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ADJOURN ADJOURNING OUR CLOSED SESSION, AND WE'RE GONNA OPEN UP[1. CALL TO ORDER]
IMMEDIATELY NOW INTO, AND WE'LL BE REPORTING OUTTA CLOSED SESSION AT THE END OF THE COUNCIL MEETING.AND, UH, I WILL, UH, AT THIS POINT NOW, WE ARE GONNA IMMEDIATELY OPEN UP THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
HOW'S THAT? SO YOU DON'T HAVE ANY BREAK BETWEEN.
WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER AND BEFORE WE PROCEED, I REQUEST THE INTERPRETER, TAKE A MOMENT TO EXPLAIN THE CITY'S INTERPRETATION SERVICES THAT WILL BE OFFERED FOR THIS EVENING'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING OUT THERE IN THE ETHERNET SOMEWHERE.
AH, WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE OR SOMETHING ALONG THAT LINE.
ONE, ONE OF THOSE FAVORITE LINES.
WE HAVE TO START A NEW MEETING.
UH, DID, DID WE GET THE INTERPRETER? DID YOU WANT THE ROLL CALL OR THE INTERPRETER? OKAY.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR OUR SPANISH SPEAKING PARTICIPANTS ON ZOOM.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, BACK TO YOU.
UM, JUST AS A REMINDER, IF WE'D ALL SILENCE ANY OF OUR CELL PHONES OR OTHER LISTENING DEVICES, PLEASE, UH, AND, UH, EITHER TURN 'EM OFF OR PLEASE SILENCE THEM, UH, HERE IN THE CHAMBER.
WITH THAT A LIVE BROADCAST, THE MEETING CAN BE VIEWED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND THE NOTICE AGENDA AND INFORMATION OF THE CITY OF NASHVILLE CITY'S WEBSITE INFORMS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT THEY CAN SUBMIT A PUBLIC, GENERAL, PUBLIC COMMENT OR A PUBLIC COMMENT ON A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM A NUMBER OF WAYS.
ONE IS BY FILLING OUT ONE OF THESE SALMON COLORED SLIPS THAT ARE AT THE BACK OF THE, UH, AUDITORIUM HERE.
OTHER IS VIA ZOOM BY PRE-REGISTERING ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, NO LATER THAN FOUR HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING OR EMAILING NO LATER THAN FOUR HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING.
UM, AND ALL WRITTEN COMMENTS RECEIVED ARE DISTRIBUTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE MEETING AND PUBLISHED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE IF RECEIVED BY THE DEADLINE.
NOW, IF WE COULD HAVE ROLL CALL OF COURSE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA PRESENT, VICE MAYOR YAMANI.
PRESENT, WE HAVE A COURT IF WE COULD PLEASE STAY, STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE INVOCATION.
AND I WOULD ASK, UH, MEMBER BUSH, IF YOU WOULD LEAD US, PLEASE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO VERY PUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU MAYOR MORRISON, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO SERVE OUR CITY SO WELL.
WHEN IT'S EASY AND WHEN IT'S NOT.
FATHER, THANK YOU FOR THESE WHO SERVE OUR CITY SO WELL, SO FAITHFULLY, I PRAY BLESSING UPON EACH OF THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES.
LORD, I THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US THROUGH THE RECENT STORM.
FOR THOSE THAT HAVE SUFFERED LOSS, I PRAY FOR THEM TONIGHT THAT YOU'LL SUPPLY EVERY NEED.
MAY WE KNOW HOW WE CAN HELP, HOW WE CAN BE THERE FOR THEM.
BE WITH THIS MEETING TONIGHT, I PRAY.
MAY WE WORK TOGETHER, LORD, TO DO WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR CITY.
[00:05:01]
PRIVILEGE OF LIVING HERE AND FOR ALL THE BLESSINGS WE ENJOY AND SHARE TOGETHER.[6.1 Black History Month ]
WE HAVE, UH, A NUMBER OF PROCLAMATIONS AND WE ARE GONNA HANDLE THEM AT, AT THIS MOMENT.AND THE FIRST ONE IS FOR JOY OR JOY, JUDGE ROY CASADA.
UH, DAY AND, UH, SORRY FOR THE TONGUE TIED THERE.
YOU KNOW, WE PUT THESE TOGETHER MATTER OF FACT, TODAY, AND THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF STUFF HERE ON 'EM, BUT THEY ARE VERY WORTHWHILE INDIVIDUALS.
SO, UH, FORGIVE ME A MOMENT IF I READ THROUGH THEM AS A TEENAGER, ROY BENJAMIN CADIS SPENT HIS SUMMERS IN THE 1950S READING TO HIS SIBLINGS IN THEIR NATIONAL CITY BEDROOM, CRAMMED WITH BUNK BEDS.
OKAY, LET ME GET A LITTLE CLOSER TO THIS THING.
READING CAME EASY THAT BETTER TO THE, UH, TEENAGER WHO AT THE AGE, AT THAT AGE WAS ALREADY READING AT A COLLEGE LEVEL.
A GRANGER JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR UTILITY, THE ACADEMICALLY INCLINED BOY FROM SOUTH COUNTY, WAS DESTINED FOR SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT.
HIS RESUME PROVED THAT A GRADUATE OF SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE, SAN DIEGO STATE AND HARVARD LAW SCHOOL, HE BECAME ONE OF THE FEW LATINO ATTORNEYS IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY IN THE 1970S AND LATER A SAN DIEGO SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE.
HE WAS REMEMBERED AS A RESPECTED, UH, JURIST AND MENTORED TO MANY ACROSS THE COUNTY, PARTICULARLY IN THE CHICANOS, UM, TO CHANNELS WITHIN THE LEGAL COMMUNITY.
THE ENORMOUS IMPACT THAT GEORGE, UH, THAT JUDGE CA CASDA HAD ON OUR LEGAL COMMUNITY CANNOT BE OVERSTATED.
NADIA EZ, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE SAN DIEGO RASA LAWYERS ASSOCIATION, SAID IN A STATEMENT, HIS DISTINGUISHED CAREER INCLUDED TAKING ON UNPOPULAR CIVIL RIGHTS CASES.
AS A LAWYER, SERVING AS A FOUNDER OF THE SAN DIEGO RAA LAWYERS IN 1976 AND APPOINTED AS A JUDGE, WE OWE SO MUCH TO, UH, JUDGE COSTUS FOR DECADES OF PUBLIC SERVICE, WHICH WERE ACCOMPLISHED WITH EXTRAORDINARY INTEGRITY AND EXCELLENCE ADDED EZ EVEN AFTER RETIRING FROM THE BENCH MORE THAN TWO DECADES AGO, COSTA HAS SERVED AS A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR YOUNGER GENERATIONS.
AMONG THEM, SHE WAS RECENTLY APPOINTED AS US MAGISTRATE JUDGE FOR THE NORTH DISTRICT FEDERAL COURT IN SAN FRANCISCO.
CASITA, WHO WAS BORN MARCH 31ST, 1942 IN MEXICO AND RAISED IN THE SAN DIEGO REGION, WAS PLACED IN VOCATIONAL CLASSES WHILE AT SWEETWATER HIGH SCHOOL, AS MANY MEXICAN STUDENTS WERE AT THAT TIME.
BUT UNLIKE HIS FATHER WHO WORKED ON SHIP ENGINES IN WARTIME SAN DIEGO, CASITAS WAS NOT VERY PROFICIENT WITH TOOLS, HIS GRADES BEGAN TO SUFFER AND HE DROPPED OUTTA HIGH SCHOOL.
HE LATER WENT ON TO ADULT SCHOOL, TAKING CLASSES BY NIGHT AND WORKING AT A TOMATO PACKING PLANT BY DAY.
IN 1961, HE RECEIVED HIS GED AND SPENT TWO YEAR YEARS IN THE US ARMY.
WHEN HE RETURNED, HE WENT TO SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE, THEN SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY, WHERE HE SUCCESSFULLY HELPED RECRUIT MANY MEXICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
HE GRADUATED WITH HONORS FROM THE UNIVERSITY IN 1970 AND THREE YEARS LATER FROM HARVARD, WHERE HE WOULD ALSO PUSHED TO HAVE MORE LATINO STUDENTS AND FACULTY.
HIS LEGAL CAREER BEGAN IN, IN THE MID SEVENTIES WITH CRIMINAL DEFENSE WORK, LATER MOVED ON TO LABOR LAW, PERSONAL INJURY AND CIVIL RIGHTS LITIGATION.
ONE NOTABLE CIVIL CASE HE TOOK ON LED TO THE REHIRING OF NEARLY ONE DOZEN SAN DIEGO CITY POLICE OFFICERS, UH, OF COLOR WHO HAD BEEN WRONGFULLY FIRED.
IT HAD BEEN A TIME WHEN MANY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WERE SUED OVER THEIR HIRING PRACTICES, WHICH LATER LED TO INCREASED HIRING OF BLACK AND LATINO OFFICERS VIA FEDERAL CONSENT DECREES.
THEN IN 1982, GOVERNOR JERRY BROWN APPOINTED HIM TO THE SOUTH BAY MUNICIPAL COURT.
HE RETIRED IN 2000 AS A SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE.
HE ALSO WAS AN INSTRUCTOR AT SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE AND SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY AND SERVED ON VARIOUS BOARDS INCLUDING THE SAN DIEGO HEALTH.
HE WAS ONE OF 11 CHILDREN WHO BECAME SUCCESSFULLY PROFESSIONALLY, CASITA'S UH, OLDER BROTHER CARLOS CASUS WAS ALSO SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE.
IT'S A LEGACY FAMILY, SAID MAXIM MURCHISON, HOPEFULLY I'M GOT HER LAST NAME RIGHT THERE.
ONE OF COSTA'S FOUR DAUGHTERS.
WE HAVE MANY LAWYERS, JUDGES, PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS, YOU NAME IT.
WE HAD GOOD ROLE MODELS AND MOST OF US HAVE A SENSE OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND COMMUNITY
[00:10:01]
AT THE HEART OF OUR CAREERS.AND I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT LEGACY OF MY DAD.
ROY WAS ABOUT 14 YEARS OLD WHEN HIS FAMILY MOVED TO NATIONAL CITY IN 1956.
HIS MOTHER, BERT CASDA, LIVED IN NATIONAL CITY UNTIL HER DEATH IN 1992 WHILE LIVING IN MORGAN TOWERS.
NATIONAL CITY WAS CONSIDERED HOME BY ALL OF THEIR CHILDREN.
CASITAS 81 DIED ON JANUARY 9TH AND HIS EAST LAKE HOME FROM COMPLICATIONS OF A STROKE SUFFERED YEARS AGO.
IN ADDITION TO HIS DAUGHTERS AND SIBLINGS, HE SUR ADVISED BY HIS WIFE, MARIA SDAS AND 13 GRANDCHILDREN.
AND WE THEREFORE DECLARE TODAY JUDGE ROY CASITAS DAY IN THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY.
AND SO IF I COULD HAVE THE CASITAS FAMILY COME FORWARD AND WE WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THAT ALSO, THEN WE ARE GONNA BE ADJOURNING TODAY'S MEET, UH, MEETING IN HIS HONOR.
AND THIS HAS BEEN SIGNED BY ALL THE COUNCIL, SIGNIFYING THAT YOU HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HONORS THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN HIM, AND I'M A PROUD WIFE,
WELL, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR HONORING MY CARLITO.
ROY, UH, DROPPED OUTTA SWEETWATER HIGH SCHOOL IN THE 10TH GRADE, BUT GRADUATED, WAS HONORED FROM HARVARD LAW SCHOOL,
AND UH, I RECALL ONE TIME THAT ROY HAD A CASE BEFORE HIM ON THE BENCH, AND IT WAS A CASE WHERE, UH, THIS, UH, WOMAN SHERIFF HAD ARRESTED THIS GUY FOR PURPOSEFULLY RUNNING OVER THE CONES, THE ORANGE CONES AT AN ACCIDENT SCENE.
AND, UH, THE CASE CA CASE CAME BEFORE ROY.
AND, UH, AND SO, UH, ROY SAYS, UH, WELL, FOR YOUR INDISCRETIONS, I'M GIVING YOU TWO DAYS IN JAIL.
AND, UH, THE GUY WALKED AWAY AND HE TOLD THE WOMAN, SHERIFF, YOU B***H.
AND ROY TELLS HIS LAWYER, COUNSELOR, PLEASE BRING YOUR CLIENT BACK TO THE BENCH.
HE SAYS, SIR, DID I SAY TWO DAYS IN JAIL? I MEANT 30 DAYS IN JAIL.
UM, UH, MEMBER BUSH, UH, UH, THANK YOU TO THE CASARES FAMILY FOR, FOR COMING HERE.
WE ARE SO SORRY FOR, FOR YOUR LOSS.
AND, UM, ROGER, YOU NEVER DISAPPOINT, ALWAYS, UH, BEING A STRAIGHT SHOOTER
AND YOU KNOW, THE POINT IS WHAT HE DID FOR THE COMMUNITY AND HOW, UM, HE FOUGHT FOR WOMEN AND, UH, PEOPLE OF COLOR.
AND SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE FOR, FOR OUR KIDS GROWING UP IN NATIONAL CITY.
SO I HOPE THAT, UM, I, UH, THAT WE CAN WORK WITH, WITH YOUR FAMILY IN WHATEVER WAY THAT WE CAN HONOR, ARTS IS SOME OF THE BEST WAYS I COULD THINK OF HONORING HIM.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF MURALS IN THE PAST, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I HOPE TO SEE US, UM, HONOR, UH, JUDGE CA CA'S LEGACY HERE, UH, WITH, WITH ART AND WHATEVER ELSE YOU ALL THINK SO.
UM, BUT REALLY, UH, MY CONDOLENCES.
BUT TH THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING HERE TONIGHT.
WELL, NEXT OURS IS, IS FOR AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS, UH, BECOME INVOLVED IN OUR CITY HERE THE LAST FEW WEEKS, UH, WITH THE FLOODS AND EVERYTHING.
AND, UH, THEY ARE GETTING READY TO GO ONTO THEIR NEXT ADVENTURE.
AND BEFORE THEY DID, WE WANNA RECOGNIZE THEM.
UM, SO REAL QUICKLY, IN 2020, US MARINE CORPS VETERAN, JAKE WOOD COULDN'T STAND BY AS A 7.0 EARTH EARTHQUAKE DEVASTATED HAITI.
HE SAW AN IMMENSE NEED FOR HELP.
SO HE ACTED WHILE OTHER RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS, HIM AND HAW WOULD LED A TEAM OF SEVEN INTO ACTION.
THAT SMALL, SCRAPPY TEAM CARED FOR.
THOUSANDS OF SURVIVORS, BROKE THE MOLD OF HUMANITARIAN AID AND PROVED THAT THEY COULD ALWAYS DO MORE.
THAT WAS THEIR FIRST OPERATION, THE ONE THAT GAVE TEAM RUBICON ITS NAME CHANNELING THE AUDACITY OF JULIUS CAESAR.
AS HE CROSSED THE RUBICON IN ITALY, HIS TEAM WAS COMMITTING THEMSELVES IRREVOCABLY TO THE CAUSE WHEN THEY CROSSED THE ARTIBONITE
[00:15:01]
RIVER.WAS THAT, IT? WAS THAT IT? OKAY.
THAT'S WHAT IT WAS THERE IN HAITI, THEIR OWN POINT OF NO RETURN TODAY, THAT TEAM WENT FROM SEVEN, IS NOW EXPANDED TO 160,000 VOLUNTEERS, BUT HIS MISSION REMAINS THE SAME TO HELP PEOPLE AFFECTED BY DISASTERS.
WITH BILLION DOLLAR DISASTERS HAPPENING EVERY 18 DAYS ON AVERAGE, MORE PEOPLE NEED SUPPORT.
SO THEY NEED MORE DONORS ACT, UH, ADVOCATES, PARTNERS AND GRAY SHIRTS.
THAT'S THE VOLUNTEERS WHO DON GRAY SHIRTS AND STEP UP, UM, TO SUPPORT THEIR MISSION IN SERVING COMMUNITIES NEAR AND FAR.
TEAM RUBICON IS A VETERAN LED A HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATION BUILT TO SERVE GLOBAL COMMUNITIES BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER DISASTERS AND CRISIS.
FOR THEM, NO OPERATION IS TOO LARGE OR TOO SMALL.
THEY GO WHEREVER DISASTER STRIKES, HELPING THE PEOPLE THAT NEED THEM MOST IN THE MOMENTS THEY ARE NEEDED THE MOST.
AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT THEY'VE DONE HERE IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, THE TEAM RUBICON HAS UTILIZED THE SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE OF MILITARY VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS THROUGH ITS VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS WITHOUT CHARGE TO ANYONE.
AND BY RESPONDING TO THE NEEDS OF NATIONAL CITY RESIDENTS.
AS A RESULT OF THE JANUARY 22ND TO FOUR STORM EVENT, TEAM RUBICON PROVIDED INVALUABLE SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY BY ASSISTING 21 HOUSEHOLDS IN NATIONAL CITY TO MUCK OUT AND DEBRIS REMOVAL OPERATIONS.
OVER A THREE WEEK PERIOD, TEAM RUBICON SPENT 192 AND A HALF HOURS AT 22 LOCATIONS IN NATIONAL CITY, WITH OVER 770 VOLUNTEER HOURS SPENT ON SITE, RESULTING THE REMOVAL OF APPROXIMATELY 8,982 CUBIC, UM, YARDS OF DEBRIS.
AND SO BASED ON THAT, WE ARE DECLARING TODAY, TEAM RUBICON DAY IN THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY, AND YOU CAN BRING SOME OF THOSE.
OH, I, I I I, I THINK THE CHIEF HAS A LITTLE INTRODUCTION HERE.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
I'M RA I'M THE FIRE CHIEF OF THE CITY OF NASHVILLE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND YES, MR. MAYOR, YOU'VE, UH, YOU'VE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB OF REALLY SHOWING AND TELLING US WHO, WHO, WHO THE GRAY SHIRTS ARE AS THE FIRE CHIEF, WHEN I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM, UH, OUR, MY BATTALION CHIEF, TELL ME ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION.
I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, THAT THEY WOULD COME OUT AND AS YOU MENTIONED, FREE OF CHARGE.
AND, UH, WITHIN 24 HOURS AFTER OUR INITIAL CONVERSATION, THEY HAD A TEAM ON SITE HERE IN THE CITY DO AN ASSESSMENT.
AND WITHIN AN ADDITIONAL 24 HOURS, THEY WERE ON SITE READY TO SPEND THE NEXT, I BELIEVE IT WAS 23 DAYS ENGAGED IN OPERATIONS HERE IN NATIONAL CITY.
UH, THEY'RE FONDLY KNOWN AS THE ARDS.
UH, IT IS TRULY AN HONOR TO, TO HAVE WORKED ALONGSIDE OF THEM.
THEY WERE, UH, HOUSED AT, AT EL CHOON NEXT TO OUR FIRE STATION 33.
AND WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME WITH THEM AND UNDERSTAND REALLY THEIR MISSION, THEIR THEIR VALUES, AND JUST THE, THE CARING THAT EVERY SINGLE MEMBER, UH, REALLY EXEMPLIFIES.
UH, SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO BRING THREE OF THE GRAY SHIRTS TO, UH, ACCEPT THE, THE PROCLAMATION AND PERHAPS SHARE A FEW WORDS.
GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING US TO APPEAR TODAY, UH, ON BEHALF OF TEAM RUBICON, I'M MARTY HAGAN.
I HAVE KELLY BECKHAM HERE, AND LAUREN BRICKERS HERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRO PROCLAMATION AND THE WORK WE WERE ABLE TO DO.
I'M ALSO HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE ALSO HAVE SOME OF THE HOMEOWNERS IN THE AUDIENCE.
BUT, UM, AS THE CHIEF WAS SAYING THAT WE GOT THE CALL ABOUT THE DISASTER THAT HAPPENED ON JANUARY 22ND.
WE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN PLANNING TO PROVIDE A RESPONSE, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET BOOTS ON THE GROUND ON JANUARY 25TH.
AND SO WE SPUN THIS OPERATION UP VERY QUICKLY.
WE WERE ABLE TO HELP, UH, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 2122 HOMES TO GET THEIR HOMES BACK TO ORDER AND TO HELP SOME OF THE HOMEOWNERS, UH, IN THEIR, UM, STATE OF CRISIS, GETTING THEM BACK TO NORMAL AND WANNA REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK AND THE COORDINATION WITH CHIEF MORA, CHIEF HERNANDEZ, MR. ABER, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CITY, OF NATIONAL CITY.
I'M GLAD WE'RE ABLE TO HELP OUT SOME OF THE HOMEOWNERS AND PROVIDE THE ASSISTANCE ON BEHALF OF TEAM RUBICON.
IT'S, I THINK ON BEHALF OF ALL THIS, IT'S TRULY BEEN AN HONOR TO BIRKIN CITY.
I LIVE HERE, WE ALL LIVE HERE LOCALLY, SO IT'S, IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO BE HERE,
[00:20:01]
SO, OKAY.IT'S AN HONOR TO WORK FOR YOUR CITIZENS FASTER.
BUT, UM, WELL, WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE, I MEAN, TRULY APPRECIATE THE WAY YOU CAME IN, TOOK CHARGE AND REALLY MADE, MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN OUR CITY.
YOU WHERE YOU WANTED THE HOME? OH, YES.
I WAS IN SOME, I WAS IN SOME OF THOSE HOMES, YES.
WITH THAT, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THIS PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND IF YOU WOULD ALL LIKE TO STAND UP HERE AND WE'LL GET A PICTURE WITH THE COUNCIL.
UNDER THE BLACK JACKETS, I THINK THERE ARE GRAY SHIRTS.
WE HAVE ONE MORE PROCLAMATION.
GOT A LOT USUAL FOR US TO HAVE THREE IN ONE NIGHT, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE GOT.
UM, CARTER G WOODSON, AN NAACP LEADER, EDUCATOR, AND HISTORIAN, ESTABLISHED BLACK HISTORY WEEK TO RECOGNIZE THE CENTRAL ROLE BLACKS HAVE PLAYED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR NATION.
THE FIRST CELEBRATION OCCURRED ON FEBRUARY THE 12TH, 1926.
THE SECOND WEEK OF FEBRUARY WAS SET ASIDE FOR THIS CELEBRATION TO COINCIDE WITH THE BIRTHDAYS OF ABOLITIONISTS, FREDERICK, UH, DOUGLAS AND ABRAHAM, UM, PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
IN 1976, THE WEEK WAS EXPANDED TO BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
IN 1976, PRESIDENT GERALD FORD OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
PRESIDENT FORD CALLED UPON THE PUBLIC TO SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR TWO OFTEN NEGLECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF BLACK AMERICANS IN EVERY AREA OF ENDEAVOR.
THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY, BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS THAT TIME FOR AMERICANS TO ACKNOWLEDGE KEY FIGURES FROM OUR PAST AND PRESENT.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPOTLIGHT AND CELEBRATE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS THAT HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IN THIS COUNTRY, DESPITE THE HISTORY OF RACISM, SEGREGATION, AND OPPRESSION.
THIS MONTH IS A TIME OF CELEBRATION AND THE UPLIFTING OF BLACK VOICES.
WE ARE ALSO CALLED TO REFLECT ON THE CHALLENGES BLACK AMERICANS FACE, BOTH PAST AND PRESENT.
THERE IS STILL MUCH WORK TO BE DONE.
WHILE WE ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS TO SUPPORT BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES YEAR ROUND, BUT ESPECIALLY THIS MONTH, WE, UH, CELEBRATE BLACK, UH, EXCELLENCE THROUGH BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND HONOR THE COUNTLESS BLACK AMERICANS THAT HAVE PLAYED A VITAL AND POSITIVE ROLE IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
IT'S ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY FOR AMERICANS, FOR PEOPLE TO LEARN AND CELEBRATE BOTH THE COMMONALITIES AND DIVERSITY THAT MAKES AMERICA SOCIETY.
THIS YEAR WE ARE PRESENTING THIS PROCLAMATION HONOR OF OUR NATIONAL CITY EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TREMENDOUSLY THROUGH THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCE FOR THE NATIONAL CITY COMMUNITY AND WORKPLACE.
AND THEREFORE, WE ARE DECLARING THIS, UH, BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
AND AS THE MAYOR, I CALL UPON ALL CITIZENS OF NATIONAL CITY TO TAKE A MOMENT TO LEARN ABOUT THE NOTEWORTHY BLACK AMERICANS AND EQUALITY, REAFFIRMING THEIR VIRTUOUS IDEALS, AND RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENT OF THOSE OF AFRICAN AND CARIBBEAN HERITAGE.
AND SO WITH THAT, I THINK WE HAVE EMPLOYEES AT LEAST ONE HERE TONIGHT.
I'LL LET YOU GUYS, I'M GONNA LET YOU GUYS SPEAK FIRST.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND ALL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND ON BEHALF OF ALL BLACK AMERICAN NATIONAL CITY EMPLOYEES, WE ACCEPT THIS PROCLAMATION.
THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION.
I THANK YOU MAYOR AND YOUR STAFF FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THE, UH, PROCLAMATION AND FOR THE OUR CITY EMPLOYEES.
UM, UH, I THINK EVERYONE CAN SEE AND EVERYONE KNOWS THAT NATIONAL CITY, WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLY RICH AND DIVERSE, UH, CITY.
AND I'M PROUD THAT WE HAVE A COUNCIL AND A TEAM THAT IS DIVERSE AND REALLY REFLECTIVE OF OUR CITY.
UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T EVEN REALIZE THAT THIS IS, THIS COUNCIL IS MAJORITY IMMIGRANTS, UH, IMMIGRANT BORN.
[00:25:01]
WE ALL, ALL AMERICAN AND THE MAJORITY OF OUR COUNCIL IS IMMIGRANTS FROM THE PHILIPPINES, FROM MEXICO.I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THAT'S HOW COMMON THAT IS, LIKE IN, IN LIKE CALIFORNIA OR EVEN IN THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY.
BUT THAT, THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF US.
UM, AND FOR ME, FOR MY IDENTITY, UH, I IDENTIFY AS AFRO-LATINO AS, UM, AS A BLACKS OR BLACK CHICANO.
UM, SO THIS, AND I'M ONLY THE SECOND AFRICAN AMERICAN INNER CITIES' HISTORY.
THE FIRST WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER, FRED PRUITT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE HERE, UH, BLACK FOLKS AND, UH, THE AFRO-LATINO COMMUNITY.
I WANNA SPEND A LITTLE TIME ON ON THAT REAL QUICK, UM, BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T GET TALKED ENOUGH ABOUT, IS, UH, AFRO MEXICANOS IS AFRO-LATINOS.
UM, SO WE'RE, UM, MAJORITY LATINO NATIONAL STATE, ABOUT 60, 63%.
AND I THINK A LOT OF US AS LATINOS, WE DON'T TALK ENOUGH ABOUT, ABOUT, UH, THE FOLKS, UH, THE POPULATION THAT IS AT AFRICAN DESCENT.
WE DON'T TALK A LOT ABOUT HOW, UM, IN, IN MEXICO AND THEIR CENSUS, THEY DIDN'T EVEN IDENTIFY AND, UM, RECOGNIZE A AFRICANS.
BUT THEY'RE SUCH RICH CULTURE.
WE, WE SEE IT IN THE MUSIC EVEN HERE.
UM, I'M REALLY PROUD THAT JUST WHO WE ARE AS NATIONAL CITY IDENTITY, WHEN WE THINK OF OUR LOW RIDER CULTURE AND WHO WE ARE THERE, THAT'S VERY BLACK AND BROWN.
WHEN YOU LISTEN TO THE MUSIC, WHEN YOU SEE THE CARS AND THE PEOPLE, IT'S THAT FUSION AND THAT AFRICAN INFLUENCE THAT I'M VERY, UH, PROUD OF.
SO, WANTED TO JUST HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE THINGS THAT I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO, TO, UH, TAKE A LOOK AT.
UM, THERE'S A DOCUMENTARY I JUST SAW LAST NIGHT THAT CAME OUT ON KPPS, UM, AND, UH, IT WAS BY, UM,
IT'S CALLED, UH, LET ME, SORRY, LET ME LOOK IT UP REALLY QUICK.
YOU KNOW WHAT, I'LL, I'LL HAVE TO COME.
SO, IT'S, UH, CYNTHIA ELON, AND IT'S ON UH, V'S.
IT'S, UH, ABOUT 15 MINUTES LONG, BUT IT TALKS ABOUT THAT RICH CULTURE.
UM, JORGE GONZALEZ, WHO'S I THINK A CURATOR AT THE WORLD BEAT CENTER, HE HAS AN EVENT AT THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO AT THE, UH, SAN DIEGO LIBRARY.
UM, AND IT'S TITLED AFRO MEXICANOS, MEXICO OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZES AS BLACK CITIZENS.
SO THAT'S AT THE SHIRLEY SPECIAL SUITE ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH, UH, FROM SIX 30 TO EIGHT.
SO JUST ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TO UH, DISCUSS AND LEARN ABOUT, UH, A PART OF, UM, AFRICAN, UH, CULTURE THAT ISN'T RECOGNIZED ENOUGH AND, UM, THE LATINO AND THE MEXICAN COMMUNITY.
I HOPE THAT WE ALL DO DO THAT.
[5. PUBLIC COMMENT]
SEE ANYTHING ELSE? NEXT WE GET INTO OUR, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS, PUBLIC ORAL COMMUNICATIONS.I HAVE THREE SPEAKERS IT LOOKS LIKE.
AND WE HAVE SOME ALSO ON, ON ZOOM.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE ZOOM ONES FIRST.
PEGGY WALKER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'M A RESEARCH ANALYST AND I, I'M SORRY, I THOUGHT I WAS UNMUTED.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, WE CAN.
I'M A RESEARCH ANALYST AND RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THE LINE BETWEEN PERMITTED AND ILLEGAL MARIJUANA SALES IS FADING FAST BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO PROTECT CONSUMERS, YOUTH, AND THE INTEGRITY OF THE LAW.
I CAME TONIGHT TO SHARE NEWS ABOUT TWO UNETHICAL, UNETHICAL CANNABIS HEMP PLAYERS IN SAN DIEGO.
A FEDERAL RACKETEERING LAWSUIT WAS FILED IN GEORGIA LAST WEEK, ALLEGING CALIFORNIA BRAND LEADERS ST.
AND COOKIES ILLEGAL SOLD ILLEGALLY SOLD MARIJUANA VAPE PENS INTENTIONALLY MISLABELED AS FEDERALLY LEGAL DELTA EIGHT HEMP GOODS.
BOTH HAVE SAN DIEGO AREA STORES.
THE GEORGIA LAWSUIT CHARGES BOTH WITH NEGLIGENT MISREPRESENTATION FRAUD AND CONSPIRING TO DISTRIBUTE ILLEGAL DELTA EIGHT THC VAPE PENS THAT ARE REALLY MARIJUANA.
BOTH REPORTEDLY FOUND CANNABIS TESTING LABS IN CALIFORNIA AND OREGON WILLING TO ISSUE FALSIFIED CERTIFICATES OF ANALYSIS FOR THESE PRODUCTS.
THE LA TIMES ACCUSED DIZZY'S OWNER OF BEING LANDLORD TO NUMEROUS ILLEGAL CANNABIS OPERATIONS AND OF MAKING COPIOUS DONATIONS TO CALIFORNIA LEGISLATORS TO SUCCESSFULLY KILL A BAN UNFLAVORED INHALED CANNABIS PRODUCTS.
THE NEW YORK TIMES DESCRIBED COOKIES OWNER NOTORIOUS
[00:30:01]
FOR MARKETING TO USE AS SOMEONE WHO HAS BLURRED THE LINES BETWEEN LEGAL AND ILLEGAL MARKETS.SO UNFORTUNATELY, MARIJUANA MARKET FOR SEEING HERE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ILLEGAL MARIJUANA PASSED OFF AS HEMP PERMITTED RETAILERS WITH A DELIBERATE HAND IN THE BLACK MARKET FAVORABLY DEFYING PROP 64 AND FRAUDULENT TESTING RESULTS.
I CAME TONIGHT BECAUSE CITIES NEED TO BE AWARE OF THESE GROWING ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES, HOW, HOW TO RECOGNIZE THEM AND TO STOP THEM.
AND JUST AS AN AWARENESS, CALIFORNIA'S DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE DOES HAVE A PROGRAM NOW TO SUPPORT LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENFORCEMENT AGAINST ILLEGAL CANNABIS ACTIVITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, GOOD EVENING CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M A PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATOR AND THE PROPOSED MARIJUANA CONSUMPTION LOUNGES WILL BE DETRIMENTAL TO PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE.
THE HIGH LEVEL OF THC PRODUCTS WITH THEIR INTOXICATING EFFECTS THAT WILL BE CONSUMED.
THERE ARE WITHOUT ANY REQUIRED HEALTH SAFETY PROTECTIONS FOR THE CONSUMER, MOST CONSUMERS ASSUME THESE PRODUCTS ARE REGULATED AND SAFE.
THESE PRODUCTS, HOWEVER, ARE NOT UNDER ANY OVERSIGHT FOR SAFETY ACCORDING TO THE CDC, THE USE OF MARIJUANA, ESPECIALLY THE HIGH POTENCY MARIJUANA, IS A RISK FACTOR FOR PSYCHOSIS.
MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS SUCH AS SCHIZOPHRENIA, THE LANCET JOURNAL REPORTS JUST ONE MARIJUANA INDUCED PSYCHOSIS EPISODE INCREASES A PERSON CHANCE FOR DEVELOPING BIPOLAR DISORDER OR SCHIZOPHRENIA BY AVERAGE OF 47%.
MARIJUANA ACCOUNTS FOR 10% OF ALL DRUG RELATED ER VISITS IN THE UNITED STATES, ACCORDING TO THE REVIEW PUBLISHED RECENTLY IN THE NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE.
LEV, WHO IS THE HEAD OF MERCY, UM, SCRIPPS MERCY HOSPITAL STATES, SHE SEES AT LEAST 40 PSYCHOTIC EPISODES DUE TO JUST MARIJUANA EVERY DAY IN THEIR EMERGENCY ROOM.
MARIJUANA IS NOT HARMLESS RE REGARD.
REGARDLESS OF WHAT ANY COMPANY OR STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT WOULD LIKE YOU TO BELIEVE, I URGE YOU TO NOT IGNORE THE RISK FACTORS SUCH AS THE PERCEIVED ACCEPTIBILITY.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS BECKY RAPP, AND I'M A PARENT AND A YOUTH MENTOR CONCERNED REGARDING THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING PHC AND ITS IMPACT ON YOUNG MENTAL HEALTH IS BEING SIGNIFICANTLY OVERLOOKED.
JOURNALS AND ARTICLES ARE PRINTED DAILY REGARDING THE NEGATIVE IMPACT MARIJUANA HAS ON THE DEVELOPING BRAIN.
DEVASTATING STORIES OF PSYCHOTIC BREAKS, SUICIDE, SUICIDE IDEOLOGY, AND VIOLENT BEHAVIOR.
IT'S CRUCIAL THAT THIS COUNCIL TAKE A DEEP DIVE INTO THE IMPACT NORMALIZATION AND COMMERCIALIZATION OF MARIJUANA PRODUCTS AND THE EFFECT THAT THEY'RE HAVING ON OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
ACCORDING TO GALLUP POLLS, YOUNG AMERICANS AGED 18 TO 34 ARE FIVE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO SMOKE MARIJUANA THAN CIGARETTES.
AND AMONG THOSE 26% SAID THEY USE MARIJUANA COMPARED TO JUST 5% WHO SMOKE CIGARETTES.
ACCORDING TO THE SURVEY, AGE IS A SIGNIFICANT DRIVER OF THE LIKELIHOOD OF SMOKING MARIJUANA.
ARE WE SURPRISED WE SHOULDN'T BE? THE MARIJUANA INDUSTRY HAS BEEN GIVEN FREE REIGN TO ADVERTISE AND MARKET ITS PRODUCTS TO YOUNG PEOPLE.
THE GALLUP POLL PROVES THIS THEORY AS IT SURVEY SHOWS THAT AMERICANS CONSIDER MARIJUANA TO BE LESS HARMFUL THAN ALCOHOL, CIGARETTES, VAPES, AND OTHER TOBACCO PRODUCTS.
70% OF AMERICANS VIEW SMOKING MARIJUANA TO BE A MORALLY ACCEPTABLE ACTIVITY.
OF COURSE, OUR TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS BELIEVE IT'S SAFE.
OUR CITY PERMITS THESE COLORFUL GUMMY BEARS FLAVORED VAPES, AND EVEN ALLOWS RETAIL LOCATIONS TO ALLOW FOR CONSUMPTION INDOORS, WHILE UNABLE TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT CONSUMED BEFORE GETTING BEHIND THE WHEEL.
I ASK YOU TO PLEASE SUMMON PUBLIC HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS LIKE EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTORS, PEDIATRIC PSYCHOLOGISTS, AND PARENTS WHO CAN SHARE THEIR FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCES WITH THE DEVASTATING IMPACTS MARIJUANA PRODUCTS HAVE ON THE DEVELOPING BRAIN.
OUR YOUTH'S BRAINS ARE UNDER ATTACK AND THE CITY MUST PRIORITIZE SAFEGUARDS NOT ONLY TO BE IMPLEMENTED,
[00:35:01]
BUT TO BE ENFORCED.OKAY, WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT ONE.
HELLO, THIS IS KELLY MCCORMICK.
ON FEBRUARY 22ND, THE GREAT AMERICAN SPIT OUT WILL TAKE PLACE.
WHAT IS THAT YOU ASK? IT'S A DAY DEDICATED TO ENCOURAGING INDIVIDUALS TO QUIT SMOKELESS TOBACCO.
A SURVEY BY THE TRUTH INITIATIVE FOUND THAT NEARLY 20% OF MILITARY PERSONNEL REPORTED USING SMOKELESS TOBACCO.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, A BRAND OF FLAVORED SMOKELESS TOBACCO CALLED ZEN IS GRAINING TRACTION AMONG TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS.
OLD SCHOOL CHEWING TOBACCO HAS NOW EVOLVED INTO A WIDE ARRAY OF FLAVORED SMOKELESS PRODUCTS.
NEWER BRANDS LIKE SNOOZE AND ZEN DO NOT REQUIRE SPITTING SOME EVEN DISSOLVE IN THE MOUTH.
ZIN IN PARTICULAR, HAS AN AGGRESSIVE ONLINE MARKETING CAMPAIGN AND IS PROMOTED BY INFLUENCERS WHOSE VIDEOS END UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS OF CHILDREN AND TEENS.
SMOKELESS TOBACCO HAS MANY HEALTH RISKS AND IS NOT A SAFE ALTERNATIVE TO SMOKING.
IT CONTAINS THE SAME ADDICTIVE CHEMICAL NICOTINE THAT IS IN OTHER TOBACCO PRODUCTS.
IT ALSO CONTAINS AT LEAST 28 CANCER CAUSING CHEMICALS.
CHEWING TOBACCO CAN LEAD TO GUM DISEASE, TOOTH DECAY, TOOTH LOSS, AND CANCEROUS PATCHES INSIDE THE MOUTH.
THE GREAT AMERICAN SPIT OUT CONNECTS USERS WITH RESOURCES INCLUDING KICK IT CALIFORNIA, WHICH PROVIDES FREE SUPPORT AND COACHING FOR THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO QUIT TOBACCO.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR ZOOM COMMENTS.
WE HAVE THREE, UH, THREE SPEAKER SLIPS FROM THE AUDIENCE.
FIRST WE HAVE JOAN RACON TO BE FOLLOWED BY JEFFREY SCHROCK TO BE FOLLOWED BY RANDY CASTLE.
CAN I USE THE OTHER ONE? CAN I USE THE OTHER MIC? OKAY.
TODAY IS FEBRUARY 20, AND I THINK YOU ALL KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
THANKSGIVING WILL BE HERE AGAIN.
NOW, SOME OF US THINK ABOUT TURKEY ALL YEAR ROUND.
UM, MY FAVORITE NEWSPAPER, REZA PUBLISHED AN INTERESTING PIECE THIS WEEK WHEN THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT A POLITICIAN FROM THE SAN DIEGO AREA.
IT SEEMS THAT AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO BE HONEST WITH THE PUBLIC, HE INSTEAD CHOOSES TO SPIN, EMBELLISH, OR FLAT OUT LIE TO MAKE HIMSELF LOOK BETTER.
AND THAT STATEMENT, OF COURSE, WAS WRITTEN ABOUT TODD GLORIA.
BUT WHEN I READ IT, EVERY ONE OF YOU HEARD RODRIGUEZ, MR. RODRIGUEZ IS CONSTANTLY TAKING THE PREROGATIVE OF USING MY TAX MONEY FOR ANYTHING HE WANTS TO.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS CHECK NUMBER 3 6 6 2 5 0, WHICH THE PUBLIC CAN FIND ALL OF THE SUPPORT PAPERS FOR IN PUBLIC RECORD REQUEST NUMBER TWO FOUR DASH SEVEN ZERO.
IN THAT SITUATION, MR. RODRIGUEZ DECIDED THAT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO ORDER SOME LAPEL PINS, LITTLE HALF INCH THINGS THAT YOU PUT ON YOUR JACKET, AND HE WOULD BE ABLE TO HAND THOSE OUT, WHICH I GUESS WOULD MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE A BIG SHOT IF YOU DID THAT.
THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THAT IS THESE ARE $14 A PIECE.
THAT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT HE TOOK UPON HIMSELF TO GO AHEAD AND DO.
WE CAN'T RUN A GOVERNMENT WITH PEOPLE DECIDING THAT THEY JUST HELP THEMSELVES TO THE MONEY THAT'S IN THE PUBLIC COFFERS AND GO AHEAD AND GIVE IT OUT FOR WHATEVER THEY FEEL LIKE.
THAT'S NOT HOW WE RUN GOVERNMENT IN THIS COUNTRY, AND IT CERTAINLY SHOULDN'T BE THE WAY WE DO IT IN NATIONAL CITY.
JEFFREY SCHROCK, FOLLOWED BY RANDY CAPSULE, MEETING THE MAYOR, COUNCIL STAFF AND NATIONAL CITY RESIDENTS.
JEFFREY SCHROCK,
UM, I'D LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK TEAM OF CONS FOR
[00:40:01]
COMING OUT.I DID DO SOME WORK WITH 'EM ON THE EIGHTH, EIGHTH STREET, 37TH HUNDRED BLOCK.
YOU GUYS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME TO A NATIONAL CITY, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND ALL YOUR HELP HELPING OUT OUR RESIDENTS ON TIME OF NEED.
IT, IT DEFINITELY MADE A DIFFERENCE AND HELPED OUT.
PEOPLE ARE COMPROMISING WITH EACH OTHER, PUTTING DIFFERENCES ASIDE, UNITING TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOOD OF, OF MAKING OUR CITY A NICER CITY.
THAT'S ALWAYS THE GOAL, TO MAKE OUR CITY NICER, MORE RESPECTFUL AND MORE LAWFUL.
UM, I THINK ONE PROBLEM WE'VE BEEN KIND OF DUCKING FOR A WHILE IS WE HAVE A VANDALISM PROBLEM IN OUR CITY AND IT AFFECTS A LOT OF OUR CITY PROPERTY, LIKE OUR CITY, GARBAGE CANS, BUS STOPS.
UH, WE SPEND A LOT OF GOOD MONEY ON THAT STUFF AND IT'S CONSTANTLY GETTING VANDALIZED.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THESE TEENAGERS AND YOUNG ADULTS CAN UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DON'T VANDALIZE PEOPLE'S PROPERTY.
YOU DON'T VANDALIZE PUBLIC PROPERTY, PRIVATE PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST NOT COOL.
'CAUSE PEOPLE HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT.
AND WE PAY SOMEBODY TO, TO COVER OVER THEIR GRAFFITI, ACTUALLY.
SO I THINK THE MESSAGES NEEDS TO GET DRIVEN MORE HOME.
HEY, LOOK, YOU KNOW, THE KIDS CAN HAVE FUN, BUT VANDALISM COSTS MONEY.
AND THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT'S, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WE'VE HAD LATELY.
AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN, OR I MEAN, OUR WORKERS DOING A GOOD JOB GETTING AS MUCH DONE AS THEY CAN, BUT IT'S JUST SO MUCH OF IT.
WE'RE HEAVY SATURATED WITH IT.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, OTHER THAN THAT, THINGS ARE GOING PRETTY GOOD.
I THINK YOU GUYS ARE ALL DOING GOOD.
LET'S KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND LET YOU KEEP WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOOD OF OUR CITY TO MAKE AN ACTUAL CITY A BETTER PLACE.
NEXT, UH, SPEAKER IS RANDY CASTLE, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS STAFF.
UM, WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF INTEGRITY? INTEGRITY MEANS BEING HONEST AND HAVING STRONG MORAL PRINCIPLES.
A PERSON WITH INTEGRITY BEHAVES ETHICALLY AND DOES THE RIGHT THING EVEN BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
LAST WEEK I WAS GLAD TO HAVE THE PRESS POINT OUT THAT $7,143 OF MY TAX DOLLARS WERE TAKEN BY A NATIONAL CITY COUNCIL MEMBER TO REIMBURSE HIMSELF FOR HIS VOLUNTARY CHOICE TO BUY TURKEYS FOR A CHURCH.
SOME, BUT NOT ALL OF THAT FOOD WAS DISTRIBUTED AT L TOON PARK LAST NOVEMBER 18TH.
TO ADD INSULT TO INJURIES, THE TURKEYS WEREN'T PURCHASED IN NATIONAL CITY TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL BUSINESS.
THE CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION AND STATE LAW PROHIBIT THE USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS WITHOUT DIRECT PUBLIC BENEFIT, EXPLICITLY BANNING THE GIFT OF MONETARY AND NON-MONETARY GIFTS THAT ARE NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE BUSINESS OF THE GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
VOTING IN A $400,000 SLUSH FUND WAS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.
NOW WE, THE CITIZENS SEE EXACTLY WHAT THIS IS BEING USED FOR.
WE NEED HONESTY, INTEGRITY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY BROUGHT BACK INTO NATIONAL CITY PEOPLE OVER POLITICS, DOING WHAT'S RIGHT OVER PERSONAL AGENDAS AND PERSONAL ALLIANCES.
THIS IS NOT THE WILD, WILD WEST.
YOU ARE A GOVERNING BODY AND NATIONAL CITY DESERVES AND CAN DO BETTER.
ALRIGHT, THAT IS ALL THAT WE HAVE ON GENERAL COMMENT.
[7.1 Presentation – Second Update on Local Emergency Caused by Severe Rainstorm and Flooding]
NEXT GO INTO OUR PRESENTATION AND I WILL TURN THAT OVER TO OUR CITY MANAGER.AND LET ME JUST SAY BEFORE HE'S GETTING, GETTING STARTED THERE, WE ARE GONNA HAVE THE PRESENTATION FIRST, AND THEN I'M GONNA BE BRINGING UP 11.1 SINCE IT TIES IN DIRECTLY WITH THIS.
AND I WILL BE BRINGING UP AFTER WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION.
SO, THANK YOU MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
UM, YESTERDAY, PRESIDENT BIDEN DECLARED A MAJOR DISASTER DECLARATION FOR CALIFORNIA FOR THE JANUARY 22ND SEVERE WINTER STORM FLOODING.
THE DECLARATION IS ONLY FOR INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE, WHICH WILL ENTAIL BRINGING AND FEDERAL RESOURCES TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY THE STORM.
WE HAVE STILL NOT, UH, RECEIVED WORD THAT THE GOVERNOR WILL REQUEST PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FOR GOVERNMENT ENTITY SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT, UH, FOR COSTS AND DAMAGES.
UM, BUT THE APPROVAL OF THE INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE, THE NEXT STEP WILL BE THE DEPLOYMENT OF FEDERAL FEDERALLY RUN AND LOCALLY SUPPORTED DISASTER RECOVERY CENTERS THROUGH THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO.
[00:45:01]
WE WILL BE PART OF THE CONVERSATIONS WITH STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS, UM, TO DETERMINE A TIMELINE AND WHAT THAT DEPLOYMENT WILL LOOK LIKE IN THE COMING WEEKS.THE CITY HAS SPENT A LITTLE OVER $160,000 ON HOUSING ASSISTANCE, AND WE ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF CALCULATING OVERTIME COSTS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC WORK STAFF, AS WELL AS THE COST FOR REPAIRING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE CITY IS BEING DILIGENT ABOUT, UH, ACCOUNTING FOR THESE COSTS AND SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT IF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE BECOMES AVAILABLE.
UM, THE STORM UPDATE TONIGHT, THIS IS THE SECOND ONE, UH, WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF HOUSING, INDIVIDUAL AND PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, AND PROVIDE A SUMMARY OF THE RECOVERY EFFORTS MADE WITH KEY PARTNERS SUCH AS TEAM RUBICON AND THE SAN DIEGO VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATION, ACTIVE IN, UH, DISASTER ASSISTANCE.
SO, UM, I THINK I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UM, CARLOS AGUIRE TO KICK IT OFF.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
I'M GONNA GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'VE PROVIDED IN TERMS OF RENT, UH, HOUSE, UH, HOUSING ASSISTANCE SINCE, UH, STORM, UH, HIT ON JANUARY 22ND.
UH, WE PROVIDED EMERGENCY, UH, HOTEL ASSISTANCE TO 48 HOUSEHOLDS.
UM, AND WE PROVIDED RELOCATION ASSISTANCE TO 26 HOUSEHOLDS, WHICH INCLUDED TWO MONTHS RENT AND UTILITIES.
THE TOTAL THAT WE SPENT TO DATE, UH, WAS 160,547.
UH, THE CITY, UH, QUICKLY PARTNERED WITH, UH, SOUTH BAY COMMUNITY SERVICES.
THEY DID, UH, RECEIVE SOME PRIVATE FUNDING FROM, UH, THE SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND HOUSED, UH, 50 HOUSEHOLDS IN NATIONAL CITY.
OVER 178 FAMILY MEMBERS, UH, FOR A 10 TO 14 DAY PERIOD.
THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO, UH, AS PART OF THE $10 MILLION FLOOD RELIEF PACKAGE, UH, ESTABLISH A EMERGENCY TEMPORARY LODGING PROGRAM.
UH, THE PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE 30 DAYS OF ADDITIONAL, UM, HOUSING TO DISPLACE, UH, PERSONS FROM THE JANUARY 22ND STORM.
THEY'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UH, UH, SEVERAL, UM, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION, THE HOUSING, THE SAN DIEGO HOUSING COMMISSION, UH, THE, UH, SAN, UH, SOUTHEAST DISASTER RESPONSE TEAM, WHICH INCLUDES THE YMCA AND OTHER AGENCY.
AND NATIONAL CITY HAS BEEN WORKING WITH SOUTH BAY COMMUNITY SERVICES.
SO, UH, HOUSEHOLDS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN WORKING DIRECTLY, UH, WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS OR HAVE, UH, SUBMITTED THE INITIAL ONLINE ASSESSMENT THAT WAS PROVIDED FROM THE COUNTY, UH, CAN EITHER WORK WITH A LOCAL ASSISTANCE CENTER OR CALL 2 1 1 DIRECTLY.
AND THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO IS TAKING APPLICATIONS THROUGH, UH, FEBRUARY 23RD.
NOW, I'M GONNA PASS IT OVER TO WALTER AMITY SO HE CAN COVER, UH, THE, AND EXPLAIN THE FEDERAL INDIVIDUAL AND PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS THROUGH FEMA.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
UH, TODAY I SPENT ABOUT HALF MY DAY, UH, IN MEETINGS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE, UH, ENTAILED.
AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU THE TRUTH.
I STILL DON'T HAVE IT, UH, TOTALLY.
BUT I, YEAH, I THINK I DO HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS.
UH, BECAUSE THE INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE, AS, AS WE WAS MENTIONED, UH, WAS APPROVED YESTERDAY.
AND, UH, THAT PROVIDES, UH, GRANT FUNDS, UM, TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO HOMEOWNERS, UH, AND RENTERS WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED, UH, PRIMARILY TO HELP THEM REBUILD.
UH, IT WOULD HELP THEM, UH, COVER THE, SOME OF THE DAMAGE, UH, COSTS OF REPLACING DRYWALL AND, AND, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
UH, BUT IT WOULD ALSO REPLACE SOME OF THE APPLIANCES, UH, FURNITURE AND, UH, MAYBE EVEN THE VEHICLES, UH, THAT, UH, THEY'VE LOST.
UH, THERE ARE ALSO OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ARE GONNA BE COMING THAT WILL COVER CHILDCARE COSTS, UH, MEDICAL, AND ANY MOVING OR LODGING EXPENSES THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE INCURRED, UH, BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY MIGHT HAVE, UH, MOVED TO A HOU UH, A HOTEL AND STAYED THERE FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME.
UH, THERE'S ALSO, UH, THE, UH, SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, UH, WILL BE COMING.
UM, THEY ALSO HAVE A LOAN PROGRAM, WHICH WILL BE, UH, DISTRIBUTING LOANS OF ABOUT FOUR, 4% OR LESS OF INTEREST, UH, FOR HOMEOWNERS AND FOR BUSINESSES.
UH, IN TERMS OF BUSINESSES, IT'S UP TO $2 MILLION.
[00:50:01]
QUITE A BIT OF MONEY THAT COULD BE USED FOR PAYING RENT OR ANY OTHER COST THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE AS FAR AS EQUIPMENT.THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS SLIDE IS HOW TO APPLY.
UH, YOU HAVE TO APPLY EITHER ONLINE OR YOU MAKE A PHONE CALL AND SPEAK TO SOMEBODY ON THE PHONE, OR YOU GO TO ONE OF THESE DISASTER, UH, UH, RESOURCE CENTERS THAT ARE GONNA BE SET UP.
THERE'S GONNA BE ONE SET UP IN, UH, MOST LIKELY IN SAN DIEGO, AND THERE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE ONE IN SPRING VALLEY.
IF YOU WENT TO THE LOCAL ASSISTANCE CENTER THAT WAS IN SPRING VALLEY.
UH, THAT, UH, IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT, UH, WOULD BE BROUGHT IN A DISASTER, UH, UH, RESOURCE CENTER.
BUT IT'S GONNA HAVE MORE FEDERAL, UH, ENTITIES.
SO IF YOU NEED TO SPEAK TO SOMEBODY IN PERSON, THAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT.
UM, SO THE PHONE NUMBER IS THERE.
THE, UH, THE, THE WEBSITE IS THERE.
AND THEN ONCE THE, UH, DISASTER RESOURCE CENTER IS UP AND RUNNING, UH, WE'LL LET YOU KNOW.
AS FAR AS THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, UH, WE STILL DO NOT KNOW WHETHER OR NOT, UH, PUBLIC ASSISTANCE IS GONNA BE PROVIDED BY THE, UH, THE STATE.
UM, THE STATE DID NOT REQUEST, UH, PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, BUT WE DO FEEL THAT, UH, THE STATE HAS ENOUGH DAMAGES THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, UH, GET THAT PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FROM THE STATE.
BUT THE OFFICIAL WORD HASN'T COME DOWN.
UH, THERE'S ABOUT $30.8 MILLION IN, UH, DAMAGES THAT WERE ASSESSED, UM, BY FEMA AND BY, UH, CAL, UM, CAL OES.
SO WE THINK THAT THAT, UH, MEETS THE THRESHOLD, UH, FOR, UH, UH, PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, UH, TO COME TO, UH, NATIONAL CITY.
NOW, UH, IT WAS MENTIONED AT VA, UH, VOAD DID A LOT OF COORDINATING, UH, BETWEEN A LOT OF, UH, NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, UH, TO DO WHAT YOU SEE THERE.
YOU KNOW, CUT TREES, UM, REMOVE DRYWALL, UH, FLOORING AND TARPING ROOFS.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE STILL DOING THAT TODAY, UH, BECAUSE OF THE RAINS THAT WERE, WERE COMING.
AND MOLD MITIGATION, UH, MOLD MITIGATION IS VERY IMPORTANT, UH, BECAUSE WE ARE HOPING THAT, UH, BECAUSE YOU REMOVE DRYWALL ON INSTALLATION, THAT YOU'RE NOT PUTTING UP YOUR, UH, DRYWALL AGAIN AND INSTALLATION, UH, BEFORE IT'S DRIED OUT.
IT NEEDS TO DRY OUT PROPERLY OR ELSE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE LONG-TERM, UH, ISSUES THAT WILL COME OUT, UH, IN THIS, UH, SLIDE.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF GREEN IN NATIONAL CITY.
THE, THE FEW THAT ARE RED, THOSE ARE IN SAN DIEGO, SO DON'T GET THAT CONFUSED.
AND NATIONAL CITY DID A GREAT JOB WITH TEAMS LIKE, UH, TEAM RUBICON.
UM, THE FLOOD CLEANUP HOTLINE IS STILL ACTIVE.
IT'S STILL ACTIVE TO THE 23RD OF THIS MONTH.
SO IF YOU STILL HAVE ISSUES THAT ARE LISTED HERE, CALL THE LINE TO GET IN, IN, IN THE QUEUE SO THAT WE CAN GET YOU ASSISTANCE.
NASHVILLE CITY HAD 21 CASES, AND OF THOSE 21 WE HAVE COMPLETED 20 OF THEM.
UM, AND THE ONE THAT'S OUTSTANDING, THAT'S GONNA BE HANDLED BY THE, UH, PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY.
AND THIS IS JUST A SPREADSHEET OF, OF THE CASES THEMSELVES.
THE LAST ONE ON THERE IS THE OPEN CASE.
UH, THAT'S, LIKE I SAID, IT'S GONNA BE HANDLED.
UH, BUT IF YOU LOOK TO THE RIGHT, UH, THE CLAIMED BY, UH, TEAM RUBICON DID AN AWESOME JOB, UH, COMING DOWN HERE AND DOING A LOT OF THE WORK AND THE NUMBERS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
YOU'VE, YOU'VE SEEN THE NUMBERS ON THIS SLIDE.
UH, I MEAN, I, I I COULDN'T BE, UH, MORE HAPPY THAT, UH, WE, WE KIND OF CUT THE LINE.
UM, WE, WE JUMPED IN FRONT OF THE LINE.
UH, CITY OF SAN DIEGO WAS WONDERING HOW WE GOT TEAM RUBICON TO
AND I PERSONALLY WANT TO THANK THEM.
AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE CAN ANSWER THEM NOW.
LET ME, UH, FROM THE PUBLIC ON THIS PORTION OF IT.
LET ME LET THEM SPEAK AND THEN WE'LL GO TO, UH, COUNCIL, UH, SHERRY GOGI.
HELLO MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, CITY COUNCILMAN MEMBERS AND THE CITY STAFF.
FIRST OFF, I WANNA SAY MARTY AND TEAM RUBICON ARE AWESOME.
BRANDON CASTLE WAS THERE WITH THE CT TEAM, NATIONAL CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND NATIONAL CITY POLICE.
[00:55:01]
SAID, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD, YOU GUYS TO NEED TO HELP US MOVE FORWARD.WE HAVE THIS PROJECT THAT WAS CALLED THE PARADISE CREEK WATER QUALITY AND COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT PROJECT.
IT HAS NOT ENHANCED ANYTHING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IT HAS CAUSED NOTHING BY DESTRUCTION FOR TWO YEARS IN A ROW.
YOU GUYS WERE AWARE OF THIS LAST YEAR WHEN WE LOST HALF OF OUR HOMES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, NOTHING WAS DONE.
THERE WAS A CITY COUNCIL MEETING HERE ON AUGUST 1ST AND YOU APPROVED A NEW CONTRACT FOR PHASE TWO WITH THIS FIASCO.
OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, MARTHA RO EZ SPOKE THAT NIGHT AND CONTINUALLY SAID, THIS NEXT PHASE IS GONNA BE HELPING FLOODING.
FLOOD WAS MENTIONED A FEW TIMES.
I HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING DONE FROM AUGUST UNTIL JANUARY 22ND WHEN WE LOST EVERYTHING WE HAVE.
THIS IS DEVASTATING TO ME, MY FAMILY AND OUR NEIGHBORS.
WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO REBUILD.
WE HAVE A MORTGAGE, WE CAN'T WALK AWAY.
SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS DON'T HAVE A MORTGAGE.
THEY'VE LIVED THERE FOR 47 YEARS AND THEY'RE AFRAID TO REBUILD BECAUSE WE ARE GONNA DO THIS AGAIN.
TAKE THE STUFF OFF THAT WAS PUT IN.
I KNOW EVERYBODY'S GONNA SAY EN ENVIRONMENTAL THIS OR WHATEVER.
THE CITY DOESN'T REALIZE WHERE THE DRAINAGES ARE 'CAUSE WE ARE THERE LIVING.
THEY DON'T COME AND CLEAN THOSE DRAINS.
YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THEY'RE THERE.
I REACHED OUT TO MY PEOPLE 'CAUSE I CAN, A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN'T.
AND THEY HAD PEOPLE OUT THERE YESTERDAY, BUT THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE THEY WERE DOING AND THEY DIDN'T CLEAR THEIR DRAIN.
THEY JUST TOOK THE TRASH OUT, WHICH IS GREAT.
BUT THE DRAINS ARE STILL COVERED.
THE WATER IS FLOWING LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO.
LIKE IT HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS.
I HAVE THE PHOTOS ON THE DAY OF THE FLOOD.
I DON'T CARE WHAT ANYBODY SAYS.
IT WAS NOT OPEN THE WEEK AFTER.
YES, IT'S BEEN OPEN SINCE THEN.
IT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING BUT DEVASTATE US.
SO I'M ASKING YOU, PLEASE, RELOOK AT THIS PROJECT.
YES, I KNOW IT WAS A MILLION, BILLION DOLLAR GRAND AND ALL THIS STUFF, BUT WE CAN'T TODAY.
MY HUSBAND AND I ARE STINGING THE KOA.
WE HAVEN'T ASKED ASSISTANCE FROM ANYBODY.
BUT WE ARE BOTH UP FIRST THING THIS MORNING GOING OVER THERE AND THINKING, OH MY GOD, WHAT DO WE HAVE LEFT? MM-HMM.
AND WE ARE AFRAID WE'RE GONNA LOSE THAT.
SO PLEASE LOOK AT THIS AND PUT IT ON THE AGENDA.
I'LL BE HERE EVERY SINGLE MEETING UNTIL I SEE IT.
ALL THE HOMEOWNERS IN NATIONAL CITY.
WE NEED YOU GUYS TO STAND UP FOR US.
'CAUSE YOU, WE'VE LOST EVERYTHING.
I'M NOW, NOW WE'RE GONNA DEAL WITH THE REPORT AND NOW WE'LL LOOK OVER IT TO MEMBER MOLINA.
UM, I WANNA WELCOME EVERYBODY THAT IS HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU, UM, TO OUR COMMENTERS, UH, WHO ARE PLEADING FOR, FOR THIS HELP.
AND I KNOW THAT, UM, THERE HAS BEEN HELP.
I MEAN, THIS REPORT IS HELPFUL AND I DO HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT, BUT I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE, UM, THE DIFFICULTY.
MY HEART DOES BREAK FOR BOTH, UM, PEOPLE THAT WERE RENTING AND WERE DISPLACED AS WELL AS PEOPLE THAT ARE HOMEOWNERS AND LOST EVERYTHING.
UM, AND, AND NOW HOMEOWNERS, NOT ONLY WERE THEY DID THEY LOSE EVERYTHING AND WERE DISPLACED, THEY HAD TO COME BACK TO THE SAME PLACE AND ACTUALLY FIND A WAY TO REPAIR THEIR HOMES.
UM, I, I THINK RENTERS, UM, ARE, ARE, YOU KNOW, WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE THE ONES REPAIRING, MAKING THE REPAIRS TO THE HOME THAT THEY HAD
[01:00:01]
TO VACATE.BUT, UM, UH, MY HEART DOES GO OUT TO THE HOMEOWNERS AND I DO WANT TO MAKE A POINT ON THE PRESENTATION.
UH, THE FIRST SLIDE TALKED ABOUT HOTEL DISPLACEMENT ASSISTANCE AND THE NUMBERS HERE.
50 HOUSEHOLDS, UH, 60 HOTEL ROOMS, 178 FAMILY MEMBERS.
I WANNA INTER REITERATE THESE NUMBERS DO NOT INCLUDE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WERE FULLY AFFECTED, BUT DID NOT SEEK OUT HOTEL PLACEMENT, UH, SUCH AS HOMEOWNERS THAT, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE, THE SPEAKER THAT JUST MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, HAD A, A WAY TO, TO FIND A PLACE TO STAY THAT WASN'T THROUGH THESE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. I KNOW OF OTHER FAMILY, UH, INDIVIDUAL INDIVIDUALS THAT HAD FAMILY THAT WERE ABLE TO PUT UP THEIR, UM, THEIR, THEIR FAMILY MEMBER.
AND SO I, I WANNA KNOW, I I I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THESE NUMBERS ARE ACTUALLY, UH, LARGER.
UM, THEY'RE JUST NOT CAPTURED BECAUSE IT'S NOT PART OF, UM, THE, THE DATA POINT HERE FOR HOTEL PLACEMENT.
MY QUESTION, UM, HAS TO DO WITH, I WANNA BE VERY, VERY CLEAR IN WHAT WE ARE TELLING THE PUBLIC ABOUT HOW TO SEEK ASSISTANCE.
AND I KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE AFTERMATH OF JANUARY 22ND, UM, THANKFULLY THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO WAS, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, COLLECTING INFORMATION FROM FOLKS.
WE DIRECTED EVERYBODY THAT ASKED FOR, UH, WHAT DO I DO? WE DIRECTED THEM TO THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE.
UM, I KNOW NOW, UM, ON THIS SLIDE IT SAYS CALL 2 1 1.
UM, NEW APPLICATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED THROUGH FEBRUARY 23RD.
SO IF YOU HAVEN'T YET SIGNED UP FOR OR, OR SUBMITTED YOUR INFORMATION TO THE COUNTY, DO IT NOW BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS DEADLINE IS COMING TODAY.
I LEARNED ABOUT THIS AND I KNOW, UH, MR. AMEDEE, I KNOW THAT THIS IS FRESH INFORMATION AND WE ARE STILL GATHERING THE DETAILS AROUND A LOT OF THIS INFORMATION.
UH, THERE ARE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, INDIVIDUALS IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY CAN APPLY WITH FEMA BY THE FOLLOWING WAYS.
APPLY ONLINE, UM, AT DISASTER ASSISTANCE.GOV.
AND THEN THE ONE 800 NUMBER THAT'S LISTED ON HERE, UM, MY QUESTION IS, INDIVIDUALS THAT APPLIED TO THE COUNTY THROUGH THE COUNTY PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE FEW DAYS AND THE WEEKS AFTER JANUARY 22ND, WHO APPLIED AT THE COUNTY, ARE WE NOW DIRECTING THEM TO ALSO APPLY WITH FEMA THROUGH THIS DISASTER ASSISTANCE.GOV? OR IF THEY'VE COMPLETED THEIR REGISTRATION WITH THE COUNTY, DOES THAT, THEN THEY NO LONGER NEED TO GO AND APPLY THROUGH FEMA? AND THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
AND I THINK, UH, THE PROCESS IS GOING TO BE THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE, UH, LIKE MOBILE SERVICES FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO'VE LOST THEIR HOUSE, UH, THEIR CAR AND THEIR HOUSE AND THEY'RE IN A HOTEL.
UH, FEMA'S ACTUALLY GONNA GO TO THEM.
IF YOU'VE ALREADY DONE THE PROCESS OF, OF, UH, CALLING 2 1 1, UH, FOR ASSISTANCE TO REMEDIATE ANY ISSUES THAT YOU HAD AT YOUR HOUSE, YOU STILL HAVE TO APPLY WITH FEMA.
'CAUSE FEMA'S GONNA BE THE ONE THAT'S GONNA GIVE YOU, UH, THE GRANT MONEY OR ANY OTHER ASSISTANCE THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE.
SO, UH, THE MESSAGE HERE IS NOW APPLY THROUGH DISASTER ASSISTANCE.GOV.
OR CALL THE ONE 800 NUMBER 6 2 1 3 3 6 2.
YOU WANT TO PUT IN THE CREDIT.
AND YOU SAID, IS THERE A DEADLINE ON THIS? IS THIS ALSO BY FEBRUARY 23RD? NO, THIS IS, HAS A, A LONGER TERM.
UH, THERE'S, UH, I ACTUALLY DO HAVE IT SOMEWHERE.
THERE IS A PHYSICAL DAMAGE, UH, DEADLINE OF, I WANNA SAY IT'S APRIL 19TH.
AND THEN THERE'S AN ECONOMIC INJURY, UM, DEADLINE OF NOVEMBER 19TH.
UH, SO THERE IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT'S KEY, AND I'M GLAD YOU SAID IT.
YOU SAID, UH, THE FEMA THERE'S GONNA BE MOBILIZED INDIVIDUALS THAT GO AND TO THE PEOPLE THAT WERE PLACED IN HOTELS, BUT AGAIN, THE PEOPLE AFFECTED, NOT EVERYONE WENT TO A HOTEL.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, UM, CONNECTING THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, GONE THROUGH TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, OKAY, I, I SIGNED UP WITH THE COUNTY AND, AND NOW MY INFORMATION IS WITH THE COUNTY.
IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN ENSURE INDIVIDUALS WHO DID SIGN UP THROUGH THE COUNTY THAT ARE FROM NATIONAL CITY, THAT THEY ALSO SIGN UP FOR THESE FEMA UM, THIS FEMA ASSISTANCE? BECAUSE IT'S, I MEAN, IF THEY DON'T GET THE MESSAGE AND THEY MISS OUT, AND IT'S BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T PLACED IN A HOTEL, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? THAT WE GOTTA DO MORE? YEAH.
[01:05:01]
COUNTY IS, IS VERY AWARE THAT WE HAVE, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT AREN'T IN THE SYSTEM AND THEY'RE GONNA TRY THEIR BEST TO GET THE WORD OUT.UM, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE GONNA DO ALSO, IS TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES TO EITHER THEY'RE GONNA GO TO THE PEOPLE OR HAVE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, TAKE THEM TO THE, UH, DISASTER RESOURCE CENTERS.
AND WE DON'T KNOW YET WHERE THE DISASTER RESOURCE CENTER WILL BE.
IS IT THE SPRING VALLEY LOCATION? UH, FEMA'S THE ONE DRIVING, UH, THAT PART OF, AND THEY HAVE THEIR REQUIREMENTS, SO THEY'LL HAVE TO GO OUT AND, AND DO INSPECTIONS OF, OF CERTAIN SITES.
UM, AND ONCE THEY DETERMINE A SITE, THEN THEY'LL, THEY'LL LET IT BE KNOWN AND THEN THEY'LL MOVE IN.
SO IT'S ABOUT A A WEEK PROCESS.
SO HERE WE ARE AT A, YOU KNOW, IN A PUBLIC SETTING AND, AND WE'RE, THIS IS BEING RECORDED AND THIS AND THAT, BUT WE ONLY MEET, YOU KNOW, TWICE A MONTH.
SO, UM, CAN WE TELL PEOPLE PLEASE VISIT NATIONAL CITY'S WEBSITE AND THAT WILL BE UP TO DATE.
AND I KNOW THIS IS, YOU KNOW, NEW INFORMATION.
YOU JUST SAID, WALTER, THAT JUST TODAY YOU SPENT THE MAJORITY OF YOUR DAY RECEIVING THIS INFORMATION AND IT'S STILL TBD.
THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT'S YET TO COME.
UM, I, I'M PRETTY SURE NATIONAL CITY'S GOING TO DO THIS, BUT, UM, YEAH.
CAN THE INFORMATION IMMEDIATELY BE POSTED, NOT JUST ON OUR WEBSITE? I KNOW CARLOS, YOU WANNA MENTION SOMETHING, BUT NOT JUST ON OUR WEBSITE, BUT ACROSS ALL SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU KNOW, THE NEWS, SOME PEOPLE DON'T LISTEN TO THE NEWS OR THE ONE STATION THAT GO TO LISTEN TO THE NEWS IS NOT THE ONE THAT'S PUBLISHING THIS INFORMATION.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THIS INFORMATION GETS OUT.
AND AS SOON AS WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION, WE ALSO HAVE A LIST OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT, UH, WENT TO THE LOCAL ASSISTANCE CENTERS AND THEY'VE GIVEN THEIR PHONE NUMBERS AND EMAIL ADDRESSES, SO WE'LL MAKE SURE TO GET THAT, UH, INFORMATION OUT.
UH, WE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VALINA ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE UNIVERSE OF PEOPLE IMPACTED IS MUCH HIGHER THAN THE, THAN THE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE ASSISTED WITH HOUSING.
AND THAT WHETHER HOMEOWNERS OR RENTERS, THERE'S FAMILY OR HOUSEHOLDS THAT HAVE MADE AN EFFORT TO INDEPENDENTLY FIGURE OUT THEIR HOUSING SITUATION.
UH, FEMA WILL POTENTIALLY REIMBURSE IF THERE'S HO, IF THERE'S, IF THEY'VE EXPENDED, UH, IF THEY'VE EXPENDED ON HOTELS INDEPENDENTLY OF WHAT'S BEEN PROVIDED AS ASSISTANCE.
UH, THERE'S A POTENTIAL OF FEMA REIMBURSING THAT.
SO THE ORIGINAL ASSESSMENT THAT THE COUNTY DID, UH, BROUGHT BACK ABOUT 210 ENTRIES.
UH, 180 OF THOSE WERE, UH, WERE HOUSEHOLDS AND ABOUT 40 OR SO WERE BUSINESSES IMPACTED.
AND SO WE ENCOURAGED THAT EVERYONE, WHETHER THEY WERE ASSISTED WITH THE COUNTY OR OR ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION IN THE PROCESS, GO TO, UM, AND WE WILL, WE WILL USE ALL OUR MEDIUMS TO, TO, TO PROMOTE THIS, GO TO THE DISASTER ASSISTANCE.GOV AND REGISTER THEMSELVES FOR FEMA ASSISTANCE.
THAT WAY IT, IT GUARANTEES THEM THAT THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS.
AND SO THERE, THERE'LL BE A CHECK ON DUPLICATION, ET CETERA, BUT AT LEAST THEY'LL ESTABLISH A, UH, AN APPLICATION OR RECORD FOR THAT ASSISTANCE.
AND JUST BECAUSE THEY WERE ASSISTED BEFORE, DOESN'T MEAN THAT FEMA CAN'T HELP.
AND, UH, FEMA WILL HAVE THEIR OWN PROCESS FOR GAUGING HOW MUCH ASSISTANCE EACH HOUSEHOLD WILL RECEIVE.
SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THEY REGISTER THEMSELVES INDEPENDENTLY OF WHETHER THEY RECEIVE THE ASSISTANCE OR NOT.
THE COUNTY AND AGENCIES WILL, WE UNDERSTAND THAT COMMUNICATION OR UNDERSTANDING WHERE TO GET THIS INFORMATION IS SOMETIME DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU, IF YOU'VE LOST YOUR HOUSE, YOU DON'T HAVE A, A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN BE CONTACTED.
UM, THE, IT'S, THEY'LL, THE COUNTY AND OTHER AGENCIES ARE, ARE, ARE USING THEIR CURRENT DATABASES TO CONTACT FOLKS.
BUT EVERYONE AND ANYONE THAT FEELS THAT THEY'VE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE FLOOD SHOULD REGISTER THEMSELVES FOR ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE FEMALE WEBSITE AND WE'LL, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND ON EVERY, UM, SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM FOR THE CITY.
ONE, UM, I HAVE BEEN ASKED BY, EXCUSE ME, I HAVE BEEN ASKED BY INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THE ONE THAT I'LL MENTION RIGHT NOW IS A HOMEOWNER WHO RELIED ON, THANKFULLY THEY HAD FAMILY MEMBERS THAT WERE ABLE TO ASSIST THEM WITH, UM, REMOVING DRYWALL AND CLEARING OUT, YOU KNOW, THE WOOD, WOOD FLOOR AND THIS AND THAT.
AND, UM, HER, THE SPECIFIC QUESTION I GOT IS IT WASN'T, YOU KNOW, THEY DIDN'T, THEY DON'T NEED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR HOTEL.
THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT ASSISTANCE CAN I GET TO REBUILD MY HOME, IS THEIR QUESTION AND THEIR APPLIANCES AND THIS AND THAT.
AND SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU, MR. AHDI DID PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION THAT IT LOOKS LIKE THERE WILL BE ASSISTANCE IN THE FORM OF GRANTS THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS CAN, UM, CAN APPLY FOR.
[01:10:01]
AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BE THE REMEDY, UM, FOR REPAIRING THEIR HOMES.AND, UM, MY LAST QUESTION HAS TO DO ON THAT FIRST PAGE, I JUST WANT CLARITY ON THE NUMBER.
MR. UH, AGUIRE, YOU MENTIONED TOTAL FUNDING FROM THE CITY IS 160,547 TO DATE, IS THAT ONLY FOR THE HOTEL HOUSING THAT IS BEING, UM, THE TENANT RELOCATION ASSISTANCE THAT WAS PROVIDED? SO THAT'S WHAT WE EXPENDED ON THE EMERGENCY RELOCATION.
WE DID THE FIRST 48 HOURS AND FOR THE, UH, 26 HOUSEHOLDS THAT WE, UH, PROVIDED TWO MONTHS OF RENT AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE.
SO 26 HOUSEHOLDS GOT TWO MONTHS OF RENT.
AND SO THIS NUMBER IS INCLUSIVE OF JUST THAT.
IT DOESN'T INCLUDE EVERYTHING ELSE THAT THE CITY HAS SPENT.
AND IT'S GONNA TAKE INCLUDING, UH, OVERTIME FOR ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES WHO WORKED AROUND THE CLOCK.
SO I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR, TOTAL FUNDING FROM THE CITY IS NOT TOTAL FUNDING FROM THE CITY.
IT'S JUST FOR THIS HOUSING ASSISTANCE.
I THINK, UM, IT, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, UH, YOU HAVE MENTIONED DIRECTOR, UM, AGUIRE THAT, UM, MOST OF THESE RESIDENTS HAVE LOST EVERYTHING.
SO ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES, COMPUTER, TELEPHONE, YOU KNOW, I'M A CITY MANAGER.
I THINK, UM, WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THEM ACCESS TO A FACILITY WHERE THEY CAN USE THIS, THIS, UM, EQUIPMENT TO BE ABLE TO REGISTER.
AND WOULD YOU BE VERY KIND TO CHECK THAT, UM, THAT, UM, WEBSITE PLEASE.
UM, IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN NOBODY CAN GET, GET TO THEM.
IS THAT ASSISTANCE? THAT'S THE RIGHT, THAT'S UH, THE WEBSITE WE WERE PROVIDED, UH, FROM THE COUNTY WHO'S BEEN IN TOUCH WITH FEMA AND WE'VE ALREADY GONE TO THE WEBSITE TO TEST IT AND, AND WE TESTED IT AND SUBMIT A TEST APPLICATION.
SO CITY MANAGER, MAYBE WE CAN PROVIDE ACCESS TO OUR RESIDENTS WHO HAVE LOST EVERYTHING TO BE ABLE TO, UH, GET TO A COMPUTER TO BE ABLE TO, UM, UM, APPLY ONLINE.
'CAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE CAN ONLY PROVIDE THEM THIS, THEY HAVE TO APPLY THEMSELVES, CORRECT.
AND, AND WE'LL MAKE AN EFFORT TO CONNECT.
AND THE REASON FOR THE FEMA LOCAL RESOURCE CENTER WILL BE JUST THAT.
SO THEY, THERE'S A ONE STOP SHOP PLACE WHERE THEY CAN GET ASSISTANCE IN NOT ONLY FILLING OUT ANY APPLICATIONS FOR GRANT FUNDING, BUT ALSO TO HAVE RESOURCES THERE, UH, TO ASSIST THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO WE'LL MAKE SURE WE'LL CONNECT THAT EVERYONE TO THAT.
'CAUSE WE JUST DON'T WANT THEM TO SAY, WHEN THEY CALL THAT NUMBER TO SAY, OH, YOU HAVE TO GO TO THAT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE HAVE TO WALK THE TALK.
WE GOTTA REALLY HELP THEM BE ABLE TO APPLY TO THIS, UM, WEBSITE.
THANK YOU MR. R, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STAFF FOR PUTTING, PUTTING THIS TOGETHER AND WORKING, UH, SINCE DAY ONE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ASSIST OUR FAMILIES.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY THAT'S BEEN A PART OF THAT.
I DO JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND, UH, TO SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES' POINTS.
I KNOW THE YMCA HAS BEEN DOING A LOT OF GOOD WORK, REACHING OUT TO RESIDENTS IN NATIONAL CITY AND SAN DIEGO, AND, UH, I'VE ATTENDED ONE OF THEIR, UM, UH, COLLECTIVE MEETINGS AND THEY ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING OPEN UP THESE, UH, COMMUNITY HUBS AROUND, AROUND DIFFERENT CITIES.
AND, UM, I GUESS THE QUESTION IS HOW DO WE MAKE SURE AS A CITY TO SUPPORT THAT, UH, EFFORT IN ORDER TO ASSIST, AS MY COLLEAGUE MENTIONED, FAMILIES THAT, YOU KNOW, TO HELP APPLY THROUGH THE PROCESS.
I'VE ALREADY SPOKEN A HANDFUL OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, UH, THAT'S GONNA BE A HURDLE FOR THEM TO APPLY ONLINE.
UM, UH, THE LANGUAGE IS A BARRIER AS WELL.
SO HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE WORK WITH OUR NONPROFIT COMMUNITY THAT WANTS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THESE SERVICES TO ALL 200 PLUS FAMILIES THAT WERE IMPACTED BY THE FLOOD? I GUESS THAT'S AN OPEN QUESTION FOR OUR STAFF.
OH, UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE ALL THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
UM, WE HAVE LIBRARY RESOURCES.
WE CAN, WE, WE WILL, WE'LL LOOK AT THAT ISSUE.
UM, AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE CITY STAFF THAT CAN TRANSLATE, YOU KNOW, AND ASSIST.
SO WE'LL, WE'LL BE LOOKING, TAKING ALL THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND WE'LL CONTACT THE YMCA.
UM, AND, AND ALL MY COLLEAGUES TOO FOR, UM, ARE JUST REALLY PROUD OF OUR, OUR RESPONSE.
AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE, THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS LOST
[01:15:01]
EVERYTHING.OUR, OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO YOU AND, UM, STILL ASK FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS WE INVESTIGATE.
UM, EVERY, EVERYTHING THAT'S GONE ON.
AND SO, BUT WE REALLY SORRY FOR LOSS.
AND I STILL PROUD OF OUR CITY FOR, UM, FOR THE RESPONSE BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT, UM, OTHER CITIES, LIKE EVEN IN THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO, I'VE TALKED TO MY COLLEAGUES THERE AND IT HASN'T BEEN THE SAME.
THERE'S STILL SOME ROOM FOR, UM, ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT AND TO DO BETTER, BUT THIS IS AN UNPRECEDENTED CRISIS.
UM, SUPPORT, I DO AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ, ABOUT LOOKING AT THE POTENTIAL OF COMMUNITY HUBS OR PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF RESOURCES OUT THERE, AND I THINK WE NEED TO ALL HANDS ON DECK.
AND I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE FEMA DEADLINE.
AND SO JUST IF STAFF CAN CLARIFY THAT FOR ME, BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED AN ALL HANDS ON DECK APPROACH.
I WOULD HATE FOR, UH, US TO MISS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A RESIDENT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T REACH OUT OR BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW, BECAUSE THEY'RE LIVING SOMEWHERE ELSE OR, SO I ALMOST THINK WE NEED TO HAVE OUR STAFF WORKING.
MAYBE ORGANIZATIONS GO ALMOST LIKE DOOR TO DOOR, BUT DID I HEAR THAT IT'S THREE DAYS OR CAN STAFF CLARIFY WHAT AG AGAIN, JUST RE-CLARIFY WHAT THOSE POTENTIAL, UH, UH, DEADLINES ARE FOR APPLYING FOR THE FEMA FUNDINGS FOR FAMILIES.
AND THEN HOPEFULLY IF WE'RE GETTING THE WORD OUT, HOPEFULLY OUR ME THE MEDIA IS COVERING THIS, THIS PART ACCORDING TO THE, ACCORDING TO THE NEWS OF TODAY.
WELL, ACCORDING TO MY RESEARCH ON, UH, INTERNET TODAY, UH, THERE, THE SBA LOANS, UH, THE LOANS, THERE'S TWO LOANS OUT THERE.
THERE'S A PHYSICAL DAMAGE, UH, THE FILING DEADLINE FOR THAT IS APRIL 19TH.
AND THE ECONOMIC INJURY, UH, IS NOVEMBER 19TH.
SO THERE IS SOME TIME TO, TO, UH, UH, SUBMIT.
UM, AND I THINK FEMA'S GONNA BE HERE A WHILE.
UM, AND THEY'RE GONNA DO THEIR BEST TO GET AS MUCH PEOPLE, UH, IN THE SYSTEM AS POSSIBLE.
UH, THE THREE DAYS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS FOR, IF YOU HAVE AN IMMEDIATE NEED FOR, YOU KNOW, UM, UM, DEBRIS REMOVAL, UH, MUCK OUT, TARPING, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY BY NOW MOST PEOPLE HAVE, HAVE, UH, EITHER DONE THE WORK THEMSELVES OR, OR HAVE HAD TEAM REMOVAL, COMMERCE, SOME OTHER ORGANIZATION, UH, DO IT FOR THEM.
UM, BUT THAT'S THE, THAT THREE DAY DEADLINE GOT IT ON, ON THAT THREE DAY, UH, DEADLINE.
SO CITY MANAGER, DO WE HAVE OUR STAFF RESOURCES TO, I I JUST WANTED TO TRY TO SEE WHAT, WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE OUR, OUR CAPACITY FOR TRYING TO GO DOOR TO DOOR OR SOME TYPE OF OUTREACH FOR IN THIS NEXT THREE DAYS FOR THE DEBRIS REMOVAL.
IT SOUNDS LIKE RUBICON TOOK CARE OF ALMOST EVERYTHING, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YEAH.
I'LL, I'LL, I'LL TALK TO STAFF ABOUT THAT.
UM, WE CAN, UH, WE CAN, WE CAN COMPARE NOTES AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT'S POTENTIALLY MISSING AND KNOCK ON SOME DOORS, BUT YEAH, I THINK WE'RE, THE VAST MAJORITY HAS CERTAINLY BEEN COVERED, BUT WE WILL, WE'LL DOUBLE CHECK THAT.
ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT? OKAY, GO AHEAD.
THE USE, UH, ONE MORE QUESTION.
THE USE OF FEMA FUNDS, UM, SO IS, UH, UP TO 5,000 FOR LOSSES, INCLUDES APPLIANCE, CLOTHING, UH, OTHER HOUSEHOLD ITEMS. WAS THAT, DOES THAT INCLUDE VEHICLES VEHICLE LOSS? OKAY, THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA DO OUR BEST TO GET AS MUCH WORD OUT AS WE CAN.
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO, YOU KNOW, BE IN EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY, BUT WE ARE GONNA DO EVERYTHING THAT'S WITHIN OUR, OUR POWER TO GET AS MUCH WORD OUT ON ALL THESE DATES, UM, AND HELP PEOPLE IN WHATEVER WAY.
ANOTHER THING IS, YOU KNOW, OKAY, THEY'RE GONNA SET UP, THEY'RE SETTING UP A CENTER IN SAN DIEGO AND ONE IN SPRING VALLEY.
SPRING VALLEY WOULD PROBABLY BE THE ONE THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE CLOSEST TO US, BUT IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THERE,
I MEAN, UNLESS YOU LIVE IN SPRING VALLEY, THERE'S NOT MUCH WAY TO GET THERE.
THERE IS NO, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO TRANSIT, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, NO TROLLEYS, NO NOTHING ELSE TO GET THERE.
UH, THE WAY THAT THEY GOT THAT ONE IN SPRING VALLEY IS IT GOT REQUESTED TO THE COUNTY AND TO HAVE ONE THERE, UM, I THINK IT'D BE VERY PRUDENT UPON US TO ALSO PUT IN A REQUEST.
THE COUNTY HAS A FACILITY RIGHT HERE AT 24TH STREET WITH ALL KINDS OF SERVICES ALREADY THERE.
AND IT'S RIGHT AT THE TROLLEY STATION, RIGHT AT THE FREEWAY.
ALL THOSE THINGS MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US PUT IN THE REQUEST MM-HMM,
AND THAT WOULD BE MORE ACCESSIBLE, I THINK, EVEN TO THE PEOPLE OVER IN SAN DIEGO THAN I THINK, UH, SOME OF THE, WHAT I'VE HEARD THE AREA THAT THEY'RE PUTTING IT IN SAN DIEGO, UH, MOST LESS THE PEOPLE HERE IN NATIONAL CITY.
AND, UH, SO, UM, AND IT CERTAINLY AIN'T GONNA HURT.
ALL THEY CAN TELL US IS NO, BUT, UH, WELL, WE CAN CERTAINLY PUT IN THAT REQUEST TO MAKE IT
[01:20:01]
MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE AND IT DOESN'T DO ANY GOOD IF YOU'VE GOT ALL THE RESOURCES, BUT YOU CAN'T GET TO 'EM.SO, AND, UH, NOW WE CAN REQUEST IT ANYWAY.
UM, IT'S NOT, NO SKIN OFF OUR TEETH.
[11.1 Discussion and Direction Regarding a Temporary Local Emergency Ordinance Prohibiting Evictions and Rental Increases, Providing Relocation Assistance, and a Right to Return During the Local Emergency Related to the Recent Floods.]
11.1 AND, AND I HAVE TOTALLY SEPARATE SPEAKERS FOR THAT ITEM THAN WAS FOR THE, UH, UH, THE ITEM THAT WE JUST, WE JUST DEALT WITH A 7.1.WITH THAT, I THINK MR. SCHULTZ, I THINK YOU'RE GONNA BE HEADING THIS UP.
SO THIS ITEM, UH, IS A DISCUSSION REGARDING THE POTENTIAL CONSIDERATION BY THE COUNCIL OF A TEMPORARY LOCAL ORDINANCE TO ADDRESS TENANT IMPACTS RESULTING FROM THE RECENT RAINSTORMS, AS WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT.
UM, ON JANUARY 22ND, NATIONAL CITY, ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE COUNTY, EXPERIENCED A HISTORICAL RAINSTORM THAT RESULTED IN OVER THREE INCHES OF RAINFALL.
WITHIN A 24 HOUR PERIOD, MANY INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THEIR HOMES AND APARTMENTS RESULTING IN DISPLACEMENT AND LOSS OF ALL OF THEIR PERSONAL BELONGINGS.
ON TUESDAY, THE NEXT DAY, JANUARY 23RD, THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA ISSUED A STATE OF EMERGENCY THAT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY FOLLOWED BY COUNTY AND CITY DECLARATIONS OF EMERGENCY.
ON JANUARY 30TH, THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO ADOPTED AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE, WHICH PROVIDED TENANT PROTECTIONS AS A RESULT OF THE EMERGENCY.
SUBSEQUENTLY, COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ SUBMITTED A POLICY 1 0 5 REQUEST TO COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THE ADOPTION OF A LOCAL ORDINANCE TO ADDRESS THOSE IMPACTS.
THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF OUR DISCUSSION TONIGHT.
SO I'LL SUMMARIZE THE COUNTY ORDINANCE.
THE MAJOR PROVISIONS ARE THAT ONE, IT DID CREATE A JUST CAUSE EVICTION PROTECTION THAT APPLIES TO ALL TENANTS WITHIN THE FLOOD AFFECTED AREA.
NATIONAL CITY IS CONSIDERED PART OF THAT, AND IT PROTECTS THOSE THAT HAVE SUFFERED ECONOMIC AND OTHER IMPACTS FROM THE STORM.
DEFINITION OF JUST CAUSE IS LIMITED TO A SHOWING THAT A TENANT IS AN IMMINENT HEALTH OR SAFETY THREAT.
OTHER THAN THAT, SHOWING TENANTS CANNOT BE EVICTED AS A RESULT OF THE STORM.
THIS ORDINANCE WILL BE IN EFFECT FOR 60 DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF JANUARY 30TH, 2024.
ANOTHER MAJOR PROVISION OF THE ORDINANCE IS THAT IT REFERENCES RELOCATION BENEFITS AND REQUIREMENTS, BUT IT DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS.
IT SIMPLY REFERENCES STATE AND LOCAL REQUIREMENTS.
THE OTHER THING THAT THE ORDINANCE DOES IS IT DOES DELAY ANY RESIDENTIAL RENT INCREASES DURING THE TERM OF THE ORDINANCE.
AND BASICALLY, RENTS CANNOT BE RAISED ANY GREATER THAN AN INCREASE IN AN AMOUNT GREATER THAN THE CPI FOR THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
TONIGHT'S DISCUSSION FOCUSES ON AREAS WHICH THE COUNCIL MAY WANT TO SUPPLEMENT THE COUNTY ORDINANCE.
OUR GOAL IS NOT TO CONFUSE, OUR GOAL IS TO CREATE A SINGLE FRAMEWORK SO THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE RULES ARE AND WHAT EVERYONE'S OBLIGATIONS AND BENEFITS ARE.
IN REVIEWING THE COUNTY'S ORDINANCE, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'LL DISCUSS TONIGHT IS WHAT ARE, OR WHAT SHOULD BE THE POTENTIAL RELOCATION BENEFITS AVAILABLE TO TENANTS? THE ORDINANCE IS NOT VERY SPECIFIC.
THERE ARE ONLY REFERENCES TO STATE AND LOCAL LAWS, AND AS WE'VE REVIEWED THOSE STATE AND LOCAL LAWS, MOST OF THEM APPLY TO RELOCATION.
THAT IS REQUIRED AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE OF A LANDLORD TO PROVIDE A HABITABLE UNIT.
IN THOSE CASES, LANDLORDS DO HAVE SPECIFIC RELOCATION RESPONSIBILITIES.
HOWEVER, MANY OF THOSE STATUTES ALSO PROVIDE THAT WHERE THE UNIT
[01:25:01]
IS NOT HABITABLE, HABITABLE AS A RESULT OF A NATURAL DISASTER OR OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND THE LANDLORD'S CONTROL.THERE ARE NO OBLIGATIONS ON THE LANDLORD TO PROVIDE RELOCATION BENEFITS OR IN SOME CASES IT'S VERY MINIMAL.
THE SECOND AREA WHERE WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT, WELL, LET ME JUST BEFORE I, I LEAVE THAT AS WE DISCUSS THIS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL RELOCATION BENEFITS, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TRY AND BENEFIT, BALANCE THE BURDENS THAT THE TENANTS ARE SUFFERING AS WELL AS THE BURDENS THAT PROPERTY OWNERS ARE SUFFERING AS WELL.
AND TRY AND HAVE A, A RESOLUTION THAT IS FAIR TO BOTH OF THEM.
AMONG THE FACTORS WE SUGGEST THAT YOU CONSIDER IS, IF IN FACT THERE IS A RELOCATION REQUIREMENT, WHAT IS THE LENGTH OF TIME FOR A TEMPORARY RELOCATION? WHAT OBLIGATION WOULD A TENANT HAVE TO PAY RENT DURING THE RELOCATION? IF RELOCATION BENEFITS ARE PROVIDED, THE AMOUNT OF RELOCATION BENEFITS, SHOULD THEY BE DETERMINED BASED ON RENT, OR SHOULD THEY BE DETERMINED ON HOTEL AND MOTEL RATES? AND THEN FINALLY, IS A RELOCATION REQUIREMENT TRIGGERED IF THE RELOCATION WAS NECESSITATED BY A NATURAL EVENT BEYOND THE CONTROL OF THE LANDLORD.
THE SECOND AREA OF DISCUSSION IS REGARDING RENT INCREASES.
AS I INDICATED UNDER THE COUNTY'S ORDINANCE, RENT INCREASES ARE LIMITED.
THERE IS ALSO A STATE STATUTE, AN ANTI GOUGING STATUTE THAT PROHIBITS ANY INCREASE IN RENT GREATER THAN 10% DURING A LOCAL EMERGENCY.
THERE HAS BEEN SOME DISCUSSION OR REQUEST THAT RENT NOT BE INCREASED AT ALL DURING THE TERM OF THE EMERGENCY.
THAT IS ONE OF THE CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE COUNCIL TONIGHT.
HOWEVER, SHOULD THEY PURSUE THAT, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT ANY TYPE OF RESTRICTION MUST ALLOW THE PROPERTY OWNER TO GET A REASONABLE RETURN ON THEIR INVESTMENTS.
THE LAST ISSUE IS WITH RESPECT TO THE TENANT'S RIGHT TO RETURN.
NOW, THE INTERESTING THING IS, UNDER THE, THE COUNTY'S ORDINANCE, THERE CAN BE NO EVICTION.
SO ESSENTIALLY, IF YOU ARE REQUIRED TO BE, UH, DISPLACED IN ORDER TO ALLOW THE UNIT TO BE REPAIRED, YOUR TENANCY IS NOT ENDED.
SO IT'S IMPLIED THAT YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO RETURN.
BUT IF YOU READ THE COUNTY ORDINANCE, THERE IS NO SPECIFIC PROVISION THAT SPELLS THAT OUT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE LEARNED DURING THIS SITUATION IS THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION, A LOT OF MISINFORMATION, AND THAT CREATES A LOT OF ANXIETY IN A TIME WHERE WE'RE ALREADY UNDER A LOT OF ANXIETY.
SO ONE OF THE IDEAS IS THAT MAYBE WE CAN CLARIFY WHAT THAT RIGHT OF RETURN MIGHT BE, THINGS THAT, THAT WE WOULD WANT TO CREATE A PROCEDURAL FRAMEWORK FOR MAKING SURE THAT ALL NOTICES TO THE TENANT THAT THEY HAVE THAT RIGHT, THAT THE, UH, THAT THEY BE GIVEN A FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL.
SO THERE'S NOT, YOU DON'T, YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED TO RETURN, BUT YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO RETURN.
AND THEN WE ALSO WANT TO HAVE SOME OBLIGATIONS ON THE LANDLORDS AS TO THE TIME IT TAKES FOR REPAIRS.
SO WE WANT TO AT LEAST HAVE A GOOD FAITH, UH, OBLIGATION THAT THE LANDLORD TO PURSUE, UH, THE REPAIRS, UH, UH, IN A TIMELY MANNER.
AND WITH RESPECT TO TENANTS, IF THEY ARE NOTIFIED THAT THE UNIT IS AVAILABLE, THEY NEED TO RESPOND IMMEDIATELY.
WE CANNOT HAVE, UH, THAT REQUEST GO UN, UN RESPONDED TO.
SO TONIGHT, OUR CHOICES FOR R WE CAN DIRECT STAFF TO PREPARE A LOCAL ORDINANCE ADDRESSING SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT I'VE JUST OUTLINED TONIGHT, OR WE CAN DELAY ANY ACTION PENDING FURTHER ACTION BY THE COUNTY.
NOW, THE COUNTY, WHEN THEY ADOPTED THEIR ORDINANCE, THEY DIRECTED THEIR STAFF TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO AVOID UNJUST EVICTIONS AND OR PROVIDE RENTAL OR OTHER ASSISTANCE TO THOSE AFFECTED BY THE STORM.
THAT PLAN COULD INCLUDE ADDITIONAL ORDINANCE TO PROTECT UNJUST EVICTIONS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, AS WELL AS OTHER POSSIBILITIES.
UM, TO DATE, I'M NOT AWARE OF THE STATUS OF THOSE, UH, THAT WORK, BUT THAT IS ONE OF THE ACTIONS THAT THEY TOOK.
UH, AND THEN THE FINAL OPTION IS TO TAKE NO ACTION AND SIMPLY RELY ON THE EXISTING COUNTY ORDINANCE THAT'S IN PLACE TODAY.
SO THAT CONCLUDES, UH, MY REPORT AND HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
UH, RIGHT NOW I'LL JUST ASK FOR CLARIFICATION QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GO TO SPEAKERS, IF THERE'S ANY
[01:30:01]
DIRECT CLARIFICATION QUESTIONS ON THE REPORT.OTHERWISE, WE WILL BE GOING, GOING TO SPEAKERS, SEEING NONE.
WE DO HAVE A, A NUMBER OF SPEAKERS.
I'M GONNA BE CALLING NAMES THREE AT A TIME.
GET OUT INTO THE AISLE, WHATEVER, AND BE READY TO COME UP WHEN THE LAST, WHEN THE PERSON BEFORE YOU.
THAT WAY WE'RE NOT, UH, UH, NOT WASTING QUITE SO MUCH TIME, JUST WAITING ON PEOPLE TO COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE.
UM, FIRST WE HAVE JOSHLYN, UH, JOSHLYN LOPEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY ZACHARY GOMEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY MITCH THOMPSON.
YOU'RE DOING BETTER ON THAT FOOT THAN YOU WERE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
I'M A MEMBER OF ACE AND A RESIDENT AT HIGHLAND VIEW APARTMENTS.
I LIVED IN NATIONAL CITY FOR SEVEN YEARS, AND AT THESE APARTMENTS EIGHT MONTHS, I AM HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF AGENDA ITEM 11.1, THAT IS ASKING THE CITY TO PASS A LOCAL EMERGENCY ORDINANCE TO STOP EVICTIONS, ALLOW FOR RESIDENTS THE RIGHT TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES, FOR THERE TO BE NO RENT INCREASE, AND TO CONTINUE SUPPORT FOR RELOCATION.
I SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE 24 FAMILIES, INCLUDING MYSELF, WERE DISPLACED BY THE FLOOD THAT HAPPENED ON JANUARY 22ND.
ON THE FOLLOWING DAY, MY FAMILY WAS GIVEN A NOTICE FROM THE CITY TO VACATE AND COMPLETE COM VACATE THE COMPLEX DUE TO REPAIR OR DEMOLISH SUBSTANDARDS.
BUT YET WE WERE TOLD TO LEAVE WITH NOWHERE TO GO.
MYSELF AND THE 24 FAMILIES FELT DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BY THIS ACTION.
WE ARE HARDWORKING MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES.
THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE SO FAR TO SUPPORT US HAVE BEEN LIFESAVING.
AND THAT IS WHY IT NEEDS TO CONTINUE AND BECOME STRONGER.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE SO FAR, AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU WILL CON CONTINUE TO DO TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY.
UH, ZACHARY GOMEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY MITCH THOMPSON, TO BE FOLLOWED BY MELANIE WOODS.
SO IF YOU HEAR YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME ON IN ALREADY AND, UH, BE READY.
UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING THIS, UH, DISCUSSION AND PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA.
UM, I, UH, WE WANNA BE ABLE TO TRUST OUR, OUR FOLKS THAT WE ELECTED AND, UH, TAKE CARE OF OUR PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE A HISTORIC CITY AND, UH, WE GOTTA TAKE CARE OF OUR FOLKS.
SO I, I BELIEVE YOU'LL, YOU'LL DO THE RIGHT THING AND, UH, TAKE EVERYTHING IN CONSIDERATION.
UH, WE SHOULDN'T, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST IMAGINE PUT YOURSELVES IN, IN THEIR, IN THESE FAMILY SHOES.
UH, SO YEAH, I'M WITH ACE AS WELL.
UM, MITCH THOMPSON, FOLLOWED BY MELANIE WOODS, FOLLOWED BY BRA, UH, BRANDON, S-I-G-U-A.
I AM A LONGTIME LOCAL PROPERTY OWNER.
I OWN A SMALL RENTAL PROPERTY IN NATIONAL CITY.
UM, I'VE ALSO BEEN ACTIVE IN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING INDUSTRY.
I WAS A CITY COUNCIL PERSON IN CITY CHULA VISTA, AND I'M ALMOST 70, SO I, I'VE BEEN AROUND THE BLOCK.
UM, UH, YOU DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC ORDINANCE, BUT I'D LIKE TO JUST, UH, SO WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IS, I GUESS, SOME CITIZEN GUIDANCE.
AND AS A FAIRLY KNOWLEDGEABLE PERSON WHO LOOKS AT MOST, A LOT OF SIDES OF ISSUES, I WOULD SAY, UM, VERY CAREFUL IN ANY ORDINANCE THAT YOU DECIDE TO, UM, BRING UP.
UM, UH, MANY TIMES YOU DO, YOU'LL BE DOING IT VERY QUICKLY.
YOU WILL DO IT WITH NOT A LOT OF INPUT.
I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE, UM, SOME OF YOUR USER GROUPS LIKE LANDLORDS, UH, AND, AND RESIDENTS AND TENANTS, UH, LOOK AT IT SO THAT YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING STUPID.
UM, I, UH, MY NICE LITTLE RENTAL PROJECT, WHICH IS A GEM, UH, IN THIS CITY, UH, IT DOESN'T MAKE A TON OF MONEY.
AND I HAVE KEPT THE RENTS BELOW WHERE THEY COULD HAVE BEEN.
UM, AND TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THAT YOU SHOULD BE VERY CAREFUL OF, UH, THE, THE COVID RELIEF STUFF, UH, THE COUNTY HAD SO MANY ASPECTS.
[01:35:01]
THEY WERE, UM, ADMINISTERING THE COVID RELIEF.UH, IF SOMEBODY DIDN'T PAY, THEN THEY WERE THE COURTS, UH, TRYING TO PROCESS PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T PAY.
THEY ALSO PUT A TON OF MONEY INTO LEGAL AID SO THAT ANYBODY WHO DECIDED NOT TO PAY, UH, HAD PLENTY OF LEGAL REPRESENTATION.
I LOST ABOUT $25,000 FROM TWO DERELICT TENANTS WHO, WHO DIDN'T GET, OH, I DIDN'T GET MONEY ON TIME.
ONCE THOSE TENANTS KNEW THAT THEY WERE SEVERAL MONTHS BEHIND, EVEN AFTER THEY GOT THE COVID, THEY JUST SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE JUST GONNA SIT IT OUT BECAUSE THE COURTS ARE SLOW AND THE, AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
SO I ENDED UP LOSING ABOUT $25,000.
UM, I HAD TO RAISE THE RENTS ON ALL THE OTHER TENANTS BECAUSE INSURANCE COSTS WENT UP.
I WASN'T, I DIDN'T DO WELL, SO PLEASE BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL.
AND, AND THE OTHER THING IS, DON'T PUT IT ON, ON THE PROPERTY OWNER'S BACKS COMPLETELY.
UH, THIS WHOLE THING, WHEN I LISTENED TO ALL THE TESTIMONY, AND PARTICULARLY THE WOMAN WHO LOST HER OR HAD A PROBLEM WITH HER HOUSE, IF YOU DIDN'T DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF KEEPING THOSE DRAINAGE BASINS CLEAN, YOU ARE CULPABLE.
YOU CREATED SOME OF THE PROBLEM FLOODING DOES NOT.
PROBABLY WAS NONE OF THIS FLOODING WAS CAUSED BY THE LANDLORD.
SO BE CAREFUL NOT TO INUNDATE THEM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE UNFAIR.
AND THAT WOULD BE MY COMMENTS.
UM, MELANIE WOOD WOODS, AND BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, BRANDON, AND THEN RANDY CASTLE.
GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M MELANIE WOODS WITH THE CALIFORNIA APARTMENT ASSOCIATION.
WE REP, WE REPRESENT A DIVERSE MEMBERSHIP WITH OVER 70,000 RENTAL HOMES ACROSS SAN DIEGO COUNTY.
BOTH PROPERTY OWNERS AND TENANTS EXPERIENCED UNPRECEDENTED PRO PROPERTY DAMAGES AND LOSSES FROM THE FLOODS.
WE UNDERSTAND THE DESIRE FOR STABILITY, BUT WE BELIEVE FURTHER ACTION TODAY IS DUPLICATIVE WITH BOTH STATE LAW AND THE CURRENT COUNTY MORATORIUM.
THE LENGTH OF TIME AND AMOUNT OF RELOCATION ASSISTANCE SHOULD NOT BE DICTATED BY THE CITY.
IT REQUIRES FLEXIBILITY BASED ON THE SCOPE AND SCALE OF IMPROVEMENTS.
IF RELOCATION BENEFITS ARE PROVIDED BY THE LANDLORD, RENT MUST CONTINUE TO BE PAID FOR THE TENANT IN ORDER TO ENSURE TENANCY CONTINUES AND RENTAL RATES REMAIN STABLE.
STATE LAW AND THE COUNTY ORDINANCE ALREADY ADDRESSED RENT INCREASES AND PROVIDED PROTECTIONS FOR TENANTS.
FURTHER RENT CAPS ARE UNNECESSARY AND DUPLICATIVE.
SHORT-TERM RENT FREEZES COULD RESULT IN MARKET CORRECTIONS AFTER THEY'RE LIFTED.
RENT CAPS COULD HAVE NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON THE LONG-TERM RENTAL HOUSING MARKET IN NATIONAL CITY, RIGHT OF RETURN ONLY APPLIES IF THERE IS AN EVICTION, WHICH ARE CURRENTLY NOT ALLOWED UNDER THE COUNTY MORATORIUM.
IF THE TENANCY DOES NOT END, THERE IS NO NEED FOR A FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL.
IF THE TENANT IS TEMPORARILY RE-LOCATED FOR IMPROVEMENTS AND REPAIRS TO TAKE PLACE IN THE UNIT, THEIR TENANCY CONTINUES.
WE ARE STRONGLY OPPOSED TO THE COUNSEL DICTATING TIMEFRAMES THAT LANDLORDS HAVE TO COMPLETE REPAIRS.
LABOR SHORTAGES AND PERMIT BACKLOGS MAY IMPACT THE ABILITY TO COMPLETE REPAIRS IN A TIMELY MANNER.
AND HOUSING PROVIDERS WANT THEIR UNITS HABITABLE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
BUT MARKET FORCES OUTSIDE THE PROPERTY OWNERS CONTROL WILL DICTATE HOW QUICKLY THESE PAIRS REPAIRS CAN BE COMPLETED.
MANY HOUSING PROVIDERS HAVE NOT, MAY NOT HAVE THE CASH ON HAND TO COMPLETE LARGE SCALE UNANTICIPATED REPAIRS.
PROTECTIONS ARE ALREADY PROVIDED THROUGH STATE AND LOCAL LAWS.
CAA IS OPPOSED TO A DUPLICATIVE CONFUSING NATIONAL CITY SPECIFIC TENANT PROTECTION ORDINANCE.
UM, BRANDON, FOLLOWED BY RANDY CASTLE, FOLLOWED BY ERIC VARGAS.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, NATIONAL NATIONAL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS BRANDON CHRISTOPHER SUA, AND I AM A SENIOR POLICY ADVOCATE AT THE A CLU OF SAN DIEGO.
AND IMPERIAL COUNTIES HOUSING IS A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT TO CREATE A MORE JUST SOCIETY.
WE MUST WORK TO END HOUSING POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY LOCK OUT MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES FROM STATE AND STABLE HOUSING.
EVERY PERSON DESERVES DIGNITY AND SAFETY.
THE DISPLACEMENT CAUSED BY THE RECENT HISTORIC FLOODING HAS THREATENED NATIONAL CITY FAMILIES WITH HEALTH RISKS AND HOMELESSNESS.
THE ECONOMIC FALLOUT OF THE FLOODING IS SEVERE AND WIDESPREAD.
WE MUST PROTECT RESIDENTS WHO ARE LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK FROM THE REAL AND URGENT THREATS OF EVICTION DISPLACEMENT FROM PROPERTY CONDEMNATION AND HOMELESSNESS.
AN EVICTION MORATORIUM IS ONLY ONE NECESSARY SOLUTION IN A LARGER CONVERSATION THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE.
WE MUST ENSURE THAT RESIDENTS IMPACTED BY THE FLOOD ARE PROVIDED WITH THE SUPPORT THEY NEED, BOTH NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.
[01:40:01]
COUNCIL TO PASS AN EVICTION MORATORIUM AND TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS AS RECOMMENDED BY COMMUNITY PARTNERS, SUCH AS ACE PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY AND EXHALING INJUSTICE.EXTEND THE EVICTION MORATORIUM UNTIL AT LEAST 60 TO 90 DAYS AFTER THE CITY'S STATE OF EMERGENCY HAS BEEN LIFTED, PERMANENTLY REQUIRE JUST CAUSE FOR EVICTION.
SO LANDLORDS ARE UNABLE TO CAPITALIZE ON SUBSTANTIAL REMODELS AFTER THIS DISASTER AND RAISE CRISIS LEVEL RENTS EVEN HIGHER, PROHIBIT ANY UNLAWFUL RENT INCREASES AS A RESULT OF REPAIRING FLOOD RELATED DAMAGE.
AND THE, THE CITY SHOULD DO EVERYTHING IN ITS POWER TO IMPLEMENT RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS TO ENSURE RESIDENTS MAINTAIN THEIR HOUSING STABILITY, EVEN WHILE DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOMES DUE TO FLOOD RELATED HEALTH RISKS.
THIS ASSISTANCE SHOULD REMAIN IN PLACE UNTIL ALL NECESSARY REPAIRS ARE MADE TO ENSURE THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND STABILITY OF ALL IMPACTED RESIDENTS.
IN ADDITION, WE URGE THE CITY TO PROVIDE RELOCATION ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING DEPOSIT ASSISTANCE AND CREDIT REPAIR, TO AFFECTED RESIDENTS WHO ARE UNABLE TO RETURN TO HOMES DEEMED BEYOND REPAIR.
WE URGE YOU TO PASS AN EVICTION MORATORIUM THAT INCLUDES THE OUTLINE PROTECTION TO GRANT FAMILIES, SOME PEACE OF MIND AND STABILITY AS THEY RECONSTRUCT THEIR LIVES IN THE WAKE OF THIS TRAGEDY.
RANDY CASTLE, TO BE FOLLOWED BY ERIC VARGAS, TO BE FOLLOWED BY MOLLY KIRKLAND.
HEATHER, AGAIN, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THE WORD BALANCE BECAUSE I THINK BALANCE IS VERY IMPORTANT ON THIS ISSUE.
UM, THERE ARE, NATIONAL CITY IS 70% TENANT OCCUPIED, AND WE DO HAVE, THAT MEANS 70% LANDLORDS HERE.
SO IN ORDER TO PUT INTO EFFECT ANY KIND OF ORDINANCE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS BALANCED AND FAIR FOR THE LANDLORDS AS WELL.
UM, WITH THAT SAID, I DO WANT TO SAY I AM IN SUPPORT OF THIS ORDINANCE BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT CREATED, IT WASN'T CREATED THROUGHOUT POLICY.
IT WASN'T CREATED THROUGHOUT, UM, PE PEOPLE DOING THIS JUSTICE TO OTHER PEOPLE.
THIS WAS CREATED BY A NATURAL DISASTER.
THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS OUT OF THE HANDS OF THE, THE LEADERS OF NATIONAL CITY.
UM, AND LOOKING AT IT IN THAT ASPECT, IT WAS OUT OF THE, THE GRASP OF THE TENANTS.
IT WAS OUT OF THE GRASP OF THE HOMEOWNERS.
NOBODY KNEW NOBODY COULD DO ANYTHING, AND IT HAPPENED.
SO PUTTING UP THE PROTECTIONS FOR THE TENANTS, I DO THINK, UM, THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THAT AT LEAST 60 TO 90 DAYS AFTER THE SAN DIEGO ORDINANCE.
JUST LIKE THE GENTLEMAN BEFORE ME JUST SAID, I DO BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE A GOOD TIMELINE AS WELL, AS WELL AS A SUNSET CLAUSE ON THIS, BECAUSE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS DONE FOR EMERGENCY PURPOSES AND THAT, UH, STATE PREEMPTION, WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR ORDINANCES AREN'T GONNA OVERRIDE STATE LAW.
UM, AND IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT UP FOR RENT CONTROL OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, IT NEEDS TO GO THROUGH THE PROPER NOTIFICATION AND, UM, ELECTIONS FOR, FOR, UH, CITIZENS OF NATIONAL CITY.
NEXT WE DO HAVE ERIC VARGAS, FOLLOWED BY MOLLY KIRKLAND.
YOU FOLLOWED BY LOUISE VASQUEZ.
HELLO, MY NAME IS ERIC VARGAS, AND I'M THE NATIONAL CITY COMMUNITY ORGANIZER FOR ACE.
I'M HERE TO SHOW MY SUPPORT TO NATIONAL CITY RESIDENTS ASKING THE CITY TO PASS THE LOCAL EMERGENCY ORDINANCE, ONE THAT IS STRONGER THAN THE COUNTY'S ORDINANCE IN PLACE.
THE TENANTS WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE FLOOD NEED TO HAVE A STRONG EVICTION MORATORIUM THAT'S BUILT OFF THE COUNTIES, CONTINUED RELOCATION ASSISTANCE AND THE RIGHT TO RETURN TO THEIR APARTMENTS WITHOUT ANY RENT INCREASES.
AS WE CAN SEE, SOME LANDLORDS AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES HAVE ALREADY TRIED TO EXPLOIT AND PROFIT OFF OF THE TRAGEDIES THAT PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED FROM THE FLOODING.
NATIONAL CITY NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR RESIDENTS ARE PROTECTED, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF ALL THEY HAVE LOST DUE TO FLOODING AND DAMAGE.
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS MATTER ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA AND FOR YOUR CONTINUED ATTENTION TO THE NEEDS OF YOUR COMMUNITY TONIGHT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING, TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH YOU ALL TO MAKE SURE THAT RESIDENTS ARE PROTECTED AND FEEL PROTECTED.
THAT'S MOLLY KIRKLAND TO BE FOLLOWED BY LUIS VASQUEZ GAMMA, TO BE FOLLOWED BY JANICE LUNA RENOSO.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, MOLLY KIRKLAND WITH THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RENTAL HOUSING ASSOCIATION.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
[01:45:01]
ADDRESS YOU AND KUDOS FOR YOUR CONTINUED RESPONSE TO THE FLOOD.UM, I'VE ALREADY SENT IN A LETTER COME COVERING SOME OF THE LEGAL ASPECTS, UH, BEFORE YOU, AND I'M, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
I KNOW MELANIE COVERED, I THINK A LOT OF THE EXISTING LAWS AS WELL.
UH, IN SHORT, THERE'S LAYERS OF LAWS IN PLACE ALREADY TO HELP AFFECTED TENANTS AND ALREADY ADDRESS A LOT OF THE CONCERNS THAT WERE RAISED.
I THINK THE MAIN TAKEAWAY IS THAT TENDENCIES CAN'T BE TERMINATED RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE COUNTY MORATORIUM.
SO PEOPLE AREN'T BEING PERMANENTLY DISPLACED, MEANING EXISTING CONTRACTS AND RENTS REMAIN INTACT.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, I'VE HAD COMMUNICATION WITH THE MANAGEMENT AT TWO OF THE AFFECTED PROPERTIES THAT THE, THE NEWS ONE WAS MENTIONED.
THEY'VE CONFIRMED WHETHER THERE WAS MISCOMMUNICATION BEFORE OR WHAT, THAT THEY'RE NOT EVICTING PEOPLE.
THEY'RE PUTTING RESIDENTS IN HOTELS OR CREDITING RENT, WHICH IS THE LAW.
THEY'RE MAKING GOOD FAITH EFFORTS ON REPAIRS, AND THAT THEIR TENANTS WILL ALL RETURN TO THEIR UNITS UNDER THEIR EXISTING RENTAL AGREEMENTS AND AT THEIR CURRENT RENT.
I'M CERTAINLY PLEASED TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE I THINK PROVIDING PEACE OF MIND TO AFFECTED RENTERS IS CRUCIAL IN THE WAKE OF THIS CALAMITY.
SO THEN, RATHER THAN ADDING ANOTHER LAYER OF LAW, LET'S WORK TO MAKE SURE PARTIES KNOW THEIR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
LET'S OPEN THE LINES OF COMMUNICATIONS.
LET'S GET AID TO THOSE WHO NEED IT.
THERE'S MORE THAT CAN BE DONE.
RENTAL ASSISTANCE IS A GREAT IDEA.
THE SOONER UNITS ARE REPAIRED, THE SOONER PEOPLE CAN RETURN TO THEIR HOMES.
ALL THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT PROTECTING IMPACTED TENANTS ISN'T IMPORTANT.
IT IS, BUT THE PROTECTIONS ARE ALREADY THERE.
WHETHER IT'S VIA THE COUNTY MORATORIUM, THE EMERGENCY DECLARATIONS FROM THE STATE, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS EXISTING LAWS, OR BINDING RENTAL CONTRACTS.
WE DON'T NEED A PATCHWORK OF LAWS OR ADD TO THE PATCHWORK OF LAWS.
SO, WITH ALL THAT SAID, I THINK WE ALL WANNA HELP AND WE WANNA, AGAIN, OPEN THOSE LINES OF COMMUNICATION.
LET'S WORK WITH WHAT WE HAVE, WHICH QUITE FRANKLY, I THINK IS A LOT.
AND WE CAN MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IT BETTER, ESPECIALLY THEIR EXISTING CONTRACTS, BECAUSE AGAIN, NOBODY IS BEING PERMANENTLY DISPLACED.
SO, WITH ALL THAT SAID, I URGE YOU TO GO WITH OPTION THREE.
UM, AND, AND RESPECTFULLY, I, I THINK THAT'S THE BEST PATH FORWARD.
YOU'VE GOT THE COUNTY MORATORIUM IN PLACE.
IT REALLY IS WHAT IS GOVERNING KIND OF THE LOCAL NEED.
AND OF COURSE, WE ALWAYS HAVE THE STATE PROTECTION.
OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE, UH, LUIS VASQUEZ GAMMA TO BE FOLLOWED BY JANICE LUNA RENOSO TO BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, DION VELO.
HOPE I DIDN'T MESS UP THAT NAME TOO MUCH.
GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL, MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, I COME TO YOU TODAY BECAUSE THERE'S A VERY PRESSING ISSUE RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S TWO QUESTIONS THAT MOST TENANTS RIGHT NOW HAVE ON THEIR MIND, AND IT CAUSES CRAZINESS FOR THEM.
THE FIRST QUESTION IS, WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE COUNTY RUNS OUT OF FUNDS? AND FRANKLY, RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT, BUT THAT'S A PRICING QUESTION ON EVERYONE'S MIND.
HOWEVER, THERE'S A SECOND QUESTION, IS THAT WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE MORATORIUM ANSWER? AND I ACTUALLY HAVE THE ANSWER FOR ALL OF YOU ACTUALLY.
AND YOU ALL KNOW THAT AS SOON AS THE MORATORIUM ENDS, WE WILL BE EVICTED.
AGAIN, THIS IS NOT A QUESTION OF IF IT'S A QUESTION OF WHEN, AND WE, I CAN GUARANTEE THAT I WOULD PUT IT IN WRITING.
WE KNOW THAT RIGHT NOW, TENANTS DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PROTECTIONS AND THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SECURITY AND THAT STABILITY, MENTAL AND FINANCIAL TO BE ABLE TO STAY WHERE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW, THEY HAVE LOST EVERYTHING THEY HAVE, WHETHER IT'S TRANSPORTATION TIME FROM WORK OR THEIR HOUSING.
THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S EQUAL AND FAIR.
IF WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT EQUAL AND FAIR, WE GOTTA LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCES IN THE LANDLORD AND THE TENANT SITUATIONS.
THE LANDLORD HAS LOST A COUPLE DOLLARS, WHICH THEY CAN EASILY RECOVER THROUGH THEIR INSURANCE.
AND THESE TENANTS HAVE LOST EVERYTHING.
HOMEOWNERS HAVE LOST EVERYTHING.
TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING, THEY HAVE LOST EVERYTHING YOU CAN EVEN THINK OF.
AND MANY LANDLORDS ARE THINKING, YOU KNOW WHAT, THERE'S NO LAW THAT SAYS THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.
SO, YOU KNOW WHAT? SCREW THEM.
AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE CITY RUNS OUTTA MONEY? THE TAXPAYERS ARE GONNA HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.
AND NOBODY WANTS TO PUT MORE OF THEIR MONEY FOR IRRESPONSIBLE LANDLORDS.
SO LET'S FORGET THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT EQUALITY FOR THE LANDLORD AND FOR THE TENANT.
BECAUSE THE SITUATION SHOWS THAT THERE IS A DISPARITY AMONG THESE GROUPS.
THE MAJORITY OF ALL OF US ARE RENTERS.
THIS ISN'T A RENTER VERSUS HOMEOWNER SITUATION.
THIS IS LANDLORDS WHO JUST WANT TO SHAKE OFF THE RESPONSIBILITIES AS THEY'VE DONE TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
IT ISN'T UNTIL SITUATION IS EXTREMELY DIRE WHERE PEOPLE ARE AT RISK OF BECOMING COMPLETELY HOMELESS WITH NO SECURITY NET THAT WE HAVE TO COME TODAY, FIND A WAY TO COME HERE.
[01:50:01]
EVEN HAVE THEIR VEHICLES ANYMORE.SO LET'S NOT LOOK INTO THE SITUATION AS IF THIS IS AN EQUAL PLAYING FIELD FOR EVERYONE HERE, BECAUSE IT IS.
AND RIGHT NOW, THE CITY OR THE CITY'S ORDINANCE IS A GOOD STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
WE CAN ALLOW THEM TO HAVE THAT SAFETY, THAT, THAT KIND OF, THAT THAT CLOSURE IN THEIR HEAD.
THAT THEY'LL BE LIKE, OKAY, WE CAN BE HERE FOR ANOTHER MONTH.
WE CAN GO BACK AND PLEASE SUMMARIZE.
WE CAN HAVE OUR RENT RESPECTED.
BUT RIGHT NOW, THAT'S NOT THE SITUATION.
ALRIGHT, UH, NEXT WE HAVE JANICE LUNA RENOSO, FOLLOWED BY DION VELO, FOLLOWED BY NANCY ESP.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS JANICE LUNA RENOSO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MUNDO GARDENS AND NATIONAL CITY RESIDENT.
UM, JUST LOOKING AT THE PAST FOUR WEEKS, AROUND FOUR WEEKS NOW SINCE THE DISASTER.
UM, LET'S LOOK AT PROOF OF CONCEPT IN THIS DECISION.
OF COURSE, WE'RE GOING TO SUPPORT ACE AND THE RESIDENTS OF NATIONAL CITY AND THE OTHER RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT SAN DIEGO WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE FLOODS.
UM, KNOWING FIRSTHAND THEIR STORIES, WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH, UM, BUT ALSO LOOKING AT THE FACTS, RIGHT? LET'S BE SCIENTISTS.
THE, THE COUNTY STEPPED IN LAST WEEK, RIGHT? WE'VE BEEN ON THE GROUND.
YOU'VE BEEN ON THE GROUND SINCE DAY ONE.
THE COUNTY STEPPED IN LAST WEEK.
SO WHERE THIS MORATORIUM IS DEFINITELY HELPFUL.
IT'S BEEN THE COMMUNITY, IT'S BEEN WHAT THE CITIES HAVE DONE IN YOUR CASE AND WHAT THE CITIES HAVEN'T DONE IN OTHER CITIES CASES.
AND SO WHAT HAS BEEN CONSISTENT HAS BEEN THE RELATIONSHIPS, HAS BEEN THE RESIDENTS FEELING EMPOWERED BY THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO YOU AND TO THE COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS LIKE ACE.
UM, AND THEM HAVING THAT RELATIONSHIP AND EXPRESSING THE NEED, RIGHT? NOT KNOWING IF THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A BASIC HUMAN NEED LIKE HOUSING OR FOOD.
AND SO WE HAVE ALL PIECEMEALED THIS TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE HOUSING AND TO WHEN THE CITY THEN STEPPED IN, EXCUSE ME, WHEN THE COUNTY THEN STEPPED IN AND THEN PROVIDING THOSE BASIC NEEDS.
AND SO IT WILL DEFINITELY BE A BENEFIT FOR YOU TO SPEARHEAD, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOMETHING THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE.
I I KEEP WANTING TO ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO BE THE CHAMPIONS OF YOUR COMMUNITY AND NOT LOOK TO SEE WHAT HAS BEEN DONE, BUT WHAT HASN'T BEEN DONE AND HOW YOU CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE THERE AS FAR AS REALLY LEANING ONTO YOUR, UH, DEVELOPED AND THE GROWING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT, RIGHT? WE HAVE A HUNDRED VOLUNTEERS WAITING FOR YOU TO CALL ON.
BIG SHOUT OUT TO RUBIC RUBICON.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE STILL HERE, BUT THEY'RE ALSO HELPING OUT FOLKS IN SOUTHEAST.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE OUT THERE IN SOUTHEAST, WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATION.
IT'S ABOUT US WORKING TOGETHER.
SO PLEASE LEAN, LEAN INTO YOUR, THE BIGGEST CAPITAL YOU HAVE.
AND WE'RE OFFERING THE HELP TO, TO HAVE, UM, THESE COMMUNITY BASED HUBS, WHETHER IT'S IN THE CITY SPACES OR IN OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS NEARBY.
LIKE, SPEARHEAD WHAT YOU HAVE, USE WHAT YOU HAVE, BUT ALSO REALLY BE SCIENTIFIC AND LOOK AT THE DATA AND SEE WHAT HASN'T HAPPENED.
AND SO, EXTENDING THAT MORATORIUM IS ONLY GONNA BENEFIT THE PEOPLE AND STRENGTHEN THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE WORK HAS BEEN VOLUNTEERED UP UNTIL THIS POINT, BUT HELP IS COMING AND FOLKS ARE GETTING REIMBURSED.
BUT IF THE FOLKS GET DISPLACED, COME ON.
WE'RE IN SAN DIEGO, SAN DIEGO COUNTY, THE MOST EXPENSIVE CITY IN THE NATION.
YOU CAN'T HAVE THIS PUNITIVE MEASURE OF NOT TAKING ACTION TO SUPPORT THIS.
THEY'RE GONNA BE LEFT OUT IN THE COLD AFTER THEY'VE ALREADY EXPERIENCED THE FLOOD.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE ANYWHERE ELSE.
YOU DON'T WANT THE, THE OUTCOME OF NOT CHOOSING THIS EXTENSION ON THE MORATORIUM.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE LEAN INTO US.
USE THIS FOR YOUR HELP, FOR THE HELP TO MAKE THIS WORK, MAKE IT HAPPEN.
THANK YOU, UH, DION VELO TO BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, NANCY, WERE YOU WANTING TO SPEAK OR JUST RECORD YOUR YOU WANNA SPEAK? OKAY.
AND THEN FOLLOWED BY, UH, JOSE LOPEZ.
I AM A MEMBER OF ANAK BAYAN SAN DIEGO, AN ORGANIZATION OF FILIPINO YOUTH.
UM, WE'VE BEEN ON THE GROUND, UH, SUPPORTING MANY OF THE DISPLACED FOLKS, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, AT THE HOTEL RAMADA AS WELL AS, UH, THE BEST WESTERN AND THE COMFORT IN, UM, KIND OF GETTING A FEEL FOR THE SITUATION, UM, THAT THEY'VE BEEN EXPERIENCED, UH, EXPERIENCING.
AND WE REALLY WOULD LIKE TO, UH, VOICE OUR SUPPORT, UH, FOR THE EXTENSION OF THE EVICTION MORATORIUM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
BUT, UM, NOT ONLY THAT, BUT ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, MANY PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY FALLEN THROUGH THE CRACKS, YOU KNOW, AND I REALLY ENCOURAGE, UH, THE COUNCIL TO, UH, DO MORE, UH, AND BE MORE PROACTIVE IN TERMS OF, UH, THE OUTREACH BECAUSE,
[01:55:01]
UM, OF THE MANY PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE MET, YOU KNOW, UH, THEY REALLY, THERE'S REALLY SOME SERIOUS HORROR STORIES OF, OF, UH, THEIR LANDLORDS, UH, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THEM.UH, I, I'D LIKE TO ECHO, UH, THE PREVIOUS, UH, THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER'S POINT OF THERE IS A VERY BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE, THE LOSSES SUFFERED BY LANDLORDS VERSUS THE LOSSES SUFFERED BY TENANTS AND RENTERS.
UM, AND SO, UH, I REALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THOSE STORIES BEING, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, THERE'S SECURITY DEPOSITS BEING, BEING, UH, TAKEN, UH, IN ORDER TO REPAIR, UM, UNITS, UH, AND, UH, LANDLORDS ESSENTIALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE CHAOS OF THE SITUATION, UM, IN ORDER TO, UM, MAKE A BUCK.
UM, AND SO WE REALLY ENCOURAGE, UH, FOLKS TO, UH, ALSO, UH, UM, OPEN, OPEN UP OPTIONS, UH, AND, AND OUTREACH FOR, FOR LEGAL SUPPORT FOR, FOR, FOR THE TENANTS AS WELL, BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY A, A 10 AN ISSUE OF THE RIGHTS OF TENANTS.
UM, THANK YOU, UH, AND, UH, HAVE A GOOD EVENING.
NANCY ESNO, FOLLOWED BY JOSE LOPEZ, FOLLOWED BY, UH, GEORGE CHANG.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCILMAN.
I'M NANCY ESNO, BUSINESS OWNER AT THREE 40 NATIONAL CITY OF BOULEVARD, SAN DIEGO LEATHER, WHERE WE HAD ROOF DAMAGE AND WERE ALMOST FLOODED.
THE FLOODS WERE A DISASTER FOR TENANTS AND APARTMENT OWNERS, ESPECIALLY THE OWNERS OF SMALL UNITS, SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES AND DUPLEXES.
THESE PEOPLE ARE TRYING AS HARD AS POSSIBLE TO GET THE UNITS HABITABLE, BUT THEY'RE ALSO STRUGGLING WITH CASHFLOW PROBLEMS AND INSURANCE COMPANY DENIALS, LACK OF INSURANCE, THE INABILITY TO BORROW ON UNITS WITH NO INCOME.
I'M SUGGESTING THAT YOU NOT MAKE MORE LAWS EVEN THOUGH YOUR HEART IS THERE FOR THE FLOOD VICTIMS. TERMINATION OF TENANCY AND EVICTION, TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT RELOCATION BENEFITS, UM, ARE PROBLEMS THAT THE COUNTY HAS ADDRESSED AND WOULD BE BEST IF THE COUNTY CONTINUES, AND I'M SURE THAT THEY WILL STEP UP.
UM, A BETTER ROUTE IS TO MAKE A LIST OF ITEMS AVAILABLE IN THE CITY, INCLUDING HELP WITH APPLICATIONS, FINDING CLOTHING, JOB RESOURCES, FOOD, TRANSPORTATION, AND MOST OF ALL, COORDINATING WITH PEOPLE WILLING TO WORK AND POSSIBLY LETTING HIM, THEM HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THE COMMUNITY CENTER OR A PIECE OF THE LIBRARY SO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO VOLUNTEER CAN GET THERE, GIVE RIDES TO PEOPLE WHO NEED IT.
OKAY, HERE WE HAVE JOSE LOPEZ, FOLLOWED BY GEORGE CH, FOLLOWED BY MOLLY HARWOOD LOPEZ, UM, NATIONAL CITY, UM, LIKE RODRIGUEZ, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH CAST, UM, VICE MAYOR VIS SAN DIEGO, UM, UM,
[02:00:08]
UM, HIGHLAND, THE NATIONAL CITY.AND, UH, IF WE COULD HAVE, IF WE COULD HAVE THE, UH, TRANSLATOR NOW? YES.
WE'RE GETTING THEM IN THERE FOR YOU.
CARLOS OR LUISA? I, I AM A MEMBER OF A AND I'M HERE TO ASK NATIONAL CITY, UM, UH, TO PROTECT PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE THE RIGHT TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES.
UM, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE INITIATIVE I WANT THEN COUNCIL MEMBERS RODRIGUEZ AMBUSH FOR THEIR HELP.
AND, UH, VICE MAYOR AMANI, I'VE SEEN YOU OUT THERE WITH THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTING US, BUT WHAT WE TRULY NEED ARE TRUE PROTECTIONS, TRUE PROTECTIONS AGAINST UNFAIR EVICTIONS.
UM, IT IS CLEAR THAT THERE ARE INSUFFICIENT PROTECTIONS.
THERE ARE COMPANIES OUT THERE THAT ARE JUST WAITING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A CRISIS, UH, TO MAKE AN EVEN HIGHER PROFIT.
RECENT YEARS ACE HAS BEEN FIGHTING AGAINST THIS SO THAT PEOPLE CANNOT BE UNFAIRLY EVICTED FROM THEIR, UM, HOMES, FROM THEIR, UH, UNITS WHERE THEY LIVE.
UH, FOR MERELY FINANCIAL REASONS, UH, CHULA VISTA OFFERS BETTER ANTI-EVICTION PROTECTIONS.
SAN DIEGO NORTH OF US HAS STRONGER PROTECTIONS, AND EVEN THEY ARE NOT OF, WE NEED TO DO AWAY WITH THE ABILITY FOR THESE COMPANIES TO DO EVICTIONS SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF REMODELING.
THEY'RE EVICTING WHOLE COMMUNITIES SOMEWHERE, LOSING MORE AND MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BECAUSE AS SOON AS SOMEONE LEAVES A UNIT, THEY DOUBLE THE RENT OF THAT UNIT.
AND THOSE WHO WERE EVICTED OUT OF THAT UNIT HAVE NOWHERE TO GO.
THERE ARE FAMILIES THAT ARE PAYING 1500, $1,700 A MONTH.
WE EVEN HEAR OF RENTS OF 2,500, $3,000 A MONTH.
UH, RENTS ARE NOW RIDICULOUSLY HIGH, UM, HERE.
AND, AND THIS IS NOT, THE SITUATION TODAY IS NOT BEING CAUSED BY THE FLOOD, BY A NATURAL DISASTER.
IT'S BEING CAUSED BY COMPANIES WHO ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE SITUATION TO MAKE A PROFIT.
THEY SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, THE HIGHLAND VIEW IS DOING THINGS RIGHT AND IT'S NOT EVICTING PEOPLE, BUT THE ONLY REASON THEY'RE NOT EVICTING THEM IS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T DO IT.
THERE HAVE BEEN, UH, A NUMBER OF NEIGHBORS THAT CAME TOGETHER AND WENT TO THE NEWS AND ASKED FOR, UH, THE REPRESENTATIVES TO PROTECT THEM.
AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE HIGHLANDS, YOU ARE GOOD PEOPLE.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE.
I HOPE WE CAN COUNT ON YOU BECAUSE WHILE A MORATORIUM IS A GREAT FIRST STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT WE NEED ARE PERMANENT PROTECTIONS FOR OUR NATIONAL CITY RESIDENTS TO ENSURE THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING MOVING FORWARD.
NOW WE HAVE GEORGE CHING AND TO BE FOLLOWED BY MOLLY HARWOOD.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR COUNSEL.
UM, I'M GEORGE CHING WITH THE PACIFIC SOUTHWEST ASSOCIATION.
REALTORS HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE CREATION OF ANY ORDINANCE THAT WOULD CREATE DUPLICATION OR CONFUSION WITH THE EXISTING COUNTY, UH, RULES THAT ARE IN PLACE.
UH, WHAT WE WOULDN'T WANT TO HAPPEN IS HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT LOCALLY THAT SAYS, OH, HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO IF YOU DO EVICT.
BUT THE COUNTY IS ALREADY SAYING THAT YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
UM, WE DON'T WANT TO CREATE CONFUSION AND HAVE, CREATE ANY SITUATIONS THAT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED IF WE WOULDN'T HAVE CREATED THAT CONFUSION WHERE SOMEBODY THINKS THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN DO.
UM, AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED HERE SEVERAL TIMES, THAT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THEY CAN DO.
SO IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WHERE WE SHOULD SERIOUSLY INVEST IN, IN CONSIDERING EDUCATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE COUNTY, UH, RULES AND ANYTHING THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE JUST TO,
[02:05:01]
UH, MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S AWARE OF THEIR RIGHTS AND, AND OBLIGATIONS ON BOTH SIDES.UM, EDUCATION ENFORCEMENT CAN, CAN BE VERY HELPFUL IN THIS SITUATION TO, TO MINIMIZE ANY OF THE CONFUSION AND AND SECURITY THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN CAUSED.
THE OTHER THING, UM, IS WITH REGARD TO RESOURCES, WE CAN ALSO DEVOTE TIME TO LOOK INTO THE NEW RESOURCES THAT HAVE BECOME AVAILABLE.
UH, JUST YESTERDAY, AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, THE PRESIDENT DECLARED A MAJOR DISASTER HERE IN THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY.
SO WE HAVE THAT NOW THAT WE CAN APPLY AND WE CAN LOOK FOR WAYS THAT WE CAN USE THAT FOR HELPING TENANTS AND, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS AND HOMEOWNERS.
AND JUST, UH, AS ANOTHER POINT OF REFERENCE FOR, FOR THE RECORD, THE PERSON THAT THE PRESIDENT APPOINTED AS THE LOCAL COORDINATOR FOR THESE RESOURCES IS SOMEBODY BY THE NAME OF MS. N ALLISON FLER WITH FEMA.
SO IT, IT'S WORTH LOOKING INTO WHAT THE COUNTY'S DOING TO, UH, CONTACT THEM.
'CAUSE IF THEY'RE, IF FEMA'S BEING DIRECTED TO COME WORK WITH THE COUNTY, UH, TO, TO DISTRIBUTE THOSE RESOURCES, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHENEVER THAT PERSON COMES IN, CONTACTS THE COUNTY, THAT NATIONAL CITY ISN'T LEFT BEHIND OR LEFT OUT.
SO ANY CONTACTS THAT YOU ALL HAVE AT YOUR COUNTY WITH, WITH YOUR COUNTY, UH, COUNTERPARTS WOULD BE HELPFUL IN LOOKING INTO, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO CONTACT THAT PERSON AND COORDINATE WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT NASHVILLE CITY RESIDENTS, TENANTS, AND PROPERTY OWNERS CAN GET AS MUCH RESOURCE AS POSSIBLE FROM, FROM THAT AGE.
SO I WOULD SPEAK IN FAVOR OF ADDITIONAL EDUCATION AND ENFORCEMENT WITH REGARD TO THE RULES THAT ARE IN PLACE THROUGH THE COUNTY AND, AND THE STATE.
HELLO, MAYOR, CITY COUNCILMAN AND WOMAN.
UM, I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH THE SOUTHEAST SOUTH BAY DISASTER RELIEF TEAM, WHICH IS A COLLECTIVE OF GRASSROOTS NONPROFITS AND ORGANIZATIONS.
BEFORE I ECHO THE DEMANDS OF THE FLOODED VICTIMS, I URGE EVERYONE, INCLUDING THE LANDLORDS IN THIS ROOM, TO STOP SPREADING THIS FALSE NARRATIVE THAT THIS IS ALL JUST ABOUT THE HISTORIC THREE INCHES OF RAIN.
WE ALL KNEW THIS RAIN WAS COMING AND THE CITY AND COUNTY DID KNOW, YET NO ONE DID COME OUT TO THE COMMUNITY WITH SANDBAGS OR HELP CLEAR THE DRAINS OR HAVE CITY WORKERS READY.
WE HAVE A WHOLE NAVAL BASE NEXT DOOR, AND NO ONE, NOT EVEN NO HELICOPTERS, CAME TO RESCUE THE DISABLED OR ELDERLY OR IMMUNOCOMPROMISED.
SO TO JUST BLAME IT ON THE RAIN IS TO DISMISS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
THIS IS A CONVERSATION ABOUT EQUITY, NOT EQUALITY.
AND I BELIEVE WE SHOULD PROHIBIT EVICTION AND ANY RENTAL INCREASES.
AND I URGE THE CITY TO PROVIDE RELOCATION ASSISTANCE.
I ECHO THE VICTIM'S DEMANDS FOR DEPOSIT ASSISTANCE AND CREDIT REPAIR.
I URGE YOU TO UPHOLD RESIDENT'S RIGHT TO RETURN DURING THIS LOCAL EMERGENCY.
I URGE YOU TO SERVE YOUR CONSTITUENTS, TO PREPARE, TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE AFFECTED THE RESIDENTS NEED SUPPORT ON THE GROUND, ALONG WITH THIS LEGAL PROTECTION.
FOOD EFFORTS WERE LED BY COMMUNITY EFFORTS LIKE THE YMCA HARVEY FOUNDATION, THE SOUTHEAST SOUTH BAY DISASTER RELIEF TEAM, AND OTHER COMMUNITY BASED NONPROFITS.
I KEEP HEARING FROM THE COUNTY THAT THEY'LL PROMOTE SOLUTIONS.
YES, SOCIAL MEDIA AND EMAILS HELP, BUT ALONE IT'S NOT SUFFICIENT.
AS COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH SAID, WE NEED TO BRING CASEWORKERS TO THE HOTELS, ESPECIALLY BILINGUAL ONES WHO ARE TRAUMA INFORMED.
WE'VE EVEN SITTING IN LOBBIES FROM FIVE TO EIGHT EVERY DAY FOR THE PAST FOUR WEEK SERVING FOOD AND HELPING THEM THROUGH THESE FORMS. WHERE ARE YOU GUYS? I ECHO THE COMMUNITY'S COMMUNITY LEADERS' MESSAGE.
LEAN ON US AS WE ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU ALL.
WE'RE GOING DOOR TO DOOR TO THE FAMILY, SEEING EIGHT FAMILIES SQUEEZE INTO ONE HOTEL.
WE'RE DRIVING AROUND TO THE 10 HOTELS AFFECTED, AND IT'S, AND WE'RE BUILDING THE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM.
WE'RE TAKING TIME OFF OF WORK AND SCHOOL.
I'M MISSING CLASS RIGHT NOW TO HELP THE COMMUNITY REBUILD AND HEAL.
SO I PLEASE URGE YOU GUYS TO JOIN US IN THIS FIGHT FOR REBUILDING AND HEALING.
AND I PERSONALLY INVITE YOU TO COME FEED THE COMMUNITY WITH US BECAUSE WE'RE HERE AT THE HOTELS EVERY DAY, FIVE TO EIGHT.
AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU GUYS THERE WITH US.
THAT IS ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS, BUT WE HAVE ANOTHER, UH, OKAY.
WELL THERE WAS ONE HERE, BUT IT DIDN'T HAVE A NAME ON IT, SO MAYBE THAT WAS IT.
SO EARLIER SOMEBODY USED THE WORD LANDLORD AND I HEARD HISSING FROM SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THE CROWD.
AND THEN SOMEBODY ELSE WAS REFERRING TO HOW LANDLORDS OFTEN
[02:10:01]
DO NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SITUATIONS.SO IT SOUNDS LIKE PEOPLE HAVE HAD SOME EXPERIENCES IN THEIR LIFE WITH GREEDY LANDLORDS.
I'VE BEEN ILLEGALLY EVICTED TWO TIMES IN MY LIFE, DIDN'T EVEN FOLLOW THE PROCEDURES.
NOW, IN TERMS OF EVALUATING A PROPOSAL LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW, OUR STATE HAS TRANSPARENCY RULES ABOUT DISCLOSING WHAT PEOPLE'S FINANCIAL INTERESTS ARE.
SO INCOME FROM RENTALS WOULD BE DISCLOSABLE.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE FORM 700, BUT SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK THAT THEY FIND LOOPHOLES OR VARIOUS THINGS TO AVOID THAT.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHO'S, WHO'S A LANDLORD HERE.
SO I'M JUST GONNA ASK FOR ANYBODY ON THE DAIS TO RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU OWN A PROPERTY THAT YOU RENT OUT OR OFFER FOR RENTAL.
AND I'M TALKING ABOUT A HOUSE HOUSING PROPERTY.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, SO I'LL PHRASE IT AGAIN.
I THINK THAT THE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE ARE ENTITLED TO KNOW WHO HERE OWNS A HOUSING UNIT THAT THEY RENT OUT OR OFFER FOR RENTAL, NOT SEEING A COMPLETE RESPONSE.
WHO HERE OWNS A HOUSING UNIT THAT THEY RENT OUT OR OFFER FOR RENT? OKAY, LAST TIME.
WHO HERE OWNS A HOUSING UNIT THAT THEY RENT OUT OR OFFER FOR RENT? OKAY.
UM, STAY TUNED FOR THE MARCH MEETING 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA NAME NAMES ON THAT.
THE UNION TRIBUNE RECOGNIZED OVER THE WEEKEND ON SUNDAY THAT ONE OF THE MAIN CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS HOUSING CRISIS IS THE FACT THAT WE SIMPLY CANNOT BUILD HOUSING FAST ENOUGH.
AND SO, WHILE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ORDINANCE ABOUT WHAT TO DO FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT TO TRY TO MITIGATE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT ARE CAUSED BY THE HOUSING CRISIS, I THINK ALL OF YOU ARE AWARE THAT THE HOUSING CRISIS IS THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM.
AND THE UNION TRIBUNE POINTED OUT THAT IF GOVERNMENTS WERE SERIOUS ABOUT DEALING WITH HOMELESSNESS AND DEALING WITH THE HOUSING CRISIS, THEY WOULD BE VERY RAPIDLY BRINGING IN PREFABRICATED UNITS, ALSO KNOWN AS MOBILE HOMES INTO AREAS AND SITING, S-I-T-I-N-G, THOSE AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT NASTY LITTLE FEMA TRAILERS, I'M TALKING ABOUT UNITS THAT ARE TWO BEDROOM, ONE BATH OR TWO BEDROOM, TWO BATH, OR THREE BEDROOM, TWO BATH.
THESE THINGS ARE VERY INEXPENSIVE COMPARED TO SITE BUILT.
AND SO I WOULD ASK THAT AT A FUTURE TIME, AFTER YOU'RE FINISHED WITH THIS ORDINANCE ISSUE, THAT YOU PREPARE A PLAN TOWARD TRYING TO EXPAND THE AVAILABILITY OF THOSE TYPES OF HOMES THAT ARE, THEY'RE BRAND NEW, THEY'RE NEWLY MANUFACTURED, THEY WOULD BE SIGHTED.
THEY ARE JUST LIKE, IF YOU'RE INSIDE, YOU HAVE NO IDEA YOU'RE NOT IN A SITE-BUILT HOUSE.
THE, UH, OKAY, SO THAT IS ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS.
UM, WITH THAT THEN, UM, CITY ATTORNEY, SINCE YOU STARTED THIS OFF, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS TO BE MADE ON ANY OF THAT? UM, NO, I DON'T THINK I DO.
STAFF, ANYTHING IN SPECIFIC? NOTHING, MAYOR.
THEN I WANT TO OPEN IT UP TO THE COUNCIL AND, UH, MEMBER RODRIGUEZ, SO YOUR HAND GO UP.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STAFF IN, UH, PUTTING THIS PRESENTATION TOGETHER AND THIS DISCUSSION.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE GET KIND OF CAUGHT UP IN SOME DETAILS AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO GO BACK TO WHY WE'RE HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND WHAT I REMEMBER THE DAY AFTER THE FLOOD IS, UM, VISITING FAMILIES, VISITING INDIVIDUALS, HELPING THEM MOVE THEIR THINGS OUT OF THEIR HOMES, WHICH WERE COMPLETELY DEVASTATED.
THEY WERE JUST IN DISBELIEF, IN DISARRAY.
AND TWO OF OUR COMPLEXES THAT WE WERE IN TOUCH WITH SAID, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THE RESIDENTS.
WE HAVE INSURANCE, IT'LL BE FINE.
AND THEN A COUPLE DAYS LATER, THEY WERE GHOSTED, DOZENS OF FAMILIES WERE NOT IN COMMUNICATION, COULDN'T GET IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY.
AND THEN A COUPLE DAYS AFTER THAT, WERE GIVING AN EVICTION NOTICE.
THEY RECEIVED THE EVICTION NOTE IN, IN WRITING STATING THAT THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY WAS RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY RED TAGGED THEIR UNIT.
AND, UM, THAT'S WHAT WAS HANDED TO FAMILIES.
AND SO I THINK CONTEXT IS IMPORTANT OF WHY WE'RE HERE.
UM, I'M HAPPY AND GLAD THAT THE COUNTY WAS ABLE TO ACT SO QUICKLY, UH, AND THAT FOLLOWING TUESDAY, HAVE AN EMERGENCY MEETING WHERE FOUR OF THE SUPERVISORS SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING.
WE CAN'T HAVE PEOPLE BE EVICTED AS A RESULT OF THIS FLOOD.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO
[02:15:01]
HAVE RIGHTS DURING THIS TIME.AND THOSE RIGHTS NEED TO BE CEMENTED BECAUSE OF THE AMBIGUITY THAT EXISTED.
SO I THINK THAT'S CRITICAL AND IMPORTANT.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT GOVERNMENTS SHOULD DO IN TIMES OF CRISIS.
AND I THINK THAT'S, I'M, I'M DISAPPOINTED, DISAPPOINTED, DISHEARTENED UPSET THAT WE HAVEN'T ACTED.
IT'S BEEN A MONTH NOW SINCE THE FLOOD, A MONTH FLOOD HAPPENED JANUARY 22ND.
THERE'S CLEARLY STILL AMBIGUITY THAT EXISTS IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, IN TERMS OF THEIR RIGHTS.
EVERYBODY'S HOLDING ON TO THIS, UH, DEADLINE FROM THE COUNTY, THAT EX THAT EXTENDS ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE END OF MARCH.
BUT AFTER THAT, IT'S, IT'S FAIR GAME.
SO I, I REALLY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US AS A CITY TO LISTEN TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO ACT AND TO ASSIST FAMILIES THAT ARE IN NEED.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, UM, I THINK OUR CITY HAS BEEN VERY, UH, SUPPORTIVE OF LANDLORDS AS WELL.
LIKE OUR, OUR CITY MANAGER HAS BEEN TALKING TO MANY, OUR CITY ATTORNEY HAS BEEN TALKING TO MANY AND ASSIST THEM, PROVIDE THEM THE PERMITS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE SO THEY CAN, UH, UH, REBUILD THEIR UNITS.
WE'VE EVEN ALSO PROVIDED HOUSING VOUCHERS TO FAMILIES THAT WERE IMPACTED, PLACING THAT BURDEN OFF OF THE LANDLORD.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE TO GO IN THIS WITH LIKE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER.
UM, BUT, BUT SOME OF THE ACTIONS FROM THE LANDLORDS ARE, ARE UNCALLED FOR.
AND, AND THEY COST AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF DISTRESS AMONG OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S, IT'S NOT OKAY TO DO THAT AT A TIME OF CRISIS.
IT'S, IT WASN'T JUST HAPPENING IN NATIONAL CITY, IT WAS HAPPENING COUNTYWIDE, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE A COUNTYWIDE ORDINANCE, BUT WE'RE NOT SURE HOW THAT'S GONNA GO IN THE FUTURE.
SO I'M VERY MUCH SUPPORTIVE OF HAVING OUR OWN ORDINANCE SO THAT WE CAN GIVE PEACE OF MIND FOR OUR TENANTS, THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE DISPLACED PAST THE COUNTY ORDINANCE.
UM, AND I ALSO, I I HOPE THAT THIS DOESN'T COME ACROSS AS LIKE, UM, ANTI-DEVELOPMENT.
'CAUSE THIS IS A, A CONTENTIOUS ISSUE THAT'S COME ACROSS THIS LAST MONTH.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE A STEP BACK WHEN TALKING ABOUT THIS DEVELOPMENT AND WHAT THIS COUNCIL HAS SUPPORTED OVER THE LAST YEAR.
UM, WE ARE NOW GONNA FINALIZE OUR HOUSE, NATIONAL CITY PROGRAM, WHICH, UM, IS PART OF THE GENERAL PLAN THAT'LL BE THIS SUMMER, ESSENTIALLY ALLOWING TO BUILD 30 PLUS UNITS ON WHAT USED TO BE 10,000 SQUARE FOOT LOTS ON TRANSIT CORRIDORS IN THE CITY.
WE WANT DEVELOPMENT, WE ENCOURAGE DEVELOPMENT.
WE ARE NOW REBUILDING OUR BUILDING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENTS.
WE HAVE, UH, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF FACING OUT CONTRACTORS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE BUILDING OFFICIALS THAT ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO OUR CITY.
SO WE CAN GIVE, UM, UH, PERMITS IN A TIMELY MANNER.
NOT LIKE WE, WE'VE HAD A HISTORY OF NOT GIVING PERMITS ON TIME.
WE, WE'VE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS OF BUILDING.
NOW WE'RE GONNA BUILD OVER 250 UNITS, NEARLY 250 UNITS IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THAT'S GONNA BE JUST FOR NATIONAL CITY RESIDENTS OVER THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF.
AND, AND THE 200 UNITS OR SO THAT COULD BE BUILT ON CITY PROPERTY, WHICH WILL GO OUT FOR RFPS IN THE COMING MONTHS.
AND WE, WE WANT DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK, I THINK IT'S A PART OF HAVING A BALANCED APPROACH, REALIZING THAT WE ARE IN A HOUSING CRISIS, REALIZING THAT WE NEED TO DEVELOP AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DEVELOPMENT TAKES PLACE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, LET'S HAVE A HEART.
WE CAN'T DISPLACE PEOPLE DURING A TIME OF CRISIS.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LISTEN TO OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO HELP EVERYBODY AT THIS TIME AND JUST, UM, IT, IT DOESN'T TAKE THAT MUCH EFFORT TO JUST LISTEN AND TO WORK HARD AND TO VISIT COMMUNITY AND REALIZE THAT THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE IN THEIR LIVES AND WE HAVE TO HELP 'EM THROUGH IT.
SO, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, GO FORWARD WITH RECOMMENDATION NUMBER ONE.
THAT'S TO DIRECT STAFF TO PREPARE A LOCAL EMERGENCY ORDINANCE WITH SPECIFIC PROVISIONS.
I'M NOT HEARING A SECOND AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
THANK YOU, MR. THE OVERALL SUBJECT.
UM,
DURING THAT DAY, WE DID, PLEASE DON'T SAY WE DIDN'T DO, BECAUSE WE WERE ALL OUT THERE.
WE SPENT ABOUT 160,000 HELPING PEOPLE.
IT'S THE FLOOD THAT DISPLACED THE LOCATION THAT THEY WERE LIVING IN.
SO WE DID A LOT FOR THEM AT THE VERY, VERY MINIMUM RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE HAD DURING THE TIME THAT WE WERE ALL SURPRISED IT HAPPENED.
I WAS ON, ON THE, UM, PARADISE VALLEY ROAD
[02:20:01]
ON EIGHTH STREET, THOSE FIVE HOMES, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, TAKING VIDEOS, TALKING TO SHERRY GOGI, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YELLING ON HER, ON HER, ON THE OTHER LINE AND SAID, ARE YOU OKAY? WE WERE THERE.WE WERE NOT ABLE TO SWIM WITH THAT FLOW OF WATER, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO HELP THEM HOWEVER WE COULD.
THE DISPLACEMENT IS NOT CAUSED BY THE CITY, YOU KNOW, STAFF, WERE THERE ASSISTANCE, UM, THAT WE HAVE HAD, YOU KNOW, MEAN, AND WE ALL KNOW THIS BECAUSE WE CALL OUR CITY MANAGER, EVEN IN THE WEE HOURS OF THE MORNING TRYING TO HELP FIND A LOCATION FOR THOSE HOMEOWNERS WHO, WHO WERE DISPLACED.
I WAS CALLING DIRECTOR AGUIRE AT LIKE 12 MIDNIGHT ASKING FOR, IS THERE A ROOM FOR THIS HOMEOWNER? BECAUSE SHE WAS DISPLACED.
SO WE WERE, WE DID THE BEST WE COULD AT THAT TIME THAT WE WERE, WE WERE, UM, WE WERE, UH, IN THAT, IN THAT SITUATION, AS LEADERS OF THIS COMMUNITY, THERE ARE LAWS IN PLACE.
UM, THAT HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, I MEAN WITH, WITH WHAT THE COUNTY HAS DONE.
UM, I THINK TO RUSH ON THIS, ON THIS, UM, ORDINANCE, WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO, UM, DO FURTHER, FURTHER EVALUATION AND FURTHER STUDY ON WHAT DO WE REALLY NEED TO DO AS A CITY? NOT BECAUSE LET US NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SITUATION TO PUNISH THE OTHERS.
WE DID WHAT WE CAN DO AT THE TIME THAT WE CAN, WE DID OUR BEST.
SO PLEASE DON'T SAY WE DID NOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE WE DID MEMBER MARINA, AND I THINK IT WAS MEMBER BUSH.
UH, AGAIN, THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION.
AND I, UH, MY HEART GOES OUT TO FOLKS WHO LOST EVERYTHING.
UM, IT, IT IS UNIMAGINABLE TO ME TO GO THROUGH THIS SITUATION.
UM, RESOURCES ARE LIMITED, UH, INCLUDING THE RESOURCES THAT HERE AT THE CITY THAT WHAT, WHAT WE CAN PROVIDE.
UM, I, I WANNA BE CAREFUL AND, UM, I THINK I HEARD SOME INDIVIDUALS SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW UNFAIR THE TREATMENT IS FROM SOME LANDLORDS, BUT THE REALITY IS, IS NOT ALL LANDLORDS ALL CAN BE PAINTED WITH THAT BRUSH.
UM, I AM INTERESTED, THERE WAS A CALL FROM ONE OF THE CALL, UH, THE SPEAKERS SAYING, LET'S BE SCIENTIFIC ABOUT THIS.
SO I ACTUALLY DO WANT TO GET DATA, IF IT IS, UM, THAT WE ARE GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH A, UH, ORDINANCE, UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT IS NOT PUNITIVE TO, UM, TO EITHER SIDE.
I MEAN, AT THIS POINT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANNA PUNISH THE GOOD LANDLORDS, RIGHT? I MEAN, IT, IT'S DIFFICULT TO, TO FIND A, A WAY TO BE FAIR WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THE, THE, THE DATA.
AND, AND SO I ACTUALLY WOULD LIKE, IF THE CITY HAS THE DATA AVAILABLE TO SHARE WITH US, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT GETS SAID, AND THEN IT'S CONSIDERED FACT.
WELL, IS IT FACT, I I WANNA KNOW, UM, HOW MANY FOLKS IN NATIONAL CITY ARE, UH, UH, OWNER OCCUPIED? I THINK THERE WAS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT SAID 70% OF THE FOLKS THAT LIVE IN NATIONAL CITY ARE ACTUALLY, UM, OWNER OCCUPIED, UH, HOMES.
I MEAN, IS THAT TRUE? IS THAT, OR LOOK THE OTHER WAY AROUND? OKAY, THANK YOU.
I WANNA KNOW, UM, HOW, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY OF THESE LANDLORDS ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, SINGLE FAMILY, THEY HAVE A ONE HOME, ONE HOUSE THAT THEY ARE RENTING OUT TO ANOTHER FAMILY.
UM, AND THEN I WANNA KNOW WHO ARE THE CORPORATE ONES? YOU KNOW, HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS ACTUALLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, 10 PLUS UNITS THAT THEY ARE RENTING OUT AND, AND ARE THEY, UM, YOU KNOW, ARE THESE INDIVIDUALS EVEN IN THE STATE? UH, THIS INFORMATION IS HELPFUL SO THAT WE DO HAVE AN IDEA OF, UM, SOME OF THE FACTS AND NOT NECESSARILY PAINTING EVERYBODY WITH ONE BROAD STROKE, BECAUSE IT, UM, IT ISN'T, IT ISN'T FAIR TO DO THAT.
IT'S, IT'S, UM, NOT ETHICAL TO DO THAT.
LET ME, LET ME, UH, FLIP THE COIN HERE.
IF, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS SOMEBODY UP HERE THAT CAME UP AND SAID, OH, YOU KNOW, RENTERS, THEY NEVER PAY ON TIME.
THAT'S A HUGE BROAD STROKE THAT IS BEING PAINTED ACROSS AN ENTIRE GROUP THAT IS VERY DIFFERENT.
SO IT WOULD NOT BE FAIR TO SAY, OH, RENTERS, THEY, ALL OF THEM NEVER PAY ON
[02:25:01]
TIME.I, I WANT THE SAME FOR THE LANDLORDS.
HOW MANY OF THEM ARE TRULY, UM, AS TERRIBLE AS YOU COULD IMAGINE? AND, UM, AND, AND HOW MANY OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY FAIR AND TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING? UH, I AM VERY SENSITIVE TO RENTERS.
MY FAMILY RENTED FOR, FOR THE, MY ENTIRE CHILDHOOD.
IT, IT, UM, UH, MY HUSBAND AND I, MY FAMILY AND I, UH, IMMEDIATE FAMILY.
WE, YOU KNOW, THANKFULLY, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY IT.
I, I'M VERY GRATEFUL THAT WE ARE ABLE TO NOW, UM, HAVE A MORTGAGE AND WE'RE PAYING OFF OUR HOUSE, RIGHT? UM, BUT I REMEMBER BEING A RENTER, AND I REMEMBER HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS TO HAVE THIS FEAR THAT IF WE DON'T MAKE THE RENT AT THE END OF THE MONTH, SOMETHING TERRIBLE IS GONNA HAPPEN.
I HAVE LIVED THROUGH THAT FEAR, AND I DO AGREE THAT IT IS NOT FAIR, UH, YOU KNOW, TO PUT THAT TYPE OF ANXIETY OVER ANYBODY.
BUT NOW THAT I AM A HOMEOWNER, UH, IF, IF I NOW HAD A HOME THAT HAD BEEN STRIPPED, AND NOW I HAD TO FIGURE OUT HOW AM I GOING TO REPAIR IT SO THAT I CAN COME BACK AND LIVE THERE, UH, THAT IS ALSO SOMETHING I, MY HEART GOES OUT TO INDIVIDUALS WHO JUST, YOU KNOW, ARE TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT.
UM, I DO SUPPORT THE MOTION WITH, UH, UM, AND I IDEA.
AND THE IDEA IS I DO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE PROTECTIONS IN PLACE ALREADY.
AND, UM, YES, THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS VIA THE COUNTY'S ORDINANCE.
UM, AND THERE IS AN END DATE TO THAT ORDINANCE.
AND, UM, WHO KNOWS, MAYBE THAT ORDINANCE FROM THE CITY MAY ACTUALLY GET EXTENDED, YOU KNOW, BASED ON ONGOING INFORMATION.
TODAY, RIGHT NOW, WE FOUND OUT THERE'S ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE THAT WILL BE COMING TO OUR COMMUNITIES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, ALL OF THIS INFORMATION IS FRESH.
WE STILL DON'T KNOW HOW DOES THAT AFFECT THE COUNTY'S ORDINANCE? OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT MORE IS GONNA CHANGE THE CURRENT SITUATION NOW THAT, THAT WE DON'T KNOW YET.
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, FOR US TO CONSIDER, UM, TO HAVE THE CITY WORK TOWARD A SOLUTION THAT WOULD ONLY GO INTO EFFECT IF NEEDED, UH, BASED ON THE MOVEMENT OF THAT COUNTY MORATORIUM.
UM, AND THEN IN THE MEANTIME, WE CAN CONTINUE WITH THE ASSISTANCE THAT IS AVAILABLE, UM, AGAIN, KNOWING THAT RESOURCES ARE LIMITED, UM, NOT DUPLICATING EFFORTS.
UH, FIRST OFF, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ FOR TAKING, UH, THE LEAD ON, ON THIS EFFORT, UM, IN ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS WITH, UH, THE FLOOD RESPONSE AND JUST ON THE POLICY, UM, AND, AND YOUR WORK WITH, UH, SUPERVISOR NORA VARGAS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I SPOKE TO HER AS WELL, AND SHE ENCOURAGED US TO DO AND DIDN'T THINK IT'D BE D UH, DUPLICATIVE.
UM, SO I, UM, I DO SUPPORT THIS.
I ALSO WANNA THANK OUR CITY STAFF AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR PREPARING THIS AND, AND GIVING US THESE OPTIONS.
UM, AND, AND LOOK FROM THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, THERE'S A BIG DIVERSITY OF OPINIONS HERE.
UM, AND, UM, AND JUST TO BE CLEAR ON, ON THIS, I SUPPORT OPTION ONE.
I DON'T WANT TO PUNISH THE LANDLORDS FOR THE FLOOD RESPONSE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT, I DON'T THINK ANY OF US WANT TO, UH, PUNISH THE LANDLORDS.
I WANT, WHAT I WANT IS JUSTICE FOR THE TENANTS AND THE, UH, THE HOUSEHOLDS OF FAMILIES THAT ARE, UM, HOMEOWNERS AND THEY'RE OCCUPYING THEIR HOUSEHOLDS.
LIKE, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WANT.
AND THAT'S NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE WITH A AGAINST, UH, THE LANDLORDS.
AND SO I, UM, I, I DO HOPE THAT MY, MY COLLEAGUES, I REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, LUIS MOLINA, THAT YOU SUPPORTING SOME OF THESE, UH, CONCEPTS.
UM, BUT I WANT TO ENCOURAGE ALL, ALL MY COLLEAGUES TO, TO LET'S MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
THIS ISN'T GONNA BE ADOPTED RIGHT AWAY.
WE STILL HAVE TO BRING BACK THE INFORMATION, THE STAFF, BUT THIS IS A CRISIS.
THIS ISN'T AN UNPRECEDENTED CRISIS.
UM, AND THE INTENT ISN'T TO PUNISH LANDLORDS, BUT I DON'T THINK ANYTHING HERE IS UNREASONABLE.
UM, AND LET'S REMEMBER THAT AGAIN, 70% OF OUR POPULATION IS RENTERS.
THAT'S THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR, OUR, OUR PEOPLE.
AND, AND WE NEED TO PROTECT THEM.
AND IN MY OPINION, THERE AREN'T ENOUGH RENTER PROTECTIONS IN THE STATE.
SO WHEN OUR, YOU KNOW, LANDLORDS, THEY CAN RAISE RENTS HOWEVER THEY WANT.
I HAVE A NEIGHBOR THAT RAISED, UH, THEIR RENTS ON THEIR TENANT, A THOUSAND DOLLARS.
UM, AND THEIR INSURANCE DIDN'T GO UP THAT MUCH, I'LL TELL YOU.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEIR, UM, THEIR, THEIR COST DIDN'T GO UP BY THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, WAS PROFIT.
BUT WHO'S TAKING CARE OF THE FAMILIES THAT ARE SPENDING MORE THAN A THIRD, OR SOME OF THEM HALF OF THEIR INCOME'S ON RENT.
[02:30:01]
SO THAT'S KIND OF ALREADY, IN MY OPINION, AND WHAT I'VE SEEN IN THE COMMUNITY HERE, THEY'RE ALREADY AT A DISADVANTAGE.AND SO ADD THIS FLOOD TO IT, AND IT'S, UM, WE, WE REALLY HAVE TO PROTECT THEM.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE WITH WHAT YOU GUYS ARE, UH, TRYING TO DO IN PROTECTING YOUR, YOUR, YOUR, UH, LANDLORDS AND, AND BUSINESSES THERE.
SO I, I WANT THIS DISCUSSION TO, TO COME BACK.
I, I, I ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT AND, AND BRING IN THIS BACK SO WE CAN GET THE DETAILS.
UM, ONE OF THE ITEMS JUST GOING POINT BY POINT, UM, UH, THE, UH, ON THE FIRST RITE OF REFUSAL, I, I DON'T SEE WHAT THE CONTROVERSY IS THERE.
THE FLOOD IS NOT THE FAULT OF THE TENANTS.
AND SO WHY WOULD THERE, UM, WHY COULDN'T THEY COME BACK TO THEIR, TO THEIR HOME? WHY? I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
AND I WOULD LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, THE, SOME OF THE FOLKS, UH, UH, THAT ARE REPRESENTING THE LANDLORD, SOME OF THE BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS CON CONVINCE ME WHY, UH, WHY AN EXTRA, UH, PROTECTION AND POLICY, UH, THAT PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO RETURN.
THAT'S WHY THAT'S A RADICAL THING.
SO I'M OPEN TO BEING CONVINCED, BUT AT THIS POINT, UM, UH, I, I DON'T, I, I DON'T SEE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
ANOTHER ISSUE THAT I SUPPORT, UM, IS, UM, ON HERE IS, UH, THE RENT IS NOT HAVING RENT INCREASES WHEN THEY COME BACK.
AND THE REASON WHY THEIR, THEIR RENTS WOULDN'T BE ANY DIFFERENT HAD THE FLOOD NOT HAPPEN.
SO I, I JUST, I SEE IT AS IF, IF YOU, IF YOU GUYS, OR IF FOLKS DO WANT, IF LANDLORDS WANT TO RAISE THE RENTS ON THE, THE TENANTS COMING BACK FROM THE FLOOD AND FROM THEIR DAMAGE, I JUST WANT THE JUSTIFICATION ON ON WHY.
AND, AND TO ME, BECAUSE TO ME, THEY SEEM LIKE THEY'RE BEING PUNISHED.
AND, AND I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
UM, THE OTHER, UM, SOME OF THE OTHER, UH, ITEMS, YOU KNOW, I'M OPEN.
I, I'D REALLY LIKE A, A DEBATE, A DISCUSSION ON THIS, UH, FROM MY, MY COLLEAGUES ON HERE.
WHAT YOU HAVE CONCERNS WITH, WHAT YOU DON'T.
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE BOLD IN, IN, UM, PROTECTING OUR TENANTS, PROTECTING OUR PEOPLE.
I'M OPEN TO SOME OF THE ITEMS LIKE THE SUNSET CLAUSE PROVISION.
I'M OPEN TO ANY IDEAS FROM ANY OF THE LANDLORDS HERE.
UH, THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN, AND THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING UP.
UH, THE, UM, A GENTLEMAN THAT OWNS A, A PROPERTY IN NATIONAL CITY THAT LOST 25,000.
AND AS THERE ARE LANDLORDS THAT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SITUATIONS, THEY EXIST, NOT ALL, BUT PEOPLE THAT, UH, DO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CRISES.
THERE ARE ALSO TENANTS THAT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
AND WE DON'T WANT THAT EITHER.
SO WHATEVER IDEAS YOU ALL HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT NOBODY IS EXPLOITING THIS DISASTER.
UM, WHETHER IT'S TENANTS OR LANDLORDS.
I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT HERE.
SO I'M OPEN TO, UH, WHAT THE, WHAT THE POLICY, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
BUT I, I REALLY, I, I ASK FROM MY COLLEAGUES, PLEASE SUPPORT THIS OPTION ONE AND STAFF MOVING FORWARD ON HERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF DETAILS WE STILL NEED TO WORK OUT.
UM, AND SOME OF THESE PROVISIONS, MAYBE THEY'RE DROPPED.
MAYBE THERE'S, THERE'S CONFLICTS HERE.
OUR COMMUNITY WAS, UH, THE PER CAPITA, THE ONE OF THE HARDEST, IF NOT THE HARDEST CITY, UH, HIT BY THIS FLOOD.
AND SO I, I REALLY THINK WE NEED TO, UH, PROTECT, UH, PROTECT PEOPLE AND, AND PRIORITIZE THAT.
UH, MR. MAYOR, THERE WAS A, UH, STATEMENT THAT OUR COUNCIL HAD READ EARLIER WITH REGARDS TO WORKING WITH, UM, I DIDN'T GET THAT.
COUNCIL, WOULD YOU REPEAT THAT, PLEASE? SO, I THINK THE STATEMENT YOU ARE REFERRING TO IS THE DIRECTION THAT THE COUNTY GOT AS PART OF THEIR EMERGENCY ORDINANCE ADOPTION.
AND THAT LANGUAGE WAS TO DIRECT THE INTERIM CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO AVOID UNJUST EVICTIONS AND OR PROVIDE RENTAL OR OTHER ASSISTANCE TO THOSE AFFECTED BY THE STORM.
A PLAN MAY INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL ORDINANCE TO PROTECT UNJUST EVICTIONS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, AS WELL AS OTHER POSSIBILITIES.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE A BETTER RESOLUTION, UM, IN ORDER FOR US TO BE, TO HAVE A STRONGER HOLD BECAUSE WE HAVE THE COUNTY THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, DO THE STUDY FOR US.
UM, AND SO I WOULD, IF I WOULD MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION, MR. CHAIRMAN, TO FOLLOW THAT DIRECTION FROM THE COUNTY WITH REGARDS TO, UM, TO, UM, THE STUDY OR THE, UM, WORKING WITH THE LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS, THAT'S US.
WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO, TO GET OUT FROM THEM WITH THE RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE.
WE HAVE LESS RESOURCES HERE AS A CITY.
SO WORKING WITH THE COUNTY WITH MORE RESOURCES PLUS
[02:35:01]
THE FEMA GOVERNMENT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT WOULD SUPPORT THE COUNTY, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M IN DIRECTION.I THINK I WOULD RATHER GO WITH THAT MOTION.
IF YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, REPEAT THAT, MAYOR.
THAT WOULD BE MY SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, ARE YOU BASICALLY SAYING ALTERNATIVE TWO AS OPPOSED ALTERNATIVE ONE? WELL, MR. MAYOR, ALTERNATIVE TWO IS, UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE, BUT I LIKE, I LIKE THAT LANGUAGE BETTER.
I LIKE THAT LANGUAGE BETTER, MAYOR.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND ON THAT? DON'T SEE A SECOND AT THE MOMENT.
NUMBER OF THINGS, THE, UH, I MEAN, WE ALL GOT HIT WITH THE STORM AND I KNOW SOME PEOPLE ARE MAKING A LOT OF CLAIMS AS FACTUAL THAT DON'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY REAL BASIS.
IN FACT, UM, THE, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE, YOU KNOW, SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE GOT HIT WITH THREE INCHES OF RAIN AND WE KNEW IT, WE KNEW ABOUT IT AHEAD OF TIME.
WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PREPARED FOR IT THE NIGHT BEFORE, THE WEATHER SERVICE WAS TELLING US THAT ON THE COAST WE COULD EXPECT UP TO THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH OF RAIN.
AND ACTUALLY THE THREE INCHES OF RAIN WAS IN, WITHIN A THREE HOUR PERIOD THAT DAY, WE GOT 4.21 INCHES IN NATIONAL CITY, NOT UP TO THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH.
UH, SO NOBODY WAS PREPARED FOR THAT OR COULD HAVE BEEN PREPARED FOR THAT.
UM, THERE WAS PREPARATION DONE BY OUR CREWS ON ALL THE DRAINS AND EVERYTHING.
PROBLEM IS A LOT OF THE WATER COMES IN OUTSIDE OF OUR CITY, PARTICULARLY FROM CITY OF SAN DIEGO.
AND JUST AS THEY HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS OVER ON JOYOUS CREEK, WE HAD PROBLEMS. ONCE THAT STUFF STARTED ENTERING IN, NOW WE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH PROBLEM NOW.
WHY? 'CAUSE THAT ALL GOT CLEARED OUT.
WE COULD, WE COULD NOT HAVE, UH, NOWHERE NEAR THE PROBLEM THAT WE DID THEN, BECAUSE ALL THAT STUFF'S BEEN CLEARED OUT OF CITY OF SAN DIEGO AND WE'VE HAD TO CLEAN IT UP AND HAUL IT AWAY.
UM, AND EVERY ONE OF US WERE OUT THERE.
NOW, SOME OF US WERE NOT IN THE SAME AREAS AS OTHER, OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND STAFF AND EVERYTHING ELSE WERE AT.
AND, BUT EVERY ONE OF US WERE OUT THERE WORKING AND DOING STUFF IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF TOWN.
IT WAS NOT ALL JUST IN ONE SPOT.
WE HAD OVER, UH, OVER 200 HOUSING UNITS THAT WERE AFFECTED, NOT JUST 44 OR 22 ACTUALLY.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND THAT NEEDS TO BE REALIZED.
THERE WAS, THERE WAS PLENTY OF WORK FOR ALL OF US AROUND.
YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING IS DEALING WITH, YOU KNOW, THE CITY DOING MORE.
AND IN PARTICULARLY IN, IN REACHING OUT AND EVERYTHING ELSE, WE ARE GONNA DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN WITH THE RESOURCES WE HAVE.
AT THE SAME TIME, REALIZING HOW, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, HOW GOVERNMENT IS SET UP.
UH, THAT TYPE OF WORK IS DONE THROUGH HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, UH, IS DONE THROUGH, UH, THE WHOLE HEALTH SYSTEM.
AND GUESS WHAT, YOU KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY CITIES OUR SIZE GET FOR THAT ZERO HERE IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY, THE COUNTY GETS ALMOST ENTIRELY ALL OF THAT CITY OF SAN DIEGO DOES, ONLY BECAUSE THEY'RE A CITY OVER 500,000 THAT THEY CAN RECEIVE SOME, BUT ALL THE OTHER CITIES GET ZERO.
SO IT LIMITS OUR RESOURCES AND WE NEED TO PUT ONCE AGAIN, AND COUNTY HAS BEEN STEPPING UP, THEY PROBABLY NEED TO STEP UP A LOT MORE.
BUT YOU JUST REALIZING THAT THAT'S WHERE OUR RESOURCES ARE AT.
WE'VE GOT STAFF PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT WORKING EVERY DAY.
WE'VE GOT MORE STUFF CALLED IN TODAY ABOUT THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE AND ON THIS STREET AND ON THAT STREET, AND THEY'RE OUT WORKING.
THAT'S THE, THE CREWS THAT WE HAVE.
AND THEY'RE GONNA CONTINUE AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO TRY TO GET INFORMATION OUT.
THERE'S AT THE SAME TIME, THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LIKE TO MOBILIZE PEOPLE A LOT OF TIMES AND A LOT OF MISINFORMATION GETS OUT.
UM, AND A LOT OF GASLIGHTING GETS DONE.
AND WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF THAT.
UH, THAT DOESN'T HELP OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S NOT GONNA SOLVE A PROBLEM.
IT MAY MAKE A FEW PEOPLE HAPPY THAT LIKE TO DO THAT, BUT IT'S NOT GONNA SOLVE PROBLEMS. IT WAS MENTIONED ABOUT HOW A LOT OF OUR FAMILIES ARE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK.
GUESS WHAT? A BUNCH OF PROPERTY OWNERS ARE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK.
ALSO, NOT EVERY PROPERTY OWNER, LIKE I WAS MENTIONED A WHILE AGO, IS SOME CORP OUTER CITY CORPORATION.
A MAJORITY, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE 70% RENTALS, THE MAJORITY OF OUR RENTAL OWNERS ARE MOM AND
[02:40:01]
POPS.UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THEM ARE, ARE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK ALSO.
AND SO THAT HAS TO BE DEALT WITH.
THERE'S, AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF THESE GENERALIZATIONS ARE MADE.
I HEARD SOME THINGS STATING, WELL, THIS IS FACT AND I CAN PROVE IT.
BRING US THE PROOF, NOT THE ACCUSATION.
UH, IF THERE ARE BAD APPLES OUT THERE, INSTEAD OF GIVING US ANECDOTAL STUFF, SAYING THERE'S ALL THESE BAD DEALS, THEN THAT SHOULD BE BRING THE PROOF AND LET'S, LET'S PROSECUTE 'EM.
LET'S, LET'S TAKE THEM AND LET'S, LET'S DEAL WITH THAT, THAT BAD APPLE.
BUT THERE ARE BAD APPLES AS FAR AS LANDOWNERS.
THERE ARE ALSO BAD APPLES AS FAR AS TENANTS.
AND THERE ARE GOOD TENANTS AND THERE ARE GOOD LANDOWNERS.
LET'S NOT PAINT EITHER SIDE WITH THIS BIG BROAD BRUSH JUST BECAUSE IT GETS PEOPLE EXCITED.
UM, AND SO, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A CLASS IN ECONOMIC CLASS WARFARE OR SOMETHING ALONG THAT LINE, THIS IS ABOUT A COMMUNITY AND HOW, HOW WE PULL TOGETHER.
UM, AND WE RECEIVED A BUNCH OF LETTERS THAT ARE OUR PUBLIC RECORD TODAY, BUT ARE NOT WRITTEN IN.
THEY'RE NOT READ INTO THE RECORD, BUT I'M GONNA READ PART OF ONE AND 'CAUSE THIS IS PART OF OUR RECORD, AND IT IS FROM THE ATTORNEY FOR HIGHLAND VIEW APARTMENTS.
AND HE LISTS A NUMBER OF THINGS.
ONE IS THERE ARE NO EVICTIONS THERE.
PEOPLE KEEP USING EVICTIONS IS A LEGAL TERM.
THERE HAS NO BEEN NO LEGAL EVICTION IN NATIONAL CITY.
THERE WERE UNITS THAT WERE RED TAGGED.
AND I TALKED WITH OUR SUPERVISOR THE DAY THAT THE COUNTY DID THEIR, THEIR DEAL, JUST TO GET CLARIFICATION.
AND SHE SAID SPECIFICALLY WHAT THEY WERE DEALING WITH WAS NOT RED TAG SITUATIONS THAT DID NOT COUNT IN THEIRS BECAUSE PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE LIVING IN THOSE UNITS IF IT'S BEEN RED TAGGED.
SO THERE, THAT WAS NOT, THAT WAS NOT ON THE PROPERTY OWNER.
THAT WAS THE CITY WENT IN AND RED TAGGED THOSE AS BEING UNLIVABLE AND, UH, AND SO NO ONE SHOULD LIVE IN, IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT.
UH, AND SO THEY WERE GIVEN NOTICES BY THE LANDLORD, BUT IT WAS IN RESPONSE TO THE CITY'S RED TAG.
ANOTHER THING, AND I'M READING DIRECTLY HONORING CURRENT RENTAL RATES AND SECURITY DEPOSITS AMOUNTS, WE'VE CONFIRMED IN WRITING EACH TENANT THAT THEIR CURRENT RENTAL RATES AND SECURITY DEPOSITS WILL BE HONORED ONCE IT IS SAFE FOR TENANTS TO MOVE BACK IN THEIR BUILDING.
ANOTHER THING, NO RENT COLLECTION DURING CONSTRUCTION.
WE'VE ADVISED ALL TENANTS THAT NO RENT IS BEING COLLECTED WHILE THE BUILDING IS RED TAGGED.
AND ANY AUTOMATIC RENTAL PAYMENTS THAT WERE MISTAKENLY PAID TO OUR THIRD PARTY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, UH, HAVE BEEN PROMPTLY RETURNED.
UM, THEN THEY TALK ABOUT TEMPORARY HOUSING.
THEY WERE UNDER NO RESPONSIBILITY, BUT THEY PUT UP FOR 10 DAYS OF HOUSING.
EVEN THOUGH, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE MISINFORMATIONS THAT GO OUT THERE, THERE IS WATER DAMAGE.
AND I SAW ONE OF THE NONPROFIT GROUPS THAT SUPPOSEDLY HAS LEGAL IDEAS, BUT GIVES OUT A LOT OF MISINFORMATION, KEPT TALKING ABOUT WATER DAMAGE ACCORDING TO STATE LAW.
WATER DAMAGE IS IF SOMEONE'S BATHTUB ON THE SECOND FLOOR OVERFLOWS OR IF A PIPE BREAKS IN THE WALL, THE, YEAH, THE, THE LANDLORD IS RESPONSIBLE, HAS TO PUT THEM UP IN HOUSING, HAS TO HAVE IT CORRECTED WITHIN 30 DAYS.
AND THERE'S ALL KINDS OF RESTRICTIONS ON THAT.
BUT GUESS WHAT? IF IT'S A NATURAL DISASTER, NONE OF THAT APPLIES.
SO THIS LANDLORD SAID, NO, WE'RE GONNA PUT 'EM UP FOR 10 DAYS.
THAT STARTED THE PROCESS SO WE COULD GET OTHER MONEY.
I JUST GOT WORD TODAY FROM, UH, RAMADA, THAT THOSE VOUCHERS HAVE BEEN EXTENDED NOW AS OF TODAY THROUGH IN, INTO AT LEAST THE MIDDLE OF MARCH.
AND THAT'S, BY THAT TIME, THE FEDERAL MONEY WILL START KICKING IN.
UM, AND SO THAT WE CAN KEEP PEOPLE, KEEP PEOPLE HOUSED AND THEY CAN BE SECURE.
IS IT IDEAL? NO, WE'D MUCH RATHER PUT 'EM INTO REGULAR HOUSES.
BUT GUESS WHAT? THERE AREN'T HOUSES OUT THERE.
VACANCY RATE IS LIKE ZERO IN THIS COUNTY.
AND SO THERE AREN'T HOUSES TO PUT PEOPLE INTO.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN WITH A BAD SITUATION.
UM, THE, UH, AND SO, AND AS I MENTIONED, WE GOT HIT WITH THAT HUGE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT WE WERE TOLD.
THAT WAS NOT WHAT WAS PREDICTED FOR US
[02:45:01]
AS OF THE NIGHT BEFORE.PLUS, WE HAD A SEVEN FOOT HIGH TIDE THAT MORNING.
AS WATER WAS GOING DOWN, WATER WAS COMING IN, IT HAD NO PLACE TO GO.
ONCE THE TIDE WENT DOWN THE SYSTEM, IF YOU WANNA CALL IT FLUSHED OUT, BUT BY THAT TIME, THE DAMAGE WAS DONE.
AND IT WAS NOT JUST FLOODING IN ONE AREA.
UH, I MEAN, WE HAD FLOODING ALL OVER THE CITY AND MANY, MANY HOUSES, MANY BUSINESSES, AS SOME OF 'EM WERE MENTIONED EARLIER.
AND WE'RE STILL OCCASIONALLY HEARING ABOUT A NEW ONE THAT WE WEREN'T, WEREN'T AWARE OF.
UM, AND WE'RE STILL FINDING THOSE THINGS OUT.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
AND SOME OF THE, THE THINGS I KNOW THAT IF IT IS WATER DAMAGE, THEY HAVE 30 DAYS TO REPAIR IT.
BECAUSE NORMALLY THAT INVOLVES A UNIT OR MAYBE A COUPLE OF UNITS, SOMETHING ALONG THAT LINE WITH A NATURAL DISASTER, IT INVOLVES A MUCH LARGER AREA.
GUESS WHAT? IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GET A GENERAL CONTRACT, GET A CONTRACTOR TO COME IN.
THERE'S NOT THAT MANY OF 'EM AROUND TO DO THAT LARGE SCALE TYPE WORK OVER ALL THAT AREA.
THERE IS NO TIME LIMIT ON THAT.
TRYING TO SAY, OKAY, YOU GOTTA DO IT WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DAYS.
UM, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S IN THEIR BEST INTEREST TO GET IT DONE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.
'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT CHARGING RENT.
THEY ARE TELLING THE PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE GONNA LET 'EM COME BACK IN AT THEIR CURRENT RENT.
BUT UNTIL THEY GET THOSE PLACES FIXED, THERE'S, THEY'RE NOT MAKING, THEY'RE NOT MAKING THEIR MONEY EITHER.
WHETHER IF IT'S A MOM AND POP OR IT'S A BIG CORPORATION, IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE ON THAT.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE IN THE JOB OF, OF RENTING.
SO, SO THEY, YOU KNOW, IF THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THESE BIG HIKES, WE NEED TO FIND OUT ABOUT, NOT ANECDOTAL.
LET'S FIND OUT, LET'S FIND THE ADDRESS, LET'S FIND THE DATES, LET'S FIND OUT THE PERSON, LET'S SEE THEIR NOTICE, AND THEN LET'S GO AFTER THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
BUT MAKING A BUNCH OF ANECDOTAL STATEMENTS AND GENERALIZATIONS IS NOT GONNA HELP US AS, AS A COMMUNITY.
UM, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP COULD VERY WELL, UM, UH, COULD HELP.
I DO KNOW THAT THE COUNTY WHEN, UH, LAST I TALKED WITH THE, OUR SUPERVISOR, THEY ARE HAVING STAFF COME BACK TO SEE WHAT OTHER THINGS NEED TO BE DONE OR WHAT EXTENSIONS OR WHATEVER WE DO NEED TO FIND OUT ABOUT THAT.
AND WE ALSO NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT ANY OF THESE IDEAS THAT HAVE COME UP.
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES ON BOTH SIDES? MM-HMM.
AND BEFORE WE JUST AUTOMATICALLY JUMP ON SOMETHING.
AND, UH, I KNOW THERE'S ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE THAT THEY'VE GOT A MAGIC FORMULA, BUT IT'S NORMALLY A ONE SIDE ON BOTH SIDES THAT ARE NORMALLY A MAGIC FORMULA THAT'S NOT VERY MAGICAL.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED SOMEONE USED THE TERM BALANCE.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE TAKE CARE OF OUR, UH, OF OUR RESIDENTS AND, AND THEY ARE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
NOT JUST ONE, NOT JUST ON ONE SPOT.
AND, UH, UH, AND SO WE NEED TO BE, MAKE SURE WE TAKE CARE OF THEM.
ALSO TAKE CARE OF THOSE THAT OWN PROPERTY IN NATIONAL CITY, WHETHER THEY'RE A NATIONAL CITY RESIDENT OR CORPORATION OR WHATEVER ELSE.
'CAUSE WE WANT THE BEST PROPERTIES FOR OUR PEOPLE TO LIVE IN AND, AND MAKE IT SO THAT WE HAVE MORE AVAILABILITY FOR MORE HOUSING IN THE FUTURE.
RESPONSIBLE, RESPONSIBLE HOUSING.
UH, 'CAUSE THE REALITY IS WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA HAVE, WE'RE AT 70% RENTAL UNITS RIGHT NOW TO TRY TO MEET ANY KIND OF OF HOUSING NEEDS.
WE'RE PROBABLY THAT HOUSE, THAT HOUSING NUMBER ON RENTALS IS PROBABLY GONNA BE A HIGHER PERCENTAGE.
UM, SO AS WE DEAL ON THAT, SO I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH US BRINGING BACK THAT IN BRINGING BACK SOME INFORMATION.
HOPEFULLY BY THAT TIME WE WILL, WE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THE COUNTY IS DOING, WHAT THEY HAVE BROUGHT FORWARD.
LET'S FIND OUT WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES WOULD BE OF, SHALL WE SAY, IF WE DID AN EXTENSION PAST WHATEVER THE COUNTY HAS, IS THERE, WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT? WHAT ARE THE, AND WHAT ARE THE LIMITATIONS? UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK TO FIND OUT WHAT IS ACTUALLY IN CODE, EITHER AT THE STATE OR THE COUNTY LEVEL, WHATEVER ELSE THAT'S BEYOND US, THAT IS ALREADY THERE.
AND THAT WE DON'T MAKE IT CONFUSING ON PEOPLE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
BECAUSE AS I SAY, WE END UP WITH TWO OR THREE DIFFERENT SETS OF RULES WITH LITTLE SLIGHT VARIATIONS.
AND WE'RE TALKING CONFUSION REAL QUICK.
AND THAT WE DON'T WANNA DO EITHER.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GIVE CONCISE INFORMATION SO IT DOESN'T BECOME LIKE THIS DEAL ABOUT FLOOD DAMAGE AS OPPOSED TO WATER DAMAGE AND ALL THE, THE CONFUSION THAT I'VE SEEN ABOUT THAT.
UM, BUT SO THAT WE WE'RE ABLE TO GIVE ONE SET OF EVERYTHING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
AND IF WE NEED TO GO BEYOND SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY IS DOING WELL, GOOD, THAT MAKES SENSE FOR EVERYBODY.
BUT, UH, BUT I THINK WITH COMING BACK WITH SOME OF THOSE ANSWERS
[02:50:01]
ON SOME OF THESE DIFFERENT IDEAS THAT HAVE COME UP AND THEN FORMULATING WHAT OF THAT MAKES SENSE, AND IF WE NEED TO GO FORWARD WITH SOMETHING AT THAT POINT, OR IF WE NEED TO, UH, STEP BACK AND SAY, OKAY, THE COUNTY'S ALREADY DONE IT AND THEY'VE ALREADY DONE EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING ELSE WE CAN DO THAT MAKES ANY SENSE.WE WILL KNOW THAT I THINK IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
AND, UH, AS I SAY IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE SUPERVISORS, THEY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE COMING BACK WITH MORE.
THIS IS NOT, THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT DONE WITH IT.
THAT WAS AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.
SOMETHING VERY QUICK THROWN TOGETHER.
AND THEY GOT, THEY GOT A LOT MORE WORK TO DO.
AND I THINK US COOPERATING WITH THEM AND WITH ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, THE OWNERS LARGE AND SMALL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TENANTS.
UH, AND LET'S GET IDEAS FROM ALL OF US.
BUT A LOT OF THE RHETORIC NEEDS TO BE TONED DOWN SO THAT WE CAN LISTEN TO ONE ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, ABOVE, ABOVE THE NOISE.
AND I THINK IT, I THINK WE ARE, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET SOMEWHERE BY DOING THAT.
SO I HEARD A MOTION, BUT IT WAS VERY GENERAL, BUT I WAS GOING WITH THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS RECOMMENDATION NUMBER ONE TO DIRECT STAFF TO PREPARE, UH, LOCAL EMERGENCY ORDINANCE WITH THE SPECIFIC PROVISIONS THAT WERE I OUTLINED.
WHICH, WHICH, WHICH SPECIFIC ONES? YEAH, THEY WERE OUTLINED IN THE RECOMMENDATION, LET ME GO THROUGH THEM AGAIN.
SO IT WOULD BE ESSENTIALLY, UM, EXTENDING THE, UH, PERIOD 60 TO 90 DAYS EXPLORING, EXTENDING THE PERIOD 60 TO 90 DAYS AFTER THE COUNTY'S EVICTION MORATORIUM.
IT IS ALSO, UM, UH, LET'S SEE LOOKING AT A, UH, JUSTCO EVICTION SO THAT FOLKS ARE NOT EVICTED AS A RESULT OF THIS FLOOD POST.
SO THE, THE JUST CAUSE EVICTION COMPONENT IS IN PLACE BASED ON THE COUNTY'S ORDINANCE.
I THINK THE ISSUE THAT I'VE HEARD TONIGHT IS THAT PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THAT GOES AWAY.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, THAT'S IN EFFECT FOR 60 DAYS.
IF THAT EMERGENCY GOES AWAY, THEN WHAT HAPPENS? MM-HMM.
AND SO I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING IS SOME, SOME DESIRE TO EXTEND THIS JUST CAUSE EVICTION FOR SOME PERIOD BEYOND THE EMERGENCY.
60 TO 90 DAYS AFTER THE COUNTY, UH, ORDINANCE WILL EXPIRE.
SO, SO I THINK IN TERMS OF HOW THE COUNTY ORDINANCE DEFINES JUST EVICTIONS OR JUST CAUSE EVICTION, I THINK WE'RE FINE WITH WHAT THE COUNTY'S DONE.
SO I, I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND THAT WE COME BACK WITH ANY ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE ON THAT PIECE OF IT.
AND THIS IS TO CLARIFY BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN MISCONCEPTIONS MM-HMM.
IT WOULD BE ESSENTIALLY UNITS THAT ARE, UH, THAT WERE DAMAGED BY THE FLOOD, WHICH ARE A LITTLE OVER 200 UNITS IN NATIONAL CITY, 200 FAMILIES IN NATIONAL CITY.
UM, UH, MANY OF THOSE RENTERS.
SO THIS WOULD BE APPLICABLE TO, TO THEM, RIGHT? SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO CLARIFY THAT IT'S NOT KIND OF A BLANKET SLATE FOR ALL APARTMENTS EVERYWHERE IN THE CITY.
LOOK, WE JUST DON'T WANT TO EVICT PEOPLE AS A RESULT OF THE FLOOD.
RIGHT? SO I, I THINK IT'S INTENDED TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL.
WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO GET TO BE EVICTED AND EXPLORE THE, UM, UH, THOUGHT OF HAVING THEM COME BACK AND HAVE THEIR RENT PRICES BE RESPECTED.
AND, AND TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH OF THAT IS ALREADY COVERED AND HOW, WHAT WOULD NEED TO BE, IF THERE'S A NEED FOR EXTENSION ON THAT.
BUT AS YOU SAY, YOU'RE USING THE TERM EXPLORER, SO IT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY, IF YOU'RE ASKING FOR AN ORDINANCE TO COME BACK, AN ORDINANCE WOULD NOT SAY, LET'S EXPLORE IT.
AN ORDINANCE WOULD GIVE DEFINITION.
WELL, SO I, I'M JUST, I, I, I, YEAH, I THAT'S CASE CLARITY.
YEAH, NO, IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN WE WOULD WANT A POLICY THAT IS EXPLICIT TO THOSE THINGS OUTLINED AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.
UM, SO IF WE DID INTRODUCE, UM, AN ORDINANCE, SO AGAIN, ALL, ALL THESE, UM, RIGHT TO REFUSE AND THANK YOU MAYOR FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
I, I, I AGREE WITH YOU THAT WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT THE RHETORIC AND WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL, UM, ABOUT MISINFORMATION THAT GOES FOR ALL OF US.
I DO NOT WANT US MAKING ANY DECISION BASED ON MISINFORMATION.
I, SO I HOPE, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK BRINGING THIS BACK WILL, WILL CLARIFY A LOT OF THAT.
WHAT IS THE IMPACT TO THE LANDLORDS? WHAT IS THE IMPACT TO THE TENANTS? AND I THINK IF WE ARE CLEAR AND DIRECTING CITY STAFF THAT, THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING.
[02:55:01]
PAUSE ON THE RENT INCREASES.THIS IS JUST FOR THE, THE, THE, THE FLOOD VICTIMS. AND I, I THINK IF WE DIRECT STAFF TO PREPARE THE ORDINANCE, WE CAN STILL EDIT.
AND, UM, THERE'S STILL OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE EDITS OR, OR DROP, YOU KNOW, DROP ITEMS. SO I, I, UM, IF I UNDERSTAND, IF YOU KNOW THE COUNCIL, UM, US AS A BODY, WE NOT, WE MAY NOT BE COMFORTABLE WITH ALL OF THESE THINGS, BUT THERE'S NOTHING THAT TIES US TO IT.
I'M, I'M JUST ASKING FOR THE STAFF TO, TO, WE ARE JUST ASKING FOR STAFF TO EXPLORE THIS, COME UP WITH ALL THE DATA AND THE INFORMATION AND THEN, UM, AND THEN WE CAN DECIDE TO DECIDE FROM THERE BASE BASED ON THE INFORMATION AND HOPEFULLY THE, UM, THE LANDLORD GROUPS, THE TENANT GROUPS, JUST ALL, ALL OF THE COMMUNITY.
AGAIN, THIS IS RESTRICTED JUST TO THE FLOOD.
UM, AND I THINK OPTION ONE DOES THAT I, I AM OPEN TO AMENDMENTS.
I SECONDED THE MOTION, BUT I, YES, I'M OPEN TO ANY ADDITIONAL, WELL, OPTION ONE DOESN'T, THAT THOSE ARE NOT ATTACHED TO OPTION ONE.
OPTION ONE IS DIRECT FORWARD, GO GET AN ORDINANCE DONE.
NOW, WITH ALL THIS, WITH ALL THIS DISCUSSIONS THAT WE ARE DOING, WE NEED TO, I IDENTIFY THOSE, THOSE OPTIONS THAT WE JUST DISCUSSED.
'CAUSE WE ALSO HAVE, JUST LIKE YOU SAID, WE ALSO HAVE TO THREAD LIGHTLY ON THIS BECAUSE THERE ARE LEGALITIES THAT WE HAVE TO STUDY.
THERE ARE DATAS THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IF YOU'RE DIRECTING STAFF TO SAY, GO GET A LOCAL ORDINANCE, THAT'S STRAIGHTFORWARD.
NOW, IF YOU ARE WILLING TO AMEND TO LOOK INTO THOSE, THOSE, UM, THOSE, UM, ITEMS THAT YOU JUST, THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED, UM, BECAUSE THERE ARE RESOURCES THAT WE NEED TO, TO, UM, TAKE IN CONSIDERATION.
IF WE SAY, AS A CITY, WE EXTEND THIS, THIS MORATORIUM, WHERE ARE WE GONNA GET RESOURCES? WE GOTTA BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL ON WHAT WE SAY AND WHAT WE DO.
I, UH, COMPLETELY AGREE WITH ANI.
WE HAVE TO BE VERY COGNIZANT OF WHAT RESOURCES WE DO HAVE AVAILABLE AS A CITY.
I WAS LOOKING UP SOME NUMBERS JUST NOW, UM, COUNTYWIDE SAN DIEGO COUNTY.
THERE ARE 3.3 MILLION INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CITY OF SAN DIEGO, OUR NEIGHBOR, 1.3 MILLION.
AND OUR OTHER NEIGHBOR, CHULA VISTA, 275,000 INDIVIDUALS LIVE IN CHULA VISTA, NATIONAL CITY.
WE ARE ROUGH NUMBERS, 60,000 INDIVIDUALS, THE RESOURCES.
SO WE ARE A SMALL CITY BY COMPARISON.
THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE HERE IN NATIONAL CITY ARE LIMITED.
AND THE COUNTY, BY COMPARISON, UM, DOES RECEIVE A LOT OF RESOURCES THAT WE CAN COUNT ON.
AND, UM, I DO WANNA BE, UM, CAREFUL, THERE WAS A COMMENTER EARLIER THAT SAID, BE CAREFUL WITH WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
YOU KNOW, ENACTING SOMETHING BE JUST BECAUSE IT'S IN AN EMERGENCY MAY NOT NECESSARILY SOLVE PROBLEMS, BUT WILL ACTUALLY CAUSE A BUNCH OF THEM.
UM, SO, SO I WANNA BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL WITH THIS, AND I AGREE WITH, UM, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH IN EXAMINING WHAT ARE, YOU KNOW, UH, SOME OF THE ANSWERS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UH, I THINK, UM, THERE WAS THIS IDEA ABOUT, YOU KNOW, RENTAL ASSISTANCE OR, UM, I, I FORGET WHAT THE ACTUAL TERM WAS, BUT RELOCATION, NOT JUST COST RELOCATION.
WHERE ARE WE GONNA GET THE MONEY FOR THAT? YOU, YOU'RE SAYING NATIONAL CITY PAY FOR RELOCATION ASSISTANCE BEYOND WHAT WE CAN ALREADY DEPEND ON FROM THE COUNTY.
UM, IN MY MIND, I, THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT REALLY ARE, ARE WE GOING TO LEAD PEOPLE ON AND HAVE THEM BELIEVE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO WITHOUT EVEN TRULY THINKING IT THROUGH? WHERE IS THAT MONEY GONNA COME FROM? WE ARE A SMALL CITY.
WE NEED TO DEPEND ON THE RESOURCES THAT WE CAN DEPEND ON.
AND RIGHT NOW, THE RESOURCES ARE WITH THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, I'M CERTAINLY FOR EXPLORING THIS AND FINDING, GETTING THE FACTS, BUT I HATE TO SAY, BRING US AN ORDINANCE AND THEN WE'LL EXPLORE.
UH, WE, WE ARE IN A, I'M GONNA CALL IT A SEMIS SAFE ZONE RIGHT NOW DURING THIS, THE COUNTY MORATORIUM.
AND I THINK THAT GIVES US THE TIME TO FIND OUT.
I THINK ALL THESE ISSUES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP, I THINK ARE VALID ISSUES FOR US TO EXPLORE.
I JUST DON'T WANNA SEE US JUMPING ON AND BRINGING OUT AN ORDINANCE AND THEN, AND THEN WE GO FROM THERE AND WE END UP FINDING THAT WE'VE KIND
[03:00:01]
OF TAKEN OURSELF OFF A CLIFF, UH, I, I, AND, AND DOING MORE DAMAGE THAN GOOD OR CAUSING A PRECEDENT THAT'S GONNA CAUSE, CAUSE US PROBLEMS AND NOT NECESSARILY HELP THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE SAYING WE WANT TO HELP.UM, SO I'M CERTAINLY FOR EXPLORING IT AND WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF GOING TO THE ORDINANCE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THESE THINGS ADDRESS BACK TO US AND WITH WHAT AN, WHAT AN ORDINANCE MIGHT LOOK LIKE WITH THOSE, THOSE AREAS.
AND WE'VE GOT THE TIME, I THINK, TO DO THAT WITHIN THIS DEAL.
UH, AND WE'LL, I THINK GIVE ASSURANCES TO THE, UH, UH, THE COMMUNITY, UH, THAT WE ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN FOR THEM, BUT WE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THE RESOURCES AND EVERYTHING BEHIND US, AND THAT WE'RE NOT DOING SOMETHING SO ONEROUS THAT IT ACTUALLY CAUSES A BACKLASH AND DOES THEM MORE HARM.
THAT WAS, THAT'S WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO.
UM, AND, UM, SO EXPLORING THIS AND BRINGING FORWARD WHAT A, AN ORDINANCE WOULD LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THIS AND LOOK AT IT FROM THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS, I, I THINK WOULD BE A HEALTHY, UH, HEALTHY APPROACH ON THIS.
JUST AS A, AT A POINT OF CLARIFICATION AND LOOKING AT TIMELINES.
SO, UH, CAN WE CLARIFY WHEN THE COUNTY ORDINANCE EXPIRES? WELL, IT'S 60 DAYS FROM WHAT? JANUARY 30TH MM-HMM.
AND WE ONLY HAVE TWO MEETINGS.
SO AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE WOULD NEED FOUR-FIFTHS VOTE.
A REGULAR ORDINANCE WOULD NEED THREE VOTES, THE MAJORITY.
SO IF WE DON'T PUT THIS AS A POLICY FOR OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING IN MARCH, UM, AND WE DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A SECOND READING, AMEND IT AS WE SEE FIT FOR THE SECOND MEETING IN MARCH, WE MIGHT ACTUALLY MISS THE BOAT.
AND WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN AT THE COUNTY, WHICH I THINK, I THINK EVERYBODY THINKING AND LOOKING AT THE COUNTY'S ORDINANCE, UH, BELIEVES THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA.
UM, IT'S GOTTEN KIND OF UNIVERSAL, SO IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO NOT EAT BIG PEOPLE DURING THIS TIME.
SO I THINK DOING THAT ON A LOCAL LEVEL, I THINK IS VERY REASONABLE FOR US.
AND HAVING THAT COME BACK AS A POLICY FOR, UH, 60 TO 90 DAYS FOR US TO DISCUSS AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING WOULD STILL GIVE US ENOUGH TIME TO ACT BEFORE THE COUNTY MORATORIUM EXPIRES, WHICH IS WHY I'M IN FAVOR OF BRINGING THIS BACK AS A POLICY.
UM, LET ME JUST SAY THAT I THINK THAT IF WE COME BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT THESE THINGS AND COME BACK WITH SOMETHING REASONABLE AND BALANCED, UM, I DON'T THINK THERE'S GONNA BE A PROBLEM GETTING A FOUR FIFTH VOTE.
UH, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT IF, BUT IF WE HAVE OUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED AND, BUT COMING IN AND JUST BRINGING AN ORDINANCE AND THEN SAY, OKAY, NOW LET'S VOTE ON THIS BECAUSE WE'RE AFRAID OF A, A FOUR FIFTH VOTE, UH, FOR AN EMERGENCY COUNTY DIDN'T, WASN'T SCARED ABOUT A, A FOUR FIFTH VOTE.
THEY HAD TO DO AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE.
UH, AND YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK IF WE COME BACK WITH WE, KNOWING WHAT WE KNOW HAS HAPPENED IN THE COMMUNITY KNOWING, AND YET NOT KNOWING WHAT SOME OF THE RAMIFICATIONS ON SOME OF THESE THINGS, WE HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THOSE YET WITHOUT KNOWING THAT YOU MAY NOT EVEN GET A, A, YOU KNOW, A MAJORITY VOTE.
UM, SO I THINK I, I THINK WE'RE IN A MUCH BETTER SHAPE IF WE WORK TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING BALANCED, FIND OUT WHAT IS NEEDED, AND TO BE ABLE TO MEET PEOPLE'S NEEDS.
I, I DON'T THINK THERE WOULD BE A PROBLEM WITH THE VOTE, BUT, AND MS. MAYOR, WHAT'S WRONG WITH DOING THAT IS IN FORM OF A POLICY, WE COULD STILL HAVE A DISCUSSION THE FIRST MEETING IN MARCH, MODIFY A POLICY AS WE SEE FIT AND HAVE THAT COME BACK TO THE SECOND READING.
I, I, AND THE THING I NEED JUST, I'M JUST STRESSING IS THE TIMELINE, RIGHT? BECAUSE IF MARCH COMES AND WE HAVE FAILED TO ACT, THEN WE HAVE DOZENS OF FAMILIES THAT ARE IMPACTED BY THIS.
SO IF I THINK THAT'S CRITICAL AND IMPORTANT MM-HMM,
[03:05:01]
LOOK LIKE, BUT GIVES US THE INFORMATION, UH, ORDER EMERGENCY, THEN, THEN YEAH.I THEN THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO COME BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING.
IF WE DO NOT, IF WE CAN'T COME TOGETHER WITH SOMETHING THAT IS BALANCED AND THAT MEETS THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE CAN ALL AGREE ON, THEN I THINK WE GOT A PROBLEM.
AND, UH, AS, AS, YOU KNOW, AS REPRESENTATIVES TO THE CITY.
AND SO, BUT I THINK TRYING TO AFFORD PUT, PUT AN ORDINANCE TO US FIRST AND THEN LET'S SAY, LET'S GET ANSWERS TO THE BASIC QUESTIONS.
I, I THINK IS KIND OF THE, ONCE AGAIN, COURT BEFORE THE HORSE.
I THINK I SAW THE HAND DOWN HERE AND THEN HERE.
UH, I, I JUST WANNA INFORM THE PUBLIC.
UM, SO, AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ KNOWS THIS, UH, WE CAN CALL, WE HAVE OUR SCHEDULED REGULAR MEETINGS TWICE A YEAR, TWICE A YEAR, TWICE A MONTH.
WE CAN ALWAYS CALL FOR A RECONVENING FOR, UH, CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS THAT CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, TWO WEEKS.
RIGHT? SO THAT'S ALWAYS AN OPTION.
SECONDLY, WHATEVER DRAFT, IF THERE IS A DRAFT THAT COMES BEFORE US IN, IN THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING, CHANGES MADE, AND, AND YOU COULD IMAGINE VERY LIKELY CHANGES WILL BE MADE.
IT WOULDN'T COME BACK FOR A SECOND READING, IT WOULD REVERT BACK AND COME BACK AGAIN AS A FIRST READING OF THE REVISED ONE BASED ON THE INPUT.
AND IT STILL WOULDN'T NEED THREE MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, TO, TO GET TO IT.
SO WHY NOT DO IT THE RIGHT WAY AND GET THE INFORMATION WE NEED FIRST BE INFORMED AND THEN WRITE AN ORDINANCE.
UH, OTHERWISE IT, IT'S, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, HE'S TRYING TO MAKE A POINT HERE, BUT I, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO GO ABOUT IT.
UM, I THINK WHAT WE, WHAT WE NEED TO DO, IF MY COLLEAGUE HERE WILL, WILL KIND OF, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE.
LET'S DO THE LANGUAGE BASED ON THE RESOURCE OR BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE GATHER, AND THEN ONCE THAT CAN BE A POLICY THAT CAN BE MADE, WE CAN ALWAYS MAKE IT AN EMERGENCY.
WE JUST HAVE TO STUDY, YOU SAID EXTEND IT.
WHERE ARE WE GONNA GET RESOURCES? I NEED TO SIT DOWN WITH MY CITY MANAGER AND SAY, WHERE ARE WE GONNA GET THIS? RIGHT? SO WE JUST NEED TO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, TO PAUSE AND GET ALL THIS INFORMATION SO WE DON'T PROMISE WHAT WE CANNOT DELIVER.
SO WE HAVE, I JUST, I APPRECIATE ALL THE, UH, DISCUSSION AND THE HEALTHY DEBATE.
UM, SO WE HAVE CHOICES HERE WHERE WE CAN EITHER AMEND THE, UM, THE MOTION, I SECOND IT.
SO WE COULD EITHER AMEND OR WE CAN CALL THE QUESTION.
SO JUST WANT TO AMEND, I SO AMEND THE MOTION SO THAT WE'RE BRINGING IT BACK, EXPLORING ALL OF THE CONCEPTS.
IS THAT WHAT I UNDERSTAND FROM MY COLLEAGUES? SO WE'RE EXPLORING, WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION, SO WE'RE NOT TAKING ANYTHING OFF THE TABLE.
UM, AND THEN WITH THE POTENTIAL TO USE AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE, AND GUYS, THAT'S WHAT WE DID TODAY, HONESTLY, LIKE WE HAD A DISCUSSION TODAY.
I, AGAIN, I, I FEEL SO MUCH FRUSTRATION BECAUSE THERE'S CLEARLY A, OUR COMMUNITY IN NEED AND WE'RE JUST NOT MOVING.
IT'S, IT'S BITTERLY DISAPPOINTING THAT WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY LISTENING, BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS.
IF YOU ALL WANNA MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION, YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO THAT.
BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO ACT, AND I DO, I AM WARY ABOUT US PULLING LIKE A, UH, SPECIAL MEETING SO WE CAN ACT WHEN WE COULD DO SO NOW WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR? WE'RE WAITING.
I, I'D LIKE TO CALL THE QUESTION, CAN WE CALL THE QUESTION, WHAT'S THE PROCEDURE TO CALL THE QUESTION TO DO THE VOTE? OKAY.
WELL, IF THERE'S NO ONE ELSE WANTS TO DISCUSS, IF THERE'S NO MORE DISCUSSION, I'LL HAVE, THERE IS A MOTION SUBSTITUTE MOTION THIS FAIL.
IF THIS FAILS, I'LL HAVE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
SO, OR ANOTHER MOTION, THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IS TO BRING AN ORDINANCE AT THE NEXT MEETING AND ALSO TO DO EXPLORING.
NO, THAT WAS KEPT SAYING IT WAS JUST TO BRING AN ORDINANCE BACK.
NO ORDINANCE BACK? NO, THE INITIAL MOTION WAS TO BRING THE, UH, ORDINANCE BACK.
SO IT WAS TO BRING AN ACTUAL ORDINANCE AT THE NEXT MEETING.
BUT I HEARD HIM SAY THE WORD EXPLORE.
BUT THAT'S NO, I WAS JUST SUGGESTING IN A PROCESS WAS I WAS JUST SUGGESTING IN A MINUTE.
ALRIGHT, SO THE, THE CURRENT MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO BREAK AN ACTUAL ORDINANCE AT THE NEXT MEETING.
UH, AND, AND AS SAY, OKAY, NOW MY DEAL IS THAT WE REALLY DIDN'T GIVE DIRECTION ON WHICH PARTS TO GO INTO THAT ORDINANCE, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
WE, WE DID, I BELIEVE WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, EXTENDING, UM, THE COUNTY MORATORIUM FOR 16 TO 90 DAYS IN THE CITY, NATIONAL CITY.
AND HAVE THAT BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
[03:10:01]
ALRIGHT.ON ALL THE, JUST TO BE CLEAR, SO THE MOTION WAS ALL THE ITEMS LISTED IN THE STAFF REPORT, THE, UM, THE PREVENTING THE RENT INCREASES THE RIGHT REFUSAL.
SO IT WAS ALL, ALL LISTED ON THERE.
I BELIEVE WE DID STATE THE MOTION DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS.
ALRIGHT, SO, UH, THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
MOTION FAILS BY THREE TO TWO VOTE.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE ANOTHER AMEND.
UH, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO EXPLORE OPTION ONE, UM, WITH, UH, THE ITEMS LISTED ON THE STAFF REPORT.
SO, UH, BRINGING BACK THE, UH, UM, EXPLORING A DIRECTION, UH, A DIRECTION PROHIBITING EVICTIONS AND RENTAL INCREASES, PROVIDING RELOCATION ASSISTANCE AND A RIGHT TO RETURN DURING THE LOCAL EMERGENCY RELATED TO THE FLOODS.
CAN I, CAN I GET CLARIFICATION ON THAT? YES.
UM, CAN, CAN THIS, CAN STAFF PLEASE PREPARE A FINANCIAL OUTLOOK ON THIS? IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EXTENDING RELOCATION BENEFITS, UH, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? DOES THAT MEAN NOW WE'RE GONNA OFFER RENTAL ASSISTANCE FOR, THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE WOULD BREAK UP DURING, I, I WANT MORE INFORMATION ON THIS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.
I WANT DATA, I WANT NUMBERS, AND THEN WE CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.
I, I'M GOING, THE CITY ATTORNEY WANTS TO SAVE SOMETHING HERE.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I'M CLEAR.
I, I DON'T THINK THERE'S A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS TO BE DONE THERE.
WHERE, WHERE WE START TALKING ABOUT RESOURCES IS ABOUT RELOCATION BENEFITS, AND THE QUESTION IS, ARE THOSE RELOCATION BENEFITS GOING TO BE REQUIRED OF THE PROPERTY OWNER OR THE CITY? OKAY.
OR OUTSIDE SOURCES AND OR OUTSIDE SOURCES.
AND THE, AND THE WAY THINGS ARE STRUCTURED NOW IS THAT MOST OF THE BURDEN PLACED ON A PROPERTY OWNER TO DO RELOCATION BENEFITS IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROBLEM WHERE THE RELOCATION IS CAUSED BY A NATURAL EVENT.
MOST LAWS DON'T PUT A BURDEN ON THE PROPERTY OWNER TO PROVIDE RELOCATION.
SO WHAT I'M HEARING TONIGHT IS WHAT YOU WANT US TO EXPLORE IS A PROVISION THAT WOULD REQUIRE A PROPERTY OWNER TO PROVIDE RELOCATION BENEFITS IN A CIRCUMSTANCE THAT IS BEYOND THEIR CONTROL BEING THE NATURAL FLOOD.
AND TO COME BACK AND SAY TO YOU WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE AND WHAT THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THAT MIGHT BE.
DOES THAT THAT MAKE MORE SENSE? YES.
AND THE TENANTS, I MEAN, AND, AND SO I THINK, AND OR EXCUSE ME, THE, THE CITY, THE, THE PUBLIC.
I MEAN, I'M, SO, I WANT EVERYTHING ON THE TABLE, BUT OKAY, BUT WANT, YOU WANT THE OPTIONS.
IN OTHER WORDS, WHETHER IT BE THE PROPERTY OWNER, THE CITY, MAYBE ITS A MIX, MAYBE.
OR, OR WE'D BE LOOKING TO OUTSIDE RESOURCES OR OUTSIDE RESOURCES.
I'M TRYING TO BE ALL INCLUSIVE AND THEN WE WHITTLE DOWN.
AND I KNOW, I RECOGNIZE THAT THAT IS ADDITIONAL BURDEN BECAUSE ON THE CITY ATTORNEYS AND OUR STAFF, BECAUSE THE MORE WE'RE BROADENING IT, THE MORE THAT THEY HAVE TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
BUT I THINK, YEAH, WE, WE SHOULD PRIORITIZE THIS AND IF STAFF HAS CONCERNS AND ABOUT THE, THE RESOURCES ON THAT, THEN I THINK WE NEED TO KNOW THAT.
SO AT THIS POINT, I'M HEARING COME BACK WITH SOMETHING ABOUT EXTENDING THE EVICTIONS MORATORIUM AND THEN SECONDLY, COME BACK WITH SOME OPTIONS DEALING WITH POTENTIAL RELOCATION BENEFITS.
AND I THINK THE ONE OTHER THING I HEARD WAS IS WHAT NEEDS ARE THERE IN ANYTHING ALONG THIS LINE ABOUT THE FIRST RIGHT REFUSAL ABOUT GETTING BACK IN AT, AT THE CURRENT RENTAL RATES? IS THAT ALL COVERED OR, YOU KNOW, IN STATE LAW, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED SEPARATELY? OKAY, SO THAT WOULD BE A THIRD ISSUE? YES.
IS, IS THAT, IS THAT AGREED WITH YOUR, UH, MOTION? YES.
BUT TO CLARIFY, THAT IS NOT A FORM OF A POLICY.
IT WOULD COME BACK AS A FORM OF A, OF A DISCUSSION.
UM, I THINK I CAN COMMIT TO BRINGING YOU BACK MAYBE OPTIONS AND LANGUAGE.
IN OTHER WORDS, RATHER THAN DRAFT AN ENTIRE ORDINANCE, I'D COME BACK WITH PROPOSED LANGUAGE TO DO RELOCATION UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND THEN SAME THING WITH ALL THREE ISSUES HERE.
HERE'S SOME OPTIONAL LANGUAGE YOU WOULD THEN SAY TO, TO US, YOU LIKE THIS OR
[03:15:01]
WHATEVER.AND THEN WE COULD COME BACK AND ROLL THAT INTO A FORMAL ORDINANCE.
ULTIMATELY, THE, THE GOAL WAS TO TAKE THE COUNTY ORDINANCE AS IT IS AND THEN TO MODIFY IT TO INCLUDE OUR LOCAL PROVISIONS ON THESE POINTS.
SO IF I COME BACK WITH SOME SUGGESTED LANGUAGE THAT YOU GUYS CAN WORK WITH, WE CAN THEN TAKE THAT AND JUST PUT THAT INTO A FORMAL ORDINANCE FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION, BUT I WILL SAY THAT I'M DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED THAT WE'RE NOT ACTING IN A TIMELY MANNER.
AND LITERALLY, YOU KNOW, DOZENS OF OUR FAMILY MEMBERS' LIVES ARE, ARE JUST UNKNOWN.
THEY'RE NOT SURE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO PAST MARCH.
AND THEY'VE BEEN LIVING IN FEAR OF, UM, HOTEL VOUCHERS THAT ARE GIVEN TO THEM FOR FOUR DAYS, FOR SIX DAYS, FOR THREE DAYS.
NOT SURE WHERE THEY'RE GONNA BE AFTER THAT, AFTER THEY LEFT ALL THE POSSESSIONS.
SO I'M, I'M DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED THAT WE'RE NOT MOVING FORWARD QUICK ENOUGH AND WE'RE JUST KIND OF LEAVING IT OFF TO THE COUNTY IN HOPES THAT THEY DO THE RIGHT THING.
I THINK, I THINK GOVERNMENTS NEED TO ACT IN TIME OF CRISIS.
AND I THINK THIS WAS A CRISIS.
THIS IS A CRISIS WHEN 200 FAMILIES GO THROUGH THIS IN OUR CITY, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
WE JUST MAKE SURE WE DON'T DO THE WRONG THING.
WELL, NOBODY SAYS THE COUNTY DID THE WRONG THING.
EVERYBODY'S APPLAUDING THE COUNTY OF COUNTY'S EFFORTS.
AND SO WITH THAT, THERE IS A MOTION.
SECOND THE FLOOR, UNLESS THERE'S ANY MORE DISCUSSION, CAN YOU USE YOUR, CAN YOU USE YOUR BUTTONS FOR THE MOTION FOR A SECOND? OH YEAH.
AND BEFORE I START THE VOTE, I MUST STATE FOR THE RECORD FOR THIS ITEM, THERE WERE FIVE WRITTEN COMMENTS.
AND FOR THE ITEM PRIOR 7.1, THERE WAS ONE WRITTEN COMMENT AND ALL WILL BE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE.
MOTION APPROVED BY FOUR TO ONE VOTE NO.
HUH? YES, MR. MAYOR, BEFORE WE LEAVE THIS, UM, ITEM, MAY I REQUEST OUR COUNSEL TO MAKE THIS PAGE FROM THE LAWYER OF THIS APARTMENT BE AVAILABLE TO THOSE TENANTS SO THEN THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ARE THE WORDS FROM THEIR LANDLORD AND NOT FROM ANYONE? THAT'S FAIR.
THAT WE MAKE THIS COPY AVAILABLE TO ALL THE TENANTS OF THIS APARTMENT.
SO THEN THERE IS NO GUESSING GAME.
AND HE'S CLAIMING HE'S THE LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR THOSE LANDOWNERS, SO THEREFORE THIS IS BINDING.
ANYWAY, UH, SO ANYWAY, WITH THAT, UH, WE CAN, THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT MORE ON THE AGENDA.
WE CAN GO RIGHT THROUGH IT IF YOU GUYS WANT TO.
OKAY, WELL, NO, BEFORE THAT WE DO HAVE
[8. REGIONAL BOARDS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS (Limited to Five (5) Minutes each)]
REGIONAL BOARDS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS.AND SO I WILL START OVER HERE.
MY LEFT, ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT? OKAY.
MEMBER BUSH, NOTHING TO REPORT.
MEMBER, UH, UH, THANK YOU, LINA.
I WILL REPORT ON THE SANDECK BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT THE NEXT REPORT.
UM, UH, MR. MAYOR, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO, UM, INFORM OUR, UM, RATE PAYERS THAT, UH, SWEETWATER AUTHORITY OFFERS HELP TO FLOOD DAMAGE VICTIMS. MM-HMM.
UH, THE SWEETWATER AUTHORITY GOVERNING BOARD APPROVED A 12 MONTH FREEZE ON LATE FEES AND DISCONTINUATION OF WATER SERVICE FOR NONPAYMENT OF CUSTOMERS WHO SUSTAINED, UM, FLOOD DAMAGE.
SO I WOULD LIKE FOR, I WILL GIVE THIS INFORMATION TO OUR CITY MANAGER, SO IT WILL BE, UM, UH, DISTRIBUTED TO OUR RATE PAYERS.
I'M JUST GONNA MAKE A REAL ABBREVIATED REPORT, UH, FOR A, UH, UH, 1, 2, 3, 4, UH, REPORT ON A CONFERENCE THAT I ATTENDED.
AND THAT WAS BACK IN WASHINGTON, DC WITH THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REGIONAL COUNCILS.
IT WAS BACK THERE FOR FOUR DAYS.
AND, UH, WE HAD MEETINGS WITH JUST ABOUT EVERY DEPARTMENT, UH, WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATION, UH, DEPARTMENT FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE SECRETARY OF, OF THE, UH, TRANSPORTATION, ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT, UH, YOU NAME IT.
WE HAD, UH, AND I SAY I WANNA ABBREVIATE THIS REAL QUICK.
WE HAD THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, FEMA, WE WERE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
AT THAT POINT, THEY WERE WAITING TO SEE WHAT, WHAT THE PRESIDENT WAS GONNA DO.
NOW WE KNOW, AND WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, BUT WE'RE, WE WILL GET THERE HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT, FEDERAL, UH, THE RAILROAD,
[03:20:01]
UH, TELECOMMUNICATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, UH, ONE AFTER ANOTHER.I ALSO GOT TO MEET ON, ON THE HILL WITH SEVERAL OF OUR LEGISLATORS.
I ALSO GOT TO HELP OUT OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE SOUTH IMPERIAL BEACH WITH THEIR, UH, SEWER ISSUE.
THEY ASKED ME TO MEET WITH A NUMBER OF LEGISLATORS, UH, AND SO I WAS ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THEM AND, AND HELP THEM OUT ON THAT.
UH, AND I SAY IT WAS A VERY WORTHWHILE TIME.
UM, I ATTEND, UH, THIS SESSION 'CAUSE I'M ON THEIR, UH, EXECUTIVE, UH, UM, EXECUTIVE BOARD, UH, FOR THE NATIONAL CO, UH, CONGRESS OF, UH, OR CONFERENCE OF, UH, REGIONS.
UM, SO ANYWAY, THAT'S A VERY ABBREVIATED, IF YOU GUYS WANT ANY DETAILS, I'LL BE GLAD TO FILL YOU IN.
UH, BUT FOR, FOR THE BREVITY OF TIME HERE, THAT'S GONNA BE IT FOR THE MOMENT.
UH, BUT THAT IS THE REQUIRED, UM, UM, 12, UH, 1234 REPORT.
WITH THAT, UH, WE ALSO HAVE OUR PORT COMMISSIONER WHO IS GONNA BE BRIEF ALSO.
GREETINGS MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF AND RESIDENTS WHO ARE HERE ARE LIVE VIA ZOOM.
I AM SANDY, YOUR HONOR, YOUR PORT COMMISSIONER REPRESENTING THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY, AND HERE TO PROVIDE YOU UPDATES ON YOUR 34 MILES OF PUBLIC TIE.
AS I MENTIONED IN MY PREVIOUS UPDATE TO COUNCIL BACK ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH, COASTAL COMMISSION WAS HERE IN SAN DIEGO.
AND ON FEBRUARY 9TH, MARIA MORRISON AND I DELIVERED A PRESENTATION TO THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION.
DURING THE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, WE AIM TO HIGHLIGHT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NATIONAL CITY BALANCE PLAN, WHICH HAS BEEN DEVELOPED OVER THE COURSE OF A DECADE.
DURING MY PRESENTATION, I OUTLINE HOW THE PLAN ADDRESSES THE SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS TO ACCESSING OUR BAYFRONT, AND HOW COMMUNITY INPUT HAS BEEN INTEGRAL IN ITS DEVELOPMENT, AND THAT IT ALIGNS WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION GOALS OF COASTAL COMMISSION'S OWN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE POLICY FRAMEWORK.
I EXPRESSED OUR HOPE FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE NATIONAL CITY BALANCE PLAN AT THE FEBRUARY COASTAL COMMISSION MEETING, WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY AND PRODUCTIVELY WITH THE COASTAL MISSION STAFF TO ADDRESS ANY OUTSTANDING ISSUES.
IMPORTANTLY, I CONCLUDED BY EMPHASIZING THE DESIRE TO ADVANCE THE NATIONAL CITY BALANCE PLAN IS NOT PAROCHIAL AS ADDRESSING HISTORICAL INJUSTICES IN ONE COMMUNITY CAN HAVE TREMENDOUS BENEFITS FOR OUR REGION AND THE ENTIRE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
OUR REMARKS WERE, WERE RECEIVED BY THE CHAIR AND THE COMMISSIONERS, AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING OUR BALANCE PLAN DOCKETED SOON FOR APPROVAL.
LAST TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, OUR BOARD OF POOR COMMISSIONERS HELD OUR REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING.
AT THAT MEETING, WE APPROVED AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN CALTRAN SANDAG AND THE PORT REGARDING HARBOR DRIVE 2.0, AND AUTHORIZING THE USE OF $2,185,714 FOR MATCHING RESERVE TO FUND A PORTION OF THE REGIONAL MATCH OF THE $18,500,000 IN TRADE CORRIDOR ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM.
TEP FUNDS FOR DESIGN AND RIGHT OF WAY HARBOR DRIVE 2.0 INVESTA BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS.
I WANT TO THANK OUR CITY OF NATIONAL CITY STAFF FOR SENDING A SUPPORT LETTER, AND I PROUDLY MADE THE MOTION MOVING STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL WITH THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT, HARBOR DRIVE 2.0 BRINGS MANY BENEFITS SUCH AS REDUCING TRUCK TRAFFIC, PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH, FOSTERING ECONOMIC GROWTH AND EQUITY.
BY WORKING TOGETHER, WE HAVE SET AN EXAMPLE OF HOW SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT IS ACHIEVABLE.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE SHOULD AIM FOR WITH THE TRADE CORRIDOR ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM, TE FUNDS ADDRESSING A WIDE RANGE OF AREAS WITH BENEFITS THAT EXTEND BEYOND OUR REGION AND ALIGN WITH STATE GOALS, FREEDOM PARK AND NAVY PIER.
SO, JUST BACKGROUND, THE PORT OF SAN DIEGO AND THE USS MIDWAY MUSEUM HAVE PARTNERED TO DELIVER OUR WEST COAST LARGEST VETERANS PARK.
WHEN FREEDOM PARK OPENS IN 2028, IT WOULD CELEBRATE THE REGION'S MILITARY HISTORY AND TELL THE STORY OF EVERYDAY HEROES WHO HAVE SERVED THE COUNTRY AND PRESERVED OUR FREEDOMS. AT THE BOARD, WE APPROVED A $7.4 MILLION CONTRACT TO A MG DEMOLITION IN ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES.
INCORPORATION FOR DEMOLITION OF THE HEAD HOUSE DEMOLITION IS ANTICIPATED TO BEGIN IN SPRING 2024.
PARK CONSTRUCTIONS ANTICIPATE TO BE BEGIN TO BEGIN IN SPRING 2025.
AT OUR BOARD MEETING, WE HAD AN, UH, INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATION AND DIRECTION TO STAFF ON A PROPOSED PORT CODE AMENDMENT, ADDING ARTICLE THREE TENANT PROJECT REVIEW TO ESTABLISH REQUIREMENTS FOR PROCESSING TENANT DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
CURRENTLY, OUR BOARD POLICY 3 57 LACKS KEY PROVISIONS SUCH AS WELL-DEFINED STANDARD FOR, UH, CONFORMANCE APPEALS PROCESS FOR STAFF, APPROVAL OF PROJECTS AND ENFORCEMENT STAFF IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS CAME TOGETHER TO HELP ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMATIC AREAS.
AND PROPOSED, UH, PORT, UH, PORT CODE AMENDMENT, ADDING ARTICLE THREE, WHICH WILL CODIFY THE CENTRAL ELEMENTS OF BOARD POLICY 3 57 CLARIFY ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND REQUIREMENTS, ENSURE CONSISTENT TENANT PROJECT PROCESSING, ESTABLISH A SUBSTANTIAL CONFORMANCE STANDARD DEFIANT ENFORCEMENT AND INSPECTION, PROVIDE A PATH FOR UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS AND REQUIRE PRE-SUBMIT SUBMITTAL MEETINGS UNLESS WEIGHED BY STAFF.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAD A PRESENTATION ON THE FISCAL YEAR 23 REMAIN UNRESTRICTED RESOURCES AND FISCAL YEAR 24 PROJECTED.
UH, SO WITH OVER 10.1 MILLION, UH, AND PER FOR OUR FISCAL YEAR 23 REMAIN UNRESTRICTED RESOURCES OF 10.1 MILLION AND FISCAL YEAR 24 PROJECTED YEAR END FINANCIAL RESULTS STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED THE USE OF 3 MILLION OF THE APPROXIMATE 10.1 MILLION FISCAL YEAR 23 CUMULATIVE SURPLUS AS A SOURCE OF FUND TO HELP WITH STAFF VACANCIES EXPAND OPERATIONAL PRIORITIES AND UNEXPECTED MAINTENANCE IN INFRASTRUCTURE
[03:25:01]
EXPENSES.THIS WAS BROKEN DOWN TO INCREASED NON-PERSONAL EXPENSES, DEBT SERVICE PRINCIPLE, EQUIPMENT OUTLAY, AND OTHER CAPITAL PROJECTS APPROPRIATIONS BY 2,966,700 FUNDED FROM THE CUMULATIVE UNRESTRICTED RESOURCES.
ADDITIONALLY, INCREASING FUNDING FROM RESTRICTED FUNDS, GRANTS, AND OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDS WILL BE USED TO INCREASE THE NON-PERSONAL EXPENSES AND EQUIPMENT OUTLAY AND OTHER CAPITAL PROJECT APPROPRIATIONS BY 1,831,000 UH, DOLLARS.
AND WE HAD DIRECTION TO STAFF TO DESIGNATE LEGAL SETTLEMENT, UH, PROCEEDS RECEIVED FROM THE CITY OF LONG BEACH VERSUS MONSANTO CASE.
SO ALSO IN FULFILLING MY FIDUCIARY DUTY TO THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA, I RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ALLOCATION OF NEARLY HALF A MILLION DOLLARS FOR UNRESTRICTED AND UNSPECIFIED LEGAL EXPENSES.
THE FOLLOWING, THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS I SAW ANSWERS REGARDING THE $450,000 IN LEGAL EXPENSES.
QUESTION NUMBER ONE, WHAT ARE THE NAMES OF THE LAW FIRMS RECEIVING THE $450,000? QUESTION NUMBER TWO, HOW MUCH OF THE $450,000 IS ALLOCATED FOR PAST LEGAL BILLS AND HOW MUCH IS DESIGNATED FOR FUTURE LEGAL BILLS? THREE, DO ANY OF THE MATTERS FOR WHICH OF THE MONEY IS BEING AUTHORIZED PERTAIN TO ME? IF SO, SHOULD I RECUSE MYSELF? I COUNTER CHALLENGES IN OBTAINING CLEAR AND DIRECT ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS, AND WAS SURPRISED BY THE PUSHBACK FROM THE OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSELOR TOM RUSSELL.
WHEN I SOUGHT FURTHER CLARITY AFTER THE DISCUSSION, THE CHAIR AGREED TO ALLOW FOR THE BIFURCATION OF THE STAFF REQUEST.
HOWEVER, DUE TO NOT HAVING A CLEAR EXPLANATION OF THE PURPOSE OF THE $450,000 I VOTED AGAINST APPROVING THE $450,000.
BUT, BUT YOU DID FOLLOW THE MAYOR'S REQUEST TO DO IT FAST.
SO I CAN'T, AND AND EVELYN WOOD WOULD BE PROUD OF YOU.
I'M SORRY, EVELYN WOOD WOULD BE PROUD OF YOU, EVELYN WOOD SPEED READING, UH, COURSES, WHICH WERE A LITTLE BEFORE YOUR TIME.
OKAY, NOW, NOW, NOW KEN BACK THERE UNDERSTOOD WHAT I, WHAT I, WHAT I WAS SAYING.
YOU YOUNGSTERS JUST DON'T, JUST DON'T, AH, YES, JUST DON'T.
UH, THANK YOU, SANDY, FOR THAT REPORT.
I THINK I, I, UH, TRIED TO, TO, TO, YOU KNOW, NOT LOSE TRACK OF, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE LAST POINT THAT YOU MADE, THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU WERE, UM, ASKING, UM, ANSWERS TO.
IS THERE EXPECTATION THAT YOU WILL GET AN ANSWER TO THOSE QUESTIONS? THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
I HOPE I GET, UH, FURTHER CLARIFICATION AND THAT'S WHY I VOTED AGAINST IT, BECAUSE I WANTED CLARIFICATION WHERE THE MONEY'S GOING, WHAT IS IT BEING SPENT ON, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $450,000.
I AGREE WITH YOU, AND I DO ALSO CALL FOR A RESPONSE TO THOSE VERY REASONABLE QUESTIONS.
UH, AND I DO EXPECT A RESPONSE FROM THE PORT.
YEAH, JUST THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FOR THE, UH, FOR THE PORT AND FOR WORKING WITH THE MAYOR ON THESE ITEMS. I KNOW ALL THE ITEMS THAT YOU'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR.
UM, UH, THE MAYOR, THE MAYOR HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THE MAYOR GOING TO THE, UH, COASTAL COMMISSION MEETING.
UM, SO, UM, AND I DID, UH, SEE, UH, MAYOR PALOMA GURE, WHO'S A, UM, ON THE, UH, COASTAL COMMISSION AS WELL.
SO SHE'S VERY COMPLIMENTARY OF THE WORK YOU'VE DONE.
AND SHE SAID SHE HAS NATIONAL CITIES BACK AND THAT, AND, AND SHE APPRECIATES THAT WE, AND THAT'S WHY THE INTERAGENCY COOPERATION, THE RELATIONSHIPS, UM, THE GETTING PAST ALL THE, YOU KNOW, THE GEOPOLITICAL BOUNDARIES.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS KUMEYAAY LAND.
I'M REAL TALK, BUT, SO GETTING PAST ALL THE JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES, WE'RE ALL JUST ONE REGION AND WE'VE SUPPORTED, UH, SHE THANKED US AS A CITY AND YOU MAYOR FOR SUPPORTING, UM, THEIR, UH, FLOOD.
NOT THEIR FLOOD, THEIR, UM, SEWAGE.
UM, SO SHE, WE'VE BEEN SUPPORTING 'CAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND I'M NOT SAYING IT'S NOT QUID PRO QUO OR ANYTHING, IT JUST 'CAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT TO DO'S.
SHE'S BEEN SUPPORTING, UM, UH, NATIONAL CITY.
ALSO WANT TO GIVE YOU A SHOUT OUT, COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU FOR STAYING FOUR HOURS, UH, TO GIVE THIS REPORT.
YOU'VE BEEN DILIGENT ABOUT COMING AND COMMUNICATING WITH US, SUPPORT, ACT, UH, ACTIVITIES.
YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY THE MOST ENGAGED, UH, MEMBER OF THAT BOARD.
AND SO WANT YOU TO KEEP UP THE HARD WORK AND JUST ASK STAFF THAT THEY STILL MOVE FORWARD WITH PROVIDING, UH, STAFF SUPPORT FOR, UM, UH, FOR OUR COMMISSIONER IN, IN, IN THESE, UH, IN THESE MEETINGS.
JUST EVERYTHING, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
UH, WE GAVE SOME PREVIOUS DIRECTION ABOUT THE, THE TRUCKING, UM, AND ENGAGING THEIR ATTORNEYS ABOUT THAT.
SO IF WE COULD JUST KEEP, UH, PLEASE MOVING THAT FORWARD, THAT'D BE GREAT.
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WITH THE, UH, ADDITION OF THE PARK TO THE MIDWAY, MAYBE NATIONAL CITY WILL FINALLY GET SOME RECOGNITION THAT WE PROVIDED THE WETLANDS SO THAT THE MIDWAY COULD BE IN THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO.
OTHERWISE, THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE IT IF NATIONAL CITY HADN'T PROVIDED, AND THEY NEVER ONCE EVEN SAID THANK YOU.
WE SHOULD PUT THAT ON, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S TRUE FOR THE RECORD.
UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FOR THE REPORT.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING A STAUN ADVOCATE OF, UM, BACKGROUND OF WHATEVER.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THOSE QUESTIONS
[03:30:01]
NEEDS TO BE ANSWERED.UM, BUT AT THE LAST MEETING, I KNOW THAT THE PORT HAD, UM, HAD, UH, ACKNOWLEDGED TO, UM, TO, UH, THANK THE, THE, UM, THE SERVICES OF, UM, OF, UH, EX COMMISSIONER, UM, CHAIRMAN, UM, RAFAEL CASTELLANOS, WHICH, UM, I KNOW THAT OUR COMMISSIONER OPTED TO SIT OUT.
BUT, UH, ON MY BEHALF AS A, AS A, UH, COUNCIL OF, OF THE CITY, OF NATIONAL CITY, I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND MY THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSIONER, UH, RAFAEL CASTELLANOS, UM, FOR, UH, HIS SERVICES TO THE PORT AND, UM, SERVICE THAT, UM, THAT, UM, HE, THAT, THAT WE HAVE HAD, UM, ENJOYED OR NOT ENJOYED DURING HIS TERM AS OUR CITY
UM, BUT, UM, IN, UH, IN, UH, SPIRIT OF MOVING FORWARD AND, UH, BRIDGING THAT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PORT AND THE CITY, I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE, UH, UH, PORT COMMISSIONER CASTELLANI FOR HIS SERVICE.
AND I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, END IT WITH THE COMMENT THAT, UM, I DID VOTE AGAINST, UH, GRANTING, UH, COMMISSIONER CASTANOS OR THE RESOLUTION AMUS.
UH, MY REASONING WAS BECAUSE I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY, UM, WHEN YOU'RE A CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION, EVEN WHEN YOU'RE A COMMISSIONER AND YOU'RE SPECIFICALLY CHAIR, THE CHAIR REQUIRES SKILLS OF LEADERSHIP, STRONG COMMUNICATION, AND MAKING SURE WE'RE BRINGING EVERYBODY TOGETHER.
AND THE WAY HOW THINGS WERE HANDLED LAST YEAR, IT COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED ENTIRELY DIFFERENT.
AND IT REALLY DOES FALL ON THE CHAIRMANSHIP.
AND THIS IS ABOUT, NOT JUST ABOUT STANDING IN AJO, BUT THIS IS ABOUT THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY.
WE'VE BEEN IN MITIGATION LAND, THAT WE ARE A BENEFACTOR CITY.
WE'VE BEEN GIVING, DONATING, DONATING, DONATING MUCH OF OUR LAND TO THE REVENUE THAT'S, WE'VE SEEN ALL THE DEVELOPMENT ALL OVER THE BAYFRONT, ALL OVER, UH, UH, THE 34 MILES OF.
AND SO I THINK THAT WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHO WE'RE CELEBRATING AND WHO WE ARE HONORING IS THOSE SKILLS, IT DOES, IT'S NOT PERSONAL OR A POLITICAL DIFFERENCE, IT'S A MATTER.
DID YOU CARRY YOUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY ON THAT? ON, ON BEING THAT LEADER OF COMM CLEAR COMMUNICATION, CONSENSUS BUILDING.
AND SO FOR THE CITY OF NASHVILLE CITY, I VOTED NO AGAINST THAT.
UH, JUST AS A, AS A FOLLOW-UP COMMENT, AND NOT TO BELABOR THE POINT ABOUT OUR PORT, I REALLY WANT TO EXTEND, UH, THE THANKS AND GRATITUDE TO, UH, PORT COMMISSIONER CASTANOS.
I KNOW THAT OVER THE LAST DECADE, HE'S DONE FANTASTIC WORK.
UM, EVEN UNSUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE PORT.
AND, UM, SO I AM VERY THANKFUL I DIDN'T, I WASN'T ABLE TO GO TO THE MEETING, UH, THE LAST ONE.
AND I ALSO DID NOT, UH, WAS NOT ABLE TO GO TO THE SWEARING IN OF THE NEW, UM, COMMISSIONERS.
BUT I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE PORT AND HOW MUCH THEY'RE LISTENING AND WORKING WITH NATIONAL CITY.
LAST THING I'LL SAY, I SUPPORTED YOU VOTING AGAINST RAFA AS, UH, CHAIRMANSHIP.
I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID ON THE RECORD.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA SUPPORT SOMEONE THAT SCREWS OVER NATIONAL CITY.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER.
[10.1 Adoption of an Ordinance amending Section 18.060.10 of Title 18 (Zoning) of the National City Municipal Code related to the measurement of height for new structures.]
GO INTO PUBLIC HEARING.THIS IS A TIME AND PLACE FOR PUBLIC HEARING, UH, TO BE CONSIDERED.
UH, WE HAVE THE, UH, AN ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 18.06, ZERO POINT 10 OF TITLE 18.
AND THIS IS OF, UH, ZONING OF NATIONAL CITY MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO THE MEASUREMENT AND HEIGHTS OF NEW STRUCTURES.
AND WITH THAT STAFF GOT ANYTHING TO SAY? NO REPORT, MAYOR.
THIS IS, THIS IS UP FOR ADOPTION.
WE'VE ALREADY WENT THROUGH, WE HAD ONE READING AND THEN WE AMENDED IT.
SO WE COME BACK WITH A FIRST READING.
NOW THIS IS, THIS IS UP FOR ADOPTION.
SO WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS THAT I'M NOT AWARE OF? NO, THERE ARE NONE.
THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS IN THAT CASE.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE'D LIKE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO COULD I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? MOTION TO CLOSE SECOND MOTION.
AND SECOND, MAKE SURE TO HIT YOUR BUTTONS THERE FOR MOTION.
MOTION TO APPROVE UNANIMOUSLY.
UM, NEXT WE GO INTO THE, UM, UH, THE, UH, ADOPTION.
IF THERE IS A MOTION FOR ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE, MOVE TO ADOPT.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR ADOPTION.
[03:35:01]
AND WE GOT THOSE UP THERE.THIS ONE'S BEEN KIND OF BEAT TO DEATH OVER THE LAST COUPLE MEETINGS.
SO THIS IS MOTION ANDARY AT THIS STAGE.
MOTION OF PREVIEW UNANIMOUSLY.
UM, I DIDN'T DO CONSENT CALENDAR, DID I? NO.
[9. CONSENT CALENDAR]
I GO, WAIT A MINUTE.WE SKIPPED A BIG SECTION THERE.
WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE? OH, UH, WE, WE HAD ONE REQUEST, UH, UH, FROM AN INDIVIDUAL, UH, TO PULL ONE ITEM FOR DISCUSSION, BUT HE HASN'T SHOWED UP HERE TONIGHT, SO, UH, SO IT WAS SOMETHING SPECIFIC HE HAD, SO THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN REALLY DO ABOUT THAT.
IT WAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH, WITH WARRANT, BUT I SEE.
BUT THERE'S, UH, I'M SURE WE CAN GET, IF HE COMES BACK AND REQUESTS, YOU KNOW, SOME ENLIGHTENMENT ON IT, I'M SURE WE CAN GET THE INFORMATION FOR HIM.
WELL, I WAS GONNA TELL YOU THAT I THINK, I THINK THE REQUEST WAS FROM MR. GOTCHU.
AND HE HAD QUESTIONS ON TWO WARRANTS, UH, RELATING TO EXPENDITURES FROM MY OFFICE, AND I'M, OKAY.
I'M PREPARED TO SHARE WITH YOU THE INFORMATION IF YOU WANT, WE CAN PUT ON THE RECORD RIGHT NOW.
UH, SO THE FIRST IS YOU'LL RECALL HE MADE A REQUEST, UH, A COUPLE COUNSEL MEETINGS AGO, UM, WITH REGARD TO WARRANT REGISTER NUMBER 18 CONCERNING, UM, LEGAL SERVICES PROVIDED BY DEVANEY PATE, MORRIS AND CAMERON.
UH, I RESPONDED TELLING THEM THAT THOSE SERVICES WERE IN RELATED TO A NUMBER OF LITIGATION CASES.
UH, HE NOW WANTS TO KNOW THE EXACT, UH, NUMBERS FOR EACH OF THOSE.
SO THEY ARE, AS FOLLOW SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT VERSUS THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO.
UH, THAT WAS $157 AND 50 CENTS.
UH, CALI MOTA, LLC VERSUS CITY OF NATIONAL CITY.
ASHLEY CUMMINS VERSUS THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY.
THAT WAS $43,430 AND 57 CENTS.
AND THE LAST ONE WAS BCD VERSUS THE CITY.
AND THAT WAS A TOTAL OF $22, UH, ON YOUR WARRANT TONIGHT.
UH, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL, UM, EXPENSES FOR LEGAL SERVICES TO DPMC AND THOSE WERE IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE BCD CASE VERSUS NATIONAL CITY.
THAT WAS $90, UH, BANDARI VERSUS THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY THAT WAS $1,575 CUMMINS VERSUS THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY.
THAT WAS $33,493 AND 97 CENTS.
SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT VERSUS, UH, CITY OF NATIONAL CITY.
AND CALI MOTA VERSUS THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY, UH, $562 AND 50 CENTS.
UH, I WILL NOTE THAT CUMMINS VERSUS, UH, UH, CITY OF NATIONAL CITY HAS BEEN PENDING FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS.
WE ARE ABOUT TWO MONTHS AWAY FROM TRIAL.
UM, MOST OF THESE EXPENSES ARE BEING PAID BY OUR, UH, INSURANCE COMPANY, GIVEN THAT WE'VE EXCEEDED THE, THE LIMITS.
SO THAT'S MY REPORT ON THAT IN RESPONSE.
OKAY, SO THAT WILL GO, THAT IS ON THE RECORD AND ANSWER HIS QUESTIONS.
UH, MEMBER M YES, MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ALL CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION, A SECOND.
MOTION TO APPROVE UNANIMOUSLY.
ALRIGHT, NEXT WE GO INTO STAFF REPORTS.
ARE THERE ANY STAFF REPORTS ADDITIONAL THAT ARE NOT LISTED? I HAVE NONE.
AND, UH, THEN CITY MANAGER REPORT, ANYTHING? I, WE HAVE NONE, MAYOR.
[13. ELECTED OFFICIALS REPORT]
REPORTS.UM, JUST REALLY WANNA THANK STAFF AND ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
THERE'S BEEN A MILLION THINGS HAPPENING OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.
UH, THANK YOU FOR HANGING IN THERE FOR WORKING HARD.
UM, AND THERE'S A LOT MORE WORK TO DO AND, UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME WE TALK ABOUT, OH, THIS IS THE LAST THING THAT'S COMING YOUR WAY, THEN WE GET A FLOOD
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR, FOR HANGING IN THERE, UM, AND FOR PUTTING IN HARD WORK.
UH, ALSO ECHO THOSE SENTIMENT STAFF FOR WORK SO HARD.
AND BEING HERE AT 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.
UM, I WANTED TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO THE, UM, HOMELESS OUTREACH REACH TEAM, UM, UH, KEANA WILLIAMSON AND HOSO, I'M BLANKING ON HIS NAME.
UM, SO THEY, OH, WE DID A, A TOUR OF, UM, THEY CALL IT THE JUNGLE.
[03:40:01]
UM, UH, OUTSIDE OF PLAZA BONITA, THE, THE UNDEVELOPED AREA WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THAT HAS ALL THE, UH, HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS.SO REALLY APPRECIATED, UH, NOT JUST GOING OUT WITH, UH, THEM AND LEARNING HOW THEY DO THEIR OUTREACH.
SO THAT WAS REALLY NEW AND INSIGHTFUL, UH, FOR ME.
UH, WE ARE ALSO JOINED BY, UH, COUNTY WORKERS, UM, THAT, THAT AREA, UH, ALSO WAS IMPACTED BY THE FLOOD.
SO, UH, WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH, UH, STAFF AND SEEING HOW, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO A CLEANUP.
I, I KNOW THAT'S NOT THE, THAT MIGHT NOT BE TREATED AS YOUR TYPICAL CLEANUP AREA.
ALL THE SENSITIVE ISSUES THERE, SENSITIVE HABITAT THERE IN CAMP.
WE, WE, WE'VE DONE 'EM THERE BEFORE.
SO THERE'S A HISTORY OF BEING ABLE TO DO 'EM.
SO, AND I, AND I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, UH, UP TO SPEED ON ALL OF THOSE BACKGROUND ISSUES, BUT, UM, THE ONE THING I SAW THAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE, UM, ADDRESSED, THE INSAN, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY IT'S IN SANITARY, UH, CONDITIONS.
UH, WE HAD OUR ANIMAL CONTROL SHADOW TO THAT TEAM BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, FERAL CATS OUT THERE, AND THOSE ARE BAD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND JUST, UH, A PERIOD.
SO, I MEAN, THEY HAVE AN AREA WHERE IT'S KIND OF SQUATTING AND THAT'S A SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUE.
HEPATITIS JUST, IT, IT'S, AND IT'S ALSO A COUNTY ISSUE.
SO WE WERE THERE, UM, TALKING TO COUNTY STAFF.
UH, THEY ACKNOWLEDGED IT'S AN ISSUE.
THEY COULDN'T MAKE ANY COMMITMENTS, BUT I REALLY THINK WE NEED PORTA-POTTIES OR BATHROOMS OUT THERE.
THE COUNTY DID SHARE WITH ME THAT THERE'S A PRECEDENT FOR THAT.
UH, DURING COD WE HAD THAT, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S AN EXPENSE HEPATITIS, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE, IN THE SHORT RUN TO THE CITY FOR, FOR DOING THAT.
BUT THE, UM, THE, THE GREATER EXPENSE AS A HEALTH RISK ASK THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO WHEN, UM, AND THEIR KIND OF SLOW RESPONSE TO THE HEP A A CRISIS AND PEOPLE DIED.
AND SO, UH, THERE'S A MUCH GREATER COST OF, OF THAT THAN JUST PROVIDING, UM, BATHROOMS AND WASHROOM STATIONS.
AND SO REALLY ASK STAFF TO GET ON THAT.
I'M HAPPY TO WORK WITH, UH, THE MAYOR OR ANY OF MY, UH, COLLEAGUES ON THAT PER THE BROWN ACT.
SO CONSISTENT WITH THE BROWN ACT.
YEAH, IF WE CAN, UM, UH, TO, UH, JUST PUT MORE FOCUS ON, ON ON THAT AREA SOON, THAT'D BE GREAT.
YOU JUST SEE THE LOOK OF THE COUNCIL.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE ATTENDANCE THAT, UH, THAT, THAT CAME TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR HANGING WITH US.
I KNOW SOMETIMES THE, YOU KNOW, THE RHETORIC UP HERE GETS LONG, BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE SUPPORT.
UM, AND, AND I DO JUST WANNA ASSURE THE PUBLIC THAT, UH, I HAVE MADE A REQUEST FOR A COMPLETE ACCOUNTING OF ALL EXPENSES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO DATE AGAINST EACH OF OUR COUNCIL DISTRICT BUDGETS.
AND I AM EXPECTING THAT SOON, UH, THE PUBLIC WILL ALSO BE MADE AWARE OF THAT AS A REPORT, UH, COMING TO OUR, ONE OF OUR FUTURE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, HOPEFULLY SOONER THAN LATER.
UM, THANK YOU TO ALL THE STAFF.
I KNOW IT'S 10 10, BUT UM, ON THE 24TH, THIS IS A SATURDAY.
WE HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING, DISTRICT THREE, UM, AT HARBISON PLACE.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN NOTICED BY THE NEIGHBORS AS WELL.
AND SO, UM, ALL OF THE CITY MANAGER AND, AND THE DIRECTORS HERE, THANK YOU ALL FOR, I THINK PROVIDING, GOING TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO PROVIDE THEM INFORMATION.
I THINK THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT THEY ARE, UM, THEY HAVE MISSED.
AND SO, UM, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
UM, I'M GOING TO SAY I'VE GOT NOTHING SO THAT WE CAN GET, GET OUTTA HERE.
HOW'S THAT? WATCH THE PURPOSE.
[14. CITY ATTORNEY REPORT]
ATTORNEY.I WILL, UH, REPORT ON CLOSE OUT ON CLOSED SESSION.
WE HAD THREE MATTERS, UH, ON THE CLOSED SESSION AGENDA.
THERE ARE NO REPORTABLE ACTIONS ON ANY OF THOSE, HOWEVER, I DO HAVE A PUBLIC STATEMENT.
UM, A RECENT ARTICLE SUGGESTED THAT THE EXPENDITURE OF CITY FUNDS FOR THE PURCHASE OF TURKEYS FOR A CITY SPONSORED COMMUNITY EVENT WITH A GIFT OF PUBLIC FUNDS.
THE EXPENDITURE WAS REVIEWED BY MY OFFICE AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE PRIOR TO THE PURCHASE.
THESE REVIEWS CONCLUDED THAT THE PURCHASE WAS BEING MADE IN CONNECTION WITH A CITY SPONSORED COMMUNITY EVENT AIMED AT INCREASING COMMUNITY COMMUNICATION AND OUTREACH, AND THEREFORE SERVED A PUBLIC PURPOSE AND DID NOT CONSTITUTE A GIFT TO PUBLIC FUNDS.
HOWEVER, DESPITE OUR CONCLUSIONS, THE EVENT DID HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A CITY COUNCIL POLICY GOVERNING THE EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS FROM THE RECENTLY ESTABLISHED DISTRICT BUDGETS.
THE COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER THE ADOPTION OF SUCH A POLICY AT A NEAR FUTURE COUNCIL MEETING NO LATER THAN THE FIRST MEETING IN APRIL.
[03:45:01]
THAT CONCLUDES THAT, THAT INCLUDES OUR AGENDA AND WE ARE ADJOURNED FOR THE EVENING.THANK YOU, MAYOR, UNTIL OUR NEXT REGULAR SCHEDULE COUNCIL MEETING.