Another city is saying no to free money from the state to house homeless residents.
The Union-Tribune reports that El Cajon is the latest San Diego city to pass up the opportunity.
Our Tigist Layne reported earlier this month that Encinitas chose not to apply for the state grant because they didn’t want to adopt a “housing first” model which functions on the idea of getting people into stable housing and addressing needs like mental health and substance abuse after.
El Cajon City Council members also cited their beefs with the model as they voted against applying for state encampment resolution funds.
Oceanside and Carlsbad got $11.4 million from the state in 2024 and they have been using those dollars to house people. As Layne reported, they are seeing positive results.
More on Chula Vista Government Reforms
A Chula Vista City Council majority is hustling to get a measure on the November ballot that aims to increase councilmembers’ pay, give elected leaders a shot at a third term in office, add new lobbying disclosures and more.
But as our Jim Hinch writes in his latest South County Report, few residents seem to know about it. Hinch helpfully breaks down the proposal, including just how much of a pay hike councilmembers would see and how city employee unions could benefit.
What Jim’s watching for next: The City Council must take a second vote to officially place the measure on the ballot by Aug. 7. It’s got scheduled meetings on July 21 and July 28.
Read the South County report here.
Meanwhile in El Cajon…
- The El Cajon City Council voted this week to turn down a proposal to give themselves a pay raise to avoid the optics of spending more on themselves when the city is in a budget deficit. (Union-Tribune)
Good San Diego Homelessness News
The number of people who moved into housing outpaced the number who became homeless in San Diego County in June. The Regional Task Force on Homelessness reports that 1,024 people became homeless for the first time and 1,217 exited homelessness.
Your monthly reminder: For most of the last few years, local efforts to house homeless residents haven’t kept up with the flood of people losing their homes but the gap is narrowing. This equation must change to dramatically reduce homelessness.
ICYMI: Last week, the Task Force released a report breaking down the region’s homelessness response over the past few years – and noted some improvements. Our Mariana Martínez Barba highlighted a sad outtake: homeless seniors are spending more time on the street than younger adults.
Baby, You’re (Not a) Firework!
City planning commissioners this week unanimously backed SeaWorld San Diego’s first master plan update in more than two decades with one big caveat: They want to kill the fireworks shows that San Diegans and public officials have increasingly bemoaned.
The Union-Tribune reports that the City Council and the state Coastal Commission will ultimately decide whether the fireworks show that’s now technically a drone show goes on. After all, planning commissioners just make recommendations.
Related: Our MacKenzie Elmer wrote extensively about birds being washed ashore after past fireworks shows and helped inspire Council President Joe LaCava’s crusade against them. In April, LaCava told Elmer he wanted to work with SeaWorld to limit the number of shows the company could do under its master plan.
Summermaxxing: Submit a Local Song to Our Playlist!
We’re making a locals’ summer playlist!
Submit your favorite local song (or any song with an SD/TJ connection) that fits this year’s theme: IRL Summer ☀️
We’re defining this broadly, so we welcome any songs that put you in your body, inspire you to touch grass, hang out with your friends, etc.
The submission deadline is EOD Friday, July 24!
You can learn more and access the submission form here.
In Other News
- In a letter to the editor, David Malcolm of Cal West Apartments weighs in on last week’s Politics Report’s conclusions about apartment vacancy rates and the city’s development strategy. His take: San Diego needs a more balanced approach.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth blocked the promotion of San Diego Rear Admiral Amy Bauernschmidt to two-star admiral, The New York Times first reported. She is one of seven senior Navy officers President Donald Trump’s defense secretary has blocked from being promoted, five of whom are women or people of color. (KPBS)
- San Diego County held the first of a series of public meetings on Wednesday to solicit community feedback on the future of San Pasqual Academy, a residential education campus designed for foster youth. The campus has faced closure since 2021 due to low enrollment. (KPBS)
- Firefighters have halted the forward spread and contained 10 percent of the Thorn Fire that has blazed 1,200 acres of land across the county’s southeastern neighborhoods, displaced families, caused road closures and created unhealthy smog. (FOX San Diego)
- The U.S. deployed sea drones in strikes against Iran, marking the first time the nation has used the vessels in combat. The company who manufactured the drones, Saronic Technologies, has a significant presence in San Diego, testing its drones off its shores and operating its primary West Coast facility in downtown. (NBC San Diego)
- County monitoring shows there has been no increase in cyclosporiasis cases – the virus causing prolonged diarrhea breaking out nationwide and causing panic over eating fresh produce. (County News Center)
The Morning Report was written by Fiona Bork and Lisa Halverstadt. It was edited by Andrea Sanchez-Villafaña.
