OB Rag

by Ben Christopher / Cal-Matters / November 28, 2023

In the minds of most Californians, accessory dwelling units — ADUs, short — bring to mind words like “small,” “subtle” and “cute.” None of which describe the side-by-side ADU duplexes on E Street.

Perched at the edge of San Diego’s desirable Golden Hill neighborhood, there’s nothing dainty or diminutive about these three-story structures. “Backyard cottage” is another term used to describe accessory dwelling units, but these are out front, practically hiding the five-unit multiplex to which they are technically “accessory.”

From Northwestern / August 22, 2024

New research from Northwestern University has systematically proven that a mild zap of electricity can strengthen a marine coastline for generations—greatly reducing the threat of erosion in the face of climate change and rising sea levels.

In the new study, researchers took inspiration from clams, mussels and other shell-dwelling sea life, which use dissolved minerals in seawater to build their shells.

Similarly, the researchers leveraged the same naturally occurring, dissolved minerals to form a natural cement

The city of San Diego is inviting the community to give feedback on bike infrastructure online through Sept. 10. They say they’ll use them to shape the new Bicycle Master Plan, which helps them prioritize future infrastructure projects as they seek funding.

There’s an interactive map where users can note what works well and what could be improved. The map has nearly 500 contributions so far. To submit feedback, visit the city of San Diego interactive map.

The City of San Diego wants residents’ views on the new trash service and charges.

So, the city is holding an online meeting on Saturday, August 24, and an in-person meeting in Point Loma next week about implementing Measure B, which amends the People’s Ordinance to allow the City to begin charging for trash pickup from single family homes. Plus, they’ll be out at OB Farmers Market on that Wed. (See below)

As part of the Cost of Service Study, the City is holding public meetings in all the Council districts to collect input from the public on services and fees.

Watching some of the news video of the DNC (Democratic National Convention) yesterday, I cringed every time the camera panned and we could see San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria in the crowd.

I thought, OMG, I bet Gloria is touting himself on the national stage as a mayor who has solved both the housing crisis and the homeless crisis, I’m sure. And on the surface, Gloria is just the type of mayor Harris would want to showcase — if all that was true. But, of course, it’s not true.

We know that Vice President Harris and Gloria know each other -. But does she know how unpopular he is in his own hometown?

Residents of Uptown were supposed to go to the polls Tuesday, August 20, to elect new members to the Uptown Community Planning Group, which comprises Hillcrest, Middletown, the Medical Complex area, Mission Hills, University Heights and Bankers Hill. Others just went on their phones or desktop or laptop computers with the intent to vote virtually.

But something happened a long the way.

The voting system broke down — literally — the computers running the count screwed up and froze. And those running the show cancelled the election. One local resident called it “a fiasco.”
Many of those who stood in line were outraged.

By Mat Wahstrom / Times of San Diego / August 21, 2024

If you’ve been following local news, you may be aware that two hours Tuesday night, August 20, was the only time allowed for any of the 40,000 residents in Uptown to vote in person in the new Uptown Community Planning Group election.

This election was already unprecedented as UpCPG’s intent has always been to conduct it entirely online — without a paper trail. (Even those showing up to vote in person had to use a tablet to register their vote.)

What could go wrong? Quite simply, everything.

At the 75-minute mark, the election committee finally had to cancel in-person voting. They realized their software was double-counting votes and locked up when they tried to fix it.

This was after over 160 people had been in line at the start, with many leaving rather than continue to wait over an hour — as it had already been taking up to 15 minutes or more to process each voter.

By Patty Ducey-Brooks

After promoting an online voting system as the future of elections, the “Vibrant Uptown” group experienced a major flaw that shut down in-person voting on Tuesday, August 20.  Residents and business owners from the Uptown community who chose to vote in person were frustrated and upset to learn there was no backup voting system available.

Worse, they were asked to leave without casting their votes.

Those who witnessed and were impacted by the voting failure — approximately 100 Uptown residents — denounced the breakdown and the excuses offered by “Vibrant Uptown” in its attempt to minimize its failure to manage an effective voting system.

Vibrant Uptown released the following statement after the voting fiasco:

Tomorrow — Friday, August 23 — is the deadline for the OB Rag’s “Worst ADU in San Diego” contest. If you haven’t yet sent in the address of a local ADU eyesore, time’s running out.

This contest set out to convey how the modest “granny flat” concept has spawned grotesquely large buildings on small lots. Along the way, it opened a heated debate about the social and ethical aspects of building massive ADUs:

By Bruce Coughran and Eric Duvall / Pt Loma-OB Monthly / August 21, 2024

Have you ever thought to yourself, “Gee, I wonder whatever happened to the old Point Loma House hotel”?  No? Never even heard of it, you say?

How about those enormous and fantastic colored glass domes that used to sit on the very top of the ridge that we call Point Loma? Talk about a landmark! Those domes were spectacular, sparkling in the sun by day and illuminated at night.

They say that between the turn of the last century and the Second World War, any mariner approaching Point Loma from the Pacific would see those domes long before they would see the new (1891) Point Loma Light.  The domes were even indicated on all the navigational charts of the period.

By Tom York / Times of San Diego / August 22, 2024

There’s been lots of news about outside investors roiling the market for single-family homes in San Diego, snapping up an ever larger portion of properties that come to market. The trend especially focuses on two New York City private equity firms, Blackstone and BlackRock.

Well, now we have added evidence about private investor activity.

According to residential real estate web portal Refdin, investors were quite active in San Diego’s residential housing market this past spring.

Less than a half hour after Point Loma High let out for the day on Wednesday, August 21, gunshots rang out on Zola Street — about a block from the school. Two people were killed, a mother wounded and her son was arrested as the suspected shooter.

When police arrived, they found the wounded mother, who is in her 80s, in the front yard of her residence. She was taken to a hospital with “very serious” injuries.

Her 60-year old son was also in the yard and was arrested without incident.