Housing, immigration and the fentanyl crisis were all part of a packed agenda for San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria as he visited Washington D.C. Tuesday.
Gloria's trip included a stop to speak at a national housing conference that brought together housing professionals, policymakers, researchers and advocates to discuss solutions to the nation’s housing policy challenges.
“My administration over the last two years has advanced a series of housing reforms to try and address both of those needs — more housing for low-income people and more housing for middle-income people," Gloria said.
Gloria talked about what San Diego is doing to build more affordable housing and deal with the homelessness crisis.
"I think when you look at our affordable-housing density program, as well as some of the innovations we've advanced in accessory-dwelling units, what you can see is the production increases in affordable housing," he said.
The housing conference was just part of Gloria’s Washington, D.C. agenda.
He also met with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to discuss the migration challenges at the U.S.-Mexico border, including the lifting of Title 42.
“With that restriction anticipated to be lifted on December 21, I wanted to explain to secretary Mayorkas the need for greater communication and coordination between homeland security and local cities like ours. And also the need for more resources," Gloria said.
The San Diego mayor also spoke with Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Dr. Rahul Gupta, regarding the fentanyl crisis.
“My conversation with our federal partners is going to be very clear. We want to see fentanyl listed as a Schedule 1 drug, making it to the most regulated form of substances that we have," he said.
Fentanyl is having a wide-reaching and deadly impact across the region and nation, it is now the number one killer of people aged 18 to 45 in the U.S.
Gloria said he’s also pushing for further prosecutions against drug dealers who illegally sell fentanyl.
As part of the mayor’s business in the nation’s capital, he also met with Biden-Harris Administration officials and congressional leaders.
