Dear Neighbor, 

Supporting our veterans and military families has been a cornerstone of my administration, and today I reinforced that commitment by signing an executive order to enhance employment opportunities for veterans and military spouses in the City of San Diego. 

The order dictates that the City substantially increase outreach and engagement to the military and veteran community, strengthen our customized recruitment and training for veterans, and identify new ways to attract veterans to fill City roles.  

Further, it calls for the City’s hiring managers to be trained in veteran recruitment strategies, and veteran-specific employment challenges. This training will emphasize the value of military experience to be aligned with City job opportunities. 

Signed at our third annual Veteran Appreciation Breakfast, this order builds on our recent approval as a U.S. Department of Defense SkillBridge provider, a training program that opens pathways for active-duty service members to transition smoothly into civilian careers right here at the City of San Diego. 

Through the SkillBridge program, service members in their final months of duty can gain hands-on experience with civilian employers, preparing them for meaningful post-service careers. 

We’ve implemented additional initiatives to make San Diego a more welcoming place for veterans and their families, including the launch of a 16-member Military Advisory Council, spearheading a first-in-the-nation partnership with the Wounded Warrior Project to hire a Veteran Engagement Coordinator and several new programs and practices that ensure, advance, and support veteran and military spouse and family inclusion, culture, awareness, and connections. 

Our efforts are not just about saying thank you to those who served; they’re about creating real opportunities for them to thrive and contribute to our community. 

We want to ensure San Diego remains a proud military town where our military families can build fulfilling lives. 

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

Our dedicated road repair crews in Mira Mesa tackled one of San Diego's most deteriorated streets – Aqua Mansa Road. After earning a “Failed” condition rating of just 6 out of 100 in the City’s recent pavement assessment, this residential stretch is getting the attention it deserves.  

This project is part of our work to take a strategic, data-driven approach to repairing San Diego’s long-neglected road network. 

Since 2021, my administration has repaved over 1,650 miles of road, covering 25% of our city streets. Aqua Mansa Road is a prime example of our efforts to reach every corner of San Diego with this work, not just the main thoroughfares. 

Thanks to the City’s record $140 million investment in road repairs for this fiscal year, we’ve added two new in-house mill-and-pave teams to speed up our work and improve cost efficiency. 

This is not mission accomplished, of course: We still have a lot of work to do. Our Pavement Management Plan calls for sustained investment, and I’m making sure we see continued progress. 

With support from the City Council, we’re prioritizing road repairs across all neighborhoods to build a safer, smoother San Diego for everyone. Let’s keep getting it done for our roads! 

We have taken a significant step to protect public health and our environment by bringing unleaded aviation fuel to Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport. 

Working closely with our airport team and community leaders, we’ve prioritized adding this new fuel option in response to the concerns raised by nearby residents and advocates about lead exposure from small aircraft fuel. 

With more than 350,000 annual operations, Montgomery-Gibbs is the busiest general aviation airport in California. This bustling hub provides jobs, supports pilot training, and serves as a critical base for emergency services. 

However, we recognize the need to balance these benefits with our community’s health and safety. By partnering with CrownAir, we’re now offering UL94 unleaded fuel—a cleaner option that reduces lead emissions and even cuts down on maintenance costs for aircraft owners. 

San Diego’s proactive approach places us ahead of the Federal Aviation Administration’s national timeline for transitioning to unleaded fuel by 2030. This milestone reflects our commitment to being a leader in environmental health and ensuring a safer future for all of our residents. 

In a significant milestone for our South Bay communities who’ve been impacted by cross-border pollution in the Tijuana River Valley, the expansion of the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant (SBIWTP) is officially underway.  

This $600 million project, a collaboration between the United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will double the plant’s capacity to treat 50 million gallons of wastewater per day, with the ability to handle peak flows of up to 75 million gallons. 

This expansion, along with infrastructure improvements in Mexico, aims to eliminate up to 90% of untreated wastewater reaching our coastal waters. Here in San Diego, this project represents a critical step toward cleaner water and healthier communities for residents in South Bay and beyond, who have for far too long dealt with the environmental and public health impacts of transboundary sewage flows from Baja California. 

The City is also doing its part to combat the pollution threats posed by this crisis. The City has completed reconstruction of a berm that’s part of a vital storm channel in the Tijuana River Valley. A portion of the berm was badly damaged by severe storms that occurred in January 2024. This project took City crews three weeks to complete and reflects our continued commitment to maintain and enhance our infrastructure to protect against future storm impacts. 

These projects show how we’re making progress on this crisis, but we need sustained binational action from every level of government until the cross-border pollution issue is fully resolved.  

The City of San Diego's Economic Development Department has released the Fiscal Year 2026 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) Request for Qualifications (RFQ) application for nonprofit organizations. The deadline for RFQ submissions is November 8, 2024, at 5 p.m. (PST).

The CDBG program provides funding for various projects, including housing, public services, workforce training, and assistance to low-income entrepreneurs, all aimed at benefiting low- to moderate-income individuals in San Diego. 

Once an organization qualifies through the RFQ process, it will be invited to submit project proposals for funding consideration. The Request for Proposals (RFP) will be released on December 9, 2024, with a submittal deadline of January 17, 2025. 

The San Diego Tourism Authority’s 2025 Tourism Accelerator application is now open. 

This program is a great opportunity for small businesses owned by women, veterans, people of color, people with disabilities and members of the LGBTQIA+ community who want to tap into the tourism industry and elevate their businesses to the next level. 

The accelerator includes a year of mentorship, training and advertising valued at more than $15,000. 

The application for the 2025 Tourism Accelerator Program is open now through Nov 8, 2024. 

The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department is gearing up for the summer of 2025 by recruiting seasonal lifeguards. Swim tryouts are scheduled for Jan. 16, 17, 18, 2025, at 8 a.m. at Ventura Cove. 

To qualify for an interview, candidates must swim 500 meters in under 10 minutes. 

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