Buckle up, South County. Election mania is upon us again.
As was widely expected, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to hold a special election to replace recently departed District 1 Supervisor Nora Vargas. Vargas resigned abruptly last month, citing unspecified “safety and security” reasons.
The election will be held in-person and by mail on Tuesday, April 8. If no candidate wins a majority of votes, a run-off election will be held July 1. Supervisors said they expect the winner of the election to be sworn in no later than August.
In the meantime, the 641,435 residents of District 1, which stretches from southern portions of the city of San Diego to the U.S.-Mexico border, have no elected representative in county government. A county spokesperson said Vargas’ staff remains on the job and “the county is committed to serving the residents of District 1 and all of those in the region during this transition to ensure they have the support and services they need.”
Four candidates have announced their intention to run for Vargas’ seat: Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre; Chula Vista Councilmember Carolina Chavez; Chula Vista Mayor John McCann; and San Diego City Councilmember Vivan Moreno.
In recent days, I’ve been talking to the candidates, their campaign consultants and other political insiders to get a sense of how the race is shaping up. I’ll share what I’ve learned in coming weeks.
For now, expect to see the candidates hustling for money, endorsements and the coveted backing of labor unions (who typically support Democrats), real estate interests (who prefer Republicans) and other influential political players.
To help you make sense of this race, Voice of San Diego is publishing a series of in-depth Q&As with each candidate. The first of those interviews, with Paloma Aguirre, appeared last week. This week’s, with Vivian Moreno, will appear tomorrow.
We also recently conducted an analysis of November’s election results with our Public Matters partners, KPBS and inewsource. Last week, I met with a group of 10 South County voters in National City to learn more about how they voted in November and what issues guided their choice. I’ll share insights from that conversation later this week.
One finding likely to affect the race for Supervisor: South County voters shifted markedly to the right in November. That surprising result in a typically reliable Democratic stronghold already appears to be shaping candidates’ messages. Candidates are stepping back from progressive stances and taking a harder line on issues such as immigration and public safety.
Last week, Vivian Moreno became the latest candidate to voice opposition to one of Nora Vargas’ signature initiatives, a controversial sanctuary policy that seeks to limit San Diego County officials’ cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
“I wouldn’t support that policy,” Moreno told me in an interview last week. “We need to make sure we give [law enforcement officers] as much deference as we can.”
Expect more such positioning as the race evolves. Like I said, buckle up!
Tenant Protections on Deck in Imperial Beach
The Imperial Beach City Council will consider adopting stronger protections for tenants on Wednesday.
Amid a wave of complaints about corporate owners forcing renters out of their homes, Councilmembers will decide whether to impose tighter restrictions on so-called “no-fault” evictions, especially when owners of large apartment complexes seek to evict tenants for major remodeling projects.
Last month, tenants threatened with eviction packed a City Council meeting and begged officials for help. The ordinance Councilmembers will consider on Wednesday would require landlords to give tenants 90 days’ notice before an eviction and would increase the amount landlords must pay to help tenants find a new place to live. Amounts would be even higher for elderly and disabled tenants.
The new rules also would prohibit landlords from evicting tenants for smaller cosmetic remodeling projects such as replacing floors, cabinets or windows.
Written comments received during city outreach meetings over the past month offer a preview of Wednesday’s debate.
“We are not against the little business landlords,” wrote one couple recently served an eviction notice at an apartment complex bought by a corporate investor. “We are talking about the ‘BIG’ greedy investors who are just coming into our small towns and taking over NOT caring if they are pushing people to be homeless!”
Countered a landlord: “Housing is coming off of the market because of risk and burden placed upon [landlords] by state and local government. What are cities going to do? More restrictions? Enough!”
LA Fires Prompt Local Hydrant Check
Sweetwater Authority, one of South County’s major water providers, plans to conduct a thorough review of its fire hydrants, pumping stations and other equipment used to fight fires.
The review, requested by directors of the agency on Friday, was prompted by apparent fire hydrant failures during the recent Los Angeles wildfires.
“I think everyone’s attention has been heightened by the catastrophe in Los Angeles,” said Steve Castaneda, one of the directors who requested the review. “I just want to make sure our systems are prepared and ready to go, and the maintenance that needs to be done is up to date and we don’t have any problems.”
Sweetwater had been in the midst of reviewing its hydrant system when the LA fires struck. Castaneda said he’s hoping the review can be expanded to include an inventory and inspection of all the agency’s hydrants, evaluation of pumping stations used to transport water to higher elevation properties and examination of the system’s ability to withstand power outages.
“We just want to make sure we’re prepared,” Castaneda said.
Chula Vista’s Decade?
Officials in Chula Vista, especially Mayor John McCann, have been making a bold claim lately. The next 10 years, they say, will be “Chula Vista’s decade.”
Last week, officials took a step toward making that boast a reality. The City Council held a workshop Thursday to hear results from a recent series of public listening sessions about a new strategic plan that will determine the city’s governing priorities for the next decade.
The city last adopted a strategic plan in 2013. Several of that plan’s top priorities, including the new Bayfront development scheduled to open later this year and steps toward establishing a four-year university in Chula Vista, are underway.
More than 1,200 residents participated in the listening sessions late last year. They said they cherish Chula Vista’s diversity and rich history and culture. They also envisioned an ambitious and somewhat contradictory future for their city that might be difficult for officials to deliver.
They said they want more local jobs and affordable housing. But they also don’t want to spoil Chula Vista’s balance of big city amenities and “small town” vibes. They want more opportunities for young people and a better balance between the east and west halves of the city. But they also like things the way they are and don’t want too much to change.
A draft of the strategic plan is expected to be ready for public review in April.
Big Plans for the Mall
Says everyone: Malls are dead.
Says the new owner of Chula Vista Center, Chula Vista’s mall: Not dead yet!
A public relations representative for Los Angeles-based retail developer Primestor confirmed on Friday that the developer had bought Chula Vista Center and plans to turn the mall into “a centerpiece.”
“West Chula Vista is going to blow up,” said Mike Najera, the public relations representative.
Najera said the mall, built decades ago, once was “the star of South County.” Like many malls nationwide, he said, the shopping center now is “underperforming.”
PrimeStor owns more than a dozen shopping centers of varying sizes in California, Nevada and Arizona. The company specializes in buying and renovating retail complexes in “Latino communities,” Najera said.
Up next, Najera said: Meetings with city officials and community groups to determine what mix of stores, restaurants or even housing might work at the mall site. The company’s website envisions the shopping center becoming “a key retail and mixed-use hub in the region.”
Who knows. This could turn out to be the decade of the mall.
In Other News
Southwest Community College District leaders voted on Monday to reaffirm a district policy first adopted in 2017 that aims to shield undocumented students from deportation by limiting the district’s cooperation with federal immigration authorities. “To our undocumented students and Dreamers: I see you. I support you. You are valued members of our community,” said district board member Robert Moreno, who proposed the reaffirmation vote.
Regional leaders plan to try again to persuade federal environmental officials to declare the Tijuana River Valley an environmental Superfund site. The Environmental Protection Agency recently rejected a Superfund request submitted by San Diego County Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer. Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre, who supported the first Superfund request, said she and other cleanup advocates plan to submit a revised application that takes the EPA’s objections into account.
Those seeking a more positive experience of the Tijuana River can find it at 9 a.m. Saturday by joining a guided bilingual nature hike at the Tijuana Estuary, led by experts from Chula Vista’s Living Coast Discovery Center. The two-hour hike travels along flat trails through the estuary and along the Imperial Beach coastline. The hike is free and open to all ages. More information here.