Jackie Krentzman is a Bay Area-based writer and editor.

Earlier this year, longtime La Mesa resident Travis Neal was one of 44 lottery winners for the city’s new e-bike voucher program. Neal, a bagpipe teacher at a local charter school and a bartender and server at a restaurant, is thrilled that he can now afford an e-bike. He says he will use it for commuting to his jobs.

“Currently, I ride my bicycle, but La Mesa is such a hilly city [that] I arrive to work tired and sweaty,” he says. “I think the program is fantastic. An e-bike is great for those with mobility issues, plus a car here is expensive to own. … An e-bike is the perfect solution.”

The e-bike voucher program is just one of the ways La Mesa, a city of 60,000 in San Diego County, is working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while improving everyday life for its residents. In 2024, La Mesa adopted a greenhouse gas reduction plan that aligns with the state requirements. The plan, first released in 2018, would reduce greenhouse gas emissions from 2016 levels by 50% by 2035 and 85% a decade later.

The city and developers can use the climate action plan, or CAP, to meet specific greenhouse gas analyses for housing and commercial developments, paving the way for new housing, transportation, and more. In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the update highlights “co-benefits,” such as improved air quality, public health outcomes, job creation, and economic resilience. 

“One of our strategic goals is livability, to promote a high quality of life for current and future residents to call home,” City Manager Greg Humora says. “Reducing greenhouse gas emissions not only helps preserve our climate — our climate action plan is the springboard for many other of our goals to continue to make La Mesa a more vibrant and livable city.”

The bedroom community is one of the older and denser cities in San Diego County. Residents have excellent access to the greater San Diego region due to its centrality near three major highways, seven bus lines, and two trolley lines. 

Humora says its location and relatively affordable home prices make it attractive to new, younger residents living near downtown San Diego or the beaches who want to start families. However, transportation poses the greatest challenge, in large part because new bus lines and other mass transit projects require funding and partnerships with other agencies.

Therefore, the city’s climate-minded housing development plan encourages housing in areas closer to transit and amenities through transit-oriented and mixed-use developments. According to the state, La Mesa needs to add 3,797 new housing units.

“We are trying to be as developer-friendly as we can,” says Humora. “Now, when you rent or buy, you may not get your own parking space, which will lead to more usage of public transportation, walking, and bicycles.”

Two new housing projects that benefited from the CAP are Cantera La Mesa, 32 market-rate single-family homes, and 8181 Allison Avenue, 147 affordable apartments on city land. The latter is a short walking distance from the downtown bus station and a trolley station. Residents will begin occupying units in June.

Both projects referenced the CAP’s greenhouse gas assessment, allowing them to bypass a project-level greenhouse gas analysis. This saves developers a significant amount of time and money.

“We are succeeding because we are a well-run, lean machine,” says Humora. “We don’t have a lot of development fees, so building here can be attractive. We also have a supportive city council and community.”

Another key element of the plan is the city’s Green Business Network and certificate program, launched in 2022. Piggybacking on the California Green Business Network, the program is a central hub for local businesses working toward sustainability. The city helps applicants meet the state’s green business certification requirements around energy efficiency, use green products, documentation, and grant applications. It also provides a monthly newsletter, educational events, and networking opportunities.

One such company is a local hair salon, Scisters Salon & Apothecary, which they say is the first zero-waste hair salon in San Diego County.

“For 15 years, I have been trying to be environmentally conscious at home, such as reusing plastic shampoo bottles,” says co-owner Easton Bajsec. “Then I learned about La Mesa’s green business network and realized we can apply it at our salon.”

Bajsec and her partner, Melissa Parker, began studying other zero-waste businesses, such as grocery stores. They developed a model that includes refillable, toxin-free beauty products sold to its customers in bulk without excess packaging. La Mesa also gave them a grant to buy a green thermostat and hot water tanks.

“La Mesa [has] done a great job at reaching out to businesses and offering programs and support,” Bajsec says. “We became a certified green business because the certification process aligns with the goals of our business, and the additional assistance from the city was a lovely push that allowed us to complete it sooner.”

One reason for La Mesa’s success is the effectiveness of Environmental Sustainability Manager Hilary Ego, says both Humora and local climate activist David Harris.

“Hilary has grown the program tremendously, and implemented a wide range of actions, such as the e-bike voucher program, planting trees, creating educational events, as well as reducing solid organic waste through commercial waste and residential waste recycling programs,” Harris says. “She has led the city’s commitment to electrify its buildings and purchase electric vehicles. She has done an excellent job of landing grants and outside support as well.”

Harris credits La Mesa with doing a lot with a little.

“La Mesa is a small city and not a wealthy city,” he says. “Yet the city has gotten so much done, from adapting clean energy, reducing solid organic waste, and passing transportation measures to cut our carbon emissions. Every city has a responsibility to meet the state climate goals, and La Mesa has proved to other cities that even small cities can make a big difference.”