Morning Report: San Diego Unified’s Affordable Housing Plans Chugging Along
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San Diego Unified School District’s bid to transform five district-owned sites into affordable housing has more than a dozen takers.
Months ago, the district asked developers to submit proposals that would help fulfill its goal of building affordable homes for up to 10 percent of district staff.
Our Jakob McWhinney has a status update on those plans, which have thus far drawn 15 proposals that district staff expect to review and send to the school board by December.
Interestingly: The district is seeking some extra perks at some of the sites. For example, it wants the eventual redeveloper of its aging University Heights headquarters to improve an elementary school and preserve two historic buildings and wants a child development center, homeless outreach center or community garden at a Logan Heights site – or all of the above.
Superior Court Judge Dismisses Ex-CIO’s Case Against MTS
Two Superior Court judges have now dismissed a trio of legal challenges tied to sexual harassment allegations that forced ex-county Supervisor Nathan Fletcher out of office.
The latest dismissal came via Superior Court Judge Gregory Pollack’s Friday decision, following summary judgment motions by MTS, that there were no “triable issues of fact” in ex-MTS’s Chief Information Officer Emily Outlaw’s employment case against the agency.
Refresher: Outlaw alleged MTS retaliated against her because of her lack of cooperation as it grappled with the scandal involving Fletcher and then-MTS public relations staffer Grecia Figueroa. Outlaw claimed that she refused to have her IT department recover Figueroa’s private messages and that she had been asked to prove that a February 2023 email that Figueroa’s attorney sent the agency’s human resources director went to the official’s spam folder though the official saw it. The latter allegation – if true – would have meant that the agency knew about Figueroa’s claims against Fletcher sooner than it stated publicly.
The judge’s ruling: In his Aug. 29 ruling posted late this week, Pollack concluded that the search of Figueroa’s messages was lawful because MTS had a legal duty to preserve evidence and MTS policy had clarified that employees using MTS devices and platforms “shall have no expectation of privacy in such communication.” Pollack also wrote that there was “no remotely credible evidence of a causal connection between Outlaw relaying the results of her subordinate’s investigation to (MTS CEO Sharon) Cooney) and any adverse action taken against Outlaw.”
What the lawyers are saying: Attorney Jim Mitchell, Outlaw’s attorney, said he and his client are now considering whether to appeal. Mitchell argued that Outlaw laid out substantial evidence worthy of a trial and that the judge inappropriately put his thumb on the scale.
“He should have let a jury decide it,” Mitchell said.
Attorney Nadia Bermudez, who represented MTS in the case, had a different take.
“We believe that the judge’s dismissal of all claims was consistent with the undisputed facts and applicable law,” Bermudez wrote in a statement. “The judge agreed that MTS did not violate or fail to comply with any local, state or federal rule or regulation. In short, MTS followed all the rules a public employer should in this case.”
Recent history: In early August, San Diego Superior Court Judge Matthew Braner dismissed all claims against the transit system in Figueroa’s lawsuit against the agency and Fletcher. A week later, Braner dismissed Figueroa’s case against Fletcher due to what he described as her rampant and willful “spoliation” of evidence.
Paloma Is Ready to Wield Her Power
County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre is ready to use her new powers to address the Tijuana sewage crisis.
Our Jim Hinch joined her on a coastline boat tour she organized to bring attention to the issue and show up-close how pollution from the river enters the ocean.
Hinch writes that the newly-elected supervisor plans to ask for two region-wide studies that would study sewage-related health impacts on residents in South County and how beach closures impact the local economy.
She also plans to ask her colleagues to hire a lobbyist to educate federal lawmakers on the sewage crisis. Hinch took a look at her proposal and found something interesting about where she plans to get the money to do that work.
Read the South County Report here.
Politifest: How Do We Build More Housing People Can Afford?
At Politifest 2025, we’ll explore ideas to build more affordable homes quickly and effectively. Panelists will discuss issues like zoning, costs, and community concerns to identify the best way to expand housing options for all residents.
Buy your tickets today.
In Other News
- The Union-Tribune dug into how city budget cuts are hitting the city’s 37 branch libraries.
- CBS 8 reports that the San Diego City Council will weigh in next week on a proposed $875,000 settlement with an unarmed man who was attacked by a police canine and shot with bean bag rounds.
- Political dominoes: Fox 5 reports that former City Attorney Mara Elliott, a Democrat, is seeking the state Senate District 40 seat now held by Republican Minority Leader Brian Jones. Elliott’s announcement came a day after former city attorney and now-Councilmember Marni von Wilpert revealed she’ll seek Republican U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa’s seat in Congress. Von Wilpert had previously announced a bid for the 40th District state Senate seat.
- NBC 7 reports that San Diego Zoo visitors could pay to park at its Balboa Park lot as soon as October per a proposed amendment to the zoo’s city lease.
- Fox 5 reports that the Oceanside City Council earlier this week took an initial vote to bolster tenant protections in the city.
The Morning Report was written by Lisa Halverstadt. It was edited by Andrea Sanchez-Villafaña.
The post Morning Report: San Diego Unified’s Affordable Housing Plans Chugging Along appeared first on Voice of San Diego.
