The mom of two said she wants to take on homelessness in District 4.
Amy Reichert will run in San Diego’s special election for District 4 this year to replace disgraced former Supervisor Nathan Fletcher who is set to resign May 15 after admitting to having an affair with a Metropolitan Transit System employee in March.
Reichert, a mother of two who challenged Fletcher last year in the district’s race, if elected plans to first deal with her district’s homelessness issue.
“I was watching as they were deciding, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, what they were going to do with the seat,” Reichert said in a May 3 interview. “And in the very back row of the chambers was a single mom with four kids, and I introduced myself to her. And as it turned out, in 19 days, she’s gonna lose her homeless motel voucher, she will be out on the street.”
Reichert said she immediately texted the mayor of El Cajon, Bill Wells, along with other homeless advocacy groups to help her get off the streets.
“That’s my why,” she said. “I’m all in to help people and serve them.”
In February, the Downtown San Diego Partnership—a nonprofit organization that works to promote and enhance the vitality and livability of downtown San Diego— finished their January 2023 homeless count, which found nearly 2,000 homeless people living on the streets downtown.
Reichert is a strong advocate for mental illness and substance abuse treatment for the homeless, rather than throwing more housing at the homeless.
Additionally, Reichert, also a state-licensed investigator, has a degree in political science from San Diego State University. She is also the co-founder of ReOpen San Diego, a nonpartisan advocacy group launched during the pandemic to fight for freedom from government-mandated restrictions, such as mask wearing and the shutting down of businesses.
“I am committed to rebuilding the trust in our elected officials and strengthening our communities,” Reichert said in a press release earlier this month. “It is time to give them the leadership they deserve.”
According to Reichert, having been a community resident for a long time and being a member of several organizations, she has witnessed the erosion of trust in political leaders, weakening community connections, and worsening conditions such as escalating crime rates, increased taxes, inflation, homelessness, and the deterioration of infrastructure.
Fletcher, who is in an out-of-state treatment facility for alcohol abuse, is planning to officially step down from his seat on May 15. The Metropolitan Transit System employee, whom he said he had an affair with, is suing him for alleged sexual assault and harassment. Fletcher admitted to cheating on his wife but denies the sexual assault allegations.
As a result, the Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 on May 9 to call a special election to fill his seat. The resolution will be formally considered during their May 23 meeting.
Currently, three candidates have declared their candidacy for the District 4 seat: Reichert, Janessa Goldbeck, and Monica Montgomery Steppe.
Goldbeck, a former Marine, is running to keep San Diego’s 4th district moving forward. She also hopes to be District 4’s first women elected to represent in 134 years.
Steppe is the council president pro tem of San Diego city council. Steppe has labeled herself a leader on equity and economic opportunity.
