Hello District 5 Neighbors!

I hope you all are continuing to enjoy the summertime sunshine.

This month, I joined many community events to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride! While there is much progress to celebrate, in 2019 alone, law enforcement agencies reported approximately 1,700 hate crimes pertaining to a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. As our country evolves, I hope to see a more just society; one in which we recognize each other as humans, and as people of equal worth. For this reason, the annual celebration of pride is crucial to fighting for a better future. It encourages the widespread acceptance of others and ourselves, while drawing attention to the social and political norms which must be changed. 

I had the honor of kicking off of the festivities at Balboa Park with local LGBTQ+ leadership, walking with the San Diego Fire Department in this year’s Pride Parade, and participating in the “Spirit of Stonewall Rally.” I joined with my Council colleagues to affirm our commitment to protect the rights of all San Diegans ­– regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. In today’s society, supporting the LGBTQ+ community is more important than ever.

'Community Coffee' at Hunters of Hendrix

Last weekend, we had our first 'Community Coffee' at Hunters of Hendrix coffee shop in Scripps Ranch! Residents stopped by to have a cup of coffee and talk about how to make our City work better for all of our communities. I hope to see you all at a Community Coffee in the future! Stay tuned for future dates.

Scripps Ranch Fire Safe Council

I am delighted to announce that the Scripps Ranch Fire Safe Council has been named the 2022 Outstanding Community Fire Safe Council of the Year! This award, presented by San Diego County’s Fire Safe Council, is an incredible honor for the Scripps Ranch community. The Scripps Ranch Fire Safe Council was initially created in January 2004 and has worked tirelessly to protect its residents since. Through various projects, such as their Scripps Ranch Disaster Preparedness & Awareness Outreach program, the Fire Safe Council has thoroughly prepared local citizens in disaster emergency planning. Thank you to the organization’s volunteers, who continuously improve our city’s safety!

Sincerely,

Councilmember Marni von Wilpert
MarnivonWilpert@sandiego.gov

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City Hall Update

Surveillance Ordinance 

Last month, the City Council passed the long-awaited Surveillance Ordinance that establishes a community privacy advisory board to review all surveillance technologies employed by the City of San Diego. The ordinance doesn't ban the city and law enforcement from surveillance technologies, but instead requires transparency that the technologies used by city employees are public knowledge and can be evaluated by the privacy advisory board. The ordinance will continue to allow for coordination between our local and federal law enforcement. That relationship is essential to protecting our communities by providing a venue for information sharing and operation coordination.

Ash Street Settlement 

The City Council voted to approve a settlement to resolve one aspect of the 101 Ash Street litigation involving the real estate fraud that was perpetrated on the City in 2016. Under the agreement, the City will directly purchase both the Ash Street and Civic Center Plaza (CCP) buildings, and lender CGA will waive the make-whole penalty contained in the current lease agreement. As part of the settlement, Cisterra will return to the City the $7.5 million profit it made from the 101 Ash St. Transaction, and the City is still pursuing litigation against Jason Hughes, the real estate broker who made a secret profit off of taxpayers for both building sales.

While I believe that settling this case at some point might have made sense, I voted against this specific settlement because as a lawyer, it is my perspective that we as a City had the necessary leverage to get a much better settlement down the line.

Comic Con Returns!

Welcome back #ComicCon! Events like this returning in-person are a great source of entertainment, and they also provide essential economic contributions for our City. Our city missed hosting this grand event during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is wonderful to see conventions returning to our City. With thousands of attendees from across the world, Comic-Con is crucial to boosting our local economy and gaining tourist revenue. In fact, over 135,000 tickets were sold this year! I would like to thank Comic-Con, the San Diego Convention Center, and the San Diego Tourism Authority for bringing together such an incredible event this year. 

Build Better SD

Build Better San Diego is Mayor Gloria’s initiative to build infrastructure faster and better. The goal of the project is to create a more equal city, so that every San Diegan has access to mobility and open spaces. It also has an ambitious housing goals to increase the housing supply and making housing more affordable. The City Council voted to approve Build Better SD on August 1st.

New Apple Campus

Exciting news in District 5! Apple has purchased its first commercial property in San Diego. The 67-acre campus is located in the Rancho Vista Corporate Center and is expected to provide 5,000 local hardware and software jobs by 2026.

Child Care Center for Police 

The City Council has approved the first of its kind daycare center for police officers. This center is the first in the nation and is necessary to attract and keep quality law enforcement officers. The center will provide care for dozens of children and will encourage qualified individuals to join the force with discounted childcare. Hours will be offered from 5am to 10pm and it will come at no cost to the city budget. This is an exciting new chapter for our local law enforcement, and will attract and retain a more diverse police force to serve our communities. 
 
Father Joe’s Homeless Shelter

My colleagues and I voted to approve an extension of the homeless shelter contract with Father Joe’s Village at Golden Hall. The shelter provides more than 500 beds and supports families, children, transition age youth, and single men. The new contract will expand the shelters services to include on-site education and employment services as well as substance disorder services. 

Terminal 1 Construction Project

The San Diego International Airport (SAN) has been awarded $24 million from the federal government as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – Airport Terminals Program. This is fantastic news! As Chair of the San Diego Regional Airport Authority Infrastructure Committee, I am thrilled to receive these funds to ensure a thriving airport for years to come.

In the Community

MCAS Miramar Microgrid

Did you know that MCAS Miramar has its own energy microgrid? Last week, I got a first-hand look at how the military base conducts state-of-the-art testing to combine renewable energy sources. They also work with City of San Diego’s Environmental Services Department to reduce greenhouse gas emissions coming from the Miramar Landfill. In case of emergency, MCAS Miramar  can partner with the City of San Diego and San Diego Gas and Electric to help supply the region with power. Thank you to the Marines and civilian staff for the tour!

San Diego Wave FC

I had a great time supporting San Diego Wave FC with retired San Diego Fire Chief, Grace Yamane! Plus, San Diego Wave got the win!!

Fourth of July

Happy belated Independence Day! My team and I had an amazing time attending the Scripps Ranch and Rancho Bernardo Spirit of the Fourth parades! Thank you to all community members, volunteers, and City Staff for making the community events safe and fun for all.

Pipe Replacement 

Along with Mayor Todd Gloria, we stopped by a pipe replacement project to celebrate our stormwater repair crew's efforts as they rebuild our City's infrastructure! We are investing record funds into our infrastructure in next years budget as well as through state and federal funding. 

San Diego LGBTQ+ Pride Proclamation

It was an honor to present the San Diego LGBTQ+ Pride City Proclamation to Jen LaBarbera and the LGBTQ+ Pride community. Thank you to Mayor Gloria and my Council colleagues for presenting the Proclamation. 

Spirit of Stonewall 

I attended the San Diego Pride 'Spirit of Stonewall Rally' to officially kick off Pride weekend! Pride is about celebrating, but we must always remember the terrible history of discrimination against the LGBTQ community & how we can never take our basic human rights for granted. 

Pacific Highlands Ranch Library

I was honored to attend the Pacific Highlands Ranch Library groundbreaking ceremony with Councilmember Joe LaCava and Mayor Todd Gloria! While the park is located in neighboring District 1, this branch will also serve residents of Black Mountain Ranch and Torrey Highlands. Thank you to all the community members and City departments who collaborated on this project!

Rancho Bernardo Hall of Fame 

Thank you so much to the Rancho Bernardo Hall of Fame for having me at their Gala dinner! I am always proud to honor local volunteers, and I wish a warm welcome and congratulations to the new inductees! 

Dr. Jennifer Tuteur 

At the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Committee, we recognized Dr. Jennifer Tuteur for her work as the HHSA Deputy Chief Medical Officer at the County of San Diego. Throughout the pandemic, Dr. Tuteur shared lifesaving information during her monthly updates to the City of San Diego at our Committee hearings. Congratulations Dr. Tuteur! 

Hilton Workers Strike

I was honored to support Unite Here 30 and our local hotel workers as they went on strike to demand a fair contract from Hilton Hotels- and they succeeded in their efforts to get a better deal. One job should be enough! 

Community Conversation on Homelessness 

I attended a Community Conversation on Homelessness with the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Jeff Olivet. It was great to learn about the work USICH does on a federal level, and we had some constructive discussions about how to prevent and end homelessness in our City. 

National Intern Day

I highlighted and thanked my amazing interns, past and present, for National Intern Day! They do so much to help my office function and I am inspired daily by their passion for public service and their eagerness to learn.

Tom Homann LGBTQ+ Law Association Annual Dinner

Had a great time stopping by the Tom Homann LGBTQ+ Law Association Annual Dinner. Huge congratulations to my friend (and former Deputy City Attorney) Judge Charles Bell, on his recent installation to the San Diego Superior Court Bench as well!

National Night Out 2022

Thank you to all the volunteers, the San Diego Police Department, the San Diego Fire Department, and community members who put together a successful National Night Out 2022! It is critical for residents to have trust in their public safety officials and events like these help build lasting relationships.

Announcements

New Terminal 1 Dining and Retail Opportunities

Are you interested in doing business at the San Diego Airport's New Terminal 1? There are new has dining & retail opportunities for local businesses. For more information, visit this link.

Free Transit Pass for Youth Pilot Program

SANDAG has teamed up with MTS, NCTD, and the County of San Diego to connect youth to school, jobs, entertainment, and more! Starting May 1, anyone 18-years-old and younger can ride transit for free in San Diego County through the SANDAG Youth Opportunity Pass pilot program. Youth can get unlimited rides on the bus, Trolley, COASTER, and SPRINTER through June 2023 with a Youth PRONTO account. 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

Energy Cost Savings for Seniors

San Diego Gas and Electric has programs that may help reduce energy bills for seniors who qualify for economic or medical reasons, which can include discounts for people who use certain medical equipment. 

For more information you can visit this link.

Announcement from Insurance Commissioner Lara

As a reminder, California State Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara announced “Safer from Wildfires,” a new insurance framework that incorporates wildfire safety measures to help save lives while making homes and businesses more resilient.

Click here to read more.

Workforce Partnership Launched 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.

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.