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. 

But now I need your help!

The County’s 2024-25 budget proposal includes investing another $67 million toward making our stormwater system more effective. We want to ensure this funding is included in the final budget approved later this month! 

Will you show your support for improving stormwater infrastructure by  signing on here ?

Bringing $20 Million to San Diego County 

This week I voted to partner with the YMCA to bring $20 million from a federal grant to San Diego County to clean up and enhance the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park. 

Encompassing approximately 1,800 acres, the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park is considered by some to be the gateway to the state of California. It’s located on land owned by the County near the border of the Tijuana River Valley, and adjacent to Imperial Beach and the Otay Mesa-Nestor communities in the City of San Diego.

In addition to paying to clean up trash and debris in the park, the grant from the EPA would help fund green infrastructure and nature-based solutions to provide recreational opportunities and habitat enhancements to the region. The grant could pay for:

• Removing accumulated trash, sediment, and debris from specific areas within the County-owned property

• Replacing those areas with native habitat to restore the hydrological function of the Tijuana River in this area. 

• Creating a new resilience hub with YMCA Camp S.U.R.F. located in Imperial Beach, which would include a community convening space that provides educational activities that would also serve 43 schools in Chula Vista after school programs and other resiliency programs

• Using this place as an emergency staging area where residents affected by flooding, fire, or other disasters could receive assistance

• Establishing year-round trail connectivity and wayfinding signage to assist residents navigating the trails and paths that lead to and connect the YMCA resilience hub and the County park 

• Evaluating pollution reduction strategies such as trash and sediment capture, disposal of solid and hazardous waste, and clean water infrastructure to reduce pollution exposure.

It’s very rare to have such a vast amount of land under public ownership, and I’m excited that this partnership with the YMCA could bring millions of federal dollars to San Diego County to transform this truly unique area.

Addiction? Mental Illness? New Facilities to Help

We’ve all been there: You see someone on drugs or suffering a mental health breakdown, wonder how they ended up on the streets, and wish there was a place for them to get treatment.

I voted this week to continue our work to build a functional, effective ecosystem of care for San Diegans who have been left out to dry through decades of poor planning and disinvestment in our support systems.

On Tuesday the Board of Supervisors approved funding to:

• Provide behavioral health treatment at a psychiatric health facility in North County, which is jointly funded by the County and Tri-City Healthcare District.
  

• This new 16-bed facility in North County gets us closer to ensure all corners of our region are covered with the mental health support they need. Exodus Recovery, which will be providing behavioral health treatment services, already delivers care at two of our three North County Crisis Stabilization Units. Adding this new location will provide an easy transition for them and for patients.
  

• Develop and construct a new Crisis Stabilization Unit in East County to help people with addiction and acute mental health conditions. This is a part of the region where there has been a big need that has not been fully met.
  

• Crisis stabilization units are places that provide immediate mental health support and treatment services in a therapeutic setting to people with serious behavioral health needs who require urgent care beyond what an outpatient clinical service can provide.
  

• Clients will receive care to help to deescalate a person’s level of distress, prevent or treat a behavioral health crisis, and reduce acute symptoms of a mental health condition. The units also support people with co-occurring substance use disorder, including those with opioid use disorder. 

We remain committed to delivering the treatment services our region needs.

Your Turn to Talk

Want to learn how our County is enhancing our mental health and and addiction treatment services for San Diegans? 

Join my Telephone Town Hall and get your questions answered!

RSVP here!

I’m looking forward to the conversation on June 10 at 5:30 p.m. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to reach out if there is anything you need.

In service,

Terra