[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6202703,"mediaKeyId","3785668-edf25913a381c5eb957e172a2c8eda65","parentId",3785668,"title","Residents urge action on canyon encampment and alleged drug house; volunteers describe trauma-response work","audioSeconds",648,"startMs",1149000,"endMs",1797000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3785668-edf25913a381c5eb957e172a2c8eda65&start=1149&end=1797","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3785668-edf25913a381c5eb957e172a2c8eda65/thumbnail_1149000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6202703/La-Mesa/San-Diego-County/California/Residents-urge-action-on-canyon-encampment-and-alleged-drug-house-volunteers-describe-trauma-response-work","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202703-1946aaeeade8caa86ae0c82e7bcd7c9e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193116&Signature=a76qpY9aN2KYMjRUmKn1CRlkzdspFAjrqVS51LzPrLWj9UqqmAexxeNS7FDAOpLbfbM7oHrxV~wRQTUDub6IrxM8LLsd6y392iogFVARR4T80~4u2J0d1DztlrwSFxZWm~2QPqpgbFOPtTlQy7Db4-xM7Xie6Jgw74aTCJKpaZYX~jQB3V-wGDA64t7LuP2ZHLit7HwLm-JLPht7VwzrAGydOEVNHcOQUvP6c1Rj3idN~db6FRRy~0umbnf1Fw~rbRRqHDMPVXFoBkgASs0Mlt-t-xqw477wWFpcuIisPzxA0nNWVYzbQxa03XJiW1OGggDXvF2N7g02ucNJUBk4og__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","La Mesa, CA","date","2025-06-10T00:00:00Z","article","Several residents used the public-comment period June 10 to press the city for action on homelessness and neighborhood safety, and a volunteer crisis-intervention organization described its on-scene response work.

A resident, Ted Childress, said he had been in contact with the city’s homeless services and the police about an encampment in the lower portion of Tungsten Canyon and urged the council to clear the canyon’s defensible space because of fire danger. He said vegetation has regrown to “4 to 6 feet high” in areas previously cleared and that removal of encampments on private property is difficult without authorization from absentee property owners.

Another resident, Barbie Wheeler, speaking for Bellflower Drive neighbors, described persistent drug activity at a rental described as a “flop house,” said renters were creating dangerous conditions and asked the council to help remove the operation. She urged the council to support state bills she said would provide stronger legal tools; she referenced “SB 35” and “AB 423” during her remarks.

Representatives of volunteer responders and library staff also addressed the council. Grant Affleck, a volunteer with Trauma Intervention Programs (TIP), thanked the council for continued support and said TIP volunteers responded to 64 calls in La Mesa in 2024 and to 369 requests across East County during the same period, assisting more than 1,246 clients. Cassie Caldoin, branch manager at the La Mesa branch library, outlined the library’s summer learning program schedule and services, including a free Mad Hatter tea party kickoff on June 24 and expanded summer hours.

Public commenters raised both safety concerns (fire risk in Tungsten Canyon) and neighborhood quality-of-life issues (alleged drug house activity). Council members did not take formal action during public comment but staff later said they had observed the canyon site and discussed enforcement limitations tied to private-property ownership.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council, Public Financing Authority, and Successor Agency June 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","During public comment residents urged the council to clear an encampment in Tungsten Canyon because of fire risk and described a persistent drug house on Bellflower Drive; a volunteer crisis-intervention group thanked the city for support and described its response statistics.","taxTitle","La Mesa, San Diego County, California","taxId",3983,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6202707,"La Mesa holds public hearing on CDBG consolidated plan; staff to advance Tower Street sidewalk project",509,3462000,3971000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3785668-edf25913a381c5eb957e172a2c8eda65&start=3462&end=3971","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3785668-edf25913a381c5eb957e172a2c8eda65/thumbnail_3462000.jpg","/articles/6202707/La-Mesa/San-Diego-County/California/La-Mesa-holds-public-hearing-on-CDBG-consolidated-plan-staff-to-advance-Tower-Street-sidewalk-project","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202707-36b5dbbe3a5cf04a373b510d67e54d4c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193116&Signature=SpC7tGjyjKTZPQNiPu3vkRrA9O7dBd7MaQ4p6c1~ZDBwZU9cydY~eQvaCsJEeDcMmQnIiGhwnFiq7ACmf88d3IQP4cMJ84~Y-ITzQSviCWxKk159b9qbJz9LiSjBMw~-aMv4UqyoKytYHpTN4CJOC1t5N95CHJrAKU8GKLUCzCr9F-umDBi7pfcYovOxcHPyQSVxVXB8n6y4Vd25mhkoFfuAHWpFUameSIuthEjh6vk0OnXqYckr8YAafJnEiYkZduMUwQVZZUJjalDwM257NmFuxjWne6f1TQthkpOZMST3GGFsGCIP5fgUn41XiE8zotF4YluBS~luq1~QBr3IkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of La Mesa opened and closed a public hearing June 10 on the five-year consolidated plan and the Fiscal Year 2025–26 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) annual action plan, and staff recommended funding a mobility project and related program activities.

Myra Pina, senior management analyst for community development, told council that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocated $456,031 in CDBG funding for La Mesa for 2025–26. Staff recommended allocating $405,829.29 to the Tower Street Mobility Access Improvement Project, which is located between 70th Street and 68th Street in a CDBG-eligible neighborhood and identified in the sidewalk master plan.

Staff also proposed $30,000 for fair housing services to be administered through the city’s fair housing administrator (CSA), $50,000 for administrative activities including environmental review and reporting, and $6,000 for housing-specific administrative costs tied to the rehabilitation loan program. Staff said $35,789.95 in prior-year administrative savings would be applied, producing a proposed total of $491,829.95 when combined with the carryover savings.

The Tower Street project is intended to provide new sidewalk where none exists and design work is expected to be completed this year, with construction anticipated by December 2026, staff said. A member of the council noted the project’s proximity to Rolando Elementary School and said improving pedestrian access has been a long-standing request.

Council closed the public hearing, accepted the STAC recommendation and directed staff to return on July 8 with final documents for HUD submission no later than July 12.","At a public hearing the city recommended allocating $405,829.29 of CDBG funds to the Tower Street Mobility Access Improvement Project, plus awards for fair housing, administrative costs and prior-year savings; council closed the hearing and accepted the STAC recommendation to move the plan forward to HUD.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6202712,"La Mesa presents $122.8M preliminary biannual budget; council directs staff to pursue new fire apparatus",517,1761000,2278000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3785668-edf25913a381c5eb957e172a2c8eda65&start=1761&end=2278","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3785668-edf25913a381c5eb957e172a2c8eda65/thumbnail_1761000.jpg","/articles/6202712/La-Mesa/San-Diego-County/California/La-Mesa-presents-1228M-preliminary-biannual-budget-council-directs-staff-to-pursue-new-fire-apparatus","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202712-b78183d99da8b92229d4e740a3885e92/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193116&Signature=HR8Mrw3qjWd8pj1cGCo7w~YXf1pwHl8U14LyU-aRIPrXgrisxEFSuPUW8QefqYBQZDETJHU~mOXuN2OrJVvppXBOf0xfwROIY3sGHh~ZRGGa0tXOWAx-GhDe0RYjZM5nI3yrxDBrfeXHWgx5lYFIUf5k~PYGfbi2mo1szxQlF4UnYzqPeI2ktlaPYB-DeRyQ87XFy8rVFF6Yvj2i8bMTzLU9rrz36Wks1pJYuxtQvFYHqqhTLJeFkUbbCB6fNXAI5CNh1loWN4OzhGvn-~vE650rGXV~OckYNx~wIUslYxjsX0-zUlOQ600Bu8VJp7mTFwLcQNlro0cGgs1Ym4kYOA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff on June 10 presented a preliminary two-year budget for fiscal years 2025–27 that projects roughly $122.8 million in citywide spending and proposes adding 15 new positions while preserving high reserve levels.

The preliminary budget presentation, delivered by city staff, described a general fund projection of about $76.5 million for fiscal year 2026 and $79.9 million for fiscal year 2027 and outlined 90 capital improvement projects across wastewater, transportation, storm drain, facilities and parks. “This budget is based on a very solid balance sheet,” a staff presenter said during the presentation.

Why it matters: Council members framed the budget as a vehicle to protect public safety and invest in city operations. Several council members requested that staff include purchases for fire apparatus that typically require multi-year lead times: a ladder truck and a frontline pumper engine. Councilmembers also asked staff to add about $20,000 to outfit an Urban Search and Rescue apparatus to Type 1 standards so it can serve East County.

Staff emphasized the city’s fiscal strength: the presentation cited about $1.5 billion in annual retail sales in the city, a $10.5 billion property tax base, minimal debt, and strong reserves (staff cited reserve ratios of about 82% for FY26 and 78% for FY27 in the presentation). Gretchen Spaniel, the city’s director of human resources, gave a staffing update, saying, “So far we have 50 new full time employees have been hired by the city and 7 internal staff members have been promoted.”

Council discussion focused on public safety timing and procurement lead times. Several members said ordering apparatus now would avoid multi-year waiting lists and future price increases; staff supplied preliminary price quotes during the meeting, stating the ladder truck was quoted at approximately $2,400,000 and the pumper engine at about $1,200,000. Councilmembers directed staff to return with a final budget in roughly 90 days with requested clarifications and to include the council’s direction on apparatus procurement and the $20,000 equipment purchase for Urban Search and Rescue.

Procedure and next steps: Council voted to advance the preliminary budget items as presented and to return for adoption after staff incorporates requested edits; the city manager and finance staff said they will present a final, more detailed budget later this summer. The council also separately adopted the city’s appropriations limit for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026.

The preliminary budget contains detailed capital project lists and funding assumptions; staff said some line-item detail will be clarified in the final document to be returned within approximately 90 days.","City staff presented a preliminary FY 2025–27 biannual budget that funds 15 new positions, strong reserves and capital projects; council asked staff to include replacements for a ladder truck and a frontline engine and to budget $20,000 for urban search-and-rescue equipment.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents urge action on canyon encampment and alleged drug house; volunteers describe trauma-response work

La Mesa holds public hearing on CDBG consolidated plan; staff to advance Tower Street sidewalk project

La Mesa presents $122.8M preliminary biannual budget; council directs staff to pursue new fire apparatus