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California suspends Cruise driverless vehicles in San Francisco

The DMV said Cruise cars pose an "unreasonable risk to public safety."

Economy & Business

El Niño may bring extreme weather to West Coast, models suggest

Here's what that could look like, based on what region you're in.

News

California rolls out pilot for digital driver's license program

The pilot program, currently authorized in limited capacities, aims to speed up ID checks in a quick and secure manner.

California schools now offer girls' flag football

It's the latest state to officially add the sport to its athletics programs.

City Council rejects mayor's housing package

The mayor's most significant housing policy push for 2023 is done, at least for now.

Mayor Todd Gloria&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="big housing package" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2023/08/04/san-diego-pause-nix-single-family-zoning-near-transit" data-vars-content-id="d5dc75a7-22af-4f1c-bbc4-0df358db79a7" data-vars-headline="City Council rejects mayor&#x27;s housing package" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2023/08/04/san-diego-pause-nix-single-family-zoning-near-transit" target="_self">big housing package</a> is done, at least for this year.Driving the news: The San Diego City Council on Monday voted against a set of housing deregulations Gloria pushed in hopes of bringing down costs, leaving city staff pledging to bring the package back with changes next year.

Overhead shot of a Lennar Development project in San Diego

Revising San Diego's downtown recovery

Researchers studying downtown recoveries nationwide no longer see San Diego as a model.

Downtown San Diego <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="may not be" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/08/03/us-cities-downtown-future" data-vars-content-id="185fe3a0-abe3-4dd7-b7fa-6be64be11e2e" data-vars-headline="Revising San Diego&#x27;s downtown recovery" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/08/03/us-cities-downtown-future" target="_self">may not be</a> the post-pandemic <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="success story" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2023/08/03/downtown-san-diego-pandemic-recovery-top" data-vars-content-id="185fe3a0-abe3-4dd7-b7fa-6be64be11e2e" data-vars-headline="Revising San Diego&#x27;s downtown recovery" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2023/08/03/downtown-san-diego-pandemic-recovery-top" target="_self">success story</a> many had hoped for.Driving the news: The number of unique visitors to downtown San Diego this spring reached 80% of its pre-pandemic level, according to an <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="updated analysis" data-vars-click-url="https://downtownrecovery.com/charts/rankings" data-vars-content-id="185fe3a0-abe3-4dd7-b7fa-6be64be11e2e" data-vars-headline="Revising San Diego&#x27;s downtown recovery" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://downtownrecovery.com/charts/rankings" target="_blank">updated analysis</a> from the University of Toronto&#x27;s School of Cities.

Biden's Tijuana sewage funding ask

The emergency funding request is on top of $300 million already allocated.

The White House has joined the chorus of local and state officials <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="seeking more money" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2023/09/01/coronado-imperial-beach-california-sewage-water" data-vars-content-id="af75f1c4-fd99-490d-8ea4-59c8b9e5ab30" data-vars-headline="Biden&#x27;s Tijuana sewage funding ask" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2023/09/01/coronado-imperial-beach-california-sewage-water" target="_self">seeking more money</a> to blunt <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="sewage flows" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2023/09/07/tijuana-river-sewage-solution-money" data-vars-content-id="af75f1c4-fd99-490d-8ea4-59c8b9e5ab30" data-vars-headline="Biden&#x27;s Tijuana sewage funding ask" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2023/09/07/tijuana-river-sewage-solution-money" target="_self">sewage flows</a> from the Tijuana River into the Pacific Ocean.Driving the news: President Biden on Thursday included $310 million for maintenance and improvements at the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant in his <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="emergency funding request" data-vars-click-url="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Funding-Request-to-Meet-Critical-Needs.pdf" data-vars-content-id="af75f1c4-fd99-490d-8ea4-59c8b9e5ab30" data-vars-headline="Biden&#x27;s Tijuana sewage funding ask" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Funding-Request-to-Meet-Critical-Needs.pdf" target="_blank">emergency funding request</a> to Congress.

Fewer San Diego workers suffer from long commutes

Fewer San Diego workers have commutes of 45 minutes or longer, in the years since the pandemic.

Climate

Commutes are getting less painful — at least for some of you.Driving the news: In the years after the pandemic, fewer San Diego workers have commutes of 45 minutes or longer, while more of us get to work in 30 minutes or less, according to census data.

Inside San Diego's most expensive affordable housing project

Affirmed Housing's Rancho Bernardo project comes in at $900,000 per unit.

Development

An affordable housing project on Metropolitan Transit System property is getting pretty pricey.Driving the news: SkyLINE Apartments, a 99-unit project reserved for low-income residents on a Rancho Bernardo bus station, is on track to cost over $900,000 per unit to build — more than any other affordable housing project in development in the city, according to the San Diego Housing Commission&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="latest tracking" data-vars-click-url="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23993350-sdhcpipeline?responsive=1&amp;title=1" data-vars-content-id="aa53a571-1ec2-400c-8c2a-7a7ed729681e" data-vars-headline="Inside San Diego&#x27;s most expensive affordable housing project" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23993350-sdhcpipeline?responsive=1&amp;title=1" target="_blank">latest tracking</a>.

The San Diego Housing Commission offices are located at the San Diego City Colllege Trolley Stop.

Flyers rate SD airport among worst in U.S.

Construction delays from the Terminal 1 rebuild are souring travelers on the San Diego airport.

Travelers aren&#x27;t thrilled with delays from construction at San Diego International Airport as it rebuilds Terminal 1 and have downgraded it to one of the worst in the country.Driving the news: Customers ranked San Diego International the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="fifth worst large airport" data-vars-click-url="https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2023-north-america-airport-satisfaction-study" data-vars-content-id="45d1bc33-15d4-4aaf-a197-afc1fbb0d25b" data-vars-headline="Flyers rate SD airport among worst in U.S." data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2023-north-america-airport-satisfaction-study" target="_blank">fifth worst large airport</a> in the U.S. and Canada in 2023, according to a new satisfaction survey from J.D. Power.

San Diego closes in on passing mayor's housing reforms

A council committee approved the package, but without a controversial pitch to nix single-family zoning near transit.

San Diego is one step closer to adopting Mayor Todd Gloria&#x27;s package of reforms intended to increase homebuilding in the city.Driving the news: The City Council&#x27;s committee on housing approved Thursday a package of 10 reforms including moves to:

San Diego leads U.S. in light rail ridership

Ridership in San Diego declined slower than in other cities, elevating the Trolley to the top of light rail system ridership.

Transit

Quietly, San Diego&#x27;s Trolley has become the highest-ridership light-rail line in the country in the years since the pandemic.Driving the news: Transit users took just over 34 million trips on the Trolley in 2022, more than any of the other <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="31 light rail systems tracked" data-vars-click-url="https://www.apta.com/wp-content/uploads/2022-Q4-Ridership-APTA.pdf&#x27;" data-vars-content-id="c7434a28-d904-4bc2-a42f-8bfbf3d729c5" data-vars-headline="San Diego leads U.S. in light rail ridership" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.apta.com/wp-content/uploads/2022-Q4-Ridership-APTA.pdf&#x27;" target="_blank">31 light rail systems tracked</a> by the American Public Transportation Association.

San Diego Trolley leaving the America Plaza stop

San Diego ranks among most expensive U.S. cities

Housing and transportation drive San Diego's high cost-of-living status.

Business

San Diego is <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="among the most expensive cities" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/11/09/lowest-highest-cost-of-living-cities-us-map" data-vars-content-id="acabd5d4-1917-4006-9648-03336bbd5244" data-vars-headline="San Diego ranks among most expensive U.S. cities" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/11/09/lowest-highest-cost-of-living-cities-us-map" target="_self">among the most expensive cities</a> in the country.Driving the news: San Diego is America&#x27;s eighth priciest city, according to the Council for Community and Economic Research&#x27;s quarterly cost-of-living index, designed to measure &quot;regional differences in the cost of consumer goods and services,&quot; Axios&#x27; Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj report.

Elements driving San Diego's high cost of living

YIGBY movement expects big 2024

Building housing on religious land got a jump start in San Diego, but a new state law has advocates hoping for a surge of interest.

A new state law that will be effective in January will make it much easier for religious institutions to build housing on their land. One church in San Diego has a running head start.Driving the news: Gov. Gavin Newsom <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="signed SB 4" data-vars-click-url="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billAnalysisClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB4" data-vars-content-id="b28170f3-130d-44dc-a175-82bf741fb6cd" data-vars-headline="YIGBY movement expects big 2024" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billAnalysisClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB4" target="_blank">signed SB 4</a> — <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="dubbed the &quot;Yes in God&#x27;s Backyard" data-vars-click-url="https://www.sfchronicle.com/california/article/yigby-housing-bill-18352986.php" data-vars-content-id="b28170f3-130d-44dc-a175-82bf741fb6cd" data-vars-headline="YIGBY movement expects big 2024" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/california/article/yigby-housing-bill-18352986.php" target="_blank">dubbed the &quot;Yes in God&#x27;s Backyard</a>&quot; bill — in October, giving religious institutions the right to develop their land into housing, regardless of local zoning.

San Diego projects an end to perpetual population growth

Officials expect the regional population to peak in 2042.

San Diego officials are expecting an end to the region&#x27;s perpetual growth.Driving the news: San Diego&#x27;s population is expected to peak in 2042, and then decline by about 100,000 people by 2060, according to the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="latest regional forecast" data-vars-click-url="https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/2088015/Item_15_-2025_RP_Data-Driven_Planning_BOD_7.28.23.pdf" data-vars-content-id="6f56d0fd-b4e0-4f4a-842b-46e8db67848a" data-vars-headline="San Diego projects an end to perpetual population growth" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/2088015/Item_15_-2025_RP_Data-Driven_Planning_BOD_7.28.23.pdf" target="_blank">latest regional forecast</a> by the San Diego Association of Governments.

Officials eye Santa Fe Depot for airport transit connection

The San Diego Association of Governments is zeroing in on a plan to build an automated people mover — an electric, driverless tram on a fixed route.

Regional planners are getting closer to deciding how to extend transit service to the San Diego International Airport.Driving the news: The San Diego Association of Governments is <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="zeroing in on a plan" data-vars-click-url="https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/sandag/a494125d-e464-11ed-95dd-0050569183fa-9031a8bd-e596-4fff-b25e-a838b5b1f25a-1690496761.pdf" data-vars-content-id="de2ff358-248a-4abd-ac55-d47b796dbdec" data-vars-headline="Officials eye Santa Fe Depot for airport transit connection" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/sandag/a494125d-e464-11ed-95dd-0050569183fa-9031a8bd-e596-4fff-b25e-a838b5b1f25a-1690496761.pdf" target="_blank">zeroing in on a plan</a> to build an automated people mover — an electric, driverless tram operating on a fixed route — from the airport terminals to the Santa Fe Depot downtown.

SAN DIEGO, CA - MARCH 20: Aerial view of the San Diego International Airport on March 20, 2020 in San Diego, California. 

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