Category: Civil Rights

By Jack Flemming and David Zahniser / Los Angeles Times / Oct. 3, 2025

• Senate Bill 79 would override local zoning, allowing developers to build up to nine-story residential buildings alongside transit stops.
• Homeowners, tenant advocates and others are scrambling to understand the sweeping legislation.
• Carve-outs and complex exemptions have made it difficult for residents to determine which properties would ultimately be affected.

When Brendon Gerisch and his wife searched for a new home, they knew they wanted something with a little privacy — a backyard, some fully grown trees, less crowded surroundings.The couple thought they found their “forever home” in L.A.’s Westchester neighborhood, buying a four-bedroom in 2018 on a quiet street with one-story houses.

Now, he’s not so sure. Landmark legislation now on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk would “upzone” his and scores of other neighborhoods across California, allowing the construction of residential buildings as tall as nine stories, depending on how close they are to a rail station.

State Senate Bill 79, one of the most significant pieces of housing legislation in decades, seeks to address California’s housing crisis by boosting production near public transit stops — mostly rail but also some buses — in Southern California, Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area. Newsom has not yet announced whether he will sign the bill.

Overview

What would Proposition 50 change about congressional districts in California?

Ballotpedia reports: California Proposition 50, 2025

[Please see Ballotpedia for any and all links]

Proposition 50 would authorize the state to use a new congressional district map from Assembly Bill 604 (AB 604).[1]

The new congressional district map would be used to elect members of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2026 through 2030. The proposed map would replace the existing maps, which the 14-member Citizens Redistricting Commission adopted on December 27, 2021, for elections from 2022 through 2030. Proposition 50 would provide that the Citizens Redistricting Commission will redraw congressional districts in 2031.[1]

By Erwin Chemerinsky / The Sacramento Bee / September 30, 2025

If there is a path toward authoritarianism for the United States, this is it. The indictment of former FBI Director James Comey is just the latest outrage and effort to use the power of the federal government for the sake of retribution.

As we enter just the ninth month of President Donald Trump’s second term, it is essential to recognize that what we have seen is unprecedented in American history.

Trump, by his words and actions, has governed as if there are no checks on his authority. He quoted French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte on the social media platforms Truth Social and X, writing “He who saves the country violates no law.” At a televised press conference on August 26, the president discussed his use of troops for law enforcement, saying “(I have) the right to anything I want to do. I’m the president of the United States.”

Historic presidential overreach
Trump’s assertions of presidential power are broader than any other president has claimed. No president before has ever claimed that he can fire everyone in the executive branch of government or claimed the ability to eliminate agencies created by federal statute. No president has claimed the authority to massively cut off federal spending appropriated by Congress. (President Richard Nixon impounded funds, but not nearly on this scale).

Black Rages Against Planned Fort Stockton “Monstrosity” Across the Street from Her Property

By Kate Callen

A scorching Facebook post by Democratic powerbroker Laurie Black has been ricocheting around San Diego this past week. Community activists who oppose rampant upzoning have been reading Black’s missive with a sense of astonishment. Here is a transcript:

“I have no words!!! Or maybe I do!!!

“As the developer 2004-2007 of the property across the street from this eyesore, 1Mission, along with my late husband Bob Lawrence of R.S. Lawrence Development, we worked WITH the Mission Hills community to develop a project that received more than 5 awards for DESIGN, SMART GROWTH, HISTORICAL DESIGNATION, etc. 20 years later [it] is still a wonderful example of smart growth and design. Mark Steele designed a stunning project!

By Danna Givot

The City is planning to increase the College Area’s zoning to allow 34,150 (2050) versus 8200 housing units on the ground in 2024 – a 316% increase. That’s crazy when SANDAG estimates the entire city of San Diego will increase housing by 107,778 units between 2023 and 2050.

Why should the College Area be upzoned to provide almost one quarter of the City’s new housing between now and 2050? It shouldn’t!

In 2020, the College Area housed only 1.8% of the City’s people and accounted for less than 1% of San Diego’s acreage, so why would it be upzoned to accommodate 24% of the new housing in San Diego. It makes no sense.

Let’s look at what other recent community plan updates have upzoned their community planning areas for and compare them to what is being asked of the College Area.

Mira Mesa, University, Hillcrest/Uptown and Clairemont have three or more times the existing housing and their community plans are only increasing their housing density by 98% on average, while the College Area is being hammered with a 316% increase. What could justify this?

From Mission Hills Heritage

Just recently, we learned that the City of San Diego has scheduled a “Preservation & Progress” Virtual Workshop for Wednesday, October 8 at 2pm.

We are uncertain whether this meeting will be a genuine “workshop,” given that staff has indicated it will be presenting pre-determined proposed changes. And they are not waiting for the independent consultants at PlaceEconomics to release their fact-based report with crucial information that would inform the City and the public.

The City’s proposed changes are as follows:

• Proposed changes to the Historic Preservation Element of the General Plan
• Updates to the Historic Designation Appeal Process
• Amendments to the Complete Communities Housing Solutions program
• Proposed changes to the use of the Historic Preservation Fund

By Ryan Adamczeski / The Advocate – Yahoo / October 6, 2025

The home of a judge in South Carolina burned down over the weekend shortly after she had reportedly received death threats in the wake of her ruling against the Trump administration.

Circuit Court Judge Diane Goodstein, 69, was walking her dogs on Saturday morning when her home in Edisto Beach caught fire. Her husband, former Democratic state lawmaker Arnold Goodstein, 81, and their son, Arnold Goodstein II, were still in the house with other guests when the blaze began and had to escape through the upper stories into the marshes below, where emergency responders rescued them via kayak. The two were hospitalized alongside a third, unidentified person.

South Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice John Kittredge told FitsNews that it was an “apparent explosion … that resulted in a fire that destroyed the home.”

“Judge Goodstein was walking on the beach when the fire started,” he wrote. “Her husband, Arnie, was in the house with children and perhaps grandchildren. The family had to escape by jumping from a window or balcony. I’m told there were injuries from the fall, such as broken legs.”

Jamacha Neighborhood Council Flags Application Discrepancies in Controversial Jamacha Bonus ADU Project and urges the owner, Godavari LLC, and the City of San Diego to immediately halt the 1441 Woodrow Ave project.

This is on October 7, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. at 1441 Woodrow Ave, San Diego, CA, 92114.

The Jamacha Neighborhood Council (JNC), representing residents of the Jamacha community, is calling on the City of San Diego to halt the proposed six two-story, 12-unit Bonus ADU project at 1441 Woodrow Ave and to revise city policy to exclude communities of concern in RS 1-7 single-family zones from the Bonus ADU program.

By Kate Callen

Golden Hill is stepping up its fight against a monolith apartment complex by mounting a legal battle to block a construction that is proceeding at a beat-the-clock pace.

Land use attorney Everett Delano is filing the lawsuit on behalf of Preserve Greater Golden Hill against Chicago-based developer CEDARst, which is building a 180-unit, 8-story rental housing complex at 2935-2961 A Street. Upon completion, it will be the largest high-rise structure directly under the final approach into Lindbergh Field.

More than 30 Golden Hill activists gathered for an October 2 news conference to announce the suit. It took place near the Albert Einstein Charter Academy, which is directly across from the development site and will be overshadowed by the tower.

Golden Hill has traditionally been one of San Diego’s most affordable and ethnically diverse neighborhoods. As speakers pointed out, a surge of extensive Golden Hill upzoning is pushing out elderly residents, residents of color, and low-income families. They are being replaced by people who are richer, whiter, younger, and more amenable to living in studios and one-bedroom rentals.

By Dani Miskell / 10News KGTV / Oct. 2, 2025

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the Harmony Grove Village South development on Wednesday, October 1.

Harmony Grove Village South will build 453 homes and businesses in unincorporated San Diego near Escondido, despite fierce opposition from residents who say the project puts lives at risk during wildfires.

The development will be built on open land off Country Club Drive, but longtime residents argue the new homes could block their only evacuation route during a fire emergency.

At Wednesday’s Board of Supervisors land use meeting, Supervisor Jim Desmond pressed Rancho Santa Fe Fire Chief Dave McQuead on fire evacuation safety concerns.

Editordude: Many Americans have been affected by the mainstream media blackout of this and have been unaware of the humanitarian flotilla that was bound for Gaza. In contrast, people in Europe are totally aware of it and are protesting the Israeli military’s interceptions. 

By Alastair McCready and News Agencies / Aljazeera – English / On 3 Oct 2025

The Israeli military has dismantled an entire humanitarian flotilla seeking to break its siege on war-ravaged Gaza, arresting hundreds of activists from dozens of vessels.

Livestream video showed Israeli forces forcing their way onboard the last vessel Friday morning. The Polish-flagged Marinette, which reportedly has a crew of six, was the final boat of the Global Sumud Flotilla – once a 44-strong fleet – to be seized by Israel.

The International Committee to Break the Siege of Gaza also announced in a statement that several detainees arrested by Israeli forces had “entered an open-ended hunger strike from the moment of their detention.”

Israel’s Foreign Ministry says it has already deported four Italian citizens who joined the flotilla and is preparing to deport the rest of the activists. “Israel is keen to end this procedure as quickly as possible,” the ministry said in a post on X.