When Mayor Todd Gloria ran for election, he talked a big game about homelessness. He said he was the one with the answers to the city’s mushrooming crisis. Gloria pledged to ditch what he called the more punitive measures of his predecessor, Mayor Kevin Faulconer. He also identified homelessness as primarily a housing problem, with increasing production being one of the key fixes.
Now, years later, as the city’s shelter and affordable housing capacity has still failed to catch up to the number of people falling into homelessness, many who supported Gloria have buyer’s remorse.
But the criticisms of Gloria’s performance haven’t been reserved to one end of the ideological spectrum. The mayor has tried to walk a tightrope between more and less enforcement, and in the process has managed to piss off both camps.
One prominent San Diego who was previously in his corner has repeatedly taken the microphone to vent frustration with Gloria’s perceived softness on the homelessness issue and subsequently jumped ship to an upstart mayoral challenger. Others have protested what they view as Gloria’s over-policing of homeless people through policies like the camping ban he feverishly pushed.
But despite taking fire from all sides, Gloria still touts what he has accomplished, like the opening of safe campsites and expanded street outreach. Looking forward, Gloria acknowledges the work isn’t done and says combatting homelessness is still his No. 1 priority.
Beef Week is a special Voice of San Diego reporting theme week. Our reporters are following the biggest battles in the region. Read all the stories here.
San Diego Is the ADU Vanguard
San Diego’s Bonus accessory dwelling units program, which allows developers to build an extra unit so long as they build an affordable one, has led to a boom in ADU projects. In some areas near public transit, additional bonuses kick in resulting in projects that don’t look much like ADUs. A recent piece by CalMatters features a pair of three-story duplexes recently completed using these ADU laws.
Many of the projects are still in their infancy, with only a portion having been permitted and even fewer in the construction phase. Still, the scale of some projects is significant. One local designer told the outlet his largest permitted project features 76 units, 36 of which were ADUs.
San Diego’s extra building incentives are unique in California and have policymakers throughout the state taking note. But they’re also drawing the ire of familiar neighborhood groups who complain not only that the additions damage neighborhood character, but that the affordable units aren’t even really affordable.
Song of the Week
When I was younger, I used to go to a lot of shows. Many of them were in living rooms, overgrown backyards, steamy garages or cramped art spaces. That is to say, they were DIY shows. Those were my favorite kinds of shows, that’s why I threw so many. It’s hard to tell if I just got older and stopped getting invited to DIY shows. I’m sure that’s a part of it. But I also know the pandemic did a number on the DIY scene. Skyrocketing rents locally have been another punch.
All of this is to say that healthy music scenes need these sorts of spaces. The ones that really only exist for a love of art and community and good vibes. Places where bands can tinker and get their sea legs and audiences can explore. But if communities want these spaces to stick around, they need to love them back. The Brown Building in Azalea Park is one of those spaces. And on Friday, they have a great show.
Big Blue World, “No Heaven”: Big Blue World’s debut EP “No Heaven” is soaked in a thick layer of grime and fuzz. The band’s lo-fi, shoegaze-infected indie rock is something of a comfort food for me. And with vocals that sound like someone singing through a megaphone into the receiver of a rotary phone and a sharp, distorted lead guitar dispensing hooks, it’s the kind of sound perfect for jumping around in a hot sweaty room.
Like what you hear? Check out Big Blue World at The Brown Building on Friday, December 1.
Do you have a “Song of the Week” suggestion? Shoot us an email and a sentence or two about why you’ve been bumping this song lately. Friendly reminder: all songs should be by local artists!
In Other News
- Mayor Todd Gloria has announced that his Housing Action Package 2.0, which was voted down by the City Council earlier this month, would come back before the council in mid-December. The package will be amended to address concerns expressed by Council President Sean Elo-Rivera, though the new language has not yet been released. Related: One portion of the package that elicited pushback was a change that would have allowed developers to build affordable housing units required to create denser complexes offsite.
- Which San Diego County students take AP classes, and which have access to them differs from district to district, but disparities also exist on ethnic lines. (Union-Tribune)
- Following a disappointing season and the retirement of Brady Hoke, San Diego State University has hired Colorado offensive coordinator Sean Lewis as its new football head coach. (Union-Tribune)
- An independent investigation found that two San Diego County sheriff’s deputies shot at a man several times while he was complying with their orders. (Union-Tribune)
The Morning Report was written by Jakob McWhinney and Andrea Lopez-Villafaña. It was edited by Andrea Lopez-Villafaña.