City leaders call for increased CDBG spending on infrastructure

Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Councilmember Marti Emerald held a press conference in City Heights on March 7 calling for a dramatic increase in the portion of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding devoted to infrastructure spending. CDBG is a federal program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Faulconer’s proposal would increase the portion of CDBG funding spent on infrastructure from approximately 7 to 33 percent, or from $750,000 to $3.6 million annually, according to a press release from the mayor’s office. According to a HUD report, this would put San Diego closer to the national average of roughly 32 percent for CDBG money allocated for infrastructure improvement.

Restructuring how the City spends its $11 million from the program to focus more on improving sidewalks, streetlights and public facilities is a part of Faulconer’s “One San Diego” plan.

New brewery to join 30th Street

The relatively new Fall Brewing Company announced it will join 30th Street’s growing craft brewery scene in North Park. Fall Brewing Co. is run by Ray Astamendi, formerly of Mission Brewery and St. Archer Brewing Company, serving as the founding brewmaster of the latter.

In April, Fall Brewing will take control of a 5000-square-foot building on the corner of El Cajon Boulevard and 30th Street. Astamendi told Eater that he hopes to open the joint tasting room and production brewery in August.

City leaders announce federal audit of police department

Mayor Kevin Faulconer, along with City Attorney Jan Goldsmith and Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman, announced the City will open its doors to a Department of Justice management practices audit on San Diego Police Department (SDPD), which is expected to take approximately six months.

The audit will look at protocol and practices, especially those meant to detect problem officers, and recommend policies and procedures to improve the department. Faulconer stated he looks forward to hearing and implementing the recommendations, also promising to ensure public access to the recommendations.

The audit follows two charges of sexual misconduct by on-duty police officers, one of the two, Anthony Arevalos, was convicted of demanding sexual favors from women after making traffic stops. The other officer is currently being investigated.

Faulconer stated that this audit is key for restoring trust in SDPD.

Atkins sworn in as new Speaker

On March 17, Assembly Leader Toni Atkins was elected as the 69th Speaker of the California State Assembly. The Democrat will be the Assembly’s first openly lesbian speaker, succeeding current speaker John A. Pérez this spring. Elected unanimously by her colleagues, Atkins has been praised for her commitment to social justice, as well as the diversity she brings to the position. In her acceptance speech, Atkins stated a commitment to re-establishing the financial stability and effectiveness of the state government. She also expressed concern regarding the prevalence of homelessness and the scarcity of affordable housing for working families. In addition to these initiatives, she listed water infrastructure, overcrowded prisons and pension obligations as top priorities for the Assembly. The Speaker-elect’s colleagues attributed her concerns for the less fortunate to a humble upbringing, citing her childhood home in the Appalachia Mountains of Virginia, which had no running water. When asked how she felt becoming the first openly lesbian speaker, Atkins stated it felt “surreal.” Atkins’ spouse Jennifer LeSar sat beside her during the vote. Pérez previously stated that he intends to remain Assembly Speaker until the 2014 state budget is approved.

Balboa Park Explorer Pass launches

On March 17, Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Council President Todd Gloria joined Balboa Park Cultural Partnership at the San Diego Air and Space Museum to announce the launch of the Balboa Park Explorer Pass program. The first-of-its-kind pass provides general admission to all 17 Balboa Park institutions for an entire year. Participating institutions include Centro Cultural de la Raza, Japanese Friendship Garden, Mingei International Museum, Museum of Photographic Arts, Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, San Diego Air and Space Museum, San Diego Art Institute – Museum of the Living Artist, San Diego Automotive Museum, San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum, San Diego History Center, San Diego Model Railroad Museum, The San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego Museum of Man, San Diego Natural History Museum (theNAT), Timken Museum of Art, Veterans Museum and Memorial Center and the World Beat Center. The program also offers a special opportunity for San Diegans to get “Charter Explorer” status. Annual Balboa Park Explorer passes purchased by April 17 will receive a three-year price lock upon renewal along with an exclusive insignia “Charter Explorer” printed on their personalized pass. The Explorer Passes are $129 for adults, $99 for seniors and students, and $199 for families of six or less. For more information, visit balboapark.org/explorer.

Faulconer rescinds proposed email purge

Soon after taking office on March 3, Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced he was suspending a recent policy that would delete City emails more than a year old, pending further review. Faulconer then rescinded the highly criticized Administrative Regulation 90.67 on March 18. Council President Todd Gloria first proposed the policy in his final weeks serving as interim mayor. The proposal came after the City switched to a new email archive system in January, which allowed for the preservation of emails for an unlimited amount of time. Concerns arose regarding how the City would maintain such a large amount of data, but Faulconer said his office is now working to develop the most cost-effective way to store City email data permanently.