A federal award of nearly $12 million will allow the city of San Diego to begin a stormwater project along Streamview Drive in the Oak Park neighborhood, city leaders announced Monday.
The $11.98 million comes from the HUD Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery program and impacts an area hit by flooding during the January 2024 storms. The Streamview Drive Green Infrastructure Project is intended to "improve water quality, reduce flood risk and bring modern infrastructure upgrades to the Chollas Creek watershed," according to a city statement.
"Securing nearly $12 million in federal funding means we can make critical infrastructure improvements that will improve the quality of life for residents in Oak Park," Mayor Todd Gloria said. "This investment will improve water quality, reduce flood risk, and modernize aging infrastructure in the Chollas Creek watershed. It's another example of how we're bringing resources home to build a cleaner, safer, and more resilient San Diego."
Hundreds of San Diegans were displaced or otherwise negatively impacted by flooding along Chollas Creek in that 2024 weather event, many of whom subsequently sued the city. Following the storms, Gloria's office reached out to then-President Joe Biden's office to secure a disaster declaration making the city eligible for the grant funds.
Currently, stormwater flows through Oak Park into pipes leading to Chollas Creek and eventually to the ocean. The Streamview Drive project will install an underground treatment feature to help filter out trash and pollution before the water reaches Chollas Creek.
"This funding is a big win for the residents of our district," said San Diego City Councilman Henry L. Foster III, who represents the area. "Streamview Drive has been overdue for infrastructure upgrades, and this project will improve the quality of life for the community.
I'm proud to see this investment moving forward and grateful to our state partners for supporting this critical project."
The project will represent the city's first underground multi-use treatment vault. Once completed, the infrastructure system will treat stormwater runoff from a 285-acre drainage area in the neighborhood.
"The Streamview Drive Green Infrastructure Project will help filter pollutants out of stormwater runoff before it reaches Chollas Creek," said the city's Stormwater Director Todd Snyder. "The project aims to improve water quality in Chollas Creek through infrastructure upgrades and modernization. It's a great example of how the city is using state partnerships to build a more sustainable future."
Construction is scheduled to begin next year and be completed in 2029.
