Dear Neighbor,

This was a monumental week for our efforts to build more housing, starting with the City Council’s approval of my latest package of policy reforms aimed at building new housing that San Diegans can afford.  

The lack of affordable housing in our communities is central to many of our City’s top challenges, particularly homelessness and sky-high rents. This series of reforms will boost the supply of homes and reduce the cost of housing, help our businesses recruit and retain talent and put more hard-earned dollars back into the pockets of everyday San Diegans.

My Housing Action Package (HAP) 2.0, part of my Homes for All of Us initiative, includes amendments to the Land Development Code that will preserve existing affordable homes and encourage the construction of more new homes. It provides new protections for some of the City’s most vulnerable community members, including seniors, people experiencing or at risk of homelessness and people with disabilities. The package of amendments also includes incentives to encourage building homes for students and in neighborhoods with good access to jobs and high-performing schools.  

We also got good news on our ability to move forward with the Midway District revitalization, and we broke ground on a project in San Ysidro that uses City programs to build affordable homes faster. We're going to keep pushing to tackle our housing shortage and bring down costs for San Diegans.

s always, it’s an honor to serve as your Mayor. 

Ruling Clears the Way for Thousands of Homes, Economic Revitalization of the Midway District 

San Diego voters twice approved the removal of the 30-foot height limit in the Midway-Pacific Highway district, recognizing that the height limit would stymie the redevelopment of the City’s 48-acre Sports Arena property.

Last week, a judge ruled in favor of the City of San Diego by rejecting the latest legal challenge to the Measure C ballot measure.  

The ruling clears the way for the Midway Rising project to move forward and replace the decaying old Sports Arena and transform its underused parking lot into thousands of new homes, creating thousands of jobs and giving our local economy a major boost.  

This is a massive win for the people of San Diego, and I’m grateful to the City Attorney for their great work defending the will of the voters to see progress on this important economic revitalization.  

New Affordable Housing Project in San Ysidro Benefits from Two Innovative City Programs 

Nonprofit affordable housing developer National CORE has broken ground on a project in San Ysidro that took advantage of two of the City’s programs designed to help 100% affordable housing projects get built more quickly.  

This project, Iris at San Ysidro, was one of the original seven projects to be awarded funding under the City’s Bridge to Home program, which invests City dollars directly into affordable housing projects to close their financing gaps and help them get across the finish line. Iris, which includes 99 affordable rental apartments for San Diegans with low-income -- including 15 homes with supportive services for San Diegans currently experiencing homelessness – received $5 million through Bridge to Home.  

Iris also benefitted from a newer City program that my administration launched earlier this year – Affordable Housing Permit Now. Created by an executive order I announced at my State of the City address last January, this program requires 100% affordable housing projects to be reviewed within 30 days. 

As one of the first projects to benefit from both of these programs, Iris at San Ysidro symbolizes this City’s steadfast and action-oriented approach to addressing our housing crisis. Building more homes that San Diegans can afford is key to tackling our most daunting challenges as a city. Building more homes for all income levels is the only way to lower the cost of housing and put more hard-earned dollars back in the pockets of working San Diegans. 

City Invites Community Members to Participate in Police Chief Recruitment Forums 

The City is conducting a nationwide search for a new chief of police to replace Chief David Nisleit, who will retire in June 2024. To help inform the selection process, we're hosting a series of public forums intended to gather San Diegans’ thoughts and opinions about the qualities and characteristics they desire in the city’s next law enforcement leader. 

There are few decisions as consequential to public safety than choosing who will lead our police officers and investigators. City Councilmembers and I are eager to hear from the community what they want in San Diego’s next police chief to keep their neighborhoods safe, and we encourage everyone to participate in helping guide the future of law enforcement in our city. 

The complete schedule for the community forums, which will take place in each of San Diego’s nine City Council districts throughout the month of January, can be found on the Chief Recruitment webpage.  

Read more about the Police Chief Recruitment Forums on Inside San Diego. 

Mayor Gloria’s Presidential Appointment to Truman Scholarship Foundation Board Unanimously Confirmed by U.S. Senate 

I was honored to be nominated by President Biden to serve on the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation Board of Trustees – and I’m proud to have now been unanimously confirmed to this appointment by the U.S. Senate.  

It’s an honor to contribute to a legacy that fosters leadership, empowers minds and propels the public-service aspirations of future leaders. I myself was a Truman Scholarship recipient, and this program supported and grew my interest in public service.  

The Harry S. Truman Scholarship is the official national memorial to President Truman and awards up to $30,000 to students who demonstrate leadership potential, academic excellence and a commitment to public service.

The scholarship is highly competitive, with only about 60 students selected each year. To be eligible for the Truman Scholarship, students must be U.S. citizens or nationals, currently enrolled in their second to last year of undergraduate study at a U.S. college or university, have a GPA of at least 3.5 and major in a field that is likely to lead to a career in public service. 

The board, composed of 19 members, is chaired by former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and includes Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, U.S Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Brian Schatz (D-HI), House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Kay Granger (R-TX) and Congressman Andy Kim (D-NJ). 

I look forward to getting to work with this esteemed group to help promote the next generation of public servants in their pursuits. 

City Council Adopts Complete Streets Policy

The City Council has adopted the City’s first-ever Complete Streets Policy, which reflects the City’s commitment to provide a safe, comfortable and accessible transportation system that meets the mobility needs of everyone. 

“Complete Streets” refers to a concept that roadways should be designed with all users in mind, not just motorists. Making travel convenient and accessible for people of all ages and abilities, regardless of their mode choice, is a citywide priority.  

he policy, also known as Policy No. 900-23, was adopted by the City Council and lays the groundwork for the City’s continued efforts to enhance quality of life and mobility in all communities. The policy will also help create more vibrant corridors with multiple travel options and transform public spaces into dynamic places for community members to gather. 

This is a tremendous step forward for our City and our ongoing progress toward our Climate Action Program and Vision Zero goals. 

Read more about our Complete Streets Policy and the Safe Streets and Roads for All grants on Inside San Diego.