OB Rag

In the end, there were forty-five activists and leaders from communities all over San Diego, and they held a truly historic meeting this past Saturday, May 10. It was and is a rare moment, a moment when that many neighborhood leaders and people active in their community meet together in one room with their own agenda — and without the presence of some governmental board, agency or council.

The beautiful and vintage Point Loma Assembly Hall — over one hundred years old –was the venue for this historic occasion. Hosted by folks from Protect Point Loma who provided the hall and pizza, there were brief welcomes and introductions from Frank G and Kate C of the coordinating committee. Then there was a dramatic moment — a roll call of the communities and hands shot up after each neighborhood was named. From Bay Ho to Encanto, from University City to Linda Vista, Ocean Beach to Mira Mesa, Middletown to Clairemont. La Jolla and Point Loma.

As people settled in, Kate C gave a special shout-out to two groups: to SOHO, Save Our Heritage Organization and to Neighbors for a Better San Diego, both of whom had done needed and crucial spadework on the issues for years.

Frank G then explained that the coalition was actually a coalition of community leaders — that hopefully some day would be a coalition of all the different neighborhood groups themselves — a direction the current network is moving. He said there’s at least two types of leadership. There’s one that shows by example and gets up to the top of the hill. Another is a type of leadership that gets to the top of the hill but takes everyone else with them. People nodded their heads and murmured in acquiescence. And the coalition, he said, needs that type of leadership right now.

Kate spoke of the three Planning Commissioners who back on May 1st were bold enough to just not go along with Mayor Gloria’s so-called ADU reforms, coming up with restrictions in number, height, set-backs, parking and adequate evacuation routes.

Residents of San Diego County have been subjected to two recent devastating news reports about our area.

A doctor expert says San Diego County’s jails are the worst than he’s ever seen them and are ‘far behind other jail and prison systems in California.’ The County has faced dozens of lawsuits that have cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars in recent years.

And children taken from their parents for their own safety were abused by county social workers. The county is currently confronting hundreds of lawsuits filed by now-grown victims who say they were sexual assaulted at Polinsky Children’s Center and other facilities.

San Diego County might have the best weather around, but perhaps it helps hide an ugly, dark underbelly.

U-T writers Jeff McDonald and Kelly Davis recently published the following on our jail conditions:

‘No meaningful treatment’: Doctor says San Diego County jails are the worst he’s ever seen —
An expert for the plaintiffs suing over jail conditions says San Diego County’s lockups are ‘far behind other jail and prison systems in California.’

First term Assemblymember LaShae Sharp-Collins wants to build homes and rebuild social safety nets in California and in her district

by Deborah Sullivan Brennan / Voice of San Diego / May 9, 2025

First term Assemblymember LaShae Sharp-Collins wants to build homes and rebuild social safety nets in California and in her district in southeastern San Diego.

Sharp-Collins was elected in November, replacing former Assemblymember Akilah Weber Pierson, who was elected to the state Senate. I sat down with Sharp-Collins last week to discuss her priorities for the 79th District, which includes La Mesa, Lemon Grove and parts of the city of San Diego.

The district skews heavily blue, with twice as many Democratic registered voters as Republicans, according to the San Diego County Registrar of Voters. Its population is about 43 percent Latino, 27 percent White, 13 percent Asian and 11 percent Black.

“This is the most diverse district, in my personal opinion,” she said. “I’m born and raised here. I love it.”

Former top city planner Michael Stepner says more housing is needed but it should be compatible with existing communities

By Michael Smolens / San Diego Union-Tribune / May 9, 2025

The city of San Diego is downshifting on its permissive rules encouraging backyard apartments.

That raises the question of whether a desire for more “gentle development” will spread to some of the city’s other aggressive housing policies.

Last week, the city Planning Commission strongly supported an effort to roll back some of the extreme aspects of the backyard apartment program.

Several years ago, when the city began loosening restrictions on building accessory dwelling units, as they’re officially called, the idea seemed to be one or two apartments on a single-family-home property, possibly three in some cases.

Projects with double-digit units allowed under the laws aren’t what people had in mind. For example, one ADU development in Clairemont has 17 apartments, and even larger projects are in the pipeline, particularly in Encanto.

“This is not the way I envisioned ADUs would work,” Commissioner Ken Malbrough said, as reported by David Garrick of The San Diego Union-Tribune. “I want housing, but I don’t want to ruin neighborhoods.”

Edited From Neighbors for a Better San Diego

This is our best chance to right the wrongs of the Bonus ADU Program. Two remaining meetings will determine the fate of San Diego’s single-family neighborhoods.

The brand new San Diego Community Coalition also joins in this call.

• May 15th, 1:00 PM — Land Use & Housing committee (LU&H) meeting of San Diego City Council —
  City Administration Building at 202 C Street, 12th Floor
  San Diego, California 92101and
• June City Council meeting June 2 at 2pm

A Rag reader just recently noticed that the Blick Art Materials store in Little Italy (a large, two-story space at 1844 India Street) would be closing and relocating to the large space that was recently vacated by Joann Fabrics at 3633 Midway Drive in the Point Loma Plaza shopping center.

Blick will be opening on June 8th at that location in the Midway District.

See inside for specifics if  you plan on attending the meeting.

Before meeting: It’s time to flood City Council offices with messages before the Council’s Land Use and Housing (LU&H) Committee meets Thursday, May 15, 1:00 p.m. to consider Todd Gloria’s newest proposal to “reform” his Bonus ADU policy by tinkering with it but refusing to make significant changes.

There are two ways to send your pre-meeting comments:

1. Submit your comment through the LU&H Public Comment Webform

The meeting date is 5/15/2025. Comment type is Agenda Comment. Agenda item number is 4. Comments submitted via the webform will be officially posted.

2. Send emails directly to the LU&H Councilmembers

A 51-year-old male pedestrian died Saturday, May 10, after being struck by a car in the Midway District. The as-yet-to-be identified man was crossing the street outside of a crosswalk in the 3400 block of Sports Arena Boulevard.

Police responded to the scene just minutes before 11 pm and determined that the victim was walking from the south curbline to the north curbline. He was struck by a Toyota Camry driven by a 22-year-old man.

There’s a brand new community coalition in San Diego that is already making waves. It’s called the San Diego Community Coalition and it made its public debut May 1 at the San Diego Planning Commission when its members discussed proposed changes to the controversial “Bonus ADU” ordinance.

The coalition is a citywide network of neighborhood activists focused on two interconnected issues:

Overbuilding in residential neighborhoods — from mid-rise towers to giant multi-unit ADU complexes — which erodes our urban infrastructure and produces minimal affordable housing.

City Hall’s disrespect for constituents, its refusal to engage the public in open dialogue, and its suppression of community planning groups.

So far, the coalition includes activist leaders from at least 15 communities — from Bay Ho, City Heights, Clairemont, College Area, Encanto, Golden Hill, Linda Vista, Middletown, Mission Hills, North Park, to Point Loma, Pacific Beach, Talmadge and University City.

Guess which community is missing. Ocean Beach.

There was an armed robbery attempt at one of OB’s high-end restaurants Saturday night, May 3. Apparently, the robbery at Cesarina was unsuccessful and no one was hurt. Here’s how the restaurant described the event on Instagram:

On Saturday evening, around 10:30 p.m. as we were closing, something unimaginable happened. An armed individual entered our restaurant and demanded money before fleeing.

We are beyond grateful for the immediate and effective response of the San Diego Police Department, who apprehended the suspect shortly after. Most importantly, we are overwhelmingly relieved to share that no one was harmed during this terrifying incident.

By Colleen O’Connor

In the darkest of hours and sometimes despair, the Universe has produced great leaders. Rev. Martin Luther King amid the Civil Rights’ struggles. Mahatma Ghandi leading the fight for Indian independence. Lech Walesa conducting Poland vs. Russia over independence and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, deftly steering the globe through the Great Depression and the carnage of World War II.

Each leader a victor. Each possessed a moral compass, with convictions capable of overcoming defeat and cruelty to find a nobler path forward.

And now, from an unlikely, but equally providential source, comes the newly named Pope Leo XIV already shining an almost heavenly light on an increasingly dark era.
What a shock. The 267th Pope and the first ever American Pope. And a progressive with impressive credentials. He speaks four languages; English, Latin, Italian, Spanish, and reads German and French.

Robert Francis Prevost. Now Pope Leo the XIV.

By Marilyn, Ph.D. / Special to the OB Rag

May is Mental Health Awareness Month.  We have heard about the downsides to high density including increased traffic and the lack of parking. But an important factor that has been minimized is the impact of high density on our mental health.

When you see drastic changes that alter the fabric of our communities, it can feel overwhelming and disorienting. There are many reasons Protect Point Loma (www.ProtectPointLoma.com) was formed to protest the building of 1004 Rosecrans. For one, it has not been fully vetted by the professional experts as it relates to the impact on congestion, pollution or safety.

Other new projects in the area like the one on Lytton are larger scale and replace smaller buildings, which can change the neighborhood vibe from friendly to hostile. There does not seem to be anyone looking at the big picture as they approve multiple ADU’s in single family home backyards, huge apartment complexes and the high rises slotted to go in along Pacific Highway.