San Diego, CA

Two yoga teachers sue over San Diego's stricter beach enforcement

Published

2 years ago

June 4, 2024

Two yoga teachers sue over San Diego's stricter beach enforcement

Two San Diego yoga instructors are suing the city over its stricter new enforcement on classes at parks and beaches, saying it violates First Amendment free-speech rights.

The lawsuit by Steve Hubbard and Amy Baack, filed June 3 in federal court, also contends the city didn’t give the public adequate opportunity to weigh in before enforcement began last month.

The crackdown, which applies to classes of four people or more, came as part of amendments the City Council approved in February to a much wider city law governing street vendors.

That ordinance, approved in March 2022, requires permits and includes health and safety regulations and partially bans street vendors in parks, at beaches and in certain pedestrian-heavy areas, though they are allowed to keep operating on some cross streets and side streets.

In La Jolla, the law aimed to block vending year-round at Scripps Park, the Children’s Pool, the Coast Boulevard boardwalk between Jenner and Cuvier streets, and on main thoroughfares in some business districts, such as the La Jolla Shores boardwalk.

Faced with claims by many operators that their activities were protected by the First Amendment, city officials over the past winter analyzed which vendors were eligible for free-speech protections.

Among the activities deemed protected are political efforts, selling self-made art, fortune telling, face painting, singing and street performing.

Yoga and other fitness-related classes didn’t make the cut, nor did dog training or selling food, clothing, jewelry, soaps, oils and creams.

But the lawsuit argues that city officials didn’t adequately explain the potential impact on yoga classes.

“It is unclear how and when these provisions specifically targeting the free teaching of yoga in city parks were added to this ordinance amendment,” the 16-page lawsuit states. “Yoga was not mentioned in the staff report, agenda or minutes of this meeting.”

The lawsuit says the city did not seek to gather public input in its traditional ways.

“There appear to have been no town council or planning group recommendations on this surreptitiously inserted provision either, nor any community input or public comment whatsoever, because the general public and stakeholders were never given notice that this was even being considered,” the suit says.

The suit also contends that yoga classes are protected free speech.

“Plaintiffs are engaged in pure speech, teaching yoga to anyone who wishes to listen and participate,” the suit states. “They are not charging fees and they are not blocking or restricting access to any public space.”

The issue of blocking or restricting access is important because city officials say the crackdown on yoga and other activities has been motivated by concerns about public access and safety.

Kohta Zaiser, Mayor Todd Gloria’s City Council affairs adviser, said last month that some classes are so popular that they take over parks or beach areas. “We’re talking about dominating parking lots and rows and rows of people,” he said.

City officials say that while analyzing the street vendor amendments, they became aware that many residents were quietly upset about the increasing commercial use of their favorite parks and beaches — including yoga classes — and subsequent impacts on beach access, crowding and parking.

That prompted city officials to target activities that in some cases they contend have had restrictions already on the books but that hadn’t been enforced in years.

Hubbard says he has been cited twice for his classes in Pacific Beach. Baack says she has been threatened with citations if she continues her free yoga classes in Ocean Beach.

Hubbard and Baack say they’ve been holding classes for years without any problems.

Their lawsuit also disputes city claims that permits can be obtained for yoga classes in parks and beaches.

“In practice, the city refuses to issue any permits for this activity in any city park except Mission Bay Park, Balboa Park and Liberty Station,” the suit states.

Another lawsuit over the city’s vendor-related enforcement was filed in early May by artist William Dorsett and street performer Rogelio Flores, who say the amended law violates their free-speech rights.

They argue they should be able to operate without restriction instead of being limited to 4-by-8-foot “expressive activity” pads that are open to operators with free-speech protections in coastal parks, including La Jolla’s Scripps Park, Kellogg Park and Children’s Pool.

— La Jolla Light staff contributed to this report. ◆

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San Diego, CA

The Best Things to Do in San Diego: May 2026 | San Diego Magazine

Published

2 hours ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

The Best Things to Do in San Diego: May 2026 | San Diego Magazine

When we think of May, we think of Mother’s Day, blooming flowers, sunny skies, and lots of fun, seasonal events in the city. This month, locals can dine on the creations of James Beard Award-Winning Chefs at Rancho Bernardo Inn, or take advantage of berry season at the annual Vista Strawberry Festival. Theatre lovers can enjoy a showing of Kim’s Convenience at The Old Globe, while the San Diego Natural History Museum invites art enthusiasts to view its latest marine-themed exhibit. Grab your tickets and crack open that planner. Here are all the best things to do in San Diego this month:

Concerts & Festivals | Theater & Art Exhibits | More Fun Things to Do

Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Month

29

Louisiana legend Juvenile, enhances by the live instrumentation of The 400 Degreez Band, will perform career hits and his newest album, Boiling Point, at House of Blues San Diego.

Photo Credit: Dahlia Katz

Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Month

5/5–6/1

Turning the spotlight on contemporary LGBTQ artists, the inaugural ArtSpectrum 2026 will showcase both the grand and intimate scale of contemporary painters, photographers, and mixed media artists at Village Arts Outreach in Balboa Park.

12–24

The only ordinary element of the San Diego International Fringe Festival is the constant thrill of the extraordinary. Discover a plethora of innovative performances at venues from Pacific Beach to Baja.

5/15–6/14

A Korean-Canadian family balances tradition and assimilation from their Toronto storefront in Ins Choi’s comforting satire Kim’s Convenience, making its local premier at The Old Globe.

5/22–2/2027

Ocean debris will receive a new beginning at the San Diego Natural History Museum. Using repurposed pollution, Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea depicts creatively sculpted marine life.

More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Month

4/30–5/3

Enjoy fine dining at its finest from a lineup of gastronomic titans during 54 Hours with James Beard Award-Winning Chefs. Savor elegant meals, masterclasses, tastings, and more at Rancho Bernardo Inn.

2

Unlimited bites, regional craft beers, and animal observations are on the menu for San Diego Zoo Food, Wine & Brew (with live music), a culinary evening in support of the San Diego Wildlife Alliance.

7

Spend An Evening with David Sedaris, humorist, essayist, and best-selling author. Never afraid to point the pen at himself, Sedaris will share old favorites and works in progress in the classic satirical style he’s known for at Jacobs Music Center.

15–17

Say cheese! And toast to the Cheese & Libation Expo. Explore three days of all-you-can eat and drink fare at BRICK, along with boutique shopping and bountiful pairings.

PARTNER CONTENT

10 Years In, Puffer and Malarkey Are Just Getting Started

Elevating an Icon: Inside the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Clu…

16

Stroll the private grounds of several luxurious homes, accompanied by live music, tabletop designs, and outdoor artistry, during the Secret Garden Tour, La Jolla Historical Society‘s flora and fauna fundraiser.

24

Vista recalls its days as a strawberry-producing superpower through its free Strawberry Festival. Wear your berry best fit, watch film screenings, and enter contests for shortcake, pie, and sundae indulging.

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San Diego, CA

City considering cutting funding to resource center for those experiencing homelessness

Published

14 hours ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

City considering cutting funding to resource center for those experiencing homelessness

Last week Mayor Todd Gloria released the budget proposal for the 2027 fiscal budget. Protected homeless services is among his top priorities mentioned in the proposal. However, some of the reductions he’s proposing could impact thousands of San Diegans experiencing homelessness.

Located on 17^th and K Street, the Neil Good Day Center offers an array of services to nearly seven thousand people experiencing homelessness. The services include giving them a place to shower and do laundry, and connecting them to a case manager, among others.

“These are critical services that are helping people off the streets, but really better their lives and their health and their employment situation as well,” Deacon Vargas with Father Joe’s Villages said.

Deacon Jim Vargas heads Father Joe’s Villages, which runs the center. He said through their prevention and diversion strategies, they’ve managed to keep nearly one thousand individuals from falling into homelessness.

“So by helping them pay rent, or helping them with their utilities, or helping them to reunite with family,” Vargas said.

Right now, the city allocates at least $850,000 per year to the Neil Good Day Center, according to Vargas.

But the future and funding for these services are in limbo because of Mayor Todd Gloria’s proposed budget cuts.

“The impact to those whom we’ve been serving the Daily Center would be very severe,” Deacon Vargas said.

In a statement to NBC 7, Mayor Todd Gloria said in part, “We must find more efficient and cost-effective ways to address this crisis and prioritize funding for programs that provide shelter beds and maximize resources to programs that place people into permanent housing.”

Since it’s still at a proposal stage, Deacon Vargas said it’s unclear how the city will decide to move forward.

However, Deacon Vargas said services would be significantly reduced because they would be forced to operate solely on a budget of about half a million dollars they receive from philanthropy.

“The hours would be cut. Some days would be cut. We would have showers that might be impacted because they’re given seven days a week and we’d close two days a week, then the showers would be five days a week, the case management,” Deacon Vargas said.

Deacon Vargas is certain of one thing.

He would like to continue offering services at the Day Center, even if the city goes through with the funding cuts.

“As we work with individuals at the Day Center and at Father Joe’s Villages, the community becomes healthier as a result of it,” Deacon Vargas said.

The budget also recommends additional cuts to homeless services, but does not give specifics as to where those cuts would be.

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