San Diego City Councilmember Raul Campillo here: happy Friday!

Welcome to this week's Raul Roundup, your go-to source for the latest news, updates, and insights from our community and City Hall. Here’s what’s been going on this week:

Bonus ADU Program Update

The biggest news coming out of a very busy week at City Council was the hearing that we held about the ADU Bonus program in San Diego on Tuesday evening. In sum, the City Council decided to pare back the program in certain residential zones throughout the City.

The final decision reached was something of a compromise that balanced the need for more housing with community concerns about problems with the program. In this way, I am happy that the Council is making progress on improving this program. However, I ultimately voted no on the motion because I wanted to be sure whatever the city does meets legal requirements imposed by the State.

Ultimately, I believe that housing policy should be reasonable and well-thought through. We need to build a lot more housing, but we should also be careful that housing policy does not have unintended negative consequences. I will continue to work to strike this balance as we continue the process of updating this program.

Read more about the hearing in this article in the Union-Tribune here.

San Diego FC First Home Match

Nadia and I had a great time at San Diego FC’s first ever home match this past weekend. Though the game itself lacked much action, we were left excited by the many matches to come as season ticket holders.

And by the way: if you were one of the people doing the homophobic chant, knock it off. Good to see San Diego FC take a strong stand against it, and let’s hope that by the next home match, fans get the message that the chant is unacceptable.

Get to Know Your Rep: Anthony Hackett, Rep for the Navajo Area

You might have interacted with him to get your road or streetlight fixed, but did you know that Anthony grew up all over the world, spent years working in grocery stores, and loves craft beer? Introducing the first edition of a new ‘Get to Know Your Rep’ series where my Communications Director, Crane Friedman, interviews District 7 Community Reps.

Below are some lightly edited excerpts of the conversation. To watch the full video conversation with Anthony, click here!

Q: Where are you from originally?
A: I grew up in southeast San Diego, specifically in the Skyline and Lomita communities. My father was in the Navy, so my sister and I were Navy brats, living up and down the West Coast and throughout the Pacific Rim. We spent time in Guam, Hawaii, Japan, Samoa, and the Philippines for five years before returning to the Skyline and Lomita community in 1988, where we’ve been ever since.

Q: What inspired you to work in politics and public service?
A: I’ve always wanted to help people and give back to the communities I’ve lived in. I saw things I wanted to change and be a part of. After my time at SDSU, I moved to Mission Valley/Grantville, where I lived for 12 years. I became engaged in the neighborhood and saw opportunities to make a difference. That’s when I reached out to Councilmember Campillo to join his team.

Q: You have a background in customer service and retail work. Can you share more about that?
A: After graduating from SDSU in 2008—during a tough job market—I fell back on what I knew, which was grocery store work. I worked at several stores, including Trader Joe’s, and also took a second job at the Old Globe Theatre. Those experiences taught me valuable customer service skills. During that time, I also became more interested in political campaigns, which eventually led me to where I am today.

Q: What’s your favorite part of the job?
A: When we’re able to solve a problem for a resident. Whether it’s filling a pothole, repaving a street, or helping someone with their water bill, seeing people happy and grateful for the assistance makes the job fulfilling.

Q: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in this job?
A: How to truly listen to people. It’s easy to get stuck behind a desk, but I prioritize going out into the community, hearing from residents directly, and working to find solutions for their concerns.

Q: What do you like to do outside of work? Any fun facts about you?
A: I’m a bit of a food connoisseur! I love exploring different cuisines in areas like Little Italy and Convoy, visiting craft cocktail bars, and enjoying local craft beers.

Q: Anything else you’d like to share with residents?
A: If you live in the Navajo area and have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out!

Mill and Pave on Fontaine Street

Fontaine Street in Allied Gardens just got a major upgrade! The City’s in-house mill and pave team resurfaced the road from Lewison Drive to Princess View Drive. This segment of road had a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) score in places as low as 5.9/100 — making this road repair extra impactful for local residents. I’m proud to constantly be working to pave more streets in District 7!

Leon Williams Passes Away at 102

This week, a true legend of San Diego, Leon Williams, passed away at the age of 102. He was San Diego’s first Black City Councilmember and County Supervisor, and inspired a generation of changemakers in our region. Read more about Leon Williams’ life in the Union-Tribune here. May he rest in peace.