[00:00:04]
[ CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Bill Wells]
CALLED TO ORDER.I'D LIKE TO ASK THE DEPUTY CITY CLERK TO PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.
WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND THEN REMAIN STANDING FOR A BRIEF MOMENT OF SILENCE? AFTERWARDS? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[ POSTINGS: The City Clerk posted Orders of Adjournment of the July 8, 2025, Meeting and the Agenda of the July 22, 2025, Meeting in accordance to State Law and City Council/Housing Authority/Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency Policy.]
POSTED ORDERS OF ADJOURNMENT OF THE JULY 8TH, 2025 MEETING AND THE MEETING OF THE JULY 22ND, 2025 MEETING IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW, CITY COUNCIL AND HOUSING AUTHORITY POLICY.[ PRESENTATIONS: Presentation: Del Mar Fairgrounds 2050 Commendation: Tom Weller, "The Highwayman"]
PRESENTATIONS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.THE FIRST OF THE PRESENTATION FROM THE DELMAR FAIRGROUNDS.
UH, WILL THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE FAIR PLEASE COME UP TO SHARE WITH US ABOUT THIS US AFTERNOON MAYOR COUNCIL TODAY.
I'M WITH SOUTHWEST STRATEGIES.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE 22ND DISTRICT AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION.
UH, WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT FAIRGROUNDS 2050, WHICH IS THE, UH, 22ND DA'S MASTER SITE PLANNING PROCESS.
SO JUST WANNA SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF INFO ON THAT.
TO GET STARTED, I JUST WANT TO KIND OF PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE 22ND DAA AND THE DELMAR FAIRGROUNDS.
THE DAA IS A STATE INSTITUTION THAT OWNS AND OPERATES THE DELMAR FAIRGROUNDS.
THEY'RE COMPRISED OF A BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UH, NINE MEMBERS, ALL APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.
THE DISTRICT IS NOT TAXPAYER FUNDED.
IT'S ALL SELF REVENUE FUNDED THROUGH EVENTS LIKE THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY FAIR HORSE RACING, AND THE SHOWS AND CONCERTS THAT THEY DO THERE.
ON THE MAP HERE, WE HAVE ALL THE PROPERTIES THAT THE 22ND DAA OWNS AND OPERATES.
IT INCLUDES THE MAIN FAIRGROUNDS CAMPUS, THE SURF AND TURF PARK, WHICH IS JUST ACROSS JIMMY DURANTE BOULEVARD.
AND THEN THE HORSE PARK, WHICH IS JUST SOUTH OF VIA DE LA VA, A LITTLE FURTHER EAST FROM THE MAIN, UH, PROPERTY AS YOU CAN KIND OF SEE IT, AS I'M SURE EVERYONE'S FAMILIAR WITH HAVING BEEN TO THE PROPERTY, IT'S SURROUNDED BY SENSITIVE, UH, ECOSYSTEMS. YOU HAVE THE BEACH RIGHT THERE.
YOU HAVE STEVENS CREEK AND THE LAGOON.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE DISTRICT TAKES VERY SERIOUSLY AS A STEWARD TO MANAGE THAT AND ITS IMPACTS.
UH, DELMORE FAIRGROUNDS IS BEST KNOWN FOR SOME OF THESE MARQUEE EVENTS.
OF COURSE, THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY FAIR, WHICH JUST WRAPPED UP, UM, HORSE RACING, WHICH IS JUST STARTING TO KICK OFF.
AND THEN THERE'S A CONCERT VENUE THERE, THE SOUND AT SURFSIDE, WHICH IS RELATIVELY NEW, BUT THEY BRING IN SHOWS YEAR ROUND.
ALL IN ALL THESE, UM, ATTRACTIONS AS WELL AS THE ADDITIONAL EVENTS THAT THE PROPERTY HOSTS EVERY YEAR BRINGS ITS ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE REGION OF ABOUT $682 MILLION A YEAR.
SO FAIRGROUNDS 2050, AS I NOTED EARLIER, THIS IS THE MASTER SITE PLANNING PROCESS THAT THE DISTRICT IS TAKING ON.
ULTIMATELY, THE DELMAR FAIRGROUNDS IS A REGIONAL ASSET, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT CONTINUES TO SERVE THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY REGION IN EVERY CORNER, UH, WELL INTO THE FUTURE.
SO THE DISTRICT IS EMBARKING ON A MASTER SITE PLANNING PROCESS TO THINK ABOUT HOW THE PROPERTY CAN BE USED INTO THE FUTURE AND HOW IT CAN BEST CONTINUE TO SERVE THE REGION.
AS PART OF THIS, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ADOPTED THESE GUIDING PRINCIPLES, UH, THAT ARE ON THE SCREEN HERE TO HELP GUIDE THIS PROCESS.
AND ULTIMATELY, THE KEY TAKEAWAY IS THIS IS MEANT TO BE A PUBLIC FORWARD PROCESS.
IT'S NOT A DEVELOPER FORWARD PROCESS.
SO WE'RE GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND STARTING TO DRAFT THIS VISION.
BEFORE WE TAKE ANY REAL CONCRETE STEPS OF PUTTING TOGETHER A PLAN TO KIND OF GUIDE THAT EFFORT.
WE HAVE WHAT WE'VE AFFECTIONATELY REFERRED TO AS THE CANDYLAND BOARD MAP HERE.
REALLY WHAT THIS IS, IS OUTLINING OUR PUBLIC OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE GREEN PHASE OF THIS MAP, UH, WHICH IS OUR PUBLIC OUTREACH AND LISTENING TOUR.
AS PART OF THIS, WE'RE DOING A COUPLE OF KEY ACTIVITIES.
UH, WE JUST COMPLETED A COUNTYWIDE SURVEY OF, UM, YOU KNOW, SAN DIEGO RESIDENTS FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE REGION.
UH, THIS IS STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT AND REALLY WHAT IT WAS IS TESTING FOLKS PRIORITIES AND THEIR SENTIMENT AROUND WHAT A FUTURE FAIRGROUNDS COULD LOOK LIKE.
UM, WE'VE ASSEMBLED A PRO BONO TECHNICAL ADVISORY COALITION.
THIS IS COMPRISED OF TECHNICAL EXPERTS IN LAND USE, UH, YOU KNOW, STORM WATER, ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, ASSESSMENT.
THEY'RE HELPING US SET THE GUARDRAILS FOR WHAT'S TECHNICALLY FEASIBLE IN THE MASTER SITE PLANNING PROCESS.
WE'RE DOING OUTREACH TO ALL CITIES IN THE REGION.
PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE TONIGHT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SHARE THIS INFO.
AND THEN, UH, WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE MEETING WITH REGIONAL BOARDS AND THE COUNTY AS WELL.
LATER THIS FALL, WE'RE GONNA BE DOING REGIONAL OPEN HOUSES, WHICH I'LL GET TO MORE IN A BIT.
[00:05:01]
AND ULTIMATELY ALL THIS IS GONNA COME TOGETHER AS INPUTS FOR WHAT THE, THE PUBLIC WANTS THE PROPERTY TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE AS INTO THE FUTURE.AND THE, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS GONNA ADOPT A SET OF DESIGN PRINCIPLES, WHICH WILL BE USED TO HOST AN INTERNATIONAL DESIGN COMPETITION.
THAT'S WHERE WE HOPE TO ATTRACT THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST MINDS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO HELP US REALLY CRAFT THAT MASTER PLAN.
AND ONCE ALL THAT'S DONE, THEN WE'LL START THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS, GO THROUGH CQA, WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY NEED APPROVAL FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION.
WE'RE AT THE VERY EARLY STAGES.
WE'RE TRYING TO RAISE AWARENESS ON THE HORIZON, THOUGH WE DO HAVE THESE REGIONAL WORKSHOPS.
WE PLAN ON DOING ONE IN EVERY SUPERVISORIAL DISTRICT IN THE COUNTY.
SO WE'LL BE OUT, WE'LL BE BACK OUT HERE.
WE, UH, WANNA SHARE THAT INFO AS WE GET CLOSER TO THAT DATE.
WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU ALL COME.
THIS WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH SOME OF THE EXPERTS FROM THE DISTRICT, PROVIDE INPUT AND CONTINUE TO HELP US, UM, CRAFT THIS VISION.
IF YOU WANNA LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PROCESS, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISIT DELMAR FAIRGROUNDS.COM/ 2050.
UH, YOU CAN ALSO SCAN THE QR CODE RIGHT HERE.
WE HAVE A SURVEY ON THERE WHERE WE'RE COLLECTING INPUT FROM FOLKS, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR PROCESS.
SO, JUST WANTED TO SHARE SOME INFO ON THIS.
UH, MAKE SURE YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF IT AND HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF THERE ARE ANY.
NEXT WE HAVE ACCOMMODATION FOR TOM WELLER, THE HIGHWAY MAN.
TOM, ARE YOU HERE? OH, HI TOM.
COUNSEL, WOULD YOU COME DOWN TO THE WELL WITH ME AND HELP US READ THIS, THIS WORK? WHY MR. WELLER IS MEETING WITH EVERYBODY? THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY, MR. WELLER.
TOM WELLER IS A, UM, IT'S KIND OF A, A TREASURE IN EL CAJON.
HE HAS, UH, I HAVEN'T LIVED IN CAJON IN MY LIFE.
MY WIFE HAS, SHE WAS, SHE WAS BORN HERE, AND SHE REMEMBERS ALL HER LIFE SEEING YOUR GHOSTBUSTERS CAR GOING UP AND DOWN THE FREEWAY, STOPPING AND HELPING PEOPLE NEVER ASKING FOR MONEY.
WHO ARE YOU GONNA CALL TOM WELLER? AND JUST BECAUSE HE'S A GREAT GUY, HE'S HELPED THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO WERE STRANDED ON THE ROAD.
AND THAT, THAT'S JUST AN AMAZING THING.
WE, WE WANTED TO TAKE JUST A MINUTE TO GIVE HIM THIS, UH, PROCLAMATION.
MR, WELL, DO YOU MIND IF I READ THIS FOR YOU REAL QUICK? I, I'M GONNA READ THIS PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS TOM WELLER, A 77-YEAR-OLD RESIDENT OF EL CAJON HAS ASSISTED OVER 10,000 DRIVERS IN NEED.
CHANGING TIRES, JUMP STARTING BATTERIES AND OFFERING RIDES WITHOUT EVER REQUESTING PAYMENT OR RECOGNITION IN RETURN.
WHEREAS MR. WELLER'S SELFLESS SERVICE AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE HAVE GUARDED NATIONAL RECOGNITION AND ADMIRATION, AND HAVE BROUGHT HONOR TO THE CITY OF EL CAJON BY EXEMPLIFYING THE HIGHEST IDEALS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE AND GOODWILL.
AND WHEREAS HIS ACTS OF KINDNESS HAVE INSPIRED COUNTLESS OTHERS, CREATING A LEGACY OF GENEROSITY AND REINFORCING THE VALUES OF EMPATHY, SAFETY, AND CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
NOW, THEREFORE, I BILL WELLS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF EL CAJON, TOGETHER WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, COMMEND TOM WELLER FOR HIS EXTRAORDINARY SERVICE AND DEDICATION AND EXPRESS OUR HEARTFELT GRATITUDE FOR HIS DECADES OF HEROIC CONTRIBUTIONS.
WE PROUDLY RECOGNIZED TOM AS A LOCAL TREASURER AND AN OUTSTANDING CITIZEN WHOSE EXAMPLE CONTINUES TO INSPIRE EL CAJON AND BEYOND.
THANK, DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND STEVE GOBEL, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR ME IN THE PAST.
AND I'D LIKE TO THANK, UH, UH, CRAIG BROWN AND THE EAST COUNTY POSSE FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE FOR ME AND ARE STILL DOING FOR ME.
WE COULDN'T AFFORD THEM, AND THEY'RE DOING THEM FOR US.
HERE, LEMME GET A, LEMME GET A PICTURE.
TURN TOWARDS THE CAMERA RIGHT OVER HERE,
[00:10:01]
TURN THIS AROUND SO THEY CAN SEE IT.THAT'S MY TRADEMARK, THAT I DO THAT ALL THE TIME TO EVERYBODY.
THANK YOU TO THANK YOU SO MUCH, SIR.
THANK YOU TO, OH, THAT'S A GREAT STORY.
UH, STAFF, DO YOU HAVE ANY AGENDA CHANGES MR. MAYOR? NO CHANGES TO THE AGENDA.
HOW ABOUT COUNCIL MEMBERS? NO.
[7. CONSENT ITEMS: Consent Items are routine matters enacted by one motion according to the RECOMMENDATION listed below. With the concurrence of the City Council, a Council Member or person in attendance may request discussion of a Consent Item at this time.]
US TO CONSENT ITEMS. CONSENT ITEMS OF ROUTINE MATTERS ENACTED BY ONE MOTION ACCORDING TO THE RECOMMENDATION LISTED BELOW WITH THE CONCURRENCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER OR PERSON IN ATTENDANCE MAY REQUEST DISCUSSION OF A CONSENT ITEM AT THIS TIME.COUNCIL MEMBERS, DO YOU WISH TO PULL ANY OF THE CONSENT ITEMS? STAFF, DO YOU WISH TO PULL ANY OF THE CONSENT ITEMS? NO, SIR.
JEN, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKER CARDS FOR CONSENT ITEMS? THERE ARE NO SPEAKER CARDS, SIR.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THEN TO APPROVE THE CONSENT ITEMS. YES, SIR.
MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.
[ PUBLIC COMMENT: At this time, any person may address a matter within the jurisdiction of the City Council/Housing Authority/Successor Agency to the El Cajon Redevelopment Agency that is not on the Agenda. Comments relating to items on today’s docket are to be taken at the time the item is heard. State law prohibits discussion or action on items not on the Agenda; however, Council, Authority and Agency Members may briefly respond to statements or questions. An item may be placed on a future Agenda.]
COMMENT.AT THIS TIME, ANY PERSON MAY ADDRESS A MATTER WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL HOUSING AUTHORITY SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE EL CAJON REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
COMMENTS RELATING TO ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA ALREADY BE TAKEN AT THE TIME THAT THE ITEM IS HEARD.
STATE LAW PROHIBITS DISCUSSION OR ACTION ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
HOWEVER, CITY COUNCIL HOUSING AUTHORITY MEMBERS MAY BRIEFLY RESPOND TO STATEMENTS OR QUESTIONS AND AN ITEM BE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA.
JEN, DO WE HAVE YOUR SPEAKER CARDS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? YES, SIR.
I'M GOING TO BE PROVIDING THE, PROVIDING THESE HANDOUTS TO THE COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS CHRIS, PRESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, PHIL ORTIZ VOTED MULTIPLE TIMES IN SUPPORT OF EL CAJON POLICE WORKING MORE CLOSELY WITH ICE IN SPITE OF CALIFORNIA STATE LAW, SB 54.
IN HIS OWN WORDS, PHIL ORTIZ MAINTAINS THAT SB 54 DOES NOT GO FAR ENOUGH IN REMOVING CRIMINALS FROM OUR COMMUNITY, CITING DRUG AND OTHER CRIMINAL OFFENSES.
WHAT PHIL AND THE REST OF THE CITY COUNCIL WERE UNABLE OR IN WILLING TO SPEAK TO IS JUST HOW OFTEN AND IN WHAT WAY DOES EL CAJON POLICE CURRENTLY WORK WITH ICE UNDER SB 54? SO I CONDUCTED MY OWN PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST WHILE THE RECORDS RETURNED WERE MOSTLY USELESS, DUPLICATIVE, HEAVILY REDACTED, AND DID NOTHING TO REPORT ON ACTUAL NUMBERS.
ONE EMAIL STANDS OUT OF WHICH THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN PROVIDED A COPY.
THIS IS AN EMAIL RESPONSE FROM CHIEF OF EL CAJON POLICE, JEREMIAH LARSON TO CITY MANAGER GRAHAM MITCHELL ON JANUARY 23RD, 2025.
REGARDING HOW EL CAJON PD INTERACTS WITH IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES.
I DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO THE HIGHLIGHTED TEXT, WHICH READS, QUOTE, IF THERE WAS A CRIMINAL WARRANT, USUALLY JUST FELONIES IN THE NATIONAL SYSTEM, SAY FROM ANOTHER COUNTY OR STATE, THE OFFICER WOULD KNOW OF THE CHARGES.
IN THIS CASE, REGARDLESS OF ILLEGAL OR LEGAL STATUS, ANY OFFICER WOULD MAKE AN ARREST FOR OUTSTANDING WARRANT AND BOOK THEM INTO JAIL.
THE JAIL MAY OR MAY NOT PROVIDE INFORMATION TO IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES ABOUT A HOLD OR WARRANT, DEPENDING ON THE SHERIFF'S POLICIES AT THE TIME END QUOTE.
THIS EMAIL IS PROOF THAT SB 54 DOES NOT STOP OR HINDER EL CAJON POLICE FROM ARRESTING DANGEROUS CRIMINALS WITHIN THEIR JURISDICTION.
REGARDLESS OF IMMIGRATION STATUS.
OUR POLICE MAKE THEIR OWN JUDGMENT CALLS ON HOW THEY SPEAK WITH ICE OR SB 54 AND HAVE DONE SO WITHOUT THE OUTRAGEOUS AND HARMFUL RESOLUTIONS.
PHIL ORTIZ HAS HELPED TO PASS.
PHIL, EITHER YOU DID NOT KNOW OF THIS FACT, WHICH IS EASILY AVAILABLE TO YOU AND YOU ARE NEGLIGENT IN YOUR DUTIES, OR YOU DID KNOW AND YOU JUST DON'T CARE.
BY ICE'S OWN DATA, ALMOST HALF OF THOSE DETAINED HAVE NO VIOLENT OR DRUG RELATED CRIMINAL RECORDS.
AND THAT NUMBER GROWS EVERY DAY.
AGENTS ARMED WITH ASSAULT RIFLES, SMOKE CANISTERS AND FLASH BANGS RAIDED ONE OF CHEA IN SOUTH PARK HANDCUFFING THE ENTIRE STAFF, REGARDLESS OF WHO WAS ON THE WARRANT, FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WERE IN DANGER.
BUT STILL THE COMMUNITY CAME OUT TO RESIST THE NATIONAL G, EXCUSE ME, THE NATIONAL GUARD AND MARINES OCCUPIED LOS ANGELES AND STILL, STILL THE PEOPLE ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO MONITOR, DETER, AND RESIST THIS MILITARY STYLE CRACKDOWN.
JUST WEEKS AGO, HUNDREDS IN EL CAJON MARCHED TO THIS VERY PLAZA IN THE SUMMER HEAT
[00:15:01]
IN SOLIDARITY WITH THOSE JUST TRYING TO LIVE AND WORK IN THIS COUNTRY.IN MY UNPAID VOLUNTEER WORK, COLLECTING SIGNATURES FOR YOUR RECALL, VOTERS ARE TELLING ME THAT THEY ARE SICKENED BY THE VIDEOS OF WHAT ICE IS DOING, THAT THEIR NEIGHBORS ARE AFRAID TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES.
WE ARE ON THE GROUND EVERY WEEK TALKING WITH THE PEOPLE.
WE WARNED PHIL ORTIZ OF ALL OF THIS.
AND WHERE HAS HE BEEN AT A BILL WELLS CAMPAIGN DINNER WHERE YOU CAN BUY A SEAT STARTING AT $250.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS BRENDA HAMMOND.
WELL, LET'S, IF BRENDA COMES LATER, WE'LL GIVE HER A CHANCE.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS, UH, SCOTT PINAL.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, HAVING THIS MEETING AND ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE AND SPEAK.
I'M YOUR REPRESENTATIVE ON THE MISSION TRAILS REGIONAL PARK, UH, CITIZENS ADVISORY COUNCIL.
AND I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE UPDATE ON WHAT WE'RE DOING AT MISSION TRAILS, UH, OFF THE CUFF FROM WHAT THE FOUNDATION MISSION TRAILS REGIONAL FOUNDATION OR OTHERS ARE, ARE DOING.
IT'S MY REPORT BACK TO YOU ON MY LAST, UH, YEAR OF SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS.
UH, SINCE MY APPOINTMENT, I'VE ATTENDED FOUR MEETINGS.
UH, AGENDA'S BEEN PRETTY MUCH THE SAME FOR MOST MEETINGS.
AND MOST OFTEN THE AGENDA IS ABOUT THE PROJECTS ONGOING AT MISSION TRAILS.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA GO THROUGH SOME OF THE PROJECTS SO YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND THE CITIZENS ALSO KNOW, UH, VISITOR CENTER RENOVATION IS GONNA COME IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO MAKE IT MORE, UH, UH, AMENABLE TO VISITORS VERSUS THE, UH, RENTAL OF THE FACILITIES FOR GROUPS.
THEY, UH, THE FOUNDATION DECIDED TO UP THE RENTAL FEES.
SO, UH, THEY'RE GONNA DO A RENOVATION AND MAKE IT MORE, UH, SUITABLE FOR KIDS AND VISITORS.
THE BRIDGE FOR MAX IS ON HOLD FOR DOLLARS AND POSSIBLE ARMY CORPS, UH, NON, UH, UH, CONCURRENCE.
UH, SO THE BRIDGE THAT IS ALMOST IN THE FINAL PLANNING STAGES, WHICH IS VERY HARD TO DO, UH, HAS A STOP HOLD ON IT FOR FUNDING.
UH, THAT WAS THE BRIDGE WHERE, UH, MAX NNE PERISHED WHEN HE WAS DURING A RAINSTORM LAST YEAR.
I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
UH, A FEW YEARS AGO, UH, ONGOING TRAILS WORK TO WIDEN AND IMPROVE TRAILS IS, UH, HAPPENING.
UH, THE MEETINGS ARE VERY CORDIAL AND, UH, MOSTLY RUN BY THE CITY STAFF FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
AND, UH, WE HAVE A CIVILIAN, UH, IN CHARGE OF THE COMMITTED CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
AND THERE'S TWO OTHER, UH, GROUPS, UH, OR COUNCILS.
THE FOUNDATION MISSION TRAILS REGIONAL FOUNDATION IS ONE GROUP THAT'RE MOSTLY FUNDING.
UH, AND THERE'S ALSO A TASK FORCE THAT IS HEADED UP BY, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER NAME'S.
SKIPPING MY, UH, MIND RIGHT NOW, UH, FOR THE CITY.
UH, JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY WATER PROJECT IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY.
UH, JUST RODE BOROUGH TRAIL LAST SATURDAY AND THE PIPE IS LAID.
UH, IT'S ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
THEY'VE CLOSED DOWN THE MAIN ROAD THAT BISECTS MISSION TRAILS FROM, UH, THE VISITOR CENTER OUT TO SANTEE MISSION GORGE, ALMOST TO THE DAM, UH, FOR TRAFFIC.
BUT YOU CAN STILL GO THERE BY BIKE AND, UH, PEDESTRIAN.
SO IT KIND OF MAKES IT BETTER FOR THE PEDESTRIANS AND BIKES.
UH, AND I JUST, I DID REMIND THE CONTRACTOR OR THE, UH, JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY THAT THE CONTRACTOR NEEDED TO CLEAN UP AFTER THEMSELVES.
'CAUSE THEY LEFT A LITTLE BIT OF A MESS THAT I RECOMMENDED THEY CLEAN UP.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAD PENDING QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
IS THE PROPOSED DUE BRIDGE IN THE SAME SPOT AS THE OLD BRIDGE THAT GOES ACROSS THAT WOODEN BRIDGE? NO, THAT BRIDGE IS REMAINING.
UH, THE BRIDGE, THE NEW BRIDGE IS AT THE END OF JACKSON DRIVE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STEEP HILL.
THE, THE, THE TRAIL GOES DOWN AND THEN UP ONTO, UH, FOR TUNA SIDE.
UH, AND THAT'S WHERE THE SEWER LINE RUNS ACROSS.
AND THERE'S A ARIZONA CROSSING THAT'S, YOU HAVE TO WALK THROUGH IF YOU WANT TO GET TO THE OTHER SIDE.
AND THAT'S WHAT MAX WAS DOING WHEN HE FELL AND WAS DROWNED.
UH, THEY WERE A LITTLE SKETCHY ON THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING IT WOULD REQUIRE TO US.
'CAUSE SEVERAL PEOPLE ASKED AND NOW THE FUNDING IS NOT THERE, SO.
IS THAT SOUTH OF THE VISITOR CENTER? UH, YES.
I APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS PROJECT.
[00:20:04]
I SEE BRENDA'S BACK.SO AFTER, UH, THIS GENTLEMAN, LET'S HAVE BRENDA COME UP.
I CAN ASSURE YOU THE PLEASURE IS YOURS.
UH, PHIL, GOOD TO SEE YOU IN CHAMBERS.
I HEAR YOU'VE BEEN MISSING SOME CITY COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS LATELY.
AND THE RUMOR IS YOU'RE CONSIDERING RESIGNING.
I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH I BUY THAT, RIGHT? IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING BILL WELLS CAME UP WITH WATCHING A MATLOCK OR SOMETHING.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WATCH, BROTHER, BUT I DON'T BUY IT IS MY POINT.
YOU KNOW, UM, IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT US WORKING ON THE RECALL CAMPAIGN TO INTERNALIZE AND SLOW DOWN.
BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU WE'RE SPEEDING UP AND BUILDING ORGANIZATION RIGHT NOW REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU'RE THINKING OR CONSIDERING.
BUT, UH, I DID WANNA MENTION WE'RE HAVING A GOOD TIME IN DISTRICT FOUR TALKING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE DOORS.
YOU GUYS ARE NOT POPULAR IN EL CAJON.
JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, IF WE GET THE CHANCE TO TALK, YOU KNOW, OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED IT.
PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO ANSWER THE DOOR.
DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A SAFE, HEALTHY COMMUNITY TO Y'ALL? NO.
BUT WHEN WE DO HAVE CONVERSATIONS, IT DOESN'T TAKE A LOT OF WORDS TO CONVINCE PEOPLE TO SIGN THE RECALL.
BUT I DO WANNA SUSPEND MY DISBELIEF AROUND YOUR POTENTIAL DECISION A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE YOU DID, I I THINK THIS WAS AUTHENTIC.
LAST TIME I SPOKE, YOU SHARED AT THE END YOU SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD TROUBLE DECIDING WHICH SIDE TO CHOOSE, RIGHT? LIKE, I GET THAT, I GET THAT.
YOU KNOW, YOU SAID YOU WERE BULLIED BY WHITE SUPREMACISTS AND I LIKE HEARD YOU.
AND THEN I SAW A VIDEO OF YOU STANDING ON THE SIDE OF WHITE S LITERAL WHITE SUPREMACISTS WITH SWASTIKAS ON THEIR HEADS IN SANTEE A COUPLE YEARS AGO AT THE Y THE YMCA.
THEY WERE ON YOUR SIDE IS MY POINT.
WHETHER YOU WERE STANDING NEXT TO THEM, THEY WERE ON THE SAME POLITICAL SIDE.
YOU UNDERSTAND? SO MY POINT IS TO ALL OF YOU, OR MAYBE SOME OF YOU, GARY AND MICHELLE DIDN'T VOTE ON, ON THIS ONE THING THAT WE'RE ORGANIZING, BUT YOU HAVE CHOSEN A SIDE.
YOU HAVE CHOSEN A SIDE, BUT THIS IS THE GOOD NEWS, RIGHT? YOU'RE A PASTOR, YOU GET THIS RIGHT? I'LL SPEAK TO YOU IN THAT WAY.
NOT IN A COMBATIVE WAY, IN A GRACIOUS WAY.
THE GOSPEL OF OUR SHARED TRADITION, EVEN THOUGH WE SEE IT VERY DIFFERENTLY, IS THAT YOU CAN REPENT.
SO I'M TELLING YOU, YOU CAN CHOOSE AGAIN.
A FRIEND OF MINE, UM, TOLD ME A QUOTE 'CAUSE HE HEARS ME TALKING AT THE COUNCIL MEETINGS.
AND SOMETIMES I HAVE EVERYTHING WRITTEN OUT, SOMETIMES I DON'T.
MARLON BRANDO, IT'S A QUOTE FROM MARLON BRANDO THAT SAYS, A GOOD SPEAKER NEVER KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE GONNA SAY.
SO I DIDN'T WRITE ANY NOTES, BUT I WANNA SAY THIS IS RED, WHITE, AND BLUE.
YOU KNOW, MY FAVORITE COLOR'S BLUE, BUT RED, WHITE AND BLUE
AND REMEMBER THE WIZARD OF OZ, THE HORSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOR.
SO WE HAVE ALL THESE COLORS, AND I DON'T, I WANNA SAY TO SOME OF THESE PEOPLE AND TO YOU, I YOU SHOULD BE, YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY YOU'RE IN THE CITY YOU'RE IN BECAUSE YOU COULD BE IN ANOTHER CITY THAT'S VERY, VERY, VERY RACIST.
SO HERE'S MY HORSE, MY BLUE HORSE DANCING AT THE CONCERTS.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS JOSE CORTEZ.
MY FATHER GRADUATED FROM EL CAJON VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL.
AND THIS IS WHERE I PLAN TO LIVE, PROBABLY FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.
LIKE I'VE GROWN UP IN EAST COUNTY.
I APPRECIATE WHAT WE HAVE OUT HERE, UH, IN THE INLAND VALLEYS, OUR UNIQUE CULTURE.
UH, AND THIS WAS THE PLACE THAT MY FAMILY CHOSE AFTER IMMIGRATING FROM COLUMBIA.
AND DURING A VERY VIOLENT PERIOD OF ITS HISTORY.
AND THE FACT THAT OUR CITY COUNCIL HAS TAKEN SUCH A, BOTH PERFORMATIVE AND SIMULTANEOUSLY
[00:25:01]
IN NAT POSITION ON THE ISSUE OF IMMIGRATION WHEN THE CITY IS DEFINED AND BUILT, IT'S ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY BY IMMIGRANTS, IS REALLY DISAPPOINTING.I'VE BEEN COMING TO THESE MEETINGS SINCE FEBRUARY WHEN WE WERE SEEING THE INITIAL DEBATE AROUND THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS SO JUST UNNECESSARILY PASSED, PROACTIVELY JOINING THE ONLY OTHER CITY IN CALIFORNIA, HUNTINGTON BEACH IN SIGNING ON TO A VERY RACIST, VERY FAR RIGHT TRUMP AGENDA.
AND I HAVE TO ASK, 'CAUSE WHEN THOSE MEETINGS, IT WAS DISCUSSED THAT THESE TARGET, THESE RAIDS, THIS WAS GOING AFTER CRIMINALS AND BAD PEOPLE.
BUT RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM MY HOUSE RIGHT NEAR BOSTONIAN CENTER, THE RAID ON ST.
PAUL'S PACE, THE ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY THAT PROVIDES HEALTHCARE AND RESOURCES TO ELDERLY PEOPLE AND AND THE MOST MARGINALIZED PEOPLE WHO ARE THOSE DANGEROUS PEOPLE? THE ELDERS THAT WERE LEAVING THEIR HOME IN A TRAILER PARK TO GO GET MEDICAL CARE THAT WERE TARGETED BY ICE.
AND THEN CONVENIENTLY, THE EL CAJON PD SHOWS UP RIGHT? IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS.
ARE THEY THE DANGEROUS PEOPLE THAT ARE AFFECTING OUR SOCIETY? 'CAUSE FRANKLY, IT SEEMS LIKE THE PEOPLE WHOSE AGENDA YOU'RE BACKING ARE THE MORE DANGEROUS PEOPLE.
THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE STRIPPING MONEY FROM MEDICAID AND OFFERING UP OUR INFORMATION, OUR HIPAA PROTECTED INFORMATION AND PRIVATE DATA TO BE USED BY MASKED COMPLETELY UNACCOUNTABLE KIDNAPPERS TO TARGET OUR MOST DANGEROUS, LIKE OUR MOST, UH, MARGINALIZED AND INSECURE PEOPLE, RIGHT? THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LIKE AFRAID TO EVEN GO GET MEDICAL CARE OR GO GET GROCERIES, OR EVEN GO TO SERVICE PHIL.
THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE LIKE HAVING TO CHOOSE VERY TACTICALLY HOW THEY EVEN JUST CONDUCT THEMSELVES AND LIVE BECAUSE OF THE FEAR THAT EL CAJON WILLINGLY AND JUST REALLY FOR A CHEAP BIT OF POLITICAL THEATER SIGNED ITSELF UP FOR.
AND SO, AS AN ORGANIZER LIKE THAT INTENDS TO LIVE HERE FOR A GOOD LONG WHILE AND IS PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH PEOPLE LIKE LONGTIME MAYOR BILL WELLS, WE ARE GONNA ORGANIZE OUR OWN CANDIDATES.
WE ARE GONNA ORGANIZE OUR OWN CAMPAIGNS.
WE'RE NOT GONNA DEPEND ON APPEALING TO YOUR HUMANITY AND GOODNESS, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY AS PEOPLE OF FAITH THAT HASN'T BEEN WORKING, YOU HAVEN'T ROLLED BACK THIS RESOLUTION.
YOU HAVEN'T TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE TARGETED ACTIONS AFFECTING ELDERLY PEOPLE AND SICK PEOPLE.
SO JUST BE PREPARED FOR THE COMING CYCLE IN 2026 WHEN YOU SEE REAL WORKING CLASS ORGANIZATIONS AND REAL WORKING CLASS PEOPLE COME FOR THE SEATS THAT YOU SO COMFORTABLY SIT IN AND DO LIKE VERY PERFORMATIVE, SAFE ACTIONS WITH.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, GOVERNMENT'S SUPPOSED TO SERVE ITS PEOPLE, NOT SERVE THEIR OWN INTERESTS OR GO AROUND DOING POLITICAL THEATER.
HEY GRAHAM GRAHAM, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION THAT, DID THAT PACE, UH, ICE RAID HAPPEN? IT DID NOT HAPPEN.
SO SEE, OKAY, SO, UH, I TALKED TO THE CEO OF ST.
PAUL'S BECAUSE I HAPPENED TO BE ON A COMMITTEE WITH THEIRS.
I ASKED HIM, ARE YOU HAVING A RAID AT ST.
PAUL'S TODAY? HE SAID, THERE ARE REPORTS.
I SAID, CAN YOU TELL ME MORE? HE SAID, WELL, A SECURITY GUARD ENCOUNTERED A PERSON IN THE PARKING LOT PARKED AND SAID, CAN YOU TELL ME WHO YOU ARE? CAN YOU MOVE? WE DON'T HAVE MANY PARKING SPOTS.
THIS PERSON IMPERSONATED AN ICE OFFICER.
SO I CALLED THE HEAD OF ICE HERE IN SAN DIEGO.
I SAID, DID YOU HAVE ANY OF YOUR STAFF IN EL CAJON FOR ANY REASON TODAY? HE SAID, NO, WE DID NOT.
PAUL'S AND THE HEAD OF ICE IN SAN DIEGO ARE COLLUDING TO LIE TO THE PEOPLE, OR IT WAS AN IMPOSTER.
WHO BY THE WAY, WE GOT A RECALL.
A A THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ANSWERED A CALL FOR A SUSPICIOUS PERSON IN THE PARKING LOT ACROSS THE STREET AT THE CHURCH.
30 MINUTES AFTER THIS SECURITY GUARD MADE CONTACT WITH THIS PERSON.
WHETHER IT'S CONVENIENT OR NOT, THAT'S UP.
MR. MR. GOBEL, WE ALSO, UM, WE HAD HEARD YOU RELATED.
WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE CEO? WE SENT A POLICE OFFICER OUT WHO INTERVIEWED THE SECURITY GUARD, AND HE RELAYED THE EXACT SAME EXPERIENCE.
SO I THINK THIS ENDED UP BEING A, A RUMOR THAT STARTED ON FACEBOOK.
AND, UM, DON'T ALWAYS BELIEVE WHAT YOU READ ON THE INTERNET COMES TO PLAY HERE.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CONNIE ELDER.
HOW CAN WE TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ICE IMPERSONATOR AND ICE? HOW DO WE KNOW? HOW DO THE DIFFERENCE NOT, THERE'S NO, HOW DO WE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE? CAN YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION? LADIES AND GENTLEMEN? WE'RE GONNA, THE DIFFERENCE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD YOUR CHANCE TO SPEAK.
WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA LET THIS LADY SPEAK.
I AM A RETIRED DEAN FROM QUEEN MACCA COLLEGE AND A RETIRED PROFESSOR FROM GROSSMONT COLLEGE.
[00:30:01]
ALSO THE PERSON WHO ORGANIZES THE BIWEEKLY NOW, UM, PROTESTS ON FLETCHER PARKWAY.UH, WE ARE GAINING STEAM, WE ARE GAINING MEMBERSHIP.
PEOPLE ARE COMING TO ME, THEY'RE HEARING ABOUT ME AND SENDING ME EMAILS AND SAYING I'M NOT HAPPY AND I WANNA JOIN.
SO I DIDN'T THINK I WAS GONNA SPEECH TODAY.
UM, AND MY WRITING IS REALLY HORRIBLE, BUT I'M GONNA TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I WROTE.
THIS ISN'T THE AMERICA I GREW UP IN.
IT'S NOT THE AMERICA I BELIEVE IN.
PEOPLE ARE BEING DETAINED AND DEPORTED FOR THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN.
THEY ARE ARRESTED FOR GOING TO SCHOOL WHILE BROWN SHOPPING, WHILE BROWN WORSHIPING, WHILE BROWN WALKING DOWN THE STREET, WHILE BROWN.
THEY'RE BEING ARRESTED FIRST AND CHECKED FOR THEIR STATUS LATER.
ICE SEARCHES DEEPLY INTO THE HISTORY OF THEIR LIVES, LOOKING FOR MINOR TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS, ANYTHING THAT THEY CAN JUSTIFY FOR, UH, RETAINING PEOPLE.
AND THEY'RE DOING THAT BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND 3000 PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY THAT ARE UNDOCUMENTED SERIOUS CRIMINALS EVERY DAY BECAUSE THEY AREN'T THERE.
WHAT KEEPS ME AWAKE AT NIGHT IS THE CRUELTY.
CHILDREN, CITIZENS, CHILDREN WHO ARE CITIZENS ARE AFRAID TO GO TO SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE SEPARATED FROM THEIR FAMILY.
PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO GO TO CHURCH AND WORSHIP.
THEY'RE AFRAID TO SHOP BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS IS UNRELIABLE.
NOW, WITH ICE GAINING ACCESS TO MEDICAID, MEDI-CAL DATA, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE AFRAID TO GO TO HOSPITALS.
THE REALITY IS THAT UNDOCUMENTED INDIVIDUALS DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO MEDICAID UNLESS THEY GO TO A HOSPITAL.
THEY ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT.
SO NOW PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE AFRAID TO GO TO ERS.
PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE LIVED NEXT TO, PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE SHOPPED WITH, PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE WORKED WITH, PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE HIRED ARE GOING TO DIE BECAUSE OF ICE ACCESS.
IF YOU COULD FINISH WHAT YOUR TIME'S UP.
IF YOU COULD FINISH, I APPRECIATE OH, I HAVE ONE, JUST ONE MORE SENTENCE.
THE CITY OF EL CAJON MUST AND ITS CITIZENS LOOK DEEPLY INTO THEIR SOUL.
HEY MA'AM, I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T ENGAGE YOU IN THIS, MA'AM, BUT WERE YOU PROTESTING BARACK OBAMA WHEN HE DEPORTED 3.1 MILLION? I DON'T THINK, I DON'T THINK HE HAD PROTESTS THEN.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MY RAINEY SHA SHADE.
READY FOR THE NEXT ONE? THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MY RAINEY BRANDHAM PUT CHILDREN.
HE DIDN'T PUT HER IN CONCENTRATION CAMP DIDN'T.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SERGIO CONTI.
WE TOP CLASS, WE IT WE WAITING FOR SOMEONE NEXT.
I EXPECT TO NEVER SEE YOU AGAIN, BUT I'M HERE BACK.
PHIL
REALLY? CAN YOU EXPLAIN ME HOW THEY DID?
[00:35:01]
CAN YOU, CAN YOU EXPLAIN ME HOW THEY CAME TO USA? I SAID JUST I, I HAVE A MASTER IN PUBLIC HEALTH.I'M RESEARCHING YOUR HISTORY AND I CAN'T FIND A LOT INFORMATION ABOUT HOW YOUR GRANDPARENTS CAME TO THIS COUNTRY.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN ME A LITTLE BIT? WANNA HAVE CONVERSATION? IT'S EASY TO TO TO, IT'S EASY TO, AGAIN, I CAME IN A TOURIST VISA AS A DOCTOR.
YOU KNOW, I GET MY LEGAL PAPER HERE AND I CAME CITIZEN, I CAN SAY IT, BUT YOU CAN'T SAY HOW YOUR GRANDFATHERS CAME TO THIS COUNTRY.
I'M JUST TALKING WHY PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW.
BECAUSE I BELIEVE YOUR PARENTS CAN, YOUR GRANDPARENTS CAN ILLEGALLY TO THIS COUNTRY.
LIKE MOST OF THE MEXICANS, SIR, WE'VE GOTTA KEEP SOME TO THE QUORUM.
SO IF YOU WANNA HAVE SAY SOMETHING TO THE, YOU BRING, YOU BRING TO THE ELCA BEFORE JANUARY 20, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM IN EL CAHO.
I LIKE TO GO TO MY FRIEND'S ARABS RESTAURANT, HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DINNER WITH THEM.
YOU KNOW, I, MY FRIENDS AFGHANISTAN, WE UNDER ETTE PARK, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM.
ALL THE MEXICANO HAVE ADA AND WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
YOU KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW THAT PEOPLE ARE SCARED TO GO OUTSIDE THE HOUSE BECAUSE, BECAUSE YOU, BECAUSE YOU BROKE BECAUSE YOUR FRIEND DONALD HOFFMAN AND, AND DONALD TRUMP BROUGHT ALL THE HATE TO THIS CITY.
WHAT? 30%? 30,000 PEOPLE ARE SPANISH SPEAKING.
30% ARE MIDDLE EASTERN SPEAKER SPEAKING, UH, ARAB SPEAKER, SORRY.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU ARE RUNNING THE CITY AND THE REASON YOU ARE RUNNING THE CITY WITHIN HAVE A POWER BEFORE.
AND NOW WE ARE GOING TO GET POWER WHEN WE RECALL PHIL ORTIZ.
AND WE WILL RECALL STEVE GOBEL AND WE WILL RECALL YOU BECAUSE YOU DON'T DESERVE TO RUN THIS CITY.
BECAUSE THIS CITY, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LOVE ALL OTHER NEIGHBOR.
AND YOU MAKE EVERYBODY HAT AND BE CAREFUL OF THE OTHER GUY.
YOU BRING ICE HERE, YOU BRING ICE TO OUR FACILITIES, YOU BRING, THE PEOPLE ARE SCARED BECAUSE IF THEY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, MEDICAL, UH, THEY DON'T HAVE A DOCUMENT, YOU KNOW, ICE IS COMING AT NIGHTTIME, THEY WILL GO TO THE HOMES, THEY WILL BREAK THE DOOR, THEY'LL TAKE IT BACK TO TIJUANA WHEN THEY WILL DIE.
200,000 PEOPLE ARE ALREADY ARRESTED SINCE YOU START ALL THIS WAR.
NOT YOU IN EL CAJON, BUT ALL YOUR PEOPLE IN USA, WE DON'T NEED THIS WAR.
YOU KNOW, A GUY, HIS NAME JAIME ALANIS, WAS KILLED BY THE POLICE IN OXON.
AND THIS IS A LETTER FOR YOU BLAMING YOU FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PEOPLE.
WHO ARE YOU WANNA GIVE? SHE'LL GIVE IT TO ME.
UM, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
SOMEBODY, UH, WRITE MY NAME, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
YOU GUYS PROBABLY YOU REMEMBER ME? I'M A HOSPICE NURSE.
SO WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT SAO PAULO? I WAS THERE, UNFORTUNATELY FOR YOU GUYS, AND I WAS THERE AND I SAW THE PEOPLE THAT WERE TRYING TO ENTER IN THAT BUILDING.
BUT I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS WILL DENY IT.
SO I DON'T WANNA SAY ANYTHING ANYMORE ABOUT ST.
PAUL'S, BUT I KNOW MY PATIENTS AND I TAKE CARE OF ALL MY PATIENTS.
SECOND, DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD CLINIC? DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD CLINIC? DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THERE? WHAT CLINIC ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? NEIGHBORHOOD CLINIC.
IN THE MADISON, THEY WENT INTO THE, UH, BUILDING AND THEY DESIGNED A PATIENT THERE.
AND I, I'M SO MAD AS A NURSE BECAUSE THESE PATIENTS, THESE COMM THESE ARE THE MORE VULNERABLE, VULNERABLE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE CAN PERMIT THAT JOE MAYOR ARE RESPONSIBLE OF THIS COMMUNITY.
SO WE, IF SOMETHING HAPPENED HERE, YOU GUYS ARE RESPONSIBLE.
I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU, MA'AM, COME BACK.
I HA I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU.
I SAY THIS RESPECTFULLY, BUT IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
[00:40:01]
WANTS TO ARREST A CRIMINAL, HOW, HOW AM I, HOW IS THIS COUNCIL SUPPOSED TO STOP THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FROM, FROM ARRESTING SOMEBODY? THEY WANNA ARREST CRIMINAL, NOT CRIMINAL.MR. WILS, THEY ARE NOT ARRESTING CRIMINALS.
THEY'RE ARRESTING HARD WORKERS.
THEY WAIT, THEY THEY'RE ARRESTED ALL PEOPLE.
THERE IS, THERE IS IN PHIL PHILADELPHIA, THERE IS AN 81 OLD PERSON THAT WAS ARRESTED.
AND HE SENT TO, HE WAS SENT TO GUATEMALA.
THEY'RE NOT ARRESTING CRIMINALS.
LOOK, I THEY ARE, I DIDN'T WANNA START SPEECH.
NO, NO, I, I'M NOT GONNA, I'M NOT GONNA LET YOU GRANT, I JUST WANNA ANSWER THE QUESTION.
HOW IS THE, NO, LISTEN, HOW IS THE CITY OF EL CAJON SUPPOSED TO STOP THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO ARRESTING SOMEBODY THEY HAVE A WARRANT FOR? IT'S, IT'S, IT'S JUST NOT, IT'S NOT REALISTIC.
SO SOMETHING, THE LAST THING THAT I'M GOING TO SAY, I'M A NURSE, BUT I'M GONNA BE ON THE STREET PATROLLING EVERY DAY TO TAKE CARE OF MY COMMUNITY BECAUSE YOU CAN'T, OKAY, THE LAST SPEAKER IS MARNE BRENHAM.
ARE YOU ASKING A NURSE TO THAT QUESTION? YEAH.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD DO ITS OWN HOMEWORK.
THEY KNOW WHO THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO ARREST.
WHY ARE YOU ASKING THAT QUESTION? QUESTION.
HEY GUYS, I WAS GONNA SPEAK TODAY, RIGHT? BUT I WAS ENCOURAGED, UH, BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN WALKING OUT IN THE STREETS AND I HAVE BEEN KNOCKING ON A LOT OF DOORS AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND I HAVE NEVER IN MY LIFE HAD TO CONSOLE SOMEBODY.
HAVE YOU SEEN SOMEBODY UGLY CRY BEFORE? ANYWAY, I HAD TO HELP SOMEBODY TO COMFORT HER, TO TELL HER EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE OKAY.
BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT I REALLY BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE OKAY.
WHEN I CAME TO HER DOOR AND I TOLD HER WHY I WAS THERE, THAT I LIVE IN EL CAJON.
I'M A COMMUNITY MEMBER AND I'M A VOLUNTEER AND I'M HERE TO HELP IMMIGRANTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO HELP HER.
AND ALL I COULD TELL HER WAS, WELL, LOOK, WE'RE TRYING TO RECALL THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY HERE IN EL CAJON WHO INVITED THESE ISSUES HERE.
ANOTHER FAMILY THAT I TALKED TO, THESE ARE US CITIZENS, BY THE WAY.
OKAY? I'M NOT KNOCKING ON DOORS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST RESIDENTS OR WHATEVER.
THEY'RE ON MY LIST AS REGISTERED VOTERS.
AND THIS MAN LOOKED AT ME WITH SO MUCH FEAR IN HIS EYES.
AND HE SAID, BUT WHO'S GONNA SEE THAT LIST? ARE THEY GONNA COME TAKE ME AWAY FROM MY FAMILY? ARE THEY GONNA ARREST ME? AND I SAID, LOOK SIR, I CAN'T GUARANTEE YOU ANYTHING, BUT IF ANYTHING EVER HAPPENS, THEY'LL HAVE TO COME GET ME FIRST.
AND I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY HERE THAT CALIFORNIA USED TO BE A RED STATE IN THE EIGHTIES AND IN THE NINETIES.
AND THEN IN 1994, THEY INTRODUCED THE, UH, RESOLUTION, UM, UH, 180 7.
AND THIS IS JUST LIKE A REPEAT OF THAT.
ALL, EVERYTHING, THAT PROPOSITION 180 7.
IT WAS JUST A REPEAT OF WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT? A LOT OF PEOPLE CAME TOGETHER, ORGANIZED, PEOPLE BECAME CITIZENS.
PEOPLE WANTED TO GO OUT AND VOTE.
PEOPLE WANTED TO STAND UP FOR THEIR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.
AND IT TURNED THE WHOLE STATE BLUE AFTER THAT.
THAT'S WHAT WAS THE TRIGGERING POINT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS WERE THINKING HERE.
AND I DIDN'T WANNA GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS.
I HAD A VERY CUSHY, HAPPY LIFE BEFORE THIS.
BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE EL CAJON HAS TO DO THE SAME LIKE CALIFORNIA DID.
MR. MAYOR, CAN I SAY SOMETHING? YEAH, PLEASE.
UH, I JUST WANNA ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THE COMMENTS, UH, DIRECTED TOWARDS ME.
'CAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF 'EM ARE TOWARDS ME.
UM, AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE,
[00:45:01]
UH, WITH REGARD TO THE RESOLUTION.UM, THIS WAS STRICTLY ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY AND ONLY PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND I KNOW CHRIS HAS SAID IT SAID IT.
CAN I, CAN I, CAN I PLEASE JUST FINISH? I'M GONNA EXPLAIN MYSELF.
I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS, YOUR GUYS' CONCERN, BUT JUST THIS IS ONLY ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE NARROW SCOPE OF, OF, UH, SB 54 AND ME WANTING TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST IT BECAUSE I AGREE, CHRIS GOT IT RIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE WAS, BUT I DON'T AGREE WITH ALL THE ASPECTS OF SB 54.
UM, WHERE THERE ARE CRIMES THAT AREN'T INCLUDED THAT I DON'T THINK PEOPLE SHOULD BE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
LIKE DUI LIKE DRUG CRIMES, LIKE BATTERY, LIKE THEFT, THESE THINGS, WHEN THESE THINGS OCCUR, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THEY SHOULD BE A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, AND LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I'M TRYING SPEAK, LET'S LET HIM HAVE HIS TIME.
I CAN, WE CAN DISAGREE ON THAT, THAT'S FINE.
BUT, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE I I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S WRONG.
AND, AND MOST TIMES DUIS MA'AM, I'M GONNA HAVE TO ASK YOU TO LEAVE IF YOU CAN'T STOP INTERRUPTING, PLEASE.
I DIDN'T SPEAK OR INTERRUPT ANYBODY.
MR. CONTE ASKED ME A QUESTION.
I RESPONDED, I WANNA RESPECT HIS TIME.
UM, THAT, THAT'S THE INTENTION.
WE CAN DISAGREE WITH POLICY, BUT I DON'T AFFECT, I DON'T AFFECT STATE POLICY.
AND I'LL SAY RIGHT NOW, I DON'T CARE IF THE CA THAT THE CAMERAS ARE ON ME.
I DON'T AGREE WITH THE, THE MANNER TO WHICH, UM, ICE IS CONDUCTING THEIR OPERATIONS.
I THINK THEY SHOULD BE GOING AFTER CRIMINALS FIRST.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM SAYING THAT PUBLICLY.
UM, AND THE RESOLUTION THAT WE HAD WAS SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT CRIMES.
UM, AND I AND I AND, AND I'M TALKING ABOUT SERIOUS CRIMES, THE ONES THAT I TALKED ABOUT.
UM, DUI IS A VERY SERIOUS CRIME IN MY EYES.
ARSON IS A VERY SERIOUS CRIME IN MY EYES.
AND ALL THESE AREN'T INCLUDED IN SB 54.
OKAY? UM, AND I WANT TO, I WANT TO ALSO, IF EL CAJON WAS WORKING WITH ICE, LIKE EVERYONE'S SAYING THEY ARE, DO YOU THINK THE AFRICANS AT HOME DEPOT WOULD STILL BE OUT THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY? DO YOU, IF, IF, IF EL CAJON WAS WORKING WITH ICE, DO YOU THINK THE FRUIT, DO YOU THINK THE FRUIT STANDS WOULD STILL BE OUT THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY? THOSE, THOSE ARE VERY LOW LEVEL TARGETS OF PEOPLE.
AND WE'RE, AND OUR, OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT ISN'T EVEN GOING AFTER THEM.
WHATCHA TALKING ABOUT THO THO IF IF PEOPLE, IF YOU'RE SAYING THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING AFTER YOU FOR THEIR SKIN COLORS, WHICH IS WHAT IT, WHICH IS, WHICH IS WHAT IT, WHAT THE ACCUSATION IS, THOSE ARE VERY EASY TARGETS TO GO AFTER.
AND THEY'RE STILL OUT THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
THIS, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GOING, WE ARE NOT WORKING WITH ICE PEOPLE.
I WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE'RE NOT WORKING WITH ICE.
EVERYONE'S SAYING WE'RE WORKING WITH ICE, BUT THERE'S AN EASY PROOF.
UM, THE LAST, THE LAST, THE LAST THING I'LL SAY, THIS IS, LIKE I SAID, I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE.
AND I HAVE TOLD, UM, CARLOS, THE VETERAN THAT COMES HERE AND SPEAKS, IF ANYBODY GENUINELY HAS CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THE POLICE, WHAT OUR STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE IS FOR THE CITY OF EL CAJON POLICE WORKING WITH IMMIGRATION, I HAVE, I INVITE YOU TO COME HAVE A MEETING.
WE CAN SIT DOWN WITH OUR CITY MANAGER AND OUR CHIEF OF POLICE.
YOU CAN GET IT, GET IT STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTH.
AND IF YOU SEE SOMETHING HAPPENING DIFFERENT ON THE STREET NAME AND BADGE NUMBER, GET IT TO ME AND WE WILL AND WE WILL AND WE WILL CORRECT IT.
I'M TALKING ABOUT, BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT OKLAHOMA POLICE NOT ICE.
I I DON'T CONTROL FEDERAL POLICY.
AND I JUST, I JUST TOLD YOU THAT WE DIDN'T AND IT'S NOT HAPPENING.
AND THE REASON, YOU KNOW, THAT DIDN'T, THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
DO YOU THINK ROB BONTA WOULD, WOULD NOT ALLOW SUE US IF WE WERE, IF WE WERE VIOLATING HIS SB 54? SO, SO THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS EVERYONE'S SAYING THAT I'M ANTI-IMMIGRANT AND I'M GONNA DRAW A CLEAR LINE THAT I'M, I'M 100% NOT.
I SAT UP HERE AND, UM, I VOTED TO GRANT A MIDDLE EASTERN ORGANIZATION.
UH, THEY WERE GONNA LOSE THEIR BUILDING FROM SAN YSIDRO HEALTH.
SAN YSIDRO HEALTH WAS GONNA SELL THEIR BUILDING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THEM.
THIS WAS OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, NO, SUMMER OF LAST YEAR.
THIS GROUP WENT TO SARAH, JACOB, DARL, ISA, ALL THESE, UH, OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES AND NO ONE COULD HELP THEM.
THEY CAME TO ME AND I SAID, WE'RE GONNA FIGURE IT OUT.
MOST OF THESE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE CARS.
UM, I JUST ANSWERED AN EMAIL ABOUT THIS.
UM, AND THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE ME.
BILL COULDN'T VOTE BECAUSE HE WAS, UH, RECUSED.
AND I SAT UP HERE AND FOUGHT TOOTH AND NAIL TO DIVERT FUNDS SO WE COULD BUY THE BUILDING FROM SANDY CGE HEALTH.
AND THEN WE GAVE THIS GROUP A DOLLAR A YEAR LEASE,
[00:50:01]
BASICALLY FREE SO THEY CAN CONTINUE SOCIAL SERVICES FOR NEWCOMERS.THAT, THAT IS, AND THEY'RE STILL THERE DOING IT.
YOU CAN GO THERE, IT'S ON LEXINGTON AND AVOCADO.
YOU CAN GO THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND THERE'S A LINE OUT THE DOOR.
AND MICHELLE, I DON'T MEAN TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT YOU VOTED AGAINST THAT AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO RECALL HER.
SHE VOTED NO ON THAT TO GIVE THEM THE BUILDING.
AND I, AND I HAD TO FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL TO GATHER.
YOU CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE RECORD.
WHAT GROUP IS THAT? THE OTHER GROUP IS, UH, UH, THE OTHER GROUP.
WE GAVE $150,000 GRANT TO FOR SOCIAL SERVICES AS WELL.
THE VOTE, IT WAS A MIDDLE, IT WAS A MIDDLE EASTERN GROUP THAT, UH, THAT SUPPORTS EVERY SINGLE, UH, EVERY SINGLE, UM, BACKGROUND.
SO, SO ANYWAYS, ALL I HAVE TO SAY, I, I, THIS IS, I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE.
IF YOU WANNA SPEAK TO ME, YOU CAN.
I I, I HELPED, UH, UH, TWO PEOPLE GET THEIR GREEN CARDS, UH, IN THE PAST TWO YEARS.
UM, WRITING LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION, SO YOU GUYS CAN DISAGREE WITH ME ALL YOU WANT WITH REGARD TO HOW THINGS ARE DONE AND NATIONAL POLICY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT THIS, THIS, BUT THIS, BUT ALL OF THIS, ALL OF ALL OF THIS IS BEING BLOWN UP, UM, INTO THINGS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF MY CONTROL AND OUTSIDE OF THE CITY'S CONTROL.
UH, MORGAN, IF I SAY TOO MUCH, MUCH, STOP ME.
SO THIS IS KIND OF WHAT I PREDICTED WOULD HAPPEN IF WE PASSED THIS AND I VOTED AGAINST IT.
AND THIS, AND, AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE POLICE IS NOT WORKING WITH US.
IS THAT CORRECT, MR. CITY MANAGER? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO WHY DO WE EVEN NEED THIS RE RESOLUTION? WE COULD JUST RESCIND IT AND I THINK EVERYBODY WOULD BE HAPPY.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT HAS DONE NOTHING EXCEPT CREATE A LOT OF FEAR.
I MEAN, I HEAR IT ALL THE TIME.
YOU KNOW, I WAS AT, UH, I OWN A DUPLEX JUST OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, AND I WAS DOING SOME WORK WHEN THE PLUMBING LINE BROKE AND A HISPANIC FAMILY CAME OUT AND TALKED TO ME ABOUT THIS VERY ISSUE.
AND THERE'S NO REASON FOR THIS FEAR.
'CAUSE WE DON'T NEED TO DO THIS.
OUT OF 482 CITIES, ONLY TWO HAVE DONE IT.
HUNTINGTON BEACH AND EL CAJON WE'RE THE OUTLIERS.
OKAY? I SEE THE, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S STARTING TO WIND SET ME, SO I BETTER NOT SAY ANYMORE.
UH, I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU FOR, FOR RESCINDING THIS.
WILL WE HAVE TO HAVE ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT VOTED FOR IT TO PUT IT ON THE, UH, AGENDA AGAIN? WELL, YOU'RE THINKING OF RECONSIDERATION.
I THINK THE FACT IS, IF YOU WANTED TO REPEAL IT, UM, YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE NORMAL PROCESS TO PLACE IT ON THE AGENDA.
TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD REQUEST IT ON THE AGENDA AND YOU CAN, UM, UH, VOTE WHETHER YOU WOULD REPEAL IT.
UM, MY SUGGESTION IS YOU HAVE SOMEBODY FROM THE THAT APPROVED.
BUT THAT, THAT REASON IS BECAUSE WE CAN'T BE COMING BACK EVERY MEETING, REPEALING, ADOPTING OR TRYING TO REPEAL AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.
SO IF IT'S NOT A RECONSIDERATION AFTER THIS POINT IN TIME, YOU COULD DO IT WITH TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
BUT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IF THAT FAILS AGAIN AND THE RESOLUTION REMAINS EFFECTIVE, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET A RECONSIDERATION UNLESS ONE OF THE PERSONS WHO VOTED TO KEEP THE RESOLUTION IS JOINED IN THAT REQUEST.
YEAH, THE, I MEAN, WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW ACTUALLY HAS NO EFFECT ON THE POLICE, EXCEPT IT'S MAKING ALL THESE PEOPLE VERY, VERY FEARFUL.
AND I DON'T LIKE OUR CITIZENS BEING FEARFUL.
SO THAT'S THINKING I'D BE INTERESTED IN, UH, I GUESS I HAVE TO CALL ONE OF THE THREE.
I CAN'T CALL TWO RIGHT, MORGAN? OKAY.
MAYBE WE'VE NOT HEARD THE END OF THIS, SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO TALK, BUT WE HAVE ANY MORE SPEAKERS? THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKER CARDS, SIR.
WE HAVE NO WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
[7. Proposed Tenant-Based Rental Assistance Program and Other Fiscal Actions RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council: Opens the Public Hearing and accepts public testimony to add a Tenant-Based Rental Assistance ("TBRA") program as an eligible activity; Closes the Public Hearing; Approves the substantial amendment to the current Consolidated Plan and the Annual Action Plan; Authorizes deappropriation of $300,000 from the HOME Investment Partnership Act Program (HOME) Housing Pool of Funds (HPOOL), then allocates, appropriates and expends $300,000 for the TBRA Program (H1164); Allocates, appropriates and expends $731,919 for the Capital Improvement Project (CIP) Neighborhood Street Lights (263972PWCP) funded by the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG); Approves the Minor Amendment to the FY 2021-2022 Annual Action Plan to allocate, appropriate and expend an additional $3,246 (H1129) in HOME Investment Partnership Act funded by the American Rescue Plan ("HOME-ARP") for eligible uses; Authorizes the City Manager or designee to submit the substantial amendment as detailed in the report to HUD, to make any necessary updates to the Plans, any corrections or adjustments to the allocations or requests by HUD and to execute the affiliated documents; and Adopts the next Resolution, in order, to approve the actions detailed in the report.]
HEARING ON TODAY'S AGENDA.ITEM SEVEN IS FOR A PROPOSED TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND OTHER FISCAL ACTIONS STAFF WILL TELL US ABOUT THIS.
[00:55:30]
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.THE PURPOSE OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS TO SEEK PUBLIC INPUT AND THE CITY COUNCIL'S DECISION ON THE SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT TO THE CURRENT 24 28 CONSOLIDATED PLAN AND THE ANNUAL ACTION PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 26, PLUS SOME OTHER FISCAL ACTIONS.
AS YOU KNOW, THE FIVE YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN IS THE CITY'S PLAN FOR ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF EL CAJON LOW INCOME COMMUNITY OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD.
THIS IS USING BOTH CDBG AND HOME FUNDS.
AN ANNUAL ACTION PLAN IS ALSO REQUIRED FOR EACH YEAR OF THAT COMP PLAN.
THE COMP PLAN WAS ADOPTED IN MAY OF 2024 AND THE ACTION PLAN WAS RECENTLY ADOPTED ON MAY 27TH, UH, 2025 IN ACCORDANCE WITH HUD REGULATIONS AND THE CITY'S CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN.
ADDING A NEW PRIORITY OR PROGRAM OR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEW PROGRAM, UH, NOT PREVIOUSLY ADDRESSED IN BOTH THOSE PLANS REQUIRES THE CITY TO PREPARE A SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT THAT INCLUDES A PUBLIC HEARING.
STAFF RECOMMENDS ADDING A TENANT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, ALSO KNOWN AS TERA PROGRAM AS A PRIORITY IN BOTH THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN AND THE ACTION PLAN.
UH, THIS WOULD BE WITH THE USE OF AVAILABLE HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS, ACTS, FUNDS, OR ALSO HOME FUNDS.
THE HOME ALLOCATION WOULD BE A TOTAL OF $300,000 AND IT WOULD INCLUDE AN INITIAL ONE YEAR OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
AND IT MAY ALSO INCLUDE SECURITY DEPOSIT ASSISTANCE, BUT NO RENTAL ARREARS IN THIS PROGRAM IS ALLOWED.
THIS AMOUNT OF 300,000 WOULD ASSIST APPROXIMATELY 10 ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS, AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO EARN LESS THAN THE 50% OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY AREA.
MEDIAN INCOME FUNDS WOULD ALSO BE EARMARKED FOR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES FUNDS WOULD BE ALLOCATED OR REALLOCATED FROM AVAILABLE HOME HOUSING POOL OF FUNDS.
HISTORICALLY, THE HOME FUNDS HAVE BEEN USED FOR FUNDING OTHER PROGRAMS SUCH AS A FIRST TIME HOME BUYER, HOUSING, REHAB, LOAN PROGRAM, RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, OR FOR SALE UNITS, UM, SUCH AS THE ONES DEVELOPED BY SAN DIEGO.
UH, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF HOME FUNDS AVAILABLE AT THE MOMENT.
AND ALSO THE INCREASE IN THE DEMAND FOR SUPPORTIVE HOUSING OPTIONS THAT ALSO ASSIST IN PLACEMENT OF PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS INTO PERMANENT HOUSING.
STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THE CREATION OF THIS NEW TENANT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT CAN HELP AUGMENT THE, UH, CURRENTLY PLHA FUNDED RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, UH, WHICH WILL WE'LL ALSO BE DISCUSSING LATER ON TODAY.
AS MENTIONED, THERE ARE OTHER FISCAL ACTIONS BEING PRESENTED.
SO FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 25 26 CITY BUDGET, AN AMENDMENT IS REQUESTED IN ORDER TO ADD THE ALREADY APPROVED CDBG FUNDED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
THIS IS FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD STREETLIGHTS 2025.
THIS WILL ALLOCATE APPROPRIATE AND EXPEND A TOTAL OF $731,919 IN CITY BG FUNDS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE 25 26 CITY BUDGET AND THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT BUDGET.
THE LAST ITEM FOR THE, UH, FOR THE, UH, FISCAL ACTIONS WILL BE THE FISCAL YEAR 2122 MINOR AMENDMENT STAFF IS REQUESTING AN INCREASE IN THE HOME AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDING BY $3,246.
THIS IS A, UH, MINIMAL CORRECTION RECEIVED BY HUD FOR THE HOME, A ALLOCATION.
THIS WILL JUST ALLOW THE AUTHORITY TO ALLOCATE, APPROPRIATED AND EXPAND THAT AMOUNT, UH, FOR THE ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES UNDER THE ALREADY APPROVED PLAN.
BOTH ACTIONS IN THIS SLIDE WILL AUTHORIZE CDBG AND HOME FUNDS, UH, TO BE APPLIED TO THE RESPECTIVE AMOUNTS.
UH, TO END THE PRESENTATION, STAFF RECOMMENDS A FEW THINGS.
SO STAFF RECOMMENDS OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ACCEPTING PUBLIC TESTIMONY FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT, CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ACCEPTING STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS TO AUTHORIZE THE ALLOCATION APPROPRIATION, AND TO EXPEND THE 300,000 IN HOME FUNDS FOR THE TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO AUTHORIZE
[01:00:01]
TO ALLOCATE APPROPRIATE AND EXPENSE $731,919.FOR THE CIP NEIGHBORHOOD STREETLIGHTS PROJECT, APPROVE THE MINOR AMENDMENT TO THE 2122 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN FOR THE HOME ART FUNDING CORRECTION AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE TO SUBMIT THE SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT TO HUD AND CITY COUNCIL TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION.
HOUSING STAFF IS AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UH, THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
LET ME SEE IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS.
UH, LET'S GO BACK TO THE SLIDE TITLED FY 25 26 BUDGET.
THAT ONE ON THAT ITEM, THAT'S NOT NEW SPENDING.
THAT IS JUST MERELY A RECLASSIFICATION FROM THIS FUND TO THIS FUND FROM CDBG TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
THIS IS STILL A-C-D-P-G CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT THAT WAS ALREADY APPROVED, UH, IN MAY OF 2025.
IT'S JUST ADDING IT TO THE CITY'S ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT BUDGET.
SO IT'S NOT, BUT IT'S NOT A NEW PROGRAM.
IT'S JUST MOVING FROM HERE TO HERE.
AND THEN LET'S GO BACK A COUPLE SLIDES.
HMM, YEAH, LET'S, LET'S GO THERE.
SO THIS $300,000, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THIS IS MONEY THAT WAS IN THE HOME FUND, WHICH IS, COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR THE MTS UH, TRANSIT CENTER PROJECT, WHICH IS NO LONGER HAPPENING.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS, BUT WE'RE NOT SEEING THE DEMAND FOR THAT MONEY.
SO WE'RE MAKING IT AVAILABLE ON FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
NOW THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE, IT'S KIND OF SCARY TO HEAR TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE BECAUSE WE SHOULD BE CLEAR, THIS IS NOT GOING TO PEOPLE WHO ARE CURRENTLY IN PERMANENT HOUSING TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR RENT.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND IT'S FOR PEOPLE EITHER IN BRIDGE HOUSING, WHICH COULD BE THE E-C-T-L-C SHELTER, THE MERIDIAN CABINS, UH, WHO THEY'RE IN A TEMPORARY SITUATION AND THIS MONEY WOULD HELP THEM GET INTO A PERMANENT SITUATION.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS THE GOAL, CORRECT? THAT'S THE GOAL.
AND IT'S NOT LIMITED TO 10 PEOPLE, BUT YOU THINK THAT MIGHT BE THE AMOUNT AVAILABLE? IF, IF I HAVE, YEAH.
IF 10 PEOPLE DON'T USE ALL THE MONEY, THEN IT CERTAINLY COULD BE AVAILABLE TO MORE PEOPLE, CORRECT? YES.
IT COULD BE MORE THAN 10 PEOPLE DEPENDING ON THE HOUSEHOLD SIZE.
ON THOSE FOR THOSE REASONS, I THINK MY QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED.
WHO'S GOING TO RUN THE PROGRAM? THE TENANT-BASED THAT WILL BE IN-HOUSE, SO CITY STAFF.
AND HOW LONG IS IT GOING TO BE, UM, AVAILABLE? SO IT'S UP TO, UH, ONE YEAR OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE INITIALLY.
UH, BUT IT IS A PILOT PROGRAM, SO WE WOULD HAVE TO SEE HOW, HOW IT GOES AND IF SOMEONE IS COMING FROM, UH, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING OR BRIDGE HOUSING AND THEY, UM, PARTAKE OF THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, UM, WILL THERE BE CASE MANAGEMENT TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THEIR YEAR IS UP THEY HAVE THE JOB, THE SUPPORT, THE FINANCIAL LITERACY TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AND CONTINUE PAYING THAT RENT? YEAH.
SO THAT IS PART OF THE PROGRAM ITSELF.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SELF-SUSTAINING AFTER THAT ONE YEAR ASSISTANCE IS OVER.
SO THERE IS SOME CASE MANAGEMENT THAT WILL BE INVOLVED? CORRECT.
AND WHO RUNS THE CASE MANAGEMENT? THAT WOULD BE, UM, THE SERVICE PROVIDER THAT IS PROVIDING THE CASE MANAGEMENT OKAY.
UH, TO THE CLIENT THROUGHOUT THAT PROCESS.
WHETHER IT'S THE SERVICE PROVIDER OR, UM, YOU KNOW, WHO RUNS THE PROGRAM.
AND, UM, DO WE HAVE THE INVENTORY IN EL CAJON TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE, UM, YOU KNOW, GETTING PEOPLE INTO LOW INCOME HOUSING? I HEAR ALL THE TIME THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, RENT IS REALLY HIGH IN EL CAJON, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR ONE BEDROOMS STUDIOS OR, OR A BEDROOM TO EVEN RENT IS RUNNING 1500 TO CLOSE TO 2000 SOMETIMES.
UM, DO WE HAVE THE INVENTORY IN EL CAJON TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE, UM, SETTING UP THIS PROGRAM AND GETTING AT LEAST 10 HOUSEHOLDS IN THERE? I DUNNO.
THE CURRENT INVENTORY OF AVAILABLE RENTAL UNITS, UM, HOWEVER, WE DO SEE THE DEMAND, UH, BEING THERE.
UH, AND THAT IS THE USUALLY WHAT IS NEEDED FOR FAMILIES TO BE ABLE TO SUCCEED AND MOVE ON INTO PERMANENT HOUSING, WHICH IS RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
[01:05:01]
AND, AND DON'T GET ME WRONG, I, I THOROUGHLY AGREE THAT THERE IS A NEED OUT THERE.UM, AND YOU KNOW, I HEAR ALL THE TIME OF, UH, SENIORS WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO, UH, MAKE THEIR RENT AND STRUGGLING TO FIND HOUSING, BUT THEY'RE NOT IN BRIDGE HOUSING OR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
THEY'RE ALREADY IN THEIR PLACE, BUT IT'S TENUOUS BECAUSE OF THE RISE IN RENT AND THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY OR WHATEVER IS NOT BEING ABLE TO MEET THAT.
TO, TO ALSO, TO RESPOND TO THAT QUESTION, WE RECENTLY MET WITH A SERVICE PROVIDER AND ASKED ABOUT THAT VERY QUESTION IS, IS THE CHALLENGE FINDING THE INDIVIDUALS IS THE CHALLENGE FINDING THE HOUSING? AND RIGHT NOW THEY SAID THE HOUSING IS ACTUALLY THERE, THERE RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND FOR ONLY 10, THAT WOULD BE PROBABLY THE MARKET WOULD BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THAT.
IF THERE WERE HUNDREDS, THAT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT STORY.
BUT I THINK THERE'S ENOUGH IN THE MARKET TO SUSTAIN THAT, ALTHOUGH HOUSING IS EXPENSIVE.
UM, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF IN OUR EFFORTS TO DO THIS AND TO HELP THIS, THE RESIDENTS HERE, UM,
YOU KNOW, THESE PLACES HAVE PLACES TO RENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN DO THAT, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU RUN ACROSS, UH, AN APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT HAS A BUNCH OF ONE BEDROOMS AND THEY'RE REALLY KIND OF BELOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED LIKE MARKET RATE, UH, BELOW 18, $2,000 A MONTH, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE CAN GET A LIST OF THAT AND KIND OF UPDATED THAT, THAT WOULD BE A HARD 'CAUSE IT'S CHANGING.
I MEAN, HOUSING ARE CHANGING EVERY DAY.
WE WOULD, WE WOULD LITERALLY HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST 1, 2, 3 STAFF JUST TO BE LOOKING AT THE MARKET ALL THE TIME.
I MEAN, WITH GOOGLE, I THINK THE AVERAGE PERSON CAN FIND HOUSING
I MEAN, YOU'D BE SURPRISED, BUT YEAH, NO, I AGREE.
UM, AND THEN ON THE LIGHT, WE HAVE A LIST OF AREAS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE INSTALLING THE LIGHTS AT.
DO WE HAVE A MAP, A PROPOSED POTENTIAL AREAS? WE DO HAVE A LIST, LOCATIONS, UH, A POTENTIAL AREA.
I DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION, UM, AT THE MOMENT, BUT WE CAN SEND THAT OUT TO, TO CITY COUNCIL.
AND IF SOMEONE WERE TO ASK ME, HEY, I NEED STREETLIGHTS.
I CAN LOOK AT THE LIST AND GO, WELL, I SEE HERE THAT MAYBE IN, YOU KNOW, DECEMBER OR JANUARY WE'RE GOING TO BE HITTING YOUR AREA.
IT WOULD JUST KIND OF GIVE US MORE INFORMATION WHEN, UM, THE PUBLIC CONTACTS US ABOUT THAT.
SO THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU HAVE THAT.
UM, DON'T, DON'T, DON'T GO OUTTA YOUR WAY TO DO IT, BUT IF YOU GOT IT EASY, SEND IT TO ME.
UM, I THINK THAT'S IT ON THIS ONE.
A FOLLOW UP QUESTION, THE $300,000, WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT IT TO BE A MAGNET, UH, FOR PE.
WE KNOW THAT OUR SHELTERS CURRENTLY ACCEPT PEOPLE FROM OTHER CITIES BROUGHT INTO OUR CITY.
SO IS THERE A REQUIREMENT THAT THEY HAVE TO BE A RESIDENT OF ONE OF OUR SHELTERS FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS MONEY? YES.
UH, THAT IS ANOTHER OF THE GOALS FOR THIS PROGRAM.
SO YOU GAVE A GOOD EXAMPLE, UH, TO USE IT WITH E-C-T-L-C OR THE EMERGENCY CABINS, UH, WHERE THEY ALREADY HAVE PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH, UM, TO MATCH TO PERMANENT HOUSING.
WHAT I DIDN'T HEAR IS YET THERE'S A LENGTH OF TIME THEY MUST BE IN THOSE FACILITIES TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR UP TO $30,000 IN ASSISTANCE.
UM, AND AGAIN, THAT'S, UH, BECAUSE THEY NEED TO HAVE CASE MANAGEMENT AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY WILL BE SUSTAINABLE WHEN THEY REACH PERMANENT HOUSING.
BUT USUALLY A 90 DAY OR 60 DAY STAY.
I'M GONNA LOOK TO THE CITY MANAGER AND JUST SAY, THAT'S KIND OF IMPORTANT I THINK TO THE TAXPAYERS OF EL CAJON THAT THERE IS SOME, UH, HARD METRIC THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO EXPLORE.
I DON'T KNOW IF, I DON'T KNOW IF FEDERAL GUIDELINES ALLOW US TO DISCRIMINATE ON THOSE BA THAT'S THE WRONG WORD, BUT TO, TO ALLOCATE MONEY TO CERTAIN GROUPS OF PEOPLE.
I THINK, UM, WE ARE ONLY WORKING WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE PROVIDING CASE MANAGEMENT IN EL CAJON RIGHT NOW.
SO WE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE AT LEAST A 90 DAY RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR CASEWORKERS.
UH, WE CAN LOOK INTO THE, INTO THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT, OR THEY HAVE TO HAVE BEEN IN THE CITY FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, UH, AND BRING THAT BACK FOR CRITERIA FOR THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO NOT MAKE THIS A MAGNET FOR OTHER PLACES TO SAY, HEY, LET'S GO TO EL CAJON.
WE CAN GET $30,000 OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
ALL WE GOTTA DO IS WALK INTO THE SHELTER AND SAY, HEY, I'M READY.
CAN YOU HELP ME? WHEN REALLY THIS MONEY, WE WOULD HOPE WOULD BE FOR
[01:10:01]
SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO GET HELP HERE IN EL CAJON.I'D LIKE TO OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ASK JEN IF WE HAVE ANY SPEAKER CARDS.
I MAKE A MOTION THEN TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.
WE HAVE THREE ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
ITEM EIGHT IS A HOMELESS VOTE.
I THINK WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THIS.
YEAH, MAYOR, WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS THAT CAN BE TAKEN IN ONE, UH, ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION, BUT I'M SORRY.
UNLESS YOU WANT TO TAKE EACH ONE UP AND DISCUSS EACH ITEM.
THE RESOLUTION SHOULD COVER ALL OF IT.
WOULD SOMEBODY LIKE TO ADOPT THAT RELEVANT? I'LL, I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
WE ADOPT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION COVERING ALL THE RECOMME EIGHT POINTS.
ALRIGHT, MOVE TO SECOND PLEASE VOTE.
MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.
UM, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE NEED TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK AND THEN, THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND CONTINUE.
[8. Homeless Programs and Services Report RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council receives the homeless programs and services report, and provides feedback, recommendations, and direction on homeless-related programming and funding.]
REPORT STAFF WILL TELL US ABOUT THIS.I AM BACK
UH, IT WILL BE THE HOMELESS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES REPORT, AND THAT'S FOR A PERIOD OF JANUARY 1ST TO JUNE 30TH, 2025.
I WILL PRESENT THE GENERAL HOMELESS UPDATE AND THEN WE'LL PASS IT OVER TO OUR CITY MANAGER FOR HIS PART OF THE PRESENTATION AS WELL.
THE GOAL FOR TODAY, AGAIN, IS TO PROVIDE THE SIX MONTH UPDATE ON THE, ON HOW THE CITY CONTINUES TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS WITH DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.
THE CITY DURING THIS PERIOD HAD 13 ACTIVE PROGRAMS, SIX OF WHICH WERE IMPLEMENTED BY SERVICE PROVIDERS AND TWO BY CITY DEPARTMENTS.
THIS WAS USING A TOTAL OF FOUR FUNDING SOURCES.
THAT WOULD BE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, WHICH COMES FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, THE PERMANENT LOCAL HOUSING ALLOCATION FUND, WHICH ALSO IS KNOWN AS SB TWO COMING FROM THE $75 FREE ON CERTAIN REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS.
THE LOW MODERATE HOUSING INCOME ASSET FUND, WHICH ARE THE REMAINING FUNDS FROM THE DISSOLUTION OF REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES.
AND LASTLY, THE GENERAL FUND SERVICE PROVIDERS PLAY, UH, A BIG ROLE, UH, IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND LIST THEM OUT.
ALPHABETIC IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER.
FIRST OFF, WE HAVE CRISIS HOUSE.
UH, THEY CURRENTLY MANAGE THE EMERGENCY SLEEPING CABINS AT MERIDIAN BAPTIST CHURCH.
UH, THEY PROVIDE TRANSITIONAL SLASH BRIDGE HOUSING WITH ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN EL CAJON FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
THEY WILL RECEIVE ABOUT 20,000 IN PLHA FUNDS TO PROVIDE THOSE RESIDENTS WITH ASSISTANCE TOWARDS SECURITY DEPOSITS FOR EASIER ACCESS TO PERMANENT HOUSING.
THEY ALSO PROVIDE HOMELESS OUTREACH, AND THAT IS THROUGH A-C-D-B-G GRANT RECEIVED BACK IN 2021 OF ABOUT 700,000.
THIS WAS TO ACQUIRE A NEW SITE TO CONTINUE SERVING THE COMMUNITY OF EL CAJON.
THEY WILL CONTINUE WITH OUTREACH EFFORTS FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER SIX YEARS, AND THEIR MAIN FOCUS CONTINUES TO BE HOMELESS, UH, INDIVIDUALS AS WELL AS VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
WE ALSO HAVE EAST COUNTY TRANSITIONAL LIVING CENTER, UH, THAT ALSO HAS ACTIVE PROGRAMS AND THEY USE PLHA AND CDBG FUNDS.
THESE ARE FOR NON-FACE BASED, UH, EMERGENCY SHELTER AND HOUSING NAVIGATION AND OUTREACH INCLUDED IN THAT IS ALSO ESSENTIAL IN WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
IN ADDITION, THEY ALSO HAVE THEIR FAITH-BASED PROGRAMS SUCH AS A FAMILY RESTORATION ONE YEAR PROGRAM AND A PROGRAM FOR SINGLE MALES AND SINGLE FEMALES.
HOMESTART HAS FOUR ACTIVE PROGRAMS AND THEY RECEIVE PLHA AND CDBG FUNDING.
THE HOMELESS OUTREACH PROGRAM IS STREET-BASED OUTREACH IN COORDINATION WITH THE CITY'S POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, THE HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM OR HOT TEAM.
THEY GO OUT ONCE A WEEK ON FRIDAYS TO PROVIDE RESOURCES SUCH AS THE EMERGENCY HOUSING PLACEMENT PROGRAM, AND THAT IS ALSO ANOTHER OF THEIR ACTIVE PROGRAMS AND THEY ASSIST WITH EMERGENCY HOUSING.
UH, CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO CLIENTS WHO ARE IN CONTACT, UH, DURING OUTREACH EVENTS OR THROUGH, UH,
[01:15:01]
OTHER INTAKE PROCESSES.AND THEY ARE PROVIDED WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR SELF SUFFICIENCY, MENTAL HEALTH, AND OTHER SERVICES AS WELL.
RAPID REHOUSING RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
THEY PROVIDE RENTAL ASSISTANCE FOR A MINIMUM OF SIX MONTHS OR ONE TIME RENTAL ASSISTANCE OR RAPID REHOUSING, UH, TO HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES EARNING LESS THAN 30% OF THEIR AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
THE PURPOSE IS HOUSING STABILITY AND TO MOVE INTO PERMANENT HOUSING.
INTERFAITH SHELTER NETWORK IMPLEMENTS A ROTATIONAL EMERGENCY SHELTER USUALLY DURING THE MONTHS FROM JANUARY TO MARCH OF EVERY YEAR USING CDBG FUNDS.
THAT INCLUDES SHELTER, MEALS AND SUPPORT.
THE GOAL IS TO MOVE INTO PERMANENT HOUSING AS WELL.
THE SALVATION ARMY CONTINUES TO IMPLEMENT THE REUNIFICATION PROGRAM OR THE EIGHT WAY BACK HOME PROGRAM.
THIS IS FOR INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN REUNITING WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
THIS INCLUDES TRANSPORTATION AND FOOD AND AS WELL AS CASE MANAGEMENT.
AT THREE AND SIX MONTHS OF THE REUNIFICATION EAST COUNTY, UH, HOMELESS TASK FORCE, THEY DO RECEIVE SOME GENERAL FUND IN ORDER TO CONTINUE PLAYING A ROLE IN INFORMING AND ENGAGEMENT, ENGAGING COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS WELL AS ADVOCATING FOR HOMELESS PERSONS.
THE TWO CITY DEPARTMENTS IMPLEMENTING SERVICES OR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS.
AS MENTIONED, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS THE HOT TEAM.
SO THEY CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS ON A WEEKLY BASIS TO SUPPORT OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS.
AND THIS IS, UH, TO HELP BUILD RAPPORT OFFER SERVICES AND CONNECT THEM WITH AVAILABLE RESOURCES.
THE OUTREACH TEAM USUALLY CONSISTS OF SIX OFFICERS AND IT TYPICALLY LASTS ABOUT THREE HOURS.
THIS IS FUNDED THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND.
AND LASTLY, THE QUALITY OF LIFE TEAM ENSURES THAT THE CITY'S PARKS RIGHT OF WAYS AND DRAINAGE CHANNELS ARE CLEAR OF DEBRIS AND TRASH.
THIS TEAM IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY A CONTRACT WITH AR CORPS.
ADDITIONALLY, FROM PROGRAMS AND SERVICES PROVIDED, THERE ARE HOMELESS OUTREACH EVENTS THAT ARE HELD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, UM, THROUGHOUT DIFFERENT MONTHS.
SOME OF US MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROJECT HOMELESS CONNECT, UM, HOWEVER, THERE ARE OTHER EVENTS THAT, UH, MATCH INDIVIDUALS WITH SERVICES AS WELL.
A TOTAL FOR THE LAST SIX MONTH PERIOD OF 1,009,720 WAS ALLOCATED FOR THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, AND A TOTAL OF 950,992 WAS SPENT.
THIS RESULTED IN 2,447 PERSONS SERVED.
NOW, A PERSON SERVED WOULD MEAN A PERSON THAT RECEIVES SOME TYPE OF SERVICE OR ASSISTANT ASSISTANCE FROM THE PROGRAMS MENTIONED.
THIS CAN BE CONTACT THROUGH OUTREACH RENTAL ASSISTANCE, OR SOMEONE PLACED IN EMERGENCY SHELTER.
THE SAME PERSON IS ABLE TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE FROM DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROGRAMS, HOWEVER, NOT THE SAME SERVICE TWICE.
THESE NUMBERS ARE UNDUPLICATED PER PROGRAM.
OUT OF THOSE TOTAL SERVED 180 WENT INTO PERMANENT HOUSING, 146 INTO TRANSITIONAL SLASH BRIDGE HOUSING AND 506 INTO EMERGENCY SHELTER.
UM, THE EXAMPLE OF TRANSITIONAL BRIDGE HOUSING IS CONSIDERED THE EMERGENCY CABINS WHERE THEY WOULD STAY FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WHILE THEY ARE CONNECTED INTO PERMANENT HOUSING FOR QUALITY OF LIFE.
THEY COMPLETED 67 CLEANUPS THAT INCLUDED 41 CITY STREETS AND 21 CITY STORM CHANNELS, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GATHER 443 TONS OF DEBRIS, ONE 60 FROM CITY STREETS AND 283 FROM CITY STORM CHANNELS.
ALL THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR REVIEWING AS ATTACHMENT ONE OF THE STAFF REPORT.
UM, AND IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE BEING RECORDED CORRECTLY, CITY STAFF DOES COMPLETE DESK MONITORING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, ESPECIALLY TO VERIFY PERSONS SERVED ARE FROM EL CAJON.
AND TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL FUNDING REQUIREMENTS.
UH, MONITORING FOR THESE SERVICES WILL TAKE PLACE DURING FISCAL YEAR 25 26.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PART OF THE PRESENTATION, SO I WILL PASS IT OVER TO THE CITY MANAGER.
SO, UH, THE TIMING OF THIS, THE SIX MONTH REPORT ALIGNED REALLY WELL WITH ME GETTING SOME INFORMATION BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL BASED ON YOUR LAST CITY COUNCIL ACTION PLAN DISCUSSION BACK IN MAY.
SO I'M HERE TO REPORT ON THREE OF THOSE ITEMS. NEXT SLIDE.
UM, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE, THE IDEA OF A CITY MANAGED HOMELESS TI A HOMELESS COUNT TO OCCUR FOUR TIMES A YEAR.
UM, TALK ABOUT A STORAGE PROGRAM FOR ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS.
AND THEN LASTLY, THE COUNCIL SAID IF WE WERE TO ALLOCATE HALF A MILLION, 1 MILLION OR $2 MILLION IN ONE TIME, GENERAL FUND MONEY, HOW WOULD WE USE IT? I HAVE A, A RESPONSE FOR THE CITY COUNCIL ON THAT.
SO LET'S GO TO THE FIRST TOPIC,
[01:20:01]
WHICH IS THE CITY MANAGED A HOMELESS COUNT.SO THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS THAT WOULD HAVE TO OCCUR.
ONE, WE'D HAVE TO DEVELOP AN APP, UH, A PHONE APP THAT HAS ACTUALLY ALREADY BEEN DEVELOPED BY STAFF, HAS DEVELOPED A, UM, A PILOT APP FOR THAT, UH, BASED ON AN, AN EXISTING, UH, PLATFORM THAT THE COUNTY USES.
UM, WE WOULD RECOMMEND USING STAFF VOLUNTEERS.
INITIALLY, WE WOULD NOT GO OUT AND LOOK FOR OTHER VOLUNTEERS FROM ORGANIZATIONS.
WE WOULD USE STAFF FOR THESE AND WE WOULD DEVELOP A MAP TO IDENTIFY ROUTES OF WHICH TO GO.
UM, AND THEY WOULD NOT BE LIKE THE REGIONAL OR THE, THE POINT IN TIME COUNT, WHICH JUST HAVE BIG CENSUS TRACKS.
THEY WOULD ACTUALLY BE USING REAL DATA THAT WE'VE COLLECTED OVER THE YEAR TO I KNOW WHERE THE, THE PEOPLE ARE.
SO IF WE, WE'VE ALREADY DEVELOPED THAT MAP.
SO I'LL SHOW YOU A PREVIEW OF THAT.
SO THIS MAP SHOWS, UM, WHERE WE HAVE DONE CLEANUPS AND BASED ON THAT CLEANUP MAP, WE'VE IDENTIFIED DIFFERENT ROUTES WHERE DIFFERENT TEAMS WOULD GO AND HIT THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
WE WOULD ALSO HAVE ONE TEAM THAT WOULD JUST GO EVERYWHERE IN THESE AREAS THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED TO PICK UP ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT, THAT AREN'T IN THE, THE USUAL SPOTS.
IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, THE OTHER THING IS THAT WE, UH, WE WOULD NEED TO DEVELOP THE QUESTIONS THAT WE WOULD BE ASKING THROUGH THE APP.
UM, SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE STAFF REPORT, PROBABLY MORE QUESTIONS THAN WE HAVE AVAIL, UM, TIME TO ASK.
SO WE MIGHT DO SOME RANDOM SAMPLING OF THE QUESTIONS, HAVE SOME BASIC DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION THAT WE WOULD ASK EVERYBODY, AND THEN WE WOULD RANDOM SAMPLE SOME OF THE OTHER TYPES OF QUESTIONS TO GET A, A GOOD SENSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE STREETS.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE COST TO RUN THIS PROGRAM WOULD BE PRETTY NOMINAL BECAUSE WE'D BE USING A FREE APP, EXISTING CITY STAFF.
UH, AND WE WOULD JUST FLEX PEOPLE'S TIME THAT THOSE THAT CAME IN AT FIVE IN THE MORNING OR FOUR IN THE MORNING, UH, WE WOULD LET THEM LEAVE A LITTLE BIT EARLIER THAT DAY.
SO THERE WOULD BE A, A COST IN PRODUCTIVITY, BUT UM, IF WE HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE ENGAGED, IT SHOULD SPREAD OUT THAT COST OR AT LEAST THE STAFF IMPACT.
AND THEN, UM, IN TERMS OF TIMING, AGAIN, WE WOULD RECOMMEND DOING THIS FOUR TIMES A YEAR AS A PILOT PROGRAM FOR THE FIRST YEAR.
WITH THE FIRST ONE OCCURRING IN THE FALL, WE'D LIKE TO DO ONE AROUND THE TIME IN WHICH THE, THE TRADITIONAL POINT IN TIME COUNT OCCURS TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A GUT CHECK ON THAT.
AND THEN WE WOULD SCHEDULE THE REST FOR THE OTHER TWO PART, UH, THE OTHER TWO QUARTERS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
UM, AS PART OF THIS, AS WE WERE, AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW DO WE GATHER INFORMATION, AND THIS IS REALLY ABOUT GATHERING INFORMATION.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT, UM, NEGATING OR NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE ANNUAL FEDERALLY REQUIRED POINT IN TIME COUNT.
THIS IS ABOUT US GETTING BETTER DATA THAT WILL HELP DRIVE BETTER POLICY, UM, IDEAS TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
AS WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS, WE WERE APPROACHED BY THE SAN DIEGO RESCUE MISSION AND THEY MADE AN OFFER TO DO A WEEKLY MOBILE SHOWER SERVICE WHERE THEY WOULD COME OUT FOR FOUR HOURS ONCE A WEEK.
WE COULD IDENTIFY WHERE, WHAT SITES WE WANT THEM AT, SO THAT WOULD ROTATE AROUND THE CITY.
THEY WOULD START COLLECTING DATA THROUGH THESE SITES AND CREATE A BUY LIST NAME, WHICH WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL TO US AS WE'RE COLLECTING DATA.
THEY WOULD OFFER INDIVIDUALS EMERGENCY SHELTER OPPORTUNITIES.
SO THEY WOULD GET THEM INTO ONE OF THEIR SHELTERS THAT THEY MANAGE SOMEWHERE IN THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO.
UH, THEY CURRENTLY OPERATE THREE SITES.
AND, UH, THE BEAUTY OF THIS, THERE'D BE NO COST TO THE CITY.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S ANOTHER OPTION THAT GO TO COLLECT SOME ADDITIONAL DATA.
UM, STAFF ALSO WAS ASKED TO PROVIDE SOME ANALYSIS ON A STORAGE PROGRAM.
THE STAFF REPORT IDENTIFIES WE CONTINUE TO HAVE SOME CONCERNS WITH SECURITY, WITH CONTAMINATION, WITH BEDBUGS AND OTHER RODENTS.
UH, WE DO THINK THIS WOULD BE PRETTY STAFF INTENSIVE.
WE ALSO QUESTIONED JUST WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? DOES THIS HAVE AN ROI? UM, WE DO THINK THAT THE FIRST YEAR WOULD COST ABOUT $165,000 DEPENDING ON THE SYSTEM THAT WE ENDED UP USING.
BUT AGAIN, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THE COUNCIL WANTS TO, TO PLAY AROUND WITH TO PILOT, UM, STAFF'S OPEN TO THIS AND WE'LL TAKE YOUR DIRECTION ON THIS ONE.
LASTLY, UH, THE COUNCIL ASKED HOW DO WE SPEND SOME ONE-TIME MONEY? TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, STAFF WOULD NOT RECOMMEND ALLOCATING ONE-TIME MONEY TO A PROJECT OUTSIDE OF WHAT WE'VE JUST TALKED ABOUT IN THIS STAFF REPORT.
I THINK THERE'S SOME VALUE IN COLLECTING REAL DATA ABOUT THE FOLKS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SERVE.
BASE THOSE QUESTIONS THAT WE'LL ASK DURING THE QUARTERLY TIME COUNTS, UM, ON THE AREAS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND BETTER AND KNOW HOW TO PINPOINT THOSE PROGRAMS. SO AT THIS TIME, STAFFS DOESN'T THINK IT'S PRUDENT TO GIVE A RECOMMENDATION, BUT LET'S COLLECT SOME DATA AND THEN COME BACK WITH
[01:25:01]
A RECOMMENDATION.SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN THE REST OF MY TIME BACK OVER TO YANI.
SO AS A, AS A, AS A RESULT OF THE DATA PROVIDED TODAY, STAFF RECOMMENDS TO FOLLOWING TO CONTINUE FUNDING THE HOMELESS PROGRAMS, UH, IMPLEMENTED BY SERVICE PROVIDERS AND CITY DEPARTMENTS CONTINGENT UPON AVAILABLE FUNDING, CONTINUE SEEKING NEW FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES WHEN FEASIBLE, CONTINUE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE EAST COUNTY HOMELESS TASK FORCE, CONTINUE SUPPORT FOR THE EMERGENCY SLEEPING CABINETS, CONTINUE PROVIDING THE SIX MONTH UPDATE.
INITIATE A PILOT PROGRAM TO CONDUCT A CITY OPERATED HOMELESS COUNT TWICE OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS AND ALLOW THE SAN DIEGO RESCUE MISSION TO CONDUCT A WEEKLY SHOWER EVENT IN THE CITY.
AND WITH THAT, WE END THE PRESENTATION.
STAFF IS AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
LEMME SEE IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS.
I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, E-C-T-L-C.
THE EMERGENCY SHELTER IS NOT 90 DAYS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO GET AN AMENDMENT ON ANY DOCUMENTATION THAT WE HAVE ON THAT.
IT IS NOT 90 DAYS FOR INDIVIDUALS.
UM, I RECENTLY PUT A GENTLEMAN IN THERE, UH, AFTER THREE DAYS HE WAS ASKED TO JOIN THEIR PROGRAM.
IF THEY DON'T JOIN THEIR PROGRAM, UM, THEN THEY HAVE TO LEAVE.
AND WHEN, THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THAT IS THAT E-C-T-L-C HAS BEEN TAKING IN, UH, HOMELESS FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY, WHICH IS FINE.
BUT IF THEY DON'T COMPLY WITH THE PROGRAM, THEN THEY GET EXITED FROM THE PROGRAM AND NOW THEY'RE EXITED ONTO OUR STREET BECAUSE SAN DIEGO, THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO, WHO HAS BROUGHT THAT PERSON IN AND PLACED HIM IN INTO E-C-T-L-C, IT'S NOT GONNA COME BACK OUT AND TAKE THEM BACK TO SAN DIEGO.
SO, UH, THE GENTLEMAN THAT I DID PUT IN, HE DID MAKE THE DECISION TO STAY.
UH, HE'S A 65-YEAR-OLD MALE, NO DRUG PROBLEM OR ANYTHING, BUT HE DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH THEIR PROGRAM 'CAUSE HE HAD NOTHING ELSE.
AND SO I THINK THAT THE VERBIAGE THAT WE HAVE, IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAD A 28 DAY EMERGENCY SHELTER.
BUT FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND NOW, THAT IS ONLY FOR FAMILIES.
WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE MALES OR THE SINGLE MALES ARE SINGLE FEMALES.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY.
AND, AND IF THEY DON'T WANNA GO INTO THEIR PROGRAM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS WHY, AND THEY HAVE ALLOWED SMOKING AND YOU KNOW, THEY ARE CHANGING, BUT WE HAVE NOTHING ELSE.
IF OUR EMERGENCY PROGRAM IS SUPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GIVING THEM X, Y, Z AMOUNT OF MONEY AND I BELIEVE IT WAS A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
IF WE'RE GIVING THEM A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY BEING SERVED IN THAT EMERGENCY SHELTER AND ACTUALLY GETTING HELP? BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T WANNA DO THEIR RELIGIOUS PROGRAM, IF THEY DON'T WANNA DO, IF SAY YOU'RE 65 YEARS OLD AND YOU DON'T HAVE A DRUG OR ALCOHOL PRO PROBLEM, WHY WOULD YOU WANNA GO THROUGH REHAB? NOW I GET THAT THEIR GENESIS PROGRAM IS TO KIND OF HELP WITH THAT, BUT THERE ARE SOME ISSUES THAT I HAVE AND I THINK THAT THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE ON E-C-T-L-E-C-T-L-C IS NOT, UM, CORRECT.
AND I DON'T SEE ANY REPRESENTATION FROM E-C-T-L-C HERE TO ADDRESS.
UM, I WILL ASK QUESTIONS OF YOU.
SO THAT IS MY CONCERN, IS THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING IN THERE AND IF THEY DON'T COMPLY WITH THE PROGRAM, THEY'RE OUT ON THE STREET.
AND IF WE'RE NOT GIVING THEM 28 DAYS, BECAUSE I MEAN, HOW DO YOU MAKE A LIFE DECISION TO JOIN A PROGRAM OR NOT JOIN A PROGRAM IN THREE DAYS? THAT'S A BIG DECISION TO MAKE.
AND SO MY QUESTION IS, IF WE'RE NOT GONNA ALLOW A 28 DAY A A A A SET TIME, LIKE 28 DAYS TO GET YOURSELF OFF THE STREET, GET YOURSELF FED, YOU KNOW, UH, NUTRITIONALLY BALANCED AGAIN, AND YOUR PRIORITIES IN BEING ABLE TO TALK TO SOMEONE, GET OFF THE STREET, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE THAT DECISION IN THREE DAYS OR EVEN A WEEK? THAT'S A BIG DECISION TO MAKE, TO SEPARATE YOURSELF FOR 90 DAYS, NO CONTACT WITH ANYONE.
AND THAT'S JUST ON THE EMERGENCY SHELTER.
I HAVE OTHER OPINIONS ABOUT THE REST OF THE PROGRAM, BUT AS FAR AS THE EMERGENCY SHELTER AND WHAT WE CONTROL, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO GET BETTER, UM, BETTER VERBIAGE FROM E-C-T-L-C,
[01:30:02]
EXACTLY WHAT THEIR PROGRAM IS FOR THE EMERGENCY SHELTER.EXACTLY HOW LONG DO THEY HAVE? AND, UH, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT ACCEPTING THOSE HOMELESS FOLKS FROM OUTSIDE OF EL CAJON WHO ARE THEN EXITED OUTTA THE PROGRAM AND NOW THEY'RE JUST LEFT ON THE STREET AND WE HAVE NOTHING ELSE.
SO THAT, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE ON THAT.
UM, AND THEN ON THE, UM, THE INTERFAITH SHELTER, DO WE, IS THAT'S ROTATING JUST IN EL CAJON OR IS THAT IN EAST COUNTY? UH, THEY DO, UH, USE CHURCHES, UH, TO DO THE ROTATING EMERGENCY SHELTER.
SOME LOCATIONS ARE IN EL CAJON, SOME ARE NOT IN EL CAJON.
UM, THANK YOU TO THE SAN DIEGO RESCUE MISSION FOR YOUR OFFER.
UM, AS FAR AS THE STORAGE GOES, I, I AGREE THAT $165,000 RIGHT NOW THAT WE ARE, WE ARE TIGHTENING UP OUR BELTS $165,000 FOR PEOPLE THAT TO STORE THEIR STUFF.
BUT WHAT IF THEY NEED SOMETHING AND THEY'RE HAVING TO COME BACK AND ACCESS IT? I THINK THAT THAT IS, UM, WE CAN PROBAB MY OPINION IS WE CAN PROBABLY JUST CROSS THAT OFF OUR LIST, SAVE THE $165,000 PLUS AND MOVE ON.
UM, IS THE PERSON FROM EC CAN I ASK A QUESTION OF THE, OF E-C-T-L-C? UH, YEAH, SURE.
TELL US WHO YOU ARE AND YEAH, MY NAME'S EVAN.
UH, I'M THE MEN'S PROGRAM DIRECTOR, UH, FOR EAST COUNTY TRANSITIONAL LIVING CENTER.
SO CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME ABOUT THE 90 DAY OR NOT 90 DAY? SORRY, LET ME GO BACK.
CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME THE, THE, UH, EMERGENCY SHELTER EXACTLY.
HOW LONG DOES ANYONE HAVE TO STAY THERE? AND WHAT I HAVE HEARD ARE THE RUMORS TRUE THAT WITHIN THREE TO FIVE DAYS YOU HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION AND IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GO INTO THE PROGRAMS OR THE 90 DAY PROGRAMS, YOU MUST EXIT OUT.
ARE YOU HELPING THEM FIND AN ALTERNATIVE TO THAT? AND IS THE 28 DAY LENGTH ONLY FOR FAMILIES? UH, SO YEAH, IT WOULD BE A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
WHAT WE BELIEVE AT E-C-T-L-C IS WHAT'S CALLED INDIVIDUALIZED CARE.
UNFORTUNATELY, WITH THE LEVELS OF CHALLENGES, UH, THAT SO MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE FACING, WE DO NOT HAVE A ONE SIZE FITS ALL, UM, UM, SOLUTION.
SO WHAT WE DO IS WE LOOK AT VARIOUS DIFFERENT MARKERS WITHIN SOMEONE'S BEHAVIOR.
UM, AND A LOT OF THIS HINGES ON SAFETY BECAUSE WE DO HAVE CHILDREN ON THE PREMISES, RIGHT? SO WHEN WE SEE INDIVIDUALS, UH, THAT ARE NOT, UH, I WOULD SAY CONFORMING TO OUR COMMUNITY, UM, THEN THAT RAISES, UH, IT RAISES CONCERNS.
AND THEN, SO AT THAT POINT, THAT CASE MANAGER WOULD BE NOTIFIED AND WE WOULD TRY TO MAKE A PUSH FOR THEM TO JOIN THE PROGRAM.
UH, I BELIEVE WE ARE MAKING GREAT STRIDES AS FAR AS ELIMINATING A LOT OF THE, THE RELIGIOUS, UH, PART OF THE PROGRAM.
WE DO BELIEVE, UH, IN GOD, AND WE DO BELIEVE THAT THAT IS THE FOUNDATION FOR CHANGE IN SOMEONE'S LIFE.
UH, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON ALTERNATE CLASSES, ALTERNATE, UH, UH, PROGRAMMING, UH, I WOULD SAY MORE INCLUSIVE PROGRAMMING.
UM, I THINK ALSO TOO, THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH HOUSING.
WE'RE UNDER GREAT AMOUNTS OF PRESSURE.
I KNOW THAT THE FAMILY SIDE HAS A WAITING LIST OF LIKE 298 FAMILIES.
I KNOW ON THE SINGLE MEN'S SIDE, UH, I THINK THAT WAITING LIST WAS SOMEWHERE AROUND 80, 90 PEOPLE.
SO WHEN WE'RE GETTING THIS MUCH PRESSURE, IT'S HARD.
UH, IT, IT'S JUST DIFFICULT TO LET PEOPLE STAY 28 DAYS, UH, WHEN THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE NEEDING HELP.
UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING WITH VARIOUS DIFFERENT AGENCIES TO TRY TO SEE IF WE CAN GET THEM PLACED IN ANOTHER PROGRAM.
UM, BUT THAT'S REALLY THE BEST THAT I CAN OFFER RIGHT NOW.
SO AN INDIVIDUAL, A MALE OR FEMALE INDIVIDUAL COMES IN, THEY NEED 20 AND THEY COME INTO THE EMERGENCY SHELTER, BASICALLY, YOU'RE TELLING ME THEY DON'T GET 28 DAYS, THEY ONLY GET, IT'S ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
BUT HOW, WHAT IS THE AVERAGE STAY SEVEN DAYS? YEAH.
I WOULD SAY THE AVERAGE STAY IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN, UH, FIVE AND SEVEN DAYS.
I THINK REALLY THAT'S, THAT EMERGENCY HOUSING IS FOR THEM TO FORMULATE A PLAN.
AND THEN WHAT THEY DO IS THEY SPEAK WITH THE INTAKE COORDINATOR, THEY SPEAK WITH, UH, THE CASE MANAGER AS FAR AS
[01:35:01]
HOW THEY WANT TO EXECUTE THOSE PLANS.UM, AND THESE PLANS CAN BE AS FAR AS I WANT TO START A BUSINESS RIGHT NOW TO GETTING A JOB.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO NARROW IT DOWN.
UM, THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, MANUFACTURE A GREAT DEAL OF CHANGE WITHIN 28 DAYS A WEEK.
AND IN REALITY IT JUST TAKES TIME.
BUT, BUT IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE EMERGENCY SHELTER WAS NOT FOR A PROGRAM BASED.
IT WAS SIMPLY TO GET SOMEONE OFF THE STREET, GET THEM INTO EMERGENCY SHELTER, GET THEM OFF THE STREET, AND THEN HELP THEM DECIDE WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO.
BUT IT'S GIVING THEM TIME TO REGROUP MM-HMM
AND GET THEIR ENERGIES BACK IN TOGETHER IF YOU CAN AFFORD THAT.
IF WE'RE PAYING FOR AN EMERGENCY SHELTER, THEN, UM, MR. MITCHELL, THIS IS WHAT I I'M PROPOSING, IS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LANGUAGE IS CLEAR ON THIS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT GETTING 28 DAYS SERVICE.
AND THAT WAS UNDER MY UNDERSTANDING, IT HAS BEEN MY UNDERSTANDING FOR YEARS.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH E-C-T-L-C FOR A FEW YEARS NOW, AND IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IF I GET SOMEONE IN THERE, THEY HAD 28 DAYS TO GET THEIR LIFE TURNED AROUND AND DECIDE, AM I GONNA GO INTO THE PROGRAM FOR 90 DAYS OR A YEAR, SORRY, A YEAR, OR AM I GOING TO FIND SOMEPLACE ELSE? AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO, AS A CITY, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND SO IN ESSENCE, WE'RE BASICALLY FUNDING A, LET'S SAY AN AVERAGE OF FIVE DAY EMERGENCY SHELTER, NOT A 28 DAY.
IS THAT CORRECT? UH, THAT'S ONE WAY TO LOOK AT IT.
SO IT'S THERE, THERE ARE ALWAYS PEOPLE FROM THE STREETS THAT ARE PLUGGED UP.
AND SO IT'S NOT LIKE, IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE NOT TAKING ANOTHER PERSON OFF THE STREET VERSUS THEY'RE ALWAYS FULL.
UM, AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.
I THINK WORKING ON THE LANGUAGE.
UM, AND I CAN TALK TO MY SUPERIOR ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
UM, BUT IT'S NOT OUR INTENTION TO NOT.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, TAKING IN THOSE FROM OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF EL CAJON AND THEY'RE BEING EXITED FROM THE PROGRAM, WHAT'S HAPPENING, ARE YOU CONTACTING WHO BROUGHT THE, THE, THE AGENCY THAT BROUGHT THEM OVER AND SAY, HEY, THEY'RE BEING EXITED OUT, YOU NEED TO COME PICK 'EM UP? OR ARE WE JUST RELEASING THEM ONTO THE STREET WITH, THEY'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH EL CAJON.
THEY'VE COME FROM, GOD KNOWS WHERE THEY'VE COME FROM OUTSIDE OF EL CAJON, NOW THEY'RE BEING EXITED TO THE STREET.
THEY HAVE NO FAMILY, NO FRIENDS OUT HERE.
WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THEM? UH, I THINK MAYBE YOUR UNDER, UH, YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF, OF HOW PEOPLE ARE COMING INTO THE PROGRAM, UM, MIGHT NEED TO SHIFT A LITTLE BIT.
SO MANY, MANY TIMES THERE AREN'T OUTSIDE AGENCIES THAT ARE BRINGING PEOPLE IN.
IF THERE IS A CONTACT PERSON, UH, LIKE PATH OR ANOTHER ONE OF OUR PARTNERS THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH, WE ABSOLUTELY STAY IN CONTACT WITH OUR CASE MANAGER AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE TRANSFERRED OUT.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, CHANGING YOUR LIFE IS REALLY HARD.
AND SO THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT THROW IN THE TOWEL AND THEY LEAVE.
AND AT THAT POINT, THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT WE CAN DO, UH, FROM OUR STANDPOINT AS FAR AS A, A SAFETY ASPECT.
IF SOMEONE DOES NOT WANT TO BE THERE, WE DON'T WANT TO TRY TO HOLD THEM BECAUSE THAT COULD CREATE A LOT OF OTHER PROBLEMS. UM, I DO LOVE THE IDEA THOUGH, AS FAR AS REACHING OUT, UH, MAYBE TO OTHER COMMUNITIES OR OTHER PROGRAMS. UM, AND IF THERE ARE OPENINGS, UH, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY FACILITATE THAT CHANGE.
UM, I THINK WE JUST HAVE, UH, A TRANSITIONAL LIVING BED SHORTAGE.
UM, AND SO I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN.
ONE, ONE THING FOR MICHELLE, I I JUST HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
ARE, ARE YOU UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR 45 DAYS AND ONLY GETTING SOMETIMES THREE OR FOUR DAYS? YES.
I'M UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WE, WE PROVIDE A SERVICE THAT IT HAS BEEN UNDER MY IMPRESSION THAT IT WAS A 28 DAY EMERGENCY SHELTER.
SO WE'RE PAYING FOR 28 DAYS AND SOMETIMES THEY DISCHARGE 'EM.
SO I IS THAT TRUE, MR. NO, WE, WE PAY PER NIGHT.
SO THERE ARE SO MANY BEDS IF SOMEONE STAYS THERE, WHETHER THEY STAY THERE FOR TWO DAYS OR THREE DAYS OR 10 DAYS, OR IF IT'S 10 PEOPLE STAYING OVER THE COURSE OF 30 DAYS, WE JUST PAY FOR THE BED.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SO ARE YOU PROPOSING THEN THAT WE GET IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR PROGRAM AND TELL THEM HOW TO RUN THEIR PROGRAM? NO, NO.
WHAT I'M PROPOSING IS THAT ON OUR DOCUMENTATION THAT WE HAVE, AND EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE SEEN ABOUT, UM, E-C-T-L-C IN OUR EMERGENCY
[01:40:01]
SHELTER IS THAT IT IS A 28 DAY PROGRAM OR A 28 DAY STAY, BUT THAT IS ONLY FOR FAMILIES, IS WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD.AND THAT SINGLES DO NOT HAVE THAT OPTION.
AND I'M JUST SAYING THAT IF, IF, IF THAT'S THE WAY THEY RUN THEIR PROGRAM, THEN THAT'S FINE.
BUT IF WE AS A CITY ARE PROVIDING FUNDS FOR AN EMERGENCY SHELTER AND THIS DESCRIPTION, THEN WE NEED TO CHANGE THE DESCRIPTION IS ALL IF WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE SO THAT IT, IT DOES GIVE A FALSE, SO IT SAYS IT'S NOT GUARANTEED THAT IT'S 45.
I MEAN, 'CAUSE I HAVE TOLD PEOPLE YOU'VE GOT 28 DAYS TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, GET YOUR LIFE TOGETHER AND GET SETTLED IN AND COME TO FIND OUT, NO, IN THREE TO FIVE DAYS, THEY'RE, THEY'RE OUT IF THEY DON'T WANNA GO INTO THIS FAITH-BASED PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S WHAT I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH.
AND THE TRUTH IS THAT IN THE RECOVERY WORLD, THAT'S PRETTY COMMON.
MORE, MORE COMMON THAN NOT THAT, THAT PEOPLE BAIL OUT AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS.
IT'S, IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE NORM.
AS FAR AS OUR CONTRACT, IT'S UP TO 28 DAYS.
SO IF SOMEBODY, UM, IS IN THERE FOR THREE DAYS AND THEY'RE GIVING US THE FIRST FEW DAYS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE BARELY TO COME IN INTO THE SHELTER, BUT THERE'S GONNA BE RULES AS A SHELTER PROVIDER, THEY'RE GONNA GO TO THOSE RULES.
AND A LOT OF TIMES WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING IS AFTER THREE DAYS THEY LEAVE BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO COMPLY WITH THE RULES THAT COME WITH THE PROGRAM.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE RELIGIOUS PROGRAM, BUT WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT.
JULIE AND GO OVER THAT THOSE CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS THAT THEY HAVE TO, FOR THOSE THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE, THE CITY'S PROGRAM IS UP TO 28 DAYS.
AND, AND I APPRECIATE THAT MR. DORADO.
MY, MY CONCERN IS THAT IT IS, IT SAYS ONE THING AND IT'S BEEN UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY HAD 28 DAYS.
I'M NOT HAPPY WITH THEIR PROGRAM.
BUT THAT'S JUST MY OWN PERSONAL, LIKE I SAID, I RECENTLY GOT A MAN IN THERE, UH, 65, NO DRUG PROBLEM, JEHOVAH WITNESS, HE'S RELIGIOUS AND EVERYTHING.
SO HE ENDED UP GOING INTO THE PROGRAM BECAUSE HE HAS NOTHING ELSE GOING ON FOR HIM.
SO WHAT ELSE IS HE GONNA DO? MM-HMM
SO HE'S JOINING THAT PROGRAM BECAUSE HE HAS NOTHING.
AND WE'LL ALSO SHARE A COPY OF THE COMPLAINT FORM.
AS PART OF ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE HUD AUDIT, THERE WAS A COMPLAINT FORM THAT NEEDED TO BE INSTITUTED.
SO IF SOMEBODY'S NOT HAPPY WITH THE SERVICES THEY'RE RECEIVING OR IF THEY'RE BEING PUSHED INTO THE RELIGIOUS COMPONENT, THERE IS A FORM THAT CAN BE HANDED THAT HANDED TO THE INDIVIDUAL IF THEY, IF THEY REQUEST IT REGARDING THEIR RIGHT TO COMPLAINT TO THE CITY.
AND WE'LL FOLLOW UP ON THOSE COMPLAINTS.
AND, AND WHAT MAKES SENSE FOR US IS ALL OF OUR LITERATURE WILL SAY UP TO 28 DAYS.
SO IT DOESN'T PROVIDE THAT FALSE ADVERTISING THAT IT IS A 28 DAY PROGRAM CURRENTLY.
WE'LL MAKE SURE IT DOES SAY IT WHEREVER WE HAVE IT.
STEVE, I'LL SAY MY COMMENTS FOR LATER.
UH, HOW DO YOU KNOW BILLING WISE, WHEN THEY'RE FIVE DAYS ARE UP, WHICH ARE BILLED TO THE, UM, NON-SECTARIAN PORTION OF THE BUDGET? AND THEN IF THEY'RE STILL STAYING THERE AFTER FIVE DAYS, IT COULD BE SIX, COULD BE 10, WHATEVER.
HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE BUILDING STOPS FOR THE NON-RELIGIOUS AND THEY ASSUME AND CANNOT BILL US FOR ONGOING? I'LL LET STAFF ANSWER THAT.
THEY DEAL WITH THE BILLING ON A REGULAR BASIS AND MAYBE E-C-T-L-C CAN WEIGH IN ON THAT TOO.
SO WE RUN TWO SEPARATE PROGRAMS WHEN IT COMES TO THE EMERGENCY HOUSING AND THE ONE YEAR PROGRAM.
SO WHEN THEY TRANSFER OUT OF EMERGENCY HOUSING AND THEY GO INTO THE ONE YEAR, UH, WE CUT THAT TIME OFF.
UM, AND DAVID FIELDSTER WOULD BE THE GUY THAT I COULD PUT YOU GUYS INTO CONTACT WITH IF THAT WAS NEEDED.
AS LONG AS WE ARE, WE'RE MONITORING, AUDITING, DOING THAT, THAT'S HOW WE CARE.
UH, THE REGIONAL TASK FORCE ON THE HOMELESS, I BELIEVE IS HELPING US WITH THE GRANT, UH, SIMILAR TO THE SAME GRANT THAT THEY DID FOR LEMON GROVE, IS THAT CORRECT? N NO, NO, THEY, THEY'VE ENCOURAGED US TO APPLY FOR THAT GRANT AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF US IN US APPLYING FOR THAT GRANT.
WELL, I'VE, UH, HAD U UP TO THREE GRADUATES FROM E-C-T-L-C LIVE AT MY HOUSE FROM JANUARY OF 2016 ON.
AND I KNOW THAT USUALLY THEIR CREDIT SHOT.
SO THEY COME LIVE WITH ME FOR A WHILE AT MY
[01:45:01]
HOUSE AND THEY GET THEIR LIVES TOGETHER.AND OUT OF THE, I DON'T KNOW, 25 OR SO, I HAD COME THROUGH, I HAD ONLY HAD ONE GUY FALL OFF THE WAGON.
SO I KNOW MAYBE I GET THE BEST OF THE BEST, BUT, UH, THE PROGRAM IS EFFECTIVE IN MY OPINION.
AND I HAD AN EXPERIENCE ABOUT A, A YEAR AGO THAT A GUY THAT WORKED FOR ME OVER SEVEN YEARS AGO, BUT HE WORKED FOR ME ABOUT FOUR YEARS, UH, COLLEGE DEGREE.
I GET THIS CALL FROM WHEN HE IS DRUNK OUT OF HIS MIND, SAID, I WANNA, I WANNA GET INTO THAT PROGRAM YOU TOLD ME ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO.
AND SO I WENT AND PICKED HIM UP, TOOK HIM TO E-C-T-L-C, AND HE WAS DRUNK WHEN HE GOT THERE.
AND THEY SAID, OKAY, HERE, HERE ARE THE RULES WHILE YOU'RE RIGHT HERE BEFORE WE TRANSFER, TRANSFER YOU TO THE RANCH WHERE THEY KIND OF DRY THEM OUT, I GUESS, AND GOT, AND, AND HE SAID, YOU CAN'T GO OVER THE WOMEN'S SIDE.
WELL, HE KEPT ON GOING OVER TO THE WOMEN'S SIDE AND HE COULDN'T ACCEPT THAT.
AND HE LASTED MAYBE THREE HOURS.
AND UH, YOU KNOW, SO THERE, THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE THAT HAVE, I MEAN, SERIOUS PROBLEMS AND DON'T REALLY WANNA MAKE WHAT THEY SEE AS A SACRIFICE TO, TO GET SOBER OR TO GET WHAT'S WHAT WITH SOME SORT OF THE PROGRAM.
AND THEN ALSO, AS FAR AS THAT COMPLAINT FORM GOES, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THE RULES AND THEY'RE MAD 'CAUSE THEY GET KICKED OUT 'CAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE THE RULES AND THEY WRITE UP A COMPLAINT.
BUT THE RULES, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE STRICT.
IT'S KIND OF A, LIKE A BOOTCAMP, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY NEED TO, TO GET THEIR LIVES ON TRACK.
UH, YOU KNOW, AND THEY NEED A VERY DISCIPLINED, UH, AND STRUCTURED LIFE AND THAT'S WHAT E-C-T-L-C OFFERS.
AND, AND THERE IS A RELIGIOUS ASPECT TO IT LATER ON.
AND MY OPINION IS THAT'S VERY EFFECTIVE AND MAYBE THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT PLACE FOR THEM TO BE.
AND UH, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY CAN BE REFERRED TO ANOTHER NON-RELIGIOUS, UH, PROGRAM.
SO, UH, I, I'VE HIRED, GOSH, PROBABLY 50 PEOPLE FROM E-C-T-L-C TO DO WORK FOR ME, UH, OVER THE LAST 20 OR SO YEARS.
AND I HAD THREE GUYS WHO, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T WORK OUT.
AND USUALLY IT'S THEIR, THEIR, THEIR BRAIN IS FRIED, THEY JUST CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I ASKED THEM TO DO.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, UH, I'VE HAD VERY GREAT EXPERIENCE WITH THEM.
UM, I GUESS WE'LL JUST, I'LL SKIP OVER, UH, TO THE FEEDBACK FROM REGARDING THE FEASIBILITY OF CONDUCTING A CITY MANAGED HOMELESS COUNT.
UM, WE HAVE THE APP, YOU HAVE THE, UH, YOU HAVE THE LOCATIONS IDENTIFIED OF WHERE WE GO IN THE CITY.
THE STRATEGY RIGHT NOW IS STAFF, UH, CURRENT CITY STAFF IS GOING TO GO OUT AND GATHER INFORMATION.
BUT YOU'RE SAYING TO ENHANCE THE ACCURACY UTILIZING SAN DIEGO RESCUE MISSIONS SHOWER TO BRING PEOPLE TO GET COUNTED.
IS THAT, IS THAT KIND OF THE STRATEGY OR NO, I, I THINK OUR GOAL IS WE'LL COLLECT DATA THROUGH THE, THROUGH OUR METHOD, INCLUDING COLLECTING NAMES.
IF THEY'RE COLLECTING A BY NAME LIST AS WELL, WE CAN CROSS REFERENCE, USE THAT AND DO SOME CROSS REFERENCING.
SO WE'RE NOT GONNA RELY ON SANDY COUNTY RESCUE MISSION FOR THE DATA.
IT'S JUST ANOTHER WAY TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT OUR HOMELESS COMMUNITY.
UM, I LIKE THE IDEA OF A CITY MANAGED HOMELESS COUNT THAT DOESN'T GO THROUGH CENSUS TRACKS.
AND WE, WE KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR BACKYARD BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE.
AND YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY DRIVING THROUGH THE CITY KNOWS WHERE THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS POP UP.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONE AND THEN THEY COME BACK.
UM, SO JUST BY THAT NATURE, AND YOU SAID FOUR TIMES A YEAR, IS THAT, IS THAT REALISTIC TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT WITH STAFF AND EVERYTHING OR? I THINK SO INITIALLY AND THEN WE WILL ASSESS AFTER THE PILOT YEAR AND SAY MAYBE THREE TIMES A YEAR.
AND THAT'S THE WHOLE CITY, FOUR TIMES A YEAR.
WE WOULD LOOK AT THE ENTIRE CITY FOUR TIMES A YEAR.
[01:50:01]
UM, WITH REGARD TO THE STORAGE SYSTEM, PERSONAL BELONGINGS, READING THROUGH THE STAFF REPORT, THE INHERENT ISSUES THAT ARISE WITH DISPUTES AND OF OWNERSHIP AND YOU LOST THIS AND I HAD THAT AND CONTAMINATION AND, UM, THE, THE HIGH COST, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN BUDGET CUTS, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S GONNA ADD MUCH VALUE TO OUR CURRENT OPERATION.SO I TEND TO AGREE WITH STAFF.
I'M NOT GONNA, I'M NOT GONNA FIGHT STAFF ON THAT ONE AT ALL.
UM, AND I'D STILL BE, UH, AN ADVOCATE FOR, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING, UM, TOWARDS HOMELESSNESS.
THAT ONE TIME BLITZ THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
UM, AND TO CONTINUE TO AGREE WITH THE REST OF THE STAFF.
UM, I THINK THEY DO A GOOD JOB.
UM, YOU KNOW, E-C-T-L-C, HOMESTART, ALL THESE PEOPLE, THEY'RE NOT JUST COLLECTING A PAYCHECK.
YOU KNOW, I CAN TELL WHEN I TALK TO THEM THAT THEY REALLY DO CARE.
I MEAN, MICHELLE AND I HAVE JUMPED IN TO HELP PEOPLE JUST AROUND HERE AND WE CALL THEIR CELL PHONES AND IT'S NOT LIKE, PLEASE HOLD, IT'S, HEY, LET ME HELP YOU.
AND SO I, WHATEVER YOU GUYS ARE DOING TO GET PEOPLE HOME, START, UH, CRISIS HOUSE, ALL THESE PEOPLE, YOU GUYS REALLY HAVE A HEART FOR IT.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS COUNCIL RECOGNIZES THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE A HEART FOR IT TOO.
MICHELLE WAS HOMELESS, I WAS HOMELESS.
LIKE GARY LETS PEOPLE FROM E-C-T-L-C SLEEP IN HIS OWN HOME IN HIS ROOMS, YOU KNOW, AND HELP HIM OUT.
BILL'S BEEN WORKING WITH MENTAL HEALTH IN THE MENTAL HEALTH, UH, INDUSTRY FOR, WITH HOMELESS PEOPLE HIS ENTIRE CAREER.
STEVE BUILDS CABINS WITH HIS OWN HANDS, UM, AND HIS FREE TIME.
SO WHEN WE, WHEN WE HEAR PEOPLE ON THE PHONE, OUR HOMELESS PROVIDERS, UM, AND WE TALK TO THEM, WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE BOUGHT INTO THE VISION TO HELPING THESE PEOPLE.
IT'S NOT JUST COLLECTING A PAYCHECK.
'CAUSE WE HAVE THE SAME HEART FOR IT TOO.
SO, UM, I, I WOULD AGREE WITH STAFF IN THAT IF IT'S 10, IF WE START TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE MOVING ANOTHER DIRECTION, THEN THAT'S WHEN, UM, I WOULD, UM, START TO BRING UP MAKING THAT CHANGE.
BUT I'M NOT SEEING THAT RIGHT NOW.
YES, GARY? WELL, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING, UH, THAT PHIL HAS SAID.
UH, ESPECIALLY THE, THE CITY COUNT.
IF WE CAN'T, IF WE CAN'T MEASURE IT, WE CAN'T MANAGE IT.
SO WE HAVE TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
THE SHOWER PROGRAM I THINK IS GREAT 'CAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S GONNA DRAW PEOPLE FROM ALL OF EL CAJON AND, AND WHEN WE COMPARE THAT TO OUR DATABASE, WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF INFORMATION THERE.
UH, THE STORAGE PROGRAM, AGAIN, I, I AGREE WITH PHIL, THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING.
TOO MUCH TROUBLE, TOO MUCH COST.
AND, UH, I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP APPLYING FOR FUNDING.
AND SO, AND I'M VERY HAPPY WITH OUR HOMELESS PARTNERS.
THEY DO HAVE A HEART FOR THIS AND IT TAKES A SPECIAL KIND OF PERSON TO DEAL WITH THE HOMELESS.
I'M LOOKING AT OUR REPRESENTATIVES FROM E-C-T-L-C RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS VERY PREDICTABLE AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO FOR A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THEM.
AND IT'S, AND YOU REALLY HAVE TO HAVE A HEART TO, TO DO THAT.
SO, UH, I AGREE WITH, UH, THE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE'RE GONNA COME BACK TO, UM, DISCUSSION, BUT, UH, I I JUST HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION, GRAHAM.
IF WE ALLOW THESE, UM, THE SHOWER THROUGH THE RESCUE MISSION, WOULD THE RESCUE MISSION HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AT THAT POINT TO TRY TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THESE PEOPLE AND BRING THEM INTO THEIR, SOME OF THEIR OTHER PROGRAMS? THAT'S THE GOAL.
I, THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO PROVIDE A SERVICE AND THEN MAKE THAT OFFER FOR THEM TO GET INTO A SHELTER.
AND THEY, AS YOU KNOW, THEY OFFER SHELTERS IN NATIONAL CITY SOON TO BE IN VISTA AND ALSO IN DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO.
SO WE, WE MIGHT ACTUALLY SEE LESS PEOPLE ON THE STREETS AS A RESULT.
I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THAT TOO, MR. MAYOR.
THE ONE THING I'D BE WORRIED ABOUT IS THAT IT WOULD BE, IT'S NOT A STATIC LOCATION FOR THE, FOR THE SHOWERS IT WOULD BE ROTATIONAL.
SO WE'RE NOT A MAGNET IN ONE AREA, RIGHT? CORRECT.
IT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD PROBABLY, AND, AND MAYBE EVEN SITUATIONAL, UM, GOT IT.
DEPENDING ON WHERE WE KNOW THERE'S AN ISSUE AND WE WOULD KIND OF USE THAT.
WE WOULD DO A, UH, AN ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP THAT SAME DAY.
SO IT'S ALL KIND OF COORDINATED WITH EACH OTHER.
YEAH, I LIKE, I LIKE THE IDEA OF ROTATIONAL AND NOT, UM, IN ANY KIND OF PATTERN.
UM, SO IT'S PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTY AREN'T COALESCING, YOU KNOW, TO ONE
[01:55:01]
LOCATION.UM, LET'S TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE ON OUR STREETS FIRST.
WELL THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S HARD WORK ON THIS.
AND I'M GOING TO ASK IF WE HAVE ANY SPEAKER CARDS.
THE FIRST ONE IS FROM EVAN ANIL.
OUR SECOND SPEAKER IS JOE, UH, BURLEY.
YES, HELLO MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I AM THE, UH, NEW, UH, CEO OF HOMESTART.
SO YOU MAY HAVE, UH, BE FAMILIAR WITH LAURA TIN KIRTI BASE'S LONG LEGACY.
AND SO I'M, UH, STEPPING IN AND EXCITED TO PARTNER WITH OUR HOMESTART TEAM.
UM, DR. COX IS HERE, OUR MANAGER, STEPHANIE AND THE, AND THE WHOLE CREW.
UH, AND SO WE ARE HERE AS A RESOURCE AND SUPPORT.
I AM LEARNING AS MUCH AS I CAN AND I THINK IT'S JUST EXCITING TO BE A PART OF A, A TRUE PARTNERSHIP.
I, MY CORE BELIEF IS THAT, UH, TRUE CHANGE ONLY HAPPENS WITH PEOPLE AND NOT FOR PEOPLE.
AND IT, IT, AS I'M LEARNING, WE'VE HAD A LONG HISTORY WORKING WITH THE, THE CITY OF EL CAJON AND UM, WANNA BE STAGE IN THAT, CONTINUE TO BE ENGAGED IN THAT DIALOGUE TO CONTINUE TO DO THE BEST FOR THE FOLKS AND THE FAMILIES OF EL CAJON.
UM, ONE EXAMPLE, SHEILA, EARLIER TODAY, BEFORE THIS MEETING, HE WAS EVEN TELLING ME OF AN OLDER COUPLE THAT HAS BEEN ON THE STREETS HERE AT EL CAJON LIVING OUT OF THEIR CAR FOR FIVE YEARS.
AND MOST RECENTLY BECAUSE OF MEDICAL ISSUES OF THE DIFFICULTY OBVIOUSLY OF LIVING ON THE STREET USING THE URGENT CARE IN THE HOSPITAL SYSTEM AS KIND OF REGULAR PREVENTATIVE WORK, OBVIOUSLY VERY EXPENSIVE.
UM, THEY'RE NOW OFF THE STREET, UM, SUPPORTED, HAPPY, HEALTHY, AND BEING ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES IN THE WAY THAT THEY WANT TO.
AND IT, THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE OF HUNDREDS OF STORIES OF THE WORK THAT THIS TEAM IS DOING AND, AND WORKING ON EVERY DAY.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR LETTING US BE A PART OF THAT.
AND, UM, IF ANYTHING IS NEEDED OR COMES UP, UM, WE'RE OPEN IN, IN REGULAR DIALOGUE WITH THE, THE CITY FOLKS AND AND STAFF AND SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE HARD WORK YOUR WHOLE TEAM DOES AND I APPRECIATE IT.
THE LAST SPEAKER IS BRENDA HAMMOND.
UM, I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU, AND YOU'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE, UM, A MAYOR ONCE TOLD ME, UH, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH YOU.
YOU'RE HOMELESS, YOU DON'T HAVE A DRUG, YOU'RE NOT A DRUG ADDICT, YOU DON'T HAVE AN ALCOHOL PROBLEM, YOU DON'T HAVE A MENTAL ILLNESS, SO THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH YOU.
I WAS SIGNED UP FOR A HOMELESS OUTREACH GROUP.
UH, THEY HAD ME SIGNED UP FOR WORK ON MY CAR.
THEY TURNED IN THE PAPER, THEY GOT PAID FOR IT.
IT WAS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR MY CAR TO GET WORKED ON.
MY GUY FRIENDS IN LEMON GROVE PAID FOR MY CAR.
UM, I'M GONNA SAY THEIR FIRST NAME IS JOHN GRAHAM KNOWS WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT.
FOUR DIFFERENT JOHNS
UM, I ASKED THE HOMELESS OUTREACH PERSON TO PAY THOSE GUYS BACK BECAUSE THEY USED MY NAME TO COLLECT MONEY.
YOU KNOW WHAT SHE TOLD ME? GOOD LUCK WITH THAT.
I, MY, OUR CITY MANAGER TOLD ME SHE GOT FIRED AND I SAID, YEAH, BUT, UM, WHAT ABOUT MY JOHNS? SO I HAVE BEEN PAYING THEM BACK A LITTLE BY LITTLE WITH MONEY THAT I GOT FROM MY MOTHER WHEN SHE DIED.
MY FAMILY THINKS I'M SUPPOSED TO GO GET A TRAILER.
OH, YOU GET TO GET A NEW CAR, YOU CAN GET A VAN, YOU CAN LIVE IN THAT.
I'VE BEEN PAYING MY JOHNS BACK.
THERE ARE NO OTHER SPEAKER CARDS, SIR.
I BRING IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION.
WHO WOULD LIKE TO START? I THINK, UM, THEIR ONE HASN'T DONE DISCUSSION YET, BUT OTHER PEOPLE CAN CERTAINLY CHIME IN.
UH, I'LL CALL IT SLIDE BEGINNING OR SLIDE CLOSE TO THE BEGINNING THAT HAD ALL THE STATISTICS ON IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE SECOND SLIDE THERE.
DO WE HAVE A SENSE, UH, ON THE BOTTOM, THOSE THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY, A HUNDRED FORTY SIX, FIVE OH SIX I THINK IS 8 32.
[02:00:02]
UH, SERVICE PROVIDER, WHICH PROGRAM THAT THOSE CAME FROM? IS THERE, IS THERE A PROGRAM THAT WAS MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN OTHER PROGRAMS? YES, I DO HAVE THE BREAKDOWN PER SERVICE PROVIDERS AND I'M JUST KIND OF LOOKING FOR IN GENERAL, UH, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF THE PERSONS TRANSFERRED INTO PERMANENT HOUSING FROM BOTH CRISIS HOUSE AND HOME START AND BRIDGE AND TRANSITIONAL SHELTER FROM E-C-T-L-C AND HOME START.SO THE TOP TWO ARE CRISIS HOUSE, HOME START, THE BOTTOM TWO ARE E-C-T-L-C AND HOME START.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS GREAT THAT YOU MEASURE THIS AND I, I HOPE IT GETS UPDATED ON THE WEBPAGE, UH, PRETTY SOON BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ANY OTHER CITY THAT PROVIDES THIS KIND OF MEASUREMENT.
EVERYBODY'S SAYING WE PROVIDE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TOWARDS HOMELESSNESS AND WHAT DO WE GET? NOBODY KNOWS.
BUT WE KNOW, AND THIS IS, THIS IS A GREAT, THIS IS AN AVERAGE OF $1,143 PER PERSON.
I DON'T KNOW OF ANOTHER CITY THAT HAS GREAT PARTNERS DELIVERING THESE KIND OF RESULTS FOR THESE KIND OF DOLLARS.
KUDOS TO THE PARTNERS FOR CHANGING 832 LIVES AT AN AVERAGE COST OF JUST $1,100 EACH.
UM, THE GRANT FOR THE REGIONAL TASK FORCE FOR THE HOMELESS CELL COME BACK.
I'LL ASK THAT WE APPLY FOR IT.
WE, I DON'T KNOW WE'VE EVER GOTTEN ANYTHING FROM THROUGH THE RTFH AND, AND REMEMBER THIS IS, IT'S ACTUALLY A CALTRAN STATE GRANT IN, IN LEMON GROVE'S CASE.
THE REGIONAL TASK FORCE HAS ACTUALLY DID APPLY FOR IT FOR THEM AND IS MANAGING IT FOR THEM.
'CAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY.
BUT I, I THINK WHEN WE GET ENCOURAGED BY THEM TO APPLY FOR IT, WE'RE HOPING, AND I'M GONNA HOLD THEIR FEET TO THE FIRE THAT THEY WILL SUPPORT US IN THAT GRANT APPLICATION.
I WOULD HOLD THEIR FEET TO THE FIRE BECAUSE LET'S, LET'S SHOW THESE NUMBERS TO THEM AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT GRANT MONEY GETS US.
AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE JUST BEEN ABSORBING THIS THROUGH OUR GENERAL FUND YEAR AFTER YEAR AND OUR, OUR RESIDENTS, UH, WOULD SAY TO THE RTFH, COME ON, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE MAKING IT HAPPEN, SO WE NEED SOME HELP.
UH, THE EAST COUNTY HOMELESS TASK FORCE.
I THINK IT SOUNDS LIKE SOME REVIEW IS NEEDED THERE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE GOOD STUFF THAT'S HAPPENING.
WE HAVE SOME CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH.
I WENT ON A FIVE HOUR RIDE ALONG LAST THURSDAY WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SPECIAL ENFORCEMENT UNIT.
UH, THERE WAS AGAIN, KIND OF EYE-OPENING.
UH, THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE ON THE STREETS WHO WANT TO HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH GETTING OFF THE STREET.
AND WE WENT DOWN INTO THE STORM CHANNELS AND, UH, THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF POUNDS OF STUFF JUST IN TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE LAST TIME THEY CLEANED IT UP.
THE PUBLIC IS TELLING US, THE PUBLIC IS TELLING US THIS HOUSEKEEPING HAS GOT TO END.
WE ARE PAYING FOR HOUSEKEEPING WHEN WE JUST, OKAY, GUYS, MOVE WHAT YOU WANT ACROSS THE, THE CHANNEL OR OR ACROSS THE STREET, WE'LL COME AND GET THE REST.
THAT'S VERY DEMORALIZING TO OUR EMPLOYEES TO HAVE TO DO THAT KIND OF HOUSEKEEPING.
SO WE NEED TO CHANGE THE CULTURE, OTHERWISE NOTHING WILL CHANGE.
AND I'M TALKING SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NO INTEREST IN THE SERVICES THAT WE SEE ON THE SCREEN.
SO HERE'S WHY I AM SEEING THE, HERE'S MY IDEA ABOUT THE STORAGE.
UH, TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED SINCE THEN.
AND LEGALLY WE RAN INTO AN ISSUE BECAUSE WE DID NOT INVENTORY STUFF THAT SOMEBODY SAID, YOU THREW AWAY MY, MY MOTHER'S VALUABLE HEIRLOOM.
AND APPARENTLY THE CITY PLAYED PAID SETTLEMENT MONEY IN A CLAIM.
UH, TODAY WE HAVE BODY-WORN CAMERAS TO RECORD THINGS.
AND SO THERE CAN BE NO NEED FOR THAT KIND OF A DISPUTE.
AND I TELL YOU, I WAS WITH THESE GUYS DOWN IN THE CHANNEL, UP ON THE STREETS.
I'M WATCHING THEM, I'M WATCHING THEIR CAMERAS, I'M WATCHING THEIR CONVERSATIONS.
THE IDEA BEHIND THE STORAGE IS TO, AND THE GOVERNOR NEWSOM PROVIDED A SAMPLE MUNICIPAL ORDINANCE IN THAT ORDINANCE.
[02:05:01]
HE SAYS, YOU CAN GRAB IT ALL.YOU HAVE TO STORE IT FOR UP TO 60 DAYS AND YOU HAVE TO STORE THINGS OF VALUE.
I THINK THAT IT WAS 50 BUCKS OF VALUE.
ANYTHING ELSE THAT IS SOILED, UH, FOOD SPOILED VERMIN, UH, THINGS THAT ARE CLEARLY DON'T HAVE VALUE WE CAN THROW AWAY.
ONE OF THE OBSTACLES LAST THURSDAY WAS WE HAD TO WAIT AN HOUR FOR THIS GUY TO DECIDE WHAT HE WANTED TO TAKE WITH HIM.
HE HAD BEEN ASKED THE DAY BEFORE FIVE TIMES TO MOVE OFF THE SIDEWALK AND HE DIDN'T.
SO WE CAME BACK THE NEXT DAY WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND WE HAD TO WAIT THERE FOR AN HOUR WHILE HE DILLY DOLLIED AROUND AND FED HIS DOG AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THAT IS JUST NOT THE RIGHT CULTURE THAT WE WANT IN THE CITY.
OUR CITIZENS ARE TELLING US CHANGE THE CULTURE.
IF YOU TAKE THEIR THINGS AND YOU PUT IT IN A BIN, UH, SOME KIND OF STORAGE CONTAINER.
AND YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO LOCK IT UP AND SEAL IT IN FRONT OF THEM WITH A BODY-WORN CAMERA TO SAY, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANNA PUT IN THIS BIN? BECAUSE ONCE I CLOSE IT UP, THAT'S YOUR STUFF.
YOU CAN CLAIM LATER THAT WE STOLE YOUR STUFF.
BUT THE BODY-WORN CAMERA SAYS, I ASKED YOU THE QUESTION, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE TO GO IN THIS BIN? AND IT'S LOCKED AND IT'S, IT'S SEALED OR TAPED WITH TAMPER-PROOF TAPE THAT GOES TO SOME CITY ON FACILITY, A PUBLIC WORKS CHART.
THE STAFF REPORT SAYS, ANAHEIM FOUND ALMOST NO ITEMS WERE RETRIEVED IN A 16 MONTH PERIOD.
PORTLAND, 4% OF THE EYES WERE RECLAIMED ANAHEIM.
12% OF THE ITEMS, THEY'RE NOT GONNA COME GET IT.
BUT IF, IF THAT SAYS, PEOPLE WILL THINK ABOUT LIVING ON THE STREETS OF EL CAJON BECAUSE WE'RE NO LONGER GOOD HOUSEKEEPING.
WE'RE JUST GONNA TAKE YOUR STUFF AND WE'LL STORE IT FOR UP TO 60 DAYS AS REQUIRED BY LAW.
AND IF YOU DON'T COME CLAIM IT AFTER 60 DAYS, IT CAN BE TOSSED.
AND IT'S NOT AN IN AND OUT SERVICE.
LIKE, WELL, LEMME, I JUST NEED TO COME IN AND GET THIS.
YOU EITHER COME AND CLAIM IT ALL, I'LL TAKE IT WITH YOU, OR YOU DON'T.
IT'S NOT A, NOT A CONCIERGE SERVICE.
I THINK IF THAT MAKES SOMEBODY SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE ONLY CITY WHERE THEY TAKE ALL MY STUFF.
AGAIN, I'M BEING VERY CAREFUL TO EXPLAIN THIS, IS FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO INTEREST IN GOING TO SERVICES.
THEY JUST WANNA LEAVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF TRASH AND DOLLARS AND TIME.
I THINK THAT'S HOW WE CHANGE THE CULTURE THAT MAYBE THEY SAY, LET'S GO TO SOMEWHERE ELSE OUTSIDE OF EL CAJON THAT DOESN'T TAKE ALL OF OUR STUFF.
I THINK THE PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT ARE TELLING ME, TRY IT, TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
I DON'T THINK IT'S, IT'S TOO LONG TO ASK, UH, THAT, THAT THE MONEY DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A PROBLEM.
YOU CAN LEARN FROM THE LAST TIMES MISTAKES.
OKAY, BUT WERE THOSE, WERE THOSE CONTAINERS LOCKED? WERE THEY PUT IT IN A DIRT AREA WHERE VERMIN AND THINGS WERE NOT A PROBLEM? COULD YOU GET INTO THEM? WERE THEY IN A, A SECOND CAGE THAT WAS LOCKED WITH OVERHEAD IN THE SAME WAY TRASH RECEPTACLES FOR APARTMENTS HAVE A A, A RECEPTACLE OVER IT.
IF YOU SAID TO SOMEBODY, I'LL GIVE YOU A STIPEND TO MAKE THIS PROGRAM WORK, PEOPLE WOULD SAY, OH, I'LL MAKE IT WORK FOR THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY.
IT CAN BE DONE IF YOU HAVE THE WILL.
AND I'M SAYING THE PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT AT LEAST ARE SAYING TO ME, HAVE SOME POLITICAL WILL TO CHANGE THE CULTURE FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO DO NOT WANT OFF THE STREET WHO ARE STILL DOING DRUGS BECAUSE THEN THEY NEED TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
BECAUSE WHAT, WHAT I'M SEEING AFTER LAST THURSDAY IS THERE'S STUFF THAT I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW YOU END UP WITH EIGHT BICYCLES AND WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO WITH EIGHT BICYCLES.
AND I KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING TO EIGHT BICYCLES, UH, AND I SEE ON, ON, UH, SOME OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PEOPLE ARE SAYING THEY'RE MISSING THINGS.
SO WE'VE GOTTA CHANGE THE CULTURE FOR THE GROUP THAT DOES NOT WANT TO GET OFF THE STREET.
I THINK WE SHOULD TRY HAVE STAFF COME UP WITH A, UH, A STORAGE PROGRAM.
IT'S NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK IF IT RESULTS IN LESS PICKUP FOR PUBLIC WORKS.
IF IT RESULTS IN LESS REPETITIVE CONTEXT BY THE POLICE FOR THE 10TH, THE 11TH, THE 12TH TIME, WHERE THEY KNOW THESE PEOPLE BY NAME THAT THEY'VE MOVED ON SOMEWHERE ELSE BECAUSE THEY'RE TIRED OF GETTING THEIR STUFF TAKEN.
THAT'S THE GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO REALLY CAUSE PROBLEMS IN OUR CITY.
[02:10:01]
THAT'S WHO I THINK WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE CULTURE FOR.ANYBODY ELSE? YOU KNOW, GRAHAM, I WANNA ASK YOU A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT STEVE JUST SAYS.
YOU KNOW, I'M INCLINED TO BE AGAINST THE IDEA OF OF, OF STORING THINGS, BUT YOU, YOU MAKE A GOOD POINT.
HAVE WE, HOW MUCH ANALYSIS HAVE WE DONE ABOUT THE REALITY OF WHAT STEVE IS SAYING? YOU, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I I DON'T REALLY HAVE A, HAVE A GOOD SENSE THAT THIS HAS WORKED OR NOT WORKED IN OTHER COMMUNITIES.
DO YOU, DO YOU HAVE ANY DATA OR STATISTICS ABOUT THAT? WE, WE HAVEN'T ANALYZED THE IDEA OF USING BODY-WORN CAMERAS.
WE'D HAVE TO, WE'D HAVE TO DO SOME ANALYSIS THERE TO SEE HOW LONG WE KEEP THAT DATA, HOW ACCESSIBLE THAT WOULD BE IN THIS TYPE OF A SITUATION.
UH, WE'D HAVE TO CONTEMPLATE THE COST OF, WE WERE, WE WERE USING OUR COST WAS ASSUMING RENTING SEA CONTAINERS OR STORAGE SEA CON, UM, STORAGE CONTAINERS LIKE WE HAVE IN THE PAST.
BUT THOSE, UH, WERE PROBLEMATIC IN THE PAST.
SO I THINK STEVE'S RECOMMENDING A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
IT'S A MORE EXPENSIVE APPROACH, BUT IT'S PROBABLY RESOLVED SOME OF THE, OR MITIGATE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAD IN THE PAST.
SO IF THIS IS SOMETHING THE COUNCIL WANTS TO EXPLORE, WE CAN PUT A LITTLE BIT MORE MEAT ON THE BONES.
THINK ABOUT HOW TO STORE, UM, BULKY ITEMS OR LARGER ITEMS THAT WOULDN'T FIT INTO CONTAINERS OR A DIFFERENT WAY THAT WE COULD STORE THAT SPECIFICALLY LIKE A BICYCLE.
UM, SO IF THAT'S SOMETHING COUNCIL WANTS TO DO, WE'RE WE'RE OPEN TO THAT.
SO WOULD YOU BE COMFORTABLE SENDING IT BACK FOR REVIEW AND HAVING THEM COME BACK? ABSOLUTELY.
YOU KNOW, THE CONTAINERS, UH, IT'S EVEN POSSIBLE EDCO MAY PROVIDE SOME OF THEIR, UH, BLUE CARTS, FOR INSTANCE, AT NO COST TO THE CITY FOR THE CONTAINERS.
AND THEN IF IT'S NOT CLAIMED IN 60 DAYS, EDCO JUST HANDLES THEIR CARTS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF CREATIVE WAYS TO COME UP WITH STORAGE.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ELABORATE AND, AND YOU CAN PUT A LOCK ON THOSE THINGS.
SO I, I THINK IF STAFF WANTS MORE GUIDANCE FROM ME, I'D BE GLAD TO WORK WITH THEM.
BUT I THINK PEOPLE OF EL CAJON ARE SAYING, YOU GOTTA KEEP TRYING STUFF.
OTHERWISE IT'S GONNA BE THE SAME OLD, SAME OLD.
IF IT WOULD RESULT IN WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IT WOULD RESULT IN, I, I'D BE ALL FOR IT.
SO LET, LET'S AT LEAST MY RECOMMENDATION AND WE DISCUSS IT AS COUNSEL WOULD BE TO SEND IT BACK TO STAFF TO COME BACK WITH A ANALYSIS.
IS ANYBODY AGAINST THAT IDEA? OKAY.
UM, SO STAFF, HOW DO YOU WANT US, THERE'S A LOT OF A LOT OF THINGS TO TALK ABOUT HERE.
DO YOU WANT US TO GO THROUGH EACH YEAH, I GUESS IF WE COULD GO TO THAT LAST PAGE.
UM, THESE ARE WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING.
IF, IF THAT'S, IF THE COUNCILS WANTS TO BE OKAY WITH THAT, AND THEN ADD ALSO THE ANALYSIS OF THE STORAGE, UH, PROGRAM.
I THINK WE JUST NEED SOMEONE TO SAY, UH, I, I DIRECT, WE DIRECT OR I MAKE A MOTION TO DIRECT STAFF TO WORK ON THOSE THINGS.
BUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING YOU WANNA SPECIFICALLY TAKE OFF OR AUGMENT, WE CAN TAKE THOSE INDIVIDUALLY.
LET ME ASK ONE MORE THING ON THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE EAST COUNTY HOMELESS TOWN FORCE.
IS THAT JUST A GRANT, A CHECK THAT WE WRITE? OR IS IT REIMBURSEMENT? THAT IS THE GRANT THAT WE WRITE THAT WE'VE ALLOCATED BUDGET MONEY FOR.
AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE GETTING FOR THAT $5,000 JUST BY CHANCE? I DON'T, IN FACT, WE REMEMBER WE DIDN'T PAY IT FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
PARTLY BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE INVOICING US FOR THE LAST TWO LAST TWO YEARS.
'CAUSE THEY COULDN'T PROVIDE US THAT INFORMATION.
UH, I DO NOT KNOW WHAT WE'RE GETTING FOR THAT MONEY.
THAT'S WHY I'VE NOT RECOMMENDED WE DO IT IN THE PAST.
BUT I KNOW YOU MADE A COMMITMENT TO BE INVOLVED WITH THEM.
IS IT STILL ACTIVE? ARE THEY MEETING AT LEAST FOUR TIMES A YEAR? I GET EMAILS FROM THEM PERIODICALLY, SO I THINK THEY ARE MEETING.
I, I GUESS I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO, WOULD YOU MIND IF I ASK ONE QUESTION BEFORE YOU MAKE YOUR MOTION? UM, I, I WOULD LOVE TO GET SOME KIND OF ANALYSIS FROM THE STAFF ABOUT HOW MUCH INPUT WE ARE HAVING WITH GROUPS LIKE E-C-T-L-C ON THEIR PROGRAMMING AND WHAT WE'RE ACQUIRING THEM BASED UPON THE MONEY THAT WE GIVE THEM.
AND I'M ALWAYS CONCERNED WHEN A GOVERNMENT GETS INVOLVED, IT STARTS TAKING AWAY THE CHARACTER OF A, OF A PROGRAM BASED UPON THE PERCEIVED NEEDS OF GOVERNMENT.
AND I COULD YOU GIVE, GIVE US SOME SENSE OF THAT AT ANOTHER MEETING? WELL, I CAN GIVE YOU A SENSE RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, SO THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO REQUIRE BECAUSE WE'RE USING FEDERAL MONEY.
AND SO THERE'S SOME BASIC REQUIREMENTS THAT HAVE TO OCCUR.
AND SO WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH EACH OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT COVER THOSE BASICS.
IN THE CASE OF E-C-T-L-C, WE ALSO HAVE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
WE RECENTLY MODIFIED THAT ONE OF THE THINGS AND DIDN'T GET RAISED BACK UP AGAIN.
AND I HEARD SOMETHING THAT CONCERNED US, AND WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THAT.
[02:15:01]
BUT THEY HAVE IN THEIR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT A REQUIREMENT IF THEY EXIT SOMEBODY FROM THEIR PROGRAM THAT WAS BROUGHT IN FROM ANOTHER CITY.AND WE KNOW THAT THE CITY OF SANTEE, IT'S ON SANT'S WEBSITE RIGHT NOW.
THEY UTILIZE E-C-T-L-C AS A PARTNER.
UM, AND THEIR WORDS, MORGAN, NOT, NOT MINE, UM, THEY ARE TO TAKE THEM BACK TO SANTEE.
UM, IF THEY BRING IN SOMEONE FROM CHULA VISTA, WHICH WE KNOW THEY HAVE IN THE PAST, THEY ARE TO TAKE THEM BACK TO CHULA VISTA.
SO WE'RE GONNA FOLLOW UP WITH THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S HAPPENING.
IF IT'S NOT, I THINK IT COULD BE A VIOLATION OF THEIR CONDITIONAL PERMIT.
BUT I THINK FOR THE MOST PART, WE, WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH EACH OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THE DOLLARS THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THEM ARE BEING USED IN A WAY THAT THE TAXPAYERS WOULD FEEL APPROPRIATE.
BUT WE ALSO DON'T GET IN THE MICROMANAGING OF, UM, WHY DIDN'T YOU CALL THAT PERSON AND THAT, AND NOT THAT PERSON OR, OR WHY DID YOU HELP THIS PERSON OR NOT THAT PERSON? OR, OR WHY DO YOU USE BLUE INK ON YOUR SIGNATURES? IT'D BE EASY TO GET INTO THAT LEVEL.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LOVES TO DO THAT KIND OF BUREAUCRACY.
UM, WE TRY TO STAY OUT AS MUCH AS WE CAN AND FOCUS ON THE RESULTS.
UH, I I'M MORE CONCERNED IN ATTACKING THE FAITH, FAITH-BASED NATURE OF PROGRAM AS A CLINICIAN, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE ONLY PROGRAMS I'VE SEEN HAVE WORKED, HAVE BEEN THE FAITH-BASED.
SO, YOU KNOW, I I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT RECOVERY MODELS OUT THERE.
YOU KNOW, SOME ARE BASED UPON, UH, UH, FAR EAST, UH, RELIGIOUS, UH, IDEAS.
SOME ARE BASED ON, UH, 12 STEP.
AND I THINK IT'S BEST TO LET, LET PEOPLE GO TO THE PLACES THAT THEY WANT TO GO AND LET THE PROGRAMS DESIGN A PROGRAM THAT THEY WANNA PROVIDE.
ARE WE, ARE WE, ARE WE STAYING AWAY FROM THE TRYING TO CHANGE THE CHARACTER OF THE PROGRAM, SPECIFICALLY E-C-T-L-C? WELL, WE ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO FUND PROGRAMS THAT DO NOT HAVE A RELIGIOUS COMPONENT ASSOCIATED WITH THEM.
SO, BUT THEY DO HAVE A RELIGIOUS COMPONENT? NOT, NOT THE, THE SHORT EMERGENCY STATE.
AND SO THAT ARE THE, THAT IS THE PROGRAMS IN WHICH WE FUND.
AND THAT'S WHY WE DO THE AUDITS.
AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A REAL CLEAR DELINEATION OF WHAT THEY BILL US FOR.
SO IT'S, IT'S OBVIOUS AND THE HUD REGULATORS KNOW THE E-C-T-L-C PROGRAM AND HAS A RELIGIOUS COMPONENT.
AND SO THEY LOOK AT THAT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT BLENDING OUR MONEY INTO THAT SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
SO THE QUESTION IS, DO THEY START VIOLATING THAT? IF THEY ARE ASKING PEOPLE TO GO INTO THE RELIGIOUS SIDE OF THE PROGRAM? WE DON'T BELIEVE SO.
'CAUSE IT'S PART OF THEIR CORE MISSION.
THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE THERE FOR.
UM, AN INDIVIDUAL DOES NOT HAVE TO, BUT IF THEY WANT TO STAY THERE LONGER THAN WE PAY FOR, THEN THEY WOULD HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROGRAM.
BUT WE'RE NOT FUNDING THAT PORTION.
OR ARE WE ALSO REQUIRING THEM, THIS GOES BACK TO THE ORIGINAL DISCUSSION WE WERE HAVING ABOUT THE 45 DAYS, OR IS IT 45 DAYS OR 20, 20, 28 DAYS.
UM, WE ARE ALLOWING E-C-T-L-C TO MAKE THE CLINICAL DECISIONS, UM, TO ALLOW SOMEBODY TO STAY UP TO 28 DAYS OR NOT BASED UPON THEIR JUDGMENT.
OTHERWISE, WE'D BE OPERATING THE SHELTER OURSELVES.
THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO GET AWAY FROM.
ALRIGHT, STEVE, I MADE A POINT IF YOU WANNA MAKE YOUR MOTION, I'LL GO AHEAD AND, UH, APPROVE THE EXCELLENT STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS UP ON THE SCREEN, A LOT OF GREAT ONES.
AND ADD TO STAFF RETURN WITH AN ANALYSIS ON THE LOGISTICS AND COST OF THE STORAGE PROGRAM.
I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION, PLEASE VOTE.
MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.
[9. All-Way Stop Sign Request on Graves Avenue at Cedar Street RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council adopts the next Resolution, in order, to establish permanent all-way stop signs on Graves Avenue at the intersection of Cedar Street, in order to enhance pedestrian and traffic safety.]
NINE IS FOR AN ALWAYS STOP SIGN REQUEST AT GRAVES AND CEDAR STREET AND STAFF WILL TELL US ABOUT THAT.GOOD AFTERNOON, HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS REYES AND I AM THE PRINCIPAL CIVIL ENGINEER IN THE TRAFFIC DIVISION.
THIS IS A REQUEST FOR THE INSTALLATION OF PERMANENT ALWAYS STOP SIGNS ON GRAVES AVENUE AT THE INTERSECTION OF CEDAR STREET IN ORDER TO ENHANCE PEDESTRIAN AND TRAFFIC SAFETY, ALONG WITH ADDRESS NEARBY RESIDENT CONCERNS OF VEHICLES TRAVELING AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS.
IN THIS NEXT SLIDE, I SHOW YOU A VICINITY MAP OF THE AREA IN QUESTION FOR REFERENCE.
[02:20:01]
IS A NORTH SOUTH RESIDENTIAL COLLECTOR STREET, WHICH SOUTHERN TERMINUS, UM, EXTENDS FROM BROADWAY TO LLOYD STREET VEHICLES, USE THIS STREET AS A BYPASS TO VALENTINE STREET IN ORDER TO AVOID THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS ON BROADWAY.GRAVES AVENUE HAS A RESIDENTIAL SPEED LIMIT OF 25 MILES PER HOUR BASED ON THE CALIFORNIA VEHICLE CODE.
EXISTING STOP SIGNS EXIST, OR EXISTING STOP SIGNS ARE ON CEDAR STREET, AND IT CONTROLS THIS INTERSECTION WITH NO STOP SIGNS ON GRAVES AVENUE.
AND APPROXIMATELY 2100 VEHICLES PER DAY TRAVEL THROUGH THIS INTERSECTION WITH THE RATIO BEING TWO TO ONE SOUTHBOUND TO NORTHBOUND.
UM, TYPICAL AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHAT THIS 2100 MEANS IS ON COLLECTOR STREETS, IT RANGES FROM ABOUT 2000 TO 5,000 VEHICLES PER DAY.
ON THIS NEXT SLIDE, I'M SHOWING YOU A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE INTERSECTION WHILE VIEWING WEST.
UM, PLEASE NOTE THAT IN ALL FOUR CORNERS THERE'S NO, UH, CURB.
ON THIS NEXT SLIDE, I'M SHOWING YOU A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE INTERSECTION WHILE VIEWING EAST.
UM, YOU CAN OBSERVE IN THIS ON THE FAR END, YOU CAN OBSERVE THAT CARS ARE PARKED ALONG THE SIDES OF THE ROAD OBSTRUCTING CORNER SIDE DISTANCE FOR THOSE WANTING TO TURN ONTO, UM, GRAVES AVENUE.
NOW ON THIS NEXT SLIDE, I'M SHOWING YOU PHOTOS VIEWING NORTH AND SOUTH.
WHILE ON CEDAR STREET, WHILE I'M FACING, UH, WESTBOUND AT THE INTERSECTION, IT IS APPARENT THAT THE CORNER SIDE DISTANCE IS LESS THAN MINIMAL FOR VEHICLES TRAVELING FROM CEDAR STREET TO SAFELY ENTER ONTO GRAVES AVENUE, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE OF THE PARKED CARS ON THE NON-EXISTENT SIDEWALK.
SO YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT PICTURE, YOU CAN SEE THE WHITE VAN.
AND THEN OVER ON THE RIGHT PICTURE THERE'S A SEMI, WHICH, UM, WHEN WE WENT OUT FOR A SITE VISIT, UM, THOSE, THOSE SIDES OF THE ROADS WERE OFTEN OCCUPIED.
SO FOR REFERENCE, NOW I'M SHOWING YOU THE VIEW AT THE INTERSECTION WHILE LOOKING, WHILE LOOKING NORTH, OH, HANG ON ONE SECOND.
I NEED TO GO BACK THIS FOR A MOMENT TO THE, TO THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
UM, BASED ON THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY DESIGN MANUAL, THE MINIMUM CORNER SITE DISTANCE, 'CAUSE I DIDN'T GIVE YOU THIS, IS 275 FEET FOR A POSTED SPEED LIMIT OF 25 MILES PER HOUR.
AND THEN ALSO FOR THE RESEARCH CITY RECORDS REVEALED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN TWO COLLISIONS AT THIS INTERSECTION IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS WITH ONE OF 'EM BEING A BROADSIDE BROADSIDE COLLISION, WHICH ALSO IS THE KNOWN, UM, T-BONE.
AND THEN AGAIN, THIS IS SHOWING YOU THE INTERSECTION WHILE REVIEWING NORTH.
AND THEN ONE LAST PHOTOGRAPH WHILE I'M VIEWING SOUTH AT THE INTERSECTION.
SO WHAT STAFF IS RECOMMENDING IS THE INSTALLATION OF ALWAYS STOP SIGNS ON GRAVES AVENUE AT THE INTERSECTION OF CEDAR STREET.
THE CITY OF EL CAJON FOLLOWS THE CALIFORNIA MANUAL ON UNIFORM TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES, ALSO KNOWN AS M-U-T-C-D, AND USES A POINT SYSTEM DEVELOPED BY THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO TO EVALUATE THE NEED FOR INSTALLATION OF ALWAYS STOP SIGNS.
THE CRITERIA USED FOR DETERMINATION ARE EXISTING SITE CONDITIONS, TRAFFIC VOLUMES, SITE DISTANCE, OBSTRUCTIONS, PROXIMITY TO SCHOOLS, AND ACCIDENT HISTORY.
A MINIMUM OF 30 POINTS OUT OF 50 IS NORMALLY REQUIRED FOR INSTALLATION OF ALWAYS STOP SIGNS.
THE RESULTS OF THE DATA COLLECTED AT THIS INTERSECTION REVEALED THAT WE ONLY TALLIED 18 POINTS.
BUT ALTHOUGH THIS INTERSECTION DID NOT SATISFY ALL THE REQUIRED ALWAYS STOP SIGN WARRANTS, THE LESS THAN DESIRABLE SITE DISTANCE, ALONG WITH VEHICLES TRAVELING AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS AND THE REPORTED TRAFFIC VOLUMES THAT INDICATE THAT GRAVES AVENUE IS BEING USED AS AN ALTERNATE BYPASS ROUTE TO VALENTINE STREET, ARE THE JUSTIFICATION FOR THIS INSTALLATION.
IN CONCLUSION, ALWAYS STOP SIGNS ARE TRAFFIC COMMUN MEASURES THAT HELP REDUCE SPEEDS AND FACILITATE THE MOVEMENT OF PEDESTRIANS AND TRAFFIC FLOW IN THE VICINITY OF INTERSECTIONS LIKE CEDAR, GRAVES AVENUE AND CEDAR STREET.
BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE PROVIDED TO YOU, STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THE INSTALLATION OF STOP SIGNS ON GRAVES AVENUE AT THE INTERSECTION OF CEDAR STREET.
AND AT THIS TIME, I WILL ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS? SO WE, WE DIDN'T HIT THE NUMBER OF WARRANTS, BUT BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF DISTANCE THAT WE CAN SEE AT THE INTERSECTION, IT WE'RE ABLE TO DO IT? YEAH, IT WAS THE LACK OF SIGHT, DISTANCE, SIDE DISTANCE.
AND ALSO, UM, WHEN WE SENT OUR CONSULTANT OUT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE SPEEDS, THE 85TH PERCENTILE SPEED CAME BACK AS 30 MILES PER HOUR.
[02:25:01]
IS A 25 MILES PER HOUR ROAD.UM, BUT IT DID INDICATE THAT EVEN THOUGH WE WERE FIVE MILES ABOVE THE SPEED LIMIT, IT DID INDICATE THAT CLOSE TO 50% OF THE VEHICLES ARE GOING ABOVE.
SO THAT WAS THE OTHER JUSTIFICATION.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR A NICE PRESENTATION.
OKAY, JEN, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKER CARDS FOR THIS? WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER CARD FROM JUSTIN HENAN.
UH, I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK THE CITY, UH, THE STAFF AND THE COUNCIL FOR ACTUALLY GOING BACK AND DOING A VERY THOROUGH, UH, SURVEY OF THE, OF THE ISSUE I'M HAVING.
UH, THE TRUCK SHE WAS SHOWING ON THE LEFT WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO GO, WHEN YOU'RE GOING WEST, THAT THERE IS A BUSINESS AND MOST OF THOSE TRUCKS ARE PARKED THERE 90% OF THE TIME.
SO THERE'S ALMOST NO WAY TO SEE THERE.
UM, AND COINCIDENTALLY, WHEN MY WIFE AND I LEFT HERE LAST TIME, AFTER SPEAKING TO YOU ALL, UH, WE ALMOST GOT T-BONE THERE.
WE STOPPED INCHED OUR WAY OUT, AND A CAR GOING PROBABLY ABOUT 40 MILES AN HOUR JUST ALMOST HIT US.
SO I JUST, THAT KIND OF JUST, I CHUCKLED MYSELF WHEN THAT ALMOST HAPPENED.
'CAUSE THAT WAS THE REASON I CAME HERE LAST TIME.
BUT, UH, I JUST ASKED THAT YOU DO PUT IT IN AND THEN THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, SORRY I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG YOU'RE STAYING, BUT THERE IS AN AGENDA ITEM, COUNCILMAN ORTIZ AND I HAVE LATER ON.
WE'RE LOOKING AT HAVING STAFF EVALUATE SPEED HUMPS SPECIFICALLY ON CUT THROUGH STREETS AND GRAVES IS A CUT THROUGH STREET.
SO I REALIZED THE STOP SIGN IS ONE MEASURE IN THAT, UH, WE'RE HOPING THAT SOLVES THE PROBLEM, BUT IF NOT, WE'RE ASKING STAFF TO TAKE A LOOK AT SPEED HUMPS ON CUT THROUGH STREETS.
UH, I, I DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THAT.
I ACTUALLY, WHERE MY WORK IS, I DRIVE UP DEL RIO, IT'S OVER IN SPRING VALLEY, AND I DO DRIVE OVER THOSE IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA.
SO THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE MY ONLY CONCERN ABOUT THAT.
BESIDES THAT THOUGH, THEY DO SLOW THE TRAFFIC DOWN.
YOU MEAN THE RESIDENTS? YOU CAN HEAR AS A RESIDENT, THEM GOING OVER THE PC? WHEN I'M, WHEN I'M DRIVING EVEN IN MY CAR AT 25, IT GETS LOUD.
AND THEN SOMETIMES YOU HEAR CARS EVEN BEHIND YOU BOTTOMING OUT.
UM, I NOTICED THAT THERE WERE NO SIDEWALKS THERE AND I, MOST OF OUR STREETS HAVE SIDEWALKS.
WHAT, WHAT IS THE PLAN TO, IS THERE A PLAN TO EVENTUALLY PUT SIDEWALKS IN, IN THESE NON SIDEWALK AREAS? UM, IF IT'S A-C-D-B-G ELIGIBLE AREA, THAT THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY.
UM, IF THERE'S A SAFE ROUTE TO SCHOOL OPPORTUNITY, THAT'S, THAT'S ANOTHER ONE.
BUT THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY WAY THAT WE BUILD SIDEWALKS IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
CAN WE PLEASE LOOK INTO THAT? I'LL SEE WHEN THEY'RE, WHEN IF THEY'RE ELIGIBLE AND WHAT THE FUNDING LOOKS LIKE.
IT IS BACK TO COUNCIL FOR, UM, A MOTION OR DISCUSSION.
MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.
[10. Authorization to submit an application to the State Department of Parks and Recreation for a Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council adopts the next Resolutions, in order to: Determine that the submission of the grant application for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), Wells Park Improvements Project, is not subject to the CEQA guideline section 15378(b)(5); and Approve the submittal of an application to the State of California Department of Parks and Recreation for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Wells Park Improvements Project.]
THE LAST ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT ON TODAY'S AGENDA IS ITEM 10 ABOUT A LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND GRANT.AND OUR STAFF WILL TELL US ABOUT THAT.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS, UH, GRANT APPLICATION THAT WE HAVE.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, CITY COUNCIL HAS SUPPORTED THE CITY'S EFFORTS TO KIND OF TRANSFORM WELLS PARK OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
SOME OF THE AMENITIES THAT WE'VE PUT IN HAVE BEEN, UH, UH, OUTDOOR BASKETBALL COURTS, THE MINI PITCH, SOCCER, NEW RESTROOMS, AND THEN, UH, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THE, UH, PICKLEBALL COURTS THAT ARE GONNA BE COMING.
UM, SO THIS GRANT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF CONTINUE THAT EFFORT AND, UH, IMPACT SOME OF OUR HEAVIEST USE AMENITIES, WHICH WOULD BE OUR BALL FIELD LIGHTS, AND ALSO OUR PLAYGROUNDS.
AND TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, WE HAVE ELENA HOLMES, OUR MANAGEMENT ANALYST.
GOOD AFTERNOON, HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS ELENA HOLMES AND I'M HERE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND GRANT PROGRAM AND THE PROPOSED WELLS PARK IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND IS A GRANT PROGRAM FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA'S PARK PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.
THE PROGRAM SUPPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUTDOOR RECREATION FEATURES AND HAS THE GOAL OF EXPANDING RECREATIONAL ACCESS WITH AN EMPHASIS ON INCREASING PARK SAFETY AND COMMUNITY USE,
[02:30:01]
ESPECIALLY IN A DISADVANTAGED AREA.THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS TO WELLS PARK WOULD INCLUDE PLAYGROUND, RESURFACING, SHADE STRUCTURE, INSTALLATION OVER THE PLAYGROUND AND LED UPGRADES TO FALL, SPORTS FIELD AND DOG PARK LIGHTS.
IN ORDER TO GAUGE THE COMMUNITY'S RESPONSE TO THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS.
STAFF DISTRIBUTED SURVEYS BY POSTING PHYSICAL SIGNS AT WELLS PARK, PROVIDING A LINK ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND ADVERTISING THE SURVEY LINK AT THE WELLS MOVIES IN THE PARK EVENT.
THE MAJORITY OF THOSE SURVEYS STATED THAT REPLACING THE PLAYGROUND WOOD CHIPS, ALSO KNOWN AS FIVE BAR, WOULD MAKE THE PLAYGROUND MORE ACCESSIBLE TO PATRONS AND THE INSTALLATION OF A SHADE STRUCTURE WOULD IN, WOULD ENHANCE THE PLAYGROUND AREA.
IN ADDITION, OVER 90% OF THOSE SURVEYED AGREED THAT BETTER LIGHTING WOULD BENEFIT THE PARK SPACE AND CREATE AN IMPROVED EXPERIENCE FOR PARK PATRONS.
ON THE LEFT IS A MAP OF THEIR PROPOSED UPGRADES.
THE MULTICOLOR DOTS SHOW WHERE THE CURRENT LIGHTING WOULD BE RETROFIT WITH LED LIGHTS.
THE RED CIRCLE MARKS THE PLAYGROUND WHERE THE FIVE BAR WOULD BE REPLACED WITH RUBBER RESURFACING.
THE PHOTO ON THE RIGHT SHOWS THE SIZE OF THE PLAYGROUND AREA, WHICH IS ACTUALLY OUR SECOND LARGEST PLAYGROUND SPACE IN THE CITY AND IS CURRENTLY INSTALLED WITH FIVE BAR.
THE PLAYGROUND RESURFACING AND LED LIGHTING UPGRADES ARE ESTIMATED TO SAVE THE CITY $25,000 ANNUALLY.
THE MAJORITY OF THESE SAVINGS WOULD COME FROM THE DECREASED UTILITY MAINTENANCE AND REPLACEMENT COSTS THAT ARE ANTICIPATED WITH THE LED LIGHTING UPGRADES.
IN ADDITION, ELIMINATING THE NEED TO REPLACE AND MAINTAIN THE FIVE BAR AT THE PLAYGROUND WOULD RESULT IN FURTHER SAVINGS.
THE GRANT FUNDING ALLOTMENT SHOULD THE GRANT BE AWARDED IS $1.1 MILLION.
THE GRANT HAS A 50% MATCH REQUIREMENT, SO THE CITY'S ESTIMATED EXPENSE FOR THE PROJECT IS A MAXIMUM OF $550,000.
WITH THAT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTIONS TO DETERMINE THAT THE SUBMISSION OF THE GRANT APPLICATION IS NOT SUBJECT TO CQA AND TO APPROVE THE SUBMITTAL OF THE APPLICATION FOR THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND.
AND STAFF IS AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
ARE THERE ANY, UH, SPEAKER CARDS ON THIS ITEM? THERE ARE NO SPEAKER CARDS, SIR.
LOOKING FOR MOTION OR A DISCUSSION? MOVE ADOPTION SECOND, PLEASE VOTE.
MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.
WE HAVE NO COMMISSION REPORTS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
[11. Council Activity Report]
MY ACTIVITIES REPORT, WHICH IS AS REPORTED AND THAT NOW[12. COUNCILMEMBER STEVE GOBLE MTS (Metropolitan Transit System Board); East County Advanced Water Purification Joint Powers Authority Board; Chamber of Commerce – Government Affairs Committee; SANDAG – Board of Directors – Alternate; SANDAG – San Diego Military Working Group – Alternate.]
WE'RE AT THE ACTIVITIES REPORT FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS.MR. GOBEL, UM, AS REPORTED WITH A NOTE, UH, TWO NOTES THANK YOU TO THE, UH, SPECIAL ENFORCEMENT UNIT FOR THE PD AND PUBLIC WORKS FOR ALLOWING ME TO GO ON A RIDE ALONG LAST THURSDAY.
THAT WAS EXTREMELY INSIGHTFUL.
THEY ARE ALL VERY PATIENT, UH, IN WHAT THEY DO.
UM, AND ALSO SECOND ITEM IS I AM APPRECIATIVE OF THE PROTESTORS WHO COME OUT, UH, TO PARKWAY PLAZA, UH, TO DO THEIR THING EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS.
I HAPPENED TO RUN INTO CALIFORNIA FISH GRILL FOR LUNCH.
AT THE SAME TIME I NOTICED SEVERAL OF THOSE PROTESTORS HAVING
SO I'M ALL IN SUPPORT OF THOSE COMING TO VISIT RESTAURANTS IN OUR CITY.
WE THANK THEM FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS.
DID YOU ORGANIZE THAT TO INCREASE BUSINESS? NO, BUT I AM THINKING OF, UH, PASSING OUT COUPONS AT THE NEXT ONE FOR A FREE DRINK OR SOMETHING AT THE NEARBY BUSINESSES.
[15. COUNCILMEMBER PHIL ORTIZ League of California Cities, San Diego Division; East County Economic Development Council; MTS (Metropolitan Transit System Board) – Alternate; East County Advanced Water Purification Joint Powers Authority Board – Alternate; Chamber of Commerce – Government Affairs Committee – Alternate.]
AS REPORTED,[13. MAYOR PRO TEM GARY KENDRICK METRO Commission/Wastewater JPA; Heartland Communications; Heartland Fire Training JPA.]
GARY AS REPORTED[14. COUNCILMEMBER MICHELLE METSCHEL Harry Griffen Park Joint Steering Committee; METRO Commission/Wastewater JPA – Alternate; Heartland Communications – Alternate; Heartland Fire Training JPA – Alternate.]
MICHELLE, UM, AS REPORTED, BUT I DID NOT GO TO THE LUNCH WITH JULIE.THAT'S BEEN RESCHEDULED FOR LATER THIS WEEK.
[16. Analysis of Alternative Speed Control Devices RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council directs staff to return to the City Council in 90 days with an analysis of additional speed control devices and their costs, including speed humps (temporary and semi-permanent for a test period), on known cut-through streets in the City.]
TWO COUNT JOINT COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.I'M 16 HIS CO COUNCIL MEMBERS, GOBEL AND ORTIZ.
AND GENTLEMEN, IF YOU'LL TELL US ABOUT YOUR IDEA.
THIS IS, UH, IN RESPONSE TO MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE, UH, CONTACTS FROM PEOPLE ON DOROTHY STREET, ON TAF STREET, ON GRAVES ON, UH, BOSTON.
UH, MANY STREETS WHICH ARE USED AS CUT THROUGH SPECIFICALLY PEOPLE USE THEM TO AVOID INTERSECTION OR TRAFFIC LIGHTS.
AND WE'VE HEARD FROM RESIDENTS TO SAY, YOU'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING.
WE'VE TRIED STOP SIGNS IN SOME OF THESE AREAS.
IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE, UH, ALWAYS WORKING.
AND SO, UH, I'M ASKING, I SUPPOSE WE'RE ASKING STAFF TO EVALUATE TESTING ONE OR MORE OF THESE KINDS OF DEVICES, SPECIFICALLY IN LIMITED TO THESE CUT THROUGH STREETS.
SO WHETHER IT'S DONE ON ONE OR A COUPLE, UH, WE CERTAINLY THINK THAT WE COULD TRY MORE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THE
[02:35:01]
RESIDENT'S REQUEST.UH, YOU SUMMED IT UP PERFECTLY.
I THINK OUTSIDE OF HOMELESSNESS, THIS IS, UH, THE NUMBER TWO, UH, RESIDENT CONCERN THAT I GET CONTACTS FROM.
AND THEN WE'VE ALSO SEEN HERE, THEY COME TO CITY COUNCIL.
UM, SO FAR, YOU KNOW, UH, IT'S ONLY BEEN PHYSICAL, UH, MATERIAL DAMAGE, UM, FROM ACCIDENTS, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS HAVE SUBMITTED, YOU KNOW, PARKED CARS BEING HIT, CLOSE CALLS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, AND SO, UH, I KNOW LA MESA HAS SPEED HUMPS SPEED BUMPS.
UM, IT IS A HUGE PRIORITY IN MY EYES THAT WE CHANGE THE CULTURE, AS STEVE SAID IN ANOTHER, UM, TOPIC, ESPECIALLY OF CHANGING THE CULTURE OF NOT ONLY CUTTING THROUGH, BUT SPEEDING.
'CAUSE IT'S GOTTEN WORSE IN THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
I THINK WE'VE ALL SEEN IT AND FELT IT, UM, DRIVING THROUGH THE CITY.
AND IF YOU LIVE ON ONE OF THESE BUSY STREETS, I'VE SEEN IT TOO ON WASHINGTON.
SO, UM, I'D BE ADVOCATING FOR, UH, DOROTHY AND TAFT AVENUE.
I THINK WE'VE HEARD FROM THEM THE MOST OUT OF ALL OF THEM.
UM, TO HAVE THEM MAYBE SET UP A BETA TEST, UH, FOR SPEED BUMPS OR SPEED HUMPS.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE TRACK, I'D WANNA TRACK AS MUCH DATA AS POSSIBLE TO SEE HOW EFFECTIVE IT IS, UM, TO, UH, TO CURB THOSE SPEED CONTROL MEASURES.
THIS IS A RELUCTANT, UH, PROPOSAL BECAUSE WE DON'T LIKE SPEED HUMPS AND SPEED BUMPS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO FIRST RESPONDERS, POLICE VEHICLES, FIRE VEHICLES, TO HAVE TO GO OVER THOSE THINGS, THAT'S A PROBLEM.
UH, BUT THE, THE CURRENT SITUATION IS RELUCTANTLY, I, WE NEED TO BE RESPONSIVE TO CRASHES THAT ARE STILL OCCURRING, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE SOME SPEED, UH, LIMITATION DEVICES IN PLACE.
UH, I HELPED, UH, WRITE THE SPEED HUMP POLICY.
UH, SPEED BUMPS ARE ACTUALLY THE, THE HIGH ONES THAT YOU SEE IN THE SHOPPING CENTERS IN THE, IN THE PARKING LOTS.
AND THAT WAS WAY BACK IN 19, I THINK 1996.
MORGAN PROBABLY REMEMBERS THAT TWO YEARS BEFORE MY, OH, OKAY.
SO I THINK WE GOT THE SPEED HUMPS OF MY STREET.
MINE WAS THE VERY FIRST ONE TO GET 'EM.
THIS IS WHERE I WAS BEFORE I WAS ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
UH, AND THEY TURNED OUT TO BE VERY EFFECTIVE.
AND, UH, ALTHOUGH I HAVE TO SAY ONE OF THE ISSUES IS THAT THERE'S A, THERE'S A BUMP RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY, A HUMP RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.
AND IF SOMEONE IS SPEEDING AND THEY'RE IN A TRUCK WITH, UH, LIKE A BUNCH OF WOOD IN BACK, YOU HEAR THIS JUNK LIKE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WHEN THEY'RE SPEEDING.
BUT EVENTUALLY YOU GET USED TO IT AND GOES IN ONE EAR AND OUT THE OTHER.
SO I THINK THEY'RE A REALLY GOOD IDEA FOR CERTAIN STREETS IN THE CITY.
SO YOU WOULDN'T WANT 'EM ON A, UH, I, I LIVE ON A COLLECTOR STREET, BUT YOU WOULDN'T WANT 'EM ON A, A VERY, VERY BUSY STREET, FOR INSTANCE.
UNFORTUNATELY, WASHINGTON PROBABLY WOULDN'T QUALIFY FOR THAT, AND YOU CAN'T HAVE 'EM ON CURVES.
BUT AGAIN, I, YOU KNOW, I LIVED WITH, LET'S SEE, I MOVED INTO EL CAJON ON THAT STREET IN 1988.
SO I LIVED WITH THE TRAFFIC THAT WAS JUST UNREAL, WHERE PEOPLE WERE, MY, MY SON AND MY, UH, WIFE WERE ALMOST HIT ONE TIME WHEN A CAR WENT OUTTA CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR TO ME.
AND WE HAD CARS, YOU KNOW, GOING INTO, UH, A, UH, FIRE HYDRANTS AND ROLLING OVER ONTO PEOPLE'S LAWNS.
AND THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN ANYMORE.
UM, I RECEIVED A, WAS CONTACTED BY A RESIDENT ON TAFT.
AND SO I THINK YOU GUYS, YOUR SPEED HUMPS OR SPEED BUMPS ARE A GOOD IDEA.
I DO KNOW THAT THE CITY SPENT TIME TO INSTALL STOP SIGNS ON TAFT, AND WE HAD THE LIGHTS PUT ON 'EM AND RESIDENTS.
I SAW VIDEO TODAY, RESIDENTS STILL RUN THE SPOT, THE STOP SIGNS AND THEY COMPLAINED ABOUT THE LIGHTS.
SO I'M HOPING THAT THE SPEED BUMPS AND THE TIME AND THE EFFORT AND THE MONEY THAT WE PUT DOWN TO THE SPEED BUMPS, HUMPS, WHATEVER WORK, BECAUSE STOP SIGNS AREN'T STOPPING THEM.
THE FLASHING LIGHTS ON THE STOP LIGHTS, PEOPLE COMPLAIN THAT IT'S LIGHTING IN THEIR HOUSE.
AND I REALLY HOPE THAT THIS WORKS BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER STREETS THAT COULD USE THEM.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, SPEED IS THE SECOND BIGGEST COMPLAINT.
BE BEHIND HOMELESSNESS AND EVERYBODY COMPLAINS ABOUT IT.
[02:40:01]
THERE'S ACCIDENTS CONSTANTLY, THE RED LIGHT RUNNERS AND THE LIKE.SO, UH, THIS IS JUST A BEGINNING.
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY, UM, SPEAKER CARDS ON THIS ITEM? WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER CARD FROM PAUL GARBY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS, I, PHIL, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TO MY STREET.
I KNOW YOU SAT THERE AND LOOKED AT CAR AFTER CAR AFTER CAR JUST COMING IN AT A FLYING SPEED.
SO I KNOW THAT'S ONE OF THE MANY STEPPING STONES THAT WE HAVE TO ADVANCE.
I DEFINITELY WANNA WORK ON WASHINGTON AND DOROTHY STILL, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET SOMETHING AT LEAST A, A STOPLIGHT THERE.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S GONNA BE DEFINITELY A, A TREMENDOUS HELP.
UM, TWO NIGHTS AGO THERE WAS ANOTHER ACCIDENT ON DOROTHY AND WASHINGTON, SO THAT HAPPENED ABOUT 10 30, BUT IT WAS A QUICK ACCIDENT.
POLICE DIDN'T COME OUT AND EVERYTHING.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF ACCIDENTS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN REPORTED ON THAT INTERSECTION.
BUT SPEED IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM ON THAT STREET.
SO, UM, YOU DID RECEIVE A LOT OF, UH, CALLS BECAUSE OF THAT.
I WENT TO EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBOR HANDED OUT THE INFORMATION I WENT ON, EVEN ON WASHINGTON STREET AND HANDED OUT YOUR, YOUR INFORMATION JUST TO GET THINGS GOING.
BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO ACT ON NOW.
YOU KNOW, YOU SAW FROM THE STOP SIGN TO WHERE THAT CAR LANDED ON ITS ROOF.
IT'S NOT EVEN WHAT? 200 FEET? SO THEY'RE NOT OBEYING THE STOP SIGN.
SO TO GAIN ENOUGH SPEED TO HIT TWO PARKED CARS AND FLIP OVER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, YEAH.
I KNOW THE, THE RECOMMENDATION SAYS 90 DAYS, MAYBE WE WORK ON IT A LITTLE BIT FASTER.
I KNOW WITH MUNICIPALITIES IT'S LIKE WATCHING PAINT DRY SOMETIMES
I KNOW WHEN WE INITIATED THAT STOP SIGN ON DOROTHY, THAT STILL TOOK LIKE OVER 90 DAYS TO GET INSTALLED AND YOU KNOW, THEY DID STRIPE IT WRONG.
IT'S LIKE 15 FEET IN FRONT OF THE STOP SIGN WHERE THE, WHERE THE LIMIT LINE IS.
SO, UM, I, I ASK HIM FOR THE RECOMMENDATION, YOU KNOW, THE SOONER THE BETTER WE CAN GET SOMETHING.
I THINK DOROTHY WOULD BE YOUR, YOUR BEST STREET TO GET THIS PROGRAM STARTED AND IMPLEMENTED.
THERE ARE NO OTHER SPEAKER CARDS, SIR.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THE, UM, ANALYSIS BY THE STAFF.
ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP, WE SHOULD TRY.
I'LL MOVE THAT REDIRECT STAFF TO RETURN TO THE COUNCIL IN NO LONGER THAN 90 DAYS WITH AN ANALYSIS, UH, INCLUDING SPEED HUMPS.
KEN, I GET YOUR VOTE ONE MORE TIME, PLEASE.
MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE, THE
[17. Regulations on Hookah, Other Tobacco Devices, and Tobacco Product Display Area RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council directs staff to analyze current regulations specific to the permissible display area and present options that may result in revising the current code to allow the sale of tobacco and related products by a percentage of floor area.]
SECOND JOINT COUNCIL REPORT ON TODAY'S AGENDA.ITEM 17 IS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS ORTIZ AND METRO.
WILL YOU PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THIS? GREAT.
UM, WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH, UH, MANY IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, UM, AND BECAUSE OF THE RELIGIOUS AND WELL MOSTLY CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF HOOKAH, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S AN UNDUE BURDEN ON SELLING THOSE.
AND SO WE WANNA DIRECT STAFF TO REALLY LOOK AT, UM, THE CURRENT CODE.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT, UH, TO SOME DEGREE THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, I BELIEVE IS, UM, LUCID SOME RESTRICTIONS ON HOOKAH, UM, BECAUSE OF ITS CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE.
UM, SO WE'D LIKE TO DIRECT STAFF TO PRESENT FINDINGS, UM, TO DETERMINE, UH, WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE, UM, IF WE WERE TO, UH, UH, LOOSEN THE SALE OF, UH, HOOKAH, UM, RELATED PROJECTS.
UM, SPECIFICALLY I THINK THERE'S A REGULATION IN OUR CODE THAT TALKS ABOUT, UM, NOT BEING ABLE TO SELL IT WITHIN X AMOUNT OF FEET FROM A RESIDENCE, WHICH REALLY, UM, IF, IF WHAT WE'RE BEING TOLD IS EFFECTIVELY, UH, ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO, TO SELL.
FOR STAFF TO RUN THAT ANALYSIS, UM, REVIEW OF THE CODE AND, UH, YEAH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO ADD ANYTHING ELSE.
UM, WE'D KINDA LIKE TO KNOW WHAT TYPE OF PARAMETERS ARE, DO WE WANNA SET UP? UM, WHEN IT COMES TO HOOKAH? UM, IT IS A CULTURAL, UH, STAPLE IN CERTAIN COMMUNITIES.
UM, BUT ALSO JUST WHAT DO STAFF SEE AS FAR AS HOW MUCH SELLING SPACE, YOU KNOW, FLOOR SPACE AND, UM, STAY WITHIN THE PARAMETERS TO NOT GO WILD WITH SELLING IT, BUT AT LEAST ALLOWING, UM,
[02:45:01]
CERTAIN GUIDELINES AND, UM, AND YET STILL KEEPING WITH, UM, WITH SOME OF OUR CURRENT ORDINANCES ON SELLING TOBACCO AND ALIKE.YEAH, WE WANT TO, AND REALLY THIS MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, REVIEW WHAT, WHAT THE PENALTIES ARE FOR, UM, SELLING TO MINERS.
UH, MAYBE LOOK AT STRENGTHENING SOME OF THOSE THINGS AS WELL.
UM, UH, SO, UH, YEAH, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.
UM, UH, UH, QUESTION FOR MICHELLE AND PHIL.
HAVE ANY OF THE RETAILERS APPROACHED YOU OR THE NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET ASSOCIATION ABOUT SELLING, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THE HOOKAHS? THE NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET ASSOCIATION HAS NOT APPROACHED ME, BUT A HANDFUL OF, UH, OTHER PEOPLE HAVE, UM, REGARDING, UH, THEIR ABIL THEIR INABILITY TO SELL WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FEET OF RESIDENTS AND, UM, THAT WERE THERE, THERE WERE RETAILERS MM-HMM
AND SO WE WANNA GET THE FULL PICTURE OF WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING, UM, WITH REGARD TO THE SALE OF THAT.
UM, AND IF IT IS INHIBITING SOMETHING OF EXTREME CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE, UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE SENSITIVE TO THAT.
UH, QUESTION FOR, UH, PROBABLY GRAHAM, UH, HOW MANY, UH, RETAILERS IN THE STING OPERATIONS IN THE LAST YEAR HAVE SOLD TO MINERS? I, I REMEMBER IT BEING SIX OR SEVEN.
THERE'S ABOUT THAT MANY SEVEN.
I REMEMBER WHEN I GOT ON THE COUNCIL, IT USED TO BE 40% AND WE, 'CAUSE OF ALL THE STINGS, WE, WE GOT IT DOWN TO 1%.
UH, ONE THING I KNOW ABOUT HOOKAH IS THAT ONE HOUR SMOKING A HOOKAH IS EQUIVALENT TO SMOKING 100 TO 200 CIGARETTES.
UH, TOBACCO USERS, UH, HAVE A 50% CHANCE OF DYING FROM A TOBACCO RELATED ILLNESS.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF KIDS THAT, THAT SMOKE TOBACCO AND TOBACCO IS EXTREMELY ADDICTIVE.
SO I'M CONCERNED WE'RE OPENING UP A PANDORA'S BOX HERE.
WELL, I WOULD, I WOULD BE, UH, IN FAVOR OF, UM, HARSHER PENALTIES FOR PEOPLE BEING CAUGHT IN THOSE STING OPERATIONS.
UM, I THINK THAT PEOPLE THAT HAVE A ROUTINELY, UH, DONE THAT DON'T, DON'T DESERVE TO SELL ANYMORE.
SO, UM, I THINK IT'S PERFECTLY APPLICABLE TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT AS WELL.
SO YEAH, THE LAST TIME THIS CAME UP REGARDING THE, UH, TOBACCO REGULATIONS AND THE STINGS, WE, WE ACTUALLY BACKED OFF ON THE PENALTIES AND MADE 'EM LESS SEVERE.
WELL, I, I THINK, I THINK WE SHOULD RE-LOOK AT THAT AND MAYBE SEE, YOU KNOW, UPPING THOSE PENALTIES.
'CAUSE IF THERE'S STILL SIX PEOPLE IN THE LAST YEAR THAT ARE DOING THIS, THEN UM, WE SHOULD REALLY LOOK AT ENFORCING THAT HARSHER.
I, I APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERN ON THAT.
UM, THERE IS A, UM, A COMPONENT, A HEALTH COMPONENT TO THIS.
HOWEVER, UM, THESE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE USED BY ADULTS AND AS AN ADULT, I THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PRETTY MUCH DO WHAT WE WANT MY BODY, MY CHOICE, SO TO SPEAK.
UM, SO I, I THINK THAT IF WE HAVE RETAILERS THAT WANNA DO IT OR WANT TO SELL, AND THESE ARE NOT, THESE, WERE NOT JUST LIKE BONGS, YOU KNOW, WATER BONGS OR WHATEVER THAT YOU WOULD BUY IN A HEAD SHOP.
THESE ARE REALLY EXPENSIVE AND BEAUTIFUL HOOKAH.
GRANTED IT'S FOR, YOU KNOW, CONSUMPTION OF TOBACCO.
UM, BUT I THINK IF WE CAN AT LEAST EXPLORE IT, WE HAVE SUCH A LARGE COMMUNITY THAT IT WOULD SEEM LIKE WE'RE NOT BEING SENSITIVE TO THEIR CULTURAL NEEDS AS WELL.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WORKS, BUT IT'S, WE NEED TO KIND OF BE OPEN, AT LEAST EXPLORE IT.
IF IT DOESN'T WORK, IT DOESN'T WORK, BUT AT LEAST EXPLORE IT.
THE COMMUNITY HAS, HAS COME TO US AND ASKED US TO SEE IF THEY CAN SELL IT AND KEEP THEIR BUSINESS GOING.
AND IT IS A CULTURAL THING FOR THEM.
UM, WE SHOULD AT LEAST EXPLORE
[02:50:01]
IT.I, I GET THE TOBACCO, I'M A, UH, WE REFORM SMOKER.
AND, UM, UH, SO I GET THAT PART, BUT, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE KIDS INVOLVED IN IT.
AND IF WE'RE STILL DOING OUR STINGS, WE CAN STILL REGULATE IT THAT WAY.
BUT AS FOR ADULTS, I MEAN, IT'S ADULTS.
IF THEY WANNA SMOKE, LET 'EM SMOKE.
I MEAN, IT'S, WHO AM I TO TELL SOMEONE ELSE NOT TO DO WHAT THEY WANNA DO WITH THEIR OWN BODY? BUT THAT'S ANOTHER CONVERSATION I THINK.
YEAH, ABOUT 90% OF ADULTS STARTED SMOKING BEFORE THE AGE OF 18.
I DID SO AND HOOKAHS WAY WORSE THAN CIGARS OR CIGARETTES.
AND THE GOVERNMENT'S SPENDING HUGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY TO DISCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM SMOKING.
'CAUSE THERE'S A GIANT COST TO SOCIETY BECAUSE OF SMOKING.
I MEAN, MY SISTER DIED OF SECONDHAND SMOKE, WENT TO HER LUNGS, WENT TO HER BRAIN, SHE NEVER SMOKED.
MY MOTHER-IN-LAW DIED OF EMPHYSEMA.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, MY MOM'S BEST FRIEND DIED OF LUNG CANCER CURLED UP IN A BALL OF GASPING FOR AIR FOR ALMOST A MONTH.
SO, I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A VERY DANGEROUS PRODUCT.
THERE'S NO SAFE DOSAGE OF TOBACCO.
I READ IT A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY RATHER THAN YES, NO, TO REVISE THE CURRENT CODE TO ALLOW THE SALE OF TOBACCO BY A PERCENTAGE OF FLOOR AREA INSTEAD OF THE CURRENT CODE, WHICH IS 16 CUBIC FEET.
16 CUBIC FEET CAN BE AN 80 COMBINATION.
YOU KNOW, EIGHT FEET BY, TWO FEET BY ONE FEET, 16 BY, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.
SO IF WE CHANGE FROM THAT 16 CUBIC FEET TO A PERCENTAGE, AND I'VE GIVEN SOME QUESTIONS TO THE CITY MANAGER, DO YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT PERCENTAGE FOR AN ALBERTSONS THAN YOU DO FOR AN ARCO? BECAUSE IF BOTH ARE 10%, I CAN TELL YOU THE ALBERTSONS 15,000 SQUARE FOOT STORE, IF THEY GET 10%, THEY'RE GONNA GET 1500 SQUARE FEET.
AND THAT MAY BE BIGGER THAN SOME OF OUR EXISTING SMOKE SHOPS, RIGHT? MM-HMM
SO WE HAVE TO KIND OF LOOK AT, SO DEFINITIONS OF THINGS AND HOW THEY DRIVE THINGS.
UH, THAT'S, THAT WAS MY THOUGHT WAS, UH, THAT WE ARE SENSITIVE TO THOSE WHO ALREADY HAVE AN ESTABLISHED BUSINESS, A LICENSE CALLED A SMOKE SHOP, WHICH WE ARE LIMITED IN THE NUMBER OF HAVING.
WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO CREATE A DEFACTO NEW NUMBER BY HAVING 1500 SQUARE FEET OF A, OF A LARGE PLACE.
SO A LOT OF DEFINITIONS, RULES TO WORK THROUGH, BUT I SUPPORT THE ANALYSIS.
UH, GARY, DO YOU, ONE MORE THING QUESTION.
ANOTHER THING TO REMEMBER IS WHEN WE HAVE A OVERSUPPLY OF A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PRODUCT SUCH AS ALCOHOL OR A CERTAINLY A PROVEN, EXTREMELY DANGEROUS PRODUCT THAT'S ADDICTIVE SUCH AS TOBACCO, UH, SOME OF THESE BUSINESSES ARE JUST KIND OF GETTING BY RIGHT NOW.
AND THEY WILL START, AT LEAST IT'S MY OPINION, THEY'LL START SELLING TO PEOPLE THEY SHOULDN'T SELL TO, LIKE THE KIDS.
YOU KNOW, LIKE I, WHEN I OBSERVED, UH, A 14-YEAR-OLD BOY GOING INTO A LIQUOR STORE NOT FAR FROM MY HOUSE, WHEN I, I WENT IN THERE TO BUY SOME CORN NUTS AND HE, HE THE KID ALREADY WREAKED OF ALCOHOL AND HE BOUGHT FIVE CONTAINERS OF THE LITTLE 99 CENT ONES THAT WAS, UH, PEACH VODKA.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE CLERK WHO I THINK WAS THE OWNER TOLD HIM, WELL, PUT THESE IN YOUR BACK POCKET, DON'T CARRY 'EM AROUND IN THE BAG.
SO THEY KNEW THEY WERE BREAKING THE LAW.
AND I, I HATE TO THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING THAT COULD INCREASE THE SALE IS A OF A VERY DANGEROUS PRODUCT.
AND WHEN USED AS DIRECTED TOBACCO KILLS YOU 50% OF THE TIME, IF IT WAS ANY OTHER PRODUCT THAT WASN'T SO ADDICTIVE, THEY WOULD NEVER LET THEM SELL THEM IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND, AND, AND GARY CAST MEMBER KENDRICK, I, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH REGARD TO, UM, SELLING TO MINORS.
I MEAN, AND, AND PART OF THIS ANALYSIS, AND WE CAN ADD IT INTO THERE.
UM, 'CAUSE IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'S, LOOK, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ADDED, UM, WOULD BE TO LOOK AT HOW EFFECTIVE OUR, UM, FINES AND PENALTIES ARE AND HOW, HOW QUICKLY I WOULD LIKE TO STIFFEN IT.
[02:55:01]
SIX, UH, RETAILERS THAT ARE SELLING TO MINERS AFTER, YOU KNOW, HOWEVER LONG WE'VE BEEN ON THIS MISSION TO PINCH THEM ABOUT 20 YEARS, 20 YEARS, THEN THEY'RE NOT GETTING THE MESSAGE.AND SO I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR YOUR, ONCE WE GET THE ANALYSIS DONE OF WHERE, WHAT IS OUR PENALTIES, WHAT ARE THE THRESHOLDS, WHAT ARE THE TIERS? I'D LOVE TO HAVE YOUR, UM, YOU WEIGH IN ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO STIFFEN.
WHAT THEY DO, STIFFEN DO GENERALLY IS THEY SAY, OH, WE CAN'T, IT WAS, IT'S A CLERK THAT DID IT.
WELL, IF YOU'RE SELLING A DANGEROUS PRODUCT, IF YOU'RE SELLING SOMETHING CAN KILLS 50% OF THE PEOPLE THAT BUY IT, THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE A CLERK THAT'S NOT GONNA SELL TO KIDS.
IT IS BEEN PROVEN OVER AND AGAIN.
AND THE, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE HOOKAH ARE SO MUCH MORE DANGEROUS, I, UH, THAN REGULAR TOBACCO AND CIGARS.
AND I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE THAT IN ANY WAY.
I'M OF, I, MAYBE WE MIGHT DISAGREE TO SOME DEGREE ON THAT, WHERE, YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU'RE A CONSENTING ADULT AND YOU USE HOOKAH ON OCCASION, UM, I BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO, TO DO THAT.
BUT I WANNA KEEP IT AWAY FROM THE KIDS.
AND I THINK IF WE DO APPROVE THIS, WE SHOULD, SHOULD REALLY, UH, RATCHET UP THE PENALTIES FOR SELLING.
WELL, AND, AND I BELIEVE WE'VE, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, I VOTED ON THIS ONCE, UM, TO RATCHET IT UP AND, UM, I THINK THAT WAS YEARS AGO.
WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT RATCHETING IT UP AGAIN.
SO, AND I, AND I BELIEVE THE, SOME OF THESE RETAILERS THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO AGREE WITH THAT THEY AGREE WITH, HEY, IF YOU'RE BEING CAUGHT SELLING, THEN WE DON'T WANT THOSE PEOPLE AROUND EITHER.
THE OTHER THING THAT THEY DO IS THEY GET BUSTED AND THEY'RE, AND THE WAY WE HAVE IT NOW, THERE'S CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO DO IT THE SECOND TIME AND THIRD TIME THE PENALTIES INCREASE AND THEN YOU SELL IT LIKE TO THEIR COUSIN.
SO IT GO, I I THINK THAT GOES, UH, UH, BACK TO THE, YOU GOT A CLEAN SLATE AGAIN.
LET ME CLARIFY A COUPLE THINGS.
ONE THING IS THE FINES DON'T INCREASE.
YOU SELL ONCE, TWICE, OR THREE TIMES OR MORE WITHIN 36 MONTHS.
IF YOU SELL MORE THAN ONCE WITHIN 36 MONTHS, THERE IS A SUSPENSION, UH, ESSENTIALLY YOU CANNOT SELL FOR, I THINK IT'S 30 DAYS.
AND THEN IF THEY'RE CAUGHT A THIRD TIME, UH, SELLING TOBACCO PRODUCTS WITHIN 36 MONTHS, THEY LOSE THEIR LICENSE.
THEY HAVE TO QUIT SELLING TOBACCO PRODUCTS.
IS THAT, IS THAT RIGHT? MR. SHOOT, THE THIRD TIME.
AND THEN FOR COUSIN BUYS THE STORE, IT, WE HAVE A PROVISION IN THERE.
IT HAS TO BE A BONAFIDE PURCHASE FOR VALUE.
UM, WE, WE PUT THAT IN THERE BECAUSE WE DID HAVE SITUATIONS WHERE SUDDENLY IN THE FACING THE, UH, HEARING, UH, THERE'S, UH, A, UH, SUDDEN CHANGE OF VALUE.
NOW WHEN YOU SELL A BUSINESS, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO CERTAIN THINGS.
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO A BULK SALE TRANSFER ANNOUNCEMENT SO PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU'RE BUYING ALL THIS PRODUCT.
WE ASK FOR THAT AND WE NEVER GET IT.
SO IT'S VERY QUESTIONABLE WHETHER, UH, SOME OF THESE SALES AT THE LAST HOUR ARE LEGITIMATE.
I, I AGREE WITH MR. KENDRICK'S ASSUMPTION THAT THEY'RE, UH, JUST A RUSE TO AVOID HAVING THE PENALTIES START, UH, UH, UH, HAVING, ALLOWING THE PENALTIES TO START ALL OVER AGAIN BY A NEW OWNER.
SO IT'S TOUGH FOR US TO PRO, UH, TO CONTROL THESE.
AND THEN FINALLY THEY'RE ALLOWED TO APPEAL TO THE SUPERIOR COURT.
WE HAVE TWO PENDING CASES, I THINK RIGHT NOW WHERE THEY HAVE APPEALED THE DECISION.
SOME FOR JUST THE FIRST DEFENSE, AND THEY'RE ALREADY APPEALING.
THE SAME PERSON, UH, HAS BEEN, HAS APPEALED BEFORE AND IT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY TO HANDLE THOSE IN SUPERIOR COURT.
BUT WE FIGHT THAT BECAUSE THAT'S THE COUNCIL'S DIRECTIVE, AND THAT'S WHY THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE.
UH, ANECDOTALLY, IF SOMEBODY HAS SOLD TO ONE PERSON ON A, UM, A STING OR A YOUTH SURVEY AS WE CALL IT, HOW MANY TIMES DID THEY SELL IT TO A YOUTH THAT WASN'T ON OUR SURVEY? AND THEY GO OUT TWICE A YEAR.
SO THAT'S ON ANY GIVEN DAY, THEY'VE SIX PEOPLE HAVE SOLD IT.
AND I QUESTION HOW MANY TIMES THEY'VE SOLD IT TO OTHER PEOPLE, THE OTHER 364 DAYS, OR A HUNDRED, UH, 82 DAYS OR WHATEVER IT WAS.
AND IN, IN THE CASE, IF I THINK IF THIS IS APPROVED THAT WE NEED MORE STINGS AND THEY'RE PAID
[03:00:01]
FOR BY THE, UH, TOBACCO LICENSE FEE.'CAUSE IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A SELF FUNDED, UH, MY, UH, RECOLLECTION IS IT'S A SELF-FUNDED PROGRAM.
THE LICENSE FEE IS NOT ENOUGH TO PAY FOR THE PROGRAM.
UH, THE COUNCIL MADE THAT DECISION BECAUSE WHEN WE FIRST CAME TO YOU, IT WAS VERY HIGH, UH, FOR A TOBACCO RETAIL LICENSE.
YOU LISTEN TO MEETING AFTER MEETING OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT HOW THAT FEE IS TOO HIGH, YOU REDUCE THE FEE TO A VERY, UM, MANAGEABLE AMOUNT ON EACH.
IT'S AN ANNUAL FEE, UH, WITH THE INCREASE OF THE PENALTIES BECAUSE WE, WE STARTED OUT ORIGINALLY WITH I THINK A 500,000 OR SOMETHING AFTER BECOMING A CHARTER CITY.
WE ALSO, WE JUST INCREASED IT ALL TO 2,500 FOR, FOR ANY VIOLATION.
SO THAT MONEY HAS, IF COLLECTED, UH, HAS BEEN THE SOURCE OF FUNDING THE PROGRAM ITSELF.
AND I, MR. CHU'S, UH, DEPARTMENT FUNDS UP MANAGES THAT PROGRAM.
UM, THE PAYMENT OF THE, THE, THE, UM, PAYMENT OF THE FINE HAS TO BE MADE IF YOU'RE, EVEN, IF YOU'RE GONNA APPEAL THE DECISION.
BUT THEN WE USE THAT TO PAY FOR AN INDEPENDENT HEARING OFFICER TO COME IN AND THEN WE PAY FOR IT WITH DEFENDING THESE IN SUPERIOR COURT IF THERE'S AN APPEAL.
MY QUESTION TO COUNCIL MEMBERS OR TEASE AND MITCHELL IS THAT THE AGENDA ITEM TALKS ABOUT TO CHANGE FROM 16 CUBA FEET TO A DIFFERENT METHOD FOR, ARE YOU WANTING TO ADD THE ANALYSIS OF THE FINE THING THAT MAY DELAY THE STAFF TURNAROUND TIME? THE MORE COMPLEX THAT YOU MAKE IT? I, WHAT'S YOUR OPINION? MY VIEW IS THAT IT NEEDS TO GO HAND IN HAND.
IF WE'RE GONNA BE, UM, OPENING UP SOME FACET OF THIS, THEN WE NEED TO RATCHET UP THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT.
AND I'M OKAY WITH, UM, THIS BEING A LONGER STAFF ITEM TO GET THE THOROUGHNESS OF, UH, OF ALL SIDES OF THIS.
NOT JUST THE DISPLAY AREA, AND HAVE IT BE A RATIO BASED OFF OF, YOU KNOW, THE SQUARE FOOTAGE, UM, OF THE BUILDING.
SO TO YOUR POINT, UH, WE DON'T HAVE A HUGE DISPLAY AREA IN A TINY LITTLE STORE.
UM, TO LOOK AT, UH, THE FINES, $2,500 DOES NOT SEEM LIKE A BIG AMOUNT IN MY HEAD FOR A BUSINESS OWNER, UM, ESPECIALLY WITH INFLATION HAS GONE UP.
UM, SO WE NEED TO MAYBE BAKE IN A CPI, UH, WITH THAT, WITH THOSE FINES.
UM, SO ALL OF IT, UH, I'D LIKE TO HAVE A, A, A BETTER ASSESSMENT OF, UM, WHAT WE'RE ALLOWING.
AND IF WE DID PERMIT HOOKAH, UM, AND ONLY VERY CLEARLY DEFINE THOSE, UH, THOSE PRODUCTS RATCHET UP THE, UH, THE FINES AND ALSO, UM, THE NUMBER OF STINGS.
UM, MAYBE WE ALLOCATE SOME, SOME FUNDING TO, TO, UH, TO HAVE MORE OF THOSE.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE TYPICAL CONVENIENCE STORE SELLS ABOUT $300,000 A YEAR WORTH OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS.
SO EVEN A THOUSAND DOLLARS, UH, A YEAR, UH, LICENSE LICENSE FEE WOULD BE REASONABLE.
BECAUSE THEY HAVE SUCH A DANGEROUS PRODUCT.
UH, WITH GREAT POWER COMES A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY.
CAN, CAN I WEIGH IN ON SOMETHING? SO PLEASE.
SO AS YOU RECALL, THERE ARE BUSINESSES THAT LEGALLY SELL HOOKAH DEVICES IN THE CITY OF EL CAJON.
I THINK THE CONCERN THAT, THAT, I THINK YOU HAVE HEARD, 'CAUSE I'VE HEARD THE SAME CONCERN FROM SOME OF THESE, UH, INDIVIDUALS, IS THAT IT SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO ALLOW MORE BUSINESSES TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
UM, THERE'S, THERE'S TWO WAYS TO GO ABOUT IT.
UM, WITH AN ANALYSIS OF THE, THE FINE SYSTEM, AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN ALTERNATIVE AND YOU CAN DIRECT HOW YOU WANT TO GO.
SO ONE WOULD BE, AS HAS BEEN SUGGESTED, IS THAT WE BRING BACK NOT ONLY THE HOOKAH REGULATIONS OR, OR SOME PARAMETERS OF THE HOOKAH REGULATIONS WILL ALSO BRING BACK WITH THAT THE OVERALL TOBACCO FINE SYSTEM.
IT IS CONFLATING KIND OF TWO ISSUES TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
AND IT, IT MAY MUDDY THE WATER.
IT ALSO, IT IN A WAY ALMOST PENALIZES BUSINESSES THAT WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH SELLING HOOKAH DEVICES.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY'RE LIKE, I, I GOTTA PAY A BIGGER FEE IF I VIOLATE OR EVEN A BIGGER FINE OR A BIGGER PERMIT BECAUSE
[03:05:01]
THESE THREE BUSINESSES WANT TO SELL HOOKAH.THAT MAY NOT BE A FAIR WAY TO LOOK AT IT.
THE OTHERS YOU COULD DIRECT STAFF AS PART OF THE HOOKAH REGULATIONS IS IF YOU HAVE A PERMIT AND YOU DO SELL HOOKAH, THEN YOU GET PENALIZED MORE.
UM, BECAUSE YOU HAVE THIS, THE COUNCIL HAS GRANTED THIS ABILITY TO EXPAND THE SELL OF HOOKAH.
YOU NOW HAVE, AS WAS SAID, THE SPIDER-MAN QUOTE, WITH, WITH GREAT RESPONSIBILITY, COME WITH GREAT REWARD, COME WITH GREAT RESPONSIBILITY.
I CAN'T REMEMBER THE PHRASE, POWER WITH POWER.
SO, SO YOU COULD, YOU COULD LOOK AT THE FEE STRUCTURE SPECIFICALLY TO THOSE THAT SELL HOOKAH, OR YOU COULD MAKE IT THE BROADER CONVERSATION.
I DO WORRY IT MUDDIES THE WATERS A LITTLE BIT.
AND I WOULD PROBABLY RECOMMEND WE DO THOSE AS TWO SEPARATE AGENDA ITEMS BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE TWO VERY DISTINCT ISSUES.
SO I ONLY SUGGEST THAT FOR, OR THROW THAT OUT THERE FOR SOME DISCUSSION.
IF YOU DON'T SELL HOOKAH NOW, YOU NEED AN, A TOBACCO PERMIT FROM THE STATE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND I, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT IN ORDER, I THINK THE PROPOSAL FROM WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY IS THAT YOU STILL WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A PERMIT ALREADY IN EXISTENCE TO SELL.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A HANDFUL OF BUSINESSES THAT ARE LIMITED TO BECAUSE OF THEIR LOCATION TO A CHURCH OR A DAYCARE OR A RESIDENCE, OR THEY'RE UNHAPPY WITH THE AMOUNT OF SPACE THAT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DISPLAY.
YEAH, I WOULD BE OPEN TO TAKING IT AS TWO SEPARATE, UH, AGENDA ITEMS. UM, BUT I, THAT'S DISAPPOINTING.
I, WHEN I HEARD THAT WE'RE STILL, WE STILL HAVE SIX PEOPLE OR SIX, UH, RETAILERS STILL SELLING TO MINERS
SO, UM, I'LL JUST TAKE THIS ONE FOR NOW, THE HOOKAH AND MAYBE HAVE THE EXTRA FINES, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH THE SALE OF HOOKAH, LIKE YOU, LIKE THE CITY MANAGER SUGGESTED, BUT MAYBE DOWN THE ROAD WE CAN BRING IT UP AS ANOTHER AGENDA ITEM TO REVISIT THE TOTALITY OF OUR FINES AND PENALTIES FOR TOBACCO RELATED THINGS.
'CAUSE UM, LOSING PA I KNOW GARY'S LOST PATIENCE AND I'VE LOST PATIENCE WITH PEOPLE SELLING TO MINORS.
LET ME SEE IF THERE'S ANY, UH, SPEAKER CARDS ON THE SIDE.
WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER CARD FROM BRENDA HAMMOND.
UM, SO I'VE ONLY TRIED HOOKAH ONCE AND IT WAS WITH MY ALDEAN FRIENDS.
IT WAS FOR A PHOTO OP FOR STARBUCKS BACK IN THE DAY.
UM, I SMOKE CIGARETTES MAYBE THREE A DAY, WHICH IS BETTER THAN 40 A DAY THAT I USED TO SMOKE.
AND SOMETIMES I DON'T SMOKE AT ALL.
BUT, UM, I THINK THAT YES, ADULTS SHOULD HAVE THEIR CHOICE OF WHAT THEY WANNA DO AS LONG AS THEY'RE NOT SMOKING AROUND PEOPLE THAT DON'T SMOKE.
AND DEFINITELY KEEP THE KIDS OUT OF IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T NEED TO GET ADDICTED TO TOBACCO.
BUT THE ADULTS ARE ADULTS AND, UM, THEY JUST NEED TO BE EDUCATED NOT TO SMOKE AROUND PEOPLE THAT DON'T SMOKE.
AND SO I'LL ADD, MY MOTHER DIED OF LIVER CANCER AND SHE WAS A TWICE BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR.
MY MOTHER DID NOT SMOKE, SO THAT WAS PROBABLY JUST BEING AROUND PEOPLE THAT DID SMOKE AND, UM, SO JUST TO THROW THAT IN THERE.
ANYBODY ELSE? OH, UM, IT, IT'S NOT AGAINST HOMESTAR, IT'S AGAINST THEIR EMPLOYEES.
UH, BRENDA, I, I THINK GARY WANTS TO ASK YOU A QUESTION, BRENDA.
OH, BRENDA, I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT A LOT OF ORGAN CANCERS ARE CAUSED BY TOBACCO SMOKE.
AND, AND THAT'S WHY PEOPLE SHOULD NOT SMOKE AROUND.
IF THEY WANNA SMOKE IN THEIR HOUSE AND THEY WANT TO DO THAT, LET 'EM DO IT AND LET 'EM BUY IT IF THEY WANT TO.
THANKS FOR YOUR COMMENTS, BRUTA.
I THINK WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, UM, FOR, UH, UH, FOR STAFF TO COME UP WITH ANALYSIS BASED OFF OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN.
MOTION PASSES BY A FOUR ONE VOTE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER KENDRICK VOTING NO.
[03:10:01]
THERE ARE NO GENERAL INFORMATION ITEMS AND NO FIRST READINGS OR ORDINANCES ON TODAY'S REPORT.[18. Amendment to the Contract Between the City of El Cajon and the Board of Administration, California Public Employees' Retirement Systems RECOMMENDATION: That Mayor Wells requests the City Clerk to recite the title. An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of El Cajon Approving an Amendment to the Contract between the City of El Cajon and the Board of Administration, California Public Employees' Retirement Systems. CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT: The proposed City Council action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(4) and (5). Government fiscal and administrative activities are not subject to CEQA.]
HAVE A SECOND READING AND ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE ON TODAY'S AGENDA.ITEM 17 IS FOR THE AMENDMENT TO THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY AND CALPERS.
EXCUSE ME, I'LL ASK DEPUTY CITY CLERK TO READ THE TITLE.
ARE THERE ANY SPEAKER CARDS FOR THIS ITEM? THERE ARE NO SPEAKER CARDS.
AND THE TITLE OF THE ORDINANCE READS AND ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EL CAJON APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF EL CAJON AND THE BOARD OF ADMINISTRATION, CALIFORNIA PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEMS. ALRIGHT, I MOVE ADOPTION.
MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THOSE PRESENT WITH COUNCIL MEMBER GOEL.
[23. CLOSED SESSIONS:]
A CLOSED SESSION.THE CITY ATTORNEY WILL RECITE THE TITLES AND LEAD US INTO THE CLOSED SESSION.
THANK YOU MAYOR WELLS, WE HAVE TWO ITEMS IN CLOSED SESSION.
ONE IS THE FIRST, UH, ITEM 19 IS A CLOSED SESSION FOR CONFERENCE WITH A LEGAL COUNSEL FOR EXISTING LITIGATION PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH ONE OF SUBDIVISION D OF GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 0 9 5 6 0.9.
THE NAME OF THE CASE IS KENNETH HARRIS VERSUS CITY OF EL CAJON.
ITEM 20 IS A CLOSED SESSION CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUN COUNSEL FOR ANTICIPATED LITIGATION AND THAT'S TO DETERMINE WHETHER WE WILL THE CITY WILL INITIATE LITIGATION PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH FOUR, SUBDIVISION D OF SECTION 5 4 9 5 6 0.9.
GONNA MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE CLOSED SESSION.
MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THOSE PRESENT WITH COUNCIL MEMBER GLOBAL ABSENT LADIES AGENDA, WE SHOULD BE BACK QUICKLY TO CONCLUDE THE MEETING.
THE UH, WORKERS' COMP CLAIM AND DISCUSSION, UH, WAS, HAD AND DIRECTION GIVEN TO THE CITY'S REPRESENTATIVE AND LEGAL COUNSEL ON ITEM 20.
AGAIN, THE DISCUSSION WAS HAD ON, UH, UH, ANTICIPATED LITIGATION AND DIRECTION WAS GIVEN TO THE CITY'S LEGAL COUNSEL MR. PREVIOUS TO THE ADJOURNMENT COUNCIL, EL CAJON HOUSING AUTHORITY SUCCESSORIES WAS DUE TO THE EL CAJON REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY HELD THIS 22ND DAY OF JULY, 2025 IS ADJOURNED TILL TUESDAY, AUGUST 12TH, 2025 AT 3:00 PM.