Dear Neighbor, 

This week, I will release my preliminary draft budget for the upcoming fiscal year. 

The feedback we heard through the Resident Budget Survey is clear: your priorities are my priorities.  

We are continuing the work to fix our roads by repairing streets, sidewalks, and streetlights citywide so you can get where you need to go safely and reliably. Since I took office, we’ve resurfaced 35 % of the City’s entire road network, and that work must continue.  

We are investing in public safety so when you call 911, a trained professional responds quickly with the tools they need to protect lives and property. Twelve positions were moved into Fire-Rescue's Emergency Operations to improve coordination and response times, with no reduction in staffing. 

We are continuing our work to reduce homelessness. Homelessness dropped 13.5% last year—one of the largest decreases in California—and we cannot afford to lose that momentum. 

And we are making it easier to build more homes by streamlining permits and cutting red tape. For the first time in 25 years, we've started to see a promising trend in rents declining year-over-year, and we need to keep that going. 

My draft budget includes this funding despite facing a roughly $120 million deficit driven by rising costs and slower revenue growth. We have had to make difficult choices on reductions needed to balance the budget and focus on San Diego’s priorities. 

We’ve already reduced more than $100 million in spending by cutting management layers, consolidating departments, and lowering overhead, and we will continue making responsible choices to focus on the services you rely on most. Every city department will have to make reductions.  

This proposal is a starting point and will continue to evolve with updated financial information and your input. 

At the end of the day, my draft budget is about keeping you safe; fixing our roads, sidewalks and streetlights; reducing homelessness; and building more homes. 

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

I joined CNN for a live interview with Elex Michaelson to talk about the issue I hear about most from mayors across the country: housing. 

No matter where you go, the biggest pressure on families is the cost of housing. This is not just a San Diego or California issue. Mayors from cities large and small are dealing with the same challenge, and as I prepare to lead the United States Conference of Mayors, I’m focused on making sure we’re working together to deliver real solutions. 

Here in San Diego, we’re leading by making it easier to build. We’ve cut red tape, sped up permits, and kept projects moving so more homes are getting built. That’s how you bring costs down over time and create more opportunities for working and middle-class families. 

I also made the case for stronger federal partnership, including passing the 21st Century Road to Housing Act. This bipartisan legislation would modernize housing programs and reward cities that are stepping up to build more homes. 

San Diego is showing what’s possible when you focus on pro-housing policies that get results. Now we need cities across the country to do the same. 

I’m supporting Assembly Bill 2074, authored by Assemblymember Matt Haney. It’s a state bill that helps cities turn underused office and commercial spaces into housing near jobs and transit.  

This is a practical way to address vacancies while creating more homes and supporting good-paying construction jobs. 

We’ve already made progress locally by speeding up housing production, and we’re seeing more people return to Downtown. In fact, San Diego has recovered nearly all of its pre-pandemic activity — even as many other cities continue to struggle. 

Some corners of Downtown still need attention and reinvestment, and this is exactly the kind of challenge we need to take on. Too many office spaces are still sitting empty, and too many people are still priced out of living near where they work. 

This bill builds on what’s already been working here in San Diego — making it easier to build more homes, strengthen our economy, and keep Downtown moving in the right direction. 

San Diego is continuing to lead with smart, regional solutions to secure a reliable and affordable water future. 

The City of San Diego was proud to support a new long-term agreement between the San Diego County Water Authority and the Eastern Municipal Water District in Riverside.  This comes on the heels of a similar agreement reached with the Western Municipal Water District (also located in Riverside) achieved last month.  

This new partnership builds on years of investment that have positioned our region with a strong and resilient water system, even during the driest conditions. By selling surplus water through existing infrastructure, the agreement maximizes the value of those investments and brings in new revenue that helps reduce cost pressures for ratepayers. 

It also reflects a broader shift toward regional collaboration across Southern California water agencies as we continue to experience climate change and severe challenges along the Colorado River 

Artemis II astronauts are back on Earth — with a splashdown just off out city’s coast!  

This historic mission marked the first crewed flight around the Moon in more than 50 years, and our region played a key role in bringing the crew home safely. Navy recovery teams based here led the effort to retrieve the spacecraft and astronauts from the Pacific. 

San Diego’s connection goes even deeper. Researchers at UC San Diego and Scripps Institution of Oceanography have helped NASA better understand ocean conditions and prepare for safe splashdowns. 

This is yet another huge moment of pride for our global city. San Diego has supported human spaceflight for decades — and Artemis II is the latest example of that legacy in action. 

San Diego lost a trailblazer whose impact on our city will be felt for generations. Deputy Fire Chief Alwin “Benny” Holman, a Navy veteran and one of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department’s most influential leaders, dedicated more than three decades to serving our community. 

Benny made history early in his career as the first Black firefighter assigned outside of Station 19 in Southcrest, breaking a long-standing color barrier within the department. That moment marked a turning point, opening the door for greater opportunity and representation across San Diego Fire-Rescue. Through his professionalism, strength, and leadership, he helped reshape the department into one that better reflects and serves the entire city. 

Over 32 years, Benny rose through the ranks to become San Diego’s first Black deputy fire chief. Along the way, he earned the respect of his colleagues and served as a mentor to generations of firefighters who followed in his footsteps. His legacy is not only defined by the positions he held, and by the doors he opened and the lives he influenced. 

Benny Holman’s story is one of service, perseverance, and progress. San Diego is better because of his leadership, and his legacy will continue to guide the work of those who serve our city every day. 

In last week’s trivia feature, we asked: Eggs are a symbol of Easter and new beginnings. About how many eggs does the average hen lay in a year? 

Here’s how you voted: 

▪️ 50 eggs — 7.84% (12) 
✅▪️ 250 eggs — 75.16% (115) 
▪️ 500 eggs — 17.65% (27) 

The correct answer is approximately 250 eggs. On average, a healthy hen lays about 250 eggs per year, though this can vary based on breed and environment. For those of you who guessed on the high end, I’m sure there are some egg-laying super hens out there hitting the 500-a-year mark!  

This week’s question: NASA selected waters off San Diego’s coast as a landing zone for Artemis II. What is the name of the spacecraft carried astronauts on this mission? 

▪️ Apollo 
▪️ Orion 
▪️ Discovery 

Answer below or send your guess to AskTheMayor@sandiego.gov and check back next week to see if you got it right. 

Road work is complete on Via Caballo Rojo in Rancho Peñasquitos, where crews finished a mill and pave project to fully restore the street surface. This is one of the most comprehensive types of road repair short of full reconstruction, removing the worn top layer and replacing it with new asphalt for a smoother, longer-lasting street. The project improves safety for drivers and pedestrians and helps extend the life of the roadway. 

If you’ve ever heard the sound of old asphalt being ground up, you know it’s a pretty satisfying sign of progress. Let’s just say it might be time to launch an ASMR channel for public servants who love road repair as much as I do!

Balboa Park’s Central Gardens pergola has been brought back to life, restoring a piece of history first introduced during the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. This project reflects the power of partnership with Forever Balboa Park and the shared commitment to preserving our crown jewel. Investments like this ensure Balboa Park remains a vibrant destination for residents and visitors alike. 

Starting this week, the City of San Diego will begin delivering new light blue recycling bins to households eligible for City-provided trash and recycling service. The updated bins are more durable, easier to identify, and equipped with scannable tags to improve service reliability and accountability. 

Deliveries will take place on regular collection days and continue citywide over several months, with some households receiving their bins later this year. Crews will also remove older dark blue bins, which will be recycled and repurposed. Residents can expect notifications ahead of their delivery and can look up their estimated timeline online. 

After customers receive their new light blue recycling bins, the City will collect only from those new bins. Until then, the City will continue servicing old containers to avoid disruption in customer service. Collection of recycling materials will remain bi-weekly.

Weekly recycling service will begin July 1, 2027. 

San Diego is taking action to protect residents from the growing impacts of extreme heat, and community organizations are invited to be part of the solution. The City Planning Department, in partnership with the San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, is developing an Extreme Heat Action Plan focused on reducing risks for vulnerable populations. 

As part of this effort, nonprofit organizations are encouraged to apply for the Community-Driven Design Series, which will support groups serving youth and older adults in creating heat reduction strategies for their programs and operations. Selected organizations will collaborate with City staff and regional partners to develop community-based solutions, and each participating group will receive $5,000 in funding. 

Applications close April 17. Learn more and apply today. 

There is important relief available for San Diego homeowners impacted by the 2024 storms and flooding. 

The Governor’s Office has confirmed that the January 2024 San Diego flood qualifies under the expanded CalAssist Mortgage Fund program. That means eligible disaster-affected homeowners may now receive up to 12 months of mortgage payments, paid directly to their mortgage servicer, with assistance totaling up to $100,000 that does not need to be repaid. 

The expansion increases the relief period from three months to a full year and broadens income eligibility so more families can qualify. This support is designed to help homeowners stabilize while they rebuild, navigate insurance claims, and recover from disaster impacts. 

Homeowners can review the full list of qualified disasters and apply at www.calassistmortgagefund.org. 

Downtown’s Civic Center Plaza is getting a vibrant refresh with Plaza Central — a new series of pop-up events bringing food, music, and art to the heart of the city. The activations are free and open to the public every Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., offering a lively preview of the area’s long-term revitalization. 

 
Learn more about Plaza Central events.