Realtors Trade Group Announce Nov. Election Endorsed Candidates

The Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors (PSAR), a 3,100-member real estate trade group for San Diego-area realtors, has announced its November 2020 General Election Voter Guide featuring endorsements of San Diego County candidates and local initiatives.

According to Richard D'Ascoli, CEO, PSAR, PSAR said candidate endorsements were based on a commitment to support the real estate industry and promote the American dream of homeownership and property investment, as well as strengthening the ability of Americans to own, buy and sell real estate. The endorsements were researched by members of the PSAR Government Affairs Committee and approved by the PSAR board of directors.

PSARs list of endorsed candidates includes an open seat for Congress, an incumbent for Congress and two open seats for the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. Also endorsed are candidates for mayor in two San Diego County cities plus 11 other candidates for seats on local city councils in five other cities, as well as candidates for city attorney, school district and special district seats.

PSAR is endorsing Sara Jacobs for the 53rd Congressional District. Jacobs is hoping to succeed Susan Davis, who retired after 20 years of service in the House. This is Jacobs’ second run for Congress for Jacobs, the granddaughter of Qualcomm co-founder Irwin Jacobs. She ran in the 49th District in 2018 but came in third in the primary. The 53rd District stretches from Interstate 5 on the west through Mission Valley to the East County and south to Chula Vista.

PSAR also is endorsing Juan Vargas, the incumbent Congressional member who has represented the 51st District since 2012. The 51st includes all of Imperial County, National City, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach and El Centro.

Two San Diego County Supervisor seats are open due to term limits for the incumbents. PSAR’s endorsed County Supervisorial candidates include Joel Anderson, former State Assemblyman and State Senator, for District 2, and Ben Hueso, former member of the San Diego City Council, State Assembly and State Senate, for the District 1 seat.

Anderson, who lives in Alpine, is hoping to succeed Dianne Jacob, who has served for the past 28 years. Jacob, first elected as Supervisor in 1992, is termed out after six terms. Anderson, a Republican, previously served for 12 years on a statewide level in the California State Assembly (2006-2010) and the California State Senate (2010-2018).

The Second Supervisorial District, the largest of the county’s five districts, features more than 2,000 square miles and more than 50 communities and cities in the East County, including the unincorporated communities of Lakeside, Alpine, Ramona and Julian along with the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Santee and Poway, as well as the city of San Diego communities of Allied Gardens, College Area, Del Cerro, Grantville, Navajo, Rolando and San Carlos.

Hueso, a San Diego native and resident of Logan Heights, is hoping to succeed Greg Cox, who is termed-out after 25 years of representing District 1’s South Bay communities. Hueso, a Democrat, first entered elected office in 2005 when he won a special election for the San Diego City Council. He served on the council for five years, including one year as council president, before running for a seat in the State Assembly in 2010. His tenure in the Assembly was brief, as he won a seat in the State Senate during a special election in 2013.

District 1 includes the cities of Coronado, Imperial Beach, Chula Vista, National City and communities within Southeast San Diego, Point Loma, Sunset Cliffs and parts of downtown San Diego. The district also includes the unincorporated communities of Bonita, Sunnyside, Lincoln Acres and East Otay Mesa.

Among other PSAR endorsements for the November general election:

-- John Minto, reelection as mayor, City of Santee;

-- Jerry Jones, mayor, City of Lemon Grove;

-- Joe Leventhal (District 5), Stephen Whitburn (District 3), Will Moore (District 1), San Diego City Council;

-- Mike Diaz (District 4), Steve Padilla (District 3), Chula Vista City Council;

-- Phil Ortiz (District 4), Humbert Cabrera (District 2), El Cajon City Council;

-- Kristine Alessio, Laura Lothian, Colin Parent, La Mesa City Council;

-- Ditas Yamane, National City City Council;

-- Mara Elliott, reelection as San Diego City Attorney;

-- Armando Farias, Laurie Humphrey, Chula Vista Elementary School District;

-- Adrian Arancibia, Sweetwater Union High School District;

-- Mitch Thompson, Mark Roback, Otay Water District;

-- David Johnston, Valle de Oro Planning Group.

In addition to candidates, PSAR is recommending “No” votes on two California propositions, including Proposition 15, a ballot measure that calls for higher property taxes on commercial and industrial real estate, and Proposition 21, a rent control ballot measure.

Also, PSAR has made recommendations on two local measures, including the City of San Diego’s Measure “E,” which addresses the city’s Midway-Pacific Highway Community Plan, and the City of Santee’s Measure “N,” called the General Plan Protection Initiative.

PSAR is recommending a “Yes” vote on Measure E. If approved, Measure E would exempt the Midway-Pacific Highway Community Plan from an overly burdensome 30-foot coastal height limit. If Measure E passes, it would give the Sports Arena redevelopers a lot more headroom.

PSAR is recommending a “No” vote on Measure N, which would limit new housing. Voters will vote on whether to allow residents to decide the fate of high-density housing projects that don’t comply with the city’s General Plan, its blueprint for growth. If approved, Measure N could imperil the recently approved 3,000-home Fanita Ranch development.

To review the PSAR 2020 Voter Guide, visit https://blog.psar.org/2020voterguide.