Dear Neighbor, 

I was honored to take the oath of office for a second term as your Mayor. Standing with my family at the Jacobs Music Center for the City of San Diego’s 75th Inauguration Ceremony, I reflected on how much we’ve done together these last four years and the challenges facing us.  

From doubling the number of options for those experiencing homelessness to come off the streets and reducing Downtown encampments by 80% to repairing a quarter of our City’s road network and enacting pro-housing policies that paved the way for over 20,000 new homes across every neighborhood of San Diego, we’ve proven that real solutions are possible when we focus on what matters. 

And this is just the beginning.  I’m committed to building on this momentum—acting boldly to address homelessness, accelerate housing production, fix more of our roads and infrastructure, and ensure San Diego remains one of the safest big cities in America. Despite our City’s fiscal challenges, I want San Diegans to know that there will be no second-term slowdown when it comes to these priorities; instead, this will be a second-term double-down. 

I ran for this office because I believe in what we can achieve together. Not just to be “America’s Finest City,” but to be one of its greatest. I believe in our ability to rise to the occasion, make tough choices and move forward. 

I am deeply humbled and profoundly honored to be sworn in for a second term as your Mayor. Thank you for your trust, your faith, and this extraordinary opportunity to continue leading the city I love so deeply. 

As always, it’s an honor to serve as your Mayor. 

Round 4 of my Bridge to Home program is set to bring 592 new affordable homes to neighborhoods like City Heights, Southcrest, Grantville, and others. These homes will serve working families, seniors and people experiencing homelessness—ensuring more San Diegans have access to stable, affordable housing. 

Since its launch in 2021, Bridge to Home has proven to be a vital tool in our mission to build more housing San Diegans can afford. By providing gap financing, we’re helping get these critical projects off the ground faster. With this fourth round of funding, the program has supported nearly 2,000 affordable homes citywide for working families, seniors, and unhoused neighbors. 

Building more housing isn’t just about creating more homes—it’s about providing stability, dignity, and opportunity to people in need.  

A new agreement from the San Diego County Water Authority will save San Diego regional ratepayers $20 million while conserving water in Lake Mead. This innovative partnership with the Imperial Irrigation District and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California ensures 50,000 acre-feet of water remains in Lake Mead, supported by federal funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. 

This comes as the City of San Diego’s representatives to the County Water Authority have been urging SDCWA staff leadership for innovative and creative solutions in their management of agreements to help bring down water rates. 

The second in two years, this agreement demonstrates how collaboration and creative solutions can address rising water costs while also ensuring long-term resource sustainability. Savings from this year’s agreement will directly benefit San Diego ratepayers by lowering wholesale water rates in 2026. 

These efforts, alongside additional measures like budget cuts and grant funding, are key steps in balancing affordability, sustainability and water reliability for our region. Strategic actions like this protect both our community and the oversubscribed Colorado River for the future. 

Starting Jan. 1, San Diego’s minimum wage will increase to $17.25 an hour, putting more money directly into the pockets of hardworking residents. This increase will help working families make ends meet in the face of the rising cost of living. 

Raising the minimum wage wouldn’t have been possible without the years of advocacy from community leaders and workers who demanded action, and I was proud to join forces with them to deliver real results for San Diegans.  

By ensuring fair pay for workers, we’re building a stronger, more sustainable future for families across our city.  

The City of San Diego recently released the draft Coastal Resilience Master Plan and is asking community members for their input. 

Climate change is accelerating sea level rise, which increases the risk of coastal flooding and erosion, particularly during storm events. The draft Coastal Resilience Master Plan addresses sea level rise-driven challenges by prioritizing nature-based solutions. Examples of nature-based solutions can include habitat restoration, engineered and passive dunes, and waterfront parks, among other options. 

The draft plan considers six locations for nature-based solutions projects: La Jolla Shores, Tourmaline Surf Park, Mission Beach, Ocean Beach – Dog Beach, Ocean Beach – Beachfront (Pier) and Sunset Cliffs. For each project site, a high-level concept design is proposed. 

San Diegans can provide their input through an online survey or by emailing ClimateResilientSD@sandiego.gov. 

A draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) is also available for review. Input can be emailed to PlanningCEQA@sandiego.gov. Both the draft Coastal Resilience Master Plan and PEIR are available for public feedback until Jan. 5, 2025. Feedback received through the public review period will then be incorporated into the plan and PEIR. 

The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department is gearing up for the summer of 2025 by recruiting seasonal lifeguards. To qualify for an interview, candidates must swim 500 meters in under 10 minutes. Swim tryouts are scheduled for Jan. 16, 17, 18, 2025, at 8 a.m. at Ventura Cove. 

With over 40 miles of shoreline to patrol, SDFD lifeguards are essential to ensuring the safety of millions of residents and visitors. Interested candidates should apply online two weeks before their tryout date.