National City: ‘Community for all’

National City Mayor Alejandra Sotelo Solis delivered her second State of the City address via webstream.

National City Mayor Alejandra Sotelo-Solis reported on the State of the City under a COVID-19 pandemic that forced leaders and residents to adjust everything planned for 2020 from city meetings to community cleanups.

“In January 2020, the wheels officially began turning with University of California San Diego Extension to open an educational, health and workforce development hub here in National City. As a first generation student, I believe education is one of the great equalizers along with good paying jobs and having a world-renowned four-year educational partner to become that workforce and healthcare hub… then, COVID-19 hit,” Sotelo-Solis said.

In a virtual presentation, the mayor summed up a year’s worth of local events that were all influenced by the omnipresent pandemic, including a modified I Love a Clean San Diego coastal cleanup, a COVID economic recovery roundtable, and the Bright Lights of National City featuring Santa Clause cruising through town in a physically distanced caravan.

Sotelo-Solis also mentioned some less positive outcomes from 2020 such as the fire that burned for five days and ultimately destroyed Navy vessel Bonhomme Richarde beyond repair, reducing air quality in the entire South Bay area; and she summed up her experience participating in a University of San Diego-led Johnson and Johnson COVID vaccine trial.

“Since COVID-19 hit, we’ve been supporting the County’s T3 efforts: testing, tracing and treatment,” Sotelo-Solis said.

The city was the first in the county to mandate wearing facial coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19 and later coordinated distribution of 2,000 N-95 type respiratory masks through the department of Public Safety.

Through the Parks and Recreation department, “we created places to continue celebrating and supporting our community,” Sotelo-Solis said, including increased meal delivery to area youth through a Feeding San Diego partnership, and a 72% increase in home meal delivery service through the Senior Nutrition Center.

The department of Housing and Community development is overseeing $464,017 supplied through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act or, CARES act funding, as well as $557,904 in HOME program funding, Sotelo-Solis reported, to help residents keep up with residential payments.

Concurrently, the department of Transportation and Infrastructure filled 176 potholes and installed over 254,000 linear feet of sewer pipes this year, the mayor said, in an effort to improve quality of city life, and the National City public library issued 2,627 new e-library cards and tallied 24,934 books, CDs and other media checked out to residents.

“From twinkle to winkle, we’re making our community a community for all ages,” Sotelo-Solis said.

Looking ahead, Sotelo-Solis said the city will be working in partnership with the National City fire department and University of California San Diego Health center to vaccinate as many people as possible in 100 days.

Beginning April 1 and running through the end of June, vaccine clinics will be offered at Las Palmas Elementary school on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Thursdays at National City library from 9 a.m. to noon.