Todd Gloria, the new mayor of San Diego, reflects change in a new time of challenges. Gloria, some may argue the most powerful mayor San Diego has seen, represents the city with progressive values. Gloria’s city council primarily consists of democrats, as Gloria is too.  Furthermore, he is one of the few mayors in recent history to have organized labor and business communities in his favor, which is atypical as the groups usually converge. 

 Gloria is presented with a budget crisis nearly the same size as the great recession of 2008 as he begins his term. The city currently oversees a problem with tax revenue as the COVID-19 pandemic brings tourism to a halt. It is also a housing crisis between polarized neighborhoods and a crumbling infrastructure that demands attention. 

Gloria promises to prioritize homelessness as the San Diego homeless population grows; he advocates for long-term housing instead of homeless shelters. When asked about the homeless issue concerning San Diego, Maddie Keefe, a sophomore at University City High School, agreed with the mayor that homelessness should be prioritized. “I think homelessness is the most important issue because it’s a cycle that is nearly impossible to break without the help from the city…at the moment, there are very few programs that help lift people out of homelessness,” she mentioned. 

On the other hand, when asked what issue demands the most attention, Tommy Castronovo, a sophomore at La Jolla High, said, “I want the city to focus on the issue of public transit for convenience and to prevent unnecessary pollution.” Gloria hopes to combat this issue through the expansion of clean emission public transportation systems.

Gloria, despite indifferences, remains the mayor of San Diego with hopes of reliving the city of San Diego from ongoing issues.

     “I think the city has lots of room for improvement, and we’re on the right track for the most part,” says Keefe.