd thanked veterans for

their service before the annual
Veterans Day Parade.
2. Todd was joined Supervisor
Ron Roberts, Public Utilities
Department leadership, and
North Park neighbors to accept
the American Society of Civil
Engineers dedication of the
iconic water tower as a Local
Historic Civil Engineering
Landmark.
3. Ken Jeongs support of PacArts Movements 16th Annual Asian
Film Festival was worthy of November
7 being proclaimed Ken Jeong Day in
the City of San Diego.
4. Todd kicked off Small Business
Saturday in North Park.
5. Todd joined the City of San Diego
Employees Filipino- American
Employees Association to celebrate the
work of Filipino labor organizer Larry
Itliong and his role in the Delano Grape
Strike 50 years ago.
3
3

Councilmember Todd Gloria serves on the following:

Chair, Budget and Government Efficiency Committee
Member, Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee
Member, Environment Committee
Member, Smart Growth and Land Use Committee
Chair, San Diego Regional Continuum of Care Governance Board

Chair Pro Tem, Metropolitan Transit System Board

Member, San Diego Association of Governments Board
Chair, SANDAG Transportation Committee
Member, SANDAG Executive Committee
Liaison, Civic San Diego

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