Volume 1, Issue 5 — December 2025

As we approach the final weeks of 2025, this latest issue reflects on the work my office has done to protect San Diegans, defend the resources our city relies on, and keep our communities safe. From federal court wins and state legislative progress, to civil enforcement actions, proactive gun violence prevention, and strong partnerships, this work reflects our shared commitment to accountability, equity, and public safety.

As we look ahead to the new year, there is more work to be done — and more progress to achieve. My office remains focused on strengthening public safety, protecting vulnerable communities, and holding bad actors accountable, while continuing to build the partnerships needed to meet the challenges ahead and deliver results for San Diego.

Protecting Federal Funding

This year, our office took decisive action at the federal level to protect San Diego’s ability to serve its residents, safeguarding hundreds of millions of dollars in critical funding that supports disaster preparedness, critical infrastructure, environmental investments, and housing and community development programs.

In total, these actions helped protect more than $450 million in federal funding for San Diego, ensuring that resources meant for our communities were not unlawfully withheld or conditioned.

To strengthen our ability to act quickly in moments like these, City Council unanimously approved a policy allowing the City Attorney to quickly join litigation and amicus briefs. This process has already delivered results. Since the policy passed, my office has joined over two-dozen amicus briefs, and 5 lawsuits.

Our office joined 28 local governments nationwide in a lawsuit challenging unlawful conditions placed on federal emergency and disaster preparedness funding. A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking the federal government from conditioning DHS and FEMA funds, ensuring San Diego can continue preparing for wildfires, floods, and other emergencies without disruption.

Legislative Advocacy Remained a Critical Part of Our Work this Year

SB 19 - Protecting Schools, Workplaces, and Public Spaces

I was proud to support Senate Bill 19 (originally introduced as AB 237), a bill designed to protect schools, workplaces, and public spaces from criminal threats, alongside Assemblymember Dr. Darshana Patel and District Attorney Summer Stephan.

I spoke in support of this important legislation when it was introduced and also celebrated the signing of the bill into law by Governor Newsom, strengthening school and community safety and ensuring serious threats are addressed.

AB 561 - Protections for Older and Dependent Adults

My office supported Assembly Bill 561, legislation authored by Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva and was signed into law this year. This important bill modernizes protections for older and dependent adults by making it easier to obtain restraining orders through electronic filing and remote hearings — removing long-standing barriers that have prevented survivors from accessing help. The San Diego City Attorney’s Office was proud to co-sponsor AB 561 alongside Justice In Aging, Elder Law & Advocacy, Bet Tzedek, and the Civil Prosecutors Coalition.

Representing San Diego Across California

Elevating Local Voices Statewide

Beyond our city limits, our office continued to ensure that San Diego’s perspective is represented in key conversations shaping policy and enforcement across California.

I was honored to be elected Vice-Chair of the Civil Prosecutors Coalition (CPC) for the 2025–2026 legislative year, representing millions of residents statewide. In this leadership role, I work alongside City Attorneys and County Counsel from California’s largest jurisdictions to help shape legislative priorities, strengthen civil enforcement tools, clarify prosecutorial authority, and advocate for the resources local governments need to protect workers, consumers, and communities. Local civil prosecutors play a critical role in how laws are enforced across the state, and this collaboration helps ensure those laws work as intended on the ground.

I was also honored to be appointed to the League of California Cities Executive Committee for City Attorneys. In this role, I work with municipal leaders from across the state to advance best practices, promote collaboration, and support effective local governance for California’s 482 cities, ensuring that cities like San Diego have a strong voice in statewide policy decisions.

Supporting Survivors and Families

Your Safe Place – The San Diego Family Justice Center

This year, we celebrated important milestones while continuing our unwavering commitment to supporting survivors of trauma, violence, and abuse.

Through our Your Safe Place Backpack Drive, nearly 200 children impacted by trauma received backpacks filled with school supplies — along with encouragement, care, and a reminder that their community stands with them. Events like these reinforce that healing and support extend beyond the courtroom and into the everyday lives of families who need it most.

We also marked 23 years of Your Safe Place, reflecting on the lasting impact of the San Diego Family Justice Center since opening its doors in 2002. For more than two decades, Your Safe Place has provided survivors and their families with coordinated, compassionate services in a safe and supportive environment — a model of trauma-informed care that continues to change lives.

This year, we also released the Your Safe Place 2024 Annual Report, highlighting the important work being done every day to support survivors, advance trauma-informed services, and strengthen community safety. Diane Doherty, Executive Director of the Family Justice Center, presented the annual report to the City Council Committee on Public Safety, showcasing meaningful progress and the collective impact of our partners and dedicated staff.

If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse or violence, confidential help and resources are available. Please visit www.yoursafeplacesd.org to learn more and access support.

Accountability That Restores Communities

Ensuring safe, fair, and livable housing remained a top priority this year, particularly for residents impacted by chronic neglect, unsafe conditions, and repeated violations of housing laws.

To strengthen enforcement, we launched the Housing Protection and Civil Code Compliance Unit (HPU) — a dedicated team focused on addressing chronic problem properties, unsafe and substandard housing, unfair business practices, and violations of tenant protection and short-term rental laws. The HPU’s mission is clear: hold violators accountable and protect the rights of residents across every neighborhood.

The HPU quickly put that mission into action, securing injunctions and settlements to restore blighted and unsafe properties in Ocean Beach, moving forward on long-abandoned properties like the California Theatre, and recently filing civil enforcement actions against violators of the Short-Term Rental Ordinance (STRO). These actions established clear timelines, safety measures, and enforceable compliance requirements, delivering real results for communities that have waited too long for change.

Gun Violence Prevention

A Nationally Recognized Approach to Safety

Our city continues to lead with a proactive, prevention-focused approach to gun violence.

This year, I participated in a powerful community panel and documentary screening highlighting the work of our Gun Violence Reduction Unit (GVRU), a nationally recognized program that has removed thousands of firearms from individuals who pose a serious risk to themselves or others. Through Gun Violence Restraining Orders (GVROs), close coordination with law enforcement, and ongoing training and outreach, the GVRU focuses on intervening before tragedy occurs.

We also secured a $1 million Byrne Grant to expand this life-saving work. The funding will support enhanced crisis intervention services, behavioral threat assessment training for our team and law enforcement partners, expanded safe-storage efforts, and increased public education, strengthening prevention and community safety across San Diego.

Standing Up for Workers

Wage theft and worker misclassification continue to cause serious economic harm to workers and families across our region, undermining fair competition and eroding trust in the system. These practices rob workers of earned wages, benefits, and basic protections, and they disproportionately impact low-wage workers and vulnerable communities.

This year, our office took direct action to address these abuses. We issued a Know Your Rights consumer alert to ensure workers understand how to recognize wage theft and misclassification, and where to turn for help. Empowering workers with information is a critical first step in preventing exploitation.

I also joined a panel at the Progressive Labor Summit to highlight that wage theft and misclassification are not just labor violations, they are crimes that cause widespread economic harm. Our office is strengthening enforcement, prioritizing accountability, and making clear that employers who exploit workers will be held responsible. Protecting workers’ rights is essential to economic fairness and to building strong, resilient communities.

Strong Partnerships, Safer Communities

Collaboration Beyond Enforcement

Addressing complex challenges requires strong partnerships, and collaboration remained a cornerstone of our work this year.

We partnered with the US Attorney's Office, SDSU, and the MESA Foundation for the first-ever Beyond the Arc fentanyl awareness event, a prevention focused effort combining education, outreach, and community engagement to address the opioid and fentanyl crisis. By bringing together students, athletes, community leaders, and law enforcement, the event highlighted the importance of prevention, connection, and shared responsibility.

We also continued our collaboration with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, enforcing protections for California spiny lobsters while educating the public about responsible stewardship of our coastal resources. These efforts help protect marine life, preserve our environment, and ensure sustainability for future generations.

Prosecuting Crimes That Harm Our Community

Justice and Accountability

Our office remained resolute in pursuing accountability through the justice system, making clear that conduct threatening safety and dignity will not be tolerated.

This year, we announced significant updates in sexual misconduct cases, including sentencing and new charges in cases involving multiple victims. These prosecutions underscore our commitment to holding offenders accountable and protecting the safety and dignity of women, and our entire community.

We also secured $463,000 from the California Office of Traffic Safety to strengthen prosecution of alcohol- and drug-impaired driving cases. This funding supports specialized review of thousands of DUI cases, helping keep dangerous drivers off the road and making our streets safer for everyone.

Holding Bad Actors Accountable

Civil enforcement remained a critical tool to protect consumers, public health, and our community's well being.

We secured settlements for more than over $300,000 and multi-year injunctions against retailers illegally selling flavored tobacco products, products that disproportionately target youth and contribute to long-term public health harm. These actions send a clear message that businesses will be held accountable when they put profits over people.

We also reached a $40.5 million settlement with Health Net, holding the company accountable for misleading provider directories that limited access to care for patients. The settlement requires stronger compliance programs, increased oversight, and meaningful consumer protections, ensuring patients can access the care they need without being misled.