Encinitas rejects civil rights claim over Facebook post – inewsource

Encinitas City Hall on Feb. 26, 2026. (Iran Martinez Jr./inewsource) Why this matters Issues of speech and sensitivity are important in every community. This one in Encinitas has been discussed publicly for months. The city of Encinitas has rejected a claim that it violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when a committee member made a social media post during Black History Month that critics said  demeaned the Black community.  It’s the latest reprieve for Urban Forest Advisory Committee member Steven Houbeck and the latest rejection for a group of community members who have called for his removal. Last month, four of five City Council members decided not to remove him from his post. In a February post on the popular “Encinitas Insider” Facebook page, Houbeck characterized an email Superintendent Anne Staffieri of San Dieguito Union High School District sent to parents as “depicting Black contributions to American history.” He wrote that a video showed “scenes of blacks dressed in tribal gear banging on drums.” Community members were upset by Houbeck’s use of the term “blacks” and his description of a beloved artform. They began showing up to City Council meetings calling for his removal in February, and submitted a
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