Encinitas Action publishes fact-based explanation, civic commentary, and meeting coverage to help neighbors understand what’s happening at City Hall and why it matters. Browse our coverage by topic below, including Safe Parking, Housing, Public Safety, Development, Environment, and Governance/Decorum.
Encinitas 2026 Election Coverage
When Online Civic Debate Turns Personal: Practical ways to protect yourself, support others, and keep participating in Encinitas’ future
Encinitas Voices: Residents share their perspectives
Addressing Homelessness
Understanding Safe Parking Programs
A plain-language guide to what Safe Parking is (and isn’t), why cities use it, who it serves, and what makes a program effective, with the key questions residents should ask going forward.
Understanding the Point in Time count
Fact Check: What is the Community Resource Center?
The Collapse of Compassion at City Hall: Mayor Ehlers and the council majority reject a multimillion dollar state grant to reduce homelessness.
Public Safety
ICE in Encinitas, An Overview
A timeline-style overview of reported ICE activity and community response in Encinitas, including school-area concerns and subsequent City Council actions.
Skateboards Trump Fatalities at City Hall Over the last three years, three young people have been killed by cars on Encinitas streets. Families and safety commissioners have asked the City Council for an emergency response, an action that’s been declared by earlier councils. Instead, the council has offered only incremental measures — but found time to fast-track a 14-member skateboard committee.
Housing and Development
The following articles provide examples of how Encinitas Action has addressed housing and development issues.
Questioning Large Development Approvals
Encinitas City Council Scorecard — August 18, 2025
In our review of the City Council’s first six months of 2025, we criticized the approval of major housing developments despite earlier political promises to prevent overdevelopment.
We also identified a lack of meaningful progress on housing affordability as a concern.
Our coverage questioned the gap between promises about development and actual decisions at City Hall.
Examining the Relationship Between Growth and Affordability
Encinitas City Council Report Card 2026 — August 12, 2026
Our midyear review examined City Council decisions involving new development, environmental protections, public improvements, and housing affordability.
Among the actions we highlighted was the Council’s unanimous denial of a developer appeal seeking relief from sidewalk and bicycle-lane improvement requirements at Sage Creek.
We also examined the continuing challenges of providing housing that meets the needs of Encinitas residents.
Our coverage reflects the importance of evaluating development not merely by whether construction occurs, but by its consequences for the community.
Explaining How Encinitas Arrived at Its Current Housing Challenges
Encinitas Housing Timeline: How We Got Here and What Residents Should Know
Our comprehensive housing timeline examines decades of local planning decisions, Proposition A, voter-approved measures, state housing requirements, and legal disputes.
Rather than advocating for a particular development, the timeline explains how Encinitas came to face difficult choices involving local control, housing mandates, zoning, and growth.
Understanding these constraints is essential to evaluating what city officials can and cannot legally do.
Describing state housing law is not an endorsement of unrestricted development.
Read the Complete Housing Timeline
Protecting Existing Affordable Housing
They Own Their Homes, But They Rent the Land. And Their Rent Is Skyrocketing. — October 11, 2026
Some of the most important affordable housing in Encinitas already exists.
Our reporting on manufactured home communities examines the financial vulnerability of residents who own their homes but rent the land beneath them.
We documented proposed space-rent increases, the difficulties residents face in moving or selling their homes, and possible protections under consideration by City Council.
This coverage illustrates an important aspect of our housing priorities: protecting existing residents from displacement and preserving housing that remains relatively affordable.
Building additional homes is only one part of housing policy. Helping people remain in the homes they already have matters, too.
Examining Traffic and Infrastructure Impacts
The Biggest Vote Didn’t Make City’s Council Meeting Recap — September 12, 2026
New housing creates demands on local infrastructure, and residents deserve to understand how those impacts are evaluated.
Our September 12 City Council recap covered proposed changes to Encinitas traffic-impact analysis guidelines, including questions about developer contributions, cumulative transportation impacts, and the treatment of accessory dwelling units.
We reported concerns raised during the public process and explained the Council’s decision to request further revisions.
Development decisions should account for their practical effects on streets, safety, and public infrastructure.
What’s Happening at City Hall?
Social Media Brown Act Violations When the rules become a joke, Encinitas has a leadership problem.
Councilmember Jim O’Hara dismisses Encinitas citizens’ engagement
A commentary on public trust and civic participation, responding to remarks that characterized resident input as “propaganda” and “astroturfing.”
‘Common Ground’ shouldn’t mean ‘Agree with me or else.’ Op-Ed on Councilmember O’Hara’s dismissive attitude on the dais. What is Mayor Ehler’s responsibility?
Encinitas mom calls out City Council rudeness
A meeting recap highlighting resident concerns about civility and conduct on the dais, plus key takeaways from the 2/18/26 council meeting agenda.
Councilmember Luke Shaffer criminal charges (resulting in court-ordered anger management) Shaffer entered a misdemeanor diversion agreement that requires him to complete eight hours of anger-management classes, perform 60 hours of volunteer work, avoid contact with the complaining witnesses, and comply with other court-ordered conditions for the case to be dismissed. For any elected official, that is not a minor footnote. It is a reminder that conduct, judgment, and accountability matter.
Mayor Ehlers ignores O’Hara’s tardiness and rudeness A well-run council depends on punctuality, respect for the public, and visible standards of professionalism. When those standards slip repeatedly, it reflects on the whole body – especially on the mayor entrusted to lead it.
Residents’ voices ignored: City council tunes out racism Track the public record of Steven Houbeck’s racist Facebook post and the Encinitas City Council’s repeated silence as residents demanded accountability.
Transparency
FPPC Rejects Complaint About Encinitas Action In the interest of transparency, we’re sharing that the Fair Political Practices Commission’s Enforcement Division reviewed a sworn complaint from Cardiff resident Julie Thunder. You can read about the complaint and FPPC rejection of it here.