The Morning Report
Get the news and information you need to take on the day.
San Diego officials have made it clear that the conditions on public property won’t be allowed to continue. They’re now trying to ban encampments and offer shelter as an alternative.
That’s coming up: On Thursday, the City Council’s Land Use and Housing committee will consider a proposal to ban camping on public land. Our Lisa Halverstadt has followed this story closely. Read more here.
Today, Voice of San Diego’s Ariana Drehsler published a portrait series on nine unhoused individuals. She wanted to know what they felt was missing from the city and region’s response to the ever-growing homelessness crisis.
Big takeaway: Most of the people she spoke with said they refused to enter city shelters for various reasons, and preferred to wait for housing on the street and in the encampments where they have built a community.
More Call on Fletcher to Resign
Nearly a dozen elected officials across San Diego County are joining a growing push for the immediate resignation of County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher.
ICYMI: Fletcher and MTS are being sued by former MTS employee Grecia Figueroa for sexual harassment, failure to prevent sexual harassment and retaliation, sexual assault and whistleblower retaliation.
The same day the lawsuit was filed, Fletcher resigned as board chair of MTS. As for his Board of Supervisors seat, he said last month he would resign on May 15, after finishing treatment for post-traumatic stress and alcohol abuse at an out-of-state facility.
But a growing number of local officials don’t want to wait any longer for Fletcher to resign. In a joint statement Monday morning, nearly a dozen council members representing cities across the county said it’s time for Fletcher to go.
Later today: The County Board of Supervisors will hold a special vote of no confidence in Fletcher, and will call for Fletcher to resign from the board immediately.
The board itself can’t remove Fletcher, but supervisors are hoping this vote will pressure him to quit now rather than next month.
Environment Report: The Colorado River Needed All That Heavy Rain And Snow
Unprecedented amounts of snow and rain over the past few months may have temporarily eased the panic surrounding usage of the Colorado River.
On Tuesday, the federal government will propose how to temporarily divide the waters of the Colorado River – San Diego’s main water source – between California and six other states, Arizona, Nevada, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah to shore-up use of the drought-threatened river.
Drastic water cuts were expected, but the recent storms helped alleviate the drought, cooling tensions between its users for now.
Read the Environment Report here.
In Other News
- California is considering implementing a fixed monthly fee on electricity bills that will be based on household income. In San Diego, this would apply to ratepayers who receive electricity from SDG&E. If this moves forward, California will become the first in the nation to establish flat fees based on income. Details still have to be ironed out by the California Public Utilities Commission, but a final decision is expected sometime next year. (KPBS, Union-Tribune)
- Full rail service between San Diego and Orange County is expected to resume next week nearly six months after a landslide in San Clemente halted travel through the coastal rail route. Travel was suspended back in September because the slow moving landslide was pushing the tracks toward the ocean. (Union-Tribune)
- The Board of Supervisors has made $25 million available for affordable housing developments. Project types that will be considered include housing for seniors, transition-aged foster youth, veterans, homeless people, low-income families and other at-risk groups. (County News Center)
- San Diego State University has selected a developer to build an affordable housing development on its Mission Valley Campus. Carlsbad-based Chelsea Investment Corp.will build 182 affordable units for families making between 30 percent and 60 percent of the area median income.(Union-Tribune)
- San Diego ranked second among the most expensive American cities to live in comfortably, according to a new study. (NBC 7)
The Morning Report was written by Andrea Lopez-Villafaña and Tigist Layne. It was edited by Andrea Lopez-Villafaña.
“… California will become the first in the nation to establish flat fees based on income. Details still have to be ironed out …”
wait, WAIT! is this fee in addition to the bill or instead of the old method?? please PLEASE be clearer.
just read the short description in the Environmental Report — MUCH clearer.