Suing on Sewage
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 Underway for 62-Unit Affordable Housing in Midway to Support Unhoused Residents
Construction is in full swing on a new home for formerly homeless individuals, including veterans.
A former hotel in the Midway community is being transformed into Pacific Village, a 62-unit affordable housing development. Nearly one in four of the homes – fifteen units – are designated for veterans who have experienced homelessness, offering them stable housing and tailored support.
This project is another concrete example of the County’s commitment to addressing rising rental costs and homelessness.
Renovations include new kitchens, plumbing, solar energy systems, and more.
This project was made possible in part by $42 million in capital loans contributed by the County of San Diego. The County will also provide crucial behavioral health services to support residents.
Does this sound familiar? This project is part of the state's Project Homekey initiative, which has provided permanent housing solutions for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The County has been clearing homeless encampments and moving people into stable, supportive housing situations, like the kind funded by Project Homekey.
The City of San Diego and the San Diego Housing Commission have committed over $47 million to Homekey projects since 2020, including $5.9 million for Pacific Village, with 62 rental vouchers provided for its future residents.
Pacific Village is scheduled to open in 2025.
Suing over the Sewage
Next week I will be asking my colleagues on the Board of Supervisors to enable the County of San Diego to file lawsuits against corporations responsible for ongoing pollution. If approved, this policy can be another tool for us to continue our fight to address the Tijuana River sewage crisis.
The County has had success using the courts against other bad actions like opioid manufacturers and a ghost gun company, and we will continue to use everything we can to hold corporations accountable for the damage they cause.
This week, I joined a group of concerned residents from Imperial Beach who have filed a lawsuit against Veolia Water Operating Services and Veolia Water North America-West, which operate the South Bay International Water Treatment Plant. This is the same corporation that was involved in the Flint, Michigan drinking water crisis and other lawsuits for their role in multiple public health crises, including in Oklahoma, Pittsburgh, and Colombia, consistently prioritizing profit over the well-being of residents.
Their track record of inaction and harm raises serious alarms, especially given their integral role as operators of this plant in our own backyard. Given the magnitude of the crisis in the Tijuana River Valley, it’s time to seek accountability from all entities involved.
Sign the Petition!
A few weeks ago, I shared that I was asking the County to petition the Environmental Protection Agency to designate the Tijuana River Valley as a Superfund site. Despite the Board of Supervisors delaying a formal request, I’m still moving forward with the support from local leaders and communities across the region.
As part of this effort I’m inviting San Diego County residents affected by the Tijuana River sewage crisis to join this petition EPA for potential Superfund designation. This designation would provide critical resources to clean up the hazardous waste that has plagued the Tijuana River Valley for decades.
Will you share your personal story or sign our petition? We’re submitting it to the EPA next week. The Tijuana River sewage crisis impacts all of our coastal neighborhoods and we must take urgent action to protect our public health and coastlines.
To sign the petition and share your personal stories, visit SupervisorTerraLawsonRemer.com by October 22 and help push for a solution to this ongoing environmental disaster.
In Service,
Terra