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San Diego County today launched its new Consumer Fairness and Public Protection Unit with lawsuits against AppLovin, Roblox and Polymaker, immediately putting the County’s new civil enforcement capacity to work on cases involving children’s safety, consumer privacy and 3D-printed ghost guns. 

After President Trump said, “Let ’em take out Los Angeles. Let ’em take out San Diego,” Chair Terra Lawson-Remer issued the following statement:

On a 4 to 1 vote, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today approved a proposal by Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer directing County Counsel to investigate and pursue legal action against manufacturers, distributors, and retailers that market overpowered electric motorcycles as “e-bikes.”

As the Trump Administration cuts Medicaid and withholds billions in healthcare funding from California, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted today to fight back — overcoming opposition from Supervisor Jim Desmond.

In a historic bipartisan decision, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors has approved a U.S.-side treatment system to combat decades of toxic sewage from the Tijuana River. 

If you have a kid, know a kid, or have ever watched a group of middle schoolers fly past you on e-bikes and thought, “Wow, that seems fast” - you aren’t alone. 

After years of ramping up the County’s role in treating toxic Tijuana River pollution as a public health crisis, Lawson-Remer and Aguirre are proposing the next major phase of the cleanup: long-term action.

Gas was 32 cents a gallon. The median home cost about $14,000. The Beatles were touring. America was racing to the moon. The year was 1966 — and here in San Diego, the Tijuana River pollution crisis was starting to make San Diego beaches unswimmable.

You shouldn’t be able to leave government on Friday and get paid to lobby your former coworkers on Monday.

And you shouldn’t be able to learn something confidential because you work for the public — then use that information to place a bet and make yourself richer.

San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Terra Lawson-Remer today advanced the County’s planned $240 million Behavioral Health Wellness Campus, moving the project into its next phase of procurement, design and construction.

— On a unanimous vote, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today approved a new anti-corruption proposal that cracks down on lobbying and insider trading on betting apps like Kalshi and Polymarket. 

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors today approved Chair Terra Lawson-Remer’s proposal to support state legislation aimed at preventing the rapid growth of Big Tech data centers from driving up electricity costs for working families.

On a 3-2 vote, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today passed a critical proposal by Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer and Chair Pro Tem Paloma Aguirre to ban federal immigration enforcement agencies, including ICE, from using County facilities for firearms target training. 

Surrounded and supported by several community groups and leaders, San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Terra Lawson-Remer and Chair Pro Tem Paloma Aguirre  today announced a landmark proposal to ban federal immigration enforcement agencies, including ICE, from using County facilities for firearms training. 

President Trump has spent billions expanding a mass deportation force while cutting healthcare and other services families depend on.

And what has that expansion looked like?

I know “a fact check on claims about County Charter reform” sounds like something you would read only if you had a newborn, no sleep, and no better options at 2 a.m.

Some people spend summer catching up on great books.

But my reading list has been a little different lately.

Between feedings, diapers, and sleepless nights with my newborn, I’ve found myself consuming a lot of fiction — not novels, unfortunately, but wild claims about the County of San Diego.

Statement from Chair Terra Lawson-Remer

San Diego County Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer issued the following statement after the San Diego Board of Supervisors today approved placing the Citizen’s Measure on the November ballot:

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors today approved a $9.16 billion balanced budget that protects library hours, park access, behavioral health, public safety, homelessness response, food assistance, veterans services, fire and medical services, roads, infrastructure, and other core County services.  The Board used great fiscal discipline to build this year’s budget because the worst of the Trump Administration’s cuts are yet to come. 

Five weeks after delivering her daughter, San Diego County Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer returned to deliver a balanced County budget and lead one of the most consequential Board meetings of the year — with votes on Charter accountability reforms and major voter decisions affecting the future of health, safety, and local government.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors today voted to send a final Charter reform package to the November ballot, giving voters the chance to strengthen independent oversight, transparency, and accountability in County government.

San Diego County is on pace to meet its state housing mandate years early — but the teachers, healthcare workers, and families who need housing most are still being priced out. Today, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted to change that, adopting the County's first-ever Inclusionary Housing Ordinance requiring new residential developments to support the County’s affordable housing goals.

 A County-backed housing model championed by San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Terra Lawson-Remer became reality today as Shoreline Community Services opened Compass Commons, a first-of-its-kind cabin community for people working their way out of homelessness.

The six individual sleeping cabins will provide safe, secure, and dignified housing for members of Shoreline’s Community Care Crew — people who are earning wages, cleaning streets, supporting local businesses, and rebuilding stability in one of San Diego’s highest-cost beach communities.

The San Diego Chapter of Women Leaders Association, a chapter of a national organization dedicated to rising women leaders, named San Diego Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer and Chief Administrative Officer Ebony Shelton as top women leaders for their impact on the region and for their partnership in advancing services and initiatives that strengthen communities across San Diego County. 

We pushed hard to deliver this: San Diego County’s new balanced budget plan closes the gap without cutting the core services families rely on.

Despite millions of dollars in federal cuts and cost shifts, this budget keeps local finances in check, and protects libraries, parks, emergency response, behavioral health, homelessness services, veterans services, and food assistance.

Here’s how we did it.

 The San Diego County Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement today filed the County’s first major lawsuit against several sushi franchise companies operating sushi counters inside grocery stores statewide alleging that businesses exploited sushi chefs through deceptive labor practices.

They’re everywhere! Kids on e-bikes, adults on e-bikes, groups of people on e-bikes — flying down streets, weaving through traffic, close calls that make your stomach drop (sometimes without a helmet).

San Diego County made legal history today in the fight for immigrant rights and government accountability, winning one of the first major court tests of California’s new law authorizing local public health inspections of private immigrant detention centers. 

Summer is fast approaching — which is great news for kids, and a disaster for every family's daily schedule 

With an alarming increase in e-bike and high-powered illegal electric motorcycle accidents causing serious injuries and sometimes death, San Diego County Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer today announced the County’s Public Health Officer has issued a Public Health Alert warning families, health care providers, schools, and community partners about the growing safety threat.  Read the public health alert link HERE.

San Diego County voters are one step closer to deciding whether to modernize the County Charter for the first time in decades, after the Board of Supervisors approved a historic package of governance reforms Tuesday on a 3-2 vote.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors today unanimously accepted the $99.5 million award from California’s Proposition 1 Bond funding to build a Behavioral Health Wellness Campus that will serve as a model for the state. It will provide mental-health and addiction services in one location for more than 20,000 residents ranging from unhoused veterans, to working-age adults and justice-involved residents working to overcome addictions. 

The County Board of Supervisors voted today to authorize negotiations and implementation planning with the region’s four Managed Care health plans to fund homeless outreach and housing services currently delivered by County social workers.

In an effort to protect thousands of local jobs, lifesaving clinical trials, and more than 1,700 active research projects at UC San Diego, Scripps Research, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, San Diego State University, and local startups, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today voted to support a proposed $23 billion state research bond to help counter sweeping federal cuts to scientific research and development. 

Thousands of young children will continue receiving developmental screenings, speech therapy, occupational therapy, behavioral services, and family support after the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today unanimously approved a $4.3 million bridge funding plan advanced by Chair Terra Lawson-Remer.

San Diego County Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer released the following statement on the horrific shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego:

San Diego County Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer and Vice Chair Monica Montgomery Steppe, who serve as members of the Board’s Sustainable Fiscal Planning Subcommittee, released the following statements today after the County released its recommended Fiscal Year 2026–27 budget.

The federal government tried to gaslight the public into believing we had no authority here. Now we know this isn’t true.

After a year of work by community organizations, labor leaders, business leaders, governance experts, public safety advocates, and residents to strengthen accountability and modernize County government, Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer warned today that Supervisor Joel Anderson’s proposed amendments would gut many of the reforms that gave the Charter proposal real meaning.

In the first major court test on whether federal agencies can block authorized county public health inspections of California’s private immigrant detention centers, a federal judge today affirmed San Diego County does have the police authority to conduct inspections of Otay Mesa Detention Facility and there will be irreparable harm if the inspections do not move forward.  

In a move that will bring arts and culture programs to every area of San Diego County including diverse and underserved communities, the Board of Supervisors today approved up to $2.75 million in total funding, with $2.25 million in ongoing annual investments, to launch and sustain everything from an artist grant program, to investments in the Black Arts and Culture District, to an artist space grant program & a binational creative economy investment and artist in residence program.

As May marks the start of National Bike Safety Month, the San Diego Board of Supervisors today recognized the month by presenting a proclamation to community groups while also raising alarming concerns about a surge in e-bike accidents.

San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Terra Lawson-Remer released the following statement after organizers submitted 151,000 signatures to place the San Diego Health and Safety Act on the November ballot.

A lot of money is directed to reducing homelessness. But which investments are actually making a difference?

With melodies setting a captivating tone along with ballet and break dancers , San Diego County leaders Terra Lawson-Remer and Monica Montgomery Steppe today unveiled an innovative arts and culture initiative poised to revolutionize the arts scene, especially within diverse and underserved communities.

Here’s something I bet you didn’t know: Wall Street has been quietly taking over the fire truck industry. It’s delaying equipment firefighters need and costing taxpayers millions, including here in San Diego County.  

On a 3- to-2 vote, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today approved a partnership with the Mexican Consulate to expand options for immigrant legal defense services and increase access to critical “Know Your Rights” information.

The County Board of Supervisors today unanimously approved expanding San Diego County’s successful regional Homeless Diversion Fund, authoring a contract with the San Diego Housing Commission to administer a $2 million effort funded by San Diego philanthropic institutions, the County of San Diego, and the City of San Diego. 

After hours of supportive public testimony by a large, nonpartisan group of community leaders, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today approved significant Charter Reforms on a 3-2 vote.

San Diego County is one of the largest, most complex local governments in California, but its governing structure was designed for a bygone era. 

You’ve heard me talk about this for a while, how our mental health system doesn’t work the way it should.

In an unusual display of nonpartisan solidarity, community, civic, business, labor, environmental, public safety, health, and student leaders, with a wide range of political beliefs, today stood shoulder to shoulder in front of the San Diego County Building in support of Charter reforms.

When Washington cuts funding and changes eligibility rules, families here don’t stop needing food, healthcare, or help making ends meet.

So instead of waiting around, we got to work — finding a smarter way to stretch every taxpayer dollar and help protect the services San Diegans rely on.

San Diego County fire trucks that once arrived in a year now take four years to deliver and cost twice as much, leaving departments across the region waiting years for trucks they’ve already paid for.

Across the country, people are feeling squeezed — by rising costs, by global instability, and by a growing sense that the rules are not being applied fairly. 

Here in San Diego, we are confronting that reality directly. 

San Diego, San Diego County is on track to meet its entire eight-year state housing requirement years ahead of schedule, after permitting 6,577 homes — 98% of its total housing target — just halfway through the current housing cycle.

A Los Angeles jury today held Meta and YouTube liable for what parents across this country have been saying for years: that these companies knowingly designed platforms to hook children, watched kids struggle, and chose to keep going because it was profitable.

San Diego County will more than double youth crisis mental health care capacity under a sweeping expansion led by Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer — the largest investment in youth behavioral health services in County history and a major shift toward prevention-focused care.

On a 4-to-1 vote, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today joined the state’s largest counties after approving Chair Terra Lawson-Remer’s proposal to create a Consumer Fairness and Public Protection (CFPP) unit to crack down on illegal practices like scams against seniors and veterans, junk fees, denied health insurance claims and predatory financial practices.  

Acting on direction from Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer and Monica Montgomery Steppe, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors advanced an ordinance to extract Behavioral Health Services from Health and Human Services Agency as a standalone department. 

Tuesday, the Board votes. Here’s what’s at stake, and how you can help before then. 

A San Diego woman's doctor ordered a cancer screening. Her insurance company's algorithm said no, without a human ever opening her file. She appealed. She waited. She paid out of pocket. And there was no local agency with the power and focus to fight that battle for her.

A celebratory news conference was held today to usher in San Diego County’s new streamlined approach to treating mental health and addiction at the soon-to-be-built Behavioral Health Wellness Campus. 

After the Trump Administration destroys and dismantles consumer protections for working families, San Diego County Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer is proposing the creation of a Consumer Fairness and Public Protection unit to crack down on illegal practices like junk fees, scams against veterans and seniors, denied health insurance claims, and predatory financial practices.

A new San Diego County report released today finds that the average daily population at the Otay Mesa Detention Center has increased by approximately 200 percent in recent years — a dramatic surge County officials say is intensifying overcrowding, raising public-health concerns, and significantly increasing the cost of providing legal representation to protect constitutional due-process rights.

This week, San Diego County filed a lawsuit in federal court after we were blocked from conducting a lawful public health inspection at the Otay Mesa immigration detention facility. 

This may sound like a narrow legal dispute. It isn’t.

A federal judge has scheduled an April 15 hearing at 1:00 p.m. in San Diego County’s lawsuit that could become the first major court test of whether federal agencies can block state-authorized public health inspections of immigration detention facilities.

In a monumental breakthrough to expand access to mental-health and addiction treatment for everyone in San Diego, from unhoused veterans to adults working to overcome addiction, the County of San Diego today was conditionally awarded $99.5-million in the second round of Proposition 1 Bond funding to develop and construct the new Behavioral Health Wellness Campus that will serve more than 20,000 residents each year.

San Diego County today filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump Administration after federal officials blocked a lawful public health inspection of the Otay Mesa Immigrant Detention Center.

You may have seen recent news coverage about county charter reform. I wanted to speak to you directly about what folks are working on and why it matters.

The Trump Administration failed to respond by a 5:00 pm deadline tonight to San Diego County’s request to allow a full public health inspection of the Otay Mesa Detention Center scheduled for this Friday. 

Six months after modernizing its reserve policy to align with national best practices, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today approved $47.4 million in one-time investments under the reformed structure.

As part of its ongoing efforts to provide clean, renewable energy at the greatest possible value for its customers, the San Diego Community Power Board of Directors today voted unanimously to strengthen workforce standards in new renewable energy and battery storage procurement agreements. 

The Civil Liberties Enforcement and Accountability Rules (CLEAR) ordinance spearheaded by San Diego County Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer will take effect tomorrow (Friday Feb. 27), including the roll-out of signs in multiple languages stating federal ICE agents are restricted from entering non-public areas of County facilities without a judicial warrant.

At the weekly Courage in Community Rally, San Diego County Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer joined the large crowd and described being denied entrance to Otay Mesa Detention Center last Friday along with Board Pro Tem Paloma Aguirre.

If you’ve opened a bill and found a surprise fee, gotten a robocall pretending to be your bank, or signed a contract that didn’t match what you were promised — you know how quickly a small deception can turn into real financial harm.

Federal immigration officials today blocked San Diego County from fully exercising its lawful public health authority at the Otay Mesa Detention Facility, after initially clearing County officials to enter.

The Coronado City Council unanimously voted today to become the newest member of San Diego Community Power, beginning the process to offer residents a choice in where their electricity comes from, with the potential of lower rates and access to programs.

Does it harm your health? Does it put you in danger?

San Diego County Board Supervisor Paloma Aguirre (District 1) Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer (District 3) condemn the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem’s visit to the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. While the Secretary utilized the visit to highlight federal drug and border enforcement metrics, the Supervisors emphasized that true public safety requires a commitment to community trust and the protection of civil rights.

Today, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors advanced a substitute motion authored by Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer to clarify the County’s position as San Diego absorbs a $300 million annual loss in healthcare and food assistance funding caused by federal tax cuts for the wealthy.

San Diego County has initiated the public health inspection process at the Otay Mesa Detention Center. The County’s Public Health Officer today sent a letter to the facility’s senior warden, after County Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer directed staff to assert the County’s authority to examine health and safety conditions inside the privately operated immigration detention facility. 

San Diego County is heading into a difficult budget year, driven largely by steep cuts in federal funding for Medicaid and Food Assistance that are squeezing counties across America. 

The San Diego Board of Supervisors today approved a proposal to modernize County technology and capture up to $7 million in ongoing annual taxpayer savings. This comes as San Diego County confronts a difficult fiscal year driven by deep federal funding cuts that threaten healthcare, food, and other services for thousands of County residents.

In response to the ongoing Tijuana River sewage crisis, the San Diego Board of Supervisors today recommended funding for infrastructure repairs at the Saturn Boulevard hotspot - a known source of toxic airborne emissions - and critical public health studies.

With beaches in Imperial Beach closed for a third consecutive year, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today approved the establishment of a County Pollution Crisis Chief position to bring urgency, accountability, and coordination to the County’s response to the Tijuana River Valley sewage crisis.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors today unanimously approved the Civil Liberties Enforcement and Accountability Rules (CLEAR) ordinance to restrict federal immigration agents from accessing non-public county spaces.

San Diego County Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer this morning ordered County flags to be lowered to half-mast through the conclusion of this week’s Board of Supervisors meetings in recognition of the tragic deaths of Renée Good and Alex Jeffrey Pretti, resulting from recent federal immigration enforcement actions in Minneapolis.

It’s official – the poop is in the air. 

The stink you smell when you’re in Coronado or the South Bay isn’t just the odor of missed days at the beach due to the Tijuana River Valley environmental crisis, or the stench of first responders getting sick just doing their jobs.

Today, San Diego County Board of Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer and Paloma Aguirre announced a l proposal advancing immediate infrastructure action at the Saturn Boulevard hotspot, alongside critical public health studies, accelerating the County’s response to the Tijuana River sewage crisis.

As national scrutiny intensifies around deaths in ICE custody and limits on federal oversight of immigration detention facilities, San Diego County Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer has directed the County to conduct a public health inspection of the Otay Mesa Detention Center under California law.

The inspection will be conducted by County public health officials pursuant to California Health and Safety Code §101045, which authorizes counties to inspect detention facilities operating within their jurisdiction to ensure compliance with basic public health and sanitation standards.

We all feel it. Groceries are up. Water is up. Power bills are climbing — and wildfire risk is a big reason why.

Across California, utilities are spending billions to reduce wildfire danger from power lines and to harden an aging grid. These safety upgrades are overdue, unavoidable, and happening statewide — and corporate utilities are passing the full cost straight on to customers.

At a time when electricity costs are rising across California — driven by escalating wildfire mitigation mandates, infrastructure upgrades, and climate-related risks — the San Diego Community Power Board tonight unanimously approved electric generation rate options designed to limit price increases and keep Community Power’s most affordable tier up to 10% lower than SDG&E’s generation rates.

San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, reappointed today as Chair of the San Diego Community Power Board, led the effort to prioritize affordability and protect residents and small businesses from even steeper utility cost hikes.

San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer tonight was unanimously reappointed chair of the San Diego Community Power Board and will continue leading the Board’s efforts to expand clean energy, lower power bills, improve customer service, boost transparency about energy sources and launch programs for solar/battery adoption and energy efficiency. 

Community members will once again gather Thursday morning outside the federal building in downtown San Diego as part of an ongoing, peaceful weekly action calling for due process, transparency, and accountability amid growing concern that the federal government is operating without adequate oversight or respect for constitutional limits.

As federal funding becomes less reliable and costs continue to rise, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today approved a targeted pilot aimed at reducing avoidable maintenance and construction expenses.

The action, introduced by Chair Terra Lawson-Remer, is part of the County’s broader effort to closely examine operations and identify savings where possible before making difficult budget decisions.

The San Diego Board of Supervisors today unanimously approved California Special Assistant Attorney General Damon Brown as the new County Counsel, who comes to San Diego with two decades of experience, including public safety, civil rights, consumer protection, immigration, education, and voting rights. 

At its first meeting of 2026, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today unanimously voted to reappoint Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer as Chair of the five-member Board, signaling a commitment to stability and continuity as the County faces a challenging budget year driven by major federal funding cuts.

I want to share this recent San Diego Union-Tribune article on a big idea I believe deeply in: fairness is a core American value — but it doesn’t enforce itself. That’s why San Diego County is stepping in.

I’m proposing to create a new Consumer Fairness and Public Protection Unit — a local watchdog that will take on polluters, predatory landlords, abusive insurers, and scammers, and recover money for San Diegans. 

Ahead of a weekend expected to include demonstrations nationwide following the killing of a U.S. citizen and mother in Minneapolis, San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Terra Lawson-Remer urged San Diegans to raise their voice in protest peacefully, safely, and with care for one another.

After a national joint search, California Special Assistant Attorney General Damon Brown has been selected to lead the County Counsel’s office pending a vote by the Board of Supervisors on January 13.

The past year tested all of us.

Washington pulled back. Funding was cut. Programs people rely on were suddenly at risk. And for a moment, it would have been easy to feel like so much was out of our control.

But that’s not what San Diego did.

As I join many of you in celebrating the holidays with friends and family, I’ve been taking a moment to slow down and reflect on the year behind us, and the one ahead. 

Our coastline is one of San Diego’s greatest treasures — essential to our economy, our environment, and our way of life. But right now, it’s facing one of the most serious threats we’ve seen in decades. The federal government has proposed reopening Southern California’s waters to new offshore oil drilling, reversing long-standing protections and putting our communities at real risk. We will not stand for this. We’ve beaten back Big Oil before, and with strong community support, we’ll do it again. Thank you for staying informed and standing with us in this fight.

With one in four SDG&E customers already behind on paying energy bills, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today passed Chair Terra Lawson-Remer’s proposal that will help solar developers expand small scale affordable, clean power to customers in disadvantaged communities to lower their electricity bills. 

In San Diego County where its pristine coastline is essential to its identity, the Board of Supervisors today went on the record to strongly oppose the Trump administration's reckless proposal to expand offshore oil and gas drilling for 2026-2031, that will be costly, destructive and puts beaches at risk of another devasting oil spill that makes people sick and drives a stake through San Diego’s tourism economy. 

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors today received its First Quarter Operational Plan Status Report, which outlines early fiscal trends for the year and identifies areas where departments must adjust spending or financial plans. Despite continued budget uncertainty at the federal level, most County business groups are pacing within budget and are on track to finish the fiscal year in good financial standing.

To ensure that seniors and people with disabilities can continue receiving consistent, high-quality care at home, today the San Diego County Board of Supervisors approved a new labor agreement that strengthens recruitment and retention for the region’s In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) caregivers.

The County Board of Supervisors approved a major expansion of its Emergency Medical Services Corps program today, strengthening the region’s pipeline of future Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), paramedics, and first responders — industries that are short-staffed and expected to face increased demand in coming years.  

Residents in the city of Encinitas tonight stood their ground at a robust ‘Peoples Hearing’ vowing to fight the Trump Administration over plans to renew offshore oil drilling on the San Diego coast.  They have no intention of backing down. 

San Diego County Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer, who represents almost the entire coast of San Diego County, joined their protest at the Encinitas Community Center. 

The following statement was released by San Diego County Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer on President Trump’s plan to open California’s coast to new oil drilling.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors today took a major step to legally block the Trump Administration from cutting off Medicaid funding for hundreds of thousands of San Diegans trying to get critical health care services like cancer screenings provided by Planned Parenthood and other local clinics. 

With federal cuts from the Trump Administration threatening food assistance, housing support, and healthcare access for hundreds of thousands of San Diegans, the Board of Supervisors today unanimously approved Chair Lawson-Remer’s plan to launch a first-of-its-kind partnership between the County and San Diego Foundation to protect essential services.

When Washington walks away, San Diego steps up.

Congress passed H.R. 1, the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill,” a law that slashes funding for food assistance, adds expensive new red tape to Medicaid, and leaves our County facing over $300 million in new yearly costs.

The grand opening of the Kettner Crossing affordable homes for Seniors is a clear sign that San Diego County is following through on its promise to put government land to work for the public good. 

Have you ever felt bounced around, told to call one number, then another, then another, just to get the help you need?

For too long, San Diegans struggling with mental illness or addiction have been forced to navigate a maze of disconnected programs, overcrowded ERs, or even jail, without ever getting the complete care they were seeking.

California has begun issuing full November CalFresh benefits for 5.5 million residents statewide — including nearly 400,000 San Diegans — after a federal court ordered the Trump Administration to release funds it unlawfully froze during the government shutdown.

If you’re like me, you’re making last-minute tweaks to your kid’s Halloween costume right now (or, let’s be honest, your own costume). 

But tomorrow will be far scarier than tonight.

On Saturday, November 1, nearly 400,000 San Diegans will lose access to food assistance because Republican leaders in Washington have shut down the government and refused to extend vital healthcare and nutrition programs.

County Board of Supervisors Chair Terra Lawson-Remer and Vice Chair Monica Montgomery Steppe  joined members of San Diego’s Congressional Delegation and leaders from Feeding San Diego and the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank today to deliver an urgent message:

In what will be a major breakthrough for mental-health and addiction treatment and a model for other California counties, San Diego County is gearing up to build a new, integrated Behavioral Health Wellness Campus in the Midway District. The state-of-the-art facility will offer medical treatment and support services in one location — serving everyone from an unhoused veteran in crisis to an adult working to overcome addiction. The whole-person care campus in one location will be a model for other counties in California.  

Every minute matters when a wildfire strikes — especially after dark. 

This week, the County Board of Supervisors approved the purchase of a night-flying Firehawk helicopter, expanding our region’s around-the-clock firefighting power and giving firefighters a critical new tool to protect families, homes, and communities. 

Halloween is around the corner, but one “costume” has been generating real fear for months — and posing a real threat. Across the country, people posing as federal immigration officers are showing up at homes, flashing fake badges, and threatening residents for profit.

San Diego is on the verge of becoming a national model for civil rights protections as the County Board of Supervisors voted to adopt a landmark ordinance designed to protect civil liberties by drawing firm legal boundaries against discriminatory and warrantless federal activity.

With Halloween right around the corner, there’s one costume that is generating real fear.  

Across the country, people have begun posing as federal immigration officers and are showing up at homes, flashing fake badges, and threatening residents for profit.

This week, San Diego County launched a $75 million initiative,  the first of its kind in California,  to train 3,000 new behavioral health workers to serve our region.

It’s the largest local investment in the mental health care workforce in state history, and it tackles the one thing that will make or break our progress: staffing.

San Diego families like ours are feeling the squeeze, from the checkout line at the grocery store to the jaw-dropping price of after-school soccer (seriously, how does a tiny uniform cost more than my first suit?!).

Since taking office, we’ve worked to turn decades of failure and underinvestment around:

For decades, families along our coastline and in South County have been forced to live with the consequences of international inaction — toxic sludge in the Tijuana River Valley, contaminated air, and closed beaches.

The water’s still dirty. But the momentum is shifting. This week, we took another step forward because hundreds of you raised your voices and demanded it.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors today finalized a reserve reform ordinance with a second and final vote, expanding the County’s recognized emergency reserves from $692 million to $1.327 billion. The action aligns County policy with national best practices and strengthens San Diego’s ability to protect vital services as federal cuts threaten healthcare, food assistance, and housing programs.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 today to expand the County’s Immigrant Legal Defense Program (ILDP), ensuring that unaccompanied immigrant children will not be forced to face deportation court alone after the Trump administration eliminates federal legal aid.

When we talk about justice, most of us picture fairness, dignity, and the right to be heard. We don’t picture a child standing in front of a judge with no one to speak for them.

In just a few weeks, children as young as four could be standing in immigration court alone, without anyone to defend them. That’s because President Trump cut the program that once provided unaccompanied migrant kids with lawyers. Here in San Diego, about 300 children will lose their attorneys after September 30.

Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer announced a bold proposal today to expand San Diego County’s Immigrant Legal Defense Program (ILDP) and protect unaccompanied immigrant children from facing immigration court without a lawyer.

On Tuesday, I chaired a Board of Supervisors meeting where we got the type of update I’ve been waiting years to hear: San Diego is transforming how we respond to mental illness, addiction, and homelessness, and it’s happening faster than anyone thought possible.

In March, we set one of the boldest goals in County history: nearly doubling our treatment system by 2030, so people get help before it becomes a 911 call or a night on the street.

San Diego County is delivering on its promise to build a behavioral health system that meets the region’s biggest challenges — untreated addiction, mental illness, and homelessness. 

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors today approved a landmark policy that discourages the use of PFAS “forever chemicals” in County purchases, making San Diego one of the first counties in the nation to systematically restrict toxic chemicals in everyday products. The vote fulfills a promise from Chair Terra Lawson-Remer’s State of the County address earlier this year.

On Wednesday morning, ICE agents arrested a father during school drop-off, within sight of children walking into Park Dale Lane Elementary. Kids saw “armed masked men” take someone’s parent away.

Most of the people ICE detains are not violent criminals. Raids like this don’t make us safer — they turn schools into traps, drive families into the shadows, and leave kids too scared to show up for class.

On Wednesday morning, ICE agents arrested a father during school drop-off, within sight of children walking into Park Dale Lane Elementary. Kids saw “armed masked men” take someone’s parent away.

In response to sweeping federal budget cuts under H.R. 1, Board of Supervisors Chair Terra Lawson-Remer and Vice Chair Monica Montgomery Steppe today proposed modernizing the County’s outdated reserve policy to ensure San Diego can protect critical services when vulnerable residents need them most.

First, they took food off San Diegans’ plates. Now they’re sticking us with the bill.

That’s the strategy behind President Trump’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” — and last week, we finally saw the price tag.

It’s Comic-Con weekend in San Diego. And while I’m not carrying a lightsaber or wearing a cape, we in San Diego do have something new — a bigger shield.

With deep federal cuts now beginning to take shape, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today voted to create a proactive notification system to alert residents when essential and life-saving services are at risk, helping families avoid being blindsided by benefit disruptions.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors has approved a new County program to protect small businesses and workers from the rising economic and community damage caused by aggressive federal immigration raids. The Small Business Know Your Rights training program — championed by Chair Terra Lawson-Remer — will equip local employers with the information they need to follow the law, protect their employees, and avoid costly workplace shutdowns.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors today elected Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer as Chair of the Board, placing the recently re-elected Supervisor at the helm during a year of growing federal chaos, authoritarian threats, and historic budget cuts from Washington. Her appointment cements San Diego’s role as a bulwark against federal chaos — standing up for families and rights at a time when national institutions are failing.

If you’ve stood in a checkout line lately, you know grocery prices are already hard to stomach.

That noise you heard on the Fourth of July wasn’t just fireworks - it was the sound of a federal hatchet hitting our local hospitals.

San Diegans are sick of sewage - literally.

Toxic air, closed beaches, kids getting pulled from soccer practice because of the smell. We all know the crisis in the Tijuana River Valley is real.

Today, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors adopted a fiscally responsible $8.62 billion budget that protects core services, supports working families, and invests in the people who make government work,  even amid mounting fiscal threats from Washington.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors today approved a proposal to advance regional solutions to the Tijuana River sewage crisis and better protect South County communities from toxic exposure.

In a proactive step to safeguard essential services for San Diego County residents, the County Board of Supervisors passed a proposal at today's meeting with bipartisan support, prioritizing the region's most vulnerable residents exposed to potentially devastating impacts at the state and federal levels.

Last month, the U.S. House passed the so-called  “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” This week, we got the numbers. And they’re brutal for San Diego County:

Acting Chair of the County Board of Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer and District 4 Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe introduced a new proposal today directing the County to prepare for anticipated federal cost shifts. The plan calls for proactive planning to mitigate the operational fallout of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (H.R. 1), recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.

Let’s not mince words: the Trump administration is occupying the streets of California.

From over-the-top ICE raids in San Diego to deploying the National Guard and Marines to L.A., President Trump has escalated a war of words into a real battle, with soldiers, weapons, and lives on the line.

On Tuesday, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted to formally accept $29.8 million in new funding through California’s Proposition 1 program, unlocking two major treatment projects that will expand access to behavioral health and addiction care across the region.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted today to approve a resolution opposing sweeping federal cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), warning that the proposed changes would dismantle San Diego’s innovation economy, stall medical breakthroughs, and eliminate thousands of high-wage local jobs.

Today, San Diego County Acting Chair Terra Lawson-Remer joined Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre to unveil a new plan to advance and accelerate stronger County action on the ongoing sewage crisis in the Tijuana River Valley.

These militarized immigration raids are transforming our peaceful neighborhoods into war zones. We’re not going to accept San Diego being warped into a battlefield where restaurant workers are rounded up like enemy combatants as law-abiding residents take an afternoon stroll.

On Monday, San Diego County Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer was joined by top researchers, academic leaders, students, and patients in urging Congress to reconsider deep cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and increase federal investments in the region’s $57 billion life sciences sector.

The County of San Diego took another major step forward in addressing the region’s housing crisis today, voting to advance two new affordable housing projects on surplus County land that will bring 224 new deed-restricted homes to San Diego’s Mid-City neighborhood and downtown Escondido.

On Tuesday, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to support two critical legislative proposals aimed at expanding the region’s ability to confront the ongoing Tijuana River sewage crisis — a decades-long public health and environmental emergency that has severely impacted South County communities.

Today the County of San Diego, led by acting chair Terra Lawson-Remer, authorized a new permanent supportive housing project for individuals with serious behavioral health needs — approving a $12.4 million funding commitment that will strengthen the County’s application for state Homekey+ dollars to bring the project to life.

San Diego County is making real progress in the fight against gun violence — with new data showing that ghost gun seizures dropped 39% in 2024, and both firearm-related suicides and homicides have declined across the region.

In a partisan vote, Republican members of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors blocked a proposal to modernize the County’s outdated reserve policy—leaving local communities vulnerable to looming federal cuts that threaten the foundation of services that hundreds of thousands of San Diegans rely on.

Acting Chair Terra Lawson-Remer praised the County draft budget released by the CAO Ebony Shelton on Thursday for eliminating waste and closing an initial shortfall of $138 million through efficiency and belt-tightening. But she issued a clear warning: without reforming the County’s reserve policy, the proposed budget still leaves vulnerable families exposed to devastating service cuts — just as a Trump-led recession and federal safety net rollbacks loom.

I have promising news to share about the progress we’re making in the fight to reduce gun violence here in San Diego County! 

San Diego, CA (April 23, 2025) —  In a stunning display of denial and irresponsibility, Republicans on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today refused to acknowledge that climate change is real — voting down a proposal that would have affirmed basic scientific fact and called for bold local action in the face of growing climate threats.

San Diego, CA (April 23, 2025) — San Diego County is making major strides in tackling the housing crisis, with new data showing that 84% of its state-mandated housing goal has already been met — just four years into the eight-year cycle.

I was honored to deliver the 2025 State of the County address this week from the beautiful San Diego Natural History Museum

SAN DIEGO, CA (April 16, 2025) — In a sweeping and impassioned address delivered tonight from the heart of Balboa Park, Acting Chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer unveiled a bold local agenda to defend democracy, protect essential services, and fight back against a national tide of authoritarianism, corporate capture, and federal collapse.

 San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer doesn’t want the County doing business with gun dealers who are not compliant with state and federal laws. The gun procurement policy she announced today seeks to have the county purchase firearms from companies with a clean record, inspection reports, and who implement strict security measures that prevent theft and unauthorized sales. The Board of Supervisors will vote on the policy that Supervisor Lawson-Remer modeled after the City of San Diego’s recently adopted Ira Sharp Firearm Accountability Act.

Wildfires are a year-round threat in San Diego County, but some top firefighters in the region and county leaders say corporate greed is threatening your fire safety.

More wage theft victims in San Diego County are getting the pay they’ve earned.

County, state and labor leaders delivered that message as they gathered to celebrate workers, and report advances on addressing wage theft.

The extreme federal service reductions being voted on in Congress right now aren’t some far away fight, or Washington politics as usual; if approved, they will going to directly affect you, me, and our entire region.

San Diego County leaders today warned that while the County has strategically bolstered its reserves and narrowed the gap ahead of next year’s estimated $138.5 Million annual budget shortfall with a $31 Million projected surplus at Q2’s close, the unprecedented scale and uncertainty of federal funding freezes will further destabilize the County’s ability to address our region’s challenges.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted today to enhance the County’s long-standing Unsafe Camping Ordinance—first established in 1968—by adding new fire safety measures and protections for critical infrastructure. These updates aim to reduce wildfire hazards, protect private property from fire and pollution, and improve public safety for both housed and unhoused residents.

Acting Chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer today called upon the County to send a “Notification of Funding at Risk” to all federally funded program beneficiaries – many of whom may be unaware of threats to these services.

Acting Chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer today called upon the County to send a “Notification of Funding at Risk” to all federally funded program beneficiaries – many of whom may be unaware of threats to these services.

San Diego County Board of Supervisors Acting Chair Terra Lawson-Remer is proposing a new program to notify recipients of federal assistance about potential funding cuts. The initiative, called "Notification of Funding at Risk," aims to inform over one million San Diego County residents who rely on federal programs such as Medi-Cal, SNAP, and CalWorks if their benefits are in jeopardy.

Healthcare is too expensive and too hard to get for too many of us. It’s one of the main issues I hear when talking to folks. This is why I’m excited to share that the County is poised to make significant improvements to how we provide behavioral health, and nearly double our capacity to provide care.

Acting Chair of the County of San Diego Terra Lawson-Remer and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria are calling on the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans to reject proposed Medicaid cuts as part of the upcoming budget reconciliation process which could jeopardize state and local progress in tackling mental health, substance use, and homelessness.

Today, San Diego County leaders convened a Special Board Conference to unveil a five-year framework to expand behavioral health and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment capacity, outlining a goal of adding nearly 16,000 additional treatment slots by 2030.

Today, San Diego County leaders convened a Special Board Conference to unveil a five-year framework to expand behavioral health and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment capacity, outlining a goal of adding nearly 16,000 additional treatment slots by 2030.

For years, the number of people becoming homeless has outpaced those finding housing. But new data confirms that targeted, data-driven solutions like the Homeless Diversion Program can change that trajectory.

At a press conference today, Acting Chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer highlighted new results proving that Diversion is keeping people housed, saving taxpayer dollars, and moving the needle on homelessness faster and more cost-effectively than traditional interventions.

For years, the number of people becoming homeless has outpaced those finding housing. But new data confirms that targeted, data-driven solutions like the Homeless Diversion Program can change that trajectory.

At a press conference today, Acting Chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer highlighted new results proving that Diversion is keeping people housed, saving taxpayer dollars, and moving the needle on homelessness faster and more cost-effectively than traditional interventions.

Since launching in January 2024, Diversion has helped 597 people exit homelessness, supporting 489 households at an average cost of just $3,150 per household—or about $1,660 per person.

In 2023, a woman who had already been deported twice was about to be removed from the U.S. for a third time.

The woman, identified only as Ms. R, was being held at the Otay Mesa Detention Center when a lawyer from San Diego County’s Immigrant Legal Defense Program looked over her case and discovered that she had been a U.S. citizen since 1982.

San Diego County leaders today warned that federal funding freezes and new directives from Washington are already disrupting critical local services. With billions more in potential cuts still under debate, essential programs related to healthcare, housing, disaster relief, and public safety remain uncertain.

San Diego County has sued big tech companies for what it calls the detrimental effects of social media on children and young people, joining a growing nationwide chorus of calls to restrict it.

The County of San Diego has filed a landmark lawsuit against Meta (Facebook & Instagram), Snap Inc. (Snapchat), ByteDance (TikTok), and Google (YouTube) for knowingly designing addictive platforms that harm young people’s mental health in order to maximize views and advertising profits. This lawsuit is a bold stand against the unchecked power of tech billionaires prioritizing profits over public well-being.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors today unanimously approved Chair Terra Lawson-Remer’s proposal to work with elected leaders throughout the region to convene a Tijuana River Pollution Special Meeting in Spring 2025, in a decisive step to intensify efforts to resolve the decades-long sewage and pollution crisis that has plagued San Diego communities. The special session aims to bring together federal, state, and local agencies, alongside binational stakeholders, to assess progress, identify gaps, and strengthen collaboration.

 Taking decisive action to strengthen regional wildfire preparedness, Acting Chair Terra Lawson-Remer and Acting Vice Chair Joel Anderson convened public safety leaders to present a comprehensive plan on emergency preparedness during today’s Board of Supervisors meeting. Following the presentation, the Board voted unanimously to approve critical policies to enhance wildfire response, including the purchase of twin-engine helicopters, water tenders, and advancing innovative brush management initiatives.

 The San Diego County Board of Supervisors today received a comprehensive report detailing the potential impacts of Trump-era tariffs and trade policies on the region’s economy. Acting Chair Lawson-Remer, an economist and former senior advisor to the U.S Treasury Department raised concerns about the ripple effects on key industries and the County’s budget, calling attention to the economic risks posed by uncertain federal trade policies.

Acting Chair Terra Lawson-Remer today led the San Diego County Board of Supervisors to a unanimous vote approving the creation of the County’s first EmPATH Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center. This crucial facility will expand access to mental health care for the South Region, addressing critical gaps in the County’s behavioral health system while providing immediate, lifesaving support to individuals in crisis.

4,000 NEW beds to treat people struggling with addiction and seeking treatment in our community?? 

This week, I joined healthcare and community partners to announce a major step forward in our fight to improve behavioral health care in San Diego County. Together, we’ve submitted 31 Proposition 1 funding applications, seeking over $580 million from the State to build more than 4,000 new behavioral health beds across the region.

Today, Acting Chair Terra Lawson-Remer joined regional leaders, healthcare providers, and community advocates to announce the County’s support of 31 Proposition 1 funding requests, seeking over $580 million in state funding. 

In its four years of existence, the county's Mobile Crisis Response Team program has grown exponentially and helped thousands of San Diegans, county leaders said Wednesday.

Acting Chair of the County of San Diego, Terra Lawson-Remer released the following statement: San Diego County is focused on prioritizing the safety and well-being of our entire community. 

In my role as acting Chair of the Board of Supervisors, I’m looking forward to a fresh start in working with the public to ensure everyone is treated with respect and dignity. 

I discussed that recently (more below), but first, thank you to everyone who has done so much to help L.A. fire victims. This week, I heard from the community with more ways to help. Here’s one for you to consider:

Our hearts are breaking for our friends and loved ones in L.A. Many people have asked how they can help. Options providing direct aid include the American Red Cross and the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Relief Fund. Wherever you donate, make sure it's a trusted organization.

I’ve heard from residents with safety and noise concerns about new American Airlines service out of Palomar Airport, and raised these issues with County staff at Wednesday’s hearing.  I’ve also heard from residents who are excited for the opportunity to skip the long drive to San Diego International and instead take a more convenient flight out of Carlsbad.

Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer released the following statement today in response to a letter from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notifying San Diego regional leaders that it will not further assess the Tijuana River Valley for use of its “Superfund” tool, which is used by the EPA to clean up hazardous waste in communities across the nation. 

As Vice Chair, I will continue to preside as Chair of the County Board of Supervisors. Just as I have done in previous instances when the Chair was absent, I will fulfill the obligations of this role as described in the County Charter. 

Terra Lawson-Remer was sworn in to her second term as County Supervisor this morning. The Vice Chair of the Board cast an eye to the future as she laid out an agenda to improve quality of life in the region.

Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer released the following statement

Over the last few years, I’ve worked with the community, my colleagues on the Board, and the San Diego County Sheriff to add more mental health services and staffing to reduce jail deaths.

With the holidays here, the last thing we want to think about is working. But not only is work not going away, the nature of our jobs could be undergoing fundamental changes — with or without our input. 

Sending a quick note this week to wish you and your loved ones a happy Thanksgiving!

As we near the Thanksgiving holiday, we have some news to be thankful for. We also have some turkeys we’re dealing with.

Let’s start with the turkeys, shall we?

After Tuesday’s historic election where Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer earned the honor to once again represent San Diego County, she was back in the office Wednesday taking calls and beginning to put in the early work on strategies to protect San Diegans from the expected extremism of a second Donald Trump term as President of the United States.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Friday it is reviewing a petition sent by San Diego County residents and elected officials asking the federal government to evaluate whether the polluted Tijuana River Valley may be eligible for Superfund designation.

Terra Lawson-Remer is on a mission to investigate the Tijuana River Valley as a potential Superfund site.

What are 500 of your fellow San Diego County residents demanding? What policy did we pass this week after a deadlocked vote? And what product is being unsafely mislabeled in our community? Unlike many of life’s questions, these have answers – and they’re all right here. 

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, joined by county residents and regional leaders on Coronado Beach Thursday morning announced they submitted their request for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to investigate the Tijuana River Valley for possible Superfund designation.

Earlier this month, the Board of Supervisors chose to delay submitting a petition with a 3-2 vote, but Supervisor Lawson-Remer didn’t want to delay so she mobilized regional leaders and 500 residents to sign the request that was mailed Thursday morning to the EPA Region 9 Administrator Martha Guzman.   

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors Tuesday voted unanimously to pursue legal action against corporations the plaintiffs claim are responsible for the Tijuana River Valley sewage pollution crisis. Supervisors voted on the measure, proposed by Terra Lawson-Remer and Nora Vargas, after hearing a staff presentation on county efforts to help residents affected by pollution.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, and the Democrat majority of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today passed a policy 3-1 for County staff to draft an ordinance that ensures any gun dealer that seeks a contract with the County complies with all state and federal laws, along with several other parameters that will be spelled out in the ordinance. 

The policy passed today was originally brought to the Board of Supervisors on October 8 for consideration, but it stalled due to a 2-2 vote. Supervisor Lawson-Remer decided to reintroduce it because all five members of the Board were present on Tuesday.  

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors today supported a policy co-docketed by Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and Chairwoman Nora Vargas to pursue litigation involving the Tijuana River Valley. It passed by a vote of 5-0. 

The passage of this policy means that the County’s legal counsel every 90 days must present the Board of Supervisors updates and available opportunities to pursue lawsuits against any potentially responsible parties for damages caused to the Tijuana River Valley, Estuary and Marine Preserve, and the surrounding neighborhoods. According to the policy, options should include, but are not limited to the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Endangered Species Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.      

San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, who represents coastal communities from Carlsbad to Coronado, wants the county to flex its legal muscles to remedy the Tijuana sewage crisis. On Tuesday, she will ask her colleagues to explore whether the county should sue or join lawsuits against “any potential responsible parties” for “damages caused to the Tijuana River Valley, Estuary and Marine Preserve, and the surrounding communities,” according to the supervisor’s agendized proposal.

No matter the obstacles, I’m not stopping our work to make our region an even better place to live. Check out a new project to help local veterans and unhoused individuals, and also let me know if you will you sign our petition below?

Construction is underway at a former hotel in San Diego’s Midway District which will be turned into an affordable housing development for people who were formerly unhoused. According to a release Thursday from the office of San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, the county has pledged up to $42 million in capital loans to the city of San Diego and the San Diego Housing Commission for this project, along with others.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) officials today toured the construction of Pacific Village, a former hotel in Midway that the City of San Diego and County is turning into a 62-unit affordable housing development with supportive services for formerly unhoused people.

The County of San Diego successfully pursued litigation against opioid manufacturers, winning more than $100 million, and is on track with a lawsuit against a ghost gun company that violated State laws. Now Supervisor Terra-Lawson-Remer wants the County to get involved legally in holding corporations responsible for the Tijuana River Sewage Crisis accountable, and on October 22 a policy to do it will be voted on by the Board of Supervisors.   

Litigation is a powerful tool in the fight for environmental justice, empowering communities to hold corporations accountable for damages while securing firm commitments to halt ongoing pollution and prevent future harm. A prime example is Anderson v. PG&E in Hinkley, CA, famously portrayed in Erin Brockovich. The case not only secured a $333 million settlement for residents harmed by toxic groundwater contamination, but also compelled PG&E to accelerate investments in environmental cleanup and remediation to stop further damage and prevent future contamination.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer is recruiting San Diego County residents who have been impacted by the Tijuana River crisis to sign on to her petition to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to request testing to determine if Superfund designation is warranted for the Tijuana River Valley. 

Since last Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting when a majority of the Supervisors decided to delay the request, the Vice Chair of the Board of Supervisors has been mobilizing support for the petition. Residents who live across the region are encouraged to sign the petition and share their story about how they have been impacted, which will then be submitted to the EPA along with the formal request on September 24. To join the petition residents can visit the website:  www.SupervisorTerraLawsonRemer.com.

All angles, all hands on deck: that’s my approach to the homelessness crisis, and we’re seeing results. 

• We are moving people from homeless encampments to safe housing and protecting our communities and environment. 

• We are increasing our capacity to provide critically needed mental health and drug/alcohol addiction help people on the streets get off them.

One of two properties in the Ocean Beach-Point Loma area that are undergoing conversions to provide housing and supportive services to homeless people is about to open, with the other on track to debut early next year.

A 2024 count tallied 10,605 people countywide without a steady roof over their heads, a slight increase from 2023, and more than 6,100 people who were unsheltered, an 18 percent rise. Altogether, the two properties will add 75 new permanent housing units.

Progress is being made to move individuals experiencing homelessness from both the San Diego Riverbed and the Sweetwater Riverbed.  To date, 179 people have been moved from the two riverbeds into permanent or temporary housing, and 1 person has been reunified with their family. On average about 20 people per month since January have been moved from riverbeds.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today advanced a new behavioral health project to build 49 new bed recuperative care beds in the region, including 16 beds at a new unit at the former Volunteers of America location in National City. An estimated 1,000 San Diegans annually will be able to recover in these beds temporarily while receiving mental health or addiction treatment.

Today’s action is a follow up to Supervisor Lawson-Remer's successful proposal in January to earmark $8 million in America Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funds to expand critically needed recuperative care beds in the region. This will be combined with $12.4 million in grant funds secured from the state. The primary customer is people who are already experiencing homelessness, or at risk of becoming homeless.

 Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer today declined to vote in favor of the County of San Diego putting its “ceremonial support” behind Proposition 36. A County of San Diego staff analysis concluded that at least $14 million in State funding for mental health, addiction treatment, and homelessness programs would be lost if Proposition 36 passes in November.  In addition, Prop 36 would result in a minimum of approximately $58 million annually in additional criminal justice system costs, which would need to be reallocated away from other County investments in affordable housing, homelessness services, and mental health and addiction treatment programs.

Supervisor Lawson-Remer, who has been instrumental in the County’s historical increases in behavioral health and homelessness services, could not support Proposition 36 due to these significant negative fiscal impacts on essential County service programs.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer will pursue Superfund designation from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) without delay by submitting a petition with regional colleagues. Supervisor Lawson-Remer, in partnership with Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre, National City City Councilmember Marcus Bush and Mayor Ron Morrison, and others, including the Chair of the Air Pollution Control District Jack Shu, will join Supervisor Lawson-Remer in petitioning the EPA to assess the Tijuana River Valley for potential Superfund designation.

 San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer doesn’t want the County doing business with gun dealers who are not compliant with state and federal laws. The gun procurement policy she announced today seeks to have the county purchase firearms from companies with a clean record, inspection reports, and who implement strict security measures that prevent theft and unauthorized sales. The Board of Supervisors will vote on the policy that Supervisor Lawson-Remer modeled after the City of San Diego’s recently adopted Ira Sharp Firearm Accountability Act

Two problems decades in the making, and two big updates on those issues in today’s email. And please join me in supporting Domestic Violence Awareness this October.

The best time to help someone from becoming homeless is before it happens. This is why I’m so excited that a partnership I’ve spearheaded between the County and philanthropic community to prevent people from losing their home is showing encouraging results. 

San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer announced Tuesday she will immediately pursue a federal Superfund designation for the Tijuana River Valley, bypassing her colleagues after they voted to delay any formal decision.

Jennings is one of hundreds of people who’ve so far received help through a recently expanded program for residents about to be evicted or who recently ended up on the streets. The approach, known as diversion, generally offers a single payment that can cover anything from an apartment deposit to car repairs, and proponents believe it can serve as a cheaper method for reducing homelessness.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer’s effort last year to increase funding for the Regional Task Force on Homelessness` (RTFH) Diversion practice is paying off. In just seven months, from January to July 2024, 244 San Diegans were kept from becoming chronically homeless. .

“Homelessness diversion is yielding great results at nominal cost,” said Supervisor Lawson-Remer, Vice Chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. “These efforts are crucial in keeping our community members housed and preventing the spiral into chronic homelessness. I am proud of the work we’ve done and remain committed to supporting these vital programs. 

Homes for the homeless, beds for the sick, and fighting for better care for our kids. 

From adding more than 200 new homes for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness, to significantly increasing our capacity to care for those in need of inpatient psychiatric care, to increasing mental health and substance disorder access for the region’s young people, we took some big votes this week. Check it out:

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer has asked cities in her north coastal district to pledge funding to help purchase more air purifiers for residents in South Bay coastal communities affected by the Tijuana Sewage Crisis. For every dollar a city pledges, Supervisor Lawson-Remer’s Office will match it using County of San Diego grant funds.

In the letter sent this week to four cities – Encinitas, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Carlsbad, Supervisor Lawson-Remer, who is also Vice Chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, wrote in part:

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors moved ahead with the implementation of the Sustainable, Equitable, and Local Food Sourcing Policy, a plan led by Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and adopted by the Board of Supervisors in December. The Board voted Tuesday to receive an update on the policy’s progress so far, while identifying next steps. The landmark policy promotes investment in local food sources by requiring the County to follow six core values in food procurement: local sourcing, equity-informed sourcing, elevated labor standards, organic or regenerative certification, low-carbon intensity, and nutritional co-benefit.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a policy proposed by Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer to maximize services, infrastructure investments, and staffing for children, youth and transition aged youth (0-25). “This is another vital step in our continued commitment to deliver the best behavioral health services possible in San Diego County,” said Supervisor Lawson-Remer. “We are sharpening our focus on kids as a way to move further upstream in our service delivery. This will yield better results, and ensure more San Diegans have the best quality of life possible.”  

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors approved a series of actions on Tuesday to take a critical step forward in enhancing behavioral health services for the region’s residents. These key actions will further the development of a new psychiatric inpatient facility and crisis stabilization unit at the UC San Diego Health East Campus Medical Center (formerly Alvarado Hospital). The facility will add 30 new inpatient psychiatric beds, serving adults with severe mental health crises who require 24-hour observation and intensive treatment, along with short-term crisis stabilization services. The partnership, led by Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe, is designed to address the growing need for behavioral health services in the region, specifically for Medi-Cal beneficiaries.

County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer announced significant progress in addressing the region’s homelessness and behavioral health needs through the development of three new permanent supportive housing projects funded under the State of California’s Project Homekey. The County of San Diego partnered with the City of San Diego and the San Diego Housing Commission to apply for money for four projects in the third round of Project Homekey funding, three of which have now received $55 million instate dollars. The County of San Diego also pledged up to $32 million in capital loans to the San Diego Housing Commission for these projects and has committed to providing behavioral health services for the project’s residents.

As hectic and challenging as our lives are, it’s important to remember that being a kid is no walk in the park either. As a parent and County Supervisor, I know how important it is to ensure our kids have the mental health and addiction treatment resources they need to thrive.

Yesterday Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer convened a meeting with the involved agencies and researchers to discuss how to best collaborate and share information amongst the different groups and agencies working to address the odors and health effects of sewage from the Tijuana River Valley.  The region is experiencing a public health crisis and Supervisor Lawson-Remer is committed to responding with urgency to protect public health.

No one would expect to come away scared after attending a library convention.Yet the prevailing theme at this year’s American Library Association conference, held in San Diego June 27 to July 2, was book challenges and bans, and the takeaway was indeed frightening. Librarians and library staff are facing not only challenges to books but also menacing harassment and threats to their personal safety.

As part of the County’s new policy to promote National Banned Book Week (September 22-28) at all 33 County of San Diego Libraries, Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer is hosting a special event at the Encinitas Library on Monday, September 23, 2024 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. During the event, attendees can participate in a special reading of a “banned book,” meet the author and receive a copy of their book, and peruse the library’s new “banned book” display.

Standing with behavioral health providers and parents at a Rady Children’s Hospital location that provides mental health services, Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer announced a policy to leverage an existing county tool (Optimal Care Pathways) that’s used for adult behavioral health services, to maximize services, infrastructure investments, and staffing for children, youth and transition-aged youth (0-25).

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday voted 3-2 to adopt a new Climate Action Plan that aims to steer development toward more urban communities and away from car-dependent exurbs and areas at a high risk for wildfires.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer presented and passed a motion to better protect residents and neighborhoods from any possible risks associated with battery storage facilities during the San Diego County Board of Supervisors meeting on Wednesday. Buffer Zones will be mandatory between Battery Storage Facilities & residential neighborhoods.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday passed a resolution in support of California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s “People of California v. Exxon Mobil Corporation, et al” lawsuit. The resolution passed with a 3-1 vote, with only Republican Supervisor Joel Anderson voting against it. 

The county Board of Supervisors voted 3-1 Tuesday in favor of a resolution supporting the California attorney general’s lawsuit against large oil companies and one advocacy group.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer wants the San Diego County Board of Supervisors to join California Attorney General Rob Bonta in standing up to the oil companies and trade associations for deceiving people about the industry’s impact on the climate crisis. Supervisor Lawson-Remer has introduced a policy and resolution backing Attorney General Bonta’s “People of California v. Exxon Mobil Corporation, et al” lawsuit. 

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors decided Tuesday to join a growing trend nationwide to restrict youth access to social media platforms. After failing in a split vote last month, with Chair Nora Vargas absent, the board once again took on the matter Tuesday. This time, the proposal to explore suing social media companies over their platforms' effects on young people's well-being passed on a 3-2 vote along party lines.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors today backed Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer’s policy for the County to step-up its support of schools districts by making its mental health experts and other resources available to the County Office of Education as policies are developed to limit cell phone access in the classroom.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors today in a 3-2 vote passed Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer’s policy to have all 33 County libraries carry nationally recognized “challenged and banned” books; put them on display at every library during Banned Book Week in September; and support California Assembly Bill 1825 to prevent public library in the state that gets state funding from banning or restricting materials based on their topics or the views, ideas, or opinions expressed in them.  

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 today to examine the fiscal impacts that Proposition 36 would have, if passed, on key mental health and addiction treatment services, including those for K-12 students, in San Diego County.

It is important to do everything we can to protect the social-emotional health and well-being of children,” said Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, a parent and Vice Chair of the Board of Supervisors. “I am extremely concerned that social media companies are deliberately creating algorithms that negatively impact the mental health of teens and youth, in order to maximize their profits. I am proud that today our County took action to hold opportunistic social media companies accountable and push them to change the way they do business.”

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer announced today two actions her office is taking to help school administrators and parents keep students focused on their studies, and protect their mental health. The first: a policy for County of San Diego mental health experts to help school districts develop plans to curb cell phone usage in schools.

“Stealing is wrong. These policies will crack-down on organized retail theft rings, protect our local businesses, and ensure consumer safety. They will prevent crime rings from selling stolen goods online and protect the small businesses owners I represent,” said Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, Vice Chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. “On behalf of my constituents, many thanks to Governor Gavin Newsom and the Legislators for being tough on crime.”

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer today outlined her policy for the County of San Diego to protect the rights of residents to read books that have been “challenged and banned” in other states, and ensure they are accessible at all 33 County of San Diego libraries, from Solana Beach and Encinitas to El Cajon, Alpine and Bonita.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, and County of San Diego Behavioral Health Experts today celebrated the tremendous progress their Mobile Crisis Response Teams (MCRT) have made in delivering mental health care to residents. Of the 7,800 unique individuals served by MCRT, 12% are youth under age 18; 16% are over age 60; 72% live independently; and 18% are homeless or unhoused.

We must continue taking swift and aggressive action on the crises of mental illness, addiction, and homelessness on our streets. I stood firmly with the Governor against delaying the implementation of Senate Bill 43 last December when this came to the Board for a vote, and I was the lone vote against canceling the 150-cabin project in Spring Valley that lost us $10M in state funding.

Don’t let its appearance fool you. While it looks like one of those easy-bake oven toys, it's designed to create deadly weapons. One of these devices can turn simple slabs of metal into homemade components for deadly semiautomatic firearms, including AR-15s and AK-47s...

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, who supports clearing homeless encampments and moving people into shelters where they can receive treatment and help, reiterated her commitment to support the City of San Diego’s efforts to expand homelessness shelters with the help of County behavioral health services.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the San Diego County Board of Supervisor today approved a 45 year lease agreement between the County and City for the now dilapidated Mira Mesa Epicentre. The agreement, championed by Supervisor Lawson-Remer, means the County will begin renovating and eventually operate the recreation center for youth and families.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer while presiding as Chair over the San Diego County Board of Supervisors meeting enacted stricter rules in accordance with the Board’s adopted Rules of Procedure, which resulted in the meeting running smoothly. The actions were taken as a precaution in light of the recent political violence that took place in Pennsylvania over the weekend.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today authorized its Behavioral Health Services experts to pursue some of the $6.38 billion in funding the State of California is making available.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer’s policy to empower its Chief Administrative Office and County Counsel to explore opportunities to file lawsuits against social media companies was blocked by the Republicans on the Board of Supervisors.

San Diego County Board of Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer and Monica Montgomery Steppe secured the support and acknowledgement of colleagues on the progress made toward increasing Medi-Cal Reimbursement Rates to Improve Healthcare.

Today the County Board of Supervisors approved Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer’s plan to crack down on Wall Street investors manipulating the local housing market and increasing the cost of living. “We need to safeguard housing for renters, first-time homebuyers and working families,” said Supersvior Lawson-Remer, vice chair of the Board of Supervisors.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 3-1 and passed a proposal Tuesday aimed at exploring ways to stop corporate investors from buying up large numbers of homes in San Diego, driving up the cost of buying or renting.

The county supervisor said she will introduce a plan to sue real estate investor Blackstone, alleging tenant harassment, price fixing and gouging. The company says it's made massive improvements.

 San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer said she will ask her colleagues on Tuesday to sue Blackstone, a New York real estate firm she alleges has engaged in tenant harassment, price fixing and gouging.

A troubling trend has emerged in the housing market over the last few years. Large corporations and Wall Street investors are increasingly buying up our scarce supply of homes — driving up prices for their own profit and making the housing affordability crisis worse. 

San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer today announced she and her team will be attending several events in July, including local summer concerts starting Friday, San Diego Pride Parade, and other key community events across the greater San Diego region.

Mental health experts warn habitual social media use is nearing addiction levels and contributing to the youth mental health crisis. Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, a parent, wants the County to join a growing national push to hold social media platforms accountable by initiating or joining existing litigation to protect youth mental health.

County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer Monday announced she will bring a proposal to the Board of Supervisors aimed at protecting young people from being victims of the “addictive algorithms” of social media.

Mira Mesa’s abandoned Epicentre building is on the cusp of new management as city leaders have OK’d a real estate deal that will allow the county to remodel and reopen the long-shuttered property fronting Mira Mesa Boulevard. The action tees up the lease’s consideration by the County Board of Supervisors on July 17.

For decades, people have dutifully paid their insurance premiums, trusting that when disaster strikes, their insurance companies would stand by them. However, recent decisions by major insurers to abandon homeowners, renters and businesses across California, including in San Diego County, have shattered this trust.

New budget, new steps to fight pollution, and a new… report card? Read on to see the big things that happened this week! This week my colleagues and I approved a $8.5 billion County budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year. 

San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer Monday detailed a policy intended to get the county Health and Human Services Agency to examine health impacts of the Tijuana River sewage crisis on South Bay residents. Along with leaders from Imperial Beach and Coronado, Lawson-Remer explained how she wants to see increased data collection beyond those coming into direct contact with polluted ocean water. 

San Diego County government leaders came together Tuesday night to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community with an event that included special lighting on the County Administration Center building downtown. Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer, Nora Vargas and Monica Montgomery Steppe joined members of the county LGBTQIA Employee Resource Group at Shine Bright with Pride.

The county launched the rental subsidy pilot program, meant to help older adults stay in their homes and connect to other services, in early 2023. It’s now accepting applications for 160 more households. Participants must be at least 55 years old, pay more than half of their income on housing costs and have a household income at or below 50% of the area median income.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors Tuesday unanimously approved a budget of more than $8.5 billion for the 2024-25 fiscal year -- adding $46.9 million to the spending plan that was originally recommended in May, with most of the late increase ticketed for public safety and homelessness needs.

San Diego County officially launched Pride Month today with the "Shine Bright With Pride" event, hosted by Chairwoman Nora Vargas, Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer, and the San Diego County LGBTQIA Employee Resource Group. The event was a vibrant display of community solidarity and recognition of LGBTQIA+ contributions.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer secured the support of her colleagues in passing a policy today to have the County help address possible airborne contamination from the Tijuana Sewage Crisis by expanding data collection, examining health impacts on residents beyond direct water exposure, developing stronger decontamination protocols for sewage-contaminated floodwaters.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, and the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today passed its $8.5 billion fiscal year 2024-2025 budget. After today’s vote, the Vice Chair of the Board of Supervisors issued the following statement: “This budget reflects the new, proactive direction our County has been heading for the last three and a half years, since I was elected” said Supervisor Lawson-Remer, Vice-Chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. “When you look beyond the dollar figures you see a budget that prioritizes the environment, that addresses homelessness, and expands opportunities for mental health and addiction treatment.

A more robust system of tracking and assessing the public health impact of the Tijuana Sewage Crisis may be in the works. A proposal designed to substantiate the impact of the pollution may open new avenues for relief – and funding, said County of San Diego Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, who will bring it to the board at its June 26 meeting.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer voted against rescinding the plan passed in March to set-up 150 cabins in Spring Valley to address homelessness in that area. After casting the lone “no vote” today, the Vice Chair of the Board of Supervisors released the following statement: “Scrapping plans to build tiny cabins was the wrong decision,” said Supervisor Lawson-Remer. “There is no alternative plan and no guarantee the State will give us the $10 million. This feels like a big loss in the fight against homelessness."

County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer says it’s time to figure out how many residents are being impacted by bacteria in the air. She wants to study the number of people who are getting sick by ZIP code. Lawson-Remer believes it’s not just residents who live near or along the Tijuana River Valley where most of the untreated sewage enters the U.S. before flowing out into the ocean.

San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer Monday detailed a policy intended to get the county Health and Human Services Agency to examine health impacts of the Tijuana River sewage crisis on South Bay residents. Along with leaders from Imperial Beach and Coronado, Lawson-Remer explained how she wants to see increased data collection beyond those coming into direct contact with polluted ocean water.

Joined by leaders from the cities of Imperial Beach and Coronado, County of San Diego Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer today outlined her policy to get the County Health and Human Services Agency more involved in examining health impacts on residents beyond direct water exposure. The Supervisor’s policy would expand data collection and develop stronger decontamination protocols for sewage-contaminated floodwaters.

San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer Monday detailed a policy intended to get the county Health and Human Services Agency to examine health impacts of the Tijuana River sewage crisis on South Bay residents. Along with leaders from Imperial Beach and Coronado, Lawson-Remer explained how she wants to see increased data collection beyond those coming into direct contact with polluted ocean water. 

The yellow warning signs about sewage flowing from Tijuana, Mexico and into the Pacific Ocean have peppered the shorelines of Imperial Beach for more than two years. Mayor Paloma Aguirre, who said she has been coughing for over a month due to the pollution, joined San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer on Monday to announce the latest plan to combat the health crisis.

We know it’s bad, but how bad is it? This is the conundrum we’ve been dealing with recently as it relates to the environmental catastrophe from the Tijuana River Valley. You can’t manage what you don’t measure. This is especially true when it comes to the pollution from the other side of the border that is fouling our oceans, coastlines, and communities. 

Nearly 100 residents from Pacific Beach and Mission Beach flocked to Bar Ella last evening, as San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the Pacific Beach Town Council hosted a one-of-a-kind event. The "Ultimate Appetizer Showdown" offered residents a relaxed setting to connect with Supervisor, sample culinary delights, and learn about investments in stormwater infrastructure upgrades to safeguard local beaches and bays from pollution. 

San Diego County may soon expand its efforts to investigate potential public health risks from the cross-border sewage crisis. The Board of Supervisors next week is expected to consider a policy that would lead to developing various strategies to better understand how air-borne contamination near where Tijuana sewage reaches South County may be making people sick.

On June 12 at Point Loma High, more than 100 children and adults rode away to Point Loma, Ocean Beach, and other neighborhoods with new bicycle helmets thanks to Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the County of San Diego, Scripps Health, the San Diego Bike Coalition, Point Loma Rotary Club, and Ride the Point.

As the region’s temperature starts to heat up, the County of San Diego has opened its annual Cool Zones program. Cool Zones provide older adults, people with disabilities, and people with health concerns free, safe air-conditioned shelters to visit to escape extreme heat. Cool Zone sites include the County’s 33 branch libraries, community centers and other locations across the county.

Last night, more than 100 children and adults walked away from Point Loma, Ocean Beach and other neighborhoods with a brand new bicycle helmet thanks to Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the County of San Diego, Scripps Health, the San Diego Bike Coalition, Point Loma Rotary Club and Ride the Point.

Upgrading the County’s stormwater infrastructure to protect the local water supply and prevent pollution and toxic runoff from contaminating our beaches, bays and coastline is one of my highest priorities. In my first three years as your County Supervisor, we as a County invested more than $200 million to help keep our communities safe from unchecked pollution and sewage that threaten the closure of our beautiful beaches and waters. 

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer joined her colleagues on the County Board of Supervisors today to pursue a $20 million federal grant to clean up and enhance the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park. Supervisors agreed to partner with the YMCA of San Diego County to seek an Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The county Board of Supervisors Tuesday unanimously approved $23.3 million to build an East Region Crisis Stabilization Unit, which will offer treatment services for those needing urgent mental health care.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the County Board of Supervisors voted today to approve funding to develop and construct an East Region Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU), and also authorized County staff to contract with Exodus Recovery to provide behavioral health treatment at the 16-bed psychiatric health facility jointly funded by the County and Tri-City Healthcare District.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, and her colleagues on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today unanimously confirmed Ebony Shelton will become the new County of San Diego Chief Administration Officer beginning June 14, 2024.

Longtime San Diego County finance official Ebony Shelton became the county’s first Black woman chief administrative officer Tuesday, after county supervisors unanimously agreed on her appointment. “We’ve been working really hard as a board over the last four years to steer this county in a new direction, and I think you are so prepared and so ready to continue in advance and deepen and accelerate that work,” Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer said.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors Tuesday unanimously approved the establishment of an Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Artificial Intelligence and Transformative Technologies. According to the proposal, the subcommittee will develop appropriate recommendations and actions on AI-related policies, review new technology procurements and data initiatives that involve an AI system, and review the governance for proactively managing and monitoring new AI advancements.

San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and San Diegans for Gun Violence Prevention (SD4GVP) held a press conference today to kick off Wear Orange and Gun Violence Awareness Weekend and highlight recent successes in preventing gun violence locally. They were joined by representatives from GIFFORDS Law Center and Team ENOUGH.

Here’s a disturbing trend we are working to address: homelessness is growing among older adults. People over 55 represent 29 percent of our region’s unsheltered homeless population. This is something we can’t accept and I’m committed to doing everything we can to help these seniors in need. Help me spread the word: there is a new wave of help to keep seniors from ending up homeless.