Delivering his State of the City address, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria Thursday touted the city's progress on key issues such as homelessness, housing and infrastructure, but he also said there were challenges to address, like the city budget.
In last year's address, Gloria said a looming $252.2 million deficit presented an opportunity to revisit how the city operates.
"The stark financial realities we face today will test our resolve," he said. "This is not the time for retreat. This is not the time to slow down. This is the time to double down. We are moving forward."
In a show of austerity, the address was moved from one of downtown San Diego's theaters to the Council Chambers in City Hall -- a move repeated Thursday.
"Keep your eyes on the city we are building, and hold us accountable to build it," he said. "Five years ago, when I took the oath to be your mayor, I did so with open eyes. San Diego was ready to stop running from its problems. I believed the city was ready for a new era. We are a city in transformation, and you can see it."
Housing remains a big issue for San Diegans, and the Mayor said "a great city is one where anyone who works hard and plays by the rules can (afford) to live here."
"Still, I know that even with this progress, the cost of housing remains too expensive for too many families," Gloria said. "Until more San Diegans can look at their rent or mortgage without cringing, our work is not finished."
Other accomplishments the Mayor mentioned were:
-- Crime dropping by 6%, with murders decreasing 22%, sexual assaults falling 7% and vehicle thefts declining 22%;
-- A nearly 14% reduction in homelessness
-- The city resurfacing or repairing 468 miles of roads over the past year
Gloria said that in response to a $318 million structural budget deficit, his administration had closed $270 million in a single year. He said the city trimmed the deficit by cutting $35 million in contracts and management positions; eliminating six departments; moving employees from leased offices into city-owned facilities, saving $13 million; and restructuring leadership.