Dear Neighbor, 

The cost of imported water has tripled in the last 15 years and continues to rise. 

The agencies that provide water to the city of San Diego are among those raising rates, which means our Public Utilities Department’s operating costs have gone up significantly in recent years.

Currently, this expensive, imported water makes up between 85% and 90% of the City’s supply, which is what’s driving the City’s need to raise water rates by about 19% over the next two years. For the average single-family homeowner, that’s about $12 more a month.

These rate increases, which the City Council will consider on Tuesday, are also needed to pay for upgrades and maintenance of our aging water pipes and other big projects such as the Pure Water recycling program that will provide about half of the San Diego’s potable water by 2035.

I know how increased water rates will impact San Diegans, especially those living paycheck-to-paycheck, which is why we have pursued all possible measures to reduce the impact.

Pure Water, for instance, will insulate San Diego from the rising costs of imported water. We are also working with our Public Utilities Department to ensure the ongoing improvements they’re making to customer service and other systems are happening as quickly as possible to improve the quality of service as well.

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

Coming Soon: More Funding and New Tools to Take on California’s Mental Health Crisis 

State Legislators have passed Senate Bill 43, a bill authored by Sen. Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton) and sponsored by the California Big City Mayors coalition. The bill expands the definition of “gravely disabled” in conservatorship law, allowing consideration of a person’s inability to attend to their necessary personal or medical care. It will also update conservatorship laws to include substance-use disorder as a factor, in addition to mental illness.

This critical reform to California's conservatorship laws will ensure people suffering from severe mental illness or addiction can get the care they need.

The bill now moves to Gov. Gavin Newson’s desk for his signature, which means we are just one signature away from being able to help people with disorders so serious that they cannot attend to their own medical needs or personal safety.

I personally have met too many families who have suffered in helpless agony as their loved ones deteriorate and sometimes die from lack of care because the conservatorship laws on the books make it too hard to get their loved ones into care.  

The second win last week was a $1.5 billion increase to a proposed state mental health bond to fund thousands more beds.

In August, local cities and counties called for that increase, and last week, Governor Gavin Newsom and California legislators came through for us. 

The Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond Act of 2023 will now provide funding for more than 10,000 new mental health and drug treatment beds. 

I appreciate Sen. Susan Eggman, Governor Newsom and the other state leaders who are responding to the mental health crisis in California with the scale of funding needed to ensure cities and counties have the tools we need to help combat this crisis. 

Repairing Convoy Street to Better Connect San Diegans to the Cultural District They Love  

Approximately three miles of road on Convoy Street, from the SR-52 onramp to Kearny Mesa Road, is being repaired and improved! 

This project will help connect San Diegans to the restaurants and small businesses they love in the growing Convoy District.   

The repaving of Convoy Street is part of my “Sexy Streets” initiative, which works to address decades-long underinvestment in our infrastructure and to make certain every community has quality streets. 

Resurfacing work began last week and is expected to be completed by the spring of 2024. The work will take place nightly Mondays through Fridays from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. and access to businesses and residences along Convoy Street will remain open during construction.

City Awarded $3.2 Million of State Funding to Move People Out of Encampments Along 1-15 and Into Homes 

The City of San Diego has been awarded $3.2 million from the State to move people experiencing homelessness along the Interstate 15 corridor out of encampments and into housing. 

The funding is part of the state’s ongoing efforts to prevent and end homelessness in California. More than $81 million in Encampment Resolution Fund (ERF) grants have been awarded to 11 total communities across the state. 

Governor Newsom has committed more than $30 billion to address housing and homelessness since taking office, with $3.5 billion for homelessness in the 2023 state budget alone. And my latest budget expanded general fund support for homelessness programming, adding $24.5 million to maintain and operate the nearly 70 percent in additional shelter bed capacity the City has achieved to date under my administration.

Every bit of funding spent on combatting the homeless crisis is an investment in the well-being and dignity of our most vulnerable citizens.

Funding for Employ & Empower Program Here to Stay 

The City will continue offering exciting paid opportunities for San Diego's youth. 

California Volunteers and the Office of the Governor announced ongoing funding for the very successful Californians For All Youth Corps program.

CaliforniansForAll Youth Corps is funding opportunities, skills, and careers in public service. Here in San Diego, we use the funding for our Employ & Empower program, which has hosted nearly 600 paid interns since its launch last summer -- with a third of them having been hired into full-time roles at the City.

Youth Corps is an innovative partnership between the state and local governments to help young people serve their community and start their careers. The program gives youth service opportunities, skills and sets them on a career pathway, leading to reduced homelessness and crime.

The 2023-2024 State Budget allocates $78.1 million in ongoing funds to the Youth Corps program to provide a hand up to young people, ages 16-30, who are from low-income families, transitioning out of foster care, unemployed, out of school, or were involved in the mental health or justice systems. 

Thank you to our state leaders for making this valuable program permanent.