Thank you, Allied Gardens, for coming out to the bulk trash event we held this month! A lot of residents took advantage of this event to completely fill six dumpsters worth of items. It was great to meet and say hello to so many of you. Please stay tuned for our next bulk trash drop off event and thank you to EDCO for their continued partnership to provide the dumpsters for these events!

The big news coming out of Del Cerro this month is that College Avenue, a road heavily utilized and relied upon by many D7 and City residents, has finally been repaved!

College Avenue has been repaved from Del Cerro Boulevard to the intersection of Canyon Crest Drive and East Campus Drive/Alvarado Road. I’ve been advocating for College Avenue’s repair since I took office, and I’m thrilled to finally see it repaired.

My staff and I attended and participated in the Linda Vista Multicultural Fair, an annual event that offers great food, incredible cultural entertainment, and activities of all kinds for families to enjoy year after year. This year was the 40th anniversary.

Thanks to the hard work of Linda Vista organizations, the generosity of donors, and the support of many volunteers, this cherished community event has brought joy and celebrated diversity for four decades. It was wonderful to celebrate with Linda Vista and I look forward to next year!

I also attended the groundbreaking for an exciting, new housing development coming to Linda Vista! Hillside Apartments will bring 94 units for middle and low-income individuals to the Linda Vista/Morena area.

The development’s proximity to University of San Diego, a wide array of local businesses, and public transportation is not only fantastic for the future residents—it’s also great for our regional economy and housing demand. I’m honored to have been a part of the Hillside Apartments groundbreaking ceremony and look forward to its completion.

Looking good, Linda Vista! Lillian Street and Linda Vista Road received a slurry seal treatment last month. Infrastructure will always be a top priority for me and I’m glad to see the Transportation Department working on roads throughout District 7.

Upcoming Community Event!

Consider joining San Diego River Park Foundation's River Days 5k Walk for Wildlife! It will take place this Saturday, May 10, from 7:30 AM to 10:30 AM along the San Diego River in Mission Valley. Location and more details can be found here: 2025 — River Days Walk for Wildlife — Race Roster — Registration, Marketing, Fundraising

"Celebrate conservation of the San Diego River and San Diego River Days by participating in [the] 2025 San Diego River Park Foundation River Days 5K Walk for Wildlife! Enjoy a fun-filled morning at the beautiful Riverwalk Golf Club with live music by Timmy D, San Diego Humane Society's Project Wildlife, yummy refreshments, educational booths, exciting giveaways, and more!
The first 200 registrants receive a free t-shirt!

Dogs are welcome! (must be on a leash, doggie bags required)"

Rafeal and I joined the Navajo community for Benchley-Weinberger's Multicultural Festival, an annual event that celebrates diversity and promotes multiculturalism. It's important that we continue to host events like this, which cultivate a culture of inclusion and interactive learning that our kids will carry with them for life.

I’d like to thank all of the staff, volunteers, and families who worked together to bring the Multicultural Festival to life. I look forward to next year!

Last month, the Transportation Department repaired several streets in Serra Mesa. Sections of Greenwig Drive, Encino Ave, Salisbury Drive, Royce Ct, Kingsland Road, Greyling Drive, Marathon Drive, and Irvington Avenue received slurry seal treatment. I’d like to thank the Transportation Department and City staff for their work on this.

As an advocate for public safety and infrastructure, I recognize that road repairs are an absolutely critical component of our key services. I’ll continue to advocate for repairs that keep District 7 roads in the best shape possible.

The City of San Diego’s Environmental Services Department (ESD) provides opportunities throughout the district for residents to leave bulky items on their curb for pick up. Serra Mesa residents participated in a recent mini cleanup to remove a total of 1.42 tons of waste! I extend a big thank you to ESD staff for organizing this service and to the residents who took advantage of it.

Interested in having a Mini Bulk Cleanup on your block? ESD hosts one to two a month and determines the location by referencing a running list of residential requests. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office with your request. We are happy to pass your street name along to ESD.

Big news out of Tierrasanta last month: Clairemont Mesa Blvd was finally repaved!

After years of community requests, my team and I were thrilled to see Clairemont Mesa Blvd—from the 15 to Repecho—receive the fresh asphalt it deserved. Big thanks to the Transportation Department and city crews for repairing this key corridor. The community and I are grateful!

In April, I attended Tierrasanta Village’s first ever Senior Resource Fair, which gathered healthcare, legal, community, and social resources for seniors. Events like this play a critical role in helping seniors stay connected to essential services, especially as the cost of living and age-related expenses continue to rise. I’d encourage you to explore their future events and share with your neighbors. Details can be found here: Home - Tierrasanta Village of San Diego

I’m grateful I had the chance to visit the fair, which I proudly funded through the Community Projects, Programs and Services (CPPS) Funding Program. An enormous thank you to the leadership at Tierrasanta Village, the sponsors, and volunteers who brought this event to life.

Last month, Congresswoman Sara Jacobs and I hosted a joint Coffee with your Congresswoman/Councilmember event at the Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center. The space was packed with over 80 residents who brought conversations about the federal administration, economic uncertainty, the City budget, and local concerns.

Good things happen when we listen to and hear from our neighbors. Taking questions directly from the community isn’t just important—it's essential to making government work for everyone. I’m grateful for Congressman Jacobs’ partnership in hosting this event and for her strong leadership. Her voice in Washington is more important than ever.

Thank you to everyone who showed up, spoke up, and helped drive the conversation forward. We look forward to seeing you at the next one!

April was a big month for policy at City Council. Below is a summary on some key items and how I voted.

Trash Fee

On April 14, City Council voted to set a public hearing date for June 9, and to mail notices to all impacted homes to inform them about the upcoming consideration of a fee, and about their right to protest the fee to the City.

I voted against moving this item forward, as I did not agree with how the proposal was developed and emphasized that many voters feel misled by the large difference between the proposed fee and the cost estimates provided in the backup materials to the ballot measure, when this was voted on by the people back in 2022.. I strongly encourage you to continue sharing your perspective, and to participate in the public hearing process. Every voice matters

Accessible Digital Coupons

City Council approved a new ordinance that ensures coupons at grocery stores, whether they are digital or printed, are made available to everyone—including those without smartphones! Food savings and discounts are more critical now than ever, and that means they need to be accessible to all.

The City’s Select Committee on Addressing the Cost of Living will be working with the grocery chains across the city to implement the ordinance over the coming months as the law goes into effect early this summer, so keep an eye out for updates.

Slow Our Streets

Councilmember Whitburn and I joined together to announce the City of San Diego’s implementation of Assembly Bill 43 (AB43), which was brought to City Council by the Transportation Department and passed unanimously.

AB43 codifies speed limits into the San Diego Municipal Code, and establishes 17 business activity corridors where speed limits are capped at 20 or 25 mph. It also allows the City to maintain speed limits in 72 segments, that would otherwise have been increased - known as speed creep. Lowering speed limits by just 5 mph dramatically increases the likelihood of someone surviving a collision

Safety for all will always be more important than convenience for a few. Thank you, Councilmember Whitburn, for your tireless efforts to implement this policy in the City of San Diego and to the Transportation Department for mapping this out.

The City of San Diego is reviewing the proposed budget — and now’s your chance to have a say. Yesterday, the City Council’s Budget Review Committee began hearing from City staff about what is included in the Mayor’s proposed FY26 budget.

Residents are encouraged to share their input throughout the process, including during a dedicated public comment session on Monday, May 19. I recently filmed a video that walks you through how to submit public comment — whether you want to speak at a meeting, call in virtually, or submit written input. You can find the link to check the agenda and submit public comment here: Citywide Agendas and Minutes | City of San Diego Official Website

Sincerely,