OB Rag

By Lisa Mortensen

We’ve heard this rallying cry from city hall and the development industry before — the need for housing.  The problem is their supply and demand argument leading to affordability just doesn’t wash but leaves the stain of unaffordability.   The city built more housing in 2023 than it has in decades.  This year there are many more units under construction.  So why are prices at all-time highs with this increase in inventory?

What’s missing from discussion of housing is NOAH which is the acronym for Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing.  This means to preserve existing housing stock, say multi-family apartment houses and converting them to condominiums, or vacant office buildings reimagined into for purchase or for rent housing.  When using existing buildings, it is more environmentally sound because you are not tearing down and disposing of a large amount of building waste.

By Geoff Page

There is a scene in the movie, “Blazing Saddles,” a Mel Brooks classic, (see above) where a preacher tries to stop the crowd from shooting the new – Black – sheriff. The preacher holds the Bible up and someone shoots it, whereupon he says, “Son, yer on yer own” and walks away. Seems this is the City of San Diego’s slogan.

This is what the city says. It is from an email city mayoral representative Randy Reyes sent to a long list of people:

Thank you for your email. I wanted to address your comments about the City’s decisions as it relates to the current status of the OB Pier. Public life and safety is and will remain the top priority. …

“Public life and safety is and will remain the top priority.” This is what the city actually does.

By Lisa Mortensen

Dear Councilmember Rivera et al councilmembers:

I attended the 9-hour city council meeting last Monday, July 22nd at 2pm to hear item S400 regarding the Kettner Mega Shelter lease.  After sitting through close to 5 hours of filibustering by the city council on the three prior items, all the while the council was able to come and go from the dais to refresh themselves.  But sadly, we lost 30% of those who had wished to cede their time to the speakers in opposition to the Kettner lease.

The public hearing rules only allowed 1 minute of speaking time so even though I was present 7 of the 9 hours, I was only able to cede my 1-minute of time in exchange for my voice.  I remember when we had two minutes of time and wonder when the council reduced this time allotment?

San Diego’s Fox5 has provided the rest of us with an update of the Navy’s ambitious effort to revitalize the 70.3-acre Old Town campus with the redevelopment of the NAVWAR facilities.

Why, it was just Monday, July 29, that Navy officials reported the environmental review process was proceeding alongside the exclusive negotiation period for a long-term lease with the potential master development group military officials selected to lead the renovation, Manchester/Edgemoor.

Manchester / Edgemoor consists of two firms — Manchester Financial, a hotel and commercial development firm, and Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate, an affiliate of Clark Construction that specializes in public-private partnerships.

Spinners, a tiny, hole in the wall, Middle-Eastern restaurant in Ocean Beach is up for sale.

Located at 4884 Newport Avenue, the place is on the docket for $120,000.

From UC PEEPS

This is it: On Tuesday, July 30, beginning at 1:00 p.m., the San Diego City Council will vote whether or not to adopt the University Community Plan Update. This will be residents’ last opportunity to express their thoughts and opinions about the UC Plan Update and the process of getting here.

It is critically important for all University Community residents to appeal for the Reduced Density Alternative, which is close to the Community Preferred Plan. It calls for 22,000 additional housing units as opposed to 30,500 additional units, as the City’s Higher Density Alternative proposes. The Reduced Density Alternative is preferable for myriad reasons, the primary one being that the park and recreation needs would be reduced, more attainable, and better matched to the park and recreation improvements that have been proposed.

UC PEEPS is still looking for more people to volunteer to attend the July 30th City Council hearing in person to make comments or cede time. We have nearly a half dozen speakers so far, but would like to have more since we can expect pro-development special interest groups to turn out in large numbers and we don’t want to be drowned out by them.

By Paul Krueger

On Tuesday morning, July 30th, our San Diego City Council will debate a crucial issue for all beach and coastal area residents.

At issue is a proposed five-story (50-foot-plus tall) housing project, which would undeniably serve the crucial need for more affordable housing. Proposed for 2662 Garnet Ave, just east of Soledad Mountain Road, the development would have 59 studios for very-low income renters and veterans, with “wrap-around” services for occupants.

It’s just what San Diego needs more of, especially in neighborhoods like mine in Talmadge/ El Cerrito/ College/ City Heights, where we’re building high-rise versions of these housing projects, along the El Cajon Blvd. and University Ave. transit corridors. (Also in Clairemont,and other neighborhoods north of Interstate 8.)

But as Council Member La Cava points out in his recent Op-Ed piece in the U-T, there’s a significant and unavoidable conflict with the proposed Garnet Ave. project.

by Ernie McCray

Joe Biden,
like the decent human being
he happens to be,
gave his race for the presidency
to his vice-president
and she, like an anchor sprinter
in a relay race,
has taken the baton
like a runner fully into
winning the race,
saying, without slowing her pace:

The club has survived waves and fire in its 100 years of ‘Friendship, community, fun and philanthropy’

By Eric Duvall /Pt Loma-OB Monthly (SDUT) / July 17, 2024

In the early days of the Ocean Beach Historical Society, it met in the Ocean Beach Woman’s Club clubhouse.  In the early days of the Ocean Beach Woman’s Club, it met at the Alligator Rock Lodge (aka Collier’s Shack).

By Kate Callen

It’s no surprise Mayor Todd Gloria will not give up on his proposed 1,000-bed homeless shelter, not even after the idea was denounced at Monday’s long and contentious City Council meeting. He seems vexed that the Council has grown a collective spine. He is giving councilmembers one month to come to their senses.

In council chambers Monday, Gloria was defiant.

Ocean Beach Slumlord Micky Mills Able to Obtain 115 Licenses Due to Loop Holes

Some have thought that Councilmember Jen Campbell had reformed and sanded off some of her rough edges, but after Thursday’s Community and Neighborhood Services Committee, which she chairs, those thoughts crashed and burned.

Because it’s been a little over a year since the requirements imposed by the City to license short-term rentals went into effect, it was time for the committee to review the results of the STRO and pass on any recommendations for improving the ordinance to the full Council.