City of San Diego - Public Works

What City of San Diego - Public Works does

The City of San Diego's Public Works department, operating within the municipal government of California's eighth-largest city, delivers the engineering, infrastructure, and field-services backbone for a jurisdiction of more than 1.3 million residents across nine council districts. Core service lines include residential waste collection (trash, recycling, organics), water and sewer utilities, street maintenance, pothole and streetlight repair, stormwater management, code enforcement, development permitting, and the Utilities Undergrounding Program. Operational scale is substantial: the Collection Services Division executes 104,000+ daily stops, the Miramar Landfill processes 910,000 tons annually (down from a 1.57 million ton peak in 2005), and the Miramar Greenery runs a Covered Aerated Static Pile composting facility reaching 160°F. The digital interface centers on the Get It Done web portal and native iOS/Android apps, which route non-emergency service requests across departments (Environmental Services, Stormwater, Transportation, Police, Parks & Recreation) and cover categories from potholes and graffiti to homeless encampments and short-term rental violations.

Revenue is generated through a mix of recurring and transactional municipal funding streams: property and business taxes, utility fees (water, sewer, trash) with container-size-based subscription tiers, building permits and business tax certificates, development impact fees, code enforcement penalties, and proposed digital billboard revenue. Major capital partners include Willdan Group ($112M energy performance contract across 40 facilities), EDCO Disposal and Allan Company (curbside recycling processing), SDG&E (undergrounding), Wakeland Housing and MRK Partners (affordable housing development), and federal/state financing partners (U.S. Bank, Federal Home Loan Bank, California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, San Diego Housing Commission). Distribution is direct: digital self-serve through Get It Done, door-to-door automated collection, in-person department offices, and the Miramar Landfill. The City is governed by Mayor Todd Gloria, City Attorney Heather Ferbert, and a nine-member Council, with key fiscal pressure in 2025 including a $146M budget shortfall rising to a projected $250M.

Name

City of San Diego - Public Works

Legal name

City of San Diego

Website

https://sandiego.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1769

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

10,001+ employees

Short description

The Public Works department of the City of San Diego delivers municipal engineering and infrastructure services — waste collection, water/sewer utilities, street maintenance, permitting, and code enforcement — to the city's residents, businesses, and visitors across nine council districts, financed by taxes, utility fees, and permits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251), Utility System Construction (2371), Sewage Treatment Facilities (221320), Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction (237310), Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction (237), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623), Sanitary Services (4950), Refuse Systems (4953), Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Works / In-House Municipal Collection Operations (EUAIAAAF), Public Works Departments (Streets, Bridges, Stormwater, Fleet, Maintenance) (BPAIALAD), Municipal Wastewater Collection (Sewer Networks) (BPALAMAA), Street & Public Space Litter Collection (Municipal Cleaning) (BPALAAAE), Public Works General Contracting (IMAFAAAG)

Keywords

• Municipal services
• Waste management
• Public infrastructure
• Permitting services
• Citizen services

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Property and Business Taxes: Primary municipal revenue stream funding general operations including public works, police, fire, and other city services.
2. Utility Fees (Water, Sewer, Trash): Charges for water, sewer, and solid waste collection services. Trash collection fees based on container size selection (35, 65, or 95 gallon) through the Residential Waste Collection Services Portal.
3. Permits and Licenses: Revenue from building permits, development services, short-term residential occupancy (STRO) licenses, business tax certificates, and various other municipal permits.
4. Digital Billboard Revenue: Proposed revenue from 15 digital billboards at estimated $3 million annually through 5-to-1 replacement ratio for existing static billboards.
5. Short-Term Rental Compliance Fees: Civil penalties from enforcement against illegal short-term rentals, including $100,000 settlement plus $6,079.88 in investigative costs, with $1.15 million in suspended penalties.
6. Development Impact Fees: Fees collected from development projects for infrastructure improvements, with disputes over transparency in fund usage for community spaces, roads, and recreation centers.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The City of San Diego - Public Works is a municipal government department that provides a full range of engineering services supporting the City's Capital Improvement Program (CIP), along with resident-facing municipal services including residential and commercial waste collection (trash, recycling, organic waste), infrastructure maintenance (streets, streetlights, potholes, sidewalks, storm drains), permitting and development services, public utilities, and digital citizen service request handling through the Get It Done platform.

Product overview

The City of San Diego provides municipal services primarily through its digital platform centered on the 'Get It Done' system, a citizen-facing web portal and mobile application. The Get It Done platform serves as the unified interface for non-emergency service requests, connecting residents to multiple city departments including Environmental Services, Stormwater, Transportation, Police, Fire-Rescue, and Parks & Recreation. Key components include the Get It Done mobile app (iOS/Android), the Get It Done web portal, the main City website (sandiego.gov), the Residential Waste Collection Services Portal, and various online permitting and payment systems. The Get It Done system handles service requests across categories including infrastructure issues (potholes, street lights, traffic signals, sidewalks), environmental services (trash collection, recycling, illegal dumping, dead animal removal), homeless outreach and encampments, short-term rental violations, and code enforcement matters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Get It Done: City's mobile and web service request system for reporting non-emergency problems, scheduling appointments, and obtaining information

Products and services

• Get It Done Citizen Service Request Platform
• Residential Waste Collection Services
• Miramar Landfill and Recycling Center
• Miramar Greenery Composting Facility
• Online Permitting Services
• Online Payment Services Digital payment platform for residents and businesses to pay water bills, parking citations, business taxes, rental taxes, TOT/TMD assessments, and other city fees.
• Public Utilities Services (Water and Sewer) Water and wastewater utility services for San Diego residents and businesses, including online bill payment and customer support.
• Parks and Recreation Services Public parks (regional, community, and recreation centers), beaches and bays, golf courses including Torrey Pines, pools, and event booking services for San Diego residents and visitors.
• Public Library Services Library services including catalog access, library card applications, eBooks, digital magazines, programs and events (One Book, One San Diego), homework help, renewals, holds, and fines/fees management.
• Public Safety Services (Police, Fire-Rescue, Lifeguards) Public safety services including police reporting and services, fire-rescue community outreach and risk reduction, and lifeguard beach safety and junior lifeguard programs for San Diego residents and visitors.
• Utilities Undergrounding Program Capital program coordinating with SDG&E, telecom utilities, and fiber optics providers to move utility lines underground, with an interactive webmap for project status tracking.
• City Strategic Plan Performance Dashboard Public performance and analytics dashboard providing transparent access to city performance metrics and progress against the City of San Diego Strategic Plan.
• Bridge to Home Affordable Housing Program Gap-financing program supporting affordable housing development in San Diego, with nearly $108 million committed to 24 projects delivering 2,148 affordable homes. Sixth round includes $15 million in funding ($10M from former redevelopment funds, $5M from federal housing funding) targeting projects of 40 units or fewer.

Quantifiable outcome

• Waste buried at Miramar Landfill decreased from 1.57 million tons (2005) to 910,000 tons through recycling and diversion activities
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Willdan GroupmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 12 February 2026Selected to implement $112 million energy savings performance contract covering 40 city facilities. Project includes decarbonizing 23 facilities, upgrading 39,000 city-owned streetlight fixtures, and installing battery energy storage systems, solar infrastructure, and HVAC/water heating electrification measures. Projects designed to self-finance through energy and operational cost savings, aligning with San Diego's Zero Emissions Municipal Buildings and Operations Policy.
• EDCO DisposalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOne of two companies contracted to process and market materials collected through the curbside recycling program. Operates Materials Recovery Facility that sorts commingled materials for recycling.
• Allan CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContracted processor for curbside recyclables and operator of Miramar Recycling Center. Processes materials through Materials Recovery Facility including cardboard, plastics, glass, metals, and paper. Also provides free pickup for electronics and pays California Redemption Value for aluminum cans and plastic beverage containers.
• San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E)coreTechnology or IntegrationUtility partner for the Utilities Undergrounding Program, working to move poles and utility lines underground. City team oversees project prioritization, planning, financial forecasting, permitting, and compliance with environmental regulations.
• Getmyboat.comminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSettlement agreement following lawsuit with four San Diego brick-and-mortar boat rental companies. Getmyboat.com now requires renters to upload authorization documents proving liability insurance and provide safety training. Settlement reduced illegally rented boats on Mission Bay by approximately 70%.
• Wakeland HousingmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloper partner for The Teralta affordable housing project in City Heights. $71 million development transformed a historic 1948 landmark into 73 affordable homes serving households earning 30-60% of Area Median Income.
• MRK PartnersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloper partner for 101 Ash Street office building conversion to 247-unit affordable housing complex. Would fund and manage over $200 million in renovation efforts including asbestos abatement under 60-year ground lease with city retaining building ownership.
• Create Development LLCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner with MRK Partners for 101 Ash Street affordable housing conversion project.
• Bridge to Home Program PartnersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGap-financing program supporting 24 projects with 2,148 affordable homes. Sixth round of $15 million in funding includes $10 million from former redevelopment funds and $5 million from federal housing funding targeting developers building projects of 40 units or fewer.
• Mattress Recycling CouncilminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNonprofit organization operating the Bye Bye Mattress program in California. City participates by hosting mattress drop-off location at Miramar Landfill entrance, allowing residents to recycle mattresses and box springs free of charge.
• Engineering and Capital Projects DepartmentcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerJoint delivery partner for undergrounding projects through established franchise agreement with SDG&E and other utilities.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• City of Los Angeles - Department of Public Works: LA's Department of Public Works is the most direct peer in scale and scope — providing street services, sanitation, wastewater, engineering, and contract administration to the largest city in California. Comparable mandate across refuse, wastewater, and infrastructure delivery.
• NYC Department of Sanitation: New York City's sanitation and street infrastructure agency. Directly comparable in refuse collection, recycling, street cleaning, and snow removal at massive scale for an even larger urban population.
• City of Chicago - Department of Streets & Sanitation: Chicago's Department of Streets & Sanitation provides refuse collection, recycling, street maintenance, and snow removal. Direct functional peer for municipal solid-waste and street services delivery.
• City of Houston - Public Works: Houston Public Works delivers comparable services including street maintenance, stormwater management, water/wastewater, and engineering. Direct peer with similar scale of municipal infrastructure operations in a major U.S. city.
• City of San Francisco - Public Works: San Francisco Public Works oversees street and sidewalk repair, waste management, urban forestry, and infrastructure in another major California coastal city. Direct peer with similar climate, regulatory, and sustainability mandates.
• City of Phoenix - Public Works: Phoenix Public Works provides solid waste collection, street maintenance, and facilities management. Peer at comparable scale with similar citizen-service mandate across residential and commercial segments.

Broad incumbents

• Tyler Technologies: Major government-technology vendor providing permitting, citizen engagement, asset management, and ERP software to municipal clients. Comparable as the broader civic-tech stack that the Get It Done platform competes with or complements.
• Accela: Civic-tech platform providing permitting, licensing, code enforcement, and service-request solutions for state and local governments. Compares as the broader government software ecosystem serving municipal Public Works functions.

Emerging players

• Republic Services: Large U.S. solid-waste and recycling services provider that contracts with municipalities. Adjacent to San Diego's in-house collection operations as a private-sector alternative delivery model.
• Waste Management, Inc. North America's largest waste services company, partnering with municipalities on collection, disposal, and recycling. Adjacent as the dominant private operator competing with or supplementing municipal refuse operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cityofsandiego

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about City of San Diego - Public Works