Mayor Todd Gloria gave his fourth State of the City speech to a crowd of local luminaries at Balboa Theatre on Jan. 10, 2024. (Photo courtesy KUSI)

As he faces challenges from the left and right ahead of the November election, Gloria focused on his accomplishments in office with a metaphor-laden State of the City speech about San Diego’s need to commit to the city’s overhaul after long-term neglect even when times are hard (such as during the projected budget issues in this upcoming fiscal year).

He touted fulfilling his promise that 100% affordable housing projects would have their permits processed in less than a month and said he will extend that fast-tracked permit promise to Complete Communities developments near transit with units reserved for low- and middle-income households. From street repaving to hiring city staff, Gloria focused on his work to make the city move more efficiently.

Policy proposals

In addition to his list of accomplishments, Gloria unveiled a few policy proposals for the new year, including a philanthropic campaign for wealthy locals to donate to end homelessness, adding shelter beds at Barracks H near the airport and advocating for Prop 47 reforms in the legislature. The criminal justice reform proposition was passed by voters in 2014 to reduce prison overpopulation by recategorizing certain crimes as misdemeanors. Gloria accused organized crime rings of gaming the law to turn retail theft into an enterprise.

“We should be locking up criminals, not laundry detergent,” Gloria said. He also affirmed his commitment to crack down on fentanyl.

Protesters

Outside, a group of advocates urged Gloria to implement another criminal justice reform-oriented program, the  Social Equity and Economic Development (SEED) Program. The state program is meant to help marginalized communities and those criminalized for cannabis use in the past to benefit from its legalization. The city’s Development Services had been working with the cannabis and equity communities for two years to figure out how to implement the program until it was yanked under the purview of the mayor’s office directly – where it has since stalled.

Armand King, who has two cannabis-related felonies, plead for Gloria not to capitulate to special interests and move forward with the state program. He said those who were locked up for cannabis should not be locked out of the cannabis industry now that it is legal.

Gloria did not bring up cannabis in the speech, nor some of the other issues protesters outside Balboa Theatre tried to draw attention to. Animal rights activists urged Gloria to cancel the rodeo at Petco Park happening this weekend.

“Animals will be tortured, maimed and murdered for money… The rodeo is nothing but violence,” said Ellen Erickson, who is part of the lawsuit trying to prevent the rodeo from coming to the city. She noted the animals had probably already arrived for the festivities and would be held in a parking lot during this cold weather.

Dorrie Bruggemann gathered signatures for a November ballot measure outside the entrance to ‘fire SDG&E.’ The community power group wants voters to choose whether to keep SDG&E or switch to a non-profit public utility instead. SDG&E has the highest rates in the nation, with one in four San Diegans in debt to the company, according to Bruggemann.

One of the largest groups of protesters urged Gloria to support Palestine amid the war with Israel. Outside they drummed and chanted “stop the genocide.” Several also heckled Gloria during his address, shouting “Ceasefire now!” Gloria responded by praising the country’s First Amendment while waiting for quiet.

Homelessness

The issue brought forward by protesters that Gloria did speak to in his speech is that of his encampment ban ordinance. While protesters opposed it, he said it had been effective in reducing street homelessness with only one arrest in the past year. Paired with Council member Stephen Whitburn’s Safe Sleeping Program, many who stayed in tents have now moved to the city sanctioned camping areas and into the limited number of shelter spots.

“We are making progress, clearing our sidewalks and getting folks on a better path,” Gloria said.

In a lighter moment, Gloria announced a street near Petco Park would be renamed Peter Siedler Way after the beloved late Padres owner who died last year.

Overall, Gloria struck a positive tone in his speech. While acknowledging that progress can be difficult, he concluded, “We will keep making progress, we will keep getting things done, until the job is done!”

Read the full transcript of Gloria’s address at https://www.sandiego.gov/mayor/2024-state-of-the-city-address.