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12-story buildings sprinkled around San Diego
Sadly our City officials have joined the grab-and-go zeitgeist of our times. The effort to take the zeal of youth and turn it into zealotry has succeeded, and powers-that-be are not going to let this opportunity be wasted. YIMBYs are armed with talking points and fearlessness as they attack community members who won't rubber stamp whatever a developer wants to build. And if the community members are over 60 they seem to enjoy it even more. And while they call anyone who doesn't follow the party line climate change deniers (even though I just can't see how luxury high rises are going to save us from anything) YIMBYs are the ones who seem allergic to data, just like the like real climate change deniers. Such as the fact we are overbuilt on high end residential units, the current zoning allows for more than enough units, low-rise construction is substantially more affordable, eliminating illegal STVRs would be very helpful in reducing our housing needs. It seems quite possible land owners will get entitlements on their property for buildings that won't get built at this time for lack of a market for the units if this scheme is approved. And these zombie un-built, but permitted, buildings will haunt our neighborhoods for years. And exist solely to increase the land value of their property. But more importantly our elected officials and their staff's willingness to divide our communities at this time with needless land-use fights is shameful.— June 3, 2020 10:05 p.m.
During pandemic San Diego bicyclists push street closures
I am happy to see this story. While I don't fault the bike advocates for advocating for what they believe in, I find it odd and confusing the inordinately large access they have in the mayor's and some city council member's offices. Circulate SD seems to act as both a consultant to policy decisions and a lobbyist for the companies that fund their organization. To me this is eerily similar to the way to the federal government currently functions. Staff members in some council member's offices seem to feel comfortable openly supporting these organizations, their members, and lobbyists (who are embedded in the same organizations) on social media. And at the same time feel comfortable disparagingly mocking constituents that have different points of view. And woven through all of this is both implicit and explicit ageism. I assume like many dark aspects of government I assume there is money to follow. This story deserves a deeper dive.— May 5, 2020 10:59 p.m.
Todd Gloria gets hand slapped
I am to grateful Matt Potter for refreshing our memory on Gloria's slippery relationship to campaign finance laws in our city. And also, to Mat Wahlstrom for his efforts to fight the entrenched lack of transparency endemic within our local politicians. The issue is who their actions are serving, and my experience (with Gloria and others) is that it isn't their constituents.— February 5, 2020 8:51 p.m.
DMV getting closer to Mission Valley move
The entire Hillcrest DMV site should be turned into a major community park. Its the ONLY time a site of this scale will ever be available. There are infill locations for housing to be built, they don't need to be the scale of this site. A park in that location is needed. Parking funds from the Uptown/Hillcrest parking meter account can build underground parking below. Clearly the conflicts over the Normal Street Promenade is that it is trying to be too much, because the community needs many kinds of open space in the heart of Hillcrest, especially as housing density is added. A park of that scale will alleviate the over use of the West Mesa of Balboa Park.— January 23, 2020 9:16 p.m.
Apple flack Fred Sainz with F-word history maxes out to Todd Gloria
The headline indicates this is a story about Todd Gloria, which it is.— December 18, 2019 7:54 a.m.
Summer Stephan untangles herself from San Diego Republicans
If the polls are right about Gloria, it seems we're going to end up with a Democratic city government that is identical to the Republican ones before it. Its the same money putting them into power, and keeping them there. The big money doesn't want to stop playing self serving monopoly with our city! What's sad/funny to watch is the developer cronies and shills tweeting away about the horrible corruption at the federal level, but then perpetrating it locally.— October 15, 2019 4:38 p.m.
Ward-Faulconer parking plan to Adams Ave. and Mid City groups: drop dead
I would assume Cory Briggs is also exploring the possibility of legal transgressions by Circulate SD and Ward's office. Regarding the bike lane issue, I would assume both Circulate Inc and Ward need to make sure they power through a few bike lanes to help provide cover for their main agenda, serving the big developers, land owners, out in the open lobbyists, and other business/corporate concerns that fund their ambitions. While I would love to see a more pedestrian and bike friendly San Diego, its depressing to see such cynicism associated with the cause. I recently heard someone use the phrase "The Trojan Bike" to describe what is going on. That would be funny except for the very real negative impact on our city, and the damage to peoples lives is tragic. It doesn't take a lot of effort to realize the only hope we have to solve the climate crisis (and the housing crisis) is to diminish the control corporations have over the politicians and the political process. How is helping mega real estate corporations and REITs take over our housing market going to help. Do you think all the money being funneled into Circulate SD by business to distribute in various hidden ways into subverting our community process really intended to solve the climate or housing crisis? I have no idea if the Republicans who espoused supply side theory 40 years ago thought it would trickle down to help all levels of the economy, nor do I know now if those running Circulate Inc believe building luxury housing will bring rents down. I think a consideration of the situation that isn't self serving would suggest a more complicated and nuanced solution is required. But one thing is clear, the destructive tribalism Circulate Inc (and Ward) put so much energy into is not helpful.— July 21, 2019 10:55 p.m.
Ward-Faulconer parking plan to Adams Ave. and Mid City groups: drop dead
All the new posts are making it even clearer there needs to be the daylight of a in depth journalist investigation of Circulate SD and its relationship to our elected officials. Clearly one of Circulate's main goals, like any business entity, is its own financial well being. And clearly given its donor list and its growth, Circulate is successful at that. Of course part of the problem with taking money from someone is that the people you get it from usually except something in return for it. Seems to me the connection preventing pedestrian accidents/deaths and deregulating development regulations for the benefit of developers is both odd and tenuous. But Circulate seems to feel its cover enough to obscure all of the lobbying work they do for a myriad of businesses. Whats both more remarkable, but also more troubling, is that Chris Ward and Todd Gloria feel they can use Circulate SD as cover for their actions and ambitions. If Circulate is doing most of the heavy lifting for developer lobbyists then Ward and Gloria can pretend they are doing something other than doing what their political funders want. What's perhaps even more troubling is seeing Ward join in on one of the main strategies of Circulate and their many tentacle organizations (Circulate Inc): to try to neutralize neighborhood organizations through ageism and tribalism. The goal is to prevent a hearty multi-voiced dialog about land use. Instead of a complex dialogs from how to wisely add density to a neighborhood to how the concentration of wealth is leading to a concentration of real estate ownership (and how that impacts housing availability and costs), Circulate Inc encourages the out loud attacks on boomers, suggesting they should move if they don't like Circulate Incs goals for the city. Clearly Ward slipped up by using his "out loud" voice to espouse this position at the meeting, but its at the core of his and others strategy for land use. So I'll say it again, we need to shine daylight on all this.....for the well being of our city.— July 20, 2019 8:15 a.m.
Ward-Faulconer parking plan to Adams Ave. and Mid City groups: drop dead
RescueHillcrest, are you suggesting there is a problem with like minded folks having a "mixer"? Of course its troubling that that both Rise Up Town and YIMBY "Democrats" seem to actively work to use tribalism to both excite those who join it (I assume the leaders encourage members to attack Boomers because its fun), and to tragically create a "them" and "us" dynamic within communities. Of course the goal of Circulate SD is to keep the developer cash coming in, but sadly some of their foot soldiers actually think building roof top pools will solve the housing crisis and save the planet. But is there a law against motivating folks to take action with false information? Doesn't seem so. But I assume Circulate SD is a registered lobbying organization, and certainly a tax paying organization (non tax paying not-for-profits can't do all the lobbying and political work they do). But it does seem weird that a staff member of Ward's office is an officer in YIMBY Democrats. Seems like a conflict if her job is to represent all in his district, but maybe that isn't how they see their role...— July 18, 2019 5:42 p.m.
Ward-Faulconer parking plan to Adams Ave. and Mid City groups: drop dead
There you go.....sounds like this is the tip of the icky iceberg of all of this. I suppose another way to put it be that Ward's office and Circulate SD are not incestuous, but really the same thing. And you need to add YIMBY Democrats (which is such a misnomer, it should really be YIMBY Libertarians) which is just a recruiting arm to dupe Millennials that the only way to bring their rent down is to call Boomers greedy for caring about their neighborhoods. I assume you can look at every land use situation Ward has been involved with and you will find the same folks calling the shots and playing the various roles to insure the predetermined outcome happens. The 6th and Olive project had the same cast of characters making sure the community input was ignored. Sadly this is just more of the insider, self serving, business as usual we have seen for way to long in San Diego. We really need to find a way to get a city government that is working for the people of the city, not well connected folks playing monopoly with our city.— July 17, 2019 5:45 p.m.