According to city staff, San Diego would need to spend $478 million to smooth out streets, $185 million to repair crumbling buildings, and $235 million on storm drains; a total of $898 million to catch up on deferred maintenance. This estimate is based on the assumption that the current conditions will stay the same.

On Wednesday, the Budget and Finance Committee discussed ways to avoid further deterioration of streets, buildings, and storm drains. One proposal is the "status quo model," a five-year financing plan aimed at keeping condition levels as they currently are. The plan calls for ramping up spending to maintain adequate service levels in following years.

Keeping the status quo didn't go over so well with one resident who spoke during public comment. "You're saying, 'Here's funding plan that in five years from now we won't be worse off that the $898 million hole we are in now'? That's a problem, " said North Park resident Omar Passons.

Committee members agreed; however, they acknowledged that there were no quick fixes. "The status quo is not an option," responded committee chair Todd Gloria. "This billion-dollar problem didn't happen overnight. It took a long time to get into and will take a long time to get out of."

Before they move the proposal on to the full city council, committee members asked city staff to come back next month with a list of projects and ways to identify funding sources for those projects.