Good Thursday morning!
A crucial vote today could raise rent for thousands of San Diegans who rely on vouchers. We examine the funding problems that are forcing the San Diego Housing Commission to rethink rental assistance.
Months ago, a car slammed into an RV and damaged a home in La Mesa, and a concerned couple said it could easily happen again. Reporter Adam Campos is following through after the city adds safety measures on Spring Street.
While temperatures drop slightly for most of the county today, Megan Parry’s microclimate forecasts show a potential for record highs for some cities.
Here’s what is happening today in the Streamline newsletter:
THE STREAMLINE:
ABC 10News brings you The Streamline for Thursday, Dec. 11 -- everything you need to know in under 10 minutes:
TOP STORY:
The San Diego Housing Commission on Thursday is slated to vote on a plan that could impact more than 14,000 San Diegans who rely on housing vouchers.
SDHC officials said rent prices are rising faster than the current program can afford. Federal funding has also not kept up as rent across San Diego continues to climb.
The Housing Commission receives a pool of funds from the federal government, with that money going into the voucher program that helps pay part of a recipient’s rent.
The average subsidy the Housing Commission pays per family has gone up from about $900 to nearly $1,600 in just five years.
Without changes, the Housing Commission warns the voucher program could start running out of money.
Under the proposal, working families could be required to pay 30%-40% of their income towards rent. The Commission said that means most families in the program will be paying $300-$600 more per month than they currently pay.
Seniors and disabled residents could see their share rise from 28.5% to 32%.
If the Commission does not raise those contributions, they said the alternative is much more severe -- thousands of people losing assistance altogether.
SDHC President/CEO Lisa Jones said this is all happening while more than 7,600 families are on the waitlist.
“I understand that there are definitely folks that are going to feel the pinch, and this is going to be an adjustment that they have to navigate. And our goal is to help them transition successfully; we want everybody to remain stably housed,” Jones said.
The Commission said increasing rent contributions now could keep people from losing their vouchers later.
MICROCLIMATE FORECASTS:
Coasts
Inland
Mountains
Deserts
BREAKING OVERNIGHT:
The San Diego Unified School District board on Wednesday night delayed a decision on building at least 1,500 affordable housing units for teachers at five district-owned properties.
On Wednesday, board members reviewed proposals that would provide affordable housing for 10% of its workforce at no cost to the district or taxpayers.
However, an expected vote on the proposals was delayed after some board members asked for more time to workshop with developers before making a final decision.
Of the five sites in the plans, only one was accepted because it had only one proposal. Others were tabled until January.
A vote in January only moves the chosen proposal forward and does not approve the project.
A final agreement likely would not come until spring 2027.
CONSUMER:
Signing up for a subscription service is usually simple and can be done with a click of a button. But consumers say canceling that service isn't always the case.
WATCH — Consumer reporter Marie Coronel breaks down the new California rule that is forcing companies to make opting out easier:
WE FOLLOW THROUGH:
New data obtained by ABC 10News shows why a stretch of Spring Street in La Mesa is considered one of La Mesa’s most dangerous roads.
Months after a car veered off the road and crashed into Tom and Christie Villareal’s home and RV, ABC 10News reporter Adam Campos is continuing to follow through with the couple’s recovery while also looking into the city’s efforts to make the street safer:
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