🎉 Welcome back to your OB Community Foundation monthly update! 🎉

Last month, on October 23, our community came together for an incredible Community Forum filled with energy, ideas, and a shared passion for making a difference. Residents, leaders, and stakeholders united to discuss exciting local initiatives, and the enthusiasm was absolutely contagious! 💡✨

Missed the meeting or want to relive the highlights? No worries! Catch up anytime with the recording on Zoom. (Passcode: 3zD#es8%)

Your voice is the heart of our efforts, and we can’t wait to see you at future events as we keep building a stronger, brighter community together!

Councilmember Jen Campbell’s Office Update

Bacon Street Repaving Project

Great news! The contractor has been scheduled to complete curb ramp construction on Bacon Street from October 28 to November 8. Paving should take place around Thanksgiving, ensuring our roads are in excellent shape for the holiday season. Thank you to everyone who kept an eye out for the door hangers distributed in the area with important details!

Ocean Beach Pier Renewal Project Community Meeting #5

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the fifth and final community workshop on the Ocean Beach Pier Renewal Project! This event occurred on October 26 at the Liberty Station Conference Center, where we unveiled the amenities and features of the preferred design concept based on your valuable feedback from previous meetings. Your input is shaping the future of our beloved pier!

FY26 Budget Priorities Memo

Campbell’s office submitted the FY26 Budget Priorities Memo to the IBA’s Office on September 25. The City Council reviewed and approved the IBA Report, which included all nine Council Office Priorities memos, on October 28, 2024. Looking ahead, each Council office will have a chance to revise their budget priorities memo in January. Stay tuned for updates on how these decisions will impact our community!

Mayor Todd Gloria’s Office Update

Grant Funding for San Diego Neighborhood Projects

Earlier this month, Mayor Todd Gloria announced that his administration has surpassed $1 billion in grant awards secured since he took office in December 2020. Over the course of his first term, the Gloria Administration secured 293 grant awards, resulting in significant federal, state, and local investments. These grants have funded various city priorities, including economic development, emergency preparedness, homeless services, road and bridge repair, public safety, and water reliability.

Homelessness Initiatives

The Safe Sleeping program has expanded at both the 20th & B Lot and the O Lot. The 20th and B Lot, operated by Dreams for Change, added 53 new spaces, while the O Lot saw an increase of 182 spaces. Additionally, Dreams for Change expanded by 82 spaces, and the Downtown Partnership added 100 spaces.

The City is also moving forward with the expansion of the Safe Parking program, which will double its capacity with 200 new spots at H Barracks, set to open in early 2025. Under Mayor Gloria’s leadership, this program has proven successful in connecting participants back to permanent housing.

Moreover, the Mayor has doubled the outreach teams working with people experiencing homelessness. These trained social workers meet individuals where they are to help them access shelter and services. The shelter system has diversified significantly, adding hundreds of new beds for seniors, women, families, LGBTQ+ youth, and those struggling with addiction and behavioral health issues.

In June 2021, Mayor Gloria established the Department of Homelessness Strategies and Solutions to enhance the City’s capacity to address homelessness effectively.

Infrastructure Improvements

Mayor Gloria announced that the City has surpassed 1,650 miles of street repair in less than four years—over 600 miles more than during the previous four years. This achievement follows record investments in road repairs totaling $140 million annually for two consecutive years.

The Mayor prioritized street repair funding by adding an in-house mil-and-pave repair crew to the current budget. Updates to the Street Preservation Ordinance were also implemented to ensure timely restoration of public right-of-way excavations by utility companies. Additionally, a $225 million WIFIA loan was secured from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for upgrading aging stormwater infrastructure.

Public Safety Enhancements

The City deployed Smart Streetlight cameras and ALPR technologies in an initial 500 locations citywide, ensuring compliance with privacy regulations regarding data storage and retention. The San Diego Police Department was directed to focus on addressing the illicit fentanyl crisis to combat addiction and overdoses affecting our community.

Mayor Gloria supported an ordinance banning ghost guns to tackle increasing gun violence. He also secured a new Emergency Medical Services (EMS) contract through a competitive bid process with Falck to provide high-quality emergency care.

In a significant move for public safety leadership, Mayor Gloria appointed new chiefs for both police and fire departments after retirements were announced. Chief Scott Wahl and Chief Robert Logan III were selected based on their extensive experience within their respective departments.

Parks Development

By year-end 2024, construction will have begun on 24 new or improved parks, with another 24 projected for 2025 under Mayor Gloria’s leadership. Some notable projects include Beyer Park in San Ysidro and Olive Grove Park in Clairemont.

The Mayor also developed the Parks for All of Us initiative, adopting a new Parks Master Plan aimed at creating a more equitable long-term strategy for park development across San Diego.

Congressman Scott Peters’ Office Update

Updates from Washington

On October 2, President Joe Biden signed the Building Chips in America Act, co-sponsored by Representatives Scott Peters and Jen Kiggans. This legislation aims to bring microchip manufacturing back to the U.S. while ensuring environmental protections for clean air and water. Rep. Peters emphasized the importance of this act, stating, “Today, we are ensuring that we do not lose a second in the fight for the future while maintaining the world standard in environmental protection.”

Additionally, on September 24, the House passed the Fix Our Forests Act, a bipartisan initiative designed to restore forest health and reduce catastrophic wildfires. Rep. Peters highlighted the urgency of addressing wildfires, noting that they have burned over 7.3 million acres in 2024 alone.

Updates from San Diego

On October 21, Rep. Peters joined Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to announce a proposed rule expanding affordable contraception coverage under the Affordable Care Act. This new rule would require most private health insurers to cover over-the-counter contraception products without a prescription.

Moreover, on October 16, Rep. Peters participated in a press conference discussing the economic impact of the military in San Diego and hosted a Hackathon for middle and high school students at UCSD, where students engaged in coding challenges.

Get Ready for a Season of Joy and Festive Fun in OB! 🎄

The holidays are here, and we’ve got an incredible lineup of events to fill your calendar with cheer, laughter, and community spirit. Mark these dates—you won’t want to miss out!

✨ Crooked Tree Installation – December 3
🎅 Santa Experience – December 7, 14, & 21
🎁 OB Holiday Parade & VIP Deck – December 7
🏷️ Holiday Hoedown & Auction – December 12
🎵 Peninsula Singer Holiday Concert – December 13
❤️ Food & Toy Drive – December 16-21

Let’s make this holiday season unforgettable.

We can’t wait to celebrate with you! 🎄🎉