Council District 9 News
January 28, 2022
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Hello Lydia,
From early on in our tenure, our office has repeatedly expressed our desire to “tear down the walls of City Hall.” This might sound dramatic, but the meaning is simple -- we want transparency. We believe every San Diegan should have the access they need to understand how and why decisions are being made and how they can be participants in the process.
Two of the items highlighted in this email – returning Council meetings to Chambers and inviting the public to participate in the hiring process for the City’s next Independent Budget Analyst -- are examples of what we mean by “tearing down the walls of City Hall.” I understand that the City has made many mistakes that have eroded the public’s trust and that trust will only be earned back over time. My hope is that by tearing down walls we can ultimately rebuild trust.
As always, I welcome your feedback.
With gratitude,
Sean
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D9 Office Hours
The District 9 Office Hours is now taking requests to meet with the Council President. These are opportunities are for D9 residents to speak directly with the Council President for a 15 minute one-on-one meeting, in-person or virtual (Zoom).
Office hours are RSVP-ONLY. To be added to the interest list, please email your community representative (find yours here) the following information:
- Full name
- Email address
- Phone number
- Preferred date/time
- In-person or virtual
Your Community Rep. will then follow up on your submission and the Director of Administration will send an appointment to confirm the meeting.
February Office Hours:
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Southcrest: Friday, Feb. 18, 9-11am
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City Heights: Friday, Feb. 18, 12-2pm
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Participate and Engage with Us! | |
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Hybrid Council Meetings
This week, the San Diego City Council shifted to a hybrid model for Councilmembers and staff. Council President Elo-Rivera marked the Council’s first return to Council Chambers in nearly two years following the first Council meeting in Chambers on Monday:
“The San Diego City Council returned to council chambers to move toward providing the public with the accessible and transparent government they deserve. Councilmembers and staff are provided the option of attending Council in-person or virtually as we work towards fully reopening and inviting the public to attend hearings in-person. COVID-19 has disrupted life in many ways—at City Hall, and in our homes and businesses. Today, we take another step toward reclaiming some of what so many have missed over the past two years. I urge all San Diegans to get vaccinated and take the necessary precautions so we can close the book on COVID-19 as soon as possible.”
We look forward to continuing to work towards fully yet safely reopening City Hall.
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Community Forum:
Independent Budget Analyst Director Search
City Council has started the search for the next Director of the Office of the Independent Budget Analyst (IBA). The IBA provides budgetary and policy analysis for the City Council and assists Council in conducting budgetary inquiries and making of budgetary decisions. The office is crucial to keeping the City’s decision-making transparent, accountable, and accessible to the public.
Council will be hosting the final virtual community forum on the search for the next Director of the IBA next Saturday, February 5th at 11am.
Learn more about the IBA and offer your own thoughts on this critical role by rsvping today! Share this link far and wide with neighbors: www.bit.ly/ibaforums
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Give us your feedback! What do you support? What do you oppose? What questions do you have? The City’s budget is YOUR budget and we are intent in making you part of the process each and every step of the way. | |
Update: City of San Diego Budget
The District 9 Office recently completed our review of all priorities submitted through our budget survey and developed our final budget priority list. We appreciated hearing from you and other community members on what should be prioritized in the City budget.
Based on your feedback, three central themes emerged that guided our budget priorities:
- Clean and Healthy Neighborhoods
- Safety, Justice, and Prosperity
- World-Class Services
Take a look at our full budget priorities memo at www.sdd9.info/fy23memo.
Stay tuned for more budget updates!
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How We Can Work Together to Address Homelessness
Addressing homelessness continues to be a top priority for the City and for our office. Encampments in our canyons, sidewalks, alleyways, and parks reflect the reality that we have been unable to provide a minimum standard of living for all people. While our response to this crisis will require coordination at all levels of government, the City has an important role to play in this effort.
Community members often ask our office, “how can I help?”
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Next month, you will be able to volunteer for our Point in Time Count, an annual effort in which volunteers throughout the County count, survey, and interview individuals experiencing homelessness, in order to understand the scope of the crisis locally. If you are interested in surveying unsheltered neighbors in your community, join the District 9 team signing up at the link here.
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There are additional opportunities to volunteer to support our unsheltered neighbors, providing services ranging from haircuts to food distributions, to providing workforce training. These opportunities can be found by visiting United Way’s San Diego Homeless Volunteer Network, linked here.
Together, we can utilize our compassion, care, and initiative to end chronic homelessness in San Diego.
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Chúc mừng năm mới! Happy Lunar New Year
from the District 9 Office!
February ushers in the Year of the Tiger, an animal representing courage and bravery. Two events in District 9 are scheduled to celebrate the Vietnamese Community and the New Year.
January 28th - 30th
San Diego Lunar New Year Tet Festival
Hosted by the Little Saigon Foundation, who are dedicated to developing and maintaining Vietnamese culture and heritage in City Heights. Little Saigon Foundation’s big event of the year, this festival will include lion dances, firecracker shows, food, performances, and more!
More Information: www.lunarnewyearfestival.org
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January 31st - 12:00PM
Viet Vote Lunar New Year - Special Viewing of Mural Celebrating the Vietnamese Community
City Heights is a center of immigrant and cultural diversity in San Diego. Join the community on January 31st to celebrate a new and beautiful mural at Minh Ky Restaurant.
The artist of the mural, Thao Huynh French was born in Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam; she currently lives and works in San Diego, CA. She is best known for co-founding Mindful Murals with her husband, where together they’ve painted over 300 community murals for schools and public spaces all over California.
The event is hosted by Viet Vote, a non-partisan, non-profit organization founded in 2019, dedicated to the empowerment of the Vietnamese community in San Diego through voting and civic engagement, and will feature lion dances and giveaways!
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9th Annual City Heights Runners 5K | |
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UrbanLife's Physical Development initiative, City Heights Runners, provides first time exposure to running and a team environment as a means to develop positive friendships and personal resilience, as well as enhance the overall health and well-being of student-athletes in San Diego’s most vulnerable communities. Join us for a morning of fitness in a community environment and help us advance the lives of children in City Heights! This event will help support the year-round Running Clubs at Mann Middle and Crawford High.
Registration Link: www.sdd9.info/cityheightsrun
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