On December 12, 2016, San Diego City Council members were sworn into office. Along with the previous members, three new members took the oath. Alliance San Diego, along with over a dozen other local organizations, welcome them and shared the following statement with the City Council:

Today we are here representing a group of community leaders and community-based organizations representing thousands of San Diego families that span from La Jolla to Lincoln Park to San Ysidro.  

We have one simple message:  it is time for a commitment to action. Whoever becomes our new City Council president must adopt a bold vision that preserves our quality of life and ensures all of our friends and neighbors have an opportunity to thrive and succeed, regardless of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, income or immigration status. 

The pillars of our vision are a set of rights that address our most pressing concerns, ensure all San Diegans are treated with dignity and respect, and propel us forward as a model for all cities to aspire to.

These pillars are:

The right to quality and affordable housing.

The right to peace, safety and justice in all neighborhoods.

The right to prosper and achieve one’s full potential.

The right to a quality neighborhood with affordable and reliable transportation.

The right to clean air, clean water and a livable climate.

The right to a true, responsive and accountable democracy.

Our foundation is a commitment to equity and justice for everyone.

These fundamental rights provide many policy opportunities for our new Council to advance. 

• Bold solutions to our housing crisis so that families can afford a quality home, our children can aspire to owning or renting their first home, we can house the homeless, and no family is driven from their home due to skyrocketing rent. 
• Policies to address biased policing, invest in purposeful action that will build trust between officers and our community, lower crime rates and reduced emergency response times. 
• Good middle-class jobs, protections against wage theft and affordable childcare so no parent must choose between work and the well-being of their children. 
• Accessible and well-maintained parks, sidewalks and safe roads, and transportation so our children can access the opportunities they need to fulfill their potential and reach their dreams. 
• Immediate action to keep us on track to meet our climate goals and protect our neighborhoods from the threat of climate change. 
• A more transparent and efficient government that is less influenced by narrow interests and more responsive to we, the people. 

The sum of these changes is not only beautiful, but completely within our reach. It is also what we all deserve. We know that to reach this vision we will argue, disagree and debate vigorously about the finer points of implementation, but on these values we are 100 percent unified. We want what is best for the future of San Diego and all San Diegans and we want to move forward together.

Organizations that are signatories to this vision:

Alliance San Diego

American Civil Liberties Union of San Diego and Imperial Counties

Center on Policy Initiatives

City Heights Community Development Corporation

Climate Action Campaign

Environmental Health Coalition

Main Street Alliance of San Diego

Mid-City Community Advocacy Network

Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans

Richard Barrera, trustee, San Diego Unified School District

San Diego Building and Construction Trades Council

San Diego County Bicycle Coalition

San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council

Think Dignity

The San Diego LGBT Community Center

Urban Collaborative Project