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News from the City of Carlsbad | May 7, 2026

Wildfire preparedness is top of mind as we head into warmer, drier months, especially with recent brushfires in neighboring cities. It’s also Wildfire Preparedness Week, so I’ll start today’s update with a few simple ways to stay ready, plus a reminder about our Wildfire Preparedness Community Connection event next weekend.

I’ll also share highlights from another successful year of Carlsbad Reads Together, which wrapped up last week with a tremendous author event.

Here’s the full lineup:

• This wildfire season, make sure you’re prepared
• Apply for our 2026 CERT Academy
• Community budget workshop set for May 21
• Annual homeless count released
• Proactive sewer repair underway in Ponto area
• Closing the book on another successful Carlsbad Reads Together 
• Trail volunteer event at Hidden Canyon Trail
• More community events and activities
• June 2 primary election information
• What’s on the agenda for your next City Council meeting

This wildfire season, make sure you’re prepared

It’s Wildfire Preparedness Week, a reminder that wildfire risk in California is year-round and conditions are already getting drier.

You can find a wide range of Emergency Preparedness tips on our website, and here are some simple steps you can take now to help protect your home and family:

• Clear the first 5 feet around your home
• Build an emergency kit
• Sign up for emergency alerts (more on how below)
• Create an evacuation plan
• Strengthen your home against wildfire

I also encourage you to attend our Community Connection: Wildfire Preparedness event on May 16, designed to help residents protect their homes and prepare for wildfire season.

Community Connection: Wildfire Preparedness

Saturday, May 16

10 a.m. to noon

Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park

6200 Flying Leo Carrillo Lane

Staying informed about emergencies

A big part of emergency preparedness is staying informed. That’s why I want to make sure you’re signed up for Genasys Protect and AlertSanDiego. The city and county use both systems to inform the community during an emergency, so please make sure you have them.

Learn more about both

Apply for our 2026 CERT Academy

The Carlsbad Fire Department is now accepting applications for the 2026 CERT Academy, taking place June 17 through July 11. This program trains volunteers for the Community Emergency Response Team, teaching them how to prepare for emergencies and respond effectively when disaster strikes.

Space is limited, so apply early to secure your spot. Applications are due by May 31.

The academy covers key skills like team organization, disaster preparedness, disaster medical operations, fire safety, terrorism awareness, radio communications and light search and rescue. 

How to apply

• Complete this application and email it to kim.young@carlsbadca.gov by May 31.
• Applicants must be at least 18 years old
• Selected applicants will be contacted by Carlsbad Fire Department staff and must complete a Live Scan background check.

Community budget workshop set for May 21

Carlsbad community members who want to learn about the city’s proposed budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1 can come to a special community budget workshop on Thursday, May 21.

• This is an opportunity for Carlsbad residents to hear directly from city staff, who will provide a presentation on the proposed spending plan and projected revenues and be available to answer Carlsbad resident questions and hear feedback. 
• Unlike a City Council meeting, the City Council members will not be present, and the workshop will have an informal format, including a question-and-answer session.
• All the questions and comments received will be provided to the City Council to consider before approving the final budget, currently scheduled for the June 16 City Council meeting. 

Community budget workshop 

Thursday, May 21 

5:30 to 7:30 p.m. 

City of Carlsbad Faraday Center 

1635 Faraday Ave. 

To request reasonable accommodations to participate in the workshop, please call 442-339-8010 (voice) or 711 (free relay service for TTY users) at least two days prior to the workshop to make arrangements.

Residents can see the draft budget in advance of the workshop by either:

• Reading the budget document when it’s posted to the city’s website May 15
• Watching the May 19 City Council meeting where the draft budget will be presented

A hard copy of the preliminary budget will be available by May 15 in the Office of the City Clerk, 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive, and at the Faraday Administration Building, 1635 Faraday Ave. 

Learn more about the budget process 

Annual homeless count shows fewer people living in vehicles in Carlsbad

Last Friday, the San Diego Regional Task Force on Homelessness released the results of January’s Annual Point-in-Time Count, a national effort to collect data on homelessness on the same day over a four-hour period.

The latest numbers show progress in reducing the number of people living in vehicles in Carlsbad. This year, 36 people were counted living in vehicles in Carlsbad. This marks a decrease of 25 people compared to 61 counted last year. In 2025, the city updated its unlawful camping ordinance and launched a grant-funded outreach program in the Village, Barrio and beach areas focused on people living in vehicles.

Over the past three years, the Point-in-Time Count numbers have shown an average of 108 unsheltered people experiencing homelessness in Carlsbad. This year that number was 110, compared to 101 in 2025 and 112 in 2024.

Here is some of the other data from this year’s Point-in-Time Count:

• The number of sheltered individuals in Carlsbad increased to 61, up from 42 in 2025, reflecting continued progress in connecting people experiencing homelessness with shelter and pathways to permanent housing.
• The results show homelessness in the North Coastal Region has increased 8% compared to the 2025 count.
• Carlsbad makes up approximately 3.5% of the county’s population, but has less than 2.2% of the county’s unsheltered population.

Because the Point-in-Time Count results are just a snapshot and can vary widely, the city uses a variety of data points tracked year-round to broadly assess the city’s efforts.

The city’s latest progress report shows our year-round efforts to reduce homelessness are continuing to make a difference.

• From July 2024 through June 2025, 148 people were placed into permanent housing, a 66% increase over the previous year.
• Another 122 people were helped from becoming homeless, and police calls for service related to homelessness decreased by 44%.

We’ll be sharing a more detailed update with the City Council in June. In the meantime, you can learn more about how the count works in this behind-the-scenes video. Thank you to our community volunteers and city staff who were up before dawn to help us collect this important data.

Additionally, in support of the city's goals to reduce homelessness, last week the City Council approved federal funding for local organizations that provide services to prevent and reduce homelessness, preserve affordable housing and deliver fair housing services in Carlsbad.

Proactive sewer repair underway in Ponto area

During a recent routine inspection, city crews identified a small section of sewer pipe in the Ponto area that needs repair. There’s no leak and no impact to service, but the pipe could fail under heavy rain or other stress, so we’re taking action now to prevent a larger issue.

• To move quickly, we’ve declared a local emergency, allowing us to expedite contracting and permitting.
• This helps us begin repairs right away instead of waiting to go through the standard process.
• Work is expected to start soon and take about two weeks.

The repair area is near Poinsettia Lane and Avenida Encinas, within a rail corridor and sensitive habitat area. We’re coordinating closely with partner agencies and environmental specialists to complete the work safely and minimize impacts.

This is precisely why we invest in regular inspections and maintenance. As with any aging infrastructure, unforeseen repair needs could arise from time to time.

The emergency declaration will go to the City Council on May 12 for consideration. We’ll continue to share updates on the city website as work gets underway.

Closing the book on another successful Carlsbad Reads Together

Another successful Carlsbad Reads Together is behind us. The month-long community reading event wrapped up with a special evening at the Carlsbad City Library featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning author Hua Hsu.

Hsu’s memoir, “Stay True,” brought readers across Carlsbad together for this year’s citywide book club. In fact, there were 300 “borrows” of “Stay True” during Carlsbad Reads Together including print, e-book, audiobook and Spanish-language formats.



At the April 23 event, Hsu spoke in front of 120 guests at the library’s Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium. If you couldn’t make it, a recording will be available on the Carlsbad Reads Together website for the next couple of weeks. Enter your email on the linked form for access — no library card needed.

Thank you to everyone who read along, participated in events and helped make this year’s program such a meaningful part of the community.



Next up, the Summer Reading Adventure begins June 1 — another fantastic opportunity to stay connected through reading all summer long.

Trail volunteer event at Hidden Canyon Trail

Our next trail volunteer event is Wednesday, May 13, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Hidden Canyon Trail. Being a trail volunteer is a great way to connect with others who love the outdoors and give back to our community.

Trail volunteer event – Hidden Canyon Trail

Wednesday, May 13

8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Check in at the Ann D. L’Heureux Dog Park parking lot

2700 Carlsbad Village Drive

This short trail runs from Hidden Canyon Community Park to Ann D. L’Heureux Dog Park at 2700 Carlsbad Village Drive. Parking is available at both locations.

Know before you go

• All tools, gloves and instructions are provided.
• No prior experience is required, and volunteers of all skill levels are welcome.
• Please wear proper protective clothing, such as closed-toe shoes and gloves.

Learn more about upcoming trail events.

More community events and activities

Here are some more activities and events happening soon at our city libraries, community centers and the Carlsbad Senior Center:

• Cinema Club Friday: "Life of Ivanna" – Friday, May 8, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Dove Library
• Grow Your Garden: Friendly Inclusive Gardening and the Mental Health Benefits of Gardening – Saturday, May 9, 10 a.m. to noon, Cole Library
• Hot Rods & Cool Treats – Saturday, May 9, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Pine Avenue Community Center and Park
• Saturdays in the Courtyard concert: Anna May – Saturday, May 9, 5 to 6 p.m., Dove Library
• Downsizing with Confidence – Wednesday, May 13, 1 to 2 p.m., Carlsbad Senior Center
• Reel Wednesday: "My Blue Heaven" – Wednesday, May 13, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Dove Library 

June 2 primary election information

California’s Gubernatorial Primary Election is June 2 and early voting has already begun. All registered voters should receive a mail-in ballot from the San Diego County Registrar of Voters this week, if you haven’t already. If you want to vote in person, you can go to a vote center to cast your ballot.

Through June 2, you can drop off your signed and sealed mail ballot at any of our three city library locations during regular hours. On Election Day, June 2, libraries will accept ballots from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. New this year, ballot drop boxes at Poinsettia Community Park, Buena Vista Reservoir Park and Pine Avenue Community Park will be open 24 hours a day until 8 p.m. on June 2.

See a list of key dates and voter information on our website.

What’s on the agenda for your next City Council meeting

The next City Council meeting will be on Tuesday, May 12, starting at 5 p.m. in the City Council Chamber. Topics include: 

• Monthly update on how the city’s investments are performing 
• The annual review of the city’s Investment Policy 
• Updating the city’s compensation agreements with firefighter and police associations and unrepresented employees to align with current practices and comply with state law
• Amending an agreement with an affordable housing provider to support the pending sale of the Chestnut Apartments and improve its eligibility for affordable housing financing programs
• Additional funding to complete the Monroe Street Pool renovation and replacement project 
• An appointment to represent the city on the San Diego County Water Authority Board 
• Ratifying the declaration of a local emergency to make repairs to a damaged sewage pipeline along the railroad tracks just north of Poinsettia Lane
• Adopting an ordinance that would allow the temporary storage and staging of construction equipment and materials within the city’s public right-of-way
• To consider a request to authorize the continued processing of a residential development application on a property that was not included in the city’s Housing Element rezone program
• An update to the Carlsbad Municipal Water District’s state-required long-term water plan, including how it will manage supplies and respond during water shortages
• A report on the city’s vacancies and its recruitment and retention efforts, which is required annually by state law
• An update on Carlsbad’s economic and financial conditions in the third quarter of the current fiscal year, from January through March
• Establishing a mechanism to collect fees on development and redevelopment in the Village, Barrio, North Beach and parts of Olde Carlsbad to pay for the additional sewage capacity caused by the new projects

The agenda and staff reports are available on the city’s website.

3 easy ways to participate

1. Sign up to get agendas and staff reports emailed to you directly
2. Provide feedback via email to clerk@carlsbadca.gov by 2 p.m. the day of the meeting 
3. Sign up to speak at the meeting

… and 3 ways to watch

1. Follow the meeting live on the city's website 
2. Watch the meeting live on the city’s cable channel: Spectrum channel 24 or AT&T U-verse channel 99
3. Watch a recording of the meeting afterward (online or on our channel) 

Several city boards and commissions are also scheduled to meet next week, including the Historic Preservation Commission, the City Council’s Legislative Subcommittee and the Housing Commission. Like City Council meetings, board and commission meetings are livestreamed on the city’s website and available to watch afterward. See the full meeting schedule on our city calendar.

Before I wrap up, I want to wish all our Carlsbad moms a very Happy Mother’s Day. When I think about all the moms celebrating Mother’s Day, I think of this picture I took of my wife Christy many years ago when we had two girls under the age of 2. I often come back to this because I think it captures the strength, patience and love that moms show every day, even through the challenges and hard work that come with being a mom. Thank you for all you do! 

And to our whole community, have an excellent weekend. Thank you for reading!

Geoff Patnoe

City Manager