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.

Read on for more info, as well as for updates on how you can weigh in on the County’s proposed budget, plus bike news!

Seniors: Apply Now!

In 2022, my colleagues and I on the Board of Supervisors voted to implement a pilot program to help seniors at risk for homelessness stay in their homes. Called the Shallow Rental Subsidy Program, it provides eligible residents over 55 with a $500 monthly rental subsidy for 18 months.

Now we’re extending this program to help even more seniors in need. We’ve opened up an additional 160 spots for seniors at risk of homelessness. Participants will be selected randomly.

Who can apply, and how do you do it? 

• Be a San Diego resident 55 years or older at risk of homelessness
• Have a household income at or below 50 percent of the Area Median Income
• Be severely rent burdened, paying more than 50 percent of your income toward housing costs
• Have a lease or rental agreement in your name and a landlord willing to participate in the program
• Not be receiving funds from another rental subsidy program
• Sign consent forms to participate in the program and an evaluation

You can apply here, or ask questions by emailing AHHSseniorprogram@equitablesolutions.com or calling (619) 780-3684. 

Hundreds of Seniors Already Supported

Now that you know this senior rent assistance program is taking new applications, you should know that it’s helped a lot of San Diegans.

The Senior Shallow Rent Subsidy pilot program has been a great success. Since we launched it in 2023, 222 older adults have been helped.

Unfortunately, there have been more applicants than available funding. So I was proud to vote with my colleagues to expand this pilot program to help more seniors. 

Programs like this are only going to grow in importance in the coming years. The County’s Aging Roadmap anticipates that San Diego’s population of residents aged 60 and older will grow to more than 910,000 by 2030, with those aged 55 and older surpassing 1.1 million. 

This rental subsidy, along with other programs supporting our seniors, are critical lifelines to help vulnerable populations, like seniors, from falling into homelessness.

Yay or Nay? We Want Your Budget Takes

The County is moving forward vetting the budget plan for the upcoming fiscal year, and now it’s your turn to weigh in. The draft 2024-25 budget was released for review earlier this month, and

Now it’s your turn to weigh in.  The Board of Supervisors will hold public hearings to hear your input, and I encourage you to join us at one of these meetings:

• Tuesday, June 4 at 9:00 am
• Thursday, June 6 at 5:30 pm

Both meetings will be held in the Board of Supervisors Chambers on the third floor of the County Administration Center located at 1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA, 92101.

You also can provide comments online through June 13.

Take this opportunity to let us know about your priorities! I thank you for participating in community meetings, completing surveys, and participating online to help us move our region forward!

15 Lucky Winners Get Free E-Bikes

This was so much fun! I was excited to partner with the UC San Diego Associated Students and Circulate San Diego to host an E-Bike Giveaway Party on campus this week. 

Making our county greener and cleaner by reducing carbon emissions is one of my highest priorities, and electric bicycles are a part of the solution. We had a great time, and giving away these e-bikes was a great way to help students and benefit the environment at the same time.    

We had 800 entrants! And 15 lucky students walked away with a RAD Power Bikes Electric Bicycle, helmet, lock and warranty. The e-bikes, helmets, lock and warranty were made possible using a County of San Diego grant provided to Circulate San Diego.

Nearly 1,800 miles of bikeways connect our region and the County of San Diego continues to invest in improving and expanding bike infrastructure. There has never been a better time to get an e-bike - they are fun, environmentally friendly, and help remove cars from our congested roadways. Check out the San Diego Regional Bike Map to see where you can go!

Don’t Pop a Wheelie, Pops!

Bicycling can be fun for people of all ages. But Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla has recently shared that they are seeing an increase in traumatic injuries involving bike/e-bike crashes at their trauma center, particularly for patients over the age of 55 years of age.

In response, The Scripps Trauma Injury Prevention Team is partnering with the San Diego County Bike Coalition on a new education campaign aimed at enhancing safe riding for older riders. 

Check out this event in Encinitas, and we’ll keep you posted about future events in other San Diego County communities.

In service,

Terra