Government
20 Years Later, “Enron by the Sea” Still Awash in Duplicity
By Kate Callen When a 2002 whistleblower’s report unleashed the city’s massive pension fund scandal, and San Diego was branded “Enron by the Sea,” humiliated city leaders vowed to clean up their accounting practices and operate in full view. Two decades later, a new generation of city leaders is devising new ways of fudging data […]
The Mayor’s Planning Department Knowingly Using Outdated 2013 SANDAG Projections for Current Community Plan “Updates”
Last December, SANDAG adopted Series 14 projections for population and housing growth through 2050. These projections take into account the latest California Department of Finance population projections. Despite the availability of these updated projections, the Planning Department continues to plan based on outdated, inflated data. This leads to unnecessary, harmful impacts. For the City as […]
California State Auditor Releases Scathing Report on Regional Housing Needs Assessment

On March 17, Michael S. Tilden, the Acting California State Auditor, issued a blistering critique of the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and its Regional Housing Needs Assessments (RHNA). The Auditor found problems in the HCD methodology that may have inflated RHNA requirements by hundreds of thousands of housing units. The Auditor concludes […]
District 3 Citizens Express Frustration During Zoom Meeting with Councilman Whitburn

After several attempts to talk to someone from Councilman Stephen Whitburn’s office, I elected to participate in a Zoom meeting with him that was initiated by his office. I thought, “Maybe I can talk to him directly since calls and emails to his office are going unanswered.” By the way, I should mention, the reason […]
Big Plans for Revitalization of the UCSD Hillcrest Medical Center
As we all know, change is inevitable. And sometimes adversity builds character. Recently, many of you shared with me that you would like to be a part of the planning process and the discussions on developments happening in your community. With that in mind, a Mission Hills neighbor shared with me information on a […]
Ukraine and the Volatility in the Stock Market
As I write this article, Russia has finally made its move into Ukraine. After building up troops along the Ukrainian border, Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale assault on Ukraine with the stated objective of replacing its government. I don’t want to minimize the impact this would have on Ukraine, which will be devastating, but the […]
Uptown For All: Candidates for Uptown Planners
Uptown Planners is the local Community Planning Group which serves in an advisory role to the city. This board consist of 17 citizens elected by the residents and business owners of Uptown, which includes Hillcrest, Bankers Hill, University Heights, Mission Hills, Middletown, the Medical Complex, and Marston Hills. Upcoming Election Three excellent candidates have come […]
No Trees, No Parking, No Set-Backs, and No Affordable Rental Units

by Paul Krueger, Talmadge resident and volunteer with Neighbors For A Better San Diego Is this $2.4 million residential “compound” a poster-child for all that’s wrong with San Diego’s housing and development policies? The listing boasts of the “incredible income opportunity for an investor” on a “tree lined street in the historic district of Talmadge” […]
Share A Little Love

I don’t think I need to point out that February is the month of heartfelt gestures. It’s obvious (with cards, flowers, candy, and dinners) that we attempt to be more expressive during this month. However, it’s usually focused on those closest to us. I propose we spread it around to the community and to those […]
No Trees, No Parking, No Set-Backs, and No Affordable Rental Units

by Paul Krueger, Talmadge resident and volunteer with Neighbors For A Better San Diego Is this $2.4 million residential “compound” a poster-child for all that’s wrong with San Diego’s housing and development policies? The listing boasts of the “incredible income opportunity for an investor” on a “tree lined street in the historic district of Talmadge” […]