.
And
then
when
you
oc Good
afternoon.
We're going to get the council
meeting started.
I will now reconvene the City
Council meeting of Monday, JUNE
15th, 2026 Clerk please call
the roll.
>> Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT Council
Member Campbell Council Member
Whitburn Council Member Foster
Council Member Ron Wilpert
Council PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee
Councilmember Ocampo
Councilmember Moreno PRESIDENT
Council Member Isla Rivera and
Council PRESIDENT LaCava
present also taking the meeting
our Sin City Attorney Michelle
Garland, independent budget
analyst Charles Mollica and
myself your city clerk Diana
Fuentes.
>> Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT All right,
thank you.
A quorum is now present.
Let's start off do we have any
comments from the mayor's
office, council member, city
attorney, independent budget
analyst or city clerk Not
seeing any.
The clerk will now go over how
the public can offer their
testimony.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT I'd like to
highlight the slide that will
momentarily be on the screen
that does review the public
testimony during this
afternoon's meeting.
The order can be found on
the agenda Summary found online
at the table in the back of
the room.
If you'd like to raise your
hand please press star nine or
the raise your hand icon if you
are here virtually and if
you're here in person please
submit a speaker slip to
the front of the room and place
them in the clear box.
If you are seating time please
be sure to submit those
speakers lips together at one
time if you're in person.
There are also council
ambassadors at the back of
the room that can assist you
with these speaker's lips.
No further in-person testimony
will be taken once the council
begins virtual testimony.
Thank you, Council PRESIDENT
All right.
Thank you for that.
Clerk Please introduce item 400
items 400 is a resolution in
support of Somali community.
>> If you'd like to speak on
this item now's the time to
raise your hand by pressing
the star nine or raise your
hand icon Or if you are hearing
council chambers please be sure
to submit your speaker slip to
the front of the room in
the clear box at this time.
Thank you Counsel Present.
>> All right.
Thank you.
Council member Yellow River.
We'd like to kick us off.
Thank you so much Council
PRESIDENT I won't.
I, I suppose my comments were
for later on but I just want to
say thank you for helping us
get this item docketed.
Thank you City Attorney's
office for working with us on
this and I'm very proud to hand
it over to Anita and Lucky
Anita is a representative in
our office and Lucky is with
our good partners with
the Partnership for the Better
a New American take away.
Hey, good afternoon.
Council PRESIDENT, council
members, City Attorney Ivey and
the members of the public.
My name is any some of it a
community representative with
Council District nine And
joining me today is my
co-presenter here looking at it
on behalf of council members
Shawn Ella Rivera and Pan of
the partnerships of events with
some new Americans and
the members of the Somali
community here in San Diego we
are presented a resolution
expressing support for Somali
residents in San Diego and
condemning the racist rhetoric,
harassment and discrimination
that have increasingly targeted
Somalia Americans.
I will now begin the brief
overview of this item this
resolution response to series
of attacks directed at
the Somali community including
inflammatory statements made by
PRESIDENT Trump, harmful
federal actions targeting
Somali immigrants and
harassment, stalking and
intimidation of Somali child
care providers by social media
influencers including here in
Senegal.
The resolution also recognizes
the harm caused when political
leaders and public figures use
rhetoric that stigmatizes
immigrants, promotes
discrimination and creates fear
within communities that have
come to this country seeking
safety and opportunity.
The Somali community is an
essential part of Senegal.
Somali residents are our
neighbors workers, business
owners, caregivers, faith
leaders and community builders.
We help make our city stronger,
more vibrant and more
welcoming.
Today we have an opportunity to
make clear that illegal reject
hate rejects scapegoating and
stands with the members of our
Somali community who have been
targeted simply because of who
they are.
I will now turn to
the background that outlines
the circumstances that make
this action necessary.
Over the last year PRESIDENT
Trump along with many public
officials and influencers have
engaged in a series of verbal
attacks and policy actions
targeting the Somali community
in the United States.
These actions and racist
rhetoric have created
widespread fear in the Somali
community nationwide and here
in San Diego, which is home to
a large Somali-American
population.
The use of derogatory racist
language to scapegoat this
community must be addressed.
Abdi has far reaching
implications.
Every opportunity has been
taken to the father Somali
community.
In 2025 the use of language
like calling Somalis low iq
garbage and saying that their
country stinks We don't want
them here.
It's intolerable.
The only Somali-American in
Congress, Congresswoman Ilhan
Omar, has been continuously
targeted with calls that she
should be expelled from
Congress and this country.
This administration has used
statements to justify
anti-immigration policies
finding a convenient scapegoat
in the Somali American
community.
Somalis are black, largely
Muslim immigrants making us an
easy target for racism,
Islamophobia and anti-immigrant
sentiment.
Hate speech is not just limited
to rhetoric and policies.
These also translate into
violence against our
communities.
On MAY 18th, the San Diego
Muslim community experienced a
horrific attack rooted in hate.
The attack of the Islamic
center and school did not occur
in a vacuum.
Anti-Muslim bigotry is a direct
result of a polarizing
political climate in which
elected leaders including
the PRESIDENT And the members
of Congress have normalized
the hatred of Muslims.
It has created an environment
where anti-Muslim hate has
become all too common.
And without accountability this
hate turns into violence.
We represent what this country
had always expressed the best
of us.
We are vibrant, hardworking,
resilient, industrious and
devoted to our families and
the larger community.
But to the PRESIDENT And his
sympathizers, we are an easy
target.
This administration has used
hateful sentiments to justify
their crackdown using ice's
brutal forces to detain and
deport Somalis and other
immigrant individuals and
families.
Shortly after Trump had made
false accusations of fraud,
Somali businesses across
the country were intimidated
and harassed by ice, including
Somali restaurants and
nonprofits here in San Diego.
We then followed escalation in
Minnesota over the last several
months where mass ice agents
targeted immigrant communities
with impunity.
The entire nation was left with
the false notion that somehow
childcare providers are bilking
the government of taxpayer
dollars.
But all but every allegation
against them has been suspect
consciously been proven false.
We watched these attacks watch
these attacks become deadly.
With the death Rene Nicole and
Alex Pratt.
And if that wasn't enough, this
administration has terminated
temporary protected status
alternatives for Somali
immigrants.
Taking away the federal
commission that gave them
the right to be here while
adjusting their immigration
status.
Suddenly people who came here
legally were undocumented and
the early 20 26.
>> Trump Use of false claims of
child care fraud in Minnesota
to pull funding for child care
for low income families in
multiple states.
He moved to freeze over 10
billion in federal child care
and family assistance funding
35 states including California,
Carlisle, Illinois, Minnesota
and New York.
This is the face of a growing
need for child care across
the country.
And here in San Diego.
There are over 4600 childcare
centers and at home child care
providers in San Diego that
offer care for children so
the parents could be part of
the workforce.
As for low income families,
childcare continues to be a
backbreaking cost.
The ymca of San Diego County
supports more than 10,000 local
families to subsidize childcare
programs.
But right now there are over
7000 families on the waiting
list for a state subsidized
childcare in the region.
This means only three out of
ten eligible families are
currently receiving the help
that they need.
Let's be clear this is another
attempt of scapegoating and
similar communities to end much
needed childcare subsidies for
low income families before
moving forward.
I want to give counsel a
glimpse into what Somali
childcare providers have been
experiencing.
Somali childcare providers have
been receiving nonstop
harassing phone calls and
voicemails.
Some providers have shared call
logs showing 50 to 100 missed
calls.
What you are about to hear is
an example of a voicemail
received by a small child care
provider.
This is one of not a criminal
answer to your door.
Are you a liar?
You should be deported quickly
.
You are criminals and you need
to be kicked out of the United
States.
The criminals and you should be
deported again.
Make sure we burn you guys.
It's funny and I love it.
I hope you get deported soon.
>> What you just heard is not
just an isolated incident.
This is one example of
harassment Child from small
childcare providers have been
facing today.
The next few slides contain
statements from childcare
providers and parents who have
been directly impacted by this
harassment.
These are real examples of fear
and uncertainty uncertainty
families are experiencing.
Providers have reported people
showing up to their home,
filming their properties,
following them in cars and
targeting them online.
Parents are concerned about
their safety, the well-being of
their children and providers
are concerned about their own
safety and the safety of their
children in their care.
I will give counsel a moment to
review these statements
.
>> Trump's false allegations of
fraud have had a far reaching
implications for Somali
community as a whole not only
during their livelihoods but
their safety as well.
Recent YouTube influencers like
Newt surely who started in
Minnesota have also come to San
Diego to harass and stop child
care providers.
As you all heard from
the previous slide, that's just
one of the many hateful
voicemails childcare providers
have gotten.
Some of these voicemails are
even too far out to even play
our lot here today.
These attacks have continued
until today.
Nick Shirley Copycats have
harassed and stalked black
immigrant women using degrading
language to describe the race
they're calling nonstop showing
up to their homes, following
them cards and creating a deep
fear that alter the joy and
safety once characterized by
family childcare, childcare
providers are afraid to go
outside, walk children to parks
or even open the door to their
home childcare facility when
the doorbell rings.
Parents who once sent their
children to these high quality
neighborhood providers are
afraid for the safety and
well-being of their children.
As a city we must do more to
correct this part.
Today's resolution says no
more.
Not in San Diego.
Not in California.
Not in our name.
This is the time to stand
together across regions and
communities to stop the spread
of state sponsored terror.
>> Council PRESIDENT.
Council Members.
City Attorney Ivey and
the members of the public.
The requested action before us
today is an adoption of this
resolution.
A yes vote does four things.
First, it reaffirms our support
to Somali residents and
recognizes their invaluable
contributions to cultural,
economic and civic life here in
San Diego.
Second, if we are friends, our
commitment to being a welcoming
city where every person
regardless of where they came
from or how they arrived here
can live free from
discrimination, harassment and
intimidation.
Third, it makes clear that this
council reject hateful
rhetoric, discriminatory and
discriminatory policies and
targeted attacks directed at
Somali communities and other
immigrant and refugee
communities And fourth a direct
the city to work with child
care providers to strengthen
security measures that help
protect providers, children and
families who have been forced
to live with fear because of
these ongoing acts of
harassment.
This resolution is more than
words.
It's about making clear when a
community is targeted.
San Diego When I look the other
way we will sit down with our
neighbors who defend their
dignity, their safety and their
right to belong.
For Somali families, childcare
providers and community members
who have endured harassment,
intimidation and fear, this
council has an opportunity to
send a simple message here
today your value valued You are
welcome and do not stand alone.
i respectfully ask for your
support on this resolution.
Thank you.
All right.
Thank you.
Go ahead.
If there's any questions, we
also have a volunteer with
the Senegal Police Department
along with city division here
today.
>> All right.
Thank you for the work and
thank you for the presentation
this afternoon.
Clerk Please proceed with
public comment.
>> Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT We do have
over 50 speakers here on this
item If you can please come up
to the yellow reserved seats at
the front of the room.
That would be greatly
appreciate your help with
getting you up to
the microphones.
Samantha It's a what?
If you can please come up to
the microphone.
Samantha And then if I can have
Kimberly Mullen join Senator
Max Schmitt and Ruth Kaplan,
please come up to the yellow
reserved seats.
Samantha you'll have one
minute.
Please proceed.
Good afternoon.
My name is Samantha Etisalat
and I am a staff attorney at
the aclu of San Diego and
Imperial County is the majority
of our state's population are
immigrants or children of
immigrants, immigrants and
refugees are our neighbors,
friends, colleagues, frontline
workers and teachers.
San Diego has long been a place
of opportunity and at one point
hosted the second largest
population of Somali refugees
in the nation.
Today members of our Somali
community community are facing
growing hostility and
persecution.
Local child care providers are
being targeted due to a
nationwide harassment campaign
anti-Muslim rhetoric is not
only threatening
the livelihoods it has taken
the lives of members of our
community.
By supporting this resolution
we reaffirm our commitment to
inclusion, dignity and safety
for all members of our
community.
Let this commitment carry us
forward and inspire more
actions to truly make San Diego
America's finest city for all.
>> Thank you.
Thank you, Kimberly.
>> Hello.
My name is Kimberly and I live
in District nine.
I'm here today in support of
this resolution affirming
solidarity with the Somali
community of San Diego and
standing against hate and
discrimination.
San Diego is strengthened by
the diversity of of its
residents and each of those
residents deserves to feel
safe, respected and valued.
No family should live in fear
because of their race,
religion, ethnicity or
immigration background.
When any community experiences
discrimination or hate it
affects us all and undermines
the values of inclusion,
dignity and respect that our
city strives to uphold.
I applaud this effort to stand
with the Somali community.
This resolution sends an
important message that San
Diego rejects bigotry in all
its forms and stands united in
defense of the dignity, safety
and humanity of all its
residents.
Thank you.
Thank you, Joyce Senator.
>> >> Thank you.
You see, I have no written
comments.
I'm speaking from the heart of
course Yes to this resolution
And I'm so sorry about child
care and things that are
happening and everything else.
It's just it's so sad And when
especially when it involves
children.
But I want to tell you this
When that terrible event
happened at the mosque, I found
something inside of me that
shocked me.
I found hate.
I really had never found it
that cleanly before.
I hated the haters and I need
your help with this because I
don't know what to do with it.
I've I've come out of it quite
a bit but I realize that it's
in me that I have that kernel
of hate inside of me and I
don't want to hate the haters
because that only hurts me and
all of you really.
So that's what I wanted to
share with you that I want to
come from a place of love and I
don't know how to do that.
Thank you.
Maximilian Schmidt Then if I
can have the following
individuals please come up to
the yellow reserved seats.
Jessica River David Say.
Kevin Vino and Patricia
Serrano.
>> Please proceed.
Hi.
I just wanted to offer some
advice that could help all
targeted religious communities
including the local people of
Somalia.
I believe Somalia on this
considered one of the most
corrupt countries in the world
And I believe this could also
help people in Somalia who are
possibly being targeted and
maybe also help all religions
being targeted on people When
they stalk you they can
actually see through your eyes
through the third eye.
And it's important to know that
because they're going to try
and say that it's technology or
something and it's not.
And the reason why that can
help you is because if you
realized if you're surrounded
by a group of people and you
look around and they all have
stiff necks and then when you
look at them they make an
exaggerated motion, it can make
you subconsciously paranoid.
It's called Zers.
It's on And many people think
that they MAY be going mentally
ill.
I think if the religious
community knew that these
people can look to your eyes,
this third eye they could know
they're not crazy and maybe you
could help them when they're
being targeted.
>> Thank you.
I did get a submission from
Ruth Caplan but she registered
her position in a favor and did
not wish to speak.
Jessica Roper, if you can
please come up to
the microphone.
>> >> Sure.
Jessica Roper, District three.
Good afternoon.
I'm here today from day three
to speak in support of my
friends and neighbors from
the Somali community who are
experiencing unjust and
frightening levels of
discrimination and harassment.
Since moving to San Diego ten
plus years ago.
I've met Somali San Diegans
through work volunteering
interfaith celebrations and
meals together.
Each and every time I've been
welcomed.
I've been through their
generosity and I've seen
the commitment to making San
Diego a vibrant place for all
to live, work, play and learn.
Somali San Diegans deserve.
Somalis San Diego deserve to
experience respect, inclusion
and belonging in the city.
They contribute to
strengthening every day.
Please stand with with us and
with the Somalis With Somali
San Diegans today and let them
know that they are the beloved
part of our community.
Support this resolution please
.
>> Thank you, David.
>> >> Good afternoon.
I am heartbroken for my
community that today's
resolution is necessary.
Yet here we are.
It is absurd that we must
affirm that our neighbors are
welcome, supported and valued.
Yet here we are.
It is beyond belief that we
would have to affirm that our
neighbors should be able to
live their lives without fear
of discrimination and
harassment.
Yet here we still are and it is
shameful that we should need to
publicly denounce
discriminatory policies and
actions or that we should need
to specifically act to protect
child care workers and the kids
in their care from targeted
intentional acts of hatred and
intimidation.
Yet here we are here in my city
needing to plainly state all of
it because of the actions and
words of a shameful few.
So as a board member of the San
Diego organizing Project a
resident MR. Whitburn of
District three and someone who
believes in the basic promises
of our country, I ask each of
you to vote in favor of this
resolution.
Thank you.
>> Kevin Reno.
Good evening Council.
My name is Kevin Reno.
Coming here from with our time
to act for a youth led a51c3
nonprofit and a resident of
District one.
Strongly urging you guys to
unanimously support this
resolution.
It has been an extremely
difficult year for the Somali
community from the attack on
the xd to just the general
harassment at daycare centers
And it is just we really need a
resolution to support all San
Diegans here today.
No resident of the city should
be living in fear for their
lives let alone the fear of
their children while they're
away at a daycare center.
So please support this
resolution just because it is
the right thing to do.
Patricia Serrano if I can have
Aden is Carla plans?
Maria Chavez, Mehran Al Gori
and Johanna Hester please come
forward to the yellow reserved
seats.
>> Please proceed.
What afternoon?
My name is Patricia Serrano and
I work for finance.
I appreciate the effort to pass
this resolution.
We are living in unprecedented
times where Muslims blacks and
immigrants are being
criminalized just because of
who we are.
The rhetoric of this government
against Somali is growing.
We are we as a community cannot
stop discrimination of our
neighbors, friends.
And for me, my family San Diego
is if we can show the country
that San Diego is a welcoming
regardless of religion
nationality of color.
Thank you.
Thank you, Erin.
>> I guess.
Good afternoon.
My name is Aden and I live
district four.
I'm here today in support of
this resolution because every
San Diego deserve to feel safe,
protected and value in their
community.
No family should have to live
in fear because of their race
religious intake or immigration
background.
San Diego must take must take a
clear stand in Afghanistan.
Usman.
Intimidation and discrimination
targeting Somali community.
As a parent I am deeply
troubled by the harassment that
Somali family and child care
provided Child care is on in
social service.
And children should be able to
learn and grow in safe
environment free from stalking,
harassment and in emphasis
period.
But individuals in addition
through misinformation and
harmful because.
>> Thank you for that
concluding comment Carla.
Carla Flores I think.
Good afternoon.
My name's Carla.
Excuse me.
Interpreter.
See your interpreter there?
They come in on us but at
the end for normal people of
Latin phrases Cortez.
But I think what I meant for
the country might be San Diego
.
I live in San Diego.
So your call your for me Amara.
I am a member of very well
there w o u d w we provided
with our a longer.
And I'm also a day care
provider.
Yes, Cooper.
And I'm very worried Yeah
Conocimiento now that in this
time companeros families are
our problem our companions of
the Somali community.
>> Yes.
And in the passages those are
those they are being persecuted
and looked for.
Estamos we do not know rhetoric
up Also we are looking at
living and seeing a very bad
rhetoric.
heroes are la Comunidad Mosul
Many immigrants directed to
the Muslim refugee community.
>> If just are to do this
palabras these attitudes and
words important very matter
what California then me murder
because they just they make
everyone afraid you you this
information and they caused
this information.
>> And when ambiental creating
an environment down there
lawyers are normalized to where
the hate is now prevalent and
normalized it have consequences
and the consequences.
Well the real is can be real it
racist abuse and very sad for
them.
And for all of us almost for
narco money that because we are
one community in San Diego in
San Diego than the grandmothers
better where we want respect
more respect and we and we
should give respect.
Thank you very much which you
seem aggressive.
Next is Maria Chavez.
Good afternoon.
My name is Maria Chavez.
I am the Immigration legal
director at pana Partnership
for the Advancement of New
Americans and a proud resident
of District nine As an
immigration attorney who
represents dozens of Somalis in
the San Diego community.
I fully support this resolution
to protect them.
Our Somali neighbors have been
the victims of hateful rhetoric
by this administration and its
supporters and that rhetoric
spilled over to stalking and
continuous harassment by
so-called YouTube reporters and
others.
They spread false accusations
against Somali daycare
providers writ large.
These baseless accusations have
harmed them, their livelihoods
and the families who rely on
them for child care.
San Diego is better than this.
A San Diegans We have to step
up to protect our communities
Given the federal government's
failure And this proclamation
proves that we remain a
welcoming and inclusive city
and denounce discriminatory
rhetoric and policies that
target Somalis and all
immigrant communities.
>> Thank you.
Thank you.
Marin Liguori.
Marin You have time ceded to
you by Abdullahi.
If you can please raise your
hand.
Thank you so much.
You'll have two minutes.
Please proceed.
Good afternoon.
My name is Ben and I am a
family child care provider and
a proud member of United
Domestic Workers And I stand
here today in support of this
resolution because I work
alongside my Somali family
childcare providers who strain
our community every single day.
Through their hard work, their
cultural richness and their
dedication to the children and
families, Somali providers
bring invaluable expertise,
language and cultural knowledge
to early childhood education.
They make San Diego stronger,
more vibrant, more whole and
yet they're being targeted,
harassed and accused of fraud
without evidence.
People show up at their home
with cameras spreading false
accusations and fear.
We cannot separate these from
the tragedy at the Islamic
Center just weeks ago where we
lost three members of our
community because of hate.
>> Words have consequences.
Harassment has consequences.
The Somali providers and
families in San Diego deserve
safety, respect and
the recognition they deserve
for the essential work they do.
This resolution sends a clear
message.
San Diego celebrates and
protects our Somali community.
I urge our leaders to support
this resolution.
Thank you, Johanna.
>> Good afternoon, Council
members.
I am Joanna Hester.
I am the Deputy Executive
director for uw.
Along with I am also the vice
chair for Child Care Providers
United.
I want to specifically thank
Council member Shawn Isla for
bringing this resolution
forward.
I childcare members have
witnessed first hand
the threatening rhetoric and
behavior of self-styled
journalists who have harassed
child care providers and
children in pursuit of YouTube
likes and views with no regard
for dangers they are creating.
And with the support of
the PRESIDENT Of our United
States, child care providers
are the backbone of our state
and our country's economy.
Without child care many people
cannot go to work or support
their families.
Yet these providers are being
threatened and harassed because
of the color of their skin or
the country that that where
their they came from.
The resolution sends a clear
message to our Somali providers
They stand with them.
Thank you all so much Dugmore.
>> After Doug Moore will have
Chris Kennison, Rabbi Machar,
Ross Mom Eleanor Franco and
Germaine Rock.
Korva, if you can please come
up to the other reserved seats
Please proceed.
>> Good afternoon.
My name is Doug Moore and I'm
the executive director of uaw,
a union representing homecare
and family child care providers
including over 40,000 here in
San Diego County.
The resolution brought forward
by Council COUNCILMAN San
Angelo speaks directly to our
child care providers,
especially those in our city's
vibrant Somali community who in
recent months have felt
the impact of direct attacks on
their businesses and lives
because of racist accusations
that they are committing fraud
in their homes.
Dangerous individuals who care
more about personal attention
than the safety of children
have been knocking on doors and
making baseless accusations
against Somali child care
providers all while being
praised for it in Washington.
Here in San Diego we know our
Somali community is a
welcoming, welcoming, valued
and essential part of
the fabric of our city.
This resolution sends a clear
message to them and the rest of
the community to stand with
them.
>> Thank you for that
concluding sentence.
Thank you, Chris Kennison.
>> Hello y'all.
I mean I'm here today in full
support of this resolution
standing with my brothers and
sisters.
No one should be living in fear
based off the color, religion
or country of origin.
We deserve to feel respected,
valued and given the dignity
that all people deserve.
Since we're on the topic of
child care, Vivien, I ask you
to get the justice for Gianna.
She's a five year old black
girl with special needs that
just lost her life last week in
daycare.
She drowned and the story swept
under the rug.
If she was white, blue eyed
blond hair this story would be
all over the news.
And I'm here supporting her
family but I'm also here
supporting my Somali brothers
and sisters because they face
the same things that everyone
else in our community is
facing.
People of color and they
deserve the justice.
So I'm in support of this
resolution.
Thank you to Rabbi Rabbi for Hi
there.
>> This is Rabbi Mike Ross.
I'm speaking to you
representing Congress and or
Hadash.
Steve members of the council
and PRESIDENT Look hava thank
you.
We have members all across your
districts.
The Jewish people were born in
bigotry and slavery in
Pharaoh's Egypt in which we
were treated as less than.
And our lives were deemed as
worthless.
This is Jewish history across
the generations where we've
been treated as less than human
across the globe.
That's naturally why I want to
be here in support of this
community.
But it's also our religious
teaching which says that every
human being is created in GOD's
image.
B'Tselem, Elohim.
When the PRESIDENT Says that
our neighbors are garbage who
won't work and we don't want
them in our country, we as Jews
know this rhetoric.
It has led to our deaths.
We know this man, Nick Shirley,
who promoted and defended an
anti-Semitic video entitled I
Exposed New Jersey's Jewish
Invasion.
We are as Jews are obligated to
protest against any time our
people our neighbors, our
friends are treated as less
than we need you to vote.
Thank you for that conclude
unanimous to support this.
Eleanor Franco Elena Franco
Sorry it's even my middle name.
I should know that.
Okay.
Good afternoon everybody.
My name is Alina Franco and I'm
here on behalf of Mount Hope to
express my support of
the Somali community.
I reject and of this resolution
I'm sorry and of this
resolution I reject
the ignorant comments of our
current administration
regarding the Somalian people.
These comments are intended to
instill fear and uncertainty
and their intent is to make
them feel unwelcome.
It is important that we as a
city speak up against this form
of hatred and ignorance.
Our city and communities are
strongest when every resident
feels safe.
Respected and included When any
community feels targeted or
marginalized, it affects
the health and unity of our
city as a whole.
Please vote yes on this
resolution.
Thank you, Jermaine.
>> And then suffix so Jermaine,
please proceed.
>> Hi, my name is Jermaine
Corbett and I work in District
nine.
I'm here today in support of
this resolution because every
San Diego deserves to feel
safe, respected and valued in
their community.
When political leaders use fear
and division to target
Somali-American Muslims,
immigrants and other
communities, the consequences
are real.
We saw that here in San Diego
on MAY 18th when three of our
community members were murdered
in a hateful attack on
the Islamic center.
Hate filled words fuel hate
filled actions.
That is why this resolution
matters.
It makes clear that San Diego
stands with the Somali
community, rejects hate
discrimination and violence in
all its forms.
Thank you so much.
>> Thank you.
Next we have a suffix or hump
drama or humor.
If you can please come forward
to the microphone.
After that we have Remo Abdi or
Mira Yusuf allegedly Audra and
Anika Faulkner as well as Tedd
Womack.
If you can all please come
forward to the yellow reserved
seats.
Now you have time seated to you
by some individuals they can
please raise their hand.
Amina for us I mean so far.
Thank you.
And Asha Ahmed Thank you.
>> You'll have three minutes.
Please proceed.
Good afternoon.
Before I begin, I would like to
thank everyone who came here
today to support our Somali
community.
Your presence means a lot and I
appreciate all of you taking
time to stand together against
hate and discrimination.
My name is Safia Jama.
I live in District nine.
Also I am a childcare provider
with you and union.
You'd w c c b you.
I'm here today in support of
resolution because every cent
you again deserve to feel safe,
respect and value in their
community.
As a Somali community member
and a child care provider I
have seen how harassment,
intimidation and misinformation
can be effect Family especially
I experienced myself.
Few people called me text me
and came my home and harassment
and calling names.
As a small business childcare
provider children should be
able to learn grow in a safe
environment Fear from stalking
,harassment and
discrimination.
I support this resolution
because it is sending a clear
message that San Diego is done
against hate and discrimination
targeting the Somali community
and all marginalized groups.
I am also concerned about
the harmful physical that too
often is scapegoats
immigration, Muslims and Somali
Americans.
Words matter when fear and
misinformation as bred by
influential voices.
They can create an environment
where hatred becomes
normalized.
Also today I would like to
thank Council Council and for
taking this important step.
I would like to also like I
would like.
I would like also like to
extend my sincere sincere
appreciation to Shawn Elver for
bringing our community together
for this leadership in
supporting this effort.
Thank you all.
Thank you.
Romo Aubrey.
Rama you have people sitting
your time.
Fatima aside Fatima please
raise your hand.
Thank you.
And of the housing.
Please raise your hand.
You'll have three minutes.
Please proceed.
All right.
Good afternoon.
My name is Rama Abdi.
I'm the director of organizing
campaign with Pan Out of
Partnership Plot advancement of
North Americans.
And I'm also a proud resident
of District nine.
There is a lot of our community
who are not here today because
they are afraid to come outside
especially after what happened
on MAY 18th.
>> I wanted to thank our our
city council member, my city
council member Shannon Rivera
for bringing this resolution
forward.
For standing with our
community.
Thank you for not staying
silent when our community has
been targeted.
Your support and leadership
means a lot to us.
Thank you.
Today I'm speaking on behalf of
Somali child care providers,
families, community members who
have been affected by racism,
Islamophobia and on to Somali
hate.
I work closely with Somali
child care providers across San
Diego.
There are hardworking woman who
care for our children every day
.
The support working families
run a small business and help
our community try.
But despite all that they do.
Many have been targeted with
hateful comments, false
accusation and harassment
simply because they're Somali
and they're Muslim.
As a director of organizing I
see the impact these hate has
on our community.
What start online does not stay
online.
It affects people.
It affects mothers.
It affects fathers.
It affects our elders, Young
people.
It makes people feel unsafe,
unwelcome.
And I'm also worried about our
children.
When Somali children hear
hateful words from a leader and
public figure, they begin to
question whether they belong.
>> They begin to wonder if
there is something wrong with
who they are.
No child should feel that way.
Our community came to this
country has second safety,
peace and opportunity.
We came here with help.
We are hard worker.
We pay taxes.
We start businesses.
We care for our neighbors.
We contribute to this city
every day.
We're proud to be part of San
Diego.
This resolution is important
because it sent a clear
message.
Somali family belong here.
Our children belong here.
Hate has no place in San Diego
.
We take we're not asking for
special treatment.
We're asking for dignity,
respect, opportunity to live,
work and rise.
Raise our family here without
fear.
Again, thank you so much to my
council member, our council
members, Chancellor Rivera and
other entire Council member for
standing with Somali community
.
>> Thank you.
You have people sitting your
time Mohammed Omar if you can
please raise your hand.
Thank you.
And Paul, if you can please
raise your hand.
You'll have three minutes.
But if I can ask allegedly
Aldridge, Anika Faulkner, Ted
Womack It's Omar Chavez.
Daniel Alvarado to please come
up to the yellow reserved
seats.
Please proceed.
All right.
Thank you.
Am I ready to be with
the Partnership for
the Advancement of New
Americans?
Pena is an organization that
advances the full economic,
civic and social inclusion of
refugees in San Diego across
the state and across
the country.
We are founded, led and staffed
by immigrant and refugee
communities and we are proud to
be multiracial and
multicultural organization that
seeks the meaningful freedom
for all.
I want to thank council member
Ella Rivera for bringing forth
this important resolution to
council.
It is so important for our
communities right now to feel
heard, to feel you know, that
our leadership is with us.
So thank you for that.
And I want to thank all
the folks who are here today
despite the fear despite all of
the attacks on this community,
they are here and so are
allies.
Thank you all.
The vile attack that have been
stated by this PRESIDENT And
his sympathizers are just
disgusting And I hope we can
all agree with that fact.
>> You know, the fact that not
only has it been done but it
has been a continuous flow of
influencers who have come to
harass our Somali community
needs to be understood as to
how invasive that is.
Children are afraid to go
outside.
The child care providers who
care for children I mean my
children went to day care for
years and I just couldn't
imagine how terrified
the parents are because they
are scared to open the doors.
They are scared to take kids to
the park.
They're no longer taking them
to the park.
They are no longer able to have
the same kind of free
environment safe environment
that existed before because of
this kinds of harassment.
And a couple of weeks ago we
understood that this what this
harassment can lead to as well.
We now in San Diego fully
understand from our three
heroes deaths and the you know,
recovery that our community
that Muslim community is doing
right now what that what those
implications can be.
And so what we are asking for
is courageous leadership.
We are asking for you all to
support this resolution as a
first step but to continue to
stand with our Somali
community, with our Muslim
community, with our immigrant
community, all vulnerable
communities more must be done
to protect us from harm.
I hope that we all recognize
this as a first step in that
this morning in a letter was
sent to the governor's office
asking for $20 million
allocation.
Councilmember Eli Rivera and
Councilmember Lee, thank you
for signing on to that request.
We ask all of council to fund
that because you know what our
Somali community in City
Heights, many of the centers
and the Islamic centers are
actually not having services
anymore because there is an
increased number of hate that
they are receiving.
So thank you for that
concluding remark.
>> Allegedly Andre So I wish
people could see the forest
through the trees.
There is significant
consequences for misinformation
And let's get it straight There
are Somali daycares that were
engaged in fraud.
There were not all of them but
some of them And unfortunately
it is putting a stain on
the community And that is
unfortunate because this has
been facilitated by our own
government.
They didn't get the funding
without that.
They're not called clearing
centers for no reason And it's
sad because it's like this puts
communities in danger But if
you guys could see that it's
the government doing this to
us, they want us to be divided.
They do it to us intentionally.
So it's like look at us, let's
look at each other as opposed
to the people that give out
the funding and that put us in
these positions because you
should be mad at people in your
own community who have been
engaged in that fraud that are
putting you guys in this
position and instead we want to
fight left versus right, white
versus black, whatever it is.
But we need to look at
the culprit including you
comment Jacob Faulkner Thank
you.
How are you?
To many what I am unique a
resident of d d4 what the lines
in ago I am here in strong
support of this resolution
because every human deserves to
feel safe respected and valued
in their community.
No human should live in fear
because of their race,
religion, ethnicity or
immigration background Growing
up in southeast San Diego I
attended Freese Elementary
where I learned alongside many
different cultures and
religions.
My favorite part of school was
singing This Land is Your Land
which the lyrics read.
This Land is your land and this
land is my land.
From from California to the New
York island From the redwood
forest to the Gulf Stream
waters This land was made for
you and me.
And singing that pretty much
every day in school That
allowed me to feel connected no
matter who I stood by, no
matter the color of their skin,
no matter their religion.
I felt connected with my
classmates.
Every child deserves to feel
connected with their classmates
and the people that they're
surrounded by.
No child should be scared to go
to school.
The survivors of MAY 18th are
scared to go to school.
Thank you for this passage
resolution thanking Ted Womack
.
Everybody, I'm here in support
of this resolution today
because I'm concerned about
the rhetoric being used against
black folks.
So in the first time it's not
going to be the last time.
And with the black community
specifically, you know, we're
one of the easiest communities
to target not because we're
weak, not because we're
unorganized but because there's
often nobody there to stand
with us and support us.
The government that we look to
and ask you for help is often
not behind us.
So this resolution is a really,
really huge step in showing
the support and showing how we
could stand strong and be
strong together.
So please pass this resolution
today and pass it to protect
those members and brothers and
sisters of our black community.
Thank you.
Thank you, Ethan.
>> Good afternoon, everyone.
My name is Travis with the y in
San Diego and also resident of
Golden Hill and City Council
District three.
I'm here in strong support of
the resolution before us today
because every San Diego
deserves the right to human
dignity to feel safe and
respected in the city that we
love.
No person should have to live
in fear because of race,
religion or immigration status
.
While I support this resolution
as an important first step, I
also urge you Council members
to take meaningful action in
your work.
Last week five of you ignored
our calls and what you would
have been meaningful action if
you stood against a budget that
would have put people over
surveillance surveillance
technology that was supposed to
help all San Diego and
irreparably fall short for
the Somali community on
the 18th.
Thank you, Council for
supporting this resolution
today.
I look forward to how you will
unequivocally oppose
discriminatory practices,
policies and rhetoric in all
shapes and forms.
>> Thank you.
If I can have Daniela please
come up to the microphone.
Daniela Alvarado.
After that if I could have
Rachel is Arnel Castro Dale
McKinstry please come up and
MS..
La Yusef please come up to
the yellow reserved seats.
Please proceed.
Good afternoon.
My name is and the chief
operating officer for Pena
Patria doesn't arise on its
own.
It's cultivated in environments
with prejudice is normalized,
excused or given a platform by
elected officials and public
figures.
That normalization has real
consequences.
It emboldens those who would
intimidate, harass and harm
their neighbors.
Today's resolution is a
statement of who we are as a
city.
I am honored to stand with
the Somali community who I
consider my extended family and
affirm that San Diego believes
that every resident deserves to
live with dignity, with safety
and respect but simply cannot
be a hollow word.
It must mean something real and
specific to the people living
it and that looks different
from community to community.
From the Somali community
safety means more than
the absence of violence.
It means belonging.
It means being seen, heard
protected, not treated as a
threat.
That is a standard that we must
hold ourselves to.
That makes this resolution
makes it clear that San Diego
will not stand for bigotry.
We are united in our commitment
to particularly including
Stanton's Rachel Lozano Castro
.
>> Good afternoon.
My name is Rachel.
I'm Castro.
I live in District four work in
District nine.
We're speaking from heart.
Today was my sister before I
don't know what to do with
the hate in my heart right now
I'm a practicing Christian.
I was in elementary school
during 911.
I lost people that day.
There's other things to do with
grief and hate then turn it on
others.
So as I'm not from here but
I've lived here in San Diego
for over a decade and somebody
whose family has been in this
country for generations it's a
hard time to want to stay in
San Diego except for leadership
and solidarity like you.
So thank you Councilmember.
And whether we want to make
the right decision, Judge,
whether we want to have people
like me keep my business here
and have children here, are we
going to stand in solidarity
with our neighbors or are we
not?
That's that's what we're
deciding.
So I urge you to do the right
thing.
Thank you.
Thank you, Dale.
Hello everyone.
My name is Dale Magnani and I'm
here to speak in favor of this
resolution.
It's important for our elected
officials to use whatever tools
at their disposal disposal to
push back publicly against
organized racism and violence.
American fascism today is based
on organized racism and phobia.
And there are few communities
that understand that better
than Somali-Americans.
I strongly support this
resolution, but I hope
the members of this council
continue their advocacy in
defense of marginalized people.
Beyond resolutions.
I know for example, that Floc
is a really controversial issue
and I understand that there are
people in this chamber who are
seeking higher office, various
higher offices.
You know, these are the tough
decisions that you are going to
be expected to make.
If you do want a promotion.
And you know, I hope you
encourage this resolution but
there's a lot more to do.
>> So.
MS..
Maslin My apologies.
You.
Oh sure my staff will come up
and get it and you have time to
do it by Monday.
Mohammed Marican please raise
your hand.
Thank you and have.
Thank you.
You'll have three minutes.
Please proceed.
Thank you and good afternoon.
Counsel Present.
Item number two Submitted
Counsel.
My name is Michael Yusuf.
I live in District four.
And I'm here today in strong
support of agenda item as 400
and a resolution in support of
Somali community.
I support this resolution
because every single deserves
to feel safe, respected and
valued in their community no
matter what the country how
they look like or the language,
the speak or what faith they
choose.
No family should have to live
in fear because of their race,
religion, ethnicity,
immigration background or
refugee experience.
San Diego must take a stand
against harassment,
intimidation and
discrimination.
Target is a community
the Somali community unique
because our identity sits at
the intersection of many
communities.
We are Muslims.
We are a future.
We speak a language other than
English.
And for that reason we are
targeted for all this hate.
Whoever takes hates whoever
hates black people is going to
survive.
Whoever hates immigration
refugees aggressively.
For that reason we go through a
lot or our families our kids.
So I am also deeply concerned
by the dangerous rhetoric used
by political leaders and public
figures including PRESIDENT
Trump and members of Congress
to scapegoat and demonize
Somali Americans, Muslims and
immigrants and Arab allies
communities.
Let us know what you think and
especially specifically when
you use megaphone to call
people such words.
I don't repeat those words in
my tongue to say what that guy
in the White House said Somali
community.
As someone who cares deeply
about children and families
because I the co-founder and
ceo of Info Charitable which
serves the majority of
the Somali people So my kids.
And when those words were saved
by the PRESIDENT.
Actually their self-esteem was
damaged.
Imagine what a tv ad
the PRESIDENT Is saying such
words to them to their
community.
So for that reason we would
like him to support this
resolution.
I would really like to express
my gratitude to my brother
Sean.
Thank you very much.
And history Will Burke.
What are you doing for this
community?
We did appreciative and thank
you all of you.
Thanks for all.
>> Thank you for that
concluding remarks.
You lose.
Good article.
Thank you Your time has
concluded.
Thank you so much for your
remarks.
Now, now come comes Shima.
Now if you can please come up
to the microphone.
After that I have prosperity
land.
Gina or John When?
Ashley Mendiola, Petros House
and Sally.
Ousmane, if you can all please
come forward to the other
reserved seats please proceed.
Hello, my name is now Captain.
I'm executive director of
the current organization of San
Diego.
Serving refugees and newcomers
from Burma and most of them
live in District nine.
I'm here today in support of
this resolution.
When the Somali community are
targeted and anti-Muslim hate
is normalized, we are all
targeted and nobody is safe in
this kind of society.
And when current refugees
started to live in Selwyn 27
they struggle a lot just
because they are new to this
country.
And to meet their urgent needs.
We started an organization in
2009 after learning how Somali
community leaders organize
the community and supported
their refugee family to be
included in the San Diego
community.
Since they continue learning
from Somali community leaders,
sisters and brothers how to
organize, how to support and
respect one another and how to
be kind to all neighbors no
matter what their backgrounds
religion This is art.
>> Thank you.
Prosperity land.
Good afternoon.
My name's Prosperity.
I'm here on behalf of
the current organization of San
Diego.
I'm here in support of this
resolution because every San
Diego deserves to feel safe and
respected in their communities.
As a friend of the Somali
community, I'm troubled by
the harassment directed at
Somali families and child care
providers.
As a longtime resident of
District nine, I've grown up
with my Somali refugee peers
who are, by the way, very kind,
hilarious and generous and they
make a good for Masa.
And and they are now working in
cybersecurity, in health care
and finance and are actively
serving their communities and
are arguably 100% extremely
valuable members of society.
And my Somali friends and their
communities deserve to be heard
by the city of San Diego.
I applaud this effort to stand
with the Somali community.
San Diego must reject bigotry
in all its forms and stand
united in defense of
the dignity and safety of all
its residents.
>> Thank you.
Thank you.
Gina Winberg Esteemed council
members.
My name is Jana and I'm a
constituent of PRESIDENT
LaCava.
I am here in solidarity with
the San Diego Somali community
and affirmed this resolution
against hate and
discrimination.
No one should live in fear due
to their race, religion or
immigration status.
And in addition to adopting
this resolution, I urge
the city to take additional
steps to protect cherished
child care workers and kiddos.
I am also here at the Jewish
member of Dor Hadash in support
of our Muslim cousins.
As Jews we know acutely
the ugly impacts of hateful
rhetoric and scapegoating.
And collective liberation is
the only way forward.
Thank you and please vote
unanimously to support this
resolution.
Thank you.
Ashley Mendiola.
Hello.
Good afternoon.
My name is Ashley from the San
Diego Organizing Project and a
constituent of District eight.
I'm here today in support of
this resolution because nobody
should have to live in fear
because of their race,
religion, ethnicity or
immigration background.
It's heartbreaking to hear what
my brothers and sisters are
going through.
San Diego Council Please stand
solidarity with the community.
People deserve to be treated
with dignity and feel safe.
>> Council members Today you
have an opportunity to take a
clear stand against harassment
,intimidation and
discrimination targeting
the Somali community in San
Diego.
I ask you to please vote in
favor of this resolution.
Thank you, Petros.
Hackers.
>> Council Members My name is
Petros Hagos.
I grew up in City Heights where
my Somali brothers I'm here
with City High ctc and I would
like to say that we are in
support of this resolution and
we stand with the Somali
community members who have
experience, harassment,
discrimination and targeting.
Every resident deserves to feel
safe, respected and welcome
regardless of their city
nationality, religion or
background.
The Somali community as part of
City Heights and they're part
of every community in America
And I know this because I grew
up my brothers To see them
experienced as my brothers and
sisters, to see them experience
what they're going through
right now really affects us and
should affect everybody.
This resolution sends an
important message that San
Diego values inclusion, dignity
and belonging for our community
and reaffirms our commitment to
ensuring the Somali residents
are seen, supported and an
essential part of our
community.
Thank you for your support.
>> Salihu Osman.
Afternoon.
My name is only Osman.
I'm working at District nine
today.
I'm coming over here to support
this resolution.
>> I'm here today to support
the resolution because every
Sunday I deserve to feel safe,
respected, valued in their
community.
No family should have to live
in fear because of their race,
religion, ethnicity or
immigration background.
San Diego must take clear stand
against harassment,
intimidation and discrimination
targeting the Somali community
.
For example, in MAY 18th
Islamic Center of San Diego all
of us we know what happens.
Time we are healing all our
children Who goes that Islamic
center is still there in
trauma.
So we need to support this
resolution to support our
children, for our families and
we need to go forward to
inclusively happy helping each
other.
>> Thank you.
>> The Nora Arena, The Nora
Arena.
Please come to the microphone
as you make your way up.
I'd like to note for the record
that we did have four speakers
in favor that did not wish to
speak and one comment in favor
that was submitted on your web
comment form which hasn't been
distributed to the council.
Please proceed.
Hi, good afternoon.
I'm Peanut Arena executive
director with the San Diego
Organizing Project.
We're a network of
congregations across the county
and I'm also a resident of
District eight.
I live in Chester and we're
here as your please here in
support and in partnership with
Pana and other organizations in
San Diego.
I'm serving Somali and Muslim
community members with Pan Out.
We've spent the last ten months
exploring the question about
about how to protect and be
able to serve impacted
community members from
the deportation machine and
the lawlessness of ice and
other federal agencies.
So and in our work and our
communities of faith believe
that every single human being
is made in the image of GOD.
And we believe that
the families that caregivers
and the Somali community in
this moment is a community that
is not being seen that way and
is not being respected and
protected.
I'm here in support of this
resolution and believe you all
should.
I think it's a low and small
ask.
I think the expectation of
elected officials should be
greater.
Thank you for that concluding
sentence.
Shalom.
Avery Lopez Shalom Right here.
Shalom Mabuti Lopez Community
Member and District District
three I'm here to support my
Somali and Muslim brothers and
sisters.
I say to my neighbors You are
more than welcome your San
Diegans and I'm here in deep
support of this resolution
beyond just saying we do not
accept the hate that has been
thrown at us from every angle
from the highest to those that
are online.
We need to do something to
protect our children.
Every child should feel just as
safe as any other child living
in any other community.
Every parent should feel just
as safe as I did just right now
as I picked up my kid from
child care.
Everyone deserves that same
level of safety and dignity.
>> Vote yesterday.
Thank you.
That does conclude our speakers
here in person and we will now
go to those participating
remotely I'm sorry at the five
minute timer we have 15
speakers in the queue starting
with me and my You'll have one
minute Please proceed.
>> Hello my name is Minh.
My Good afternoon everyone.
I am also the board chair of
Voices, a local grassroot
nonprofit based here in City
Heights District nine San
Diego.
Well our grassroot organization
with Voices is dedicated to
the development and empowerment
of the Vietnamese community in
San Diego.
We stand in solidarity with our
Somali neighbors.
Everyone deserves a place where
they feel safe and welcome and
we support this resolution in
support of the Somali
community.
Thank you.
Next is Naomi.
If you can please unmute Daniel
My name is Naomi Gammel.
I'm a senior staff attorney at
the Child Care Law Center and
the Child Care Law Center is a
statewide legal support center.
We are here today in support of
this resolution because San
Diego must take a clear stand
against harassment and
discrimination targeting some
Somali families and childcare
providers.
>> Family childcare providers
should be able to work and
children should be able to
learn and safe environments
free from stalking and
harassment.
We support this effort to stand
with the Somali community
against hate, racism,
discrimination and harassment.
Thank you.
>> Thank you.
Next is Ellen.
>> Ellen if you can please
unmute.
Hi, my name is Ellen Freydis.
I live in District two.
I want to speak in favor of
this resolution as I believe it
is important to speak up
against hate othering and
profiling.
These attitudes lead to
violence as we saw in
the recent fatal attack on
the local Islamic center.
I am not Somali.
I am not Muslim but this
affects all of us.
I did not feel safe when ice
raided my old neighborhood in
South Park when there were men
on rooftops hunting humans.
I did not feel safe when myself
and my white skin immigrant
husband were passed over by
masked armed ice agents parked
outside our door because they
spotted someone browner.
Violence and hate is not
the answer.
The Somali community
unfortunately is experiencing
this culture disproportionately
due to their rich culture
the color of their skin and
their rich religious
traditions.
And I stand against that hate
as we all should.
We need to speak up in passing
this resolution.
Resolution is a part of that.
Thank you.
>> Next is test If you can
please unmute test test I can
commute for you.
I'll go on to our next caller
It voices if you can please
unmute voices If you can please
unmute.
Only move on to our next caller
Crypto Bradley if you can
please unmute.
All right.
Thanks for taking my call.
I would like to add another
motion to denouncing the guys
in Israel killing all
the Muslims in the Gaza Strip.
That would be something we
could add to this thing because
I'm not for guys living in fear
but even the Somalis in San
Diego don't have it as bad as
if they're in Lebanon right now
And the Israelis are bombing.
But anyway, I am also for that
I'm for the mass rapid deport
tation of all non-citizens in
the United States wherever
country you came from.
It's time to go back because
Trump's winning the war and
he's going to come back with
heavy on ice is going to really
hit us hard in San Diego and
it's great.
It'll be a rapid deportation.
Everyone will have to go home
and they can get their lives
back in their own country and
live happily ever after or not
here but in their own.
>> But your time as concluded
Tristin Barry if you can please
unmute just in very.
>> Hello Counsel My name is
Tristan Barry and I'm the youth
organizer with Youth.
Well I'm here today in support
of this resolution because
every San Diego deserves to
feel safe, respected and valued
in their community.
No family should have to live
in fear because of their race,
religion, ethnicity or
immigration background.
San Diego must take a clear
stand against harassment,
intimidation and discrimination
targeting the Somali community
Somali community.
Under this current
administration we have seen
the adoption of dangerous
rhetoric used to attack
Somali-Americans, Muslims,
immigrants and other
marginalized communities And we
as a city cannot allow those in
power to spread fear suspicions
and false narratives for
political gain especially when
we have seen the direct impacts
of these kind of words can have
We saw this on MAY 18th and two
individuals carried out a
direct attack on our Muslim
community that left three lives
taken from us, three lives that
had an impact much beyond their
own because of how much they
poured themselves into their
community.
We as a city need to adopt
language that acknowledges
the contributions of our Somali
community.
We need to promise to protect
them and we need to acknowledge
that people are targeting their
community and we are refusing
to be a part of that.
>> Thank you.
Thank you.
Next is youth.
Youth?
Well if you can please unmute.
>> Good afternoon.
My name is Claire Snyder with
Youth World and I'm a resident
of District three.
I am here in support of this
item in this resolution.
All young people all children
deserve to feel safe, be able
to learn and grow in
environments that are free from
harassment, stalking and
hateful speech.
And this anti-Muslim bigotry
didn't come from anywhere.
It's fueled by our political
climate.
Political leaders and it should
not be tolerated at all.
Like many others have said, I
encourage you to not only
support this item but also take
action and stand on your words
When you say you support
communities.
We see when you say you when
you say something and then you
don't do it.
So I encourage you all to take
action as well.
Thank you.
Next is Blair Beekman.
If you can please unmute.
Five minute timer has also
concluded.
No additional speakers will be
taken after this.
>> We have ten speakers in
the queue.
Blair Bachman Please proceed.
I Beekman.
i'm on the trolley.
Hopefully my zoom won't cut
out.
Thanks a lot for this item.
Thank you for these efforts.
I think this is an item that
really can resonate in San
Diego and I think we can all
understand and work towards
ending this sort of day of
hatred in our local
communities.
So thank you immensely for it.
With that said, I'm sorry if
I'm going to sound like Mother
Hubbard here but there is an
initial cause and purpose of
why the Trump administration
has been angry at certain
groups of people in this
country who he feels are
getting away with murder on
welfare basically.
You can have an argument on
the merits of that or not but
he wants to work out a better
system.
Why is that in its place
bringing in so much hatred and
spite towards other people?
And that's the real problem
with Trump and their way of
working.
They MAY have 1 or 2 ideas
Bring it in.
We can turn all of that.
That's not the way to define
policy or bureaucracy to how
it's concluded.
Liliana if you can please
unmute.
>> Lillian I can't hear me.
There you go.
Hello.
Hi.
I counsel today.
Well my name is Ivana.
I'm here with you as well.
I'm the director of policy
there and I was also born and
raised in City Heights.
I have a lot of love and
appreciation for the Somali
community and the people that I
grew up with.
And as a young person growing
up in that community today, I
want to support that resolution
because they are important and
a pillar of light would
actually be exposed to
different cultures is like And
they also deserve to feel safe
,feel respected and valued.
And through this resolution
that's what they achieve.
We also need to take care of
our youngest son Diggins
because there was a lot of
issues coming up in child care
facilities owned by Somali
families were being stalked.
So I just wanted you to support
this item because of those
reasons.
>> Thank you.
That concludes your time.
Carmen Carmen But a lot of
elders.
>> Yes.
Hello?
Can you hear me?
Yes.
Please proceed.
Okay.
My name is Carmen.
I live in District nine.
I'm also here with you as well.
I'm here today in support of
this resolution because every
San Diego deserves to feel
safe, respected and valued in
their community.
San Diego must take a clear
stand against harassment,
intimidation and discrimination
targeting the Somali community
.
I'm deeply concerned by
the dangerous rhetoric used by
political leaders and public
figures including
the PRESIDENT, of course and
members of Congress to
scapegoat and demonize
Somali-Americans and Muslims,
immigrants and other
marginalized communities.
These individuals with
positions of power our
purposefully spreading fear,
suspicion and false narratives
for political gain which in
turn leads to consequences.
Much beyond political debate
we've seen this most recently
MAY 18th three members of our
community were murdered.
These are painful reminders
that hateful rhetoric does not
remain confined to social media
speeches broadcast.
They inspire violence and
tragedy.
This resolution sends an
important message that San
Diego rejects bigotry in all of
its forms and stands united in
defense of the dignity, safety,
humanity of all its residents.
Thank you.
>> If you can please unmute
Karina.
That afternoon Council members
my name is Karen a few pronouns
or she her and I'm calling
today in support of this
resolution on behalf of the San
Diego lgbt Community Center.
It has no place in San Diego.
Our Somali neighbors are
integral to the rich diverse
fabric of our San Diego
community and each and every
one of them deserves to be
safe, respected and welcomed as
a community center that serves
the diverse base of San Diego
and including our immigrants.
We know all too well
the feeling of discrimination
and the constant fear for your
safety When national leaders be
harmful rhetoric about your
community.
Our communities are under
attack but through this false
and dangerous rhetoric as well
as through discriminatory
policies that in our direct
harm upon our communities we
reject this hate and we know
that strength is our strength
and unity.
We will not allow this hate to
divide our communities because
we know that we are stronger
and more resilient as one to
our Somalian immigrant
neighbors.
The center's doors will always
be open to you.
We respect you and you will
always have a place here in San
Diego.
Thank you Councilmember Ella
Rivera for bringing forth this
resolution and to our other
council members and chambers
please support this item.
Thank you.
Next is Courtney If you can
please unmute.
>> Good afternoon honorable
council members.
My name is Courtney.
My apologies Courtney and we
will restart your time Every
once in a while I press
the wrong button.
>> Please proceed.
No problem.
Good afternoon Honorable
council members My name is
Courtney about calling today
with Children First Collective
San Diego.
We stand in solidarity with
people who make up our child
care sector on behalf of
children and families and
providers will continue to
fight for a system that works
for all And today that's
especially important with this
resolution which we support and
encourage all councils to vote
unanimous on it.
As an aspiring ally it's an
honor to be welcomed into a
small community whether that's
with family childcare providers
or with partner organizations.
But warm welcome the incredible
culture inspires hope.
And so today's vote is a vote
for hope and not hate in San
Diego.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Next is DR. Kathleen If you can
please unmute I phone 143.
>> DR. Kathleen.
Good afternoon.
Thank you so much for
the opportunity.
My name is Kathy.
DR. Kathleen Almond.
I live in the fourth District.
I am 95 years old and I never
thought that I would live to
see the tear come through our
community And day I'm begging
the council to pass this
resolution And so thank you for
your comments.
Francine Maxwell If you can
please unmute.
Hello.
Yes.
>> Sorry.
Good afternoon.
Francine Mazzeo, Southeastern
San Diego resident Thank you so
much for the presentation and
full support.
I am hoping that after
the resolution passes that
the plans will be made with
the PRESIDENT Of the United
States Conference of Mayors,
our mayor who has themed a city
for all of us.
Hate has no place.
Absolutely.
So if everyone in the room
could go over to the mayor's
representative and ask him to
reactivate the mayors advisory
groups.
We learned a lot from
the communities so that we can
get in front of things that are
going to happen.
We are living in treacherous
times right now and
conversation is needed on all
fronts.
So in full support of
the resolution, the next steps
are what's important so that
things do not continue looking
performative in our city.
And that would entail that
the mayor pull things off
the shelf, implement more
conversations citywide so that
we can all get to learn each
other and continue to move in
love.
Thank you for allowing me to
speak.
>> Thank you.
Next is 8813 if you can please
unmute and 813.
Okay we don't need the mayor to
do that.
We can do it ourselves.
But anyways the take on swallow
here and I'm asking the City
Council to pass a resolution to
protect community but
the reality is that this
Council does not stand for
truth or protection.
It stands for political
self-interest and public image
and protection of itself.
This is more divide and conquer
rhetoric where government
positions itself as
the protector and savior.
Well and used to decline.
Many people still believe and
trust the government is here to
protect them.
But trust is built through
transparency, accountability
and equal treatment for
everyone.
That's something that this
board does not practice.
And reminder to the people
listening response Stability
Reminder Responsibility for
real solutions does not rest
with government.
It rests with the people.
With communities coming
together directly honestly
without political manipulation.
Shaun your time has concluded.
John Stump If you can please
unmute.
>> Hi, good afternoon.
>> Several of the speakers have
called for I support
the resolution.
I'm a city hater.
Several of the speakers have
called for action.
I hope during the council's
consideration of this item that
they call before them
the criminal division of
the City Attorney and
the police department to ask
them whether they have
sufficient authority and
resources to prosecute,
identify and prosecute these
hateful people.
Is it a crime in San Diego,
the city of San Diego to do
these acts?
How many people have been
successfully prosecuted and
jailed?
The district attorney should
probably be called in and find
out how many have been in
prison for these hateful acts.
>> Take action.
Thank you for the talk.
Bye bye.
Thank you.
Our last speaker is is Mohamed
Abdullahi.
Please and meet him.
Thank you so much for
the opportunity to speak on
this man Abdullahi.
And unfortunately I cannot be
there in person today as I'm in
transit.
I want to reiterate my support
for this resolution.
I think this is more than just
a recognition of this beautiful
community.
It is an acknowledgment of
the story of resilience,
sacrifice and belonging that
the Somali community brings in
that hate has no place in our
city.
This resolution sends a very
important message to this
community to the city of San
Diego and to the youth who are
listening and watching the way
that we respond when hate
rises.
It tells our Somali community
and the youth that they are
seen that they belong, that
their story is part of
the story of this city.
And at a time when too many
communities are facing division
fear and minister
misunderstanding, this
resolution is going to
recognize the contribution of
our Somali community and help
build a more stronger, more
united front and future for all
of us.
i want to thank the Council for
considering this resolution and
I look forward to folks voting
for it.
>> Thank you.
Thank you.
That concludes further comment
for this item.
All right.
Thank you, City Clerk And thank
you those who showed up in
chambers to speak your truth,
your lived experience.
And thank you to the friends
and neighbors and organizations
that join in and solidarity to
speak with one voice on
something that is so critical
about defining who we are as a
city.
And I appreciate those who take
the time to call in remotely.
With that I will turn it over
to my colleagues.
>> Council Member Rivera Thank
you.
Council PRESIDENT.
Let me begin by thanking some
of our partners who helped
today.
Cathy thank you for your work
on this for the city attorney's
office.
We very much appreciate you.
Amara Rama rama with
the Partnership for
the Advancement of Americans.
Thank you for your work and
lucky And he said thank you.
I think I wanted to start with
what I know about the Somali
community and I think we
actually see a lot of it in you
too.
Smart, courageous, strong,
kind, family focused and
community oriented.
The resolution is a product of
your hard work.
Very well done.
And also I want to emphasize
the courageous piece of that
because it took a lot takes a
lot for you to sit in those
seats and and provide
the presentation that you
provided.
I've had the privilege of
working with the Somali
community since the beginning
of my time working in City
Heights.
And time and again I've seen
those traits that I just
mentioned.
And one of the best things
about working in and with
representing District nine has
been the opportunity to stand
arm in arm with communities
from all over the world.
And some of those folks are
from cultures I've been part of
or close to and others that
I've come to to know and love.
And in this work I get to see
and appreciate some of
the common threads that knit
people of all backgrounds into
what I think is a really
beautiful tapestry here in San
Diego.
And those are love and care for
all of our children.
The energizing optimism and
imagination of youth and
the unrivaled power of
motivated moms and
grandmothers.
And those are values that I see
clearly in the San Diego Somali
community.
I've seen the community improve
the way our children are fed at
school.
Youth lead other young people
in creating a vision for a
better future.
And workers lead and win
campaigns that expand rights
and opportunities for all
workers over many years working
alongside folks evolved into
trusted partnerships which are
evolved into close friendships.
Close friends became adopted
Members of my family mentees
became some of my most
dependable and irreplaceable
coworkers.
And the leaders of teams that
we built together.
I definitely would not be where
I am or able to do what I do in
District Nine's office would
not be able to do what we do
without San Diego's Somali
community.
At the same time, despite their
strength and resilience, Donald
Trump has repeatedly attacked
the Somali community.
Each round of attacks seems to
grow more venomous and more
dangerous as he grows more
desperate to distract from his
failures, his lies and his
corruption by scapegoating
vulnerable groups with no
regard for the harm it causes
and of course others from his
regime and those who ride
the coattails of his hate.
Have joined his chorus.
It's disgusting.
It's dangerous and it
absolutely cannot be allowed to
fester.
The reasons why are numerous
and should be obvious But I
want to point to the one that
has made me the most angry and
scared about the moment that we
were in.
And that's the stalking and
harassment of child care
providers the people who care
for our babies.
Dehumanization is the worst
form of hate.
It opens the door to what is
otherwise unimaginable.
When we make one group of
people no longer people
the absolute worst things
happen.
I think the most stark and
frightening example of when a
community is being dehumanized
comes when the children from
that community are seen as
acceptable targets or
collateral targets of hate
violence or cruelty.
>> We heard about that
happening here in San Diego of
the homes and facilities where
children of all backgrounds
were being taken care of had
doors knocked on and men posted
up outside demanding to see
the children.
This is something that no
child, no parent, no child care
provider should have to deal
with.
And it's really important that
we make that clear.
So to the Somali community I
want to say thank you for all
you've done and continue to do.
I could not be more proud to be
in community with you and call
so many of you friends.
I love you and our city should
show you love through action.
Earlier this year when Somali
child care providers were
targeted, I did work with
the mayor, the chief of police
and City Attorney Ferber to
partner in ensuring that
actions were taken to both
protect childcare facilities
and ensure that our child care
providers know their rights and
their ability to enforce
the law when they're being
targeted with harassment and
intimidation.
And this resolution is another
important step.
So I ask my colleagues to
support this motion motion as a
first act of love from our city
to a community that
consistently shows and acts
with love.
With that I move approval of
the recommendation.
>> Thank you Council PRESIDENT
Thank you Council members.
>> So we have a motion by
Council member Eli Rivera to
move the resolution.
We'll go next to Council
PRESIDENT Pro Tem we think
Council PRESIDENT And first off
thank you to council member
Isla Rivera and his staff for
bringing this resolution
forward in partnership with
Pana and the Somali community.
Someone said it in the audience
earlier.
Words do matter and they also
have consequences.
Our current federal
administration has continued to
advance rhetoric that seeks to
divide communities.
They help to reinforce harmful
stereotypes and they create
conditions that have allowed
hate, discrimination, racism
and xenophobia to not only
exist because let's face it I
think we all know that it's
always existed but to spread
and now to do so in the open.
As many of you have shared this
rhetoric and the policies that
have followed escalated to an
environment where outside
social media, social media
personality have come to our
city to target, to follow and
to harass Somali immigrant
child care providers in their
places of work.
And I especially wanted to test
.
It is the testing that our
federal administration and
those who are seeking social
media views and clicks and then
including some San Diego ins
have specifically targeted
child care providers.
I think many of us recognize
that child care is extremely
challenging especially post
covid.
We've had many stories of child
care providers closing many of
us in the community recognize
how expensive child care has
become.
And that challenge doesn't even
begin to speak to the challenge
that is faced by those who are
actually providing that care in
our communities.
So I want to thank many of you
who are here today, especially
those of you with Unite
domestic workers who represent
our child care workers because
of the few that remain.
That work is ever more
important to ensure that a
community can thrive.
Our schools child care centers
and houses of worship are
essential community spaces
where everyone should feel safe
and welcome.
And I think it's fair to say
that the horrific attack to
the Islamic Center of San Diego
faced is a recent reminder of
the worst dangers of
the rhetoric that is brought
before our city and our nation
and that we must come together
when it comes to protecting our
neighbors and exemplifying
firsthand that we can build a
society where everyone feels
safe, valued and included.
So I think today why this
resolution is important is
because it's our chance to
recognize that our matters our
words matter too And they have
a significance in allowing
the city of San Diego to be
heard.
In doing so we uplift our child
care providers and our child
care workers.
We denounce hate, racism and
xenophobia.
And we stand with more than
15,000 Somali-American
neighbors who call San Diego
home.
We also recognize that
the Somali community has made
significant cultural, civic and
economic contributions that we
believe strengthen San Diego.
And we celebrate the fact that
many immigrants and refugees
are an integral part of
the city.
Those are our words and I hope
that they matter as well.
So thank you again to
Councilmember Rivera for
bringing this for it not just
to pander to small community
but clearly to many of
the partner organizations who
came out today in solidarity
and to speak in one collective
voice.
>> And with that I am proud to
second the motion.
All right.
Thank you.
So we have a motion by
Councilmember Eli Rivera in a
second by council PRESIDENT Pro
Tem Lee.
We will go next to
Councilmember Whipper.
Thank you, Council PRESIDENT.
Thank you.
Council member Isla Rivera to
you and your team for bringing
forward this resolution.
Thank you to both of you for
the presentation.
It is very important that
the city publicly push back
the hateful rhetoric that has
been targeting many of our
residents.
The attacks and harassment of
Somali child care providers or
the Somali community in general
or the black community in
general is completely
unacceptable.
The thousands of San Diego
those who are members of
the Somali community should not
have to live in fear.
Several speakers this afternoon
asked not just for words but
also for action.
The fourth proposed action that
Cultivator Isla Rivera includes
in this resolution is a request
from the council that the city
work with child care providers
to increase security measures
to protect the children in
their care.
And I would ask the city make a
concerted effort to work with
child care providers to
increase their security.
One of the foremost
responsibilities of our city is
to protect the public safety
and that includes the Somali
community.
We also need to counteract
these racist narratives by
recognizing the significant
contributions of the Somali
community in San Diego.
The contributions are
innumerable across many
sectors.
Child care being one of them.
Thank goodness for at home
child care providers Child care
is one of the greatest needs in
our city.
Thank goodness for uw and child
Care Providers United They make
it possible for many people
including members of the Somali
community to provide high
quality child care.
Speaking for the 150,000
residents in my district, we
are grateful for that.
I will also highlight that here
in District three as especially
the resolution the House of
Somalia was accepted as
the first African country to
join the House specific
relations in Balboa Park.
That is a point of pride for my
district and for our city.
That recognition as well
deserved.
So even as others sowed
the seeds of prejudice, I am
pleased that our city embraces
the many ethnic communities
that make up San Diego
including our Somali community
And I'll be supporting the item
today.
Thank you, Council PRESIDENT.
All right.
Thank you, Councilmember
Whitburn.
We'll go next to Councilmember
Campo.
>> Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT.
I want to thank the members of
the public who've come in today
to share their words in support
of the resolution and thank
the District nine office in
Councilmember Gila River for
authoring it.
Would like to recognize what a
good job uw has done in
organizing and protecting and
advocating for the needs of
their members whether they're
Somali or not.
But of course standing up for
the Somali community.
I also see in the crowd today a
good friend the honorable
Delfina Gonzalez from the Hotel
Water District.
So it's good to see her as
well.
You know, I think the having
worked on childcare issues and
with uw on issues related
childcare in home childcare
the City Council supported a
law back in 2023 that my office
authored to make sure that
landlords wouldn't take
advantage of in-home childcare
providers.
The thing that really is so
disgusting about this is it's
intentionally focusing on a
group of people who are
immigrants mostly immigrants
who are taking care of our
children because they know
the thing you love the most
the people I think everyone in
the public cares about more
than anything is their family
and their young ones.
And they're trying to besmirch
the work you do And everything
I've ever seen from the child
care providers uaw, Somali or
any of the other groups that do
this in home care is excellent
work.
Their parents of those children
rave about how good you are at
the work you do, how their
children develop, how they
learn to read, how they have
good social skills.
You're one of the best we have
as a community in providing
this service and you make it
less expensive for everybody
which is like the incredibly
stupid part of the attack on
your community.
>> Many of us have children up
here who and we know the cost
of child care right now.
And I just have to say that in
terms of the contributions that
councilmember and so rightly
pointed out, raising our
children is the most important
you could provide and you do it
well and you do it at less
expensive than many other
places.
And so I wish every San Diego
and an American could see what
I've seen in my district and
around the city that you're
supporting economic
development, childhood
development, all the things we
beg members of the public to
help us with.
You do it.
So thank you very much for this
for your service to our
community, for your union, for
standing up for you and for and
for working within your union
as well.
And I'm proud to support this
resolution because
the contribution you make is
improve being our society
absolutely improving it.
>> So thank you very much.
I'll be in support.
>> All right.
Excuse me.
Thank you.
Councilmember Campi, I'll go
next to Councilmember Vaughn
Wolpert.
Thank you.
And thank you, Councilmember
Rivera for bringing forth a
resolution today.
I am very proud to support our
resolution affirming our city's
commitment to San Diego Somali
community and thank you for
being here very much.
Our Somali neighbors are
important part of the fabric of
San Diego.
You contribute to our economy.
You enrich our culture, raise
families here, help others
raise their families if they're
struggling to access child care
And you do it so well.
You're very good at your jobs
and we appreciate the work you
do.
You operate businesses.
You strengthen our civic life.
Your success is our city's
success At a time when
immigrant and refugee
communities understand that we
face fear, discrimination and
uncertainty, it is important
that we make clear here today
San Diego is a welcoming city
and we welcome our Somali
community into our city.
Every resident deserves to live
with safety, dignity, pursue
opportunity and participate
fully in our community and our
life here Regardless of your
national origin or immigration
status or where you come from
or who you love, who you
ascribe to.
All of all of us deserve
dignity and respect in our
communities.
We also stand firmly against
harmful rhetoric and actions
that seek to divide us.
Words can turn into hateful
violence like we saw at our
Islamic center here in San
Diego when three people
tragically lost their lives
saving the lives of hundreds of
children.
And finally, this resolution
recognizes the importance of
protecting our Somali own child
care providers from harassment
and intimidation.
You have faced unthinkable
harassment.
And I actually have a question
for our police department who's
here And I'm glad we have
the multi cultural storefront
up and running but I do have a
question.
If someone from police can come
answer it.
One of the things we have to
stop is people making money on
social media for harassing
other people And it is
horrendous.
>> And people do have a First
Amendment right to freedom of
expression in this country.
I hope we can stop hate but
they do not have a right to
make money.
So how can we tell the YouTubes
and the metered in the Googles
the alphabet to the world to
take down these accounts so
they can't make money by
harassing our child care
providers?
>> I think it comes down to
pressure.
It's putting pressure on these
folks.
It's clearly set a tone here
where we look into it from
the city on three sides and
we've had upwards of over a
dozen complaints of harassment
from both Internet as well as
through the different
organizations.
We're taking them all seriously
,document all of them and set
them up through the city
attorney's office.
I think a lot of pressure is
being pressure on these
entities.
>> So let us know how we can
help.
I'm happy to send this
resolution to all of the tech
companies which are based in
California which need to learn
what they're doing as wrong.
So I just think it's horrible.
People should not be able to
make money off this.
But thank you And we're happy
to help sign on to any effort
we can.
I want to thank you, D.W. For
being here today and for being
at Union Proud.
We need more labor protections
in this country to stop people
from harassing others on
the job.
And thank you for being here
too.
And even at you know, 90, 94,
95 years young, you're still
out advocating.
So I appreciate you for being
here.
And it is terribly scary when
the PRESIDENT United States
have been hateful, horrible and
just plain ignorant statements
about our small community.
But it's not just the White
House.
And that's what's getting
scarier and scarier.
Hateful rhetoric against our
Muslim community is growing in
national politics and it should
scare all of us.
I'm not going to repeat what
they said because their words
do not deserve to be repeated.
But we have a U.S.
Representative in Congress such
as Brandon Gill and Texas
Senator Tommy Tuberville and
Alabama Representative Randy
Fine in Florida And you all get
in Tennessee who have all faced
horrible backlash for their
horrible anti-Muslim posts and
have made incredibly hateful
Islamophobic comments.
We must reject our hate.
There is no place for
Islamophobia in our United
States government.
What worries me even more is
the trend we're seeing in
national politics is changing.
Speaker Johnson and his
leadership have shown no
interest in reprimanding any of
these members of Congress for
their hate.
None.
And this is a change from 2019
when we saw then-Speaker
Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy
here in California and his
leadership team voted a
horrible man Representative
Stephen King in Iowa off of all
of his congressional committees
after he questioned publicly
whether white supremacy should
come back to this country.
He faced consequences then.
They are not facing
consequences now and it is
deeply scary.
But here in San Diego we're
going to push back.
And today on behalf of
the council, thank you again to
council certainly where we are.
Thank you so much for everyone
present in all the hard work
you put into this.
We stand with our Somali
community.
We value you.
We see you And I'm proud to
support this resolution.
>> All right.
Thank you.
Council member Obama.
I will go next to council
member Campbell Thank you so
much.
I want to say that I'm in
complete agreement with all of
the words that my colleagues
have said.
Welcome to America.
That's what all Americans
should be saying.
Welcome And we're glad you came
and we want you to know that we
believe everyone is created
equal and we have had a hard
time in this country.
If you look at our 250 year
history and living up to our
promise.
And I want you to know that we
in San Diego will live up to
our promise.
We will stand up with you.
We will fight with you.
We believe in you.
We are your neighbors, your
friends, your brothers, your
sisters.
We are all one people and we
believe that we live it.
And as old as I am, I'm telling
you I'm 80 years old.
Not as old as Captain Cheese.
My hero.
But Kathryn and I when we had
young children we didn't have
good in-home child care.
And I want to thank you for
providing that and the safety
for those children.
Thank you so much.
I don't know how long some of
you have been here but if it's
less than 12 years or so you
have lived under this trump And
he does not represent our
country and our only power as
citizens is our vote.
And the only way we have power
is to use our vote.
And so those of you who can
vote please remember it's so
important.
It really is our only power in
a big democracy.
So let us work hard.
Let us get out the vote next
time.
Let us make sure we never have
another demagogue, another
follower of Hitler, another
Hitler.
Certainly not in this country
ever.
We are all one and we are
together with you.
>> Thank you.
>> Council member Ala.
Thank you.
I just want to say thank you my
colleagues for the comments you
made, the support you've shown
.
I, I also wanted to make sure
that I relayed the appreciation
from the Somali community to
domestic workers.
I didn't intentionally try to
keep as much about the Somali
leaders as possible but as is
the case with our Somali
community, they wanted to make
sure that that appreciation was
shown.
And that plays itself out in a
multitude of ways.
Obviously I'm supporting
the childcare providers but
also just providing community
space for Ede and for other
important community
celebrations.
I also want to say thank you
for that.
Again, very much like our
leaders within the community to
make sure that that
appreciation was spread as wide
as possible.
So thank you again, my
colleagues and thank you to all
the allies who showed up today.
Very, very appreciative for
the way this conversation has
happened.
I'll hand it back to you.
Council PRESIDENT.
Thank you.
All right.
Thank you.
Council member Ella Rivera.
So I'll jump in here to close
it out.
Thank you council member for
your work the work of your
amazing staff in District nine
who time and time again helped
lead us into these
conversations that are so very
important.
Thank you to Pana and your
leadership over the years and
what you've done and what
you've taught me.
We don't always agree but you
have taught me an awful lot
since the first time I went to
a Pana rally years and years
ago.
Thank you again.
As I said at the onset to all
of you who showed up who took
the time to show up to show
that collective solidarity
about what is happening with
the Somali community, what is
happening with the childcare
providers and to push back
against people who are trying
to fill an empty soul, an empty
heart with hate and rhetoric
because they think that makes
them more important.
And as my colleagues have said,
we live in a very challenging
time where social media spreads
like wildfire and people can
hide behind the anonymity of
social media and make
themselves try to feel good
while they impose hate and
rhetoric.
And as many of you said, words
matter because it's not only
that hateful words but it's
when it gets translated to
action and people who think
they have a mandate because
they heard something on social
media or they hear it over and
over again, they think that
gives them direction.
They think it gives them
purpose when they so sadly
sadly do not.
And to the hate that you are
exposed to that you feel and as
my colleagues at each of you
pointed out as my colleagues
pointed out, childcare
providers you have the most
precious gift that you take
care of on behalf of our
children, our next generation
and the love and support that
you impose on them as a child
care provider is what gives me
hope going forward that we are
raising our children in a way
that will overwhelm this
awfulness.
And while I appreciate
Councilmember Bob Wolpert and
the officer from pd when you
have the social media giants in
the back pocket of this
PRESIDENT, it can be daunting
at times to think that there
will be an end to this But
we've got two and a half years
If we can survive that and I
know we will that we can change
this course of this country
back to what the original
vision was.
And so we appreciate each and
every one of you despite some
of the challenges we have in
balancing the life of our city,
our state, our country.
We will continue to look for
ways to be supportive, to be
protective, to go after those
who would seek to do harm and
ill will there.
So I do appreciate the police
department your attention to
this the city attorney's office
and even to the district
attorney in those good efforts.
So we using the words of others
that are smarter and more
eloquent than me we will
overcome this challenge
constantly reach out to each of
our districts if we can be help
and support in any way.
And I think there's a letter
out there I would be happy to
cosign it if it is helpful in
moving that financial support
forward.
So with that we have a motion
by council member Ella Rivera
and a second by Council
PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee.
>> Please call the roll I'm
sorry the vote the voting
system Please cast your vote.
>> My apologies.
MAY I get your vote For
the record Council member Yes.
And that passes unanimously 8
to 0 with Councilmember Foster
absent.
>> Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT.
You're going to stay for
the next item.
I'm so excited.
Oh well, let's just pause for a
moment and give these good
folks a chance to
work.
All right.
Clerk Please introduce items
201 and 202 Thank you.
>> Council PRESIDENT Item two
one is the fiscal year 2027
Maintenance Assessment
Districts Annual reports for
Parks and Recreation Department
And item 2 or 2 is the fiscal
year 2027 Main Assessment
District annual reports for
the Economic Development
Department.
If you'd like to speak to these
items, now's the time to raise
your hand by pressing Star nine
or the raise your hand icon Or
if you're hearing council
chambers to submit your
speakers up to the front of
the room in the clear box.
Thank you, Council PRESIDENT
All right.
Thank you City Clerk for these
items.
We will take the staff
presentations together public
testimony and council comment
on these items will also be
taken together and then we'll
take separate votes on each
item.
So with that staff please
introduce yourselves for
the record and let us know how
much time you need for
the joint presentation.
Good afternoon Council members.
Thank you for your time today.
My name is Michael Jones and
with me is Rhea again Aldo And
for our presentation will
require approximately seven
minutes.
All right, when you're ready.
Thank you.
A maintenance assessment
district or mad is a legal
mechanism to allow property
owners the ability to fund
improvements and activities
within a boundary defined by an
assessment engineer.
These tricks take on many
scopes of service, several of
which are shown here.
Landscaping is the most common
type of improvement generally
occurring in medians, parks and
rights of way.
Methods operate with legal
authority to engage in
improvements and activities
under the guidance of
legislation at both the State
and local levels.
State Law, the Municipal Code
and City Council policy are
written to allow districts
maximum operational flexibility
.
A primary goal of these
policies is to give communities
the ability to offer virtually
any type of feasible
improvement or activity.
Next, I'd like to turn it over
to Rhea to cover the next
section Rhea.
>> Thank you Mike.
Good afternoon Council members.
There are 64 maintenance
assessment districts in
the city of San Diego of which
54 receive oversight from
the Parks and Recreation
Department and ten from
the Economic Development
Department.
Mather Located in every council
district from the border to
the northernmost parts of
the city.
The city's assessment Areas map
is an interactive tool
available to the public to
locate methods operating
citywide.
Economic development methods
shown here in blue are located
in commercial areas providing
related services such as
beautification, retail
retention and district branding
through seasonal banners.
Parks and Recreation match
shown in yellow operate
primarily in residential
neighborhoods.
>> Oversight and accountability
are key components to managing
a mad as each district is
governed by its own engineer's
report and assessment
structure.
To support this the city uses
various contract types to
administer services and
activities for Parks and
recreation.
The districts are managed by
city staffed with service
delivery through contracts with
for profit vendors.
Bird Rock and Savita are
the exceptions managed by
nonprofit organizations for
economic development.
The private The districts
primarily operate under
management agreements with
nonprofit organizations with
service delivery provided by
staff or through subcontracted
vendors.
All ten economic development
methods will be managed by
nonprofits in fiscal year 27
including Barrio Logan and
Central Commercial which will
transition from city
management.
Seven Economic development
methods are managed by local
business associations that also
manage manage a business
improvement district.
This shared management
structure allows them to
coordinate resources and
district priorities and
leverage assessments to bring
additional investments to those
communities.
>> The next two slides
highlight the visible impact of
matters in their communities.
Parks and recreation matters
shown here support
the maintenance and
beautification of landscaped
areas, parks and medians.
These districts are well
positioned to coordinate with
city departments and local
stakeholders helping deliver
services effectively and
aligned with neighborhood
service needs.
>> Economic development methods
shown here contribute to
cleaner and more welcoming
business districts.
Landscape maintenance Sidewalk
cleaning and beautification are
some examples of day to day
services shown on this slide.
>> Most districts also offer
opportunities for community and
property owners to get involved
such as through neighborhood
cleanups and district
walkthroughs which help guide
service priorities.
With that I'll turn it back
over to Michael.
Thank you, Rhea.
Each district is formed with an
accompanying engineer
assessment engineer's report
and is implemented upon a
successful vote of affected
property owners.
This is effectively
the governing document that
specifies which improvements
can occur and at what
frequencies.
The difference between general
and special benefit is an
important point of distinction.
Mads MAY only fund those
services which are above
the city standard and confer a
special benefit to assessment
payers.
The engineer's report is
updated annually to include new
parcel data.
Changes in land use and an
updated budget for each
district.
It is important to note that
assessments MAY increase or
decrease or remain the same
based upon the needs of
the district and fiscal
considerations.
Some elements of the report
such as boundaries assessment,
methodology, locations and
service frequencies MAY not be
updated through the annual
process.
These changes in assessment
levies are shared with
community members, stakeholders
or advisory committees
associated with one or multiple
districts.
The proposed actions before
the Council today for item two
include the approval of
the fiscal year 2027 annual
reports.
In addition, the Department
seeks authorization to allow
the cfo to expend funds and
collect revenues that will
sustain the operations of all
54 districts under Parks and
Recreation oversight.
Additionally, the Council will
allow the cfo via department
via the department to execute
the manual billing of property
owners who do not receive a
property tax bill.
>> For item 2o2.
Proposed actions include
approval of the fiscal year
2027 annual reports for
the Economic Development
Department.
Authorize the cfo to
appropriate and expend mad
funds and manually bill
the property owners not billed
by the county.
Proposed actions four and five
Request consideration to waive
mad Council policy 121 for
Little Italy and Adams Avenue
mouths.
Allowing each district's
operating reserve to fall below
the required minimum of 10% of
operating expenditures.
The proposed actions ensure
each of our departments ability
to submit the assessments to
the county by the AUGUST 10th
deadline for inclusion on
the owner's property tax bill.
All of this ensures a seamless
continuity of service.
For more information, members
of the public can visit each
department's web page and
the interactive map outlining
district boundaries.
These are all useful resources
for learning more about
the Maintenance Assessment
District program here in San
Diego.
And finally, this concludes our
presentation.
We appreciate your time today.
Thank you.
All right.
Thank you for the presentation
and thank you for the work to
bring forward these annual
reports.
With that, Clark, please go to
public comment.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT Maximilian
Schmidt if you can please come
forward.
You'll have two minutes to
speak on both items 2a1, two
and two to.
After that we have Petros
Haggas and Ben Nichols.
You can come forward to
the yellow reserved seats at
the front ending with allegedly
.
Please proceed on using
property tax for landscaping
maintenance and cleaning of
parks and what you're calling
the beautification of parks.
I think it's important that we
call out something else that is
going on in San Diego's and
parks across the whole world
Really This is also happening
in mainland China.
They're trying to make the code
actually designed the buildings
and created the buildings
surrounding the parks and
the buildings and
the architecture and the parks
And they're actually trying to
make the buildings look two
dimensional.
This type of architecture is
called brutalism And the reason
they're trying to do that is
because of someone's death.
Perception is messed with.
They can disassociate easier
and be mind controlled easier
or be influenced to think a
certain way by telepathic
people because the majority of
the West Coast are telepaths
who MAY try to influence
someone to be liberal or to be
a socialist.
And I just wanted to say that
also the buildings are designed
to make you afraid to look at
the sky where there's many
unnecessary right angles built
into the architecture as well
so that when you look up at
the sky it's almost like a
dagger or a right angle like
coming down on you to make
the sky look jagged so you're
afraid to look at the sky.
So I just know that a lot of
people who are escaping from
colds and trying to enjoy our
parks they MAY I MAY be able to
help people if I let them know
that Don't be afraid to look at
the sky even if there's a giant
ominous building hovering over
you with right angles hanging
off it unnecessarily And that
has intense brutalism
architecture that looks two
dimensional to make you
dissociate do not be afraid to
look at the skies in our parks
and I think you'll like
education like this If we're
going to be taking property tax
for extra property tax for
landscaping maintenance and
cleaning and the beautification
of our parks, I think that we
can help people with a message
of when you enjoy San Diego's
parks, don't be afraid to look
at the sky.
And I say that because they're
building buildings to intention
only make it hard to look at
the sky.
>> Next is pictures huggers You
are speaking on item 202 so
you'll have one minute.
>> Hello Council members one I
was petrels I worked for city
high cities here as a program
manager overseeing the main
assessment district.
The main assessment district
plays a critical role in
keeping city highways clean and
safe and welcoming those
services such as graffiti
removal, litter abatement,
legal dumping responses,
landscaping and corridor
beautification.
The district improves quality
of life while serving as a
direct conduit between
residents, businesses and
community concerns to ensure
issues are addressed
efficiently.
Rapidly these efforts go beyond
appearances clean and work,
maintain corridors, promote
walkability, strong community
pride, improve public safety
and contribute to a more
vibrant local community
economy.
I'm also proud to share that
this year of organized five
community cleanups two
beautification events with
additional cleanups and
beautification events coming up
in the near future called
Beautify the Block.
These efforts have brought
students, residents, businesses
and community partners together
to work collectively towards a
cleaner community.
>> Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Ben Nichols Hello.
>> My name is Benjamin Nichols
and I'm with the Hillcrest
Business Association.
I'm here today to urge your
support for the maintenance
assessment district program
administered by Economic
Development Department Since
our districts formation several
years ago, we have built a
robust suite of clean and safe
programs.
These include monthly
sidewalks, steam cleaning,
daily trash pickup, annual tree
trimming security patrols and
after hours on call security
services, we have also filled
every vacant tree well in
Hillcrest we've removed
hundreds of graffiti tags every
week and we continue to
maintain the iconic Hillcrest
sign and the Hillcrest Pride
flag.
i'm happy to note that the epa
has managed to keep funding for
administrative overhead at less
than 10% of the budget.
I hope the council will feel
the same about the importance
of this program and vote to
support the item.
Thank you.
>> Allegedly Audra you'll have
two minutes speaking on items
2012 and 2 or 2.
So exciting becoming a target
of the salami over Somali
community Now whatever.
Um, just for being here.
>> It's great.
Oh yeah.
So these you know, districts
that you guys create I mean
the promises that you guys
engage with these nonprofits,
they're all for profit.
So I don't even know why we say
that they're not And there is
fraud, waste and abuse with
the nonprofits And it's like we
want to sit here and say that
there is no fraud, waste and
abuse going on and we're
targeting people.
Yes, people are being targeted
but there is fraud happening
and it's like you can't even
expose that.
No, Jennifer, there's no fraud
happening at all.
None.
Absolutely not.
Or is it just what Trump See,
that's the thing you'll say
with Trump there is But if it
involves anybody else there
isn't And that's a significant
problem because we should be
talking about these things
Instead we brush it under
the rug and say it's like a
racist thing to talk about.
>> No, it's happening across
the board And again I shouldn't
be a target because of that.
That's not fair.
It's like that's what you guys
do though.
You come in and you sow discord
with the people so that we
fight each other instead of
looking at you guys for doing
what you're doing.
That money from these daycares
was given by the government and
it's like it's just ridiculous
that we like want to pretend
like everything is just good
and cupcakes and rainbows just
trump That man's got to get out
of here.
>> Those problems existed
before he was here and the fact
that you guys want to sit up
there on your diets and act
like that's not true, shame on
you won't you guys for lying to
the people and acting like you
have nothing to do with it.
>> It's a disgrace People will
have their homes taken if they
don't pay this tax But if you
don't provide what needs to be.
Ain't nothing going to happen
during the five minute time
going to those participating
remotely starting with Hector
If you can please unmute or
I'll speak on both.
Thanks.
Yeah.
The we should assess any
illegal aliens that are
associated with these
businesses and towns double
the assessment rate If you're
an American citizen you get a
thousand and if you're an
illegal alien or harboring them
or or are waiting on your visa
or scam and your green card
double the assessment value and
pay a bonus for people that
expose them.
So if you know someone who's
doing it you get 50% of
the fines The actual person
would be like a about And those
two Somali girls who are lying
on the stand that said that $20
billion was fake, that Trump
was making up those $20 billion
fraud scams off the government.
That was a blatant lie But I
was going to try to make it
lighter and not have you guys
heard any Somali jokes Like how
many Somalis does it take to
screw in a lie?
>> Next caller is Blair
Beckmann If you can please
unmute please.
>> Hi, we're Beakman.
Thank you.
Are you speaking on both items?
Yeah.
Thank you.
So yeah I would like to comment
that as how the mad reports can
work.
It's my understanding and I'm
hoping that as as parking has
been ended parking commissions
have been ended in San Diego
Possibly the magic stores can
be a way to bring parking and
local small businesses together
To discuss issues to address
funding concerns.
Hopefully the tech
accountability I work with can
always be included in that.
What can be the future of that
and how to develop it Well you
know it's not just about safety
with the tech but it's hard to
have good civil protections
with the public safety tech
also That's it's a balance of
all of that And good luck in
working on those good efforts
And I guess that's about it for
myself on that item.
I think I hope the jury doesn't
feel disappointed.
We definitely we have to
address what is rhetoric and
how we all address rhetoric And
there isn't one side that has a
full on plate and rhetoric.
It's a working effort from all
of us.
Good luck what we can develop.
Thank you.
Our next speaker is Christopher
Gomes.
Please unmute And then our
final speaker after that is
Robert.
Christopher please let me know
if you'd like to speak on both
items or which item you'd like
to speak on specifically to
the main assessment district
pertaining to the nonprofits.
>> Okay.
One minute.
Thank you.
I would first like to say thank
you very much to economic
development for their continued
support in assisting our non
profit corporations in
assessing or excuse me
facilitating the maintenance
assessment district.
My name is Chris Gomez.
I am the chief Executive
Administrator for Little Italy
Association and we administer
48 square blocks and known as
the Road Lead in order of part
of downtown San Diego.
We have pressure washing daily
water services, urban forestry,
urban landscaping and several
other activations that we do
throughout the year that help
to support our business,
business, our property
community.
We are looking forward to
seeing this move forward So we
request that the Council
approve this and that as well
as the park and recommend.
>> Thank you.
And we do still have another
caller robber and then Scott
Kessler the five minute timer
has not concluded.
Can you hear me?
Yes, please proceed.
Are you speaking on both items
or which item?
Both items.
Please proceed About two
minutes.
Thank you.
You know, it's interesting I I
did have to correct me on this
point of order whether you guys
just cut off the public comment
because you disagree with
the content And so I'd like to
remind you of the violations
that this board has already
been involved with.
Right.
You guys do quorum checks now,
right?
Well, are you also going to cut
off every public speaker
because you disagree with them
?
Are you going to disagree?
Are you going to take away
the First Amendment from
reporters doing their job
reporting on things like what
if we stop reporting on all
the financial stuff and you
guys just sit and spend all
the money you want?
No one can ever call you out
for spending the money.
Thank what is the line you're
willing to draw Because I just
saw you cut off the public
comment.
You I mean are you going to do
the same to me?
You know you think nobody's
watching.
We're all watching from home
right now and the audits will
continue.
Right?
Like even financial audit
should start now like we do
meeting audits And this is just
a brownout violations that you
guys seem to be committing by
cutting off the public's right
to be heard.
Redress grievance.
You guys are walking into this
knowing your recording all of
these meetings right?
Like the evidence is you when
you speak on that dias and then
when it turns on you all of a
sudden you have to shut itself
from exposing it right?
That that your guys is great
plan Like wait until you guys
find out okay because this is
just us talking right?
And you can't even handle us
talking.
So I did vice this council then
if they want to be in violation
of the Brown Act continue to
cut off public speakers, we'll
make notice of that every time
Time as concludes Scott Kessler
if you can please unmute.
>> Good afternoon Council
members.
I'm the executive director of
the Adams Avenue Business
Association or aba and we are
in full support of item 2 or 2.
Aba has managed mad services
along our two and a half mile
linear district since the early
90s After establishing our bid
in 1985 our district crosses
through the communities of
Kensington Normal Heights and
University Heights and is split
between council districts three
and night a B.A. Leverages its
combined math and did
assessment by factor 5 to 1
raising an additional half $1
million annually which gets
reinvested in district
activities and improvements.
Aba was the first man the city
allowed to self manage its own
services in the early 90s
The mad along with our other
bid activities has returned
great value to our 800 business
and property owner members for
the past 41 years.
Mad services include
maintaining 415 street trees
which provide a lush urban
canopy and the emptying of 40
trash cans and removing litter
and graffiti throughout
the corridor every day of
the week.
>> I'm sorry your time has
concluded If you're only
speaking to item two to
the timer was incorrectly put
But if you're only speaking to
the Economic Development
Department That was a minute.
Thank you for your comments so
to speak.
If you want one minute to talk
Hector I have unmuted you If
you'd like to speak on
the topic of the maintenance
assessment districts you will
have one minute to speak on
the actual topic of
the maintenance assessment
districts.
>> Okay.
So on the maintenance thing,
keep an eye you know, maybe
have a public hearing on
the different guys so they can
show their paperwork, You know,
what do they spend on what Who
gets it if their brothers
getting all the contracts with
spraying or if it's a sports
it's on the up and up?
It probably is but they
probably want to come out and
tell everyone about it.
Here it is.
Here's some numbers.
Here's what we're doing and we
want some more money and stuff
like that.
But then I'm still want to
voice the thing about the guys
that are not citizens that are
into these programs they should
be assessed double or there
should be some penalty for that
.
You know we're now that we have
those now we have the license
plates readers we can kind of
find them if we have to If they
take off running, you know,
they get exposed.
They might want to run which
happens even you guys you get
exposed.
You might want to take a
vacation or take care of your
dog or something or my dog has
a headache.
I got to go.
Your time has concluded.
>> That concludes public
comment on these items.
All right.
Thank you to the clerk and
thank you, Hector.
With that we'll turn it over to
my colleagues and your comments
and questions can speak to both
items and then we'll be taking
separate motions for 201 and
for 2 or 2 next hour Excuse me.
First on the lights as council
member Campbell, thank you so
much.
>> These items were heard in
our committee Communities and
Neighborhood Services and we
appreciate so much your hard
work and good presentation And
I wonder if you would help
those who misunderstand if you
could explain to them in very
simple terms what exactly a
maintenance assessment district
is and how the funds for it
occur.
Thank you for your question,
Councilmember Campbell.
That's obviously
the existential question for
Mars And the fundamental
concept is that a mat is a
legal mechanism by which
property owners can assess and
create funds for improvements
and activities in a defined
location And those frequencies
and locations determine
the boundary of the district.
So in simple terms it's a way
for owners, property owners to
create ways to beautify and
improve neighborhoods.
Yes.
And can you discuss how
the funds are raised for that?
>> Absolutely.
So the funds are conferred upon
upon formation.
The first thing is it's sort of
reverse engineered essentially
the services are defined,
the frequencies of locations
are determined and then
the boundaries are set within
those boundaries.
Property owners are then tasked
with funding the program
through their property tax bill
via assessments and in that is
an annual process that occurs
that determines which services
are continuing and which
services are continuing at what
rate etc. And then at that
point the assessments are
altered and changed based on or
sometimes they don't change
based on the needs of
the district in terms of
service and would relate to
anything.
Sure.
I can add just a an additional
piece to that as well.
For each for the assessments
each engineer's report for
the for each district
identifies an assessment
methodology for for calculating
the assessment for each
property owner.
Generally the assessment
methodology involves building
square footage of the property
at time of land use as well.
And so every year and
especially with this annual
process, the assessment
calculation is based on
the latest data that our
department engineers work off
of to create or to prepare
the total budget for each
district.
Right.
So in other words, people ask
to be part of a method and then
they are given mechanism I'm
sorry which this can be
organized by the government.
The mechanisms are given by
the government by the law but
they themselves are
volunteering to do this to
improve their neighborhood and
then they pay their assessed
amount to help fund
the improvement The city and
the accounting department looks
over them to make sure and
audit that everything is
kosher, everything is working
well and working correctly and
working honestly.
And so with that I would be
happy to make the motion to
accept staff's recommendation.
>> All right.
Thank you, Councilmember
Campbell.
So we have a motion to move
the recommendation from item
2a1.
We'll go next to Councilmember
Whitburn.
Thank you, Council PRESIDENT.
Thank you, Councilmember
Campbell for hearing this item
at your committee.
I would like to thank Parks and
Recreation and the Economic
Development Department for your
work in support of our
maintenance assessment
districts.
District three is fortunate to
have several beds that improve
the quality and safety of our
communities.
Adams Avenue First San Diego
River Improvement Project
Greater Hillcrest Little Italy
Mission Hills Historic Street
Lighting North Park University
Avenue and Washington Street
University Heights and
Washington Street.
Everybody who resides Visit or
runs a business in one of these
districts benefits from
the enhanced services that a
bad provides And I especially
welcome with others the people
on the ground who perform this
often often physically
demanding work usually without
recognition or praise.
They work to keep our sidewalks
clean, our streets water too
trimmed and our parkways
maintained above all the other
services they provide our city
every day.
>> Our neighborhoods are better
off because of their dedicated
efforts and I'm happy to second
the motion.
All right.
Thank you, sir.
So we have a motion by
Councilmember Campbell,
the second by Council Whitburn
to move the staff
recommendation for item 2a1.
I don't see anyone else on
the lights so I will add my
thank you to Parks and Rec and
Economic development.
Fortunate to have help formed
the map and under those two
different umbrellas going
forward and do appreciate and
to the property owners you know
their first line is those
especially the self-managed
ones and those that they have
appointed to represent them.
And of course we as a city are
the backstop for that
conversation going forward.
So I appreciate what each of
you do in your respective
respective roles.
The one question I wanted to
ask was you know some 60 years
ago the city really made a big
push to really reach out to
communities to engage them you
know, essentially government
work to be the eyes and ears on
the ground.
They know best what's happening
in their neighborhoods, in
their communities And we have a
pretty robust history in
the city often the leader
across the country in that work
.
But of late there's been some
observations maybe started with
planning groups, some
conversations about planning
districts planning excuse not
parking districts, parking
districts that exist.
We're in a two year pilot
halfway through a two year
pilot program.
Let's not forget that when you
look at maps through the Parks
and Rec department, when you
look at them through economic
development, we feeling pretty
solid about the way we've
structured them, the way we
manage them, the oversight and
we feel comfortable about that
when come once a year or so I
wanted to ask the question now
So thank you for the question
Councilmember I think it's a
very good one and I think that
you know we look at the broad
scope of how the program works.
One of the things that makes me
proud to do my job is
the collaborative approach with
communities.
It does me no greater joy than
to drive to a neighborhood and
know that because of our city
efforts as city staff and
working collaborating with
communities that an area or a
neighborhood is more beautiful
and cleaner because of it.
So that to me tells me that we
are doing things right.
Certainly there are things we
can evaluate and do better that
it doesn't mean, does it exempt
us from continuing to better
what we do.
But I am proud of
the relationship we have with
our community groups
specifically in your district
as well.
I think we in Parks and
Recreation we have a very good
relationship with our bedrock
community council and friends
there and I'll let you expand
on that.
Thank you for the question.
Council PRESIDENT I'm happy to
respond to the Economic
Development Department and
welcome my management team over
here to talk to fill in on
anything that I'm missing.
And in terms of economic
development matters, self
managed structure which is that
nonprofit organizations are
contracted by the city of San
Diego to operate to deliver
the services to determine
the best composition of service
delivery, whether whether that
be in-house or through
subcontracted vendors.
And that is one that for
economic development matters is
the matter thrive when there's
a nonprofit organization that
is based in the community that
has local resources,
relationships with property
owners and businesses that have
essentially sort of that skin
in the game.
They are they are tasked with
with delivering services that
their property owners need.
And so in order for them to
really be more most effective
in doing so is by involving
the property owners in their
operations and in every sort of
aspect of their work When it
comes to volunteering for
community cleanups or
determining the budget for
the year or whether or not
they're doing their job.
And so I think what I will add
to that is our nonprofits have
had to be very resilient within
really the last year as well
with costs going up as
independent nonprofit
organizations are having to be
very nimble and adaptable to
ensure that the services can be
provided as approved by this
Council and as determined in
their engineer's report.
>> So hopefully that helps.
Thank you for that affirmative
response and very much
appreciate the work We know
it's so many of them.
There's a lot of work in a lot
of buckets You've got to be
checking in along the way over
the course.
>> All right, Councilmember
Kaplan, I'm sure okay.
>> So we do have a motion by
Councilmember Campbell,
the second by COUNCILMAN
Whitburn to move the staff
recommendation for item 2 or 1.
>> Please call the roll clerk.
I'm sorry the auditor's on.
Please cast your vote And that
passes unanimously 8 to 0 with
Councilmember Foster absent.
Thank you, Council PRESIDENT.
All right.
I take your motion for item 2
or 2 Councilmember Campbell Yes
as previously on this item I
recommend and I move that we
adopt staff's recommendation.
Thank you.
All right.
Thank you.
And I see a second by
Councilmember Wilburn And with
nobody else on the lights we
have a motion by Councilmember
Campbell the second by
Councilmember Lippert to move
the staff recommendation for
item 2o2.
>> Please call the roll clerk
Outside of the voting system,
please cast your vote And MR.
H0 with Council member Foster
Absent.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT All right
Thank you again Thank you for
your good work And with that
clerk please introduce item two
hundred three Council PRESIDENT
Item 200 is the fiscal year
2027 Downtown Property and
Business Improvement District
Annual Report and Budget.
If you'd like to speak on this
item please be sure to submit
your speaker steps to the front
of the room in the clear box or
if you're joining us virtually
now's the time to raise your
hand by pressing Star nine or
the raise your hand icon.
Thank you Council PRESIDENT
Right.
Thank you.
This item is solely instanced
within district three and I
believe council member Whitburn
your interested in waiving
the presentation?
Yes happy to wait for it.
I don't see anybody else
requesting the presentation.
So with that Clark let's go to
public comment.
Thank you Council PRESIDENT We
do have some speakers for this
item Maximilian Schmidt if you
can please come forward to
the podium And then allegedly
Audra And then our final
speaker is Alonzo Beavers Max
of left allegedly order if you
can please come forward.
Okay.
Give to and you guys wave in
your presentation.
>> You act like
the presentations are for you
guys.
I mean some of the public would
like to see them so they know
what's going on but go ahead
and pretend that they're for
you guys and say you can wave
them because nobody needs to
hear it.
You already know how you're
going to vote And I'm just
wondering when are we going to
see improvements?
You guys talk about it.
You do a really great job
bringing presentations, a lot
of paperwork You know what I
mean?
Good storytelling Wondering
when we're going to visually
see this around us.
Set a date that you guys plan
to release at 2030 when Trump's
gone and then you guys can be
like Look at what we did.
We did such a good job.
I mean because like people are
on the sidewalks, you know,
peeing everywhere because you
guys don't have any bathrooms
for them But as long as we move
them down the road you know
what I mean?
You can start moving them into
somebody else's neighborhood
and just say we clean this up.
Look is that great?
We told them to move down.
>> Homelessness is gone.
We are doing fantastic.
You just don't go down a couple
of blocks like you guys.
It's so sad.
Just interesting to see the way
the government really works.
Like I've had this like
firsthand experience with it
for years now and it is
interesting because you guys
are very good at pulling wool
over people's eyes and making
them believe that what you're
doing is like bettering our
lives, that you're providing
public safety and you're
combating homelessness and
you're providing affordable
housing.
You know what I mean?
It's like good salesmen.
I mean just like Stephen looks
You guys are good car salesmen,
you know what I mean?
It's interesting Just wondering
when you guys are actually
going to do it You were put up
there to do actually you are.
That's true.
You're up there to do what
you're so good job.
I mean just just keep going And
also the us if you can please
come forward.
Oh, you are Alonzo.
Yes.
Okay.
Well you have a speaking slips
here for six minutes.
Thank you.
Promise not take a bottle If I
can just have the following
individuals then raise their
hand.
Justin Murray and Danny Garcia,
thank you so much.
You'll have the six minutes.
Please proceed.
Thank you.
Good afternoon.
Council PRESIDENT Council
members My name is Alonzo being
a senior Vice PRESIDENT And
executive director of
the Downtown Zoning Partnership
Clean Energy Program.
I'm here today in strong
support approval of the fiscal
year 27 Downtown Property and
Business Improvement District
budget For more than 25 years,
the downtown permit has
successfully overseen
the private partnership
providing enhanced services
beyond the city's baseline
through assessments paid
entirely by downtown property
owners.
We greatly appreciate
the council's support for
the renewal last year.
Today the permit serves 280
blocks and approximately 11,000
property owners through
downtown while supporting 86
dedicated employees who work
daily to keep our downtown
clean, safe and welcoming.
Since renewal we have expanded
services to more than eight
downtown parks and responded to
over 41,000 service requests in
the first nine months of this
fiscal year alone our crews
collected more than 1.1 million
pounds of trash removed over
64,000 instances of human and
pet waste power wash more than
42,000 sidewalks and removed
26,000 instances of graffiti
and stickers.
Our city ambassadors completed
more than 95,000 service
requests, conducted over 30,000
individual welfare checks and
performed more than more than
68,000 safety patrols through
downtown.
The people also continue to
invest in downtown's appearance
and vitality through
maintenance of more than 100
neighborhood planters public
art installation, gateway
beautification projects and
the Adopt the Highway Program
which currently has two major
downtown entrances.
Our operational enhancements
include sidewalk deplaning
rapid response teams and a
fully based service request
system have further improved
efficiency and service
delivery.
These investments help create a
cleaner, safer and more
welcoming downtown while
leveraging private investment
to enhance shared public goals
and improve quality of life for
residents, businesses,
employees and visitors.
On behalf of the Downtown San
Diego Partnership we
respectfully request your
approval of this item Today my
colleagues and I are available
to answer any questions.
Thank you for your time and
continued support by
participating remotely.
Blair Beckerman If you can
please unmute.
>> All right.
Thank you.
Yeah.
As I mentioned earlier,
the fact that you haven't
funded any sources for a
bathroom in the downtown area
is of concern.
And I mentioned it earlier how
we address our accounts in
homeless.
I think we're going to have to
look a bit more closely at in
the next coming year.
But like how we can do that.
And thank you for this item.
It looked at our downtown
takeaways and that we can bring
back Oh man I got one minute 33
seconds.
I'm going to say that with all
I got you guys ended the you
know no cars along Fifth Avenue
with a nighttime and I hope you
can bring that back.
I mean that was like a major
idea of how to bring back our
future communities and
pedestrian walkways and not
that everything's filled with
ten tons of traffic all
the time And why why did you
give that up?
I really shocked that you guys
don't want to continue
pedestrians late at night along
with an avenue and a couple
other avenues downtown.
I hope you can talk about that
practice again and make that
just a regular conversation Why
we aren't talking about that
now just for our basics of our
future sustainability and our
future selves that we have
walkways with no cars And man I
need that kind of conversation
from you guys a lot more
regularly and just a free
flowing love of what our best
practices are.
>> Thank you.
Thank you Hector If you can
please unmute after that.
All right.
Thanks for taking my call.
Thanks for clarifying that when
I heard the word assessment are
kind of a few years ago was a
sense that 800,000 and now
they're selling for 650.
So we're fighting for
the assessment circuit.
We've been fighting it again to
get it brought down to reality.
That's what the county So I
don't know is voluntary
assessment said voluntary at
the end and it's voluntary
assessment I thought was just
one assessment the county
assesses and that's it.
You got to find it.
You got to agree you got to pay
no matter what.
But and it's got like 50 things
on the tax bill.
You know this bond measure,
this thing this thing that you
really start counting all sorts
of things on the tax bill,
property tax bills So they they
did lower it once we're going
through it again too.
And they're doing
the assessment So but that
downtown one then they got
the about I got to make a
fortune if you could get us
something that would eliminate
the smell of dog urine I just
walk down there and get down
there but for the last in those
areas in the morning it's like
it's dog urine.
It's not like a human fecal
stuff.
So much It's mainly everyone's
got a dog and it's on many
trees.
I don't see how there's a tree
that's even alive down there,
you know, just because all
the dogs and every time in
the morning this smells like
it's like that really I love
the smell of maple in
the morning there.
It's like you're smelling that
dog this morning.
Well, they're doing a good job
down there.
They're trying all the guys on
bikes.
You doing good?
The Padres want it clean.
I disagree with about getting
rid of a homeless shelter.
No, that's that's a brutal
thing.
That's just more those guys are
that seems to be working or
whatever working me but it's
just brutal to do that.
>> Okay.
Thank you.
Thank you Alexis.
Robert, if you can please
unmute.
Hello.
Thank you.
You know I find it highly
inappropriate that the member
sitting in a closed off area
sitting next to staff makes a
public comment instead of us
hearing a presentation.
I mean how am I a member of
the public just viewing this
supposed to make the public
comment for the guy sitting
next to staff makes his public
comment which is basically
the presentation, right?
If it's got nothing to do with
the presentation, why did he
tell you all the good things
that they're doing?
You know, so I hear you guys
got to be transparent.
I don't know when you guys are
going to get like oh you guys
sat there.
You release the paperwork what,
72 hours before the meeting.
So people had three days to
look over the paperwork and you
won't even do a simple
presentation.
And then he comes on during a
public comment and sells a
presentation and everybody just
sits there, never even mentions
I mean this is your guys's
diets.
This is how I'm observing you
really is Instead of being
transparent you'll hide it
under public comment and
the rest of us got to make do
with the information we get
from that instead of you
putting it all on a plane of a
level playing field giving us
the information and then let
you all hear it before we make
a public comment.
I mean if he's sitting there
next to staff I'm assuming he
is stacked.
So why wasn't that done during
the presentation and done
during the public comment where
do you guys trying to hide
That's that that's what I'm
looking for because at this
point he should have went up to
the public comment Mike and
spoke like the rest of us just
like the rest of you on
the diet should do If you want
to make a public comment during
an item do use your time to
sneak or use our time to speak
Your time has concluded.
That concludes public comment
on this item.
Thank you.
So the clerk will now turn over
to council members for question
comments Entertain a motion and
we'll go to Councilmember
Whitburn.
Thank you very much Council
PRESIDENT I very much
appreciate the work of
the Downtown Property of
Business Improvement District.
These are special benefits that
are paid for by downtown
property owners but they really
benefit everybody visiting
downtown.
Those services include
maintenance and safety and
house care, business attraction
beautification and much more.
If you don't already know if
you are tired, how did you
notice trash or graffiti or
something?
I'd say if you could use
the clean and safe app to
report the issue 24 hours a
day, seven days a week Clean
and safe ambassadors respond
nearly immediately to resolve
reported issues.
We are very fortunate to have
the leadership of MR. Vice
the executive director of
the Clean and Safe Program
sitting up here as well as
senior program director Danny
Garcia, director of Clean
Services or MR. Romo
Partnership Vice PRESIDENT
Steve Murray is here as well.
Thank you to the entire team
for the hard work to keep
downtown clean, safe and
welcoming for residents and
visitors alike.
I also want to recognize
the economic development team
that works closely with our bid
to ensure a thriving downtown.
These services really do
provide a great benefit and I'm
happy to make the motion to
support the staff
recommendation.
All right, Thank you council
members.
So we have a motion by Council
member Whitburn to move
The staff recommendation will
go to Council member Campbell
next.
>> Thank you so much and thank
you for the presentation and
thank you for all that you do I
secondary everything you said
you helped so much to make
downtown a welcoming place and
I am happy to second
the motion.
>> All right so we have a
motion by council member
Whipper and a second by Council
member Campbell to move
the staff recommendation.
>> clerk Please call the roll
start of the voting system.
Please cast your vote.
Yeah that passes unanimously 8
to 0 with Councilmember Foster
absent.
Thank you Council PRESIDENT All
right.
Thank you to staff for the good
work.
Clerk Please introduce item 2
or 3 item 2 or 3 As
the California Coastal
Commission modifications to
the 2024 Land Development Code
update of the San Diego
Municipal Code and those for
Coastal Local Coastal Program.
If you are here and like to
speak to this item please be
sure to submit Your speaker
slips to the front of the room
in the clear box If you are
participating remotely now's
the time to raise your hand by
pressing Star nine or the raise
their hand icon.
Thank you Council PRESIDENT All
right I see staff starting to
settle in when you do introduce
yourselves for the record and
let us know how much time you
need.
Good afternoon.
Council PRESIDENT And members
of the City Council I am Angela
Ding, an associate planner with
the city planning department.
Joining me today is city
planning deputy director Seth
Feeney.
The item before you today is
for the adoption of
the California Coastal
Commission modifications to
the 2024 Land Development Code
update to the San Diego
Municipal Code and Local
Coastal Program.
The City Council adopted
the 2024 Land Development Code
update on JULY 16th, 2020 for
the 2024 Land Development Code
amendments to the San Diego
Municipal Code and Local
Coastal Program included 99
amendments to the Municipal
Code intended to simplify
the city's development
regulations, make the code more
adaptable, eliminate
redundancies and contradictions
and increase predictability in
the application of regulations.
Comply with state law Correct
Existing regulations and
provide regulatory reforms.
City staff submitted the 2024
Land Development Code Update
for Coastal Commission
Certification on SEPTEMBER
10th, 2024.
After reviewing the Land
Development Code update on
FEBRUARY 5th, 2026,
the California Coastal
Commission conditionally
certified the 2024 Land
Development Code update to
the Municipal Code and local
coastal program with three
modifications.
The Coastal Act requires
the city to approve any
proposed modifications prior to
the amendments to the local
coastal program taking effect
in the coastal zone.
If the modifications are
approved by the City Council
today the 2024 Land Development
Code update and modifications
will be resubmitted to
the Coastal Commission for
Final Certification.
The 2024 Land Development Code
Update amendments removed
the physical environment as a
condition for the denial of
incentives in exchange for
affordable housing dwelling
units through a density bonus.
The original strike out
language erroneously included
the word including which could
be interpreted in a manner
inconsistent with state law.
The first Coastal Commission
modification corrects this
grammatical error by striking
out the word including and
adding the word on before
environmentally sensitive
lands.
This amendment aligns
the municipal code with
California Government code
section 65915 which removed
the specified adverse impacts
to the physical environment not
as a condition for the denial
of incentives for projects
proposing a density bonus.
The 2024 Land Development Code
update included regulations
regarding the granting of
incentives for affordable
development.
These regulations clarified
that the granting of incentives
for affordable development
would not require a land use
plan amendment, zoning change
study or other discretionary
approval.
The second proposed
modification amends municipal
code section one for 3.0 740c3
to clarify that granting
incentives for affordable
development shall not require a
land use plan amendment zoning
change study or other
discretionary approval except
as required to comply with
the California Coastal Act.
The 2024 Land Development Code
update also included
regulations regarding
the granting of waivers in
exchange for affordable housing
units through a density bonus.
These regulations clarify that
the granting of waivers would
not require a general plan
amendment, zoning change
development permit or other
discretion area approval.
The second proposed
modification amends municipal
code section one for 3.0 743c
to clarify that granting
incentives for affordable
development shall not require a
general plan amendment Zoning
Change Development permit or
other discretionary approval
except as required to comply
with the California Coastal Act
.
Staff recommends the City
Council adopt an ordinance to
approve the Coastal
Commission's modifications to
the 2024 Land Development Code
Update amendments to
the Municipal Code and Local
coastal program.
The city councils approval of
the modifications will allow
the 2024 Land Development Code
update to receive final Coastal
Commission certification and
all Code amendments associated
with the item to take effect in
the coastal zone.
If the Council makes any
amendments to the modifications
the entire 2024 Land
Development Code update will
need to be resubmitted to
the Coastal Commission for
Certification.
This could result in additional
delays in implementing the 2024
Land Development Code update
within the coastal overlay
zone.
This concludes staff's
presentation and we are
available for questions.
All right.
Thank you for the presentation
and the work to bring this
forward.
Clerk Please proceed with
public comment.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT Maximilian
Schmidt I don't see him here So
allegedly Andre, if you can
please come forward to speak on
this item.
>> I have to address a point of
order because the fact that
that man from Downtown
Partnership just spoke during
public comment on duty while
he's doing a presentation
that's you can't do that.
That's not only a misuse of
public funds, it's like that's
against the Brown Act.
You guys continued to do this.
I just don't understand why
you'd be like Let's waive
the presentation and then not
in his personal capacity but
representing Downtown
partnership he's getting public
comment while presenting you
guys with a presentation So
there's significant issues with
the Great White Way you guys
are running these meetings.
These are procedure will errors
that are so simple And again
it's like if we can't trust you
to run a meeting to make sure
that you're not having somebody
speak in their technical or
personal capacity under an
entity like what the is going
on?
And you guys want to be like Oh
my gosh Audra, you're being
disruptive.
Like are you going to send
the officers after me again
like you did with the Quorum
when all of a sudden now you
guys are checking to make sure
you have quorum What You tried
to criminalize me for holding
you accountable Like these are
the basics that you guys can't
even follow and you're so
annoyed Joe But it's like
can't you guys just do your job
right instead of getting it mad
at me for calling it out?
>> I mean all you guys have to
do is you just sit here and
witness you guys left and right
violate the law And it's
annoying because it's like you
just want to act like what?
We're up on a diet and like
people put us here like what
are you going to do about it?
That's what people need to see
is the arrogance of you guys
that you sit up there and you
act like we're untouchable.
You can't do nothing to me.
What are you going to do?
Because I'll use your money to
go after you and silence you
And it's just sad.
But people need to see this
because you guys can't be
trusted.
So the five minute time timer
going to those participating
remotely starting with John
Stump if you can please unmute
.
>> Okay.
Thank you very much.
Well I'm very pleased to
support these amendments to
the flawed Development Code.
>> You know the last time I
spoke to you concerning
the amendments to
the Development Code I asked
that you continue and correct
so you could correct
the doubling of fees from $1000
to $2380 for the public's
patience and protesting a
formal determination by staff I
at that time presented to you
the fact that there were errors
in the staff report that you
received justifying that raise
.
>> The main error of course was
that it was Ypsi.
It it was well we're going to
charge these fees because we
said so And second it was based
on just raising the fees for a
regular council meeting when
the amount that you're supposed
to recover is for a quasi
judicial hearing.
So please if you can do it to
correct the errors that were in
the Council commission please
read docket and correct
the errors and doubling
the fees for public access to a
judicial hearing.
You you've got in the basis of
your fees the defendant,
the mayor's staff and the city
attorney as being charged to
the plaintiff the appellant.
>> Please read our time.
Thank you.
Thank you Robert If you can
please then you After that is
Blair begin and then Hector.
>> Thank you.
You know thank you Dias for
confirming my suspicion that
that speaker was giving a
presentation.
I'm pretty sure we all agree to
con that, you know, we'll talk
about your next mistake right?
You guys approved something too
because the commission that has
errors they approved and sent
it back to you and now you're
trying to get it re approved
with the corrections even
though they already approved it
Right So they didn't catch your
ear.
Okay, let's talk about a whole
nother thing that people who
own the property don't even
need your permission to do
these things right.
They can just do it without
It's called work.
It's called the right to build
it Right.
They have the right to privacy
over oversee your power.
You have no control over them.
You know the only people you
guys have control over is bus
and then you make our lives
like it's impossible to not
come here and disagree with you
guys.
Why are you guys are sitting
there looking at Newsome when
he's making your life great
Because now all the stuff that
the developers want to do they
all need none of your
environmental studies they
don't need a zoning read
redistricting.
You don't need nothing they
could do without your
permission.
Start laughing at you.
You guys are like the laughing
stock of this right now And
then the fact that you're re
submitting an error just proves
the point that this board is
not perfect.
All right.
You guys make plenty of
mistakes and it's time you
start fessing up to them
because like I said, the even
dias the person speaking said
that that was a presentation.
Thank you for the presentation
.
Daggett Thank for my public
comment for calling it out Now
you just don't like the people
who correct you right?
You only want to hear from
the people who agree with you
and support your positions,
right?
So you know it's a big joke.
You want to hear a joke about a
bunch of political people.
Are you going to silence me too
for that one Haha.
It's called freedom of speech.
>> Blair Come if you can please
unmute by Blair Beekman I felt
the joke a previous was about
to parter on hurting public
meaning decorum to be perfectly
honest free speech is important
so it's about meaning decorum
and that line was about to be
crossed for this item But thank
you for the presence of a
comment overall along with
the ira.
I think they have a very
interesting point that we
really need to hear
the presentations and passing
them up really wraps what is
going on with an item and
better understanding it and for
the person to then come back in
the public meeting diet to give
public comment It sounds a
little odd.
I'm going to have to understand
this better in the future so
good luck with that.
Good luck and it's
understanding that better.
I wanted to comment for this
item that you guys have been
giving away a lot of land
lately and it's been of concern
city government land you know
city government land is always
a really a really important
asset that and I know we're in
difficult times but it is I
hope you can be cautious about
that or use that caution in
your explanation to why you're
giving up the land and and
things like that.
>> So good luck in those types
of efforts.
What you can do as always as my
words these days on coastal
commission things when you're
doing things like you know
the Midway Rising project we
really have to be clear on what
this sea level of issues are
about with the project.
It just makes for a better
process for everyone and
understanding what we're doing
And if you don't explain that
clearly that's your city
Government staff's going to not
talk about sea level rise If
it's for other projects more
clearly get the meaning here.
You know we're supposed to be
open about these things and
that way we build on build
the truth that we can all work
for the community instead of
hiding things that give me
things halfway and a good time
has concluded.
>> Hector if you can please
unmute next.
Yeah dealing with the state is
so shady now like our number
one concern should be building
a steady arts water treatment
plant and you want a river just
for all the kids that live down
there and the adults above
everything else like this I
wouldn't give the state any
more money just just make them
an excuse or until we get
the sewer plant built.
State of the art math and have
a reservoir down there and do
gray water turned into a gray
water They can they can do
fields with but anything with a
state it's really shady because
like even the fire money
the governor's wife with her
nonprofit ran off with
the money and then disappeared
her nonprofit the next day when
they found out about it and
then blaming Trump Trump and
talk about hey man today
there's a lot of Trump haters
on the board.
You guys got as much hate.
I don't hate Somali people.
I don't hate black people.
I don't hate Mexicans.
You know I don't I don't have
the time to hate them but I
just don't want them living
here if they're illegal.
We've got other things to do to
get our city back.
We've got to build a dam in
Lake Hodges That's going to
take a lot of stuff.
We got to clean up all the sand
in the Tijuana River.
There's huge amount of sand
That's just just sewage, man.
There's a lot of things we need
the money for and we can do it
in San Diego.
We don't need a coast state
commission telling us what we
can do with the beach.
We have 20 Do you have
thousands of people that give a
about our city and we don't
need their advice but we don't
want to model ourselves out of
Oakland and San Francisco.
Those guys are cities.
Those guys are cities where oh
man we got it here in San Diego
man.
I'm down at the trolley station
down Mission Valley.
It's beautiful down here.
There's nobody down here.
But anyway, good luck.
That concludes public comment
for this item.
Thank you, Council PRESIDENT
All right.
Thank you.
>> City Clerk Order!
I thought you would be so good
at reading people's faces that
you would be able to read Mine
has nothing to do with you.
You were on point Robert was on
point.
I was so at that individual
sitting up there But I chose
decorum.
Let him finish.
We'll have a separate
conversation.
I agree Totally inappropriate
for that individual to be
sitting there in chambers.
You the previous month, sir.
But you're right.
I chose decorum.
>> Let him finish.
It won't happen again under my
watch Since I am one of
the council members the two
council members in the coastal
zone Thank you for the good
work.
Thank you for your patience and
chasing this for what, two
years now And I will move
approval of the staff
recommendation Council member
Campbell I seconded.
Thank you.
>> All right.
Not seeing anybody else in
the lights.
We have a motion by myself and
a second by Council member
Campbell to move the staff
recommendation.
Please call the roll.
>> I said of the voting system
Please cast your vote That
passes.
Yeah sorry I didn't realize
that passes unanimously with
council member Moreno and
Councilmember Foster absent.
Thank you Council PRESIDENT All
right.
Thank you.
That's the last discussion item
of the day.
We will now take up non agenda
public comment council members
respect and appreciate
the public some point our fully
committed to protecting every
participant's free speech right
that council and committee
meetings clerk Please proceed
with public comment Thank you
Council PRESIDENT Pro forma
Role 2.7 Non Agenda Public
comment is an opportunity for
members of the public to
comment on items that are not
on the agenda but within
the subject matter jurisdiction
of the City Council.
Each speaker will have two
minutes.
Please know if there are eight
or more speakers on a single
topic the maximum time for
the topic will be 16 minutes.
If you are in chambers please
submit your speaker slip If
you're joining us virtually
please raise your hand to speak
by tapping the raise your hand
icon or if you are calling
Participant Star nine Jason
Yard if you'd like to please
come forward after that is
Maximilian Schmidt but I don't
see him here Then Charlene
Antonino please proceed.
First of all I have no idea how
I'm going to say this but I do
know how I'm going to start it
so bear with me while I set
the stage.
I graduated from college in my
middle age period and when I
came out of college I had blown
open my mind.
It was a pretty fabulous,
unbelievable defining moment
for me And wouldn't you know,
had I stumbled upon a movie
called Rashomon And I highly
recommend that it's very old
and it's a story about a crime
And three people have witnessed
a crime and it tells the story
of those three people and how
really makes it a point about
how life is unknowing and and
where is the truth.
So I bring that forward to our
experiences with our speakers
today and everything how it
came together And I just want
you to know that this is life
and we're doing a great job at
it All of us everybody.
So don't give up.
You can get angry if you want
to.
You can cut people off if you
want to.
It's all okay because we're
stumbling.
We're stumbling together.
We don't know what the heck
it's about.
We're going to die and we can't
stop it And here we are and
we're muddling together to
figure it out.
I'll tell you this and I tell
it truthfully We are living
standing on a miracle.
I get it.
Get it While you're young This
is a miracle called life Due
for that concluding comment
Charlene Alto Lino Charlene
Antonino.
Nick Gill Partner Booker please
come forward Jessie to Angelus
I don't see anyone else here so
and then allegedly Andre please
proceed.
Good afternoon.
My name is Annette copartner
Booker I'm an Aaron Price
Fellow and attend San Diego
High School.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of
attending a commission on
police practices meeting where
the issue of pretextual stops
was discussed.
I'm here today to urge that you
work with the Commission in
pressuring the p t s d pd to
reduce their use of this
harmful practice.
A top concern of the city
government is public safety.
Here are some statistics I
believe demonstrate the impact
pretext cops have on civil
protection a study by the Vera
Institute in big cities
discovered that contraband was
found in 1 to 2% of pretext
stops.
A study by the lapd found that
9% of the contraband found from
those pretext stops from those
pretext stops were dangerous
arms meaning in total 9% of 2%
pretext stops are successful in
finding weapons 0.0018% of
the time.
The question you are faced with
is does the 1 to 2% of pretext
stops discovering contraband
with an even smaller fraction
Finding weaponry justify
the continuation of an
increasingly poor relationship
between the police and
historically marginalized
communities To think that
public safety is simply
conducting arrests and catching
criminals is a heavily limited
perspective.
Public safety lies in
the police forces reputation
and relationship to San Diego's
and the argument can be made
that pretext stops actually
harm public safety and have a
net negative effect when
communities feel targeted.
Will that help police to
address crime?
Well, community members be
likely to cooperate with
the police?
Will your constituents feel
safe dialing 911 The cop can
only do so much to get our
police department to reduce
this problematic exercise of
power.
i urge you all to expand
the level of authority the cp
has over policy at p t.
S pd, sd pd or at the very
least provide support when they
vote to recommend.
Thank you.
Thank your text will stop usage
allegedly if you can please
come forward.
>> Rachel I love seeing kids
come in and participate.
Joe your face of annoyed with
me is the same as the others so
it's kind of hard to tell.
I mean you'd say have a similar
face, you know what I mean?
So any help But I appreciate
that there's always room for
improvement to admit the things
that we have done wrong and
course correct.
It's not that hard to do but
most people hate doing it
especially you guys especially
about the Quorum.
But I will take that as a win
because you started doing your
checks and so on top notch that
on my belt as well.
Yeah And Joy I love it.
Life is an amazing treat and
that's why I take it very
seriously holding people
accountable because the life
doesn't have to be like this.
It really doesn't It doesn't
have to be where we give all
these people like you bunch of
money and you throw it away and
people suffer and then we blame
someone over here, blame
someone over there instead of
going What am I doing that is
actually leading to this?
I love course correcting.
I love to look at myself and go
Hmm I probably shouldn't do
that And my gosh maybe I
shouldn't even think that Oh
gosh because it makes me better
and the world around me changes
and the world around us won't
change until us as individuals
sit there and course correct
because everybody's like Oh
it's Shawn, it's Marnie, it's
Stephen.
You know what I mean?
And like yes you guys are
responsible for things but as
individuals were also
responsible for what we allowed
to happen.
And so like as you guys get so
annoyed with me, good I'm happy
to be a gadfly because I go
where the is and I want to
expose it and show people that
it doesn't have to be this way
That we can turn things around.
But it's unfortunate because
the government is a business
and until people see that and
see that we are people are just
trying to survive and giving
you guys all the money and you
give us like you should have
enough money for the hugest
mansion And what we get is a
trailer park And it's
unfortunate but when people can
see that and course correct
then we can change the world
around us.
>> be the change you want to
see.
I think you're going to
participating remotely.
We currently have eight
speakers in the keynote speaker
at the five minute timer
starting with Blair Beekman.
All right But Beekman my zoom
MAY cut out Sorry about that.
If it does you know my list
I've been repeating from last
week if we are we have
the means to know how to leave.
I hope we can continue those
efforts.
Your city government has ways
you can work on it.
Save some budget dollars.
I think we should add to that
the idea of having a way to
make sure we have we can reduce
our technology use in
the community each year, get
small incremental amounts that
adds up over time and creates a
consistent pattern that we're
doing our practices responsibly
and accountably.
I think that can address a lot
of issues why we keep bringing
this stuff up to want to be
addressed and then it keeps
getting voted down and I think
we have ways you know, people
are really ready to leave.
Block And if we have consistent
ways to address our technology
use, that's that.
I think working on it that's
the kind of conversation we
have to have to start to have
more regularly on those
efforts.
I really I think I missed my
last public comment on the item
about arguing about hatred
towards Somali people.
>> I really want to it as much
as I respect all articles about
competition and dialog I think
Hillary has really points I
believe particularly big and
the people you are cutting up
now we can't hear you.
Can you hear me right now with
19 seconds?
Yes I was out on a good space.
Okay.
Hopefully the clock will
conclude.
So you know as we're talking
about a shared you know,
understanding of issues, how do
we do that without hatred and
spite toward each other?
How do we do that?
>> Thank you.
Thank you.
Next is Terry and Scully If you
can please unmute.
>> Good afternoon San Diego
City Council.
My name is Terry and Skelly.
I'm a planning group member, a
parent and a public health
educator.
Children's Hospital
pediatrician DR. Natalie Bob
has spoken regarding
the increase of adolescents to
its emergency room in 2025
because they needed treatment
of some kind for their cannabis
use.
She said that prior to 2020 we
were only seeing a handful of
adolescents a year, maybe 20 or
30.
Now it's over 600 emergency
room families in 2025 and
likely even more in 2026.
Based upon these current trends
I quote Cannabis products are
far more potent today than what
previous generations were
exposed to.
End quote.
Pbs interviewed DR. Love in
response to New research
published in the Journal of
American Medical Association
regarding cannabis use with its
increased risk for serious
mental health conditions.
The strongest associations in
the study was for psychotic and
bipolar disorders where
the risk was about doubled.
And importantly teens reported
on their cannabis use about 1
or 2 years before their mental
health diagnosis.
Again we see this public health
crisis emerging in children and
adolescents with early
initiation of cannabis use.
I think we as residents of San
Diego need to ask ourselves
what is early use marijuana
means for the long term
well-being of our younger
residents and the many who care
about them and take
responsibility for reducing
visibility and promotions that
come with the selling of
marijuana here in our city.
Thank you for hearing my
concerns this afternoon.
Thank you.
Next is Barbara Gordon.
>> If you can please unmute
with some or hear triple a
report.
Reminds us that the 100
deadliest days for teen driving
are between Memorial Day and
Labor Day when teens are more
likely to get in a car crash
for reasons ranging from
distractions to alcohol and
drug use especially during
the spring summer events.
The National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration says teen
drivers ages 15 to 19 were
involved in crashes that killed
over 2320 people in 2024 alone.
Drivers under the influence and
alcohol are more likely to
speed take risk and make poor
decisions Increasing
the likelihood of a crash
injury and fatality.
While the effects different
from alcohol, marijuana
impairment can still
significantly reduce driving
performance and increase car
crashes, the impact extends
beyond the driver.
Impaired driving can lead to
severe injury loss of life
trauma for victims and family
health care costs and strain on
emergency services as well as
law enforcement resources
preventing impaired driving as
a public safety priority.
Education enforcement.
Safe Transportation
alternatives and community
awareness efforts can help
reduce impaired driving
incidents and protect everyone
who uses the road.
Within our community even small
improvements in prevention can
save lives and reduce
the devastating consequences of
alcohol and marijuana related
crashes.
Thank you for letting me speak.
Thank you.
Next is John Stump if you can
please on mute And a five
minute timer did also conclude
there were five speakers in
the queue including MR. Stump.
>> No additional speakers will
be taken.
Please proceed.
Oh, thank you.
You know we got a report that
the El Nino is coming.
Probably very high rains,
perhaps the highest rates that
we've seen since 1997.
>> The council needs to take
action and get reports before
the rainy season starts again
that all the places that
flooded in 2024 because of poor
maintenance.
Those cases have been settled
And what caused them The poor
maintenance has been cured so
that we're ready for the rains
.
Know flooding is caused because
the council either didn't
allocate the money to maintain
the flood channels or
the council allowed development
in the floodplain causing
concentration and movement of
floodwaters from the floodplain
to the surrounding community.
It's your responsibility, you
know, It's one of your primary
responsibilities.
So I hope that you're going to
advocate in your committees and
then in council on a schedule
and a calendar before the rainy
season starts that the channels
have all been maintained and
the flood liabilities from 2024
have been settled and paid.
>> Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Next is Robert if you can
please unmute.
>> Hello.
So this is a public service
announcement to any of the San
Diego community power customers
that are listening right now.
If you'll notice in the past
month they haven't been able to
hold either of their meetings.
I don't know.
I think this board has
representation there at this at
this agency.
And I believe that if you're
not getting updates to
the public, I'll go ahead and
let them know what happened.
So the first meeting was
scheduled for JUNE 1st and to
coincide with the election and
listed locations it says
verbatim the meeting will be
held via the teams on above
date and time Board members
will attend and participate
virtually in the meeting
pursuant to the Brown Act
Government Code 54953.
And then it goes from locations
listed above.
Well one of those locations in
San Diego City Hall.
So was the city hall open to
the public to participate in
this meeting?
The title of this The city Hall
closed at 5:00 and we have a
election center there.
So they had it closed to
the public.
No one could attend
the meeting.
Go figure that I canceled
the meeting got canceled
because a member of the public
showed up to a public meeting
right.
And then we go into the last
meeting which was the clerk
advisory committee and it has
an alternate location.
I'm just going to say before
you and I'll let everybody look
at the paperwork.
But when I showed up arrival on
location there was no notice of
meeting.
Right?
It was it was being taken not
in consideration of the right
of the public to attend these
meetings and especially for
public officials representing
you on the board And he's not
telling you this is happening.
Why is no one being
transparent?
Why why are they not correcting
these issues that I'm coming up
with month after month after
month just throughout your time
as concluded Madison if you can
please on you and give as a
reminder of the time and
the timer has concluded if you
raise your hand please submit
comments to City Clerk of San
diego.Gov and they will be
distributed.
>> Madison please proceed.
Hello.
Good evening, City Council
members.
As a mother of three young
children I want to thank you
for prioritizing the health and
safety of San Diego's youth.
California's Department of
Cannabis Control recently
unveiled a new artificial
intelligence tool designed to
help marijuana businesses
identify packaging that MAY
appeal to children.
The tool flags things like
cartoons, candy like imagery
and youthful characters and
packaging that imitates popular
candy brands.
I think this development sends
an important message.
State regulators clearly
recognize that marijuana
products are often marketed in
ways that attract children.
If Youth appeal were not a
concern, there would be no need
to create an ai system
specifically designed to detect
it.
The reality is that today's
marijuana products are often
sold as gummies chocolates,
candies and sweet flavored
products.
Young people are exposed to
storefronts, advertisements,
social media promotion and
product packaging that can
normalize marijuana use and
make these products appear
harmless.
And policy makers I hope you
will continue to evaluate city
decisions through the lens of
youth protection.
Whether discussing marijuana
storefronts, advertising
signage or other cannabis
related policies, we should
always ask a simple question
What message are we sending to
children?
If the state regulators are
investing in artificial
intelligence to keep marijuana
products from appealing to
kids, that should remind all of
us that protecting youth must
remain a top priority.
Our children deserve
communities where potentially
harmful substances are not
normalized or marketed in ways
that capture their attention.
Thank you.
>> Next is Francine Maxwell if
you can please.
I'm you.
>> Sorry.
Francine Maxwell, Southeastern
San Diego resident.
Now that we're getting through
the attention of the budget,
it's time to move to education
of the community so that we can
begin to build trust.
So all throughout the budget
season we talked about there's
a fear of not trusting But
again if we educate
the community then there could
be things that could
the community could get on
board with.
So the comments about you know,
we want people to pay their
fair share and it's time to
have an honest conversation
about the revenue that has been
missing so we could go I would
hope that someone on
the diocese would request that
the I go back a couple of
years.
Let's start with when the trash
tax was talked about and it
used to be taboo but it wasn't
or the year that you got it on
the power of the community from
the planning groups how much
money did it cost then to, you
know, block off streets for
the special event charges that
we didn't get from the Padres
and move forward towards 2026
and the conversation about how
much money is laying on
the table So let's start with
all of the missing revenue that
we could have had as we begin
to look forward to how much
revenue we could potentially
get and talk about And let's
educate the community again,
you and I both know that
education is the great
equalizer that next generation
of activists they need to be
educated because the baton is
absolutely being handed to
them.
But again they need to be
educated so that they know
where to look when they're
reading the budget way before
budget season and they can
already have their questions
crafted and so let's utilize
the idea when you guys are on a
legislative break they could be
holding community meetings.
Thank you for your
consideration and thank you for
allowing me to speak.
Thank you.
And our final is Hector.
>> All right.
Now I've got a thing for
education too.
I'm into it Like growing up
when the fire alarm went off
and school would go out Single
file and go away from
the school and sit in line.
Now it's a different game Now
when there's gunshots go off
you got to show them your hands
If you're running from gunshots
gunshots you show your hands
and you take off run it.
If that kid who just got shot
who was 16 years old and you
got a gun on him that he would
to show his hands when he went
around that corner, he wouldn't
have got shot.
Cops look in there and they're
looking for hands.
He has hands heading and who
knows what you know, the cop
had to choose his own life and
this kid's life was one of
those choices, man And it would
have been a lot better whoever
turns the corner next time if
they have their hands showing
gunshot it's gunshots.
Show your hands.
I'm running from gunshots.
I'm not running to the gunshots
.
The cops are And they got a
gun, man.
So I've had a cop pull a gun on
me when I was a victim of a
home invasion and I was
the victim and the guys got
away with some of my stuff and
they got for the cop game
the cop came guns drawn, man.
He pointed at me and I showed
my hands, man.
It was like he was trained all
he was trained He was a young
guy.
I was like 40.
But show me your hands, man.
And that would be a good
education.
Any young kids at ten years old
fired right?
School Show me your hands, Joe
I'm running around a corner.
Brian From the gunfire.
Sean Hands Because they're
going to save lives, man I
think it would save lives
anyway.
It would make San Diego safer
and a better place for
everybody if they would sit on
their hands.
Okay, thanks.
Thank you.
That is not good knowledge in a
public comment for today's
meeting.
All right.
Thank you, City clerk With that
does the city attorney have
anything to report out from
close session?
Yes, thank you.
There's one item to report
today in closed session
the city council took
the following action.
The city council voted on
closed session Item number one
Gabriela Durazo versus City of
San Diego at all San Diego
Superior Court Case number
37-2024-00023116-3u-po-ctl To
accept a signed settlement
offer the amount of $215,000.
The motion passed 720 with
councilmembers Foster and
whitburn absent.
>> That concludes my report.
All right.
Thank you for that.
We will now adjourn as the city
council to convene as a housing
authority.
Does the city attorney have
anything to report out from
housing authority closed
session.
There's nothing to report.
All right.
Thank you.
We will now adjourn at
the Housing Authority to
reconvene as a city council.
And with that we will adjourn
council to the regularly
scheduled council meeting on
Tuesday, JUNE 16th, 2026 at 10