Hello District 5 Neighbors!

As we move into October, I hope that everyone ended their Summer on a high note. 

For those who may not have heard- I recently tested positive for COVID-19. Although I was very ill, I am grateful that I am fully vaccinated because I was able to recover from this deadly disease. Thank you to everyone who has reached out to my office with well wishes. Vaccines save lives- please get vaccinated now if you can. Below I have included a copy of the letter I published announcing my diagnosis. 

While I was home recovering from COVID-19, I was able to virtually join Mayor Todd Gloria as he signed the Eliminate Non-Serialized Untraceable Firearms- ENUF Ordinance to ban ghost guns into law! Thank you, Mayor Gloria, for standing with me and our gun violence prevention advocates to protect our communities from gun violence in the City of San Diego.

Sincerely,

Councilmember Marni von Wilpert
MarnivonWilpert@sandiego.gov

COVID-19 Update

San Diego Unified School Board Votes to Require Vaccinations for Eligible Students and Staff

COVID-19 vaccines will now join the list of vaccines students receive to keep them safe while attending school to protect students and staff while ensuring schools stay open.

California Cases Lowest in the Nation

California’s coronavirus transmission rates are dropping according to new data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The state’s coronavirus transmission level has fallen from “high” to “substantial,” the second-highest tier as defined by the CDC.

As of the middle of September, California was the only state that had fallen into this category, as had Puerto Rico. The CDC’s scale evaluating coronavirus transmission levels categorizes states as being in one of four tiers: the worst — high — is color-coded as red; followed by substantial (orange), moderate (yellow) and low (blue).

California is “the only large state to improve from red to orange COVID-19 community levels of transmission,” state epidemiologist Dr. Erica Pan said in a tweet Monday night. She credited relatively high vaccination rates, as well as indoor masking practices, in helping drive down new coronavirus infections.

Read more here.

Application for Business and Non-Profit Assistance Funds Still Open

The City of San Diego voted to create a $12 million COVID-19 relief fund in partnership with the San Diego Foundation. This fund will support the businesses and nonprofits in the industries hardest hit by the pandemic and historically underinvested communities to help in their ability to sustain operations, retain employees, and address other impacts caused by COVID-19. 

Apply for relief here.

More information here.

CDC Recommends Mask Wearing in Areas of High COVID-19 Spread

The CDC is still recommending using a face mask indoors if:

- You are fully vaccinated but you are in an area of high COVID-19 spread                    - You are not fully vaccinated and aged 2 or older
- You have a condition or are taking medications that weakens your immune system and may NOT be protected even if you are fully vaccinated 

They are also recommending wearing a mask outdoors in crowded outdoor settings and for activities with close contact with others who are not fully vaccinated in areas with high numbers of COVID-19 cases.

Wearing a mask over your nose and mouth is still required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and while indoors at U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and train stations. Travelers are not required to wear a mask in outdoor areas of a conveyance (like on open deck areas of a ferry or the uncovered top deck of a bus).

More information here.

FEMA is Providing Financial Assistance for COVID-19 Related Funeral Costs

FEMA is still providing financial assistance for COVID-19-related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020 under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. FEMA will begin accepting applications this month. 

If you were impacted by COVID-19 funeral expenses, we encourage you to keep and gather documentation.  Types of documents include: an official death certificate and funeral expenses (receipts, funeral home contract, etc.). 

For more information, please click here.

San Diego County Vaccination Progress

Click here for a full breakdown of San Diego’s vaccination progression.

When Can I get My Vaccine?

Any resident 12 years and older are eligible to be vaccinated, and no appointment is necessary at County vaccination sites. Residents age 12 and older can either make an appointment or walk-up (as supply lasts) to receive a vaccine. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is now FDA approved for residents age 16 and over.

Click here to sign-up for an appointment.

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City Hall Update

San Diego to Fund $700K Assessing Street Conditions to Assist in Street Repairs

San Diego will soon spend $700,000 to survey the condition of every street in the city so repairs and upgrades can be geared toward increasing social equity, fixing many long-neglected roads and boosting opportunities for bicycling. The City spends tens of millions of dollars per year on street maintenance based on an outdated street condition assessment that was completed in 2015. It was crucial that we include funding for a new street condition assessment to ensure current and accurate data is used to guide spending these essential City resources. This data is also important for the City Council and residents to ensure the City is utilizing its resources wisely and tracking the progress and effectiveness of the City's streets program. 

We should use accurate data to plan for our City's infrastructure needs so that we spend our tac dollars wisely. I was the sole Councilmember to advocate for this study for the Fiscal Year 2022 City Budget and I am looking forward to the study beginning so that we make data driven decisions.

Carmel Mountain Ranch Development Approved

On September 14th, the City Council voted to approve an ordinance rezoning 164.5 acres of the Carmel Mountain Ranch Community Plan. Although I advocated and voted to give the City and developers more time to meet more of the Carmel Mountain Ranch community's needs, The Trails Project was approved by the City Council in an 8-1 vote. 

Repurposing this land and revitalizing this area to include affordable housing is crucial to address San Diego's housing crisis. However, I would have liked to see developers take the community’s concerns and environmental impacts into greater consideration with the proposed development plans. 

I want to speak directly to community members who were involved in this process: thank you for writing letters, making phone calls, holding meetings, and being so engaged in decisions affecting our communities. Many of you were very informed and involved throughout this process, and I am proud and thankful to have such an engaged community.

In the Community

San Diego Independent Budget Analyst Retires

16 years ago, Andrea Tevlin was hired to develop the City of San Diego’s Office of the Independent Budget Analyst. Earlier this month, she announced she made the difficult decision to retire from her service to the City. She has been instrumental in keeping the City of San Diego accountable and I thank her for her service. She has been a true asset to my office since I was elected to the City Council, and I wish her the best of luck in her retirement!

Remembering 9/11

On the 20th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, I spent time in New York City reflecting on the past two decades since that tragic day. My heart goes out to the families who lost loved ones that day, the courageous first responders who answered the call, the sacrifices of our military servicemembers and their families in the two decades that followed.

Video message can be seen here.

I would like to extend a huge thank you to the Rancho Peñasquitos Town Council and the Rancho Peñasquitos Fire Safe Council for hosting a wonderful ceremony, as well as a very informative Disaster Preparedness Workshop, to honor the 20th anniversary of 9/11. I am honored to be a part of a community where folks look out for one another.

Cub Scouts Pack 685- Arrow of Light Scouts

I had a wonderful time speaking with Cub Scouts Pack685, Arrow of Light Scouts at Turtleback Elementary School about the role local government has in building a better community! Excited to have so many bright young people giving back to SD through Scouting and community service.

San Diego County Launches Surveys to Improve Services

San Diego County has released two surveys in collaboration with the Outreach, Accessibility, and Enrollment Task Force to better understand opportunities to improve access to CalFresh, Medi-Cal, CalWORKs, General Relief (GR), and Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants. 

1) Survey for county staff and organizations that provide support to San Diegans applying for public benefits: click here.

2) Survey for current beneficiaries, and San Diegans who are eligible or have received public benefits in the past: click here.

20th Anniversary of the "Think Blue" Outreach Campaign

We recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of San Diego’s 'Think Blue' outreach campaign! My office acted on Think Blue’s mission by executing a community cleanup in Sabre Springs, which is part of the Los Peñasquitos watershed. Pollution in our bays, beaches, and watersheds are a serious threat to our quality of life in San Diego. It is critical that we make significant investments in our historically underfunded stormwater system, so it continues to be safe and reliable for generations to come.

Announcements

The San Diego Foundation Launches Black Homebuyers Program

The San Diego Black Homebuyers program is supporting Black, low-to-medium income families and individuals with up to $70,000 toward a down payment and/or closing costs on a first home purchase. The goal is to build generational wealth among Black families in San Diego to create stronger and more equitable communities in San Diego. This initial pledge of $1 million is seeded by The San Diego Foundation Black Community Investment Fund, along with administrative funding from the County of San Diego, through the office of Board of Supervisors Chair, Nathan Fletcher. 

Households looking for affordable housing in the City of San Diego can find helpful information about locations, such as their proximity to transit and schools, on a new online tool the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) created and launched today on its website. The Affordable Housing Dashboard is available on SDHC’s website, www.sdhc.org, in the “Housing Opportunities” section under the heading “Affordable Rentals” on the pages “Rent from SDHC” and “SDHC Partnership Developments.”

Workforce Partnership Launches Layoff Support Services

Navigating layoffs is never easy, but the Workforce Partnership is offering support with funding and assistance to avoid layoffs and assist laid off employees. Give them a call at (619) 228-2900 and press 4 to learn more.

WIC Services for Families with Young Children

It takes a village to raise children. Need support with providing nutritious food options for your family? WIC pairs families with children ages 0 to 5 with nutrition experts and monthly food benefits to do just that. 

Click here to find an office near you.

San Diego Libraries Resumed In-Person Services at 26 Locations

Starting on July 6th, the San Diego public libraries resumed in-person services at 26 locations! Patrons can visit the 26 locations and browse through thousands of books, use computer and printing services, pick up holds, and renew their library cards!

Click here to find a location near you. 

City has $1 million in Unclaimed Funds Waiting for San Diegans

URGENT: As a reminder, anyone who has done business with the City of San Diego in the past three years, including paying business taxes or utility fees, could be owed money. Check amounts range from $1 to $35,000. 

To find out if you are owed money by the City of San Diego click here.

COX Communications Discount Program

In case you missed it- Cox Communications is participating in the $3.2 billion Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program, which was approved as part of the federal stimulus package passed by Congress in December and launched officially on May 12, 2021.

This program will further assist qualified residents with accessing affordable internet. In a time where many are facing challenges due to the pandemic, Cox remains committed to keeping families and households connected to their loved-ones, friends, work and school.

Eligible households with active Cox service can receive up to $50 off their monthly internet service, including equipment rental costs. Mobile phone payment plans may also qualify for the subsidy. Qualifying households include those that suffered a loss of income due to furlough or unemployment or are enrolled in one or more eligible government assistance programs.

For more information about the EBB program, click here.

Staying Up to Date

To stay up to date with real-time news and updates, make sure you follow me on my social media pages. 

Twitter: @marnivonwilpert

Facebook: @councilmembermarnivonwilpert 

Instagram: @marnivonwilpert

Find contact information for District 5 staff here.