DISTRICT ONE

Behavioral Health 

In July 2023, our Board of Supervisors approved using $44.3 million in state bridge housing funds to provide more housing for county residents who have serious behavioral health conditions and who were experiencing homelessness. The funding is specifically going to help create more beds within licensed board-and-care facilities—which can be home-like settings or larger facilities for people who need some specialized care but not in a hospital or clinical setting. 

This year, the County reached a milestone in a drug-disposal program designed to help people—children in particular—from accidentally overdosing on opioids that are prescribed to people who undergo surgical or dental procedures. The program gives pharmacies, doctors and dentists special “drug-deactivating” pouches to give to patients. People can put their leftover or expired opioids in the pouch, add warm water and the drugs are rendered harmless. The County gave out more than 1,200 pouches in just May and June. 

Environmental Sustainability

The County voted to spend $5.1 million last year to expand dredging in the Tijuana River Valley to remove trash and sediment and reduce flooding. The action extends dredging beyond County-owned areas.

Equity

County Purchasing and Contracting, working to increase supplier diversity by reaching out to underrepresented suppliers and contractors, held a small business “matchmaking” event in June that brought small businesses and the County together at a “Connecting with the County” event.

Homelessness and Affordable Housing

In the past year, the County invested approximately $77 million in affordable housing, including awarding $42 million in January to nine affordable housing developments expected to create 872 homes, including housing located in District 1.

Public Safety and Justice Reform

Emergency Services typically deals with wildfires, but in January 2024, torrential rains caused widespread flooding, mudslides and erosion. Emergency Services took the lead as the County opened a Local Assistance Center for impacted residents, assessed damage, collected debris, and worked with state and federal agencies to help residents recover. County leaders created the Emergency Temporary Lodging Program to provide safe housing, food and mental health services to more than 2,200 people impacted by the flood. 

The County’s new gun violence reduction work plan went into effect, working to reduce gun violence in the region—including suicide, domestic or intimate partner violence and community violence.