OB Rag

By Rob Campbell / Op-Ed SD Union-Tribune / Jan. 9, 2026

“Bonus programs delivering needed local housing,” the Dec. 28 commentary by Colin Parent, presents bonus density programs as a success story but ignores the most critical issue in San Diego’s housing crisis. Who is bearing the burden of these bonus “solutions”? [Parent is head of pro-developers group, Circulate SD.]

While the author characterized San Diego’s bonus housing density programs as an elegant workaround to “political gridlock,” they have created a system that strategically targets low-resource, infrastructure-deficient, historically marginalized neighborhoods while leaving the city’s Whitest, wealthiest, highest-opportunity areas functionally untouched.

Ignoring this reality turns the argument into a one-sided celebration of YIMBY (yes in my backyard) production numbers, which are detached from actual equity outcomes the city is legally and morally obligated to comply with.

A claim that the bonus density programs “apply everywhere” is misleading at best. In practice, these programs overwhelmingly land in communities of color in neighborhoods like Valencia Park, Lincoln Park, Chollas View, City Heights, Logan Heights, etc. These are the very same areas that have higher asthma, cancer, and cardiovascular disease burdens; worse mobility with old, non-ADA compliant pathways (sidewalks); fewer jobs; and long-standing histories of redlining, freeway construction and environmental racism.

By David Garrick / San Diego Union-Tribune / Jan. 9-11, 2026

Races for two open San Diego City Council seats each feature several strong candidates with no clear frontrunner, but the possible entry into the District 2 race of former Coronado Mayor Richard Bailey could shake things up.

With fundraising in high gear and key endorsements expected in coming weeks, the races appear to still be wide open in District 8 in the South Bay and in District 2, which stretches from Clairemont to Point Loma.

Two other races on the June 2 primary ballot feature incumbents who are expected to comfortably win re-election: Kent Lee in central inland District 6 and Henry Foster in southeastern District 4.

Leading candidates in the District 2 race are Deputy City Attorney Nicole Crosby, former City Hall staffer Josh Coyne and Point Loma neighborhood leader Mandy Havlik.

The San Diego Community Coalition publishes this email bulletin to keep our members informed about important Council and Planning Commission hearings. City Hall reopens this week after a 3-week legislative recess for the holidays.

First, a word about Balboa Park parking fees and non-agenda public comment:

The outrageous new fees to park in Balboa Park are on the City Council’s political front burner right now. But they aren’t on any of the Council’s agendas this week – which means the public can raise that issue during the non-agenda public comment at every Council meeting.

Council President Joe La Cava, who strongly supported the new fees, needs to hear a loud message from a lot of constituents: City Hall must live within its means. Stop spending money irresponsibly and then demanding that taxpayers cover your losses. La Cava won’t like having his meetings slowed down by non-agenda comments on Park fees. But he can’t interfere with our right to make those comments.

Monday, January 12: City Council, 2:00 p.m.

Agenda link here.

Items include: Public Utilities FY 2027-2031 Five-Year Financial Outlook

Why it matters: Last year, the Council fought over a proposal to increase water rates by 63% through 2029 and wastewater rates by 31% in the same period. The final 5-4 vote approved less draconian hikes of 14.7% and 14.5%. A year later, public furor over bait-and-switch trash fees and erratic Balboa Park parking fees will make utility rate hikes even more contentious.

By Donna Frye

On Tuesday, January 13, the city council will vote for a second time on the College Area Community Plan Update (Item 64) and the Clairemont Community Plan Update (Item 65) and associated rezoning actions for both. They items are on the consent agenda so unless a city councilmember asks for them to be pulled for discussion, there won’t be any further council discussion on either item because they are “considered to be routine and the environmental documents have been considered.”

The public, however, may provide comment on any item on the agenda, including the consent agenda.

Link to agenda 

The council previously heard both plan updates on December 16, 2025 and a council majority approved them despite community concerns about the environmental impacts from the increased density and intensity. Councilmember Campillo voted against approving the College Area Community Plan Update in support of the community concerns and Council President LaCava voted against the Clairemont Community Plan Update because he believed it was a missed opportunity to provide even more density.

The College Area Community Planning Board even proposed their own plan called the “7 Visions Plan” but that was never considered as part of any meaningful environmental analysis.

Here are some pics from today’s events.

Pacific Beach Saturday, Jan. 10

Nearly 600 Events Planned as of Friday Evening

By April Rubin / Axios / January 9, 2026

ICE Out For Good” vigils and protest events were quickly planned nationwide for Jan. 10 and 11 in response to a fatal shooting by immigration officers in Minneapolis, organizers told Axios on Friday.

Why it matters: The killing and a subsequent Border Patrol shooting in Portland have sparked outrage and anger at the Trump administration, which has defended its agents.

Driving the news: There have been at least seven officer-involved shootings since President Trump ramped up Homeland Security operations in early 2025.

On Wednesday, 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis as she drove past immigration agents. The Trump administration claimed the shooting was an act of self-defense as Good drove away, but Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has rejected that claim.

On Thursday, two people were shot by Border Patrol agents in Portland during what officials said was “a targeted vehicle stop.” Both were hospitalized.

State of play: Protests, vigils and other “ICE Out For Good” events are being held by groups including Indivisible, 50501, the Disappeared in America Campaign, Voto Latino and the American Civil Liberties Union. The mobilization is meant to humanize ICE victims and demand accountability.

14 Events Planned for San Diego County So Far

Please see inside for information regarding rallies around the San Diego area this weekend, in response to the killing of Rene Good this past Wednesday, January 7th.

In response to the murder of Rene Good, a Minneapolis woman killed by federal immigration agents on Wednesday, Jan. 7, residents across San Diego are coming together to protest the increasing use of violent tactics by these agencies and demand that ICE and related agencies “get out.”

“What Americans witnessed this week with the killing of Rene Good by a federal law enforcement official was yet another brazen escalation against the American people,” said Richard C., an organizer with 50501 North County San Diego.

Multiple rallies will be held across San Diego in memory of Rene Good and others who have lost their lives as a result of federal immigration enforcement, and to demand accountability for federal agents’ violent and lawless behavior.

RALLY DETAILS INSIDE:

From SOHO

On Wednesday, January 14, the San Diego City Council’s Land Use & Housing Committee will consider the City’s Preservation and Progress Package A.

This fast-tracked proposal would weaken San Diego’s historic preservation program by allowing the City Council to override expert historic designations, thereby stripping protections from historic districts such as Ocean Beach’s Cottage Emerging District and the Asian Thematic District, while prioritizing new construction over true preservation.

Your voice matters now. Please attend the meeting if you can and send a letter or email urging the committee to reject these harmful changes.

Land Use & Housing Committee
City Council, City of San Diego

Wednesday, January 14, 2026 • 2pm

City Administration Building
Council Chambers – 12th Floor
202 C Street, San Diego, CA 92101

Well-known community activist and now newspaper publisher, Shane Harris, has raised the issue of paid parking at Balboa Park to a new level with his introduction of a city ordinance to repeal the largely unpopular new policy which just went into effect formerly Monday, January 5.

Also, Harris has launched a county-wide petition to repeal paid parking in Balboa Park — with this effort having gained the support of 10 county mayors, his campaign claims.

In doing so, Harris has entered the squabble between city council members and Mayor Gloria over the apparent disastrous roll-out of the paid parking program (outlined by Rag writer Lou Rehling and by U-T reporter David Garrick).

by Ernie McCray

As the year 2025 closed
American citizens held out hope
that 2026
would be a better year,
considering that 2025
had us shaking in our boots,
in fear,
crying in our beer,
shedding tears,
but now, just a few days
after the new year arrived,
before we could

By Angelo Haynes

On the evening of January 8th at 6pm, residents and community members of Encanto and surrounding areas of City Council District 4 gathered at the Encanto Recreation Center to provide input on the construction of a skate plaza on an existing shuffleboard court.

Several community groups were in attendance, including the San Diego Parks Foundation, an independent non-profit group that raises funds with the goal of enhancing public parks across San Diego County. One man in particular, Abel Macias, has been the driving force behind this entire project beginning with his activism with a local chapter of Black Lives Matter during the pandemic.

Abel coordinated with several skater friends in the neighborhood to create an activist group that took to the streets in a unique protest that brought people together for social justice, but turned into a coalition that sought to develop the sport of skating in his community.

by Tessa Balc / Times of San Diego / Jan. 8, 2026

It’s been more than two years since the Ocean Beach Pier permanently closed for safety and structural concerns in late 2023. The city is planning for a replacement, but still has no clear idea of how it’ll pay for it.

Ocean Beach residents aren’t just concerned that constructing a new pier will face continued delays with no solution in sight. They’re also getting increasingly anxious with the state of the still-standing pier — especially considering plans for the replacement include elements of the current structure.

Ralph Teyssier, the son of the OB Pier’s original engineer and a member of the former Ocean Beach Pier Task Force, said the pier is being “pillaged.”

He cites historic elements of the pier, such as the original bronze plaque, which was stolen, and the bars of the original gate that were cut through, possibly by those who vandalized the former Walking on Water Cafe.

These pieces of the pier won’t be viable for incorporation into the future design even though they’ve been built into the plans to help maintain the pier’s historic character, Teyssier said.