A $30,000 state grant which will help preserve LGBT historic sites was approved July 28 by the San Diego City Council.
Councilmember Todd Gloria made the motion for the City to accept the money and it was seconded by Councilmember Myrtle Cole in an 8-0 vote. Councilmember Lorie Zapf was absent.
Gloria said he wanted to make sure historic sites are protected in a reference to the May 29 demolition of the Michels-Carey House at 2004 El Cajon Blvd. which was the first headquarters of the LGBT community in the early 1970s. (LGBT Weekly issue 175, June 11.)
Gloria asked city staff to work closely with Lambda Archives, a group which documents and preserves LGBT history.
As a matching requirement of the grant, the City must add $20,000 to the total which will come from the general fund. The motion authorizes Mayor Kevin Faulconer to secure the funding and for the chief financial officer to accept the funds in an interest bearing account.
Jay Powell urged the Council to approve the grant, and said he was concerned about the vacant Truax House which served as a hospice for gay men with AIDS many years ago at 2513 Union St. near Balboa Park.
Truax House opened in March, 1989 and is named after Dr. Brad Truax, who died of AIDS in 1988.
The money will be used to help pay for a consultant with an expertise in developing historic contexts to gather information and complete a survey of known resources. The consultant will conduct oral interviews with LGBT community leaders and people with knowledge about historical resources significant to the LGBT community.
The grant is administered by the state office of Historic Preservation, and the purpose is to aide preparation for a local “historic context statement” which could be used to guide land-use decisions.
“This work will help us identify potential historic resources that should be preserved,” said Gloria. “I’m grateful to the state for recognizing this need, City staff for pursuing the funds and Lambda Archives for advocating so strongly for this needed study.”
Thanks for mention of the “Truax House” as it is listed in a powerpoint presented as an info item to a City Council committee on June 10 by the City Real Estate Assets Department (READ) for “Excess Sales Using Brokers”. READ held a real estate open house last month and will be considering offers from qualified brokers to market the incredible Bay view property that includes the early 1900’s era Truax House. The foyer has a wall filled with photos and commendations regarding Dr. A. Brad Truax. I knew him by reputation as a leader in focusing attention and resources on the issues of HIV and AIDS before his passing in December 1988.
The Council has not “authorized” the sale of the some 28 properties listed in the power point but the wheels are turning. The public will not have another look at these properties at a City Council meeting until a sale is negotiated and the City Council is asked to approve the terms of the sale. In a June 24 San Diego Free Press article (“Where there’s Smoke, Is there a Fire Sale? How San Diego Sells Our Surplus Properties” ) I have raised issues about the process being followed. It does not appear to comport with City Council Policy to first evaluate the candidates for sale and hear from the public before authorizing READ to put the properties on the market. My comments at the Council hearing approving the grant were to highlight the endangerment of resources such as the “Truax House” when the community and key stakeholders are not made aware of the intent to sell them as “excess” or “surplus” properties. – Jay Powell