101 Ash Street: Councilmember Barbara Bry expands call for answers

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – A city’s building on Ash Street in Downtown San Diego has been a source of controversy for years.

Many say it was a horrible deal and mis-managed. On Thursday the city council voted 5 to 4 to spend more money on keeping the building.

Councilmember Barbara Bry has been outspoken about her objections concerning the city’s handling of this building.

Bry criticized a city staff report on 101 Ash Street, saying “Those responsible for this debacle are trying to divert attention from the lease/purchase agreement that is at the heart of this scandal, while asking taxpayers to pay millions more, without offering a real solution.” “It’s no coincidence that the Director of Real Estate Assets resigned just before Thursday’s public hearing, nor is it a coincidence that neither Ms. Thompson nor former Deputy Chief Operating Officer Ron Villa will be present to answer questions at Thursday’s council hearing. I am today asking City Attorney Mara Elliott to be present at that hearing to answer questions from the council in person,” said Bry. “As a businesswoman, I’ve been involved in numerous real estate transactions. I have never witnessed such a tangled web of insider-dealing and failure to properly disclose material facts. At Thursday’s public hearing on this matter, my intention is to ensure all information related to this transaction is made public, and then to propose solutions to relieve city taxpayers of the enormous costs resulting from it,” said Bry.

The mayoral candidate joined Good Morning San Diego to discuss this ongoing issue.