PLAN IS BOOST TO BLACK RESIDENTS
Mayor’s initiative aims to prioritize racial justice, neighborhood equity
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria unveiled Monday a detailed plan to boost the city’s Black residents by repealing inequitable policies and making neighborhood investments focused on jobs, education, infrastructure and housing.
Local Black leaders called the plan an unprecedented attempt to address decades of systemic racism and the city’s glaring lack of investment in Black neighborhoods, which are primarily in southeastern San Diego.
While those leaders mostly praised the plan, they also said it lacked some elements and warned that without aggressive implementation the plan would be meaningless.
Gloria expressed optimism that the plan can be a key first step in giving many Black San Diegans the equality of opportunity and neighborhood resources they lack, but the mayor conceded the problem will be hard to solve quickly.
There appears to be more opportunity for such change than ever before with nearly all of San Diego’ elected leaders — Gloria and a City Council dominated by Democrats — vowing to make racial justice and neighborhood equity priorities.
“In one day you can’t undo centuries worth of prejudice, disinvestment and structural racism,” Gloria said at a news conference in Chollas View. “We have a lot of work to do, but I think we have the political will. We can get something done here.”
The plan calls for expanding workforce development programs and significant changes to controversial law enforcement policies, including policies focused on guns, hiring officers and training officers not to engage in racial profiling.
The plan also includes efforts to boost construction of affordable housing and a greater focus on reducing COVID-19 deaths among Blacks.
Gloria said Blacks in San Diego
have been twice as likely to be hospitalized with the virus and twice as likely to end up dying. He also said Blacks, who make up 6 percent of the city’s population, account for one-third of homeless shelter residents.
“Promises by past officials were made, but more often than not, little was done to truly address the inequities and disparities plaguing the Black community,” he said. “Our empowerment policy plan is a living framework for how we will address some of our Black community’s most pressing issues.”
Councilwoman Monica Montgomery Steppe, the council’s only Black member and the representative for much of southeastern San Diego, called Gloria’s plan “a crucial step” toward equity.
“For far too long, we have seen the devastating impacts of systemic racism on
the Black community in housing, police practices, environmental injustices and lack of access to quality health and educational resources,” she said.
Donna DeBerry, chief executive of the Central San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce, called Gloria’s plan a viable proposal created in the spirit of equity, inclusion and diversity.
“This is a step forward in creating generational wealth, dismantling systemic racism, investing in
the inequitable economy and building — really building — a strong economy in our great city,” she said.
Ellen Nash, leader of the Black American Political Association’s San Diego chapter, praised Gloria for coming forward with such a comprehensive effort.
“I can’t recall any mayor in San Diego putting something like this together for the Black community,” she said.
But Nash said the plan has less urgency than a proposed action plan that a group of Black leaders gave Gloria in December as goals to achieve during his first 100 days as mayor.
Nash said Gloria’s plan also lacks city internships and summer jobs for young Black people, which she said would help reduce youth violence and help young Blacks see themselves as employable.
“They get to see themselves as workers,” she said.
Nash said she was optimistic Gloria’s plan will evolve, calling it “a living, breathing document.”
Francine Maxwell, leader of the local NAACP chapter, agreed with Nash that Gloria’s plan is historic.
“As a native of San Diego, this is the first time I have interacted with a mayor who has identified the need to focus some of the city’s resources to address issues specific to African and African-American residents,” she said.