Newly-elected Councilmember Todd Gloria will be a very busy man in 2009. The District 3 representative was appointed to chair the Land Use & Housing Committee and was also named as a member of three other Council committees on Tuesday.

New District 7 Councilmember Marti Emerald will also be busy after she won appointment as chair for the coveted Public Safety & Neighborhood Services Committee. Both nominations were made by Council President Ben Hueso and confirmed 8-0 by the San Diego City Council on Tuesday.

It’s a little unusual for freshmen councilmembers to be appointed to chair a committee. But Gloria was appointed in 2005 to be on the San Diego Housing Commission and on other community planning groups, so he has experience in housing issues.

“I am honored to be selected to chair of the Land Use & Housing Committee,” Gloria said. “Even in these tough economic times, I hope to use this leadership position to direct investments in our city’s infrastructure so they are a stimulus to the local economy and put San Diegans back to work.”

“He is excited to lead that committee,” said Katie Keach, the deputy chief of staff for Gloria. “To be a freshman member of the City Council and to chair a committee that is so (important). He is very proud.”

Gloria was also named a member of Emerald’s committee, the Budget & Finance Committee, and the Rules, Open Government, & Intergovernmental Relations Committee.

Emerald, who was a KGTV-Channel 10 news reporter for 20 years, thanked Hueso and other councilmembers for electing her to chair the Public Safety & Neighborhood Services Committee.

She said she looks forward to working on policies that would “keep our neighborhoods safe and provide the highest level of public services during these tough economic times.” Emerald asked for ideas that would help public safety.

Gloria’s first committee meeting is set for Jan. 21. The Land Use & Housing Committee’s area of responsibility includes affordable housing, planning, building codes/inspection, transit services, utilities, infrastructure, annexations, and engineering, among others.

“I have learned a lot from attending hundreds of community meetings over many years and listening to the public’s point of view,” said Gloria. “Making smart land use decisions, protecting community character and encouraging public input will be priorities for this committee as well.”

District 4 Councilmember Tony Young was named to chair the Budget & Finance Committee. The Council president always chairs the Rules Committee.

Meanwhile, District 6 Councilmember Donna Frye was reappointed to chair the Natural Resources & Culture committee, but gave her spot on the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services committee to Lightner.

The seat switch between the two council members – the only two to vote for Frye instead of Hueso as council president – leaves Frye, the most senior of the eight council members, serving on fewer committees than any of her colleagues except for Hueso.

Frye will serve on two committees. Hueso will serve on one.

District 5 Councilmember Carl DeMaio will serve on the Audit Committee, as well as the budget panel and the Natural Resources & Culture committee. First District Councilmember Sherri Lightner was appointed to be on the committees run by Gloria, Emerald, and Frye.

District 2 Councilmember Kevin Faulconer was elected to serve as Council President Pro Tem to run the Council meetings if Hueso is absent.