January 17, 2019
Mayor Kevin Faulconer delivered the 2019 State of the City Address on January 15th and addressed housing supply and affordability, homelessness, quality of life, and climate change. His focus was on transforming San Diego into a “YIMBY” city by removing height limit restrictions outside coastal zones, implementing more affordable housing incentives, allowing by-right approval for affordable housing and housing for the homeless to avoid unnecessary review, and eliminating parking requirements to lower housing cost. The Mayor also expressed a commitment to tackling the county’s mental health crisis by opening new Housing Navigation Centers, hiring skilled case managers and housing specialists at the City’s bridge shelters, proposing new affordable projects in every district, calling on City Council to approve additional storage capacity, and calling on the County to step up and lead in tackling the mental health crisis. The Mayor also highlighted his priority of improving local communities through road repairs, the “Clean SD” program, opening libraries, improving the San Diego Police Department, and commissioning a disparity study to determine if the companies that do business reflect San Diego’s diversity. Lastly, the Mayor committed to making San Diego the greenest city in the county, a monumental pledge that reaches across the aisle. The Mayor will create a community choice energy program for San Diego, create new bike lanes and mobility options, and push for a new transit center that will connect the trolley to the airport.