ALL RIGHT. OH THAT IS LOUD.
ALRIGHT. PERFECT. GOOD MORNING
EVERYONE. I'M GOING TO GAVEL
DOWN HERE AND WELCOME YOU ALL TO
OUR LEGISLATIVE HEARING OF THE
SELECT COMMITTEE ON CALIFORNIA'S
DOWNTOWN RECOVERY, MY NAME IS
MATT HANEY. I SERVE AS CHAIR OF
THIS SELECT COMMITTEE, AND
TODAY'S HEARING IS GOING TO BE
FOCUSED SPECIFICALLY ON SAN
DIEGO'S EXPERIENCE OF RECOVERY
POST-PANDEMIC. ITS ECONOMIC,
REVIVAL AND ITS OPPORTUNITIES IN
PARTICULAR, TO GROW AND DEVELOP
THROUGH THE ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT
AND CULTURE. FITTINGLY, WE ARE
HOSTING THE HEARING TODAY IN SAN
DIEGO'S GASLAMP QUARTER, WHICH
IS HOME TO THE CITY'S FAMOUS AND
VIBRANT ENTERTAINMENT AND
CULTURAL DISTRICT. THE GASLAMP
QUARTER SERVES AS A MODEL FOR
DRIVING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN
OTHER MAJOR CITIES. ONCE A
DISTRICT LITERALLY LIT BY GAS IN
THE CENTER OF SAN DIEGO. THE
REDEVELOPMENT ERA OF THE 1980S
AND 90S BROUGHT INVESTMENT TO AN
AREA DEDICATED TO
ENTREPRENEURSHIP, CULTURE AND
NIGHTLIFE. I WANT TO GIVE A
SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO OUR VENUE
HOSTS TODAY. THE BALBOA THEATER.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS, THE
BALBOA THEATER HAS BEEN HERE
SINCE 1924 AND HAS SERVED AS A
CULTURAL ANCHOR TO DOWNTOWN SAN
DIEGO FOR THE PAST CENTURY. WE
FORMED THIS SELECT COMMITTEE
WITH A CORE QUESTION WHAT CAN
WE, AS POLICYMAKERS DO TO HELP,
DO TO HELP CALIFORNIA'S
DOWNTOWNS RECOVER IN THE
AFTERMATH OF THE PANDEMIC?
ACROSS THE STATE, CITIES ARE
STRUGGLING TO BRING BACK THE
CORE OF THEIR WORKFORCE TO
DOWNTOWN OFFICE BUILDINGS,
LEADING TO DRAMATICALLY HIGH
LEVELS OF OFFICE VACANCIES AND
LOW 9 TO 5 FOOT TRAFFIC. WHAT
WE'VE LEARNED ACROSS THE STATE
FROM MEETING WITH LEADERS,
BUSINESS LEADERS, LOCAL
GOVERNMENT LEADERS AND WATCHING
WHAT IS HAPPENING OVER THE PAST
FEW YEARS IS THAT WHEN CITIES
CHOOSE TO BRING PEOPLE, CULTURAL
EVENTS AND EXPERIENCES DOWNTOWN,
THEY RECOVER FASTER. SAN DIEGO,
IN MANY WAYS, HAS STOOD OUT AS A
LEADER IN RESILIENCE AMONG
CALIFORNIA CITIES BECAUSE IT HAS
MADE A CONSCIOUS CHOICE TO
CREATE A DOWNTOWN THAT CENTERS
AROUND HOSPITALITY, TOURISM AND
PEOPLE. MEMBERS WE NEED TO
COMPLETELY REIMAGINE AND REBRAND
OUR CITIES. WE KNOW THAT THE
EMPTY OFFICE BUILDING ISSUE
ISN'T GOING AWAY ANYTIME SOON,
AS MANY WORKERS HAVE HYBRID
SCHEDULES POST-PANDEMIC, AND WE
NEED TO CONSIDER POLICIES THAT
PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF MIXED
USE BUILDINGS, SUPPORT SMALL
BUSINESSES IN DOWNTOWN
CORRIDORS, AND WELCOME THE
RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS WHO WANT
TO EXPERIENCE A CITY'S UNIQUE
HISTORY AND CULTURE. THAT TYPE
OF PLANNING SHOULDN'T BE UNIQUE
TO SAN DIEGO. THESE ARE
DECISIONS THAT CAN HAPPEN ACROSS
CALIFORNIA. OUR JOB TODAY IS TO
LISTEN TO TODAY'S PANELISTS TO
UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN DEVELOP
POLICIES THAT CREATE DOWNTOWNS,
THAT PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE NEAR,
VISIT, AND ENJOY. I BELIEVE OUR
PANELISTS TODAY WILL BE ABLE TO
PROVIDE SOME INSIGHTS TO US AND
TO HOW WE CAN HAVE STRONG
DOWNTOWNS THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA.
I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT ONE OF
THE REASONS WHY WE'RE HERE IS
BECAUSE SAN DIEGO IS DOING WELL
IN SOME WAYS THAT OTHER CITIES
AND OUR STATE CAN LEARN FROM.
BUT WE'RE ALSO FULLY COGNIZANT
THAT SAN DIEGO ALSO IS
EXPERIENCING MANY OF THE SAME
CHALLENGES THAT OTHER CITIES
ACROSS THE STATE ARE.
HOMELESSNESS, MENTAL ILLNESS.
PUBLIC SAFETY CHALLENGES, VACANT
OFFICE BUILDINGS AS WELL. AND SO
OUR JOB IS TO LEARN FROM WHAT IS
HAPPENING HERE AND THE
OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU ALL ARE
PURSUING, BUT ALSO HOW WE AS
STATE POLICYMAKERS CAN SUPPORT
YOUR RECOVERY AND CONFRONT THE
CHALLENGES THAT YOU'RE FACING.
WE HAVE THREE PANELS TODAY.
WITNESSES OF EACH PANEL WILL
COME UP TOGETHER AND PROVIDE
THEIR TESTIMONY BY ORDER OF
INTRODUCTION. AFTER EACH WITNESS
HAS TESTIFIED, THE MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE MAY ASK THAT PANEL
QUESTIONS OR TAKE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE ANY REMARKS.
AT THE END OF THE HEARING, THERE
WILL BE OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT AND INDIVIDUALS IN THE
HEARING ROOM. A PUBLIC COMMENT
WILL BE LIMITED TO SECONDS PER
PERSON AND WE ARE NOT ACCEPTING
PUBLIC COMMENT OVER THE PHONE
TODAY. BUT YOU CAN SUBMIT
WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO THE
COMMITTEE AT ASSEMBLYMEMBER
HANEY AT ASSEMBLY CA.GOV. THE
EMAIL IS ALSO ON OUR WEBSITE.
BEFORE I INTRODUCE THE FIRST
PANEL, I WANT TO GIVE MY
COLLEAGUES AN OPPORTUNITY TO
MAKE ANY OPENING REMARKS AS
WELL. I ALSO VERY MUCH WANT TO
THANK THE SAN DIEGO DELEGATION
FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE, FOR
HOSTING US, AND FOR THEIR
PARTNERSHIP IN CONFRONTING THE
BIG CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE
FACING. YOU HAVE AN
EXTRAORDINARY SET OF LEGISLATORS
REPRESENTING SAN DIEGO, AND THEY
HAVE BEEN STEADFAST IN THEIR
DETERMINATION TO SUPPORT SAN
DIEGO'S DOWNTOWN AND THE VARIOUS
POLICIES THAT WE NEED TO MAKE IN
ORDER TO RECOVER FULLY
STATEWIDE. SO AS A SAN
FRANCISCAN, I'M GRATEFUL TO BE
HERE. I REPRESENT DOWNTOWN SAN
FRANCISCO, AND TO BE ABLE TO
PARTNER WITH YOU ALL ON ON ALL
OF THESE ISSUES IS SOMETHING
THAT I THINK IS GOING TO BEAR
FRUIT AND FOR, FOR, FOR BOTH OF
OUR CITIES. SO WITH THAT, I WILL
OPEN IT UP TO ANY OF MY
COLLEAGUES. IF YOU WANT TO MAKE
ANY INTRODUCTORY REMARKS AS
WELL. AND THEN WE WILL GET
STARTED. YEAH. MISTER ROBERTS.
THANK YOU, MISTER HANEY, AND
GOOD MORNING TO EVERYBODY. IT'S
GREAT TO BE IN THIS BUILDING
AGAIN. IT'S ACTUALLY I WAS JUST
HERE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO FOR A
PERFORMANCE, BUT, IT'S ALWAYS
WONDERFUL TO BE AT THE BALBOA
THEATER AND AMONG AMONG YOU ALL
WHO WHO CARE SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT
IS HAPPENING IN SAN DIEGO AND
CERTAINLY DOWNTOWN. I AM
ASSEMBLYMEMBER DAVID ALVAREZ. I
REPRESENT JUST, LITERALLY A
STONE'S THROW AWAY FROM
DOWNTOWN, HEADING SOUTH ALL THE
WAY TO THE BORDER WITH MEXICO,
REPRESENTING THE CITIES OF CHULA
VISTA, NATIONAL CITY, SAN DIEGO,
AND IMPERIAL BEACH. AND REALLY
AN HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY TO
TALK ABOUT THIS, SOME OF YOU WHO
HAVE FOLLOWED ME PRIOR ON THE
CITY COUNCIL, MIGHT REMEMBER
SOME OF THE, STATEMENTS I'VE
MADE IN THE PAST ABOUT OUR
DOWNTOWN, SOMETIMES I THINK
THEY'VE BEEN MISCONSTRUED, BUT I
THINK THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY
TO TALK ABOUT WHY DOWNTOWNS
MATTER TO PEOPLE WHO REPRESENT
AREAS OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN,
BECAUSE THEY DO MATTER, THE
DIVISION OF NEIGHBORHOODS OR OF
DISTRICTS OR ANY OF THAT IS JUST
ON PAPER WHAT OUR COMMUNITY DOES
IS THEY INTEGRATE INTO OUR
REGION. AND DOWNTOWNS ARE AN
IMPORTANT PART OF THE
INTEGRATION OF A COMMUNITY AND
OF SOCIETY. AND IF SAN DIEGO IS
TO BE SUCCESSFUL, IT MUST HAVE A
SUCCESSFUL DOWNTOWN, JUST LIKE
EVERY OTHER CITY, BUT THAT ALSO
MEANS HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT AND
HOW DO WE INTENTIONALLY CREATE
THOSE LINKS WITH OUR COMMUNITIES
THAT ARE ADJACENT TO DOWNTOWN
AND WHETHER IT'S TO THE TO THE
NORTH OR TO THE WEST, OR IN MY
CASE, TO THE SOUTH, THAT ALL
REALLY, REALLY MATTERS. AND SO I
THINK WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHAT
WORK REMAINS TO BE DONE AND THAT
HOPEFULLY THOSE OF US AT THE
STATE COULD HELP SUPPORT, YOU
KNOW, IN THE LAST TWO
LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS, I'VE BEEN
RAISING THE ISSUE OF
REDEVELOPMENT. I WAS ON THE CITY
COUNCIL WHEN WE HAD IT, THE
HIGHEST NUMBER OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING UNITS BUILT BECAUSE OF
IT, NOT JUST IN DOWNTOWN, BUT IN
THE AREAS THAT WERE PROJECT
AREAS JUST OUTSIDE DOWNTOWN,
LIKE BARRIO LOGAN, AND WE'VE
SEEN THOSE DOLLARS DRIED UP. WE
SAW WHAT HAPPENED AFTER 2012,
AND THE MAYOR, GLORIA AND I WERE
BOTH ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND HOW
WE LOST THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE,
THE ONLY REAL SUCCESSFUL TOOL.
WE HAD TO DO THAT. AND YET, IN
SPITE OF THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE
SEEN SOME PROGRESS MADE IN IN
HERE IN DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO. BUT
I STILL THINK THAT'S A TOOL THAT
WE NEED TO REVISIT. WE CURRENTLY
WITHOUT, REALLY TRYING TO IN ANY
WAY TRY TO CAST ANY BLAME ON
THIS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE SORT OF
STATEWIDE CONSENSUS OR MUCH LESS
LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE. AND I
HOPE THAT PART OF THESE
CONVERSATIONS CAN CAN LEAD US TO
THAT. AND A NEW A NEW VERSION OF
REDEVELOPMENT THAT ALLOWS US TO
MAKE SURE WE INVEST IN OUR
DOWNTOWNS, BUT THAT WE ALSO USE
THAT TOOL AND THE SUCCESS OF
THAT IT CREATES IN DOWNTOWN TO
HELP SUPPORT AND GROW AND CREATE
OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE OF
DOWNTOWN. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD
TO TODAY'S CONVERSATION. I'M
REALLY, LOOKING FORWARD TO
GETTING IDEAS. I THINK THAT'S
WHAT THESE SELECT COMMITTEES ARE
ABOUT. YOU YOU ARE THE
PRACTITIONERS. YOU ARE ON THE
GROUND. CERTAINLY OUR MAYOR IS
WORKING HARD ON MANY ISSUES. AND
SO I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE,
WHAT WE CAN ALL SOMETIMES DO
BEST IS JUST HOW DO WE GET OUT
OF THE WAY AS STATE GOVERNMENT
AND IN THE RULES AND THE
POLICIES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE
THAT GET IN THE WAY OF THE
INNOVATION AND THE WORK THAT
NEEDS TO HAPPEN LOCALLY. SO I'M
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE
CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. MR.
CHAIR. THANK YOU MISS. THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND I'LL START
BY JUST SAYING THAT I WANT TO
DITTO, SOME OF THE SENTIMENTS ON
REDEVELOPMENT, MY NAME IS JOSH
COLLIER. I REPRESENT SAN JOSE,
INCLUDING DOWNTOWN SAN JOSE, AND
I THINK WE SAW SOME OF THE SAME
THINGS, THAT OCCURRED IN
DOWNTOWN SAN JOSE, AND
THROUGHOUT SAN JOSE IN TERMS OF
HOUSING PRODUCTION. WHEN WE HAD
THOSE REDEVELOPMENT RESOURCES.
AND BUT, YOU KNOW, TO TALK MORE
BROADLY ABOUT DOWNTOWNS, I
THINK, YOU KNOW, I WAS AT A
RIBBON CUTTING YESTERDAY IN
DOWNTOWN SAN JOSE WHERE WE JUST,
ACTUALLY TODAY, 700 STUDENTS ARE
GOING TO BE MOVING INTO FROM SAN
JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY, INTO
DOWNTOWN SAN JOSE, INTO A TOWER
THAT WAS PART OF THE FAIRMONT
HOTEL AND SAN JOSE STATE
UNIVERSITY BOUGHT IT FROM THEM,
IN ORDER TO HOUSE STUDENTS IN A
VERY CREATIVE KIND OF WAY THAT
REALLY HASN'T BEEN SEEN BEFORE,
AND THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF
THINGS THAT I'M EXCITED TO LEARN
ABOUT, AND EXCHANGING IDEAS. I
THINK IS, SUMMER HANEY ALLUDED
TO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE RECOVERY,
I THINK THAT THERE'S A GENERAL
CONSENSUS THAT SAN DIEGO HAS
DONE A GOOD JOB AND HAS DONE
WELL COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC,
EVEN WITH SOME OF THE CHALLENGES
THAT ALL BIG CITIES ARE FACING.
AND SO PART OF PART OF WHAT I'M
INTERESTED IN LEARNING ABOUT
LISTENING FROM THE MAYOR
BUSINESS LEADERS, ARTS AND
CULTURAL LEADERS, IS IN THIS NEW
WORLD WHERE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO
HAVE NECESSARILY AS MANY PEOPLE
IN THE OFFICE, HOW DO YOU
ATTRACT PEOPLE IN THE DOWNTOWN,
NOT JUST FROM OUT OF TOWN, BUT
FROM THE METROPOLITAN AREA? GIVE
THEM REASONS TO COME INTO
DOWNTOWN WITH ARTS, WITH
CULTURE, WITH ENTERTAINMENT,
WITH OTHER AVENUES, FOR, FOR,
FOR FAMILIES TO ENJOY THEMSELVES
IN THE DOWNTOWN. AND SO I THINK
THAT SAN DIEGO CAN DEFINITELY
SHARE A SHARE WITH MANY OF US
THROUGHOUT THE STATE. EXAMPLES
OF HOW YOU DO IT. RIGHT. AND I'M
HOPEFUL THAT THESE COLLECTIVE
CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'LL BE
HAVING AROUND THE STATE WILL
ALLOW ALL OF US TO KIND OF HAVE
THIS INTERCONNECTEDNESS WITH OUR
DOWNTOWNS SO THAT WE CAN
CONTINUE TO SEE THEM THRIVE.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. THANK
YOU. CHAIR. MY NAME IS DOCTOR
KAELA WEBER. I AM THE ASSEMBLY
MEMBER THAT REPRESENTS THE 79TH
ASSEMBLY DISTRICT, WHICH COVERS
PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST SAN DIEGO.
AND THE CITIES OF LEMON GROVE,
LA MESA, PARTS OF EL CAJON, AND
THE UNINCORPORATED AREA OF
SPRING VALLEY. SO JUST THE
EASTERN PORTION OF SAN DIEGO
COUNTY. AND FIRST, I WANT TO
THANK, CHAIR HANEY FOR COMING TO
SAN DIEGO AND HAVING THIS
HEARING HERE. I'M ALWAYS
DELIGHTED WHEN WE CAN HAVE
CONVERSATIONS FROM THE STATE
HERE AND HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE
THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING DOWN
HERE IN SAN DIEGO. SOMETIMES
PEOPLE FORGET THAT THERE'S A
CITY SOUTH OF LOS ANGELES, SO
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING,
YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY WANT TO
ECHO WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE
ALREADY STATED. SO I WON'T
REITERATE THOSE. BUT, YOU KNOW,
HAVING A, A, A STRONG DOWNTOWN,
A ONE THAT, RECRUITS INDIVIDUALS
TO THE ENTIRE AREA IS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT. SO JUST BECAUSE I
DON'T NECESSARILY REPRESENT THIS
AREA RIGHT NOW, THE PEOPLE THAT
I REPRESENT WORK HERE. THEY COME
HERE FOR PLAYS, THEY COME HERE
TO RELAX. THEY COME HERE TO EAT.
AND IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
THAT YOU HAVE A VERY STRONG
DOWNTOWN TO HAVE A VERY STRONG
REGION. AND SO I'M VERY MUCH
LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS
CONVERSATION TO HEAR ABOUT ALL
OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT WE
HAVE DONE, BUT ALSO SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES THAT WE CONTINUE TO
FACE AND HOW WE AS A STATE, CAN
SOMETIMES GET OUT OF THE WAY,
BUT ALSO WORK AS A PARTNER TO
IMPROVE THOSE THINGS. BECAUSE
ONCE WE IMPROVE THOSE THINGS, WE
NOT ONLY IMPROVE IT FOR DOWNTOWN
SAN DIEGO, BUT WE IMPROVE IT FOR
THE ENTIRE SAN DIEGO REGION,
WHICH IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO
ALL OF US THAT REPRESENT ANY
PART OF THIS REGION. SO ONCE
AGAIN, THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER HANEY FOR HAVING US HERE.
AND I AM VERY MUCH LOOKING
FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION
TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND
AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO MY
COLLEAGUES, YOU KNOW, SOME OF
THEM RECALL WERE COMING DOWN
FROM SAN JOSE AND, TO BE HOSTED
HERE BY ASSEMBLY MEMBERS ALVAREZ
AND WEBER. IT'S A GREAT HONOR.
WE ARE HERE BECAUSE WE LOVE SAN
DIEGO. AND WHAT IS HAPPENING
HERE IS IMPRESSIVE IN MANY WAYS
AS WE TOUR THE STATE AND
DIFFERENT, AND WE WANT TO LEARN
FROM IT, BUT ALSO BECAUSE
THERE'S A VISION AND A LOT OF
OPPORTUNITIES HERE THAT WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE THE STATE IS
SUPPORTIVE OF. AND I WILL ALSO
SAY, AND WE CAN SETTLE THIS
DEBATE RIGHT NOW, SAN DIEGO DOES
HAVE THE BEST TACOS OF ANYWHERE
IN THE STATE. THERE'S NO
QUESTION ABOUT THAT, AND SO, WE
ARE FANS OF SAN DIEGO AND
EXCITED TO BE HERE, WITH THAT, I
WANT TO, WELCOME UP OUR FIRST
PANEL, WHICH IS FOCUSING ON THE
SAN DIEGO STRATEGY FOR A
THRIVING POST-COVID DOWNTOWN. WE
ARE SO GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO
HAVE MAYOR TODD GLORIA HERE WITH
US. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR
TIME AND ALSO FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP. WE KNOW THAT MANY OF
THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING
HERE ARE BECAUSE OF YOUR OWN
COMMITMENT AND VISION FOR THIS
CITY. AND YOU HAVE, I THINK,
SOME OF YOUR FORMER COLLEAGUES
UP HERE. SO HAVING THAT LOCAL
AND STATE EXPERIENCE IS SO
IMPORTANT TO HELP US UNDERSTAND
HOW WE CAN BE HELPFUL AND
SUPPORTIVE OF THE WORK THAT
YOU'RE DOING. AND BETSY BRENNAN,
WHO'S THE CEO AND PRESIDENT OF
DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO PARTNERSHIP,
JUST AN EXTRAORDINARY, VISION
AND, AND, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO
CONNECT ON, ON, ON MANY
OCCASIONS AND SPENDING TIME WITH
THEM THIS MORNING, WE KNOW THAT
YOU ARE INSTRUMENTAL TO
EVERYTHING THAT IS HAPPENING IN
THIS CITY AND IN DOWNTOWN. AND
WE WANT TO THANK YOU ALSO FOR
HELPING US WITH THIS, THIS
HEARING. WE REALLY DID THIS IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DOWNTOWN
SAN DIEGO PARTNERSHIP. SO THANK
YOU ALL. THANK YOU BOTH FOR
BEING HERE. AND I'LL TURN IT
OVER TO YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, AND THANK YOU
FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU
TO YOUR COLLEAGUES. TWO OF OUR
GREAT LOCAL ASSEMBLY MEMBERS AND
OUR, GREAT TO SEE EVERYONE HERE,
LET ME JUST SAY THAT YOU HAVE
INCREDIBLE TASTE CHOOSING THE
BALBOA THEATER, SOME OF YOU MAY
KNOW, OR I SHOULD SHARE WITH
YOU. THIS IS THE 100TH
ANNIVERSARY OF THIS THEATER, AND
GETTING BACK TO SOME OF MEMBER
ALVAREZ'S COMMENTS THAT WOULD
NOT STILL BE HERE IF IT WASN'T
FOR REDEVELOPMENT, AND FORGIVE
ME IF I HAVE A FEW FLASHBACKS
WHILE SITTING HERE. THIS IS
WHERE I DO OUR STATE OF THE CITY
ADDRESS, SO IT'S A LITTLE ODD TO
BE HERE, AND NOT HAVE THE FULL
RESPONSIBILITY. SO I'M GRATEFUL
BETSY IS HERE TO DO THIS AS A
TAG TEAM. AND I REALLY
APPRECIATE THE CHANCE TO TALK
ABOUT OUR DOWNTOWN, OF WHICH I'M
EXTREMELY PROUD OF, AND MAYBE
TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HIT A
COUPLE OF KEY ISSUES THAT I'D
LIKE THE PANEL TO KNOW ABOUT. AS
YOU CONSIDER POLICY MAKING IN
SACRAMENTO. MAYBE OFF THE TOP.
LET ME JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR
YOUR COLLECTIVE LEADERSHIP ON A
NUMBER OF THINGS THAT HAVE
HELPED MAKE THIS POSSIBLE, A LOT
OF THE THINGS HERE WOULD NOT BE
HAPPENING WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF
DIRECT STATE INVESTMENT, STATE
POLICYMAKING, ETC. AND SO I
THINK THAT'S WHY YOU'RE HERE, TO
FIND OUT WHAT'S WORKING AND
PERHAPS WHAT MORE YOU CAN DO.
AND I'M ABSOLUTELY HAPPY TO
SHARE FOR SOME LEVEL SETTING, I
THINK THE BENEFIT OF OUR
DOWNTOWN AND THE SUCCESS OF IT
HAS BEEN THAT WE HAVE HAD A
BALANCE HERE, YOU KNOW, I
RECOGNIZE FOR A LOT OF
DOWNTOWNS, IT'S THE PLACE YOU GO
TO WORK DURING THE DAY AND THEN
YOU LEAVE IT AT NIGHT. SOME OF
THE KEY CULTURAL AND OTHER
VENUES ARE NOT NECESSARILY IN
DOWNTOWN. WHAT WE HAVE CHOSEN TO
DO OVER MANY DECADES IS TO
CONCENTRATE REALLY A BALANCE OF
HOUSING, JOBS, CULTURAL
AMENITIES AND HOTEL, RETAIL,
NIGHTLIFE IN OUR DOWNTOWN,
CREATING A MORE OF A 24 OVER
SEVEN, CITY IN THIS LOCATION
THAT SEEMED FINE BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC, BUT I THINK IN THE
AFTERMATH OF IT, UNDERSTANDING
WHY THIS DOWNTOWN REBOUNDED
FASTER THAN OTHERS, MORE
COMPLETELY THAN OTHERS, IS TO DO
WITH THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, IT
WASN'T THAT PEOPLE ALL VACATED
DOWNTOWN DURING THE PANDEMIC.
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, MYSELF
INCLUDED, LIVE IN DOWNTOWN, THIS
IS OUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT IS A
GOOD BASE FROM WHICH TO START AS
FOLKS RETURN TO WORK AS VENUES
REOPENED. AND AS WE GOT BACK TO
SOME LEVEL OF NORMALCY, I WILL
SAY THAT IT ALSO HELPED THAT WE
OPENED A WORLD CLASS VENUE LIKE
THE SHELL, THE RADY SHELL IN
DOWNTOWN, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO
HAVE NOT SEEN IT, PLEASE GO DO
YOURSELF A FAVOR, LITTLE MAYORAL
DIRECTION. GET OVER THERE AND
SEE IT, MY STAFF HAS TOLD ME TO
CALL IT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL OF
SAN DIEGO. WE DON'T DEFINE
OURSELVES AS LÀ AROUND HERE, SO
I'LL SIMPLY SAY IT'S LIKE, THE
SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE OF SAN DIEGO
OUTDOOR VENUE. INCREDIBLE EVENTS
THAT ARE THERE THAT OPENED
ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE
REOPENING OF THE ECONOMY. IT HAS
BEEN A HOME RUN, AND IN MANY
WAYS I THINK OF IT AS LIKE A
GIFT TO OUR COMMUNITY AFTER THE
DISASTER OF COVID 19, TO REALLY
WELCOME PEOPLE BACK. FUNNILY
ENOUGH, IN AN OUTDOOR SETTING
RIGHT ON OUR WATERFRONT. AND I
THINK I SHARE THAT NOT JUST
BECAUSE IT'S NOT EXTRAORDINARY.
IT CERTAINLY IS EXTRAORDINARY,
BUT I THINK IT'S EMBLEMATIC OF
WHAT WE TRY TO DO IN DOWNTOWN
HIGH QUALITY DESIGN, INCREDIBLE
PLACEMAKING, WONDERFUL
PROGRAMING, A WORLD CLASS SPACE.
IT HAS INVITED PEOPLE BACK DOWN
TO DOWNTOWN AND HAS HELPED WITH
THE RESURGENCE. SO I WANT TO HIT
FOUR KEY ISSUES AND THEN YOU'LL
HEAR FROM OUR INCREDIBLE
PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE
DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO PARTNERSHIP,
BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU
SOMETHING YOU ALREADY KNOW,
WHICH IS THAT HOUSING IS KEY TO
EVERYTHING. AND I WANT TO LET
YOU KNOW THAT THANKS TO A LOT OF
LEADERSHIP AT THE STATE LEVEL,
NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS THINGS
LIKE YOUR PRO HOUSING POLICY,
PRO HOUSING CITY DESIGNATION, OF
WHICH SAN DIEGO WAS THE FIRST
BIG CITY IN THE STATE TO GET
THAT DESIGNATION. WE HAVE TRIED
TO CONCENTRATE WELL, BUILD
HOUSING, REALLY IN EVERY
COMMUNITY, BUT IN DOWNTOWN IT
HAS BEEN A DRIVER FOR CHANGE.
FUN FACTS FOR YOU TO KNOW.
BETWEEN 2022 AND 2023, THE CITY
OF SAN DIEGO DOUBLED THE TOTAL
NUMBER OF HOMES PERMITTED IN OUR
CITY FROM ABOUT 5000 TO JUST
BELOW 10,000. THOSE ARE
PERMANENT. SO THOSE ARE UNDER
CONSTRUCTION OR WILL BE VERY,
VERY SOON. WE'VE TRIPLED THE
NUMBER OF ACCESSORY DWELLING
UNITS IN OUR CITY, ALSO KNOWN AS
GRANNY FLATS. AGAIN, A LOT OF
STATE LEADERSHIP ON THE
PRODUCTION OF ADUS. WE TRY TO
TAKE WHAT THE STATE HAS DONE AND
RAISE THE ANTE TO DO EVEN MORE.
WE ARE NOW HELD UP AS A NATIONAL
EXAMPLE OF HOW TO DO THAT. GOOD
NEWS ON THOSE NATURALLY
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. NO PUBLIC
SUBSIDY, JUST ALLOWING THE
PERMITTING TO HAPPEN. THAT'S
CREATING A LOT OF WORKING AND
MIDDLE CLASS HOUSING THAT
OTHERWISE WOULD NOT EXIST IN OUR
CITY. WE'VE QUADRUPLED THE
NUMBER OF INCOME RESTRICTED
AFFORDABLE HOMES PERMITTED IN
THE CITY, AND WE'VE PERMITTED
EIGHT TIMES THE NUMBER OF
TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENTS
UNDER OUR COMPLETE COMMUNITIES
PROGRAM. FUNNILY ENOUGH,
AUTHORIZED UNDER A BILL THAT
SOME OF YOU VOTED FOR WHEN I WAS
IN THE LEGISLATURE. AND IS
PAYING DIVIDENDS AND HOPEFULLY
CAN BE REPLICATED IN OTHER PARTS
OF CALIFORNIA, I'D LIKE TO SAY
THAT THE OFFICIAL BIRD OF SAN
DIEGO IS THE CRANE, AND THAT IS
TRUE IN DOWNTOWN, BUT IT'S ALSO
TRUE IN UPTOWN, IN THE
UNIVERSITY CITY AREA, WHERE WE
HAVE A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. THERE ARE
6000 HOMES UNDER CONSTRUCTION OR
IN THE PERMITTING PROCESS IN
DOWNTOWN, WHICH WOULD INCREASE
THE AREA'S HOUSING STOCK BY
ALMOST 18%. THAT'S PRETTY
INCREDIBLE, THIS IS IN ADDITION
TO THE 2,000,000FT² OF OFFICE
SPACE, OVER 600,000FT² OF RETAIL
SPACE, AND MORE THAN 3300 HOTEL
ROOMS THAT ARE EITHER UNDER
CONSTRUCTION OR IN THE
PERMITTING PROCESS IN DOWNTOWN
RIGHT NOW, THAT LEVEL OF
INVESTMENT IS PRETTY REMARKABLE
GIVEN THE CAPITAL MARKETS,
INTEREST RATES, ETC. SAN DIEGO
REALLY IS AN OUTLIER WITH REGARD
TO INVESTMENT. AND AGAIN, I
THINK IT'S A LOT TO DO WITH
GENERATIONS WORTH OF EFFORTS
THAT ARE HERE, AS WELL AS A LOT
OF FOLKS WHO ARE CURRENTLY DOING
THINGS TO MAKE THIS AN
ATTRACTIVE PLACE TO INVEST. SO
HOUSING IS KEY TO ALL OF THIS.
AND I HOPE THAT FOR
JURISDICTIONS THAT ARE HOUSING
HESITANT, THAT THEY GET OVER IT,
GET ON WITH IT. AND NOT ONLY DO
YOU NEED TO HAVE PEOPLE HAVE
HOUSING THAT THEY CAN AFFORD,
BUT IT WILL ACTUALLY ADD TO THE
ECONOMIC VIBRANCY OF YOUR CITY,
NOT SURPRISINGLY, HOMELESSNESS
WOULD BE THE SECOND ISSUE I WANT
TO RAISE WITH YOU ALL TODAY, WE
OF COURSE, BECAUSE OF THE HIGH
HOUSING COSTS, DRIVES
HOMELESSNESS. AND THAT IS THE
TOP CHALLENGE IN SAN DIEGO. IT'S
IN CALIFORNIA. AND I WOULD ARGUE
ACROSS OUR COUNTRY, I'M ACTIVE
IN THE US CONFERENCE OF MAYORS.
THERE'S NO MEETING THAT WE HAVE
THAT DOESN'T CENTER AROUND THE
ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS. I DON'T
CARE IF IT'S A RED STATE, BLUE
STATE, COASTAL, INLAND. WE'RE
ALL DEALING WITH IT AND
CERTAINLY NO EXCEPTION HERE. BUT
THANKS TO THE RESOURCES YOU'VE
PROVIDED US THROUGH THE HAP AND
HOMEKEY AND OTHER PROGRAMS, WE
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DRAMATICALLY
INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF
SHELTERING OFFERS OFFERINGS THAT
WE HAVE IN OUR CITY AND COMBINE
IT WITH ENFORCEMENT THAT HAS
RESULTED IN A SIGNIFICANT
REDUCTION IN ENCAMPMENTS IN
DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO, LAST YEAR,
ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WE PASSED AN
UNSAFE CAMPING ORDINANCE THAT
RESET EXPECTATIONS AFTER THE
PANDEMIC. PROBABLY LIKE YOUR
CITIES. HOURS FOLLOWED, CDC
GUIDANCE. WE DIDN'T CLEAR
ENCAMPMENTS DURING THE PANDEMIC
IN HOPES OF TRYING TO HELP
REDUCE THE PUBLIC HEALTH RISK.
ONCE THAT WAS REMOVED, WE LOST
SIGHT. I THINK OF WHAT OUR
EXPECTATIONS WERE OF REALLY
EVERYBODY HOUSED AND UNHOUSED IN
OUR DOWNTOWN, AS WELL AS ACROSS
THE CITY. OUR UNSAFE CAMPING
ORDINANCE HELPED TO RESET THOSE
EXPECTATIONS. IT IS NOT OKAY TO
ENCAMP NEAR SCHOOLS, NEAR PARKS.
WE CANNOT FORCE CHILDREN, THE
DISABLED AND OTHERS TO WALK IN
THE STREET JUST TO GET BY. IN A
NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE DOWNTOWN CITY
COUNCIL ADOPTED THAT AND I WILL
TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR, TO
SHARE WITH THE COMMITTEE THAT
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ENFORCEMENT,
THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO IS NOT IN
ENFORCEMENT, ONLY EFFORT. AT THE
SAME TIME THAT WE PASSED OUR
UNSAFE CAMPING ORDINANCE, WE
ALSO LAUNCHED, WITH THE HELP OF
THE DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO
PARTNERSHIP, OUR CITY'S FIRST
SAFE SLEEPING SITES. TWO
SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENT LOCATIONS
TO TELL PEOPLE THAT YOU MAY NOT
BE HERE AT THIS SCHOOL, BUT YOU
CAN GO OVER HERE AND GET
CONNECTED TO SERVICES. IT'S A
FAR SUPERIOR EXPERIENCE TO BE
ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO HYGIENE,
TO FOOD, TO SERVICES, AND IT HAS
BEEN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL. 86%
OF THE FOLKS IN OUR SAFE
SLEEPING SITES HAVE NEVER
PREVIOUSLY INTERACTED WITH OUR
SHELTER SYSTEM. THIS IS GETTING
PEOPLE WHO ARE NORMALLY KNOWN AS
SERVICE RESISTANT, OR PERHAPS
CHOOSE HOMELESSNESS TO INSTEAD
HAVE AN OPTION THAT'S ATTRACTIVE
TO THEM, GET THEM CONNECTED TO
CARE, AND ON A PATH TO ENDING
THEIR HOMELESSNESS FOR GOOD. SO
WITH YOUR HELP, WE HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO MORE THAN SEVEN INCREASE
BY 70% THE NUMBER OF SHELTER
OFFERINGS IN OUR CITY. I THINK
THAT HAS HELPED WITH OUR
RECOVERY. LET ME STATE VERY
CLEARLY WE ARE NOT WHERE I WANT
US TO BE. THIS IS NOT MISSION
ACCOMPLISHED, BUT I THINK OUR
TREND LINES ARE ENCOURAGING AND
WITH SOME ADDITIONAL HELP, I
THINK WE CAN DO MORE TO MAKE
SURE THAT DOWNTOWN AND EVERY
NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY IS
ATTRACTIVE FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO
COME LIVE, WORK AND PLAY IN
THEM. THAT GETS TO PUBLIC
SAFETY. I WILL SAY THAT
OBVIOUSLY RESPONSIBILITY FIRST
RESPONSIBILITY OF GOVERNMENT IS
TO KEEP US ALL SAFE, THIS IS AN
INTERESTING AND CHALLENGING TIME
TO DO THAT. I THINK FOR THE
REASONS OF SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER, SPECIFICALLY DEADLY
DRUGS LIKE FENTANYL AND TRANQ,
ASSEMBLYMEMBER ALVAREZ AND I
HAVE LONG WORKED IN DOWNTOWN SAN
DIEGO. WE'VE LONG HAD
ENCAMPMENTS IN OTHER ASSOCIATED
QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES, BUT THE
PRESENCE OF THESE DEADLY DRUGS
HAVE BEEN A GAME CHANGER, NOT
JUST IN THE FATALITY, WHICH IS
EVIDENT, BUT IN THE ENCAMPMENTS
THAT WERE ALWAYS SORT OF BEEN
THERE BUT ARE NOW MUCH MORE
PRONOUNCED. AND THE KINDS OF
ACTIVITIES THAT ARE IN THOSE
ENCAMPMENTS, I WOULD TRACE BACK
TO THIS OVER THE PAST THREE
YEARS, WE'VE NEARLY 2400 PEOPLE
IN OUR COUNTY HAVE DIED FROM
FENTANYL OVERDOSE, AND A LOT OF
THAT OCCURS IN OUR DOWNTOWN
AREA. WE HAVE TO DO MORE TO
ADDRESS THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE
FROM ALL MANNERS OF THE
SPECTRUM, FROM SERVICES, DETOX,
REHAB OPPORTUNITIES, AS WELL AS
HOLDING DEALERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR
WHEN THEY PROVIDE THESE DEADLY
DRUGS TO PEOPLE. SO PUBLIC
SAFETY CONTINUES TO BE AN ISSUE,
WE APPRECIATE THE LEADERSHIP ON
SOME OF THE RETAIL THEFT
LEGISLATION THAT I BELIEVE THE
GOVERNOR MAY BE SIGNING TODAY, I
THINK THAT WILL GO A LONG WAY TO
HELPING TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY,
NOT JUST IN DOWNTOWN BUT
ELSEWHERE. THOSE ARE THREE
ISSUES. THE LAST ONE,
INFRASTRUCTURE. REMINDER, WHEN
THEY SAY INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOT
SEXY, THAT IS SIMPLY AN EXCUSE
NOT TO FUND IT, AND I PERSONALLY
THINK IT'S PRETTY DARN IMPORTANT
TO VIBRANT DOWNTOWN. WE HAVE
PRIORITIZED REPAIRING OUR ROADS,
AND PARTICULARLY MAKING THEM
MORE HOSPITABLE TO USERS OF ALL
ABILITIES AND MANNERS SO THAT
YOU CAN GET TO DOWNTOWN BY
WALKING, BIKING, RIDING SAFELY,
TAKING TRANSIT, OR DRIVING. WE
HAVE MADE MORE ROAD INVESTMENTS
THANKS TO THINGS LIKE SENATE
BILL ONE, IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE
DID 321 MILES OF ROADS LAST YEAR,
WHICH IS, A HIGH POINT IN RECENT
HISTORY. WE'RE TAKING THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO REIMAGINE
OUR STREETS. SOME OF YOU MAY
HAVE CHECKED OUT THE FIFTH
AVENUE PROMENADE THROUGH OUR
GASLAMP QUARTER. THAT WAS DONE
AT THE REQUEST OF BUSINESSES WHO
WERE TRYING TO NAVIGATE. THE
PANDEMIC IS NOW A PERMANENT
FEATURE OF OUR DOWNTOWN, AND
THAT'S THE CURRENT LOW COST,
EASY TO IMPLEMENT VERSION THAT
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, A
GRANDER VISION THAT WILL BE MUCH
MORE AKIN TO SOME OF THE MORE,
FAMOUS PROMENADES AROUND THE
WORLD SOON ENOUGH. SO THAT
COUPLED WITH PETCO PARK, THE
CONVENTION CENTER, OUR BAYFRONT,
BALBOA PARK, THE LIST GOES ON
AND ON, WE HAVE AN EMBARRASSMENT
OF RICHES IN SAN DIEGO, AND WITH
YOUR HELP, WE'LL CONTINUE TO
KEEP IT. THAT WAY AND HOPE THAT
WHAT WE PIONEER HERE FROM OUR
PRO HOUSING POLICIES THAT SHOULD
BE REPLICATED IN OTHER CITIES,
TO OUR HOMELESSNESS STRATEGIES,
WHICH SHOULD BE REPLICATED IN
OTHER CITIES, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY
INITIATIVES AND OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT, I
THINK, REPRESENTS A BLUEPRINT
FOR HOW WE CAN HAVE VIBRANT
DOWNTOWNS ALL ACROSS CALIFORNIA.
AND THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO IS
ALWAYS WILLING TO PARTNER WITH
THE LEGISLATURE AND OUR PARTNERS
IN SACRAMENTO TO HELP BE ABLE TO
DO MORE OF THAT. SO THANK YOU
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE
SOME OF THOSE THOUGHTS. MR.
CHAIRMAN. I'LL TURN IT BACK TO
YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR.
MAYOR, AND APPRECIATE YOU LAYING
OUT THAT VISION. I'M SURE THERE
WAS SOME OF THAT THAT WAS IN
YOUR YOUR STATE OF THE CITY
SPEECH. IT'S VERY COMPELLING AND
WE APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR
PARTNERSHIP AND SOME OF THE
AREAS THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO
WORK ON TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT
YOU. I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER
NOW TO BETSY AND THEN WE'LL HAVE
A BIT OF A DIALOG AFTER YOUR
PRESENTATION. WELL THANK YOU SO
MUCH, CHAIR HANEY AND MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE. AND THANK YOU,
MAYOR GLORIA. THE CITY HAS BEEN
AN AMAZING PARTNER WITH MAYOR
GLORIA, LEADING LEADING THOSE
EFFORTS. I'M BETSY BRENNAN, AND
I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF SERVING
AS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE
DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO PARTNERSHIP
FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS. FOR
THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, THE
DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO PARTNERSHIP
IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT
SERVES AS THE PRINCIPAL VOICE
AND DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND CULTURAL
VITALITY OF DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO.
WE ALSO SERVE AS THE MANAGING
ORGANIZATION FOR THE PROPERTY
IMPROVEMENT. THE PROPERTY AND
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT,
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS CLEAN AND
SAFE. FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS,
THIS CLEAN AND SAFE PROGRAM HAS
PROVIDED ENHANCED SERVICES LIKE
PRESSURE WASHING, LANDSCAPING,
TRASH PICKUP, SECURITY
BEAUTIFICATION AND UNHOUSED CARE
TO OUR RATEPAYERS. IN THE 275
BLOCKS OF DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO.
AND THROUGHOUT THAT TIME, WE'VE
WORKED VERY, VERY CLOSELY WITH
THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO BECAUSE WE
ARE DOING THE ENHANCED SERVICES
WHILE THEY CONTINUE TO DO THE
WONDERFUL BASELINE SERVICES. WE
ALSO ARE AN ADVOCACY
ORGANIZATION AND OUR PROUD
MEMBERS OF THE CALIFORNIA
DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION, AND WE
SUPPORT POLICIES THAT ALIGN WITH
OUR STRATEGIC GOALS FOR
DOWNTOWN. AND THAT THAT
ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN WONDERFUL
TO SORT OF UNITE POLICIES ACROSS
THE STATE SO WE CAN TALK TO OUR
LEGISLATURE IN A MORE UNIFIED
WAY. WE ALSO ARE ADEPT AT
NAVIGATING PUBLIC POLICY
DISCUSSIONS AT THE CITY AND THE
COUNTY, WHERE WE NEED TO CHANGE
POLICIES TO BENEFIT THE PUBLIC
REALM. THINGS LIKE BIKE LANES,
MOBILITY, PANDEMIC, EVOLUTION OF
STREET DINING, AMONG MANY OTHER
THINGS. AND IT IS OUR HOPE THAT
THIS WORK HELPS CREATE A VIBRANT
AND DYNAMIC DOWNTOWN THAT
INSPIRES INNOVATION, CREATIVITY,
AND A SENSE OF BELONGING. WE
WANT A SENSE OF BELONGING FOR
ALL SAN DIEGANS. THIS IS YOUR
DOWNTOWN AND WE ARE BUILDING
THAT VISION WITH YOU. AND FOR
YOU. AND THIS IS A PLACE THAT
DEEPENS OUR SENSE OF COMMUNITY
AND INSPIRES AN EXCHANGE OF
IDEAS. AND AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO
TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK OUR
LEGISLATURE AND OUR AND OUR
COUNCIL MEMBER, WHITBURN. HE IS
OUR DOWNTOWN COUNCIL MEMBER AND
ALSO THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL AND
MAYOR BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN
WITH US AS WE'VE TRIED THESE
INNOVATIVE THINGS, YOU NOT SURE
IF EVERY SINGLE THING IS GOING
TO IS GOING TO HAPPEN, IS GOING
TO BE SUCCESSFUL, BUT THEY'VE
ALLOWED US THAT FLEXIBILITY TO
BE CREATIVE AND TO TRY THINGS IN
DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO AND THAT'S
PROBABLY ONE OF THE REASONS YOU
SEE OUR RECOVERY GOING FASTER,
BECAUSE WE HAVE TO TRY DIFFERENT
THINGS AFTER THE PANDEMIC, AND
WE HAVE TO GET CREATIVE
THROUGHOUT THE CITY. I BEGAN MY
POSITION AT THE DOWNTOWN SAN
DIEGO PARTNERSHIP IN 2018, AND
LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT TWO YEARS
LATER, THIS RELATIONSHIP AND OUR
WORLD MIGHT BE CHANGED AND SORT
OF, TURNED UPSIDE DOWN. AND IN
TRUE, AMAZING RESILIENCY FASHION
OF ALL OF OUR DOWNTOWNS IN THE
US. IT HAS BEEN REALLY AMAZING
FOR ME TO SEE MY TEAM AND MY
COLLEAGUES AND PEOPLE FROM ALL
ACROSS DIFFERENT PATHS COME
TOGETHER TO WORK ON DOWNTOWN SAN
DIEGO, AND I THINK THAT DOES
HAVE TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT WE
REALLY BELIEVE SAN DIEGO, THIS
DOWNTOWN IS FOR SAN DIEGO. AND
SO PEOPLE FROM NORTH COUNTY,
SOUTH COUNTY, EAST COUNTY, THIS
IS FOR YOU. AND YOU ARE WELCOME
HERE. AND SO WHAT DO WE NEED TO
DO TO DRIVE POLICIES, TO DRIVE
PROJECTS THAT MAKE SAN DIEGANS
WELCOME? BECAUSE IF WE BUILD A
DOWNTOWN FOR SAN DIEGANS,
TOURISM WILL COME. WE NEED TO BE
AUTHENTIC AND WE NEED TO DO THIS
FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND FOR OUR
PEOPLE. AND WE ALSO HAVE 115
EMPLOYEES AT THE DOWNTOWN SAN
DIEGO PARTNERSHIP AND THEY COME
FROM ALL OVER THE REGION, MAINLY
FROM THE CITY, BUT MAINLY FROM
THE SOUTH PART OF OUR CITY OF
SAN DIEGO. AND SO WE VERY MUCH
LISTEN TO OUR EMPLOYEES. HOW IS
IT FOR TRANSIT? HOW IS IT FOR
THEIR DAILY COMMUTE? HOW DO THEY
FEEL ABOUT BRINGING THEIR
FAMILIES TO DOWNTOWN? WE HEARD
THAT FROM THE ASSEMBLY MEMBER
EARLIER TODAY. SO THOSE ARE ALL
REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS YOU NEED
TO LISTEN TO. THE PEOPLE THAT
WORK FOR YOU AND THAT ARE DOWN
HERE WORKING EVERY DAY IN
DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO. TRENDS LIKE
HYBRID AND REMOTE WORK AND THE
REASSESSMENT OF EXCLUSIVE OFFICE
SPACE BECAME STANDARD AND PAVED
THE WAY, FOR WHAT, YOU KNOW,
USED TO TRADITIONALLY BE CALLED
CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICTS. AND
WE'VE REALLY MOVED ON FROM THAT.
AND WE ARE CENTRAL CONNECTIVITY
DISTRICTS. RICHARD, FLORIDA
TALKS A LOT ABOUT THAT. THE
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO. BUT
REALLY WE ARE A CENTRAL
CONNECTIVITY DISTRICT. WHAT DO
YOU WANT TO DO IN DOWNTOWN? WHY
DO YOU COME HERE? YOU MIGHT NOT
HAVE TO COME HERE FOR WORK, BUT
DO WE HAVE A WAY TO CONNECT YOU
TO OTHER PEOPLE IN AN AUTHENTIC
WAY? SO THAT'S MAYBE NOT AS
FLASHY, NOT ALWAYS IN THE
HEADLINES, BUT I DO WANT TO
REMIND MY COLLEAGUES AND ANYBODY
WATCHING THIS THAT THAT CITIES
HAVE CHANGED OVER TIME. THIS IS
A NATURAL MATURATION OF A CITY.
SO FROM THE 19TH CENTURY, WHEN
PEOPLE LIVED ABOVE THEIR SHOP
KEEPER SPACES, WHICH IS NOW
COMING BACK IN VOGUE, YOU KNOW
WHAT'S WHAT'S OLD IS NEW AGAIN.
AND THEN THE 20S TO THE 50S WHEN
DOWNTOWN SERVED AS THE
COMMERCIAL AND CULTURAL
INSTITUTIONS OF A PLACE. AND
THEN WE GET INTO THE 60S AND
70S, WHERE PEOPLE WERE MOVING
OUT TO THE SUBURBS, AND THE
PREVALENCE OF THE AUTOMOBILE AND
WE HAD SOME MALLS AND OTHER
THINGS BEING BUILT IN DOWNTOWN.
SO DOWNTOWN HAD TO REINVENT
ITSELF THEN. AND IT HAS TO
REINVENT ITSELF NOW. SO WHAT WE
KNOW FROM STUDYING ALL THESE
FLEXIBILITY AND CHANGE IS THAT
EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING IS
FLEXIBLE. AND A DOWNTOWN IS AS
RESILIENT AND AS STRONG AS THE
PEOPLE THAT CARE ABOUT IT AND
THAT MAKE THESE POLICIES FOR A
DOWNTOWN AND EVERY, EVERY MAJOR
CITY IN THE ENTIRE THE ENTIRE
WORLD HAS A THRIVING DOWNTOWN.
WITHOUT A THRIVING DOWNTOWN,
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE A
THRIVING CITY IN GENERAL. SO WE
REALLY ARE DOUBLING DOWN ON
THINGS LIKE TRANSPORTATION, ARTS,
NIGHTLIFE, PARKS, AND THE THINGS
THAT MAKE A DOWNTOWN SPECIAL. WE
ALSO ARE REALLY SEEING THIS
HAPPEN RIGHT HERE IN OUR
DOWNTOWN AND BUILDING THAT
DOWNTOWN FOR SAN DIEGANS THAT WE
TALKED ABOUT, OF THE 26 LARGEST
DOWNTOWNS IN THE COUNTRY THAT
THAT LOST RESIDENTS, NEARLY ALL
OF THEM HAVE NOW MORE PEOPLE
LIVING IN DOWNTOWN THAN THEY DID
IN 2020. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A
REALLY IMPORTANT THEME THAT YOU
WILL SEE. YOU HEARD IT FROM THE
MAYOR, AND YOU'LL HEAR IT
PROBABLY THROUGHOUT TODAY THAT
THE RESIDENTIAL EXPERIENCE AND
BUILDING MORE HOUSING LEADS TO
MORE JOBS. AND MORE RETAIL. SO
THE HOUSING BRINGS THOSE THINGS
TO WHERE YOU BUILD IT. AND
DOWNTOWN HAS BEEN VERY
SUPPORTIVE OF DENSITY AND
BUILDING, BUT IN A SMART WAY. WE
WANT THE FACILITIES, WE WANT THE
PARKS, WE WANT THE AMENITIES
THAT PEOPLE ALSO WANT TO SEE. SO
YEAH, SINCE 2019, WE'VE HAD 3600
NEW HOMES, NEW UNITS BUILT IN
DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO, AND WE HAVE
ANOTHER 3500 UNITS IN THE
PIPELINE ALREADY FINANCED AND
READY FOR CONSTRUCTION IN
DOWNTOWN, OF WHICH MORE THAN 600
OF THOSE ARE AFFORDABLE UNITS.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW
THAT DOWNTOWN, WELCOMES
AFFORDABLE, AFFORDABLE
DEVELOPMENT. WE HAVE THE MOST
AFFORDABLE DEVELOPMENT IN ALL OF
THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO, AND WE
WANT TO CONTINUE ON THAT TRACK,
WE REALLY BELIEVE IN MIXED
INCOME COMMUNITIES FROM
WORKFORCE TO AFFORDABLE TO
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE TO LUXURY
AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. SO WE
DEFINITELY WANT TO BE A HUB FOR
WE HAVE SEVEN UNIQUE
NEIGHBORHOODS, TWO IN DOWNTOWN,
AND THAT WAS ALREADY
ESTABLISHED, IT'S BEEN
ESTABLISHED SORT OF SINCE SAN
DIEGO CAME TO BE IN DOWNTOWN,
AND IT'S LARGELY DRIVEN BY
INDUSTRIES LIKE MILITARY STARTUP
CULTURE, THE TRADITIONAL OFFICE,
BUT ALSO HOSPITALITY. SO
HOSPITALITY IS VERY BIG IN SAN
DIEGO, AND THAT'S BEEN HELPFUL
WHEN WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT
RECOVERY. AND WHAT ARE WE
EXCITED ABOUT IN THIS NEXT
CHAPTER FOR SAN DIEGO? WELL,
THERE'S SO MUCH TO BE EXCITED
ABOUT, BUT A LOT OF WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN SACRAMENTO AND AT
THE LEGISLATURE IS HELPING US
ALLOW THOSE THINGS TO HAPPEN IN
SAN DIEGO. SO WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT DOING AN ARTS AND CULTURE
DISTRICT IN DOWNTOWN, WITH THE
SUPPORT OF THE MAYOR AND THE
CITY COUNCIL. WE HAVE THOSE
NATURAL THINGS HERE. YOU'RE IN
ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL SPACES
RIGHT HERE, BUT WE'VE NEVER
REALLY MARKETED DOWNTOWN AS THAT
ARTS AND CULTURE DISTRICT. AND
THAT IS A BIG REASON WHY PEOPLE
COME INTO DOWNTOWN. SO WE NEED
TO CELEBRATE THAT AND BETTER
MARKET THOSE ASSETS. WE'RE ALSO
DOING MAJOR CATALYTIC WORK WITH
THE HELP OF A LOCAL FOUNDATION.
THE CONRAD PREBYS FOUNDATION, IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF SAN
DIEGO, TO REIMAGINE WHAT THE
CIVIC CENTER COULD LOOK LIKE.
BECAUSE FOR A LONG TIME, THERE
WAS NOT A LOT OF HOUSING IN OUR
OUR CITY CENTER. LIKE MANY OF
YOU WITH TRADITIONAL CBDS. AND
BECAUSE OF THE LEADERSHIP OF
MAYOR GLORIA AND THE CITY
COUNCIL, WE NOW ALLOW FOR MIXED
USE IN THOSE SPACES. AND YOU ARE
SEEING NEW RESIDENTIAL COME INTO
AREAS THAT HADN'T SEEN IT
BEFORE. IT MAY TAKE A FEW YEARS
UNTIL YOU REALLY SAY, OH, WOW,
THIS AREA IS A NEIGHBORHOOD
WHERE YOU CAN LIVE AND WORK AND
PLAY. WE ALSO ARE REASSESSING
ALL OF THE PUBLIC REALM IN
PLACES LIKE C STREET ALONG OUR
TRANSIT CORRIDORS, WORKING VERY
CLOSELY WITH THE CITY AGAIN AND
WITH MTS, OUR REGIONAL TRANSIT
AUTHORITY, TO SAY HOW CAN WE
BETTER, BETTER ALLOW FOR
FACILITIES AND AMENITIES WHEN
PEOPLE ARE TAKING THE TROLLEY
AND THE LOCAL BUS SERVICES? I
MEAN, I KNOW PERSONALLY I HAVE A
14 AND A 16 YEAR OLD, AND WITH
THE WONDERFUL FREE PASSES THAT
THEY WERE ALLOWED TO HAVE THIS
SUMMER, THEY'VE BEEN TAKING
TRANSIT ALL OVER THE PLACE. I
MEAN, ALMOST UNCOMFORTABLY SO.
I'M GETTING MORE AND MORE USED
TO IT, BUT THEY'LL TELL ME I'M
AT THIS SKATE PARK, OR I'M
DOWNTOWN AND I'M AT PETCO PARK
AND I'M HERE AND I SAY, OH,
COULD YOU CHECK IN MORE OFTEN?
BECAUSE YOU'RE STILL ONLY 14 AND
16, BUT IT'S BEEN A REAL GAME
CHANGER FOR OUR TEENAGERS TO
START TO LOVE DOWNTOWN AND BE IN
DOWNTOWN. BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE
SURE WE HAVE AMENITIES FOR OUR
TEENAGERS SO THAT THEY'RE DOING
POSITIVE THINGS WHEN THEY ARE
DOWNTOWN, AND THEN THEY JUST
BECOMES THEIR DOWNTOWN. AND SO
WHEN THEY GET IN THEIR 20S, 40S
60S, IT'S STILL THEIR DOWNTOWN.
SO THIS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT
IS THE BETA PARK PASEO, THAT IS
A NONPROFIT ENTITY THAT CAME
TOGETHER, LED BY PETE GARCIA AND
BETH CALLENDER. BUT THEY THEY
WORKED WITH 14 DIFFERENT WORLD
RENOWNED ARCHITECTURE FIRMS AND
TOOK A PUBLIC STREET BECAUSE THE
CITY LET US DO THIS ON PARK
BOULEVARD AND DID ART
INSTALLATIONS ALL THE WAY FROM
BALBOA PARK TO THE WATER TO
BETTER CONNECT THE BAY AND THE
PARK, BECAUSE THAT'S ALSO MAYBE
BEEN A CRITICISM OF DOWNTOWN. WE
DON'T WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW HOW
TO CONNECT THE PARK TO THE
WATERFRONT AND EVERYTHING IN
BETWEEN. SO WE'RE NOT STOPPING
THERE. AND WE ARE SO EXCITED TO
BE PART OF THIS CONVERSATION AND
TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ELSE WE CAN
DO IN THE PUBLIC REALM TO REALLY
ACTIVATE A DOWNTOWN AND A PLACE
WHERE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES CAN
LIVE AND WORK AND FLOURISH AND
ENJOY OUR. SO HERE'S ONE. YOU'LL
SEE OTHER CITIES I WON'T NAME
THEM, BUT MAYBE THEY'RE ON THE
EAST COAST AND MAYBE THEY HAVE A
NATIONAL CAPITAL IN THEM. TALK
ABOUT THE OUTDOOR PATIO SEASON.
WELL, WE HAVE THAT OUTDOOR PATIO
SEASON ALL YEAR LONG. IN MOST OF
CALIFORNIA. SO HOW DO WE GET
POLICIES AT THE STATE LEVEL TO
REALLY ACTIVATE THAT OUTDOOR
PATIO? SEASON 365 DAYS A YEAR?
SO I AM HONORED TO BE HERE. I AM
HONORED TO BE SERVING IN THIS
ROLE IN AMERICA'S FINEST CITY,
AND WE STRIVE TO BE AMERICA'S
BEST OUTDOOR DOWNTOWN. AND I
KNOW YOU ALL HAVE WONDERFUL
DOWNTOWNS, TOO, AND WE'LL SHARE
THAT. WE'LL SHARE THAT WITH YOUR
DOWNTOWNS AS WELL. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR LETTING ME BE HERE
TODAY. THANK THANK YOU SO MUCH,
PRESIDENT BRENNAN AND MAYOR
GLORIA FOR YOUR YOUR COMMENTS
AND YOUR WORK AND YOUR VISION,
I'M GOING TO START IT OFF WITH
WITH A COUPLE QUESTIONS, AND
THEN I'LL OPEN IT UP TO, TO MY
COLLEAGUES. I'M GOING TO ASK
THEM BOTH TOGETHER AND THEN FEEL
FREE TO, TO TAKE THEM AS YOU
LIKE, THE FIRST THING I WANTED
TO, TO RAISE IS, YOU KNOW, ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING
ALL ACROSS OUR STATE IS, OF
COURSE, THE OFFICE VACANCIES.
AND THAT'S TRUE IN EVERY CITY
IN, IN CALIFORNIA.
UNFORTUNATELY, MANY OF OUR
CITIES ARE EXPERIENCING THAT
EVEN GREATER THAN OTHERS ACROSS
THE COUNTRY. I WONDER BOTH WHAT
YOUR HOW YOU ALL ARE APPROACHING
THAT IN TERMS OF THINKING ABOUT
EITHER TRYING TO BRING FOLKS
INTO DOWNTOWN TO FILL THOSE UP,
OR ALSO WHETHER YOU'RE SEEING
ANY INTEREST OR TRENDS TOWARDS
ADAPTIVE REUSE, ONE OF THE AREAS
THAT WE'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON AT
THE STATE LEVEL IS HOW TO MAKE
IT EASIER FOR CHANGE OF USE, AND
YOU KNOW, AS, AS ASSEMBLYMEMBER
ALVAREZ SAID, GETTING OUT OF THE
WAY IN SOME CASES. AND YOU HAVE,
YOU KNOW, BEAUTIFUL OLDER
BUILDINGS HERE, YOU KNOW, ARE
YOU ABLE TO, TO PUT THEM IN A
POSITION TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE
THEY'RE BEING USED IN SOME WAY,
WHETHER THAT'S IN HOUSING OR
OTHER TYPES OF USES. AND IF THE
HOUSING THAT YOU'RE SEEING IS
ALL NEW HOUSING OR SOME OF IT IS
HAPPENING THROUGH ADAPTIVE
REUSE, AND THEN THE OTHER THING
THAT I WANTED WANTED TO MAYBE
HAVE YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE,
YOU RAISED IT AT THE END. THERE
PRESIDENT BRENNAN, THE, THE MOVE
TOWARDS, SAN DIEGO AS AN OUTDOOR
CITY AND, AND YOU SHARED WITH ME
THAT YOU WANT TO BE THE, THE
NUMBER ONE OUTDOOR CITY IN THE
COUNTRY AND HAVE A WHOLE VISION
TOWARDS THAT, ALSO ANOTHER THING
THAT THAT I THINK THAT WE NEED
TO EMBRACE IS, 20 FOR OUR CITY,
SO, YOU KNOW, I WAS I WAS ABLE
TO LAST TIME I WAS HERE, GO TO A
24 HOUR RESTAURANT THAT WAS OPEN
ALL NIGHT, THAT THAT TYPE OF,
MOVEMENT TOWARDS THINKING ABOUT
OUR, OUR DOWNTOWNS AS NOT JUST A
9 TO 5 PLACE, BUT ACTUALLY A 24
HOUR, CONNECTIVITY, LOCATION.
FOR, FOR YOUR OUTDOOR VISION AND
FOR YOUR SORT OF 24 HOUR VISION,
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE POLICY
CHANGES THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT
AROUND THAT? AND ARE THERE
THINGS THAT YOU THINK THE STATE
COULD BE DOING TO SUPPORT THAT
WORK? SURE. YEAH, SURE. I THINK
I'D TRY AND TACKLE THE FIRST
PART, AND THEN I THINK THE REST
IS PERHAPS FOR BETSY. BUT FROM
AN OFFICE CONVERSION STANDPOINT,
OUR CITY IS UPDATED, OUR LAND
DEVELOPMENT CODES AND WHATNOT TO
ALLOW THAT TO BE. I MEAN, I, I
WOULD BE SURPRISED AT THIS POINT
IF SOMEONE WHO WANTED TO PROPOSE
THAT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO
LEGALLY ACCOMPLISH THAT IN THE
CITY, UNDER OUR POLICIES, I
THINK THE BIGGER CHALLENGE IS
MAKING THAT A FINANCIAL REALITY.
WE ARE CERTAINLY GETTING FOLKS
WHO ARE EXPLORING THAT,
PROPOSING IT, BUT IT'S FROM A
THIS IS THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH
IT, AND THE COST IS FAIRLY
SUBSTANTIAL. I THINK OLDER
BUILDINGS TEND TO BE EASIER
TARGETS FOR THIS KIND OF
CONVERSION. AND I THINK YOU'LL
SEE, HAVE SEEN AND WILL SEE MORE
IN OUR DOWNTOWN AND FRANKLY,
ACROSS OUR CITY. BUT IT'S THE
1960S, 1970S, 80S OFFICE
BUILDINGS, THAT ARE THE
CONVERSION IS EXTREMELY
DIFFICULT, EVEN WITH OUR
PERMISSIVE CODES. SO HOW DO YOU
GET THE WINDOWS TO OPEN? HOW DO
YOU, YOU KNOW, ADJUST THE
CEILING HEIGHTS, ETC? AGAIN,
WE'RE ALL IN. AND IF SOMEONE
CORRECT ME, IF I'M WRONG, IF YOU
HAD SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK IS
GREAT, I THINK OUR CODES ARE NOW
PERMISSIVE FOR IT, THE
CHALLENGES THAT THE BUILDING
CONVERSION COST IS, SO
SUBSTANTIAL THAT IT MAKES IT
LIMITING, BUT ALSO DEMOLITION OF
THAT SAME BUILDING IS ALSO
EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. AND SO THE
FINANCIAL CODE FOR THAT HAS NOT
BEEN CRACKED YET. AND I NOTICED
OTHER MAYORS HAVE BEEN ASKED FOR
SUBSIDIES. I DON'T THINK WE'RE
IN A FINANCIAL POSITION REALLY
TO DO THAT JUST YET. WE'VE TRIED
TO DO IT THROUGH THE CODE TO TRY
AND ELIMINATE SOME OF CHÁVEZ
MENTIONED SOME OF THE WAYS THAT
WE THROW UP OUR OWN BARRIERS.
BUT EVEN THEN, YOU KNOW, THE
COST OF ENTRY TO THAT IS TENS OF
MILLIONS, IF NOT MORE, AND THAT
BECOMES, WHY I DON'T THINK WE'VE
SEEN THE SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER THAT
YOU'D WANT TO HAVE HAPPEN, BUT
I'M ABSOLUTELY OPEN TO IT. AND
I'M HOPEFUL THIS COMMITTEE CAN
MIGHT YIELD SOME SUGGESTIONS HOW
LOCALITIES LIKE MINE CAN DO IT.
I THINK BETSY PROBABLY HAS SOME
THOUGHTS ON THAT AS WELL AS THE
OUTDOOR STUFF. HELLO. I WOULD
SAY THAT IT IS VERY UNIQUE AND
SPECIAL THAT THE THAT THE CITY
OF SAN DIEGO UPDATES THEIR LAND
DEVELOPMENT CODE ANNUALLY. THAT
ALLOWS FOR A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING
MIGHT JUST NOT EVEN BE ON THE
HORIZON 12 MONTHS AGO. BUT WITH
THAT FLEXIBILITY AND THE STAFF
AT THEIR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
DEPARTMENT AND THEIR ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ARE
WONDERFUL TO WORK WITH. THEY
HAVE A CARVED OUT URBAN DIVISION
FOR OUR DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS,
WHICH IS VERY HELPFUL FOR
DEVELOPMENT TO ALWAYS BE WORKING
WITH THE SAME TEAM AND
UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THE
CODES ARE AND HOW TO BEST
LEVERAGE THINGS. SO THAT'S BEEN
VERY HELPFUL. AND AT THE STATE
LEVEL, THE CONVERSION
LEGISLATION IS IMPORTANT. AND
AGAIN, LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, A
LOT OF THOSE BUILDINGS THAT ARE
BEST SUITED FOR THAT ARE 1920S
TO 1950S. WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY
OF THOSE IN DOWNTOWN, BUT WE DO
IN THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO. AND SO
THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY
IMPORTANT LEGISLATION. AND IN
DOWNTOWN, WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE
SEEN SOME OF THAT. A LOT OF,
CONVERSION TO HOTEL SEEMS TO BE
A LITTLE BIT EASIER FOR
REGULATION REASONS. FIRE CODES,
THOSE KIND OF THINGS. BUT WE ARE
CELEBRATING EACH AND EVERY ONE
OF THOSE. THERE'S MAYBE 3 TO 5
IN THE PIPELINE RIGHT NOW FOR
CONVERSION, AND WE'RE HOPING TO
SEE SOME OF THOSE COME TO
FRUITION AS FAR AS, HOSPITALITY
AND ENTERTAINMENT ZONES. I THINK
THAT'S VERY INTERESTING. THE
LEGISLATION THAT'S COMING THAT
CAME OUT OF SACRAMENTO AND MAYBE
THIS NEWEST BILL THAT'S GOING TO
ENHANCE, ENHANCE SOME OF THOSE
POLICIES, THAT'S GOING TO BE
REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THINGS LIKE
THE MAYOR TALKED ABOUT WITH OUR
FIFTH AVENUE PROMENADE IN SOME
OF THE PROJECTS WE'VE INVESTED,
THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO'S INVESTED
OR THE COMMUNITIES HAVE INVESTED
IN IN OUR SEVEN DISTINCT
NEIGHBORHOODS IN DOWNTOWN,
BECAUSE EACH ONE REALLY DESERVES
A TOWN CENTER. AND AN AREA OF
FOCUS. AND WE HAVE THAT. SOME OF
OUR NEIGHBORING, COMMUNITIES ARE
HERE, LIKE NORTH PARK WITH THEIR
MINI PARK AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
YOU NEED THAT SORT OF CENTRAL
AREA AND IT GOES BACK AGAIN. I
MEAN, THESE WERE HOW CITIES WERE
BUILT RIGHT AROUND A CENTRAL
CENTRAL PLAZA FOR HUNDREDS OF
YEARS. SO TO HAVE THAT CENTRAL
PLAZA AND TO HAVE AN
ENTERTAINMENT ZONE ALLOWED AND,
YOU KNOW, WITHIN REASON AND YOU
CAN HAVE ALL SORTS OF POLICIES
SET UP THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
BECAUSE PEOPLE DO HAVE ALL
DIFFERENT TIMES OF DAY AND NIGHT
WHERE THEY'RE WORKING OR THEY'RE
WANTING TO GO OUT, GO FOR A
STROLL. WE WANT IT TO BE CLEAN
AND SAFE AND VIBRANT. IF YOU GO
TO BARCELONA, I'M SURE TONIGHT
THERE WILL BE PEOPLE WALKING
FROM 2 A.M. TO 5 A.M. JUST
BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THEY WANT TO
GO OUT AND WALK. WE WANT THAT
SAME EXPERIENCE IN OUR CITIES IN
CALIFORNIA THAT THEY HAVE IN
EUROPE, AND WE'VE GOT THAT,
MERGING. BUT YOU ALL HAVE MADE
IT EVEN EASIER. I'D LOVE TO SEE
US TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE
ENTERTAINMENT ZONES. AND THERE'S
ALSO SOME THINGS WITH SPECIAL
EVENT PERMITTING, BOTH AT THE
CITY LEVEL, BUT ALSO AT THE
STATE LEVEL, THAT WE COULD
PROBABLY ENHANCE JUST TO MAKE IT
MORE BLANKET SPECIAL EVENT
PERMIT. IF YOU IF YOU SORT OF
CHECK ALL THESE BOXES, YES, YOU
CAN GET A SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT
FOR THE ENTIRE DOWNTOWN. AND
THAT WOULD ALLOW A LOT OF
NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS AND
NONPROFIT GROUPS TO GET THROUGH
THE PERMITTING A LITTLE BIT
EASIER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER CULVER. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH,
MISS BRENNAN, YOU'RE YOU'RE
RIGHT WHERE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO
BE BECAUSE YOUR ENERGY AND YOUR
VISION IS SO INFECTIOUS. I
REALLY LOVED TO HEAR, YOU TALK
ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN IN SUCH A
PASSIONATE MANNER, AND I'M GLAD
TO HEAR THAT. SOME OF THE THINGS
THE STATE'S DOING IS, IS HELPING
THOSE EFFORTS. I THINK SOMETIMES
WE PASS LEGISLATION, AND IT'S
USUALLY ONLY A HANDFUL OF CITIES
THAT REALLY DIVE IN AND TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. AND I'M
REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT SAN
DIEGO IS ONE OF THEM. AND I
THINK THAT'S EVIDENCED BY THE
RESURGENCE. AND SO ONE THING I
WOULD JUST LIKE TO ASK IS WE
HAVE A SIMILAR SELECT COMMITTEE
THAT OUR COLLEAGUE,
ASSEMBLYMEMBER BUFFY WICKS HAS
PUT FORWARD ON PERMITTING, JUST
GENERALLY SPEAKING, IT COULD BE
KIND OF IT'S A MORE GENERAL IT
COULD BE ON HOUSING, IT COULD BE
ON OTHER ISSUES. AND SO I WOULD
JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO, LET US
KNOW, ON THAT PARTICULAR FRONT
SO THAT WE CAN BRING THOSE
ISSUES UP WHEN WE HAVE THOSE
COMMITTEE HEARINGS ON PERMITTING
ISSUES, OBVIOUSLY, WE CAN TAKE
THAT INTO ACCOUNT AND TAKE THAT
IN NOW AS WELL. BUT SINCE THAT'S
FOCUSING ON THAT, I THINK IT
WILL BE GREAT TO BE ABLE TO HEAR
WHAT THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE THAT
HAVE HELPED ON THE PERMITTING
FRONT, WHAT THINGS THAT WE STILL
NEED TO DO AND WHAT OBSTACLES
YOU'RE STILL FACING,
PARTICULARLY IN CREATING THESE,
THESE ENTERTAINMENT ZONES AND
CREATING THESE, THESE ART AND
CULTURE SPACES, HELPING TO
FACILITATE OUTDOOR DINING. AND
AS YOU SAID, LIKE BRING HAVE
PLACES WHERE FAMILIES CAN GO,
WHERE YOUTH CAN GO AND FEEL
COMFORTABLE AND SAFE AND
ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, WANT TO GO
TO, AS YOU SAID, AT YOUR 100%.
RIGHT, TALKING ABOUT YOUR
CHILDREN WHO ARE TEENAGERS, YOU
WANT THEM TO GROW UP THINKING
THIS IS THEIR DOWNTOWN BECAUSE
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE GOING
TO BE HERE IN THEIR 20S, 30S,
40S. HOPEFULLY THE REST OF THEIR
LIFE, ENJOYING IT, INVESTING IN
IT, LIVING IN IT, AND SO IT'S
JUST WONDERFUL TO HEAR,
EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON.
AND I DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, I
WAS WALKING AROUND THIS MORNING,
IT'S ABSOLUTELY NOTICEABLE. THE
HOUSING THAT'S BEEN BUILT
COMPARED TO TEN, 12 YEARS AGO,
AND IT'S CLEARLY BEEN VERY
INTENTIONAL. AND I'M HAPPY TO
HEAR THAT. THAT'S A CONTINUED
EFFORT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF
MAYOR GLORIA AND THE PARTNERSHIP
OF THE BUSINESS LEADERS. ONE
QUESTION IS REGARDING THE
INVESTMENT FROM THE BUSINESS
COMMUNITY, I IMAGINE THERE ARE,
YOU KNOW, T.O.T OR OTHER TYPES
OF TAXES. DO YOU HAVE ANY KIND
OF P BID OR ANY KIND OF
SELF-TAXATION THAT THE
BUSINESSES ARE DOING TO HELP
ENHANCE THE DOWNTOWN, THANK YOU
FOR THAT QUESTION. AND I WOULD
SAY ON THE FIRST ON THE
PERMITTING, THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR THAT COMMITTEE. I AM A LAND
USE ATTORNEY BY BACKGROUND, AND
I'D LIKE TO PUT MYSELF OUT OF
BUSINESS, SO TO SPEAK, AT THAT
ONE. MY COLLEAGUES THAT ARE
LOBBYISTS, I LOVE THEM, BUT WE
SHOULDN'T HAVE TO HAVE A LAND
USE ATTORNEY OR A LOBBYIST TO
HAVE A NONPROFIT COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATION GET A PERMIT TO DO
A BALLET IN THE STREET, THOSE
KIND OF THINGS. AND IN OUR CITY
HAS BEEN GREAT WITH PLACEMAKING,
BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF ROOM
AND OPPORTUNITY THERE. SO THANK
YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, I YEAH,
I'M HAPPY TO PUT MYSELF OUT OF
BUSINESS ON THE LAND USE
ATTORNEY SIDE. AND ON THE
POLICIES AND WHAT WE DO HERE AT
THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO. YES. SO
THE DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO
PARTNERSHIP'S BEEN AROUND SINCE
THE 1950S, BUT FOR THE LAST 25
YEARS, WE'VE RUN THE PROPERTY
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT IN
THE 285 BLOCKS OF DOWNTOWN SAN
DIEGO. SO THE CITY PROVIDES ALL
BASELINE SERVICES. SO WE STILL
HAVE A WONDERFUL CITY EMPLOYEES,
AND ALL THOSE CITY JOBS EXIST.
WE DO EVERYTHING ENHANCED ABOVE
THAT. AND OUR PROPERTY OWNERS
ARE ASKED EVERY TEN YEARS, WOULD
YOU LIKE TO KEEP INVESTING IN
THIS PROGRAM? WE ARE IN THAT
RIGHT NOW. AND YES, WE ARE AT
CITY COUNCIL SEPTEMBER ON THIS
VERY ISSUE FOR ANOTHER TEN YEAR
TERM. AND OUR BUSINESSES ARE
JUST OUR PROPERTIES AND OUR
BUSINESSES, OUR PROPERTIES AND
OUR BUSINESSES ARE
OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORTIVE OF
THIS PROGRAM. THEY SEE THE
IMPACT AND THE POSITIVE IMPACT
OF THIS. AND THIS TIME AROUND,
SOMETHING NEW THAT WE'VE NEVER
DONE IN OUR 25 YEARS HISTORY OF
RUNNING THE PBID, THE CLEAN AND
SAFE PROGRAM IS WE'RE GOING TO
BE DOING ENHANCED MAINTENANCE,
SAFETY AND ACTIVATION IN OUR
PARKS OF DOWNTOWN. AND THAT DID
THAT DID REQUIRE A CONVERSATION
AND AN ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT
FROM OUR PROPERTY OWNERS. SO WE
YOU KNOW, WE WERE VERY PLEASED
THAT THEY AGREED TO GO AHEAD AND
INVEST IN THAT BECAUSE OUR PARKS
AND REC DEPARTMENTS ARE
WONDERFUL, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE
ALL THE RESOURCES THAT THEY
NEED. SO THIS IS JUST ENHANCED.
AND WE WANT EVERYONE THAT COMES
TO DOWNTOWN TO ENJOY THAT. SO
OUR PROPERTY OWNERS ARE
INVESTING IN THAT BECAUSE THEY
WANT TO SEE MORE AND MORE SAN
DIEGANS AND MORE AND MORE
TOURISTS COME TO SAN DIEGO AND
ENJOY IT. SO IT'S A VIRTUOUS
CYCLE AND ALSO ALLOWS THE CITY
TO HAVE DISTRIBUTION OF THEIR
VERY, VERY, IMPORTANT RESOURCES
THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND WE CAN
DO THE ENHANCED SERVICE UP AND
ABOVE. WE ALSO HAVE SOME, BIDS,
SOME BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT
DISTRICTS HERE IN DOWNTOWN, SOME
THAT WE MANAGE AND RUN AND SOME
THAT WE DON'T. AND WE NEED TO
WORK VERY CLOSELY BECAUSE THOSE
ARE WITHIN THE BID BOUNDARIES.
SO MY COLLEAGUES, MANY OF THEM
ARE HERE, WE, WE TRY VERY HARD
TO FIGURE OUT WHO'S DOING THE
MARKETING ON THAT OR WHO'S DOING
THIS BIG PROJECT. SO WE CAN
MAXIMIZE AND LEVERAGE THOSE
RESOURCES. I KNOW THAT THERE'S
PEOPLE HERE FROM SAN FRANCISCO
AND FROM ALL OVER THE STATE, AND
THEY HAVE SIMILAR PROGRAMS
THERE. BUT I'M VERY, VERY
GRATEFUL FOR OUR TEAM MEMBERS.
MORE THAN 100 OF THEM ARE
WORKING 24 OVER SEVEN, 365 DAYS
A YEAR. I HAVE MEMBERS OF MY
TEAM THAT HAVE BEEN ON OUR TEAM
FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, AND THEY
ARE JUST WONDERFUL EMPLOYEES. WE
KNOW THEIR FAMILIES, WE KNOW
WHERE I MEAN, THIS IS THIS IS
THEIR CAREER, AND THEY COME FROM
ALL OVER THE CITY AND SOME FROM
TIJUANA. ACTUALLY, ABOUT THREE
OF OUR OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS ARE
ARE LIVING IN TIJUANA AND COME
ACROSS EVERY DAY. SO WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE WE HAVE POLICIES THAT
SUPPORT ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE.
WELL, GOOD LUCK ON THE BID VOTE
PROCESS. IT SOUNDS LIKE I MEAN,
AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S
ABOUT RETURN ON INVESTMENT. IT
SOUNDS LIKE BECAUSE THE WORK OF
THE PARTNERSHIP AND THE CITY AND
EVERYONE ELSE INVOLVED, THAT
YOU'RE HAVING GOOD RESULTS FROM
IT. AND SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT
THERE'S A CONSIDERATION OF
EXPANDING, SOME OF THAT WORK
INTO THE PARKS AND WHAT HAVE YOU
TO ACHIEVE SOME OF THE GOALS
THAT YOU'VE LAID FORTH, AND,
MAYOR, I HAVE ONE. I KNOW YOU
HAD MY CITY MAYOR HERE RECENTLY,
TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE WHAT
YOU MENTIONED THE SECOND TOPIC
THAT WE ALL ARE CONTENDING WITH,
WITH OUR UNHOUSED POPULATION.
AND I'VE PERSONALLY BEEN A FAN
OF SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENTS FOR A
LONG TIME, AS OPPOSED TO, YOU
KNOW, SWEEPING AND THE RESOURCES
THAT TAKES AND THE INSTABILITY.
AND IN SOME TIME, IN SOME CASES,
THE CRUELTY OF IT, I THINK THAT
IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
CREATE THOSE ENCAMPMENTS IN SAN
JOSE, AS YOU AS YOU MAY KNOW,
WE'VE FOCUSED A LOT ON TINY
HOMES. BUT TINY HOME COMMUNITIES
ARE NOT DO NOT HAVE A TINY COST.
THEY'RE VERY EXPENSIVE IN THE
MEANTIME, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH
THOSE THAT ARE CAMPING OR LIVING
BY BY THE CREEKS OR IN THE PARKS
AND SO IN, IN CREATING THAT KIND
OF COMMUNITY, IS THAT A
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY AND
NONPROFITS AND WHAT HAVE YOU
LIKE? HOW IS HOW HAVE YOU SET
THAT UP, WHICH IS SOMETHING I'M
SURE YOU SHARED WITH OUR MAYOR.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO
HEAR THAT AS WELL. I APPRECIATE
THAT, AND IT'S AS YOU MENTIONED,
MAYOR OF SAN JOSE WAS HERE
EARLIER THIS WEEK, BUT WE'VE
ALSO WELCOMED THE MAYORS OF
PHOENIX AND FORT LAUDERDALE AND
SACRAMENTO. I MEAN, PEOPLE HAVE
COME TO SEE THIS. AND SO I THINK
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE MORE OF IT,
WHAT I WOULD TELL YOU IS THAT
THE TWO THAT WE HAVE, BASICALLY
ADD UP TO 500 TENTS ACROSS TWO
DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, BOTH OF
THOSE PROPERTIES ARE CITY OWNED
PROPERTIES. SO WITH REGARD TO
THE ABILITY TO EXECUTE THIS
QUICKLY, WE WERE ABLE TO STAND
UP THE FIRST SAFE SLEEPING SITE
IN ABOUT A MONTH'S TIME. THE
SECOND ONE CAME ON ABOUT TWO
MONTHS LATER. I MEAN, IT'S A
VERY QUICK OPERATION. THE COSTS
ARE MINIMAL COMPARED TO TINY
HOMES OR OTHER INTERVENTIONS AND
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THEY'RE
WILDLY POPULAR, AND I WANT TO
CONFESS, I HAD A LOT OF
RETICENCE ABOUT THIS
INTERVENTION. I HAVE A BIAS
TOWARDS BELIEVING THAT WE'RE, AS
A SOCIETY, SHOULD LIVE INDOORS.
AND BUT IN THE MIDST OF THIS
CRISIS, IT SEEMED UNREASONABLE
TO TURN DOWN ANY INTERVENTION WE
SHOULD TRY. BETSY WAS TALKING
BEFORE. WE SHOULD TRY AND SEE IF
IT WORKS IN THIS CASE, AS
COUNCILMEMBER STEPHEN WHITBURN
CHAMPIONED THIS, I SAID, OKAY,
LET'S GIVE IT A SHOT. AND IT'S
WORKED, THEY ARE FULL. THEY ARE
WELL UTILIZED, THEY ARE BEING
ACCESSED BY PEOPLE WHO
PREVIOUSLY HAVE DECLINED
ASSISTANCE. AND TO YOUR
QUESTION, WHILE WE DON'T HAVE
COUNTY PARTICIPATION AT EITHER
OF THOSE SAFE SLEEPING SITES, WE
DO HAVE HELP FROM THE NONPROFIT
SECTOR. OUR TWO SITES ARE RUN BY
THE DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO
PARTNERSHIP AND ANOTHER
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, DREAMS
FOR CHANGE. YOU MAY HAVE MET
THEIR CEO. SHE'S BEEN HONORED BY
BOTH SENATOR ATKINS AND, I
BELIEVE, ASSEMBLYMEMBER WARD UP
IN SACRAMENTO, BOTTOM LINE IS
THEY YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT JUST
INVITING PEOPLE TO COME HANG OUT
AT THESE TWO SITES. WE HAVE CASE
MANAGEMENT, HOUSING, NAVIGATION,
HEALTH CARE ASSISTANCE. LIST
GOES ON AND ON. THE IT IS AN
ENTRY POINT INTO ENDING PEOPLE'S
HOMELESSNESS. IT GETS THEM TO
ENVISION, A BETTER LIFE FOR
THEMSELVES. WHEN I WAS AT THE
SITE ON MONDAY WITH MAYOR MEHAN,
TERESA, WHO IS THE CEO OF DREAMS
FOR CHANGE, SHARED WITH US,
THERE'S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS
WHEN THE PERSON IN THE TENT NEXT
TO YOU GETS HOUSING AND HOW IT
INFORMS THAT TO THE PERSON NEXT
DOOR THAT THAT'S POSSIBLE. MAYBE
THEY COULDN'T SEE IT FOR
THEMSELVES. MAYBE THEY DIDN'T
BELIEVE IT, BUT IT'S THAT SORT
OF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAN SEE IT,
YOU CAN BE IT IS HAPPENING IN
THOSE SITES. AND AGAIN, THIS WAS
THE VERY DIFFICULT POPULATION.
THESE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE VERY
MUCH DISCONNECTED FROM CARE,
VERY MUCH THE PEOPLE THAT WE
PROBABLY GET THE MOST CALLS FOR
SERVICE ABOUT, AND SO I
APPRECIATE YOU ASKING ABOUT
THAT. I THINK THE BENEFITS OF
THESE ARE THEY'RE VERY POPULAR.
THEY'RE EASY TO DEPLOY, THEY'RE
RELATIVELY LESS EXPENSIVE, AND
THEY SHOULD BE A PART OF AN
OVERALL RESPONSE SYSTEM. THE
LAST THING, IF I MAY JUST BE SO
GREEDY WITH YOUR TIME, YOU
MENTIONED THE PERMITTING ISSUE,
AND THIS MAY BE MORE APPROPRIATE
FOR ASSEMBLYMEMBER OR CHAIRWOMAN
WICKS, BUT I WOULD JUST TAKE
THIS OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE
PERMITTING IS VERY MUCH A PART
ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE
VIBRANT COMMUNITIES AND VIBRANT
DOWNTOWNS, TWO YEARS, 18 MONTHS
AGO, I ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER
DIRECTING STAFF TO PERMIT 100%
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS IN
30 DAYS OR LESS, I MIGHT YOU
MIGHT IMAGINE THAT WAS NOT
NECESSARILY WELCOMED WITH OPEN
ARMS. INITIALLY, THERE WAS REAL
CONCERN BY STAFF WHETHER OR NOT
THEY COULD HIT THAT MARK. I'M
HERE TO TELL YOU THAT 18 MONTHS
LATER, NOT ONLY DO THEY MEET
THAT MARK, BUT THEY EXCEED IT.
WE'RE OFTEN PROCESSING 100%
AFFORDABLE PROJECTS IN 7 TO 9
DAYS. SO WHAT USED TO TAKE
MONTHS OR YEARS IS NOW BEING
DONE IN WEEKS OR DAYS, THAT'S A
GAME CHANGER. 27 PROJECTS ACROSS
OUR CITY, NOT CONCENTRATED JUST
IN DOWNTOWN, REPRESENTED OVER
2800 LOW INCOME HOUSING UNITS
HAVE BEEN PERMITTED IN THE LAST
18 MONTHS. NOTHING I JUST
DESCRIBED TO YOU TAKES A NICKEL
OF YOUR MONEY, BUT PROBABLY
SHOULD BE A REQUIREMENT TO GET
YOUR MONEY BECAUSE THE CITY OF
SAN DIEGO CANNOT SOLVE OUR
STATE'S HOUSING CRISIS BY
HERSELF. WE NEED OTHER
JURISDICTIONS TO FIGHT FOR MONEY
IN SACRAMENTO AND VOUCHERS IN
WASHINGTON, DC. BUT THERE'S SOME
SORT OF MINING OF YOUR OWN
BACKYARD IN TERMS OF HOW YOU CAN
HELP FACILITATE THIS HAS BEEN SO
SUCCESSFUL THAT THIS YEAR WE
EXPANDED THIS PROGRAM TO INCLUDE
TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENTS
UNDER OUR COMPLETE COMMUNITIES
PROGRAM. AND I WOULD LIKE TO
REPORT BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE IN
A YEAR'S TIME. WHAT THAT LOOKS
LIKE. BUT I HAVE EVERY
CONFIDENCE OUR STAFF WILL BE
ABLE TO HIT THAT MUCH QUICKER.
TURNAROUND TIME. TIME IS MONEY.
IF WE'RE SAVING TIME, IT'S GOING
TO REDUCE THE COST OF HOUSING
AND ACCRUE TO THE BENEFIT OF
RENTERS AND HOMEOWNERS IN THE
NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. I HOPE THE STATE
WOULD PUSH ON THAT. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND
YOUR WORK, MR. MAYOR. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER WEBER, THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. CHAIR, I WANT TO THANK BOTH
OF YOU FOR COMING OUT,
ESPECIALLY OUR MAYOR. I KNOW
YOU'RE VERY BUSY. SO TO COME AND
GIVE US ALL OF THIS TIME IS
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. AND WE
REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I WANT TO
KIND OF PIGGYBACK OFF OF WHAT
YOU WERE JUST REFERRING TO. AS
FAR AS HOUSING AND
AFFORDABILITY. YOU KNOW, IN YOUR
TALK, YOU LINKED, APPROPRIATELY,
THE IMPORTANCE OF HOUSING HERE.
AND THAT BRINGS JOBS AND THAT
BRINGS RETAIL AND ALSO THE LINK
BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, HOUSING AND
OUR UNSHELTERED. UNFORTUNATELY,
SAN DIEGO WAS JUST RECENTLY
DESIGNATED THE MOST EXPENSIVE
CITY TO LIVE IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND SO I WAS JUST WONDERING HOW
YOU WERE ABLE TO CREATE AND WORK
WITH DEVELOPERS TO CREATE MORE
HOUSING UNITS HERE. BUT ENSURE
THAT THERE IS SOME LEVEL OF
AFFORDABILITY. ABSOLUTELY. AND
HATS OFF TO ASSEMBLYMEMBER
ALVAREZ FOR CARRYING SOME
LEGISLATION THAT ACTUALLY GETS
TO THAT ISSUE. NOTHING LIKE
SERVING IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT. YOU
ALL KNOW THIS WELL OF, YOU KNOW,
PIONEERING IDEAS THAT REALLY
SHOULD BE EXPORTED STATEWIDE.
AND SO WHEN I SAW THE VALUE OF
TODAY'S CONVERSATION OF SOME OF
THE STUFF WE'RE PIONEERING HERE
CAN GO ELSEWHERE. SO NOT ONLY
DID WE DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF
PERMITS FROM 2022 TO 2023, IN
OUR CITY, BUT THE
DIVERSIFICATION OF THE PRICE
POINTS ARE PRETTY REMARKABLE. I
DON'T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY
HEAD, THE PRECISE NUMBERS, AND I
WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M GIVING YOU
GOOD INFORMATION. WE CAN FOLLOW
UP WITH THE SPECIFICS, BUT IT
ISN'T, 10,000 UNITS AT THE
LUXURY END. OUR CITY'S
INCLUSIONARY HOUSING LAW
REQUIRES, YOU KNOW, 10% OF ANY
DEVELOPMENT MUST BE AFFORDABLE.
THOSE ADU, LEGISLATION THAT
STARTED AT SACRAMENTO BUT HAVE
BEEN IMPLEMENTED WITH ZEAL HERE
IN SAN DIEGO MEANS, AGAIN, A LOT
OF THOSE UNITS ARE APPROPRIATE
FOR WORKING IN MIDDLE CLASS
FOLKS PRICED COMPETITIVELY
AGAINST MORE LUXURY STUFF THAT
JUST HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, ON ITS
OWN. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHERE
THE PERMITS ARE, WE'RE STILL NOT
BUILDING ENOUGH. PERIOD I, YOU
KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DOING 5000 A
YEAR FOR THE LONGEST TIME.
10,000 LAST YEAR IS FANTASTIC,
BUT WE REALLY NEED TO BE AT
15,000 A YEAR FOR AN EXTENDED
PERIOD OF TIME TO CREATE A
FUNCTIONAL HOUSING ECONOMY THAT
WORKS FOR EVERYBODY. BUT, YOU
KNOW, WE'RE THE TREND LINE IS
ENCOURAGING, RIGHT, WITHIN THOSE
10,000 UNITS, YOU SEE A
SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT AT THE LOW
INCOME LEVEL BECAUSE OUR RULES
REQUIRE IT, AND THEN THE MARKET
BASED INCENTIVES IN THINGS LIKE
OUR HOUSING ACTION PLANS THAT
WE'VE PASSED TWO OF IN OUR CITY,
COMPLETE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM,
OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE
UPDATES SAY THINGS LIKE, YOU
KNOW, IF YOU ARE WILLING TO
CREATE THREE BEDROOM UNITS,
WE'LL GIVE YOU ADDITIONAL
DENSITY ON THAT SITE, IF YOU IN
THE CASE OF ADUS, YOU CAN BUILD
YOUR ADU. BUT IF YOU WANT TO
BUILD A COUPLE MORE, YOU CAN DO
THAT. BUT YOU HAVE TO DEED
RESTRICT SOME OF THEM FOR LOW
INCOME FOLKS. SO WE HAVE CREATED
MARKET BASED INCENTIVES TO TRY
AND INCREASE THE PRODUCTION. AND
I THINK EARLY RESULTS ARE FAIRLY
FAVORABLE. AGAIN, WE'RE NOT
WHERE WE WANT TO BE YET, BUT
WITH VERY LITTLE RESOURCES.
RIGHT? WE'RE NOT GETTING MORE
HOUSING VOUCHERS FROM WASHINGTON
DC. THE STATE CONTINUES TO MAKE
ITS COMMITMENTS, ALTHOUGH
CERTAINLY LESS THAN IN THE
REDEVELOPMENT AGE, THESE ARE
WAYS THAT WE'RE SEEING PROGRESS.
AND NOTHING, NOTHING. I JUST
MENTIONED THE PERMITTING STUFF A
MOMENT AGO OR WHAT I JUST
DESCRIBED NOW IS ONLY DOABLE IN
SAN DIEGO. WHETHER OR NOT OTHER
CITIES WISH TO DO THIS IS REALLY
A QUESTION, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT
FOR SOME IT'S PROBLEMATIC. I
DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, LEAD
YOU ON. THIS IS DIFFICULT STUFF.
THERE ARE, AS YOU KNOW,
COMMUNITIES ARE VERY CONCERNED
ABOUT WHAT THEY CALL GRANNY
TOWERS. AND, YOU KNOW, CHANGING
THEIR COMMUNITY. I JUST HAPPEN
TO BELIEVE THAT THE CHANGE IN
OUR COMMUNITY BY NOT BUILDING
THIS HOUSING, NAMELY
UNAFFORDABILITY, MÁS AND
HOMELESSNESS, IS WORSE THAN
TAKING A COMMUNITY LIKE LITTLE
ITALY, WHICH WAS VERY DIFFERENT
THAN IT IS TODAY. BUT IT IS FAR
MORE VIBRANT AND FAR MORE
REVERED IN OUR ENTIRE CITY
BECAUSE OF THE NEW HOUSING
THAT'S BEEN BUILT THERE. SO TO
YOUR QUESTION, WE ARE HITTING
PRICE POINT. WE'RE HITTING THE
SPECTRUM OF PRICE POINTS. AND
THAT'S BECAUSE OF POLICY. WE
HAVE ENCOURAGED DEVELOPERS IN
THE MARKETPLACE TO START
BUILDING THOSE MIDDLE INCOME
UNITS, ETC. WE NEED TO DO MORE
OF THAT LAST THING FOR A PITCH.
YOU KNOW, WHERE I'M MOST
CONCERNED. GENERALLY SPEAKING,
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT MIDDLE
INCOME HOUSING. THINK ABOUT THE
PEOPLE WHO EARN TOO MUCH FOR LOW
INCOME HOUSING, BUT NOT ENOUGH
FOR MARKET RATE. THAT'S WHERE WE
HAVE TO FIND MORE INCENTIVES IN
THAT SPACE, AND WE'RE GOING TO
CONTINUE, AS BETSY MENTIONED,
THROUGH OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT
CODE UPDATES, TO TRY AND PIONEER
PLACES. BUT IF THERE'S A WAY THE
STATE COULD FOCUS IN ON THAT
PART OF THE MARKET, I THINK THAT
WOULD BE EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL.
AND WHERE WE HAVE DONE ALMOST
NOTHING, AND IT'S ON MY LIST OF
THINGS TO START TACKLING, IS FOR
SALE PRODUCT. I THINK THAT HAS A
LOT TO DO WITH CONSTRUCTION
DEFECT LITIGATION AND OTHER
THINGS. BUT AS WE'VE ALLOWED THE
ENVELOPE TO GROW, YOU KNOW,
MAYBE YOU PREVIOUSLY COULD BUILD
TWO HOUSES THERE. NOW WE'RE
SAYING YOU CAN DO 20, BUT ALL OF
ITS RENTAL VERY LITTLE TO NONE
OF IT IS FOR SALE. AND THAT JUST
CAN'T BE. PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA
HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SEE A FUTURE
FOR THEMSELVES HERE. THAT
INCLUDES BUYING A HOME, RAISING
A FAMILY, BUILDING WEALTH AND
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE NOT CRACKED
THE CODE ON THAT. AND AGAIN,
THAT'S PERHAPS SOMETHING THAT
THIS COMMITTEE CAN HELP US WITH,
IF YOU CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT THE
FORMULA IS, I WILL HAPPILY
IMPLEMENT IT IN MY CITY. WELL,
DO YOU WANT TO. YEAH JUST JUST
BRIEFLY. I WANT TO JUST
UNDERSCORE. AND I DON'T THINK
IT'S BEEN APPRECIATED AS MUCH
THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE HERE
IN SAN DIEGO THAT WE'VE BEEN, IN
SOME INSTANCES, BEEN ABLE TO
TAKE TO THE STATE DENSITY BONUS,
YOU KNOW, WAS STARTED HERE, AND
THEN LEGISLATION IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA ALLOWED THIS TO
HAPPEN. THIS IS WHERE WE ALLOW
FOR MORE DEVELOPMENT. IF YOU AND
YOU MUST COMMIT TO BUILDING
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, LAST YEAR,
WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY AND
ALL OF YOU, WE DID THE SAME FOR
MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES AS THE
MAYOR. SPEAKS TO, YOU KNOW, LOW
INCOME FAMILIES. WE MUST ADDRESS
THAT. AND I THINK THERE ARE A
PLETHORA OF PROGRAMS I AM BY. NO
MEANS SAYING WE FIGURED IT ALL
OUT, BUT FOR OUR THOSE
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE GRADUATING
COLLEGE AND DEFINITELY DON'T
QUALIFY AS A LOW INCOME
INDIVIDUAL, THEIR OPTIONS ARE
REALLY LIMITED. AS WELL. AND SO
THIS IS WHERE WE EXPANDED THE
DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM LAST YEAR
AGAIN WITH YOUR SUPPORT. AND WE
ARE ABLE TO DO THAT WHERE IF YOU
COMMIT TO BUILDING HOUSING THAT
IS FOR MIDDLE CLASS INDIVIDUALS,
YOU CAN ALSO, STACK YOUR DENSITY
BONUS ON TOP, WHICH IS, WHICH
IS, I THINK, A REALLY GOOD
THING. MORE WORK REMAINS TO BE
DONE ON THAT IN CERTAIN PARTS OF
CALIFORNIA, BUT THAT'S A
DISCUSSION FOR ANOTHER DAY, I'D
BE REALLY INTERESTED MAYOR IN,
AND I'LL PROBABLY FOLLOW UP WITH
THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
RESEARCH. BUT WE ALSO APPROVED
CEQA EXEMPTIONS TO 100%
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH IS ALL
THE PROJECTS THAT YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT THAT YOU'RE NOW BEING ARE
ABLE TO EXPEDITE IN 7 TO 9 DAYS.
SO AS YOU DO YOUR RESEARCH FOR
NEXT YEAR, I'D JUST BE
INTERESTED IN HEARING HOW MANY
OF THOSE ARE UTILIZING UTILIZING
THESE CEQA EXEMPT PROCESSES,
ACKNOWLEDGING THAT YOUR COMPLETE
COMMUNITY'S WORK HERE HAS ALSO
LED TO, YOU KNOW, TREMENDOUS,
TREMENDOUS SUCCESS IN BUILDING
MORE HOUSING. SO HOUSING IS THE
FIRST THING I WANT TO ASK ABOUT,
AND I WANT TO ASK YOU TO REMIND
US OF THE COMMITMENT THAT WAS
MADE, BY THE CITY NOW A FEW
YEARS AGO. I REMEMBER THIS WELL
TO ENSURE THAT DOWNTOWN BECAME A
PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ALSO LIVED.
YOU YOU BOTH TOUCHED ON IT, BUT
IT'S A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL
COMMITMENT. I THINK IT'S LIKE IN
THE 100,000 RANGE. REMIND ME AND
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW YOU SEE
THAT AS PART OF THAT RECOVERY
AND HOW IT'S BEEN HELPFUL TO THE
RECOVERY, AS THIS IS WHAT I
THINK THIS PARTICULAR, QUESTION
IS ABOUT? SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER ALVAREZ, I REALLY
APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION. YES.
THE COMMUNITY PLAN FOR DOWNTOWN,
WHICH I THINK WAS VERY VISIONARY
WHEN YOU ALL APPROVED, IT WAS TO
HAVE 90,000 UNITS, WHICH EQUATES
TO ABOUT 145,000 PEOPLE LIVING
IN DOWNTOWN. AND WHEN THAT WAS
PASSED, SO THAT 90,000 UNITS
THAT WHEN THAT WAS PASSED, THERE
WERE 22,000 UNITS IN DOWNTOWN.
AND IT SEEMED PRETTY FULL THEN.
I MEAN, TO PEOPLE. SO FOR YOU TO
HAVE THAT VISION, WE'RE AT
ABOUT, 42,000 UNITS RIGHT NOW.
SO WE HAVE A WAYS TO GO, BUT WE
CAN DO THAT. AND, A TESTAMENT TO
THIS CITY IS ALSO THINGS THAT
WE'VE ALWAYS JUST THOUGHT WE
COULDN'T DO, LIKE THE 500 FOOT
HEIGHT LIMIT FOR FAA. WELL,
THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT TRUE. AND WE
HAVE A HEIGHT STUDY GOING
THROUGH RIGHT NOW. THAT WAS
FUNDED BY A FOUNDATION SO THAT
WE COULD HAVE A AN UNDERSTANDING
OF EACH AND EVERY PARCEL OF
DOWNTOWN AND WHICH ONES ACTUALLY
CAN GO MUCH HIGHER AND WHICH
ONES CAN'T. AND I WILL SAY OUR
AIRPORT AUTHORITY WAS AMAZING TO
WORK WITH BECAUSE THEY COULD
HAVE BEEN VERY NERVOUS ABOUT
THIS, BUT THEY'RE NOT BECAUSE
THEY WANT TO KNOW TOO. AND WE
ALL WANT TO KNOW. AND SO IF WE
CAN GET DENSITY PER SITE, WHICH
IS WHAT WE'RE HOPING FOR, WE
COULD HAVE AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE,
LUXURY IN A MIXED USE PRODUCT,
MUCH BETTER AND EASIER AND MUCH
MORE FINANCEABLE SAN JOSE
PROBABLY HAS THAT SAME ISSUE
AROUND THEIR AIRPORT, I KNOW FOR
SURE. AND SO WHAT THE CITY DID
WITH THEIR OVERALL CEQA DOCUMENT
FOR DOWNTOWN WAS REVOLUTIONARY
AT THE TIME. WE HAVE A
PROGRAMMATIC CEQA DOCUMENT OVER
ALL OF DOWNTOWN THAT LET
DEVELOPMENT HAPPEN. MUCH FASTER.
AND SO WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH
YOUR COMPLETE COMMUNITIES, OR
YOU'RE AT THE STATE LEVEL
EXEMPTION FROM CEQA FOR
AFFORDABLE SEQUA IS IMPORTANT. I
UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THAT WAS
VERY HELPFUL. SO WE CAN DO THE
SAME THING WITH HEIGHT AND NØ
EVERY SINGLE PARCEL IN DOWNTOWN,
WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET
DEVELOPMENT DONE SO MUCH
QUICKER. SO I THINK THERE'S
THINGS LIKE THAT AT THE STATE
LEVEL YOU COULD DO. THANK YOU,
FOLLOWING UP ON THAT ON, YOU
KNOW, PLACEMAKING PROMENADE'S
MAYOR, YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT. I
WAS JUST, FOR AN 18 TRIP TO
DENVER. I WAS VERY SURPRISED,
WITH, WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING IN
THEIR DOWNTOWN AND I
ACCIDENTALLY FOUND MYSELF ON THE
PROMENADE, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS
QUITE, QUITE, QUITE NICE, AND
I'VE BEEN TO FIFTH STREET. I'M
JUST CURIOUS, FROM A STATE'S
PERSPECTIVE, WHAT ARE THE THINGS
THAT CREATE SOME ROADBLOCKS
TOWARDS. BECAUSE I REMEMBER
BEING INVOLVED WITH A LOT OF
FIGHTS OF WANTING TO CREATE
DIFFERENT MODALITIES FOR
TRANSPORTATION, PARTICULARLY
BIKES AND, AND WALKABLE
COMMUNITIES, THAT SOMETIMES YOU
HAD TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE
BUREAUCRATIC PROCESS OF GETTING
APPROVALS ONCE AGAIN. SEQUA, IS
THAT SOMETHING THAT IMPEDES
POTENTIALLY SOMETHING LIKE A
PROMENADE OR OTHER ACTIVATION OF
PUBLIC SPACES THAT IS PROBABLY
BETTER SUITED TO ANSWER, BUT AND
JUST TO PILE ON FROM THE LAST
CONVERSATION TO YOUR EXACT, AN
ASTUTE POINT. ALL THAT HOUSING
MEANS THAT THIS DOWNTOWN IS
GETTING NEW GROCERY STORES OR
OPENING A NEW EV CAR DEALERSHIP
TODAY. DOWNTOWN. I MEAN, LIKE,
THERE'S PEOPLE WANT TO BE HERE
AND IT'S CHICKEN EGG. NO, IT'S
HOUSING IS FIRST AND THEN THESE
RETAILERS WANT TO SHOW UP AND
BRINGS JOB VITALITY. SO YOU'RE
YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK. AND I
THINK GIVEN THAT GOD WILLING
WE'RE GOING TO CUT THE RIBBON ON
THE WHOLE FOODS LIKE A YEAR OR
SO OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I
MEAN, LIKE THIS, THIS IS, YOU
KNOW, THIS IS A POSITIVE SIGNAL
FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, RIGHT? TO
YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE
PROMENADE, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY
EXPENSIVE, AND THAT'S ONE OF OUR
PROBABLY OUR MAIN ISSUE NOW, YOU
KNOW, WE'VE CLOSED THE STREETS
TO ALLOW THIS THING TO HAPPEN ON
FIFTH AVENUE. BUT WHAT YOU SAW
IN DENVER, AND I'VE BEEN TO THAT
ONE AS WELL. THAT'S OUR LONG
TERM VISION OF SOMETHING THAT'S
MORE BUILT PURPOSEFULLY IN THAT
WAY. RIGHT. THAT REALLY
COMMUNICATES A PEDESTRIAN, ARE
WELCOME HERE. YOU'RE ACTUALLY
PROBABLY GOING TO SEE THAT
SOONER ON NORMAL STREET IN
HILLCREST. WE HOPE TO BE
BREAKING GROUND LATER THIS YEAR
FOR A PROMENADE CONCEPT ALONG,
NORMAL, UTILIZING STATE
PROPERTY, THE DMV, WE CAN DO
BETTER THAN WHAT'S CURRENTLY
THERE, SO THAT WILL HAPPEN IN
TERMS OF THE CHALLENGES THAT I
SEE HIM IS IT'S COST. AND,
WHETHER THE STATE CAN DO THINGS
THAT WILL REDUCE SOME OF THOSE
COSTS THROUGH REGULATIONS, I
RECOGNIZE IN DOWNTOWN IN
GASLAMP, WE'RE BUILDING IN A
VERY OLD ENVIRONMENT, AND
THERE'S LOTS OF OLD STUFF DOWN
THERE AND OTHER STUFF. I MEAN,
NO ONE WANTS TO CUT THOSE
CORNERS, BUT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF
THAT WORK DOES ADD COST TO IT,
I'LL TELL YOU, ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WE HAD PROBABLY OUR LAST
STUMBLING BLOCK ON THE PROMENADE
AND FIFTH AVENUE WAS HAVING TO
RELOCATE A BUS ROUTE, YOU KNOW,
AND THAT WAS NOT WITHOUT FEDERAL
REVIEW AND THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU
KNOW, DOES TAKE THINGS TO TAKE A
BIT LONGER. RIGHT. AND I THINK
IF YOU'RE A BUSINESS OWNER THAT
REALLY FEELS LIKE, HEY, I GOT
THROUGH THE PANDEMIC BY THE TIPS
OF MY FINGERS, YOU KNOW, AND I
THINK THIS PROMENADE COULD BRING
SO MANY MORE CUSTOMERS. I NEED
THIS TO HAPPEN NOW. AND THE
ANSWER IS, WELL, IT'S MORE THAN
JUST PUTTING SOME PAVERS OUT IN
THE SIDEWALK. IT'S SO MUCH MORE
THAN THAT. AND IN MANY CASES,
THAT'S PROBABLY APPROPRIATE. BUT
I THINK WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO
ACCOMPLISH AND WHAT THESE
PROJECTS END UP LOOKING LIKE,
STORMWATER DIVERSION, ACCESS AND
OTHER THINGS. THE PRICE TAG
BECOMES WAY MORE THAN IF YOU
PAVERS FROM HOME DEPOT, RIGHT?
IT BECOMES A VERY, VERY
EXPENSIVE PROJECT. THAT WAS
GOING TO BE MY LAST QUESTION, IF
I CAN, MR. CHAIR, JUST IS I WAS
AROUND FOR THE END OF IT AND YOU
WERE TWO OF ALL THE SIGNIFICANT
INVESTMENTS THAT WERE BEING MADE
WITH THE USE OF REVENUE THROUGH
THROUGH REDEVELOPMENT BONDS
PRIMARILY, OBVIOUSLY. AND I JUST
HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT
LIKE, HOW CAN WE ONCE AGAIN
THINK BIG FOR MAJOR CATALYTIC
PROJECTS OR EVEN LIKE CIVIC
PROJECTS LIKE A PROMENADE, WHEN
CITIES DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES
TO DO THAT? I MEAN, I KNOW THE
BUDGET OF CITY OF SAN DIEGO, YOU
DON'T GOT MONEY TO JUST LIKE, DO
A NICE NEW PROJECT, RIGHT?
YOU'VE GOT TO FIND A SOURCE OF
REVENUE TO DO THAT. SO HOW DO WE
ONCE AGAIN ALLOW BIG THINGS TO
HAPPEN IN LIGHT OF THE REALLY
ONLY TOOL AVAILABLE FOR URBAN
DEVELOPMENT? IT'S DIFFERENT WHEN
YOU'VE GOT GREEN, DEVELOPMENT,
BECAUSE IT'S NHIÀU DIFF FEES AND
ALL THAT STUFF. YOU CAN, YOU CAN
COLLECT, BUT IN AN URBAN
ENVIRONMENT OR IN OLDER
COMMUNITIES, WHICH DOWNTOWN IS
AND THE COMMUNITIES, A LOT OF
THE I REPRESENT ARE, THERE IS NO
OTHER WAY TO COME UP WITH A
FUNDING SOURCE. SO I'D LOVE TO
HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS IN YOUR
CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER CITIES,
BOTH OF YOU, TO SEE HOW FOLKS
ARE DOING THAT. I CAN TRY
QUICKLY AND THEN BETSY CAN CLEAN
UP AFTERWARD IS, YES. IF I HAD
MORE RESOURCES, I COULD DO
ANYTHING YOU COULD ASK ME TO.
YOU KNOW, YOU WANT ME TO BUILD A
PROMENADE. YOU WANT IT TO, YOU
KNOW, BANANA. I CAN DO IT. NO
PROBLEM. BUT THE RESOURCES, AS
YOU NOTE, ARE NOT THERE. I THINK
TO YOUR POINT ABOUT GOING BIG,
THE NORMAL STREET PROMENADE
BENEFITS FROM FEDERAL, STATE AND
SANDAG FUNDING, RIGHT? SO WHEN
YOU ALL INVEST, WE CAN DO THAT.
AND SOON YOU CAN GO TO THE
HILLCREST FARMERS MARKET. IT'S
GOING TO BE GORGEOUS AND YOU'RE
GOING TO LOVE IT. WHEN I THINK
BIG RIGHT NOW, I THINK ABOUT
APHIDS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONE IN
YOUR ASSEMBLY DISTRICT AROUND
OTAY MESA WHICH IS HELPING US DO
CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT
WOULDN'T BE THERE OTHERWISE. AND
THAT'S HELPING FOR ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT IN OUR BORDER
COMMUNITY, AND SO THE STATE
ALLOWS THOSE TO BE AND WE'RE
SORT OF DABBLING WITH IT. IT'S
NOT THE SAME AS REDEVELOPMENT,
BUT, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST IT'S
THERE. WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND
USE THAT SAME MODEL AT THE
SPORTS ARENA REDEVELOPMENT, NOT
FAR FROM HERE AND START
SOMETHING THAT'LL BE
TRANSFORMATIONAL, I THINK, FOR
YOUR COLLEAGUES WHO AREN'T FROM
SAN DIEGO, IT'S, YOU KNOW,
CURRENTLY A 48 ACRE PARKING LOT
WITH A 1960S, YOU KNOW, ARENA ON
IT. OUR VISION IS A 21ST CENTURY
ARENA WITH 4250 HOMES, HALF OF
WHICH ARE AFFORDABLE. SO I MEAN
THAT WE'RE WE'RE COUNTING ON
THAT TOOL TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND THEN WE MIGHT REPLICATE THAT
AT THE CIVIC CENTER. THE SIX
BLOCKS OF DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO,
THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO OWNS THAT.
WE COULD REDO, HOPEFULLY WITH AN
RFID AS WELL AS AT SPAY WAR OR
NAVY OR I'M SORRY. NAVY OR THE
NAVY'S IT OUTFIT. IT'S ABOUT
ALMOST 30 ACRES, OR SLIGHTLY
LESS THAN THAT, WHERE A SIMILAR
FORMAT CAN BE THERE. THAT'S THE
ONLY WAY I CAN THINK OF BIG
PROJECTS CURRENTLY TO TRY AND
GET TO THE RESOURCE ISSUE THAT
YOU'RE DESCRIBING, BUT WE
HAVEN'T NECESSARILY IMPLEMENTED
THIS, I THINK, ON THE SCALE THAT
YOU AND I ARE BOTH THINKING
ABOUT IN OUR HEADS, AND IT'S
GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE
IF THIS CAN WORK. THE FOLKS AT
MIDWAY RISING TELL ME THIS WILL
WORK. THERE AND WE HAVE BUY IN
FROM THE COUNTY NOW AND
ELSEWHERE. SO I'M, I'M I'M
HOPEFUL, BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK
FOR THOSE OF US WHO REMEMBER
OLD, REDEVELOPMENT AREAS, WILL
IT BE THE SAME? I DON'T KNOW,
BUT THAT'S THAT'S WHERE WE'RE
DOING BIG STUFF AND WE'RE
COUNTING ON F IDS TO BE THE TOOL
THAT DELIVERS THOSE BETSY THINGS
COMING TO MIND TO YOU. I THINK
THE MAYOR COVERED A LOT OF WHAT
IS EXCITING AND WHAT IS TO COME.
BUT THE MORE FLEXIBILITY WE HAVE
FROM THE STATE TO DO SPECIAL
DISTRICTS AND MAYBE CAPTURE THAT
MONEY AND KEEP IT IN THAT AREA
WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR THIS,
BECAUSE WE WANT TO BENEFIT THE
ENTIRE COMMUNITY. IT'S NOT LIKE
WE'RE TAKING THE MONEY TO KEEP
IT. WE'RE WE'RE PUTTING IT RIGHT
BACK INTO THAT PLAZA OR WHATEVER
IT IS. SO WE COULD MAYBE DO SOME
PILOTS AROUND THAT CIVIC CENTER
OR N'AVOIR COULD BE A GOOD
EXAMPLE HERE IN SAN DIEGO TO TRY
THAT AND SEE HOW SEE HOW IT
WORKS. BECAUSE I, I, I DO HAVE
THAT SAME CONCERN OR WORRY ABOUT
THESE BIG PROJECTS THAT WE WANT
TO DO AND HOW DO WE GET THE
FUNDING. AND I THINK BACK TO
EVEN PROJECTS WHEN I WORKED IN
IN CITY HALL AS A STAFFER FROM
2000 TO 2008, AND EVEN WHEN WE
HAD REDEVELOPMENT AND COUPLING
STATE AND FEDERAL AND, AND
SANDAG AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT
FUNDING SOURCES TOGETHER, IS
QUITE DIFFICULT. AND IT TAKES A
SUSTAINED LIKE 5 TO 10 YEAR
VISION FROM AN ELECTED OFFICIAL
TO DO. AND THEN THE TEAM TO PUT
IT TOGETHER. SO IF WE HAD EVEN A
PILOT, MAYBE IN EACH CITY TO
TRY, THAT COULD BE REALLY
INTERESTING. AND COMPELLING.
WELL MISS BRENNAN, MR. MAYOR,
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME
THIS MORNING FOR ALL YOU'RE
DOING. I THINK YOU REALLY LAID
OUT FOR US THE BOTH THE
CHALLENGES AND THE OPPORTUNITIES
IN FRONT OF US AND THE WAYS IN
WHICH THE WORK THAT WE CAN DO AT
THE STATE CAN SUPPORT THE VISION
THAT YOU HAVE FOR THIS CITY THAT
REALLY, I THINK ALL OF OUR STATE
CAN BENEFIT FROM THAT. YOU
UNDERSCORED FOR US, I THINK, WHY
WE CHOSE TO HAVE THIS HEARING
HERE IN SAN DIEGO. A LOT OF
FOLKS, WHEN I TALK TO THEM ABOUT
THE SUCCESS THAT SAN DIEGO IS
HAVING, THEY OFTEN SAY, WELL,
WELL, THEY HAVE THE WEATHER AND
THEY HAVE THE LOCATION, AND THAT
MUST BE IT, BUT REALLY IT'S
LEADERSHIP. AND YOU ALL ARE
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE GREAT
CITY THAT YOU HAVE AND THE GREAT
TACOS AND MAKING SURE THAT YOUR
CREATIVE, PROACTIVE LEADERSHIP
IS TAKING IT TO THE FUTURE, IN A
MOMENT OF TREMENDOUS CHANGE. AND
SO, SO WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP. I ALSO WANT TO
RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, BOTH
OF YOU HAVE STAFFS WHO ARE ALSO
MANY OF WHOM ARE HERE, WHO ARE
ALSO A HUGE PART OF THAT. AND I
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND
RECOGNIZE THEM AND THEIR WORK,
AS WELL AS THE BUSINESS LEADERS,
COUNCIL MEMBER WHITBURN AS WELL,
WHO HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS LEADER
FOR DOWNTOWN, A LOT MORE TO
COME. AND YOU'VE GIVEN US A LOT
TO THINK ABOUT. AND YOU HAVE
REPRESENTATIVES HERE AND
PARTNERS AT THE STATE WHO ARE
GOING TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE
WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. THANK
YOU FOR BEING WITH US.
APPRECIATE IT. ALL RIGHT, WE ARE
GOING TO NOW MOVE TO OUR NEXT
PANEL. NEXT COUPLE PANELS ARE
GOING TO GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY
TO DO A BIT MORE OF A DEEP DIVE
AROUND SOME OF THE THEMES THAT
WE TOUCHED ON IN THIS FIRST
PANEL, I WANT TO MOVE TO OUR
SECOND PANEL, WHICH WILL FOCUS
ON NIGHTLIFE AND CULTURE AS AN
ANCHOR FOR SAFE, CLEAN AND
HEALTHY DOWNTOWNS, I WANT TO
INVITE UP OUR THREE PANELISTS.
KIANA CONNELLY, A SENIOR
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE LOS
ANGELES CHAPTER OF THE RECORDING
ACADEMY. BEN BLINMAN, WHO IS THE
PRESIDENT OF THE CALIFORNIA
NIGHTLIFE ASSOCIATION. AND JOE
RINALDI, WHO IS THE MANAGING
PARTNER OF MUSIC BOX SAN DIEGO.
WELCOME. ALL RIGHT. NOW. ALL
RIGHT. KIANA, I THINK WE'RE
STARTING WITH YOU. WELCOME.
THANK YOU. EVERYONE, I JUST WANT
TO THANK, FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS.
THERE WE GO. SORRY. THANK YOU.
EVERYONE. I JUST WANTED TO SAY
ON BEHALF OF HARVEY MASON JR,
OUR CEO, AND THE RECORDING
ACADEMY, WE THANK THE CALIFORNIA
ASSEMBLY SELECT COMMITTEE ON
DOWNTOWN RECOVERY, ASSEMBLY
MEMBERS, AND OBVIOUSLY, THE
LEGISLATIVE AIDE OF ASSEMBLY
MEMBER HAINEY, FOR INVITING US
TO BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION
TODAY. AGAIN, MY NAME IS KIANA
CONNELLY AKINO. I AM THE SENIOR
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE LOS
ANGELES CHAPTER OF THE RECORDING
ACADEMY. AND WHAT WE DO AT THE
RECORDING ACADEMY IS WE ARE A
HUB FOR MUSIC CREATORS AND MUSIC
PROFESSIONALS, WE ARE MOST
FAMOUSLY KNOWN FOR OUR BIGGEST
NIGHT IN MUSIC, WHICH IS THE
GRAMMYS. BUT THERE IS MUCH MORE
WORK THAT WE DO. THE OTHER 364
DAYS OF THE YEAR, AND I'M HERE
TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT
THAT WORK IS. AS WELL AS A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE THINK
SORT OF THE STATE OF IMPORTANCE
AROUND NEED FOR MUSIC CREATORS
AND MUSIC PROFESSIONALS IN TERMS
OF BEING SUPPORTED BY THE STATE.
SO AGAIN, MANY PEOPLE KNOW THE
RECORDING ACADEMY BEST FOR THE
GRAMMY AWARDS. WHEN WE RECOGNIZE
EXCELLENCE IN THE RECORDING
INDUSTRY THROUGH MUSIC'S MOST
COVETED AND ONLY PEER RECOGNIZED
AWARD. BUT THE GRAMMYS IS JUST
ONE OF 365 DAYS THAT WE SPEND
WORKING TO SUPPORT THE MUSIC
INDUSTRY AND ITS CREATORS. AS
THE LEADING COMMUNITY OF MUSIC
PROFESSIONALS, THE RECORDING
ACADEMY'S PURPOSE IS TO ADVOCATE
FOR OUR COMMUNITY BY FIGHTING
FOR THE RIGHTS OF ALL MUSIC
CREATORS. TO ENSURE PRO MUSIC
POLICY IS ENACTED AT THE
NATIONAL, STATE AND LOCAL
LEVELS, WE INSPIRE THE NEXT
GENERATION OF THE INDUSTRY
THROUGH ENRICHMENT, EDUCATION
AND MENTORSHIP, AND WE CULTIVATE
THE WELL-BEING OF THE MUSIC
COMMUNITY THROUGH SERVICE AND
GALVANIZE OUR OWN COMMUNITY TO
SERVE THE WORLD AROUND US. AS
THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
THE LA CHAPTER, IT IS MY JOB TO
SPECIFICALLY ENGAGE THE MUSIC
COMMUNITY AND ADVOCATE WITH
MEMBERS IN VARIOUS MARKETS,
INCLUSIVE OF ALL OF THE STATE OF
ARIZONA, ALL OF OUR MEMBERS IN
THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, ALL OF
OUR MEMBERS IN SOUTHERN NEVADA,
AND OF COURSE, ALL OF OUR
MEMBERS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA,
WHICH OBVIOUSLY INCLUDES THE
GREAT CITY OF SAN DIEGO.
THEREFORE, IT'S MY PLEASURE AND
MY HONOR TO BE HERE WITH YOU
TODAY, AND SHARE ON A FEW THINGS
THAT THAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE
IMPORTANT TO THIS CONVERSATION
OF CREATING OPPORTUNITIES IN
LOCAL SCENES THAT ARE BURSTING
WITH TALENT, LIKE SAN DIEGO.
TODAY, I'D LIKE TO INVITE US TO
SHARE ON THREE PARTICULAR AREAS
ONE. WHO EXACTLY MAKES UP THE
MUSIC COMMUNITY OF CALIFORNIA
THROUGH SOME Kò TO KEY DATA
POINTS. WHAT WE BELIEVE THE
STATE OF NEED IS FOR THE
CALIFORNIA MUSIC COMMUNITY, AND
WHAT THE WORK OF THE RECORDING
ACADEMY IS IN REGARDS TO
ADVOCATING SPECIFICALLY AROUND
POLICY FOR MUSIC CREATORS. AND
THEN WHY, RIGHT THROUGH A BRIEF
COMMENT ON OUR HISTORIC,
HISTORICAL, CULTURAL AND
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC,
MUSICIANS, MUSIC VENUES AND THE
RECORDING INDUSTRY IN
CALIFORNIA. SO FIRST AND
FOREMOST, A LITTLE BIT OF THE
HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA, AS YOU
KNOW, HAS BEEN THE HOME OF A
VITAL, DIVERSE AND IMPACTFUL
MUSIC COMMUNITY OF ARTISTS,
SONGWRITERS, STUDIO
PROFESSIONALS, RECORD LABELS,
PUBLISHERS, EVEN LAWYERS AND
PUBLICISTS ALL THROUGHOUT THE
ENTIRE STATE. NOT JUST IN
HOLLYWOOD OR LOS ANGELES, WHERE
I DROVE FROM TODAY, GENRES AND
ICONS HAVE BEEN BORN AND DEFINED
HERE. CALIFORNIA IS THE HOME OF
WEST COAST HIP HOP, THE
BAKERSFIELD SOUND, CHICANO
MUSIC, AND SURFER ROCK. NOT TO
MENTION THE IMPACTS OF OUR STATE
HAS HAD ON MUSIC LIKE FOLK, R&B,
PUNK ROCK AND POP. FROM MILES
DAVIS TO KENDRICK LAMAR, ETTA
JAMES TO BILLIE EILISH, THE
BEACH BOYS TO BLINK 182, I COULD
SPEND HOURS NAMING ICON AFTER
ICON, LEGENDARY BAND AFTER
LEGENDARY BAND WHO CALLED
CALIFORNIA THEIR HOME, AND MANY
OF WHICH WERE BORN HERE.
CALIFORNIA IS ALSO HOME TO
ICONIC VENUES LIKE THE FILLMORE
IN SAN FRANCISCO, THE TROUBADOUR
IN HOLLYWOOD AND THE CASBAH HERE
IN SAN DIEGO, AND COUNTLESS
MORE. IT IS THE DESTINATION FOR
INCREDIBLE MUSIC FESTIVALS LIKE
COACHELLA, WHICH ALONE BROUGHT
IN 250 VISITORS AND GENERATED
$704 MILLION IN ECONOMIC
ACTIVITY, INCLUDING SPENDING BY
CONSUMERS AND 106 MILLION IN
INDIO ALONE. AND CALIFORNIA
REMAINS THE CAPITAL OF RECORDED
MUSIC, WITH STUDIOS LIKE THE
VILLAGE AND CAPITOL STUDIOS
PRODUCING SOME OF THE MOST
LEGENDARY AND POPULAR MUSIC EVER
CREATED. SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN
IN TERMS OF OUR OUR ECONOMIC
VALUE? THE CURRENT VALUE OF
MUSIC TO THE STATE'S CREATIVE
ECONOMY, ACCORDING TO RESEARCH
CONDUCTED BY THE RIAA, IS 39.5
BILLION IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.
CONTRIBUTION TO STATE GDP, WHICH
IS 430,814 JOBS SUPPORTED BY THE
INDUSTRY. THERE ARE 71,000 MUSIC
VENUES ACROSS THE STATE,
ACCORDING TO DATA FROM NIVA,
WHICH IS THE NATIONAL
INDEPENDENT VENUE ASSOCIATION,
AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
ROYALTY RECIPIENTS. ACCORDING TO
SOUND EXCHANGE AND THE
SONGWRITER PERFORMING RIGHTS
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE ASCAP AND BMI.
ACCORDING TO OTIS COLLEGE REPORT
ON THE CREATIVE ECONOMY, THE
OVERALL CREATIVE ECONOMY
DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTED 507.4
BILLION TO CALIFORNIA'S ECONOMY
AND 7.6% OF ITS JOBS. THE
REPORT'S ANALYSIS ALSO SHOWED
THAT THE CREATIVE SECTORS
OUTPERFORMED THE OVERALL ECONOMY
IN POST COVID RECOVERY. SO
OBVIOUSLY, THROUGH POLICY AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, VENUES AND
OTHER VENUES AND INDUSTRY, WE
CAN SUPPORT THE PROMISE THAT THE
MUSIC COMMUNITY AND THE
ENTERTAINMENT COMMUNITY BRING TO
THE DEVELOPMENT OF DOWNTOWN
RECOVERY AND WITHIN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA AS A WHOLE. NOW,
SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY, AND THIS
IS MY LAST SECTION. SORRY,
GENTLEMEN, JUST WANTED TO SPEAK
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT WHAT THE
MUSIC ADVOCACY WORK OF THE
RECORDING ACADEMY HAS BEEN IN
2024. WE'VE BEEN ADVOCATING
SPECIFICALLY FOR LEGISLATION AND
POLICIES THAT HAVE A POSITIVE
IMPACT ON THE MUSIC COMMUNITY,
WHICH IS CENTRAL TO THE MISSION
OF OUR RECORDING ACADEMY. MYSELF
AND THE OTHER 11 EXECUTIVE
DIRECTORS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE
NATION ACTUALLY WORK ON A DAY
THAT WE'VE BEEN COINING DISTRICT
ADVOCATE, WHERE WE MEET WITH
CONGRESSIONAL AND SENATORIAL
LEADERS AND OUR MEMBERS. WE
USUALLY HAVE ABOUT 2000 OR SO OF
OUR MEMBERS ACROSS THE NATION
THAT MEET ON THE SAME DAY THIS
YEAR. IT'S CALLED MUSIC ADVOCACY
DAY. WE'VE RENAMED IT, AND IT'S
OCTOBER 1ST. WE ALSO DO A LOT OF
STATE, POLICY ACTIVATION AS WELL
AND HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE
CALIFORNIA DAY OF THE ARTS, MOST
RECENTLY IN MARCH OF 2024. WE
REPRESENT THE VOICES OF
PERFORMERS, SONGWRITERS,
PRODUCERS, ENGINEERS AND ALL
MUSIC CREATORS ACROSS GENRES AND
CRAFTS WHO COME FROM DIFFERENT
BACKGROUNDS AND COMMUNITIES
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. IT'S OUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT
CREATORS RIGHTS AND ADVANCE
THEIR INTERESTS ON IMPORTANT
MUSIC POLICY MATTERS, WHETHER
IT'S IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES
OR ON THE STATE AND FEDERAL
LEVELS, AND WE SPECIFICALLY LIKE
TO MENTION THAT BECAUSE THOUGH
OUR MEMBERSHIP MAY BE ABOUT
25,000 OR SO, WE ALL KNOW
SOMEONE WHO IS IN THE MUSIC
BUSINESS OR A YOUNG KID WHO IS
INTERESTED IN PURSUING MUSIC AS
A PROFESSIONAL CAREER. SO A LOT
OF THE WORK THAT WE DO MAY BE
THROUGH THE HANDS AND THE VOICES
OF OUR MEMBERS, BUT IT REALLY IS
BENEFITING MUSIC CREATORS AND
MUSIC PROFESSIONALS AS A WHOLE,
AS YOU KNOW, ARE THE PEOPLE THAT
TYPICALLY ARE SUPPORTING THE
GENERAL PUBLIC AND THE DIFFERENT
EXPERIENCES THAT THEY'RE GOING
THROUGH IN THEIR LIFE AS WELL.
SO THE RECORDING ACADEMY HAS
ENDORSED AND IS WORKING ON TWO
BILLS THAT ARE ACTIVELY BEING
CONSIDERED RIGHT NOW IN
SACRAMENTO THAT WOULD PROVIDE
IMMEDIATE BENEFIT TO MUSIC
CREATORS IN THE STATE'S CREATIVE
ECONOMY. THE FIRST DEALS WITH
THE MODEST NEW REGULATIONS
AROUND GENERATIVE AI. THE BILL
WE HAVE ENDORSED, AB 1836,
PROTECTS DECEASED INDIVIDUALS
FROM HAVING THEIR LIKENESS USED
WITHOUT PERMISSION. AB 1836
ADDRESSES A CRITICAL GAP IN
CALIFORNIA'S CURRENT RIGHT OF
PUBLICITY LAW BY EXTENDING
PROTECTIONS TO INCLUDE DECEASED
CREATORS. CALIFORNIA LAW
CURRENTLY PERMITS THE USE OF
DIGITAL REPLICAS OF DECEASED
INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT THEIR
FAMILIES OR THEIR ESTATES
PERMISSION, SO THIS LEGISLATION
WOULD RECTIFY WOULD RECTIFY THIS
BY PROVIDING POSTHUMOUS,
POSTHUMOUS. EXCUSE ME PROTECTION
FOR CREATORS, ENSURING THAT
THEIR LIKENESS IS NOT USED
WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION, AND
PROVIDE SOLUTIONS TO HARMONIZE
PROTECTIONS AND ENSURE THAT
EVERY CALIFORNIAN RETAINS
CONTROL OVER THEIR DIGITAL
IDENTITY. WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
IT'S ABOUT EXTENDING THE
LIFEBLOOD AND THE GENERATIONS OF
THESE CREATORS AND PROVIDING
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE LEGACY.
YOU KNOW THAT THAT WOULD BE
BENEFITING FROM FROM THESE
RIGHTS. AB 1836 CLEARED THE
ASSEMBLY IN MAY AND IS HOPEFULLY
MOVING FORWARD SOON. IN THE
SENATE TO REACH THE GOVERNOR'S
DESK TO BECOME LAW. THE SECOND
BILL IS CLOSE TO THE
CONVERSATION OF TODAY AND DEALS
WITH THE LIVE EVENT MARKETPLACE
AND ENSURING THAT BUYING TICKETS
TO CONCERTS AND SHOWS PROTECTS
ARTISTS AND THEIR FANS. SB 785
PROTECTS ARTISTS AND THEIR FANS
BY STOPPING FRAUDULENT AND
DECEPTIVE PRACTICES IN THE
TICKETING MARKETPLACE, SO SB 785
ENDS THE PREDATORY PRACTICE OF
RESELLERS SELLING FAKE TICKETS
TO CONSUMERS. IT ALSO PROHIBITS
DECEPTIVE WEBSITES THAT ARE
CREATED TO MIMIC THE PRIMARY
TICKET SELLERS. WEBSITE, IN AN
ATTEMPT TO TRICK CONSUMERS INTO
BUYING FAKE OR OVERPRICED
TICKETS. IT ALSO REQUIRES TICKET
ADVERTISERS, TICKET RESELLERS,
AND TICKET MARKETPLACES TO
DISCLOSE THE FACE VALUE OF THE
TICKET BEING SOLD AND HAS
ALREADY CROSSED OVER TO THE
ASSEMBLY. WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT
WE, HOPEFUL THAT THIS WILL BE
BROUGHT UP IMMINENTLY TO BECOME
LAW, YOU KNOW, BEFORE THE END OF
THE SESSION. SO ADDITIONALLY,
AND I MENTIONED THIS A LITTLE
BIT EARLIER, BUT IN APRIL, BOTH
OUR LOS ANGELES CHAPTER AND OUR
SAN FRANCISCO CHAPTERS
PARTICIPATED IN CALIFORNIA FOR
THE ARTS ANNUAL ADVOCACY IN THE
STATE CAPITOL. AND WE CONTINUE
TO ADVOCATE SPECIFICALLY AROUND
MUSIC EDUCATION, OTHER THAN
THAT, IN CLOSING, I JUST, YOU
KNOW, AGAIN, WOULD LIKE TO SAY
THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE TIME
AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW WE THINK
FOCUSING ON DOWNTOWN RECOVERY,
PARTICULARLY IN THE SPACE OF
CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR MUSIC
CREATORS AND THEIR FANS TO
GATHER, AND TO CONNECT, WE'LL
HAVE GREAT IMPACT ON ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS JUST
LIFESTYLE. AND, YOU KNOW, SOCIAL
INTERACTION AMONGST THE
COMMUNITIES. SO THANKS FOR
HAVING ME. THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH
FOR BEING HERE AND FOR JOINING
US TODAY AND FOR REALLY LAYING
OUT HOW CENTRAL OUR CREATORS ARE
TO CALIFORNIA'S HISTORY. ITS
ECONOMY, ITS CULTURE, AND HOW WE
CAN LEVERAGE THIS AS WE THINK
ABOUT OUR DOWNTOWNS, THEIR
RECOVERY AND THEIR ECONOMIC AND
CULTURAL IMPACT AND POTENTIAL.
I'M NOW GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO
BEN BLEIMAN, WHO IS THE
PRESIDENT OF THE CALIFORNIA
NIGHTLIFE ASSOCIATION. HELLO.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. IT'S AN
HONOR. MY NAME IS BEN BLEIMAN.
AS ASSEMBLYMEMBER HANEY SAID, I
HAVE OWNED 12 BARS IN THE CITY
OF SAN FRANCISCO. I'M FROM THE
SAN FRANCISCO CONTINGENT, I'M
ALSO CURRENTLY THE PRESIDENT OF
THE SAN FRANCISCO ENTERTAINMENT
COMMISSION, WHICH INTERFACES
BETWEEN NEIGHBORS AND SOUND IN A
VERY INNOVATIVE WAY. I'M HERE ON
MY PERSONAL TIME NOW, SPEAKING
ON MY OWN BEHALF, AND I'M THE
FOUNDER OF THE CALIFORNIA
NIGHTLIFE ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS
A RELATIVELY NEW STATEWIDE
NIGHTLIFE ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION
THAT WE FOUNDED SPECIFICALLY TO
MEET A NEED IN THE STATE AND
THAT'S TO ADVOCATE FOR WORKERS,
FOR VENUE OWNERS, FOR ARTISTS,
FOR PERFORMERS, KIND OF ACROSS
THE STATE. WE HAVE BOARD MEMBERS
FROM SAN DIEGO, FROM ORANGE
COUNTY, FROM LA. WE HAVE
OAKLAND, SACRAMENTO, SAN
FRANCISCO, AND WE'RE TRYING TO
FIND BAKER AND BAKERSFIELD IN
FRESNO. SO IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY,
WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THEM
ABOARD, SO HERE TODAY, OBVIOUSLY
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOWNTOWNS.
AND IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE I
CURRENTLY DO OWN A BAR IN
DOWNTOWN, AND I HAVE ONE NOW,
WHICH IS GREAT. BUT BEFORE I
OWNED THAT BAR, WHICH IS VERY
RECENT, I DIDN'T THINK MUCH
ABOUT DOWNTOWNS UNTIL COVID HIT.
AND THE REASON WAS WHEN
DOWNTOWNS ARE GOING WELL AND YOU
DON'T LIVE OR WORK THERE, IT'S
JUST KIND OF YOU TAKE THEM FOR
GRANTED. IT'S WHEN THEY START TO
GO SOUTH THAT EVERYBODY REALIZE
HOW CONNECTED DOWNTOWNS ARE TO
THIS, TO THE HEALTH OF AN
INDIVIDUAL CITY OR TOWN. YOU
ALREADY KNOW THIS, BUT I THINK
IT'S JUST BEARS SAYING,
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF
REASONS THAT OUR DOWNTOWNS ARE
STRUGGLING, COVID WAS THE MAIN
ONE, A FLIGHT OF PEOPLE WHO
LIVED DOWNTOWN OUT,
HOMELESSNESS, SAFETY ISSUES. I
THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE FOR
SAN FRANCISCO, AND I THINK FOR
MANY IS THE WORK FROM HOME
PHENOMENON, WHICH WAS KIND OF
VERY FAST EXODUS OF A MASSIVE
GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO, SPENT A LOT
OF MONEY DOWNTOWN AND WENT THERE
EVERY SINGLE DAY. SO WE REALIZED
SAN FRANCISCO, I'M SURE, IN SAN
DIEGO, LA, JUST HOW IMPORTANT
OUR DOWNTOWNS ARE FOR OUR TAX
BASIS FOR TOURISM. CONFERENCES
AND ALL THE DOLLARS THEY BRING
IN. AND THEN IT'S
SELF-PERPETUATING. WHEN
DOWNTOWNS START TO DETERIORATE,
PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN
THERE, AND IT GETS WORSE AND
WORSE AND WORSE. AND SO YOU
CREATE KIND OF A SNOWBALL
EFFECT, WHICH IS, WE'VE SEEN, AT
LEAST IN OUR CITY, TO BE REALLY,
REALLY DETRIMENTAL, SO WHAT
WE'VE REALIZED OR WHAT MY
PHILOSOPHY IS, AND WHAT CAL
KNIGHT STANDS FOR, IS THAT
PEOPLE USED TO GO DOWNTOWN
BECAUSE THEY HAD TO PRIMARILY,
ESPECIALLY WORKERS. THEY WERE
REQUIRED. THERE WASN'T A CHOICE.
THAT'S WHERE THEIR OFFICE WAS.
IT WAS A FIVE FIVE DAY WORK FROM
THE OFFICE SITUATION. BUT NOW
THE ONLY REASON THEY WOULD GO
DOWNTOWN, OR MANY OF THEM, IS
BECAUSE THEY WOULD WANT TO
WRITE. AND SO PART OF OUR
RECOVERY FOR OUR DOWNTOWN AREAS
NEEDS TO BE FOCUSED ON GIVING
PEOPLE REASONS TO WANT TO
RETURN, WHILE BEFORE WE WOULD
JUST HAVE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL
THINGS FOR THEM WHO ARE ALREADY
THERE. RIGHT. SO THIS IS WHY I
KIND OF ARGUE, AND I THINK I
COULD WIN A DEBATE THAT,
ENTERTAINMENT AND NIGHTLIFE IS
NOT JUST AN INTEGRAL PART OF
DOWNTOWN. I THINK IT ACTUALLY,
TO ME, IS PROBABLY THE MOST
IMPORTANT DRIVING FACTOR FOR
BRINGING PEOPLE DOWNTOWN. I'M
TALKING ENTERTAINMENT,
NIGHTLIFE, ARTS, PERFORMANCE,
ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT CAN
HAPPEN DAY OR NIGHT BUT ARE IN
THAT SAME GENRE OF KIND OF
HOSPITALITY, PERFORMANCE ARTS,
ENTERTAINMENT. THESE ARE THE
THINGS THAT BRING PEOPLE TO
DOWNTOWN, TO GO BACK TO THEIR
OFFICE. THESE ARE THE REASONS
THAT PEOPLE WOULD WANT TO EVEN
LIVE IN DOWNTOWNS AND NEW
DEVELOPMENTS AND THINGS. THEY
WANT TO BE AROUND ACTIVITY.
PEOPLE DON'T MOVE DOWNTOWN FOR
QUIET. THEY DON'T MOVE DOWNTOWN
FOR, RESTFUL EVENINGS. THEY MOVE
BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE ACTION. AND IT'S
UP TO THE NIGHTLIFE COMMUNITY TO
PROVIDE THAT ACTION FOR THEM. SO
SAN FRANCISCO IS NO DIFFERENT,
I'M CERTAIN, THAN HERE, WHERE
WE'RE REALLY PUTTING NIGHTLIFE
ON THE FOREFRONT, SO THAT JUST
GETS DOWN TO KIND OF WHY WE'RE
HERE, WHICH IS HOW CAN THE STATE
HELP, RIGHT? AND THIS IS WHY I'M
SO EXCITED THAT WE'VE THAT CAL
NIGHT'S HERE AND THAT
ASSEMBLYMEMBER HANEY AND YOU ALL
HAVE PUT TOGETHER THIS SELECT
COMMITTEE, BECAUSE I THINK
THERE'S A LOT OF PLACES THE
STATE CAN ASSIST. SO THE STATE,
I THINK, HAS TWO GENERAL
COLUMNS, LIKE WHERE THEY CAN
HELP PAVE THE WAY AND WHERE THEY
CAN HELP THE STATE GET OUT OF
THE WAY. RIGHT, AND PAVING THE
WAY. WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF THINGS.
RIGHT. SO TAKE EVEN THE, THE
LAWS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN IN
THE LAST DECADES ON BENEFIT
DISTRICTS, WHETHER THEY'RE
COMMUNITY BENEFIT DISTRICTS OR
BIDS OR ALL THE OTHER THINGS.
THESE ARE INCREDIBLY EFFICIENT
USES OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS. IT IS
REMARKABLE. I FULL DISCLOSURE I
RUN A COMMUNITY BENEFIT
DISTRICT, A SMALL ONE. IT'S A
PAID JOB. IT'S NOT DOWNTOWN IN
SAN FRANCISCO, BUT JUST YOU'RE
ABLE TO SEE HOW THAT MONEY CAN
BE SPENT SO PRUDENTLY TO
DIRECTLY BENEFIT THE PEOPLE
RIGHT IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD,
RATHER THAN BEING SPREAD OUT,
YOU KNOW, AMONGST A WHOLE AREA.
THERE'S ALSO THIS ENTERTAINMENT
ZONE IDEA, THE BAR THAT I HAVE
IN DOWNTOWN SAN FRANCISCO IS HAS
THE FIRST DESIGNATED
ENTERTAINMENT ZONE IN THE STATE
DIRECTLY OUTSIDE OF IT. THESE
ARE INCREDIBLY INNOVATIVE ZONES.
THERE'S A BILL CALLED AB NINE
SIX OR SB 969 RIGHT NOW, WHICH
CLEARED COMMITTEE YESTERDAY, ONE
OF THE COMMITTEES, AND THAT IS
HELPING TO EXTEND ENTERTAINMENT
ZONES ACROSS THE STATE. THE
BEAUTY OF THESE ENTERTAINMENT
ZONES IS THE CITY GETS TO KIND
OF DECIDE HOW TO APPLY THEM AND
WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE A ONCE IN
A WHILE, JUST ON SPECIAL
OCCASIONS, WHETHER IT'S EVERY
SINGLE DAY AND IT JUST GIVES THE
CITIES FLEXIBILITY TO DO WHAT
THEY NEED TO DO. AND THEN
OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE THINGS LIKE
TAX INCENTIVES. THE STATE OF
TEXAS DOES SOME REALLY
INTERESTING TAX INCENTIVES. I
KNOW PROBABLY NOT THIS
LEGISLATIVE SESSION, BUT WHEN
CALIFORNIA GETS BACK ON ITS FEET
AGAIN, THEY DO THINGS FOR HIRING
LIVE MUSICIANS FOR EXAMPLE, IN
THE STATE OF TEXAS, THERE'S A
TAX CREDIT FOR BUSINESSES TO
HIRE LIVE MUSICIANS. THEY USE IT
FROM AN ALCOHOL TAX THERE. BUT
THERE'S NO REASON THAT CAN'T BE
DONE. THERE'S ALSO MAJOR, MAJOR
ISSUES ON A WONKY SIDE WITH
INSURANCE FOR NIGHTLIFE VENUES
RIGHT NOW. AND THE STATE HAS A
LOT OF POWER OVER INSURANCE. AND
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT
WAYS THAT THE STATE MIGHT BE
ABLE TO INFLUENCE THAT EITHER ON
A JUST FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT
OR FROM A MORE OF A CONVERSATION
WITH INSURANCE BROKERS. ET
CETERA, I THINK THE BEAUTY AND
THE GENERAL IDEA WITH THE STATE
HELPING TO PAVE THE WAY IS THE
STATE CAN CREATE CIRCUMSTANCES
THAT THEN THE LOCALITIES CAN
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ON GETTING OUT
OF THE WAY, THAT REALLY THE ONLY
THING I CAN THINK OF OTHER THAN
ZONING FOR HOUSING AND ALL THOSE
OTHER ADJACENT THINGS, IS THAT,
YOU KNOW, WE ARE GOVERNED OFTEN
NIGHTLIFE INDUSTRIES BY THE ABC,
THE ALCOHOL BEVERAGE CONTROL,
AND IT'S FILLED WITH REALLY
WELL-MEANING GOOD PEOPLE. IT WAS
CREATED 75 YEARS AGO TO STOP
CORRUPTION. THAT CAME DIRECTLY
AFTER THE END OF PROHIBITION.
AND SO IT'S KIND OF CRAZY THAT
WE HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A
DEPARTMENT IN THE STATE THAT IS
OVERSEEING ALL THESE DIFFERENT
PLACES, I ACTUALLY THINK THEY DO
A VERY GOOD JOB CONSIDERING. BUT
THERE ARE CERTAIN INSTANCES
WHERE THEY CAN USE HELP WITH
MORE RESOURCES AND THEY'RE AND
THEY'RE BEGGING FOR THEM. THERE
ARE ALSO CERTAIN INSTANCES WHERE
THEY COULD USE HELP GETTING OVER
SOME OF THEIR MORE BUREAUCRATIC
TENDENCIES. AND I THINK OUR
STATE CAN DO CAN HELP GUIDE THEM
TO OVERCOME SOME OF THE
BUREAUCRACY SO THEY RESEMBLE A
BODY THAT A LITTLE MORE
RESEMBLES SOMETHING THAT'S LEAN
AND MEAN AND HELPFUL AND
FLEXIBLE THAN THE THAN THE DMV
ITSELF. SO THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE
KIND OF SOME OF THE BASIC IDEAS.
I'M HERE AGAIN, HONORED TO BE
HERE. AND THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING TO ME. THANK YOU SO
MUCH, BEN, FOR BEING HERE AND
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. AND THAT IS
SUCH AN IMPORTANT THING TO HAVE
A STATEWIDE ASSOCIATION THAT IS
FOCUSING ON SUCH A CRITICAL PART
OF OUR STATE'S ECONOMY, AND
CERTAINLY OF OUR DOWNTOWN
RECOVERY. NEXT WE HAVE JOE
RINALDI, WHO'S A MANAGING
PARTNER OF MUSIC BOX SAN DIEGO.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE,
JOE, AND FOR SHARING WITH US A
BIT ABOUT WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE
IN YOUR WORLD AND IN YOUR CITY.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
COMMITTEE I REALLY APPRECIATE
BEING HERE. BEFORE I GET
STARTED, WHAT WE DO AT MUSIC BOX
SAN DIEGO, IT'S A 705 PERSON
VENUE IN THE COLUMBIA DISTRICT,
OFTEN MISTAKEN FOR THE LITTLE
ITALY DISTRICT OF SAN DIEGO. WE
HAVE RECEIVED SO MUCH SUPPORT
FROM THE DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP,
IN OUR NINE YEARS OF EXISTENCE,
TO SEE BETSY BRENNAN UP HERE,
SPEAKING ON THESE ISSUES, IT'S
WELL REFLECTED IN THE COMMUNITY
IN OUR TIME IN BUSINESS, WE ALSO
HAVE RECEIVED A GREAT DEAL OF
SUPPORT FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
WE'VE HAD STAFF PROVIDED TO US
OUT OF MAYOR GLORIA'S OFFICE FOR
THE DURATION OF AS LONG AS HE'S
BEEN MAYOR, THEY'VE PROVIDED
SUPPORT TO THE BEST OF THEIR
ABILITIES TO LISTEN TO WHAT
VENUES WERE GOING THROUGH DURING
THE TIME OF COVID, TO HELP US
WITH ONGOING ISSUES AND TO
TACKLE A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT
WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY, ABOUT HOW
TO GET OUT OF THE WAY AND GET
BUSINESSES EMPOWERED TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE ECONOMY TO
THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITIES,
UNDERSTANDING THE AGENDA TODAY
THAT, WE'RE WATCHING A SEA
CHANGE IN DOWNTOWN LANDSCAPES
OF, WORK FROM HOME AND HOW IT'S
AFFECTING THE ECONOMY, ONE OF
THE THINGS WE'RE PROUDEST OF IN
OUR ASPECT OF THE NIGHTLIFE
BUSINESS IS WE TEND TO THINK
THAT WE FIGHT BLIGHT, THAT WE GO
INTO, SLIGHTLY UNDERSERVED PARTS
OF THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE A
BASELINE FROM WHICH RESTAURANTS
CAN START AND HOUSING CAN START
AND COMMUNITIES CAN GET
INVOLVED. AND SOME OF THE PROOF
OF CONCEPT SPECIFIC TO THAT IN
THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO THAT WE'RE
PROUDEST OF. AND I DON'T WANT TO
TAKE CREDIT FOR OTHER PEOPLE'S
WORK, BUT A GENTLEMAN NAMED ROB
HAGEE DID COME IN AND INITIATE
SOMETHING CALLED STREET SCENE,
IN THE LATE 80S, WHICH TURNED
INTO THE REVITALIZATION OF THE
GASLAMP DISTRICT FULL STOP. IT
WAS A IT WAS A MUSIC FESTIVAL
THAT TAUGHT EVERYBODY ABOUT WHAT
WAS THEN THE WILD WEST OF THE
DOWNTOWN AREA OF SAN DIEGO. AND
THROUGH 23 YEARS OF, ACTIVITY IN
A MUSIC FESTIVAL. OUT OF IT CAME
GASLAMP REDEVELOPMENT, PETCO
REDEVELOPMENT, ALL OF THE
HOUSING INITIATIVES THAT WE
SPENT SOME PART OF TODAY HEARING
ABOUT, IT CAME FROM THOSE TYPES
OF ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS THAT
TAUGHT THE ENTIRE CITY ABOUT
WHAT DOWNTOWN HAD TO OFFER, WE
ARE NEVER GOING TO BE DONE
FINDING ANOTHER FALLOW PART OF
THE WHAT WHAT WAS EARLIER
DESCRIBED AS TREASURES ALL
THROUGHOUT SAN DIEGO COUNTY. AND
THEN TAKING THEM AND TURNING
THEM INTO OTHER ECONOMIC
ACTIVITY. THERE'S TONS OF,
ECONOMIC STUDY TO SHOW THE FACT
THAT ANY DOLLAR SPENT WITHIN OUR
INDUSTRY RESULTS IN $12 BEING
SPENT IN THE COMMUNITY. IT'S THE
LOOP STUDY. YOU CAN GOOGLE IT.
IT'S WELL FOUNDED, AND IT'S A
CENTRAL PART OF A LOT OF THE
WORK THAT WE DO WHEN WE'RE OUT
THERE ASKING FOR ASSETS FOR
NIGHTLIFE TO TRY TO GO AND HAVE
NIGHTLIFE BE A BIG PRINCIPAL
PART OF HOW TO AFFECT DOWNTOWN'S
POSITIVELY IN THE FACE OF
CHANGES THAT ARE COMING OUT, I
LISTENED A LOT TO THE EARLIER
PART OF THE CONVERSATION. I
UNDERSTAND THE AGENDA IS HOW WE
CAN ALL HELP EACH OTHER, ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT I WOULD SUGGEST
FOR THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO TO
JUST BASICALLY EMBARK ON A BEST
PRACTICES, ENDEAVOR IS TO LEARN
FROM SOME OF THE OTHER
MUNICIPALITIES IN THE STATE,
SPECIFICALLY WITH HOW THEY
ATTACK AGENDAS OF THE NIGHT,
NIGHTTIME ECONOMY, IN SAN
FRANCISCO, THERE IS A PERSON,
COLLOQUIALLY CALLED THE
NIGHTTIME MAYOR. HIS NAME IS BEN
VAN HOUTEN, IT TAKES ALL OF THE
ENERGY YOU HEARD IN THE FIRST
HOUR ABOUT HOUSING, ALL THE
ENERGY YOU HEARD ABOUT THAT TYPE
OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. IT
GIVES THAT SAME SORT OF ADVOCACY
TO WHERE I'M EMPLOYING AS A
SMALL BUSINESS, IN THE, IN MY
SECTOR OF THE ECONOMY. WE TALKED
ABOUT HOW TO HAVE A 24 HOUR
ECONOMY CURRENTLY IN OUR CITY.
WE NEED TO RECONCILE THAT. WE
DEFINITELY HAVE MOST RECENT
TRANSACTIONS INVOLVE REMOVING
CABARET LICENSES FROM VENUES,
NOT ENHANCING THEM. SO OUR
LATEST LICENSED VENUE IN OUR
CITY IS A PLACE CALLED SPIN
NIGHTCLUB. IT'S VERY POPULAR
WITHIN THE DANCE COMMUNITY. A
LOT OF YOU MAY NOT HAVE HEARD OF
IT, BUT THEY DID NOT GET TO
CONTINUE HAVING A CABARET
LICENSE JUST IN THE LAST 18
MONTHS. AND THIS IS IN THE
CONVERSATION OF, UNDERSTANDING
HOW TO ACTUALLY LENGTHEN AND GO
TOWARDS A 4 A.M. ACROSS THE
STATE. WE WOULD WANT TO TRY TO
WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ABC
IN THEIR INITIATIVES TO
UNDERSTAND LIKE, ANOTHER
EXAMPLE, I ADVOCATE FOR THE
NATIONAL INDEPENDENT VENUE
ASSOCIATION. I WORKED VERY HARD
ON THE STATE LEGISLATION THAT
MADE THE TYPE 90 BILL HAPPEN,
TYPE LIQUOR LICENSES ARE A
PROVISION OF THE STATE, BUT
THEY'RE ALSO DEEPLY AFFECTED BY
CITY INVOLVEMENT AND MUNICIPAL
INVOLVEMENT. THAT MUNICIPAL
INVOLVEMENT INVOLVES AN
ENTERTAINMENT PERMIT IN THE CITY
OF SAN DIEGO THAT ADJOINS ALL OF
THOSE LIQUOR LICENSES, THEY'RE
ONLY AS GOOD AS EACH OTHER. SO
WE WOULD REALLY WANT TO HAVE
SOMEBODY ALONG THE LINES OF A
NIGHTTIME ECONOMIC ADVOCATE TO
ENSURE THAT WE DON'T MAKE SOME
GREAT PROGRESS IN THE STATE
INFRASTRUCTURE, WHETHER IT BE A
TYPE 90 LICENSE OR SIMILAR, AND
THEN HAVE IT, UNABLE TO BE
AFFECTED IN OUR COMMUNITY
BECAUSE WE ARE USING PROVISIONS
OF, ENTERTAINMENT PERMITTING
THAT ARE LEFT OVER FROM THE OLD
TYPES OF LIQUOR LICENSES, ANYWAY,
THE SPECIFIC ASK IN THAT, IN
THAT INITIATIVE IS WE PROBABLY
SHOULD LOOK WITHIN THE CITY AS
TO HOW TO BETTER REPRESENT MY
SECTOR OF THE ECONOMY WITHIN THE
HALLS OF GOVERNMENT. NOT THAT
THERE'S NOT GREAT INTENT. THERE
IS NOT THAT THERE'S NOT GREAT
ENERGY, AS WE'VE WITNESSED
EARLIER TODAY, BUT SPECIFICALLY
CHANNELING AND FILTERING THAT
INTENT INTO OUR PART OF THE
ECONOMY WOULD BE A GREAT WAY TO
RECONCILE THE WORK THAT YOU
WOULD LIKE TO DO TODAY WITH YOUR
COMMITTEE AND WHAT'S AVAILABLE
TO US AS A RESOURCE. LASTLY, I
HEARD AN AWFUL LOT ABOUT THINGS
LIKE THE MIDWAY DEVELOPMENT. I
HEARD A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT,
RADY SHELL. THOSE ARE GREAT.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE GREAT
INITIATIVES WHEN THEY'RE BUILT
AND REYES ARE ALREADY A NATIONAL
TREASURE. I AGREE WITH ALL OF
THOSE THINGS. THERE'S ALSO TONS
OF THINGS THAT WE COULD DO
TODAY, AND WE HAVE TO BE SURE
THAT WE'RE UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE
HAVE AS AN INVENTORY TODAY AND
WHAT WE COULD BE POSSIBLY DOING
TO ENHANCE THE SAN DIEGO
ECONOMY, IN OUR CITY, IN MY
BUSINESS, IF YOU COUNT THE
VERTICAL CAPACITIES OF THE
VENUES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO
HOLD CONCERTS, YOU THINK OF THE
SPORTS ARENA, YOU THINK OF THE
OBSERVATORY AT A THOUSAND, AND
THEN YOU THINK THAT THERE'S
NOTHING WITH THE ROOF IN BETWEEN
THEM. THAT'S A PROBLEM. IF YOU
HAVE SAN FRANCISCO WITH BILL
GRAHAM CIVIC AUDITORIUM AT 9500,
AND YOU REALIZE THAT THAT SAME
FACILITY DOESN'T EXIST IN THE
CITY OF SAN DIEGO, THAT'S A
PROBLEM. WHAT THAT MEANS TO US
IS THAT'S NOT AN ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE TO US. WE
COULD BE SELLING 9500 TICKETS IN
A DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR AND PUTTING
THAT ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AT $12
PER INTO OUR ECONOMY, WE HAVE
FACILITIES HERE NOW THAT COULD
BE REVITALIZED AND PUT INTO
PLAY. I KNOW SOME PART OF THIS
BECAUSE I SPENT SOME TIME
WORKING AT A VENUE CALLED FOURTH
AND B, WHICH IS NOW A
CONSTRUCTION SITE UP THE STREET,
AND INSIDE THAT SAME CORRIDOR IS
ANOTHER VENUE CALLED GOLDEN HALL
THAT HASN'T BEEN USED IN 20
YEARS. IT COULD IT IS, I THINK,
FOR PERMITS AWAY FROM HOUSING
4500 PERSON CONCERTS, IN A
GENERAL ADMISSION FACILITY.
WE'VE ALSO SPOKEN WITH THE PORT
OF SAN DIEGO ABOUT THE B STREET
TERMINAL, THAT WHICH ALSO WOULD
HAVE A CAPACITY OF 4000. WE
COULD PUT THOSE THINGS INTO
BUSINESS TODAY AND START AN
ECONOMIC, RESURGENCE IN THOSE
DISTRICTS, WHICH ARE A BIT
SLEEPY AT THIS TIME AND PROVIDE
SOME SORT OF POSITIVE BENEFIT TO
IT. I LOOK FORWARD TO ANY OF
THOSE CONVERSATIONS AT ANY TIME.
I JUST WANTED TO PUT TANGIBLE
EXAMPLES OUT OF THINGS. I THINK
YOU ARE SUGGESTING THAT I THINK
ARE AVAILABLE TO US. I
APPRECIATE THE TIME. THANK THANK
YOU SO MUCH, JOE, AND THANK YOU
TO THE ENTIRE PANEL. I THINK YOU
ALL REALLY HIGHLIGHTED, A FEW
THINGS. ONE IS JUST HOW
INEXTRICABLY INTERTWINED LOCAL
AND STATE POLICYMAKING AND
DECISIONS ARE WHEN IT COMES TO
NIGHTLIFE AND ENTERTAINMENT. SO
MUCH OF THE LAWS, WHETHER IT'S
ONES THAT HELP OR GET IN THE
WAY, ARE STATE POLICIES AND THE
INTERACTION BETWEEN THESE AND
WHAT WE CAN ALSO LEARN FROM
VARIOUS OTHER JURISDICTIONS IS
Kò. I ALSO REALLY APPRECIATE THE
COMMENT THAT WE NEED TO MOVE
TOWARDS SEEING NIGHTLIFE,
ENTERTAINMENT, MUSIC, EVENTS AS
CENTRAL AND ESSENTIAL TO OUR
DOWNTOWNS AND THEIR ECONOMIC
VITALITY, PARTICULARLY IN THIS
MOMENT OF CHANGE THAT THAT WE'RE
EXPERIENCING. I THINK WE'VE
BEGUN TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION.
AS YOU MENTIONED, WHEN IT COMES
TO HOUSING, AND THERE'S A LOT
THAT THAT COMES TO THAT. WE MAKE
IT A LOT EASIER TO BUILD
HOUSING. WE HAVE PEOPLE WHOSE
JOBS IT IS TO MAKE SURE WE
ADVOCATE FOR THOSE TYPES OF
HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS,
PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO
OUR DOWNTOWNS. BUT DO WE HAVE
THAT SAME ENERGY WHEN IT COMES
TO THE ESSENTIAL ROLE THAT
EVENTS AND MUSIC AND NIGHTLIFE
HAS? IF THERE'S A NEW
DEVELOPMENT, AND WE'RE GOING TO
BE GROWING IN A CERTAIN AREA OR
THERE'S A CERTAIN NEED IN A
DOWNTOWN, ARE WE MAKING SURE
THAT NIGHTLIFE IS CENTRAL TO
THAT? AND ALWAYS INCLUDED IN
THAT, AND HAS A CHAMPION,
WHETHER IT'S AN ACTUAL PERSON
WHO'S HELPING OR WITHIN THE LAWS
THAT REALLY MAKE IT, AND
FACILITATE IT TO BE A PART OF
THE SUCCESS OF ANY, EFFORT
AROUND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,
COLLEAGUES ARE THERE. I KNOW
WE'RE RUNNING A LITTLE BIT
BEHIND, SO WE'RE WE'RE BUT IF
THERE ARE ANY, QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS, I JUST. YEAH, I ALSO
JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU.
YOU KNOW, I LOVE DOWNTOWNS, AND
I GET EXCITED HEARING ABOUT
THEM, HEARING HOW PEOPLE ARE
INVESTED IN THEM, I WANT TO
THANK MR. HENRY FOR YOUR
ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF ARTISTS,
RECORDING ARTISTS. I THINK
DEFINITELY A QUINTESSENTIAL
CALIFORNIA INDUSTRY, ESPECIALLY
IF YOU ADD ON THEN, YOU KNOW,
THE HOLLYWOOD AND THE STUDIOS,
WHAT HAVE YOU. I HAVE I HAVE A
BILL, AB 2602, TO PROTECT,
PERFORMERS, YOU KNOW, FROM I
BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT AT
LEAST HAVING SOME REPRESENTATION
AND ABILITY TO HAVE SOME CONTROL
OVER THAT. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR
WORK IN THAT SPACE. AND, YOU
KNOW, MR. RINALDI WAS TALKING
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE
INVESTMENT, SOME OF THE PLACES
THAT YOU WOULD LOVE TO SEE
OPENED UP AGAIN AND HAVE HIM IN
WHEN WE HAD REDEVELOPMENT. I
KNOW THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE
VENUES THAT WAS ABLE TO GET
REVITALIZED IN SAN JOSE. WE HAD
THE CALIFORNIA THEATER AND
THERE'S EXAMPLES THROUGHOUT THE
STATE. AND SO WE HAVE TO GET
MORE CREATIVE NOW BECAUSE WE
DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THOSE
RESOURCES. AND, I THINK ONE
THING THAT I'LL JUST ASK FOR ANY
COMMENT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I
THINK THAT YOU ALL REFERRED TO
AND THE IMPORTANCE AND I THINK
YOU CAN'T HAVE A VIBRANT
COMMUNITY WITHOUT VIBRANT LIVE,
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, PARTICULARLY
LIVE MUSIC, BUT AT THE SAME TIME
AS WE WERE TALKING EARLIER, YOU
KNOW, MR. BRENNAN WAS TALKING
ABOUT BRINGING PEOPLE INTO THE
DOWNTOWN, ESPECIALLY YOUNG
PEOPLE, AND THEY TALK ABOUT THAT
THIRD PLACE THAT PEOPLE NEED TO
GO TO WORK, SLASH SCHOOL AND
HOME. WHAT'S THAT THIRD PLACE?
NOW, IT COULD BE A PLACE LIKE
THIS. AND YOU CAN PAY A HIGH
PRICE TICKET TO SEE A GREAT
SHOW, BUT WE NEED THOSE PLACES
THAT ARE EITHER INEXPENSIVE OR
FREE FOR FOLKS. AND THAT'S WHERE
YOU YOU GET THESE PROMENADES
THAT MAY HAVE LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
AND WHAT HAVE YOU, HOW DO WE
ENCOURAGE THAT THESE PLACES
WHERE WE CAN HAVE, PEOPLE TO
GATHER TOGETHER, THAT IS NOT
ALWAYS RELIANT ON HAVING TO BUY
A TICKET, BUT JUST CREATES THAT
VIBRANCY, BECAUSE MAYBE THAT
YOUNG PERSON THAT CAN'T BUY A
TICKET TODAY, TEN YEARS FROM
NOW, WILL BUY THAT TICKET. BUT
YOU HAVE TO BRING THEM INTO
THAT, INTO THAT COMMUNITY AND
CREATE THAT KIND OF CULTURAL
COMMUNITY. ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT?
I'D LOVE TO START WITH THAT. ONE
OF THE THINGS I DIDN'T MENTION,
AND I'M HAPPY TO HAVE YOUR
QUESTION, BECAUSE I WAS TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT HOW I WAS GOING TO
LIKE, YOU KNOW, WEAVE IT IN
THERE. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT THE RECORDING ACADEMY DOES,
I DIDN'T MENTION OUR AFFILIATE
ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH INCLUDE OUR
NONPROFIT SISTER ORGANIZATIONS.
WE'RE TECHNICALLY A NOT FOR
PROFIT, WHICH MOST PEOPLE DON'T
REALIZE THAT WE ARE A 500 AND
1C6, BUT WE HAVE TWO 500 AND
1C3. ONE BEING MUSICARES, WHICH
THEIR DAILY WORK IS FOCUSED ON
MUSIC CREATORS AND PROFESSIONALS
IN NEED. SO WE DEAL WITH THINGS
LIKE RECOVERY. WE DEAL WITH
THINGS LIKE, ADDICTION RECOVERY.
WE DEAL WITH FINANCIAL HARDSHIP,
MUSICARES ALSO LOOKS AT, JUST A
NUMBER OF THINGS. SORRY, MY
BRAIN IS GOING IS GOING NUMB ON
THAT. BUT REALLY WHAT I WANTED
TO EMPHASIZE WAS THE GRAMMY
MUSEUM FOUNDATION, WHICH IS
ACTUALLY CELEBRATING ITS 15TH
YEAR IN ITS HOUSE. SPEAKING OF
DOWNTOWNS IN THIS CONVERSATION
TODAY, IT'S HOUSED IN THE
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES AND A BIG,
SORT OF GATHERING PLACE FOR MUCH
OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IN LA.
LIVE RIGHT IN THAT SPACE. YOU
HAVE NOT ONLY THE MUSEUM WHICH
DOES HAVE, HOURS THAT ARE MORE
EXTENDED THAN YOUR TYPICAL
MUSEUMS, OR MOST MUSEUMS SHUT
DOWN BY 4 OR 5. THE GRAMMY
MUSEUM OFFERS PROGRAMING THAT IS
LOW COST OR EVEN SOMETIMES
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMING. THAT'S
FREE TO THE COMMUNITY YOU'RE
SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT TO
THE NEXT GENERATION. IT'S
FOCUSED AS THE GRAMMY MUSEUM
FOUNDATION IS FOCUSED ON MUSIC
PRESERVATION AND OF COURSE, THE
NEXT GENERATION OF CREATORS. SO
MUCH OF THE EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAMING THAT THEY PROVIDE ON
WEEKENDS, SOMETIMES IN THE
EVENINGS DURING THE DURING THE
WEEK, AND THAT IS BRINGING
PEOPLE TO DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES
IS SPECIFICALLY TARGETED AT HIGH
SCHOOL AND YOUNGER, AND GETTING
THEM INTRODUCED NOT ONLY TO
MUSIC AND THE POTENTIAL OF IT AS
A PROFESSIONAL, AS A PROFESSION,
BUT ALSO THE IMPORTANCE OF US AS
A SOCIETY EXTENDING THE
LIFEBLOOD AND HONORING SORT OF
THE CREATIVITY THAT'S COME
BEFORE AS WE'RE LOOKING AT ALSO
EXPOSING THEM. COMMUNITIES,
PARTICULARLY THAT ARE BLACK AND
BROWN OR REPRESENT A LOT OF
BIPOC THAT MIGHT BE
UNDERREPRESENTED OR UNDERSERVED,
ARE ACTUALLY BROUGHT TO THIS
DOWNTOWN HUB TO NOT ONLY BE
EXPOSED TO MUSIC THROUGH THE
MUSEUMS, BUT ALSO HAVE A DIRECT
CONNECT TO WHAT'S RIGHT NEXT
DOOR. CRYPTO.COM OR, YOU KNOW,
THESE OTHER VENUES. THERE'S
RESTAURANTS, THERE'S BARS,
THERE'S OTHER INDEPENDENT
PERFORMANCE VENUES THAT ARE
RIGHT IN THAT SAME COMMUNITY.
AND SO IS CREATING THIS
GENERATIONAL CONNECTION AND
IMPORTANCE OF DOWNTOWN AS A HUB
FOR ALL THINGS CREATIVE, WHICH I
THINK IS ANOTHER WAY OF THINKING
ABOUT WHAT A DOWNTOWN,
DEVELOPMENT COULD OFFER, JUST A
QUICK, JUST A QUICK THOUGHT. SO,
THERE'S A RIGHT WAY TO DO IT AND
A WRONG WAY TO DO IT, AND
THERE'S A LOT OF WRONG WAYS TO
DO IT, AND SO, YOU KNOW, BEING A
PART OF THE FIRST ENTERTAINMENT
ZONE IN THE STATE RIGHT NOW, I
COULD PROBABLY WRITE A PHD
THESIS ON THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND
EFFORT WE'RE PUTTING INTO HOW TO
DO THIS. RIGHT. THERE'S A LOT OF
PRESSURE ON US RIGHT NOW. WHAT I
LEARNED IS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
THINK, JUST CLOSE DOWN THE
STREET, RIGHT? THROW SOME
CORNHOLE OUT THERE. IN FACT, A
PERMANENT STREET CLOSURES, OVER
80% FAIL. THEY FAIL FOR THE
BUSINESSES. THEY FAIL. PEOPLE
DON'T SHOW UP. AND SO I THINK
WHAT PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE, AND
WE'VE SEEN THIS IN SAN FRANCISCO
AS WELL, WHERE THEY SHUT DOWN A
STREET AND THEY'RE LIKE, HERE
COME THE PEOPLE AND NOBODY SHOWS
UP. I THINK THE YOU CLOSING DOWN
STREETS TEMPORARILY AT FIRST,
BUT YOU HAVE TO PUT A LOT OF
THOUGHT AND MONEY INTO
PROGRAMING THEM AND MAKING THEM
BEAUTIFUL AND MAKING THEM
INTERESTING. FROM ARTISTIC PLANT
LIFE, SEATING ARRANGEMENTS, ETC.
AND THEN PROGRAMING THEM
CORRECTLY WITH WAYS. BUT I THINK
EXACTLY, WHAT, WHAT SHE WAS
SAYING BEFORE IS THAT YOU CAN
START WHAT WE'RE DOING. YOU
START WITH A TEMPORARY CLOSURE,
BUT GO BIG ON IT AND CREATE THAT
CONNECTION. MAKE THE PEOPLE
LEARN THAT WHEN THEY DO THIS, IT
REALLY WORKS. AND IT'S AND IT'S
AMAZING. AND THEN TRY TO GO FOR
MORE FREQUENTLY AFTER THAT. AND
THEN SO I THINK THAT'S WHEN I
THINK THE STATE, YOU KNOW,
UNFORTUNATELY RIGHT NOW THE
STATE'S IN A BUDGET CRISIS. BUT
WE'RE ALL I THINK HOPING THAT
SOMETIME WHEN IT'S NOT THAT THE
STATE WILL, WILL PUT
INVESTMENTS, WHETHER THEY'RE TAX
INCENTIVES OR GRANT DOLLARS OR
WHATEVER THEY CAN DO INTO THESE
PROVEN THINGS THAT THAT HAVE
EXISTED. BUT CERTAINLY
ENTERTAINMENT ZONES, IF DONE
CORRECTLY, IS GOING TO BE VERY,
VERY HELPFUL. AND TO BE HONEST,
YOU DON'T NEED ENTERTAINMENT
ZONES TO SHUT A STREET AND HAVE
PEOPLE OUT THERE. THEY JUST MAKE
IT A LOT EASIER BUREAUCRATICALLY
TO HAVE THE ALCOHOL ESSENTIALLY.
SO YEAH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR THAT. AND I THINK THAT, YOU
KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
WE'RE LOOKING AT IS, AS YOU ALL
SORT OF LAID OUT SOME OF THE
HISTORY OF HOW NIGHTLIFE HAS
BEEN VIEWED BY THE STATE AS MORE
SOMETHING TO CRACK DOWN ON OR
CONTROL OR PREVENT OR, YOU KNOW,
AND NOW WE HAVE TO REALLY SHIFT
THE WAY THAT WE THINK ABOUT
POLICY MAKING, BOTH AT THE LOCAL
AND STATE LEVEL, TO UNDERSTAND
HOW CENTRAL AND ESSENTIAL IT IS
TO OUR ECONOMY, TO OUR CULTURE,
AND CERTAINLY IN THIS MOMENT, TO
OUR DOWNTOWNS. AND, AND THEY'RE
REVITALIZATION. AND SO THAT'S A
PART OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS
IT'S, IT'S CHANGING THESE LAWS
TO ALLOW THE FLEXIBILITY THAT
THAT CITIES NEED, WHETHER THAT'S
THE ENTERTAINMENT ZONES, WHICH
SIMPLY, SIMPLY ALLOWS, CITIES TO
BE ABLE TO HAVE AREAS WHERE
PEOPLE CAN PURCHASE ALCOHOL AND,
AND, AND, AND HAVE IT OUT IN,
IN, YOU KNOW, ON THE STREET AND,
AND HAVE MORE OF A FESTIVAL LIKE
ATMOSPHERE ON A MORE REGULAR
BASIS WITH COMPLETE ADAPTABILITY
FOR WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR CITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE
EFFORTS THAT I COULDN'T HAVE
THIS CONVERSATION WITHOUT
MENTIONING, THE CHANGES THAT
NEED TO HAPPEN ON HOURS OF
OPERATION AND ALLOWING FOR MORE,
INDIVIDUAL FLEXIBILITY IN FOR A
CITY IN THEIR CLOSING TIMES. AND
TIMES THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO
SERVE. I THINK WE MAKE IT VERY
DIFFICULT FOR OUR ESSENTIAL
NIGHTLIFE BUSINESSES TO BE ABLE
TO THRIVE IF THEY'RE REALLY ONLY
ABLE TO MAKE MONEY BETWEEN 11
P.M. AND 1:30 A.M, AND ALSO THAT
HAS PUBLIC SAFETY CONSEQUENCES
AS WELL. WHEN EVERYBODY'S
FLOODING INTO THE STREET AT 2
A.M. SO I THINK THAT THOSE ARE
THE SORT OF THINGS THAT THAT WE
NEED TO THINK ABOUT AS WE'RE
SHIFTING FROM A CONTROL AND
PUNISHMENT AND PREVENTION TYPE
OF POLICYMAKING. AND REGULATION
TO ONE THAT IS MORE ABOUT
FACILITATION OF SUCH AN
ESSENTIAL INDUSTRY. AND I THINK
THE CONVERSATION AROUND DOWNTOWN
RECOVERY IS, IS A HUGE PART OF
THAT. I WANT TO THANK ALL THREE
OF YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR
YOUR TIME. I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT,
THAT JOE'S GOT A LITTLE
WRISTBAND ON RIGHT THERE. THAT'S
THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
PRACTICING WHAT HE PREACHES
THERE. IT MIGHT JUST BE BECAUSE
THOSE ARE REALLY HARD TO GET OFF.
I THINK I BARELY GOT OFF MY
OUTSIDE LIMBS. ONE JUST
RECENTLY. THAT'S WHAT IT IS. SEE
IT'S YOU KNOW, IT'S ON FOR IT'S
ON FOREVER. THAT'S OUTSIDE
LANDS. THAT'S THAT'S GREAT,
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL
THREE OF YOU AND REALLY
APPRECIATE IT AND LOOK FORWARD
TO CONTINUING TO WORKING
TOGETHER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT. WE WILL CALL UP OUR
LAST PANEL NOW. AND I AND I
RECOGNIZE WE ARE RUNNING A
LITTLE BIT BEHIND. SO WE LOST A
COUPLE OF OUR FOLKS HERE. BUT WE
WANT TO CONTINUE THE
CONVERSATION AND INVITE UP OUR
NEXT PANEL ON HOSPITALITY AND
TOURISM AS AN ECONOMIC
STABILIZER IN STRUGGLING
DOWNTOWNS. WE HAVE NICK JOHNSON,
WHO'S THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC
POLICY AT LYFT AND KEVIN
SCHIEFERDECKER, SCHIEFERDECKER
SCHIEFERDECKER, THE CHIEF SALES
OFFICER OF AT THE SAN DIEGO
TOURISM AUTHORITY. WELCOME. AND
WE'RE GRATEFUL TO HAVE THE TWO
OF YOU HERE. AND WHENEVER YOU'RE
READY, NICK, I THINK WE'RE GOING
TO START WITH YOU, I'LL BE THIS
ON. YEAH, I'LL BE QUICK, I KNOW
WE'RE RUNNING QUICK ON TIME, BUT
THANK YOU. CHAIR HANEY. MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, I'D
LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR LOOKING AT
HOW TO REVITALIZE AND RECOVER
OUR DOWNTOWNS AND CITIES. THIS
IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY
IMPORTANT TO LYFT, WE WERE
FOUNDED WITH THE VISION TO
IMPROVE CITIES BY REDESIGNING
THEM AROUND PEOPLE, NOT CARS.
THIS VISION SOUGHT TO INCREASE
TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS FOR
PEOPLE IF THEY DID NOT LIVE IN
OR NEAR A CITY'S DOWNTOWN AREA,
AND ALLOW PEOPLE TO FORGO COSTS.
THE COST OF CAR OWNERSHIP, WITH
THE CONFIDENCE THAT THEY COULD
STILL GET WHERE THEY WANT WHEN
THEY WANT, OUR RIDES RIGHT NOW
ARE BRINGING PEOPLE BACK INTO
THE CITY AND HELPING COMMUNITIES
STAY CONNECTED AND BUSINESSES
THRIVE. TRANSPORTATION IS A IS
THE ESSENTIAL MOMENTUM THAT GETS
PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOUSES AND
EXPERIENCING LIFE, WHICH IS VERY
IMPORTANT TO US AS WELL. AND
TRANSPORTATION IS ESSENTIAL TO
ANY TYPE OF DOWNTOWN COMEBACK,
LYFT PROVIDES ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR DRIVERS,
RIDERS AND THEIR SURROUNDING
COMMUNITIES, AND WE'RE PROUD OF
OUR ROLE OF BRINGING RIDERS BACK
INTO THE CITY CENTERS AND
UNEXPLORED PARTS OF THEIR
NEIGHBORHOODS. AND I THINK ALSO
VERY IMPORTANTLY, WHAT GETS LOST
WITH RIDESHARE IS THAT WE'RE
ASSOCIATED WITH DECREASING THE
AMOUNT OF IMPAIRED DRIVING
INCIDENTS. IN SAN DIEGO ALONE,
73% OF OUR RIDERS CHOOSE LYFT
WHEN THEY PLAN ON DRINKING
ALCOHOL OR USING SOME OTHER
SUBSTANCE THAT MIGHT IMPAIR THEM
FROM DRIVING AND THAT'S
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT WHEN
THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE IS
LOOKING AT BILLS TO EXPAND
NIGHTLIFE OPTIONS IN THE STATE.
THAT RIDESHARE IS A RIDESHARE IS
A, A WAY TO REDUCE PUBLIC, I'M
SORRY, REDUCE IMPAIRED DRIVING
INCIDENTS AND MAKE COMMUNITIES
SAFER. AT LYFT, WE BELIEVE THAT
ONE RIDE CAN SET THE FUTURE IN
MOTION. AND BUT IN ORDER TO DO
THAT, WE HAVE TO REMOVE BARRIERS
AND FIND CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR
COMMUNITIES TO GET WHERE THEY
NEED TO GO. LYFT IS CRITICAL FOR
COMMUNITY COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY. 50% OF OUR RIDERS ARE
PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND 43% OF THE
RIDES START OR END IN LOW INCOME
NEIGHBORHOODS. AND GIVEN THE
ROLE THAT WE PLAY IN THOSE
COMMUNITIES, IT'S IMPORTANT TO
US TO SHOW UP FOR PEOPLE NOT
ONLY THROUGH OUR INVESTMENTS IN
SOCIAL IMPACT PROGRAMS, BUT ALSO
PARTNERSHIPS WITH TRANSIT
DEPARTMENTS, EVENT VENUES,
HOSPITALS AND AIRPORTS. AND THIS
IS TERRIBLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE
HAVE A COUPLE OF GLOBAL EVENTS
COMING TO CALIFORNIA OVER THE
NEXT 2 TO 4 YEARS, AND THESE
PARTNERSHIPS ARE VALUABLE IN IN
MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN GET
A TO B, WHICH IS GOING TO BE, A
PRETTY A PRETTY BIG CHALLENGE
WHEN IT COMES TO LOS ANGELES
OLYMPICS AND THE WORLD CUP, FOR
SURE, WE ALSO WANT TO DEVELOP
MORE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIPS TO ENSURE
TRANSPORTATION IS NOT A BARRIER
TO ACCESS. DOWNTOWN'S A ONE SIZE
FITS ALL APPROACH TO
TRANSPORTATION IS NOT THE WAY
FORWARD. AND LET'S PARTNER AND
INVEST IN TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS
THAT MAKE SENSE FOR THE FUTURE.
TO MAKE A MORE CONNECTED
TRANSPORTATION ECOSYSTEM.
CONNECTING PEOPLE, WHETHER IT'S
DOWNTOWN OR OTHERWISE, IS NOT
ONLY GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY, BUT
IT'S HEALTHY FOR OUR LIVES. AS
THE SURGEON GENERAL SAID, SOCIAL
CONNECTION IS THE FUNDAMENTAL
HUMAN NEED, LIKE WATER OR
SHELTER. AND WE BELIEVE THAT WE
THINK THAT WE ARE A BRIDGE
BETWEEN DRIVERS AND RIDERS,
PHYSICAL WORLDS AND THEIR
DIGITAL WORLDS. RIGHT. AND I
THINK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN, AS OUR CEO PUTS IT,
WRAPPED UP IN THE DIGITAL WORLD,
AND WE'RE TRYING TO BRING PEOPLE
BACK OUTSIDE. SO THANK YOU FOR
THE TIME AND HAPPY TO DISCUSS
ANY TYPE OF, TRANSPORTATION
SOLUTIONS THAT LYFT COULD
PROVIDE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND
IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE COULD HAVE AN
ENTIRE CONVERSATION AROUND THIS
SORT OF TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT
OF THIS, BUT WE THINK IT'S A
IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT
PERSPECTIVE, PARTICULARLY WHEN
WE'RE THINKING ABOUT NIGHTLIFE,
BECAUSE IN MANY CASES THERE
AREN'T THE TRANSPORTATION
OPTIONS THAT EXIST, YOU KNOW,
LATE AT NIGHT, EXCEPT FOR
RIDESHARE. AND SO SORT OF TO
THINK ABOUT HOW THAT FITS INTO
THE, THE PERSPECTIVE ALONGSIDE,
OF COURSE, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
IS, IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
I'LL NOW TURN IT OVER TO YOU,
KEVIN, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR
HANEY AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER
ALVAREZ. MY NAME IS KEVIN
SCHIEFERDECKER, AND I SERVE AS
THE CHIEF SALES OFFICER FOR THE
SAN DIEGO TOURISM AUTHORITY. I
HAVE A QUICK 45 MINUTE OPENING
STATEMENT, AND THEN I'LL TAKE
QUESTIONS. I'M KIDDING. WE ARE.
THE SAN DIEGO TOURISM AUTHORITY
IS A PRIVATE, NONPROFIT MUTUAL
BENEFIT CORPORATION COMPOSED OF
ALMOST 1000 MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS,
BUSINESSES, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
AND INDIVIDUALS SEEKING A BETTER
COMMUNITY THROUGH THE VISITOR
INDUSTRY. AS A SALES AND
MARKETING ORGANIZATION, THE MAIN
OBJECTIVE OF THE TOURISM
AUTHORITY IS TO PROMOTE AND
MARKET THE SAN DIEGO REGION
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AS A
PREFERRED VACATION AND MEETING
DESTINATION. IN PURSUING OUR
MISSION, WE RECOGNIZE THE
STRENGTH OF OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY
IS LINKED TO THE VITALITY OF A
DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO. THE ROLE OF
OUR ORGANIZATION HAS IN HELPING
TO KEEP OUR DOWNTOWN VIBRANT IS
MULTIFACETED AND INCLUDES ONE.
THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT
VISITORS BRING DOWNTOWN TO THE
JOBS THE TOURISM INDUSTRY
CREATES. THREE OUR SENIOR STAFF
ACTIVELY PARTICIPATES IN
COMMUNITY CENTERED COMMITTEES
THAT HELP CREATE POLICY
INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS,
LONG TERM PLANNING, AND DRIVE
REVENUES TO DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES,
INCLUDING THE DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO
PARTNERSHIP, SAN DIEGO REGIONAL
CHAMBER, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
CORPORATION, THE CIVIC CORE
REVITALIZATION PROJECT, THE NEW
NAVY SEAL MUSEUM, AND FOREVER
BALBOA PARK, JUST TO NAME A FEW.
AND FOUR THROUGH OUR VISITOR
PROFILE STUDY AND OTHER TOOLS
SUCH AS THE TOURISM STEWARDSHIP
PLAN, WE PROVIDE THE CITY
STAKEHOLDERS AND PARTNERS
ANALYTICS THAT HELP DRIVE
IMPROVEMENTS. FOR EXAMPLE,
UNDERSTANDING WHERE OUR VISITORS
ARE SPENDING MOST OF THEIR TIME
AND THEIR MONEY. THE
DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR VISITORS.
HOW SAN DIEGO COMPARES TO OTHER
COMPETING DESTINATIONS, AND WHAT
THINGS SHOULD WE DO BETTER TO
ATTRACT MORE VISITORS AND RETAIN
THE MARKET SHARE WE CURRENTLY
HAVE? TODAY, I'D LIKE TO FOCUS
ON THE AREA THAT EXEMPLIFIES THE
SYNERGY BETWEEN A VIBRANT URBAN
AREA AND TOURISM SUCCESS. SAN
DIEGO'S DOWNTOWN STANDS AS THE
BEATING HEART OF A VIBRANT
INDUSTRY OF TOURISM, A DYNAMIC
ECOSYSTEM WHERE RESIDENTIAL
LIVING, WORK AND LEISURE
CONVERGE SEAMLESSLY IN OUR
HOSPITALITY SECTOR. THE
SIGNIFICANCE OF A VIBRANT
DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO TO OUR
TOURISM INDUSTRY CANNOT BE
OVERSTATED, AS EVIDENCED BY THE
IMPRESSIVE ECONOMIC INDICATORS
AND HIGH PROFILE EVENTS WE HOST
HERE IN SAN DIEGO IN 2023,
DOWNTOWN HOTELS SOLD 4 MILLION
ROOM NIGHTS AT AN AVERAGE DAILY
RATE OF $247, GENERATING NEARLY
$1 BILLION OF REVENUE AND $105
MILLION TO THE CITY'S TRANSIENT
OCCUPANCY TAX. THIS ROBUST
PERFORMANCE MIRRORS SAN DIEGO'S
BROADER TOURISM IMPACT, WHICH
REACHES AN IMPRESSIVE $22
BILLION ANNUALLY WITH VISITORS
SPENDING 14.3 BILLION AND
GENERATING $1 BILLION IN TAX
REVENUES. TOURISM NOT ONLY FUELS
THE LOCAL ECONOMY, BUT ALSO
PROVIDES AN ESTIMATED $1,000 OF
TAX RELIEF PER HOUSEHOLD TO SAN
DIEGO RESIDENTS. AS THE SECOND
LARGEST INDUSTRY IN SAN DIEGO,
TOURISM ACCOUNTS FOR 1 IN 8
JOBS, UNDERSCORING UNDERSCORING
ITS CRITICAL ROLE IN THE
COMMUNITY'S PROSPERITY.
DOWNTOWN'S APPEAL IS
MULTIFACETED, FEATURING 73
HOTELS RANGING FROM MARQUEE
BRANDS INCLUDING MARRIOTT,
HILTON AND HYATT TO LUXURY
HOTELS LIKE THE PENDRY TO
BOUTIQUE PROPERTIES SUCH AS
PALACE HOTEL AND HORTON GRAND,
TOTALING 15,000 ROOMS, 39% OF
SAN DIEGO'S TOURISM MARKETING
DISTRICT'S TOTAL INVENTORY. YET
43.5% OF THE DISTRICT'S TOTAL
GUEST ROOM REVENUE IN FISCAL
YEAR 23. THE AREA BOASTS 500
ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD SERVICE
ESTABLISHMENTS, COMPLEMENTED BY
90 ARTS, CULTURE AND
ENTERTAINMENT VENUES, CREATING A
RICH TAPESTRY OF EXPERIENCES FOR
BOTH LEISURE AND BUSINESS
TRAVELERS FROM THE HISTORIC
GASLAMP QUARTER THAT WE'VE
TALKED ABOUT MUCH THIS MORNING
TO THE STUNNING WATERFRONT FOR
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL'S TOP
RATED PETCO PARK TO THE USS
MIDWAY MUSEUM HONORING THE
CITY'S MILITARY HERITAGE,
DOWNTOWN DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO
OFFERS A BLEND OF HISTORY,
CULTURE, ARTS, AND PRESENT DAY
AMENITIES. THE DIVERSITY NOT
ONLY ATTRACTS LEISURE TRAVELERS,
BUT ALSO CEMENTS SAN DIEGO'S
POSITION AS A PREMIER
DESTINATION FOR MEETINGS AND
CONVENTIONS. THIS STATUS AMONG
BUSINESS EVENT PROFESSIONALS IN
NORTH AMERICA IS NOT JUST
INDUSTRY CHATTER. IT'S BACKED BY
HARD DATA AND PRESTIGIOUS
RECOGNITION. STEPHEN THE WORLD'S
LEADING PROVIDER OF MEETINGS,
EVENTS AND HOSPITALITY
TECHNOLOGY, HAS CONSISTENTLY
ACKNOWLEDGED SAN DIEGO AS A TOP
FIVE MEETINGS AND CONVENTION
CITY IN THE UNITED STATES. AND
LAST YEAR, THE WALL STREET
JOURNAL ADDED ITS INFLUENTIAL
VOICE, NAMING THE ICONIC SAN
DIEGO CONVENTION CENTER AS THE
FOURTH BEST CONVENTION CENTER IN
THE UNITED STATES. THIS
IMPRESSIVE PLACEMENT ISN'T JUST
ABOUT THE FACILITY ITSELF. IT'S
A TESTAMENT TO OUR CITY'S
DOWNTOWN OVERALL APPEAL. THE
RANKING GAVE HIGH MARKS TO SAN
DIEGO FOR ITS EXCEPTIONAL
QUALITIES AS A DESTINATION, ITS
ABUNDANCE OF PLEASANT WEATHER,
THE CONVENIENT PROXIMITY OF THE
AIRPORT TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND
PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE
WALKABILITY OF OUR CITY CENTER.
THIS COMBINATION OF A WORLD
CLASS CONVENTION CENTER AND AN
IRRESISTIBLE URBAN ENVIRONMENT
SOLIDIFIES SANDY SAN DIEGO'S
REPUTATION AS A GO TO
DESTINATION FOR EVENTS OF ALL
SIZES, FROM INTIMATE CORPORATE
RETREATS TO MAJOR INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCES. A PRIME EXAMPLE OF
DOWNTOWN'S DRAWING POWER IS OUR
ANNUAL COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL.
THIS FOUR DAY EVENT, HELD EVERY
JULY, ATTRACTED 135,000
ATTENDEES JUST LAST MONTH,
PRODUCING AN ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR
THE REGION OF $164 MILLION AND
GENERATING OVER $3 MILLION IN
HOTEL AND SALES TAX REVENUES FOR
THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO. THESE TAX
REVENUES DIRECTLY SUPPORT
ESSENTIAL CITY SERVICES. THE
CONVENTION'S IMPACT RIPPLES
THROUGHOUT THE LOCAL ECONOMY,
BENEFITING HOTELS, RESTAURANTS,
ATTRACTIONS, AV COMPANIES,
PRINTERS, DESIGNERS,
PHOTOGRAPHERS, TRANSPORTATION
PROVIDERS, CATERERS, GROCERY
STORES, DRY CLEANERS AND THE
LIST GOES ON. SAN DIEGO IS THE
ENVY OF SO MANY DESTINATIONS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, FROM A
TOURISM AND CONVENTION ASPECT
AND A VIBRANT DOWNTOWN CORE IS
SUCH A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF OUR
SUCCESS. BY FOSTERING A VIBRANT
URBAN CORE THAT CATERS TO
DIVERSE INTERESTS AND NEEDS, SAN
DIEGO'S DOWNTOWN IS NOT JUST
PRESERVING ITS TOURISM INDUSTRY,
IT'S PROPELLING IT TOWARDS THE
HEIGHTS OF SUCCESS. AS
CALIFORNIA LEADERS LOOK TO THE
FUTURE, THE CONTINUED
REVITALIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT
OF THE CITY'S DOWNTOWN CORE IS
CRUCIAL TO THOSE LOOKING TO
TOURISM. PLAYING AN IMPORTANT
PART OF THEIR SUCCESS AS A
TOURISM DESTINATION. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. I HAVE TO
SAY, IF I IF I WASN'T SOLD ON
SAN DIEGO BEFORE, I AM NOW, I
ALREADY ADMITTED YOU HAD THE
BEST TACOS, BUT I'M NOT WILLING
TO ADMIT YOU HAVE THE BEST
BALLPARK. NOT NOT YET. I THINK
WE'D WE'D STILL LIKE TO BE IN
COMPETITION ON ON THAT ONE. BUT
IT IS. IT IS VERY. IT IS VERY
NICE. DEFINITELY A BETTER
BASEBALL TEAM RIGHT NOW. BUT
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LAYING
THAT OUT AND JUST THE INCREDIBLE
ASSETS THAT YOU ALL HAVE AND
WHAT YOU OFFER FOR, FOR
VISITORS, WHICH I KNOW IS A
HUGELY IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR
ECONOMY, AS IT IS FOR MANY, MANY
OF OUR DOWNTOWNS ACROSS THE
STATE. I WANTED TO QUICKLY ASK
SORT OF TWO CONNECTED QUESTIONS
AROUND THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE IS,
WHAT IS THE INTERACTION WITH THE
STATE LOOK LIKE FOR YOU IN TERMS
OF TOURISM? YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD
WE'VE HEARD SOME FROM MAYORS AND
OTHERS ABOUT, REALLY THE NEED
FOR OUR STATE TO BE, A CHAMPION
FOR, FOR OUR CITIES IN, IN
AGGRESSIVELY COMPETING FOR,
CONVENTIONS AND ADVERTISING OUR
STATE. I WILL SAY, AND THIS HAS
BEEN MENTIONED A FEW TIMES, WE
HAVE A BIG COUPLE YEARS COMING
UP FOR OUR STATE WITH THE WORLD
CUP, WITH THE OLYMPICS, WITH TWO
SUPER BOWLS, WITH THE NBA ALL
STAR GAME COMING TO SAN
FRANCISCO. THE NEXT FOUR YEARS
ARE HUGE FOR US IN TERMS OF OUR
VISIBILITY ON THE WORLD STAGE AS
AS A STATE. SO, SO WANTING TO
KNOW SORT OF IS THERE ANYTHING
THAT YOU THINK WE CAN BE DOING
AS A STATE BETTER TO HELP
SUPPORT THAT WORK TO REALLY,
PROMOTE SAN DIEGO AS A
DESTINATION AND THEN CONNECTED
TO THAT? IS THERE IS THERE
ANYTHING THAT YOU MIGHT SHARE,
EITHER IN TERMS OF DATA OR
ANECDOTALLY ABOUT HOW THINGS
HAVE COME BACK FOR SAN DIEGO IN
TERMS OF TOURISM POST-PANDEMIC,
YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE AIRPORT
NUMBERS LOOK LIKE? OR CONVENTION
CENTER, YOU KNOW, OCCUPANCY AND
BOOKINGS AND THOSE KIND OF
THINGS THAT ARE YOU SEEING A
POSITIVE TREND? IS IT COMING
BACK RAPIDLY? IS IT BACK TO
WHERE IT WAS OR IS THERE IS
THERE STILL A LONG WAY TO GO ON
EITHER OF THOSE THINGS?
FORTUNATELY IN SAN DIEGO, WE
BENEFITED AND REBOUNDED PROBABLY
QUICKER THAN MANY DESTINATIONS
IN THE UNITED STATES. AND I
THINK ONE OF THAT IS ONE BIG
REASON OF THAT IS, IS THE
DOWNTOWN AREA BEING ON THE
WATERFRONT, BEING OUTSIDE, WE
HAVE A LOT OF OUTSIDE VENUES,
AND THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
WANTED TO, TO, TO DO COMING BACK
FROM THE PANDEMIC. SO FROM A
NUMBERS ASPECTS, WE'RE ALMOST I
WOULD SAY WE'RE FLAT TO WHERE WE
WERE IN TERMS OF NUMBERS.
REVENUES ARE UP. OBVIOUSLY
BECAUSE ROOM RATES ARE UP, WHILE
THAT ALSO BRINGS COSTS THAT ARE
A LITTLE BIT HIGHER TO MOST
ORGANIZATIONS DUE TO INFLATION,
BUT WE'RE RECOVERING BETTER THAN
MOST. I THINK, AND LOOKING AT
NUMBERS LAST WEEK, WE COMPARE
OURSELVES TO 5 OR 6 DIFFERENT
KIND OF COMPETING CITIES BETWEEN
SEATTLE ON THE WEST COAST,
SEATTLE, PHOENIX, LA, SAN
FRANCISCO AND ANAHEIM, AND GOING
INTO INTO THE PANDEMIC. WE WERE
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE. SAN DIEGO
WAS. AND NOW COMING OUT OF IT,
WE'RE AT THE TOP OF THE OF THE
HEAP. SO AGAIN, WE'VE BENEFITED
NICELY AND REBOUNDED QUICKLY DUE
TO THE GREAT PARTNERSHIP. WE
HAVE AMAZING HOTELS AND THE
OUTDOOR WEATHER WE HAVE, THE
FIRST QUESTION ABOUT WHAT WHAT
COULD WE DO FROM A STATE
PERSPECTIVE? WE'RE FORTUNATE TO
HAVE CAROLYN BATTISTA AND THE
VISIT CALIFORNIA, GROUP UP IN
SACRAMENTO. THEY DO A WONDERFUL
JOB, JULIE COKER, OUR PRESIDENT
AND CEO. AND I THINK A NUMBER OF
FOLKS HERE IN THE CITY SIT ON
THE BOARD WITH WITH CAROLYN. AND
WE DO I THINK THEY DO A
FANTASTIC JOB REPRESENTING US. I
KNOW THERE WAS HOPE FOR A SPORTS,
FUNDING MECHANISM THAT WAS, WAS
PROPOSED, BUT I THINK WITH THE
BUDGET ISSUES, IT WAS PULLED
BACK THAT FUND WOULD HAVE HELPED
US TO COMPETE WITH SOME OF THOSE
OTHER STATES, LIKE TEXAS AND
FLORIDA, THAT HAVE SOME MASSIVE
FUNDS WHERE THEY ABLE TO GO OUT
AND BID ON SOME OF THESE LARGE
EVENTS, LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
TO HELP SUPPORT THAT. BUT I
THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND THE
IMPACT OF THE BUDGET RESTRAINTS
WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. BUT THAT'S
ONE THING THAT WOULD REALLY BE
BENEFICIAL TO US, BECAUSE WE
DON'T HAVE A LOT OF
DESTINATIONS. ALSO HAVE
INCENTIVE FUNDS TO GO OUT AND
PROVIDE THEIR DESTINATIONS. WE
DON'T SEE IN SAN DIEGO. WE DON'T
HAVE THAT FUND. BUT I KNOW WHEN
I WHEN I LIVED IN DALLAS, THEY
HAD A FUND THAT WAS ABOUT $17
MILLION THAT WAS OFTENTIMES
MATCHED BY THE STATE TO GO OUT
AND BASICALLY WRITE CHECKS TO
COMPANIES AND EVENTS TO COME.
WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE IN SAN
DIEGO, AND I THINK IN MANY
CITIES HERE IN CALIFORNIA WHERE
THERE'S A LOT OF DEMAND FOR SAN
DIEGO FROM MEETINGS AND
CONVENTIONS PERSPECTIVE, ONE IN
EVERY FOUR ROOM NIGHTS OF GROUP
ROOMS OR MEETINGS THAT'S BOOKED
IN THE UNITED STATES IS BOOKED
IN ONE OF OUR DESTINATIONS IN
CALIFORNIA. SO THAT SPEAKS A
LOT. THERE IS DEMAND, SO WE'RE
FORTUNATE FOR THAT. YEAH. AND I
WOULD YOU KNOW, ALL OF THIS IS
OBVIOUSLY CONNECTED. BUT ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS SO
SPECIAL ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN HERE
IS, AS YOU SAID, THE CONVENTION
CENTERS, THE HOTELS, THE
WATERFRONT, EVEN THE AIRPORT,
VERY CLOSE. AND PEOPLE DON'T
NECESSARILY NEED TO DRIVE. AND
IF THEY DO, THEY MIGHT BE ABLE
TO GET IN AND OUT WITH A
RIDESHARE, AND THEY CAN ACCESS
ALL OF THE GREAT THINGS JUST
BEING RIGHT THERE. AND, AND I
THINK A LOT OF THE THINGS THE
CITY HAS DONE HAS HELPED TO
FACILITATE THAT IN TERMS OF
BEING ABLE TO WALK AND BEING A
VERY PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE
FRIENDLY CITY ASSEMBLY MEMBER.
YEAH THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BOTH
OF YOU, FOR YOUR, YOUR INSIGHTS.
AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING
ABOUT HOW OFTENTIMES WE LEARN
FROM ONE ANOTHER, CERTAINLY AS
CITIES. 11 YEARS AGO I WAS HERE
STAYING DOWNTOWN, GOING TO A
CHARGERS GAME. AND I'M LIKE, I
WONDER IF THERE'S A PUBLIC
TRANSIT WAY TO GET THERE. AND I
WAS ABLE TO GET THE LIGHT RAIL,
GET AND GET THAT TICKET ON MY
PHONE. I WAS THE CHAIR OF THE
OUR TRANSIT AUTHORITY IN SANTA
CLARA COUNTY. THAT FOLLOWING
YEAR, AND IN JANUARY, WHEN I MET
THE GENERAL MANAGER, I SAID,
WELL, LEVI'S STADIUM IS OPENING
THIS YEAR. BY THE TIME IT OPENS,
I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO BUY A
TICKET ONLINE. WE WERE ABLE TO
DO THAT, BUT THAT WAS BECAUSE I
HAD THE EXPERIENCE HERE, AND SO
WE HAVE SO MUCH TO LEARN FROM
ONE ANOTHER, AND I WANT TO JUST
FOCUS ON THAT ASPECT, ON TRANSIT
AND TRANSPORTATION, BECAUSE I'VE
HAD OTHER EXPERIENCES WITH MY
LAST YEAR AS CHAIR OF MY LAST
MONTH, ACTUALLY, THERE WAS A BUS
CALLED THE HOTEL 22. IT WAS THE
BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR UNHOUSED
USED TO SLEEP ON IT. IT WAS 24
HOUR BUS. AND WHAT I LEARNED, IT
WENT FROM EAST SAN JOSE TO PALO
ALTO. PALO ALTO IS A MUCH HIGHER
SCALE, UPSCALE COMMUNITY. AT
THREE FOUR IN THE MORNING WHEN
I'M ON THAT BUS GOING BACK FROM
PALO ALTO TO EAST SAN JOSE, A
LOT OF THE WORKERS ARE ON THAT
BUS HEADING BACK HOME AFTER A
LONG SHIFT AT THE RESTAURANT.
WHAT HAVE YOU AT THE BAR? AND SO
YOU MENTIONED, MR. JOHNSON ABOUT
KIND OF THE LOW INCOME RIDERS
USING YOUR SERVICES BECAUSE
OTHER THAN SOME, YOU KNOW,
PROBABLY MAYBE MUCH OF SAN
FRANCISCO OR SOME PLACES, MOST
OF THE TIME, IT'S NOT ABOUT LAST
MILE. IT'S THE LAST MILES. AND
SO EVEN IF YOU WANT TO USE
TRANSIT TO COME INTO YOUR WORK
OR COME TO AN ENTERTAINMENT
VENUE IN DOWNTOWN, YOU MAY BE
MANY MILES AWAY TO GET THERE.
AND SO THAT ON DEMAND ASPECT
BECOMES A PART OF IT. I KNOW
THAT A LOT OF TRANSIT
AUTHORITIES ARE CERTAINLY USE ON
DEMAND, MOSTLY FOCUSED ON ON
WHAT WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY
PARATRANSIT, WHAT HAVE YOU
THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BUT NOT
NECESSARILY AS A REGULAR MODE OF
USAGE. AND SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT
KIND OF IN THE BAY AREA, WE CALL
IT SEAMLESS BAY AREA. THAT'S A
GOAL TO GET TO WHERE YOU CAN GO
FROM A BUS TO A LIGHT RAIL TO
BART, AND NOT THINK ABOUT IT,
THAT MY STARTING POINT IS MY
HOME, MY END DESTINATION IS A
BALLPARK. AND JUST CLICK A
BUTTON AND EVERYTHING, ALL YOUR
TICKETS, EVERYTHING IS ACCESSED
THAT WAY. HOW DO WE GET TO THAT
PLACE? WHETHER IT'S USING PUBLIC
TRANSIT ON DEMAND. BUT BUT DO IT
IN A WAY THAT'S SEAMLESS SO THAT
THE WORKER OR THE FAMILY THAT
WAS COMING TO A BALL GAME
DOWNTOWN THAT MIGHT LIVE 20
MINUTES AWAY, CAN DO IT WITHOUT
HAVING TO BRING THEIR CAR INTO
DOWNTOWN AND ADD TO THAT
CONGESTION, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE
FACT FROM OUR FIRST PRESENTERS
TALKING ABOUT, WE WANT TO ADD
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
LIVING DOWNTOWN, WE'RE ALREADY
GOING TO HAVE THAT INCREASED
CONGESTION. WHAT ARE YOUR
THOUGHTS ON THAT? YEAH, YEAH. SO
RIGHT NOW WE DO ALL A LOT OF
THAT ON OUR OWN WHERE WE PARTNER
WITH CERTAIN EMPLOYERS TO, YOU
KNOW, IF THERE'S LATE NIGHT
SHIFTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. WE
GIVE SUBSIDIZED RIDES TO THESE
EMPLOYERS SO THAT THESE WORKERS
COULD, YOU KNOW, NOT HAVE TO
RIDE THE BUS OR WAIT AT A BUS
STOP AT THREE IN THE MORNING.
THEY COULD GET INTO A LYFT AND
GET HOME SAFELY, AND THEN
THERE'S ALSO PARTNERSHIPS WITH
BIG VENUES LIKE LEVI'S AND, AND
CHASE CENTER AND PLACES LIKE
THAT WHERE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY
WE HAVE, PICKUP AND DROP OFF
AREAS WHERE IT'S EASY TO, YOU
KNOW, GET DROPPED OFF AT THE
STADIUM AND GET PICKED UP AT THE
STADIUM. BUT I THINK WE NEED A
LITTLE BIT MORE HELP. I THINK WE
NEED JUST A RECOGNITION THAT,
YOU KNOW, LYFT AND UBER ARE
UBIQUITOUS WITH TRANSIT NOW, AND
OUR GOAL WAS NEVER TO REPLACE
PUBLIC TRANSIT. IT WAS ONLY TO
BE AN ADDITION TO. SO YOU TALKED
ABOUT FIRST MILE, LAST MILE AS
IT IS IN THE BAY AREA. RIGHT, I
THINK IT TAKES A RECOGNITION OF
THAT. AND US KIND OF SEEING IT
ALL AS ONE SYSTEM, SEEING IT AS
ONE ECOSYSTEM. AND SO WHEN WE'RE
PLANNING FOR THESE BIG EVENTS,
IF THERE'S ANY TYPE OF, PLANNING
GOING ON AT THE STATE LEVEL, I
KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO LIKE THE
WORLD CUP AND SUPER BOWL IN THE
BAY AREA, THEY HAVE THE BAY AREA
HOST COMMITTEE. I THINK LA HAS
ITS OWN SPORTS COMMISSION, I'M
NOT SURE WHAT SAN DIEGO HAS, BUT
KIND OF GETTING THOSE
ORGANIZATIONS TOGETHER AND
PLANNING EARLY AND THINKING
ABOUT HOW RIDESHARE CAN BE A
PART OF THAT BEFORE, YOU KNOW,
NOT YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATELY RIGHT
BEFORE THE EVENT HAPPENS, BUT,
WELL, IN ADVANCE. AND I THINK IF
WE CAN DO THAT, IF WE CAN THINK
ABOUT THINGS LIKE COMMUTER TAX
BENEFITS WHEN IT COMES TO
INCLUDING RIDESHARE IN THOSE
BENEFITS, WHICH IS NOT INCLUDED
IN RIGHT NOW, THAT'S SOMETHING
TO THINK ABOUT AS WELL. WELL, I
WANT TO THANK BOTH OF YOU FOR
YOUR TIME AND YOUR AND YOUR
LEADERSHIP. AND, YOU KNOW, THIS
IS ABSOLUTELY A CRITICAL BOTH OF
YOUR PERSPECTIVES ARE CRITICAL
AS WE THINK ABOUT ECONOMIC
RECOVERY. AND IT'S THE PEOPLE
WHO LIVE THERE AND WORK THERE,
BUT IT'S ALSO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
VISITING. AND SO MUCH OF OUR
ECONOMY BENEFITS FROM THESE KIND
OF OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO, TO
BRING PEOPLE HERE IN OUR
DOWNTOWNS AS THEY CHANGE. I
THINK TOURISM IS GOING TO BE
EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO OUR
DOWNTOWNS THAT ARE LESS THE SORT
OF BIGGER OFFICE BUILDINGS AND
MORE DESTINATIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO
LIVE IN THE REGION, OR EVEN LIVE
FAR BEYOND FOR A WHOLE VARIETY
OF REASONS. AND FOR PEOPLE WHO
HOPEFULLY MORE AND MORE LIVE
THERE THEMSELVES. SO REALLY WANT
TO APPRECIATE BOTH OF YOU FOR
BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP, AND LOOK FORWARD TO
CONTINUING TO WORK TOGETHER AND
FOR BEING A CHAMPION FOR SAN
DIEGO AS WELL. THIS IS THIS
REALLY IS A GREAT PLACE, AND YOU
HAVE A LOT TO OFFER, AND WE NEED
TO BE SHARING THAT BECAUSE WE
ALL BENEFIT WHEN PEOPLE COME TO
VISIT SAN DIEGO AND EXPERIENCE
IT, AND IT SORT OF HAS RIPPLE
EFFECTS THROUGH OUR ENTIRE
STATE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
APPRECIATE IT, ALL RIGHT. WELL,
THANK YOU EVERYONE, FOR BEARING
WITH US. I KNOW WE WERE WE WENT
A BIT OVER, BUT, WE HAD A LOT TO
COVER AND REALLY APPRECIATE ALL
OF OUR PANELISTS. I'M NOW GOING
TO OPEN IT UP IF THERE IS ANY
PUBLIC COMMENT, WE HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC TO PROVIDE PUBLIC
COMMENT. IF THERE IS ANYBODY. WE
HAVE A MIC OVER THERE. IF YOU'LL
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR
ORGANIZATION AND A BRIEF
STATEMENT ON THE ISSUE, AND I
WILL OPEN THAT UP. NOW IS THAT
ON? I THINK SO ALL RIGHT. CHAIR
HANEY, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU. MY NAME IS JOSH
COHEN. I'M A MEMBER OF THE
DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO PARTNERSHIP.
AND ALSO A BOARD MEMBER WITH THE
CALIFORNIA DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION.
ON BEHALF OF OUR OVER 300
MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR
CHAMPIONING OUR URBAN CENTERS
AND FOR YOUR PASSION. AND WE
LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE
DISCUSSION TODAY. THANK YOU,
THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE. HI. GOOD AFTERNOON,
CHAIR HANEY, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
EVERYBODY HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS
JUSTINE MURRAY. I'M THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC
AFFAIRS FOR THE SAN DIEGO
REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
WE'RE PROUD TO BE THE LARGEST
LOCAL CHAMBER ON THE WEST COAST.
WE REPRESENT OVER 2200 MEMBERS
AND OVER 300,000 JOBS ACROSS OUR
BINATIONAL REGION. THE VITALITY
OF DOWNTOWN IS ESSENTIAL TO
SEEING OUR MISSION THROUGH, AND
OUR MISSION IS TO MAKE THE SAN
DIEGO REGION THE BEST PLACE TO
LIVE AND WORK. WE THANK YOU FOR
YOUR LEADERSHIP IN SERVING ON
THE SELECT COMMITTEE AND YOUR
SUPPORT FOR PROMOTING POLICIES
AND STRATEGIC EFFORTS THAT
ENCOURAGE ECONOMIC GROWTH IN
THESE URBAN HUBS AND DOWNTOWNS
ACROSS OUR STATE. WE THANK THE
DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO PARTNERSHIP
ALSO FOR THEIR CONTINUED
EFFORTS, AND THE CHAMBER STANDS
READY TO WORK WITH OUR REGIONAL
AND STATE PARTNERS TO ENSURE SAN
DIEGO'S DOWNTOWN DOES NOT
CONTINUE TO THRIVE, BUT
FLOURISHES AND REACHES ITS FULL
POTENTIAL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
COMING DOWN. ANYONE ELSE WITH
PUBLIC COMMENT? HI. GOOD
AFTERNOON. HI. GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M JOYCE LIU, THE DIRECTOR OF
SALES AND CATERING AT THE
WESTGATE HOTEL AND ALSO ON THE
CITY CENTER BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT
DISTRICT BOARD AS WELL, SO, YOU
KNOW, GETTING THAT FIRSTHAND,
RIGHT IN DOWNTOWN AND ALSO
LIVING IN DOWNTOWN FOR THE PAST
TEN YEARS WITH NO CAR. SO HAVING
THE FULL SCOPE OF THE
PRE-PANDEMIC DURING PANDEMIC AND
POST PANDEMIC RECOVERY, IT'S ALL
FINE. AND DANDY WITH SEEING
THESE DATA POINTS OF RECOVERY
AND ALL THE CONVENTIONS WE
DEPEND ON THESE CONVENTIONS, BUT
WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT THOSE
HOLES, THE GAPS BETWEEN,
SPORTING EVENTS AND CONVENTIONS,
ANY ANY MUSIC EVENTS AS WELL,
BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THERE'S
NOBODY AROUND TO REALLY SEE THE
HOMELESS. THAT'S WHEN THEY ARE
HERE. AND THAT'S WHEN WE NEED
THE SUPPORT TO REALLY SUPPORT
THEM, BUT ALSO HIGHLIGHT THE
STREETS, THE WEEKENDS WHEN
BUSINESSES ARE OUT OF DOWNTOWN
AND DARK, THAT'S WHERE, YOU
KNOW, THE PERCEPTION OF SAFETY.
WE HAVE TRANSPORTATION. IT'S SO
EASY TO USE THE PRONTO CARD FOR
THE COASTER, THE BUS SYSTEM, THE
TROLLEY SYSTEM. BUT THE
PERCEPTION OF COMING DOWNTOWN
FOR SAFETY REASONS NEEDS TO BE
OVERCOME WHEN THERE'S THOSE DARK
GAPS BETWEEN EVENTS AND BUSINESS
OPEN HOURS. BUT IT'S THE
PARTNERSHIP. EVERYONE IS REALLY
DOING AN AMAZING JOB AND THANK
YOU FOR ALL THE FUNDING AND
SUPPORT, BUT I THINK THAT'S
THAT'S THE GAP TO FILL. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT, ANYONE
ELSE WITH WITH PUBLIC COMMENT,
SEEING NONE, I'M GOING TO CLOSE
OUR PUBLIC COMMENT, I REALLY
WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO'S
PARTICIPATED IN TODAY'S HEARING.
ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE
HERE, ASSEMBLY MEMBER CARRA,
WHO'S A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE
AND CAME HERE FROM SAN JOSE. I
WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR. AND HE
WAS INCREDIBLY GENEROUS WITH HIS
TIME. AND A SPECIAL THANK YOU
ALSO TO, BETSY BRENNAN AND THE
ENTIRE STAFF OF THE SAN DIEGO
DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP. I WANT TO
THANK MY STAFF, ANNIE KEYS, WHO
WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN PUTTING
THIS ENTIRE HEARING TOGETHER.
FUNDAMENTALLY, THIS IS ABOUT
PEOPLE. IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE
WHO LIVE, WORK AND VISIT
DOWNTOWN, WHETHER THAT'S
DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO OR DOWNTOWN
SAN FRANCISCO, DOWNTOWN SAN
JOSE, OUR CITY, OUR STATE NEEDS
TO BE IN THE BUSINESS OF
SUPPORTING THE WELL-BEING AND
ABILITY OF ALL OF OUR PEOPLE TO
THRIVE. AND DOWNTOWNS ARE
ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TO THAT.
AND ONE GROUP OF FOLKS WHO I
THINK WE ALL NEED TO THANK ARE
ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THIS
DOWNTOWN ABLE TO OPERATE AND
THRIVE ON A DAILY BASIS,
EVERYONE WHO WORKS AT ALL OF
THESE VENUES, WHO WORK AT THE
HOTELS, OUR JANITORS, OUR,
WAITRESSES, WAITERS AND
WAITRESSES, OUR SERVERS, OUR
BARTENDERS, OUR PEOPLE WHO
OPERATE THIS BUSINESS OR THIS
VENUE. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE
FROM THE BALBOA THEATER WHO'S
HERE, WHO'S WORKING TODAY, AND
HELPING US MAKE THIS HAPPEN. AND
EVERYBODY WHO'S HERE OPERATING
OUR AV AND MAKING SURE WE CAN
SHARE EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE
DOING, ALL OF THIS IS ABOUT HOW
WE MAKE SURE THAT THIS PLACE CAN
THRIVE FOR PEOPLE, AND THAT HAS
TO ALWAYS INCLUDE THE PEOPLE WHO
LIVE HERE AND ALSO WORK HERE.
AND MAKE EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE
DISCUSSING TODAY POSSIBLE. SO
THANK YOU ALL FOR STICKING WITH
US. THANK YOU. ALSO, I KNOW
THERE ARE SOME FOLKS FROM FROM
LEGISLATIVE OFFICES AND THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE WHO ARE HERE, AND
I WANT TO THANK THEM AS WELL FOR
THEIR PARTNERSHIP. WE CLEARLY
HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO, BUT
THANKFULLY, BECAUSE OF THE
EXAMPLE OF SAN DIEGO AND OTHER
CITIES IN OUR STATE, WE HAVE A
LOT OF OPPORTUNITY AND WE HAVE A
LOT TO BUILD FROM, AND WE HAVE A
LOT TO LEARN. AND SO OUR
COMMITTEE IS GOING TO CONTINUE
TO, TO EXPLORE THESE ISSUES
ACROSS THE STATE AND TAKE THIS,
THIS INFORMATION THAT WE'VE
GAINED HERE TODAY BACK AND TO
PURSUE AN AGGRESSIVE, PROACTIVE,
CREATIVE POLICY AGENDA TO BE
ABLE TO SUPPORT OUR DOWNTOWN
RECOVERY ACROSS THE STATE. THANK
YOU SO MUCH, EVERYONE, FOR BEING
HERE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.