The July 24 memorandum, sent to Councilmember Raul Campillo and obtained by SanDiegoVille, is the Mayor's most detailed explanation yet of why his administration intends to keep the facilities closed despite growing public criticism, media attention, and concerns from residents, businesses and park users.
Gloria's response comes after Campillo urged the Mayor to use approximately $1.8 million in now-unneeded election funding to restore restroom operations. Campillo argued that restrooms are "a basic public service" essential to the safe and equitable use of one of San Diego's most heavily visited public parks.
Gloria acknowledged the importance of the facilities, writing, "Restrooms in a park that welcomes millions of visitors each year are a basic public service, and I would prefer they remain open." However, he concluded that reopening them now would be fiscally irresponsible.
The Mayor noted that the City adopted its Fiscal Year 2027 budget while facing a $118 million structural deficit and said no new ongoing funding source has been identified to maintain all of the closed facilities. He also argued that the available election funds are one-time dollars that may ultimately be needed for other priorities, including a potential special election in Council District 5, possible El Niño-related emergency costs, and broader economic uncertainty that could reduce City revenues later this fiscal year.
In other words, Gloria's position is not that public restrooms lack value. Rather, he argues the City cannot justify spending one-time money on an ongoing operating expense while significant financial obligations remain unresolved. That explanation has done little to quiet criticism.
Mission Bay Park is one of San Diego's signature public spaces, drawing an estimated 15 million visitors annually. Yet 13 of its 28 public restrooms have now been locked to save roughly $546,000 per year—less than one one-hundredth of one percent of the City's approximately $6.1 billion annual budget.
The closures have sparked criticism from families, seniors, runners, cyclists, fitness instructors, beachgoers and tourism advocates who argue that functioning restrooms are not optional amenities but fundamental public infrastructure.
The debate has also exposed a broader philosophical question about municipal budgeting: what should be considered an essential government service?
Unlike discretionary capital projects or long-term planning initiatives, public restrooms directly affect whether parks remain practically usable for families with young children, older adults, people with disabilities and anyone spending extended time outdoors. While beaches technically remain open without bathrooms, many argue that public access becomes increasingly theoretical when basic sanitation disappears.
SanDiegoVille previously reported that several of the closures occurred near city-owned waterfront leaseholds and at locations frequently used for permitted fitness classes and community programming. Some instructors have reported being told that locations without functioning restroom facilities may no longer qualify for certain City permits, potentially reducing public recreational opportunities in addition to visitor convenience.
The issue has also generated widespread discussion online. While some residents have defended Gloria's response as a measured acknowledgment of the City's difficult financial position, many others question whether a city that welcomes millions of visitors each year—and relies heavily on tourism revenue—should allow basic restroom infrastructure to become a casualty of budget balancing.
Others have pointed to broader spending priorities, arguing the debate reflects larger concerns about how San Diego allocates taxpayer dollars. Still, Gloria's memorandum makes clear that, from the administration's perspective, preserving financial flexibility now outweighs restoring restroom service immediately.
The Mayor concluded by saying Mission Bay restroom funding will be considered again during development of the Fiscal Year 2028 budget and pledged to continue evaluating service levels citywide.
For residents hoping for a near-term reopening, however, the memorandum offers little immediate relief. The City's position remains unchanged: despite acknowledging that Mission Bay's public restrooms are a basic public service, they will remain locked until a sustainable funding source is identified.
Originally published on July 30, 2026.
