National City resident Ramel Wallace thought maybe he just forgot to flush the toilet on Thursday night. Come Friday, faucets in the sink, kitchen and shower all spilled apple juice-colored water, he said.
While many in National City saw yellowed water last week, it was never clear to Wallace what caused the problem — or whether his water was now safe to drink.
Voice of San Diego’s MacKenzie Elmer reached out to Sweetwater Authority which manages National City’s drinking water. There was no impact to water quality or safety, the agency said. And eventually they figured out what happened.
Click here to read more about the issue and the agency’s response.
New City Eviction Moratorium Awaiting Gloria’s Signature
A City Council-approved moratorium to keep landlords from evicting tenants who are up to date on their rent is headed to Mayor Todd Gloria’s desk.
The City Council took a crucial second vote on Tuesday to approve the so-called no-fault eviction moratorium pushed by City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera to try to protect tenants as the region grapples with a surging cost-of-living crisis. The measure was approved in a 6-1 vote. City Councilman Chris Cate voted no, and Councilmembers Raul Campillo and Joe LaCava recused themselves because they own rental properties or have family members who do.
Per the city charter, the moratorium is set to go into effect 30 days after Gloria signs it. The mayor will have 10 days to review the ordinance after receiving it from the city clerk.
Once enacted, the ordinance would bar landlords in the city from forcing out tenants to take properties off the market or make significant upgrades not ordered by government agencies or that tenants have agreed to. It will stay in effect until Sept. 30 or 60 days after the end of the local state of emergency, whichever comes first.
Elo-Rivera has said the new moratorium is an attempt to close an eviction loophole that could create thousands of dollars in unexpected costs for families and potentially increase homelessness without city action. The moratorium is separate from the statewide eviction moratorium extended last month that only applies to tenants who did not pay rent due to COVID-related challenges and applied for rental assistance by March 31.
- The City Council also voted 8-1 on Tuesday to approve the $35.1 million sale of the Tailgate Park property and a redevelopment plan that includes a public park, hundreds of housing units plus retail and office space. LaCava added a last-minute amendment requiring the city to put its share of the sale proceeds into its Bridge to Home fund to back more affordable housing development.
In Other News
- Ricardo Flores, executive director of LISC San Diego, a nonprofit community development corporation that funds affordable housing, argues in a new op-ed that the city should prioritize affordable housing over a new arena in San Diego’s Midway District. “For the city to give priority to a state-of-the-art entertainment complex, intended to attract more concerts and minor-league sports teams, would be a gross example of misguided public planning,” he writes. Read his full argument here.
- Jacob Mandel, advocacy manager at the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition, shared a cheat sheet on Twitter for where you’ll need a mask using transit in San Diego County.
- Inewsource revealed that South Bay toll equipment that remained plugged for nearly three months last year cost SANDAG an estimated $1.8 million.
- The San Diego Humane Society told NBC 7 that staffing shortages have forced it to cut back on programs.
- KPBS reports on a major revitalization project planned for downtown Escondido.
- Advocates are urging the City Council’s rules committee to forward a measure allowing city voters to rank candidates to the full City Council — and eventually, to voters, Times of San Diego reports. The committee will hear the proposal and others we covered in our latest Politics Report at a Wednesday meeting.
- NBC 7 reported on the opening of seven new commercial truck lanes at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.
- The New York Times wrote about the history of San Diego’s Chicano Park ahead of its 52nd anniversary this Friday.
This Morning Report was written by Lisa Halverstadt, MacKenzie Elmer and Megan Wood.