Let’s Turn Uptown into Sardine Town San Diego

The Mayor Makes Plans to Add 50,000+ Residents and No Infrastructure

For those of us receiving information on the proposed Hillcrest Plan being pushed on Uptown residents by Todd Gloria, the current mayor of the city of San Diego, we will soon be packed into an area not suitable for human habitation.

The new norm might likely be dorm like studios that resemble a 20-to-30-plus foot animal kennel with built in furniture. It’s likely the bathroom and kitchen will be a shared facility.  Pretty attractive, yea?

This latest, planned fiasco has become fodder for those running for office in Council District 3, except for Stephen Whitburn, who seems to think that it’s best to stay quiet on the subject. (He does appear to share Gloria’s vision and mission for Sardine Town San Diego.) 

As you might expect, I am not at all happy about the mayor’s lack of intelligence that seems to demonstrate that he will build out Uptown at any cost.  Forget the residents. Forget quality of life. Forget Uptown residents with the infrastructure to support this behemoth plan, which is to build out every livable space upwards and sideways. 

Obviously, infrastructure, based on Gloria’s plan, isn’t necessary. Who needs grocery stores?  Who needs police and fire departments? Who needs roadways to get from one part of Uptown to the other? Who needs parks and open space? Who needs sewer systems, electricity, the basics to survive? According to Gloria, we don’t need it…and we won’t get it.

Somehow, according to Gloria, it will take care of itself. 

Insanity at city hall is what many of us are calling this.  And it all falls on one person: Todd Gloria, who runs this city like a dictator.

By the way, I am not alone with my impression of Gloria.

Recently I spoke to Bill Walton about his impression of Gloria. As we all know Walton is our local sports celebrity who has earned national and international recognition and respect. Walton has been extremely generous to lots of non-profit organizations, including those who serve the homeless population.  As you will learn, he is not complimentary of Gloria, especially as it relates to the homeless population and crime and deterioration of quality of life for San Diegans.

“Todd Gloria has demonstrated that he is a stubborn, self-centered, egotistical, self-promoting career politician who lacks accountability, never takes responsibility, and is cruel and inhumane. He lets people live and die on the streets. 

“Todd Gloria’s press releases, announcements, and fundraising messages defy credulity, credibility, integrity and common sense, to say nothing of common decency. 

“He regularly claims that things are getting better, while the actual numbers are the exact opposite.

“Fact is, we have more homeless people than ever, every month, while never really increasing the numbers of shelter beds, that he is supposed to provide to people in need, and certainly not to the necessary scale. 

“Most recently, Todd Gloria heralded a dramatic reduction in crime in San Diego, failing to mention that our valued but understaffed, overworked, and underpaid SDPD is not able to enforce the law per Todd Gloria’s direct commands. The courts, judges, and DAs don’t prosecute crimes, again per Todd Gloria’s direct commands. There must be no crime. Franz Kafka and George Orwell would have a field day with this scenario.”  

About density and the drive to add more units to Uptown San Diego, Kate Callen, who is running for the Council 3 District seat, offered her comments, “Historic preservation will be phased out, especially if Mayor Gloria succeeds in weakening the City’s historic resources ordinance.

“In theory, the amendment will only impact Hillcrest. But if it becomes part of the larger Uptown Plan, surrounding neighborhoods like Mission Hills will be vulnerable.

“Uptown Planners is expected to advise against the amendment’s adoption. But board members do not expect the city to listen. As one member said, “This is a developer land grab, enabled by the mayor.”

If you also ask the people on the streets, our neighbors, they are in total disbelief that this is happening. The homeless population continues to grow.  Crime isn’t being reported because stealing anything less than $1,000 won’t get you arrested. Yet, I see crime reports regularly that show crime is on the rise, especially aggravated assaults.

It is very worrisome that we have a mayor who has gone deaf to the concerns of his constituents throughout the city of San Diego who are voicing their concerns about his desire and “master plan” to turn San Diego into New York or Los Angeles. 

As one resident of Mission Hills stated at a recent town council meeting, “I left Los Angeles to have a quality of life for my family, and now the mayor’s decided to destroy everything good about our neighborhood. What gives him the right to do this? I will not be silenced.”

It’s time to speak up and stop Uptown from becoming Sardine Town. 

Category: feature, Government, Historical, Homeless, Housing, Local News, Sustainability