Facing a staggering backlog of necessary street improvements after years of neglect, San Diego's potholes have emerged as a defining topic in this year's mayoral campaign, reports Tony Perry.
With potholes becoming "as much a symbol of San Diego as Shamu at Sea World or the pandas at the zoo," it should come as no surprise that the campaign slogan of Councilman Carl DeMaio, the candidate leading the current polling to be San Diego's next mayor, is "Pensions, Potholes and Prosperity."
According to Perry, "Even before the campaign began, DeMaio released a seven-point "Save Our Streets" plan to dedicate $335 million to $497 million during the next five years to fix the city's roads. He created a smartphone app for residents to report potholes, was photographed helping city road crews and promised to appoint an inspector general for potholes."
And it's not just DeMaio who's made tackling the city's sorry streets a focus of his campaign. Each candidate has developed their own strategy for solving the street repair problem, including Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, "who has promised an 'infrastructure strike force' to oversee the seven city departments that do repair work."
FULL STORY: San Diego's potholes are a major mayoral campaign issue
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Safe Parking Programs Help People Access Housing
The safety and stability offered by Safe Parking sites have helped 40 percent of unhoused San Diego residents who accessed these programs get into permanent housing.
San Diego Housing Assistance, Homelessness Programs Facing Major Cuts
Programs supported by federal and state programs are on the brink of losing funding, putting thousands of homeless and at-risk residents in jeopardy.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research