In less than two weeks, the city’s homeless camping ban will become law – and the city’s still got a lot to do before it can start cracking down on encampments.
Our Lisa Halverstadt checked in with city officials to see how it’s going.
Among the items on that list: hashing out specifically which parks and school areas will be prioritized in the initial weeks after the ordinance goes into effect, putting up lots of signs and assembling guidance for police officers tasked with enforcement.
Meanwhile, a city spokeswoman said the city-funded outreach workers have recently been educating unsheltered people living encampments near schools and parks that enforcement “may begin in the next 30 days.”
Refresher: The ordinance bars camping in all public spaces when shelter is available and in certain locations such as some yet-to-be specified parks and near schools and shelters even when it’s not.
Assembly Gives Maienschein a Headache
The Politics Report this week explains why a vote in the California Assembly is giving San Diego Assemblyman Brian Maienschein a headache.
After the Assembly’s Public Safety Committee refused to advance a bill, Republicans tried to put it for a full floor vote. Maienschein didn’t vote. The bill, SB-14 would make trafficking of a minor a serious felony. (In the weeds: After a move back to the committee and some people stepping out, the bill is on track after the committee changed its position.)
But that didn’t stop Maienschein from getting some heat from his opponent in the race for San Diego City Attorney. The Politics Report has more.
VOSD Podcast: The Union-Tribune Sold Again
On the show, Scott Lewis, along with co-hosts Andrea Lopez-Villafaña and Jakob McWhinney, discuss the sale of the Union-Tribune. They breakdown how the news came trickling out at the start of the week — followed quickly by staff reduction notices and buyout offers for the waning paper.
Our hosts also look at the wider picture: How did newspapers get to this point? And is there a route to stability for regional journalism?
In Other News
- ICYMI: In the latest Cup of Chisme, Lopez-Villafaña rounded up all the things you need to know, if you get a ballot in the mail. She also follows up on a story she reported in May.
- CBS 8 reports that the Port of San Diego’s board has appointed Randa Coniglio as acting CEO. The appointment comes after the port’s CEO Joe Stuyvesant was placed on administrative leave.
- San Diegans who live east of Interstate 15 will be under an excessive heat warning, the Union-Tribune reports.
- Fox 5 has a guide to this year’s Comic-Con. Times of San Diego also reports that there is a lot of uncertainty hanging over Comic-Con because of a strike in Hollywood. Big companies: Disney, Marvel and Netflix won’t have presentations at the event this year.
Correction: The story, “Palomar Health Is in a Bad Financial Position – And It May Get Worse,” has been updated to correct that Kaiser does not have access to a set number of beds at Palomar Health’s campuses. A previous version of the story had an error based on incorrect information provided by Kaiser about the number of beds Kaiser can access.
The Morning Report was written by Lisa Halverstadt and Andrea Lopez-Villafaña.