Almost six years ago, proponents behind a hotel-tax hike known as Measure C promised the initiative would help fund a Convention Center expansion.<\/p>\n
Now, fresh off a years-long court fight over whether Measure C passed, Mayor Todd Gloria and others who backed the measure aren\u2019t promising an expansion \u2013 at least for now.<\/p>\n
Our Mariana Mart\u00ednez Barba writes that the city, Convention Center Corp. officials and others will first go back to the drawing board to assess the current facility\u2019s needs, convention demands and what sort of expansion is feasible. After all, costs for the long-envisioned expansion have ballooned since backers estimated the cost years ago.<\/p>\n
Read the full story here.\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Actionable Solutions to Help Homeless San Diegans in Crisis<\/strong><\/p>\n Discussions about homeless residents struggling with addiction and mental health challenges often quickly devolve into complications.<\/p>\n But a Politifest panel featuring three behavioral health experts focused on solutions, including many that wouldn\u2019t be massively expensive or complicated to execute. They\u2019d just take political will.<\/p>\n Our Lisa Halverstadt broke down panelists\u2019 suggested solutions including a priority list for outreach and treatment, allowing paramedics to instigate short-term mental health evaluation holds and a drug user health hub.<\/p>\n Panelists Paul Armstrong of the San Diego Rescue Mission, psychiatrist Aaron Meyer who serves as the city of San Diego\u2019s behavioral health officer and Tara Stamos-Buesig of the Harm Reduction Coalition of San Diego also agreed on the need for more person-centered approaches to serving homeless San Diegans with behavioral health challenges \u2013 and on the need for county government to step up to deliver solutions.<\/p>\n Read the full story here.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Speaking of behavioral health solutions: <\/strong>The Union-Tribune reports that the county on Thursday launched a $75 million initiative<\/a> aimed at adding 3,000 new addiction and mental health workers over the next five years with the help of incentives like no-interest loans and apprenticeships.<\/p>\n PSA: <\/strong>You can check out videos and Power point slides from Politifest presenters plus interviews with Solutions Showdown winners including Meyer on our website<\/a>.<\/p>\n South County Report: How South Bay Politicos Approached Thorny Problems<\/strong><\/p>\n It was a tough week for South Bay politicians.<\/p>\n In our Jim Hinch\u2019s last South County Report, he delivered a rundown of the big issues facing the region\u2019s leaders and how they did \u2013 or didn\u2019t \u2013 handle them.<\/p>\n Among the thorny issues: pitches to allow more dense housing in a residential neighborhood and a biofuels depot in National City, concerns about the future of the Tijuana River Valley Community Garden and a contentious debate over Chula Vista Mayor John McCann\u2019s recent adjournment of a City Council meeting in memory of slain political activist Charlie Kirk.<\/p>\n Read the full post here.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Newly Homeless Outpaced Newly Housed in September<\/strong><\/p>\n The number of people becoming homeless in San Diego County continued to outpace the number moving into homes in September. The Regional Task Force on Homelessness reports<\/a> that 1,106 people became homeless for the first time and 1,032 exited homelessness.<\/p>\n