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With many residents facing days of displacement, cleanup and trying to replace belongings destroyed by the huge storm that slammed the county Monday, the initial focus is on basic efforts to help victims as much as possible. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria’s prompt efforts to seek federal aid and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s vow of state help were welcome.
But in the larger picture, the storm must end up reinforcing the commitments that local officials make to improving aging drainage systems. In the city of San Diego alone, $2.1 billion in fixes are necessary. There’s also a need to try to determine if clogged, poorly maintained drains helped make the storm so destructive. Social media was full of claims that complaints about such conditions had long been ignored in some hard-hit neighborhoods.
Finally, the obvious needs to be pointed out: Damage was worst in lower-income communities like Mountain View and Southcrest and older neighborhoods in National City and elsewhere in South County. Despite the ascension of a new generation of leaders in recent years, areas south of Interstate 8 still struggle to get adequate public resources.
Particularly at San Diego City Hall, balancing budgets likely will be a grim challenge for years to come. But in addition to figuring out how to pay pension bills, help the unsheltered and provide basic services, elected leaders need to do more to prepare and protect our most vulnerable communities from disasters. More days like Monday are coming.
