Hello District 5 Neighbors!

I hope you all are having a wonderful beginning to the fall season. 

Last month, my team had the privilege of declaring September 23rd "Captain Jon Paul 'Bruiser' LaBruzzo Day" to honor Scripps Ranch resident and 30-year veteran of the United States Navy at his official retirement ceremony! Join me in thanking our neighbor, Captain LaBruzzo, for his service to our country. 

Community Coffee With Marni!

Our first “Community Coffee” event was a success! It was wonderful to hear directly from constituents about how we can make our City operate more effectively for all San Diegans. Thank you Hunters of Hendrix for hosting this wonderful event. 

Sincerely,

Councilmember Marni von Wilpert
MarnivonWilpert@sandiego.gov

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City Hall Update

New Chief Operating Officer Eric Dargan

Join me in congratulating Eric Dargan on being confirmed by the City Council as our City’s next Chief Operating Officer! I’m excited to see the fresh perspective Eric will bring to his new role- especially his extensive infrastructure and public works expertise he is bringing from his tenure with the City of Houston, Texas. As we make historic investments in our City's infrastructure, I am looking forward to having someone with the extensive experience that Eric has to guide the way.

Read more here.

Commission on the Status of Women

I am thrilled the City's Commission on the Status of Women is being revived after a near 20-year hiatus. There are many amazing women who will be serving on the board, including former Congresswoman Susan Davis who was recommended to serve as the Commission's Chair. I am proud that we are taking issues concerning women seriously here in the City of San Diego– including looking at ways to eliminate inequities in our local laws and practices. I thank the proposed commissioners in advance for their hard work that they will put in to make our City a more equitable place! 

Street Racing Enforcement Operation

Illegal street racing is increasing in our region. I am glad the City Council included funding for dragnet enforcement operations that I requested in this year’s budget to keep our streets safe. Earlier this month, San Diego Police, California Highway Patrol, and National City Police conducted a robust street racing enforcement operation that resulted in 11 arrests and 51 citations in San Diego and Spring Valley. Thank you to all of the officers who are working hard to keep our communities safe from street racing.

Support for Proposition 1

I am proud to stand with my Council colleagues Councilmember Jen Campbell and Councilmember Raul Campillo who co-authored a resolution to formalize San Diego’s support of Proposition 1. It’s imperative we show our City will not stand for an assault on women’s rights and I implore everyone to vote yes on Proposition 1 this November.

Resolution in Support of the Afghan Adjustment Act

I am so proud to have brought forward a resolution with my colleague, Councilmember Raul Campillo, to formally solidify the City of San Diego’s support for the federal, bipartisan Afghan Adjustment Act. Following the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in August of last year, tens of thousands of U.S. affiliated and at-risk Afghans were evacuated to the United States via Humanitarian Parole, a temporary allowance to enter and remain in the U.S. for one or two years. Afghans under this status will very shortly find themselves under a cloud of legal uncertainty, and in a worse position in terms of immigration status than had they entered under other immigration statuses. In total, more than 88,000 Afghans have arrived in the United States, with 2,800 of those Afghans resettling here in the San Diego region

To address this issue, the bipartisan Afghan Adjustment Act was introduced in Congress last month. If passed, the bill will allow newly arrived Afghans to go through the immigration process and after undergoing a robust vetting process, have a path forward to lawful permanent residency here in the United States. Without an Afghan Adjustment Act, those Afghans who fought alongside our troops and were evacuated to safety by the U.S. military will have to find an immigration pathway in order to remain in lawful status once their parole expires- for most of them that will be in August 2023. In all likelihood, that will mean tens of thousands of new asylum claims, at a potential cost in the hundreds of millions of dollars in legal fees to support Afghans through the arduous asylum application process.

We have a moral responsibility to keep the promise we made to our Afghan allies who fought alongside our country, and we also have a duty to protect our national security interests by showing the world that the United States lives up to the war time promises it makes. Congress must act to pass this bipartisan bill to give our Afghan allies already here a stable path forward and support for those still left behind and today we are affirming the City of San Diego’s support for the Afghan Adjustment Act.

Grant Funding for Gun Violence Restraining Order Program

City Attorney Mara Elliot was awarded another grant to train other jurisdictions on her groundbreaking Gun Violence Restraining Order (GVRO) program to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people. Her GVRO program has confiscated over 400 firearms in just 2 years, preventing countless acts of violence in which a judge found a person made a credible threat of using a gun to harm themselves or others, including threats of school shootings. We all owe the City Attorney a debt of gratitude for her efforts to keep our communities safe from gun violence. 

Listen to my full comments from City Council here.
 
City Council Rescinds 80-year-old Resolution Calling for Removal of Japanese Decedents

Last week, the San Diego City Council officially rescinded a 1942 Resolution No. 76068, which called for the FBI to remove San Diegans of Japanese descent during World War II, and issued a formal apology to the Japanese-American community.

The initial resolution, passed Jan. 27, 1942, corresponded with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signing Executive Order No. 9066, under which more than 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry were incarcerated in 10 camps in the western United States and Arkansas during the war. The United States Supreme Court then upheld Order 9066 in the case Korematsu v. United States in 1944 in one of the most reviled decisions in the Supreme Court's history.

Full story here.

In the Community

Prevent Drowning Foundation of San Diego Pier Jump

Had a great time at Prevent Drowning Foundation of San Diego's annual San Diego Junior Lifeguard OB Pier Jump again this year! I am so thankful for the work they do to prevent drownings by providing aquatic safety education to our community members. 

Scripps Ranch Fire Safety Council Day

It was my pleasure to present a proclamation declaring August 16th, 2022 Scripps Ranch Fire Safety Council Day in the City of San Diego! The SRFSC was named the 2022 Outstanding Community Fire Safe Council of the Year, and they have done an amazing job preparing our community for emergencies. In one example of their excellent work, the Fire Safe Council has strategically located evacuation equipment throughout the community for first responders to access quickly during an emergency. Their efforts will save countless lives.

USA West Square Dance Convention

It was my pleasure to welcome the 19th USA West Square Dance Convention to San Diego and to proclaim August 18, 2022 to be “Square Dance Day!” in the City of San Diego. The event was hosted by the Wranglers Square Dance Club, located in our District, and this year’s theme was “Dance on the Wild Side” in honor of the San Diego Zoo.

Women Equality Day Festival

At this year's Women Equality Day Festival, I was mindful that my Great Grandmother didn't have the right to vote until the 19th Amendment passed in 1920. And with the rolling back of our fundamental rights, we must vote like our lives depend on it, because they do. Special thanks to former Congresswoman Susan Davis for being a legend and leader for our City.

Labor Day

On Labor Day, I am always proud to support employers like NECA San Diego, as well as union workers at IBEW 569, UNITE HERE Local 30, United Sparkies 569, and many more. No matter the industry, our skilled and highly trained Union workers get it done for San Diego. 

Labor Day was originally designed to honor workers as part of the American organized labor movement in the 19th Century. I was proud to be supporting Machinist Union Automotive Technicians on strike at Mercedes- Benz of San Diego. Everyone deserves fair pay and a safe place to work.

Padres Game

My team and I had such a great time at a Padres game! Always fun celebrating a Padres' home win at Petco Park enjoying award-winning local food and drinks.

Remembering 9/11

Reflecting on 21 years since 9/11/2001, my heart goes out to the families who lost loved ones that day, the courageous first responders who answered the call, and the sacrifices of our military servicemembers and their families in the two decades that followed. We must never forget.

Announcements

City of San Diego to Open Application Period for Short-Term Rental Licenses

APPLICANTS MUST OBTAIN A TRANSIT OCCUPANCY TAX CERTIFICATE AND PAY RENTAL UNIT BUSINESS TAX BEFORE SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION

Starting last Monday, Oct. 3, hosts can apply for a license to operate a Short-Term Residential Occupancy (STRO) under the City of San Diego STRO Ordinance. The STRO Ordinance, approved by the City on April 14, 2021, established guidelines for part-time, home share and whole-home short-term rentals for less than one month. A license will be required to operate an STRO starting May 1, 2023.

Before beginning the application process, hosts must have an active Transit Occupancy Tax (TOT) certificate and ensure all Rental Unit Business Taxes are in active paid status. To ensure a successful application process, hosts are encouraged to visit sandiego.gov/STRO and complete the STRO Application Checklist before Monday, Oct. 3. Additionally, all hosts should apply for their STRO licenses as early as possible. 

For more information, please call 619-615-6120 or email stro@sandiego.gov. 

San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC)

The new program for which the City Council approved funding for the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) to help pay rent and other housing-related expenses for eligible households with low income and unstable housing situations formally launches Thursday, September 8, as the Housing Instability Prevention Program (HIPP). This is another effort to prevent families and seniors from falling into homelessness on our streets. 

Those who need assistance should contact 2-1-1 through SDHC’s HOUSING FIRST – SAN DIEGO telephone hotline at 619-578-7768.

SDHC staff is operating HIPP, formerly referred to as the Housing Stability Fund Program. SDHC will identify potential participants through referrals from 2-1-1 San Diego. SDHC Housing Specialists will contact those households to confirm and verify if they are eligible for assistance.

HIPP will help approximately 300 households. Eligible households can receive up to $500 per month for up to 24 months toward rent and help with expenses, such as security deposits, past-due rent, utilities, application fees or furniture, depending on the family’s need. 

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 dining and retail opportunities for local businesses to be included in the brand new Terminal 1! 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.

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.