It is an honor to serve as your Councilmember.

Welcome to Another Edition of the District 7 Dispatch!

It is month 5 in office, and we have raced past the 100 day mark and continue to make progress at City Hall on behalf of District 7 residents. I recently released a memo detailing a number of the things that we have been able to accomplish in our First 100 Days, which can be accessed here.

IMPORTANT COVID-19 VACCINE UPDATE: As of April 15th, all San Diegans over the age of 16 are now eligible for a COVID-19 Vaccination. These vaccines are safe and effective, and can save your life or the life of a loved one. I got my first vaccine dose on the first day of eligibility. For local San Diego vaccine information and to make an appointment, please visit this webpage.

Your voice matters: On Monday, May 10th at 5:30pm, my office will be hosting a Town Hall on the FY22 budget alongside the Office of the Independent Budget Analyst. We will aim to answer all of your questions about our City’s crucial budget process and hear your input about the proposed budget and what you believe the City Council should be focusing on as the process takes shape. I have also developed an online survey for District 7 residents to fill out to make their voices heard on this issue, please CLICK HERE.

Please RSVP for this free, virtual event to make your voice heard using this link.

It is an honor to serve you and your family. As always, if you need to get in touch with my office for any reason, please do not hesitate to call us at 619-236-6677 or email us at RaulCampillo@SanDiego.Gov.

-Raul A. Campillo

A word about our City's Gas and Electric Franchise Agreements:

Since voting to extend our current franchise agreements with San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E), I have vowed to be transparent and accountable to the public in this important process. Since then, we have heard from our constituents in town halls, over the phone, through email and letters, and online about how they view San Diego's energy future.

I have heard the call from our communities for high quality gas and electric service at a competitive rate, and I am actively advocating for a deal that delivers just that for our residents and businesses. I have also heard from the community about the urgent need to get our utility lines underground quickly and safely, and this is my top priority for District 7 in these negotiations.

As we grow closer to the end of this process, please know that my door remains open to feedback from District 7 residents about this matter and anything else before the Council. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us to make your voice heard about what you are hoping to see in our next gas and electric franchise agreements. Finally, I have attached a clear and straightforward infographic describing the franchise agreement process that was put out by Mayor Gloria, for your reference.

Neighborhood Updates:

Tierrasanta:

My Senior District Representative, Vic Vettiyil, has been hard at work to address the needs of the Tierrasanta community. In this week's Council meeting, I brought forward a resolution to establish the Tierrasanta Banner District in advance of the 50th anniversary of the community. The establishment of this banner district will allow for celebratory banners to be hung on street posts throughout the area. Any opportunity to embrace and celebrate the rich, vibrant culture our communities have to offer should be embraced.

I also have an update to share about Villa Monserate Park. The Park is currently in a plant settlement period where the developer must monitor the area to ensure the planted vegetation is healthy for mass use. I remain optimistic that the park will be scheduled for a grand opening with a ribbon cutting later this June or July.

As issues continue to come up, please do not hesitate to reach out to Vic at 619-236-6749 or VVettiyil@SanDiego.gov.

Grantville/Allied Gardens:

My District Representative, Sanna Loando, has been hard at work advocating for the needs of the communities of Grantville/Allied Gardens.

On April 9th, I was thrilled to hear of the Metropolian Transit System's (MTS) groundbreaking event for a Transit-Oriented Development project that will be introduced at the MTS commuter parking lot adjacent to the Grantville trolley station. This partnership with Greystar Real Estate Partners and Affirmed Housing will build over 400 new housing units, including 156 affordable units and student housing. This is exactly the kind of housing we need to focus on in San Diego to help us get out of this housing crisis and meet our climate goals.

Additionally, working closely with the Streets Division, my team and I were thrilled to be able to get a number of potholes filled on Orcutt Avenue.

Finally, thanks to the dutiful report of one member of the community, our office was able to work with the City's Code Enforcement to close two cases. One was related to extensive auto repairs being done on private property, and the other was to have a vehicle towed that had been abandoned in a residential area for over two months, taking up parking and creating an eyesore for residents.

For inquiries or concerns related to Grantville or Allied Gardens, please contact Sanna directly at SLoando@SanDiego.gov.

Serra Mesa:

Serra Mesa is keeping my Senior District Representative, Vic Vettiyil, busy. In the last month, among many other things, Vic has worked to restore lighting to the Mission Village Drive lights near Friars Rd, and to restore a street light that had been out on Pasternack Place. Vic and I have also been working closely with the City's Streets Division staff to continue addressing potholes and other deficiencies in our roadways. Finally, I was proud to advocate for the residents of Serra Mesa at a recent City Council meeting when I addressed the need for the Serra Mesa community to receive updates on issues relating to Montgomery Gibbs Executive Airport.

As issues continue to come up, please do not hesitate to reach out to Vic at 619-236-6749 or VVettiyil@SanDiego.gov.

Del Cerro:

I am pleased to report that as a result of the action taken by my staff in collaboration with the Parks and Rec Department and the Streets Division, the previously non-operational lights at Princess Del Cerro Park have been restored to working order. While a few lights are still missing, the park is illuminated once again, and the remaining missing poles will be restored in short order. Thank you so much to the residents who brought this to the attention of my Deputy Chief of Staff and Del Cerro representative, Jared Miller-Sclar.

It was a pleasure to participate in the inaugural meeting of the Voice of Del Cerro this week. Voice of Del Cerro is a new community group recently formed here in District 7. I enjoyed seeing all of the both new and familiar faces at the meeting and I am looking forward to working with VoDC to keep Del Cerro safe, clean, and healthy.

If you have any questions or concerns related to Del Cerro that you would like to bring to our attention, please email Jared at JMillerSclar@sandiego.gov.

San Carlos:

First, I was thrilled to see that just days after getting a report from my District Representative, Sanna Loando, the City's Parks and Rec department had removed graffiti at the San Carlos Rec Center. Please see the before and after pictures below.

I would like to thank the residents of Boulder Place who made my office aware of the potholes on your street. Shortly after this report came in, Sanna was able to route the request to the City's Streets Division, who got it taken care of in short order. We are always happy to take reports from residents about streets that are in need of attention.

We are aware of a number of missed trash and recycling collections that have been reported to us by San Carlos residents in recent weeks. I would like to thank those residents who have been affected both for their patience, and for taking the time to make my office aware of the issue. I am not happy with these missed collections and have expressed my dissatisfaction with the City's Environmental Services Department.

I would also like to thank the residents who made me aware of the need for a red curb at the Doe Point fire hydrant. After formally putting in this request, I heard back from the City's Streets Division that the request was moving forward and the residents will see the red curb there soon.

The San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board is recommending closing the case related to the contaminated groundwater at the future San Carlos Branch Library location. The Board's staff estimates that it will be approximately another six months until the Board will issue a “No Further Action” letter, which allows the City to then move forward with the purchase of the land. This is an exciting step in the right direction, and I will continue to fervently advocate for this project through the City’s budget process.

Lastly, I am pleased to report that we have had a new traffic signal installed on Jackson Drive and Winding Creek Drive. This project also included removing the right-turn-only lane and relocating the bike lane against the curb. This project will improve traffic flow at the intersection and protect bike rider safety.

For inquiries or concerns related to San Carlos, please contact Sanna directly at SLoando@SanDiego.gov.

Linda Vista:

This past weekend, my staff and I had a great time participating in the Linda Vista Multicultural Fair and Scavenger Hunt! My most sincere thanks to the Bayside Community Center for hosting this fun and safe event and to all of the members of the community who came out.

My District Representative for Linda Vista and Mission Valley, Anthony Hackett, has been busy at work serving the community.

Recently, he has helped to connect constituents to the relevant City Departments in order to tackle need for brush abatement that was posing a nuisance and a fire hazard in the Linda Vista community. Thanks to Anthony's action and the quick response from the City's Transportation and Stormwater Department, the area is now free and clear of all brush hazard.

Thanks to the attentiveness of a resident and their dutiful reporting of the issue to our office, Anthony was also recently able to get knocked-over and missing stop signs replaced in Linda Vista. The lack of stop signs was causing confusion and potential danger, and I am thrilled to report that with the help of City staff, we were able to get the situation fixed expeditiously.

I am thrilled to report that as a result of a memo I sent to the Director of the City’s Economic Development Department, we have secured $180,000 for the Linda Vista Skate Park Phase Two project. This is a major win for recreation in Linda Vista and the residents who will benefit from the implementation of this project.

If you have any questions or concerns you would like to bring to our attention, please email Anthony at HackettA@sandiego.gov.

Mission Valley:

In addition to being on the constant lookout for potholes, downed stop signs, non-operational streetlights, and anything of interest to the community, my District Representative for Linda Vista and Mission Valley, Anthony Hackett, was recently able to report a dead tree for removal to the City to mitigate any potential hazard the dead tree could impose. This is the kind of proactive step that can save the City time and money later, and it is the kind of proactive approach I hope to take in my governance at City Hall.

Unfortunately, our office has gotten a number of reports of residential and vehicle break-ins in the Mission Valley area. I encourage all residents to be aware of their surroundings, be sure to lock your doors, and report any suspicious activity to SDPD. My office is in constant communication with our Community Resource Officers (CROs) and my staff is always happy to connect a resident with his or her CRO should they reach out with any questions related to SDPD.

If you have any questions or concerns you would like to bring to our attention, please email Anthony at HackettA@sandiego.gov.

Thank you for reading this month's edition of the District 7 Dispatch. As a reminder, you can always reach our office by calling us at 619-236-6677 or emailing us at RaulCampillo@SanDiego.Gov.