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. 

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).

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. 

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 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.

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.

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.

More than 120 new apartments are opening this week for low-income older adults, the first of nearly a dozen affordable housing projects under way using land owned by San Diego County. There are a total of 126 studio or one-bedroom apartments. Residents of 70 units will have vouchers allowing them to pay only 30 percent of their incomes toward rent.

On this long Memorial Day weekend, please join me in honoring the brave heroes who have given their lives in military service. Amid the festivities and fun of the summer kickoff, let's all take a moment to reflect on the incredible sacrifices made by our fellow Americans and San Diegans.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, and the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today called State Farm and other insurance providers who pull insurance coverage a ‘bad neighbor” with a resolution they passed 5-0. “We stood up to insurance companies for San Diegans today by passing this resolution,” said Supervisor Lawson-Remer, Vice Chair of the Board of Supervisors.

Helping people struggling with addiction and tackling the fentanyl crisis were top of mind today as the County Board of Supervisors voted to invest in a new substance use treatment facility. “Drug addiction is ruining too many lives, and this facility will help us make progress on this crisis, particularly as it relates to illicit opioids that are sweeping through our communities,” said Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, vice chair of the Board of Supervisors. 

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the County Board of Supervisors voted today to pursue a partnership with UC San Diego Health to expand the ability to treat mental illness and drug addiction in the region. The proposal will provide new and vital inpatient acute psychiatric services at the university’s East Campus Medical Center, formerly known as Alvarado Hospital. As part of the agreement, an emergency psychiatric unit and a crisis stabilization unit will be established. This initiative will also add approximately 30 to 45 new psychiatric acute inpatient beds for individuals who are Medi-Cal eligible. There are currently 306 beds on site.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors today approved a significant policy by Supervisor  Terra Lawson-Remer aimed at rectifying long-standing inequities within the County's racial and ethnicity data systems, focusing particularly on improving the representation and accuracy of data concerning Asian American & Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AA & NHPI) communities.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer has been hearing from residents  who are angry that State Farm and other insurance agencies will no longer offer renters and homeowner insurance  to them starting in July 2024. One of Supervisor Lawson-Remer’s own staff members is also a victim of this effort by the insurance agencies to punish homeowners in order to leverage their negotiations with the State of California.

Tomorrow is Armed Forces Day, a time to honor individuals serving across all branches of our military. While Memorial Day and Veterans Day receive a lot of attention, I wanted to uplift that May 18 is about showing appreciation for those who are currently serving our nation. They sacrifice so much for our country and we want to do everything we can to support them when they retire from active duty. So when service members become veterans,  the County of San Diego is here to help. 

More than 100 children and adults from Carlsbad and surrounding areas gathered at the La Costa Paloma Community Room Wednesday evening, eager to participate in a bike safety event hosted by San Diego County Supervisor Terra-Lawson-Remer. Children left the event equipped with shiny brand-new bike helmets, courtesy of Scripps Health, along with a greater awareness of safe cycling practices.

U.C San Diego undergraduate and graduate students have an exclusive opportunity to win a RAD Power Bikes Electric Bicycle, helmet, lock and warranty. There are 15 opportunities to win. Associated Students teamed up with Circulate San Diego, the County of San Diego and the County’s representative for the UC San Diego area  Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer to bring this opportunity to campus.

If the speed limit is 25 MPH, drawing a “1” on the road sign doesn’t make it legal to drive 125 in a school zone. Yet gun manufacturers are following a similar scheme, hoping that a new paint job — literally – will let them defy common-sense gun safety laws we’ve fought to pass in the County of San Diego. I have four words for these shady dealers of death: not on my watch.

When San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer first saw the Coast Runner milling machine being marketed as some state-of-the-art product for creative people in California, she was livid. “The idea that you could take the same exact product that is designed to kill people, put a different packaging on it, and suddenly it’s not lethal and not illegal? That is just offensive,” Lawson-Remer said.

The County of San Diego and national gun safety group GIFFORDS Law Center have partnered on a lawsuit against Defense Distributed who sells its gun manufacturing device illegally in California. The partnership between the County and GIFFORDS is a direct result of a policy led and passed by San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer in June 2022 to seek out opportunities to initiate litigation against gun manufacturers.

San Diego County filed a lawsuit on behalf of the People of California against a major ghost gun company: Defense Distributed and related entities Ghost Gunner, Inc. and Coast Runner, Inc. The County is being represented by GIFFORDS Law Center, the legal arm of the national gun safety group GIFFORDS, and by Sullivan & Cromwell LLP on a pro bono basis.

Let's talk budget! The Interim CAO released the recommended 2024-26 budget, which will build upon the solid foundation we have laid over the last three years by investing in vital services to help the homeless, increase access to mental health and addiction treatment, and build more affordable housing for working families.

The County of San Diego’s Interim Chief Administrative Officer today issued her $8.48 billion recommended 2024-25 San Diego County budget. The recommended budget includes many significant investments county wide, including in Supervisorial District 3, which spans from Carlsbad to Coronado. Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, who represents District 3, released the following statement after the recommended budget became public.

San Diego County unveiled its long-awaited proposed budget for the upcoming year on Thursday, a massive document that avoids the drama afflicting the biggest city government and school district within its jurisdiction. The $8.5 billion spending plan is hundreds of millions of dollars higher than the current-year budget, a 3.9 percent increase, and includes none of the likely cuts confronting the San Diego City Council or the San Diego Unified School District.

The Board of Supervisors today supported Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer’s policy for the County to collaborate with the City of San Diego to investigate possible County involvement in an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD) for the Midway Rising site, and Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) credit sharing models for the affordable housing units.

Enacting a strategy backed by Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, five affordable housing projects on County-owned property are moving forward today following a vote by the County Board of Supervisors. “We are leveraging all of the County resources possible to speed up production of affordable housing, keep renters in their homes, and make the dream of homeownership more accessible,” said Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, vice chair of the Board of Supervisors.

As the City of San Diego contemplates the future of its cannabis equity program as part of its budget, Terra Lawson-Remer and the County Board of Supervisors took several actions today to advance social equity programs to help people negatively impacted by the criminalization of cannabis benefit from the now-legal marketplace in California.

Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer and Monica Montgomery Steppe today secured support for their resolution opposing Kaiser Permanente’s attempt to reduce the amount of time their mental health therapists spend with patients. The Supervisors are calling on Kaiser Permanente to provide parity as their counterparts in Northern California for up to seven hours of patient management time. This reduction threatens to impact patient mental health care for residents in San Diego County and could accelerate the trend of burnout in our healthcare workforce.

“Whenever possible and practical, we want San Diego County businesses doing San Diego County work, especially small businesses and veteran-owned businesses,” said Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, vice chair of the Board of Supervisors.

Today Supervisor Lawson-Remer voted with her Board colleagues to direct staff to investigate opportunities to expand the County’s reach to local businesses. Actions could include outreach, education, and a review of current programs that enhance the ability of local businesses to participate in County procurements.

While I cannot legally comment on closed session deliberations or decisions unless a Board majority votes to allow greater transparency regarding the CAO search, personalIy I do not believe our current CAO selection process is sufficiently transparent or allows enough community voice, and I would strongly welcome an approach that allows all finalists from this search round and the prior search round to be interviewed in public at a public board meeting.

I’m proposing a policy next week to make sure that the County government has a say in ensuring adequate infrastructure is established for the redevelopment of the Sports Arena site. As the regional representative for parts of the City of San Diego that include the Midway district, I want the County to have a voice to make sure that residents in the area, as well as those who would live at the proposed Midway Rising project where the Sports Arena is today, have the infrastructure necessary to accommodate this new development.

As a county supervisor, I have been part of the shift in how the County of San Diego views its responsibility regarding addressing homelessness regionwide. I will not allow anyone to degrade the significant progress our county government has made in being a good partner in helping our unincorporated communities and the 18 incorporated cities address homelessness.

Three years ago, the county launched a pilot program to replace ill-equipped law enforcement officials with mental health experts for those in crisis. The effort started small with just a handful of professionals responding to calls in North County. But it quickly expanded. Today, there are nearly four dozen Mobile Crisis Response Teams countywide handling hundreds of calls for nonviolent emergencies each month.

We love San Diego for our beaches and coastlines. But in the fight to protect them from pollution, I had to leave them 2,600 miles behind this week to urge decision makers in Washington, D.C. to ramp up their efforts to solve the international disaster that is the Tijuana River Valley environmental catastrophe. 

It was a busy and productive week at the Board of Supervisors. We honored 2 great groups with proclamations, met with our Service Employee International Union Local 221 members, and three of our policies were passed by my colleagues!

Increased levels of mental health and addiction treatment at future housing developments the County supports financially is the goal of a policy the San Diego County Board of Supervisors passed today. Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, the author of the policy, issued the following statement after the 4-0 vote....

San Diego County Supervisors passed a policy to support California State Senator Steve Padilla’s Senate Bill 1178 to hold corporate polluters in California accountable. The policy, introduced by Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and Chairwoman Nora Vargas, was approved with a 3-1 vote.                

The County of San Diego supports building affordable housing at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Today, Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer’s resolution passed 4-0

Building more affordable housing on public land is a strategy Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer has been leading since she joined the Board of Supervisors. On Tuesday, April 9 Supervisor Lawson-Remer will ask her colleagues to support a resolution to build affordable housing at the Del Mar Fairgrounds as part of a partnership between the City of Del Mar and the 22nd District Agricultural Association (DAA).

A lot of positive movement has occurred recently to tackle the Tijuana River sewage crisis at the urging of Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and Chairwoman Nora Vargas, and now they want the County of San Diego to support a new effort to hold corporate polluters in California accountable.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer wants to increase behavioral health treatment, including the level of services and hours for on-site case management, for all permanent supportive housing projects that utilize the County’s No Place Like Home funding, or similar funding sources. Supervisor Lawson-Remer is presenting a policy on April 9 for the Board of Supervisors to consider, which is in direct response to the challenges experienced at Windsor Pointe site in the City of Carlsbad.

Your morning coffee. Your afternoon commute. Your annual checkup. They’re all made possible by the work of everyday San Diegans. 

From nurses to teachers to baristas to road repair crews and so much more, workers are the backbone of our community. But when a worker is treated poorly by their employer, it hurts all of us. Think about it like this...

On Wednesday night, 50 residents from Rancho Peñasquitos welcomed Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer for a Meet & Greet at the Hilltop Recreation Center. Together, they discussed homelessness, open spaces and parks, housing costs, housing insurance, and Community Power.

This is the month when we see a lot in our social media feeds about women who have changed the world. But as we celebrate Women’s History Month, what about the women who are making things better in San Diego, right here and right now? 

Ahead of Tuesday’s Supreme Court hearing, Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer has authored a policy calling for the County of San Diego to secure its emergency stockpile of medication-base abortion treatments Misoprostol and Mifepristone and support a resolution to continue making medication-based abortion treatment available to San Diegans. The Board of Supervisors will consider the policy during its April 9, 2024 meeting.

Local workers who fall victim to wage theft now have a better chance of getting the pay that is due them.

County and state leaders reported advances on addressing wage theft within the region Tuesday outside the County Administration Center.

The County is making progress in addressing the region’s housing shortage and issued permits for more than 1,200 homes last year, according to an update provided to the Board of Supervisors today.

In yet another action to help people move off the streets, the County Board of Supervisors authorized the creation of new shelter sites that will serve up to 211 people every night. Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer joined her colleagues in approving the design, development, and construction of sleeping cabins and a safe parking site for recreational vehicles to serve homeless individuals in unincorporated parts of the region.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer is actively working with Affirmed Housing, the City of Carlsbad and County of San Diego staff to increase security and ensure the proper level of care is delivered to the 24 chronically homeless, severely mentally ill people who reside in the Carlsbad-approved Windsor Pointe housing development. The Supervisor’s Senior Policy Advisor testified during tonight’s Carlsbad City Council meeting.

After discussion with medical providers in San Diego County, Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer says she is convinced that the region is leaving Medi-Cal reimbursement on the table, and that’s money that could be used to improve the reimbursement rates that fund care for nearly 1 million San Diego County residents.

The Board of Supervisors today approved a proposal from Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer to explore how we can enhance healthcare access and quality for San Diegans while reducing prescription drug costs for Medi-Cal and Medicare recipients. The proposal confronts the critical issue of low Medi-Cal reimbursement rates, which has burdened San Diego County’s healthcare system and made it harder to access quality care.

In a significant move to make quality healthcare more accessible and affordable for San Diego County residents, Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer today announced a new initiative to confront the critical issue of low Medi-Cal reimbursement rates, as well as to reduce prescription drug expenses for San Diegans.

San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer Monday announced a new initiative intended to make quality healthcare more accessible and affordable for county residents. Her plan is to increase reimbursement rates for Medi-Cal recipients and reduce the cost of prescription drugs for San Diegans.

Deliver results to San Diego County’s most pressing problems. Change the county’s culture to serve more people and communities, better.  

Over the last three years as the supervisor representing District 3, those are the things my office has been doing to create a more healthy, sustainable, equitable, inclusive, and liveable San Diego County. We’ve compiled a comprehensive report on our progress.

This week we pushed the County to move with greater urgency on two major issues that matter to us: making homes more affordable and tackling the mental health and homelessness crises on our streets. I voted on Tuesday to advance the implementation of the California State Senate Bill 43 conservatorship law, build affordable housing, and increase local capacity for behavioral health workers. 

In a statement, board Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer said her colleagues “made the right decisions today.” “Investing these dollars into the long-term success of SB 43 and the expansion of our behavioral health workforce was the right way to leverage these funds,” she added. “We will now also be able to act with greater urgency to address rising housing costs.”

The Chairwoman and Vice Chair of the Board of Supervisors today flipped the script on their colleague’s effort to urge President Joe Biden to close the U.S. - Mexico Border, using a substitute motion that nullified his policy and replacing it with sending a letter of support for a Bipartisan Immigration Reform Bill to Fix the Border. The vote was 5-0 in favor of a bipartisan bill.

San Diego County is taking action toward improving local public safety services, specifically within the San Diego County Probation Department. In a document submitted by County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and Chairwoman Nora Vargas to the Board of Supervisors Tuesday, they detailed actions to prioritize the mental health and well-being of probation officers.

Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer and Chairwoman Nora Vargas today secured support for their policy to examine ways to enhance San Diego County Probation Department staff wellness and mental health. Taking this action will help ensure probation officers are in the best position to support people on probation, help them not to re-offend, and become productive residents of the county.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer has pushed for the County of San Diego to move with greater urgency when implementing the SB 43 conservatorship law, building affordable housing, and increasing local capacity for behavioral health workers; and today $35.6 million in leftover COVID-19 stimulus money was directed toward these initiatives.

Three big items… two new ways for us to connect… all in one newsletter. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s happening at the County Board of Supervisors next week!

San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer will hold a Community Meet and Greet in Coronado on Tuesday, February 27 at 6:15 in the Black Box Theater at the Coronado Performing Arts Center, 650 D Avenue.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, Vice Chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, issued the following statement after Chairwoman Nora Vargas completed her second State of the County Address at Southwestern College in Chula Vista on Wednesday, February 21.

We showed this month that the radical gun lobby no longer has the votes on the County Board of Supervisors to thwart common-sense gun safety reforms. After a partisan block last year, last week we were able to secure three votes on the Board to approve common-sense proposals to advance gun safety and reduce firearm violence.

County of San Diego Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer calls to temporarily cease HRC meetings and activities until the systemic issues that have plagued the volunteer commission since its reinstatement in 2020 are thoroughly addressed. 

Statement from Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer regarding Imam Taha Hassane being on the County’s Human Relations Commission.

After a previous failed attempt, the county Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 Tuesday to adopt a plan that aims to reduce gun violence in the region, including establishing an advisory group and hosting community town halls. In a statement, Lawson-Remer said county residents support common-sense gun safety reforms. “Educating gun owners about safe gun storage, and parents about how to have difficult conversations with other parents about what gun storage looks like in their homes, will save lives,” she added.

The assessment will look into the feasibility of employing various locations as temporary refuges for the homeless. The potential setups include small cabins, large tents, or safe parking lots. Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, the sponsor of the measure, emphasized the urgent necessity to provide shelter to hundreds of homeless individuals.

San Diego County leaders are exploring what land could quickly host temporary homeless shelters amid a regional shortage of beds and ongoing discussions about cracking down on encampments. “We still have hundreds and hundreds of people unhoused on our streets every single night who need and deserve a place to sleep,” Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, the measure’s sponsor, said from the dais.

There is no universe in which hate or intolerance of any kind has a place on a commission that is about improving human relations. The Human Relations Commission was reconstituted as a response to the heinous Chabad of Poway synagogue shooting, and addressing antisemitism in our county must remain a central focus of the commission. 

Today the County Board of Supervisors approved commonsense proposals to advance gun safety championed by Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer. The proposals had previously failed by a 2-2 vote, with Democrats Lawson-Remer and Chairwoman Nora Vargas in support while Republicans Joel Anderson and Jim Desmond voted down the initiatives. Today’s vote included Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe who was seated in late 2023 to fill the Board’s vacant fifth seat, and voted in support of the item in today’s 3-2 vote.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer on Tuesday passed a policy, with the support of her colleagues, for an evaluation of County sites for emergency housing options, focusing on sleeping cabin villages, sprung shelters, safe parking, or repurposing existing structures for homeless services. The 5-0 vote also authorized County Staff to seek potential partners interested in bringing homeless services to the sites.

The County of San Diego is acquiring 100 shelter cabins for homeless San Diegans, and model shelters were on display Friday. Next week, County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer will introduce a policy that would make county land available for homeless shelters, potentially including the Pallet shelters.

Today, Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer welcomed Pallet shelter CEO Amy King to the County Administration Center to display two new shelters: The S2 Sleeper (70 sq ft.) and S2 EnSuite (120 sq ft.). Today’s event was part of an 11-city California roadshow. 

County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer was the driving force behind what’s called the Sustainable, Equitable and Local Food Sourcing Program. It launched in early December. “We’re the county. We’re here to be a partner... we should be spending to support our local economy," Lawson-Remer said.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors Tuesday unanimously passed a financial aid proposal for child care providers, including help with start-up costs. Board Vice Chair Lawson-Remer said those operating child care businesses in the county continue to struggle, which she has observed as a working mother.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors today passed Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer's resolution to Proposition 1 “Treatment not Tents” on the March 2024 ballot. The vote was 3-2 in favor. 

The majority of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today passed a resolution supporting Governor Gavin Newsom’s Right to Safety Amendment. Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer’s resolution was backed by Chairwoman Nora Vargas and Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe. 

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and Chairwoman Nora Vargas today passed a policy to provide $1.25 million to help new childcare providers with start-up costs focused on infrastructure, along with another $750,000 for creating a County database of providers to track those that open and close, and peer-based mentorship for providers. 

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, among the three who voted to support Prop. 1, said that while the county has spent heavily on local programs to address mental health care, substance abuse and homelessness problems, a broader effort is also needed.

San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer announced Monday she will bring a resolution to the Board of Supervisors Tuesday to support Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $6 billion bond measure to modernize the Mental Health Services Act.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer announced today she will bring a resolution to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, to support Governor Gavin Newsom's plan to modernize the Mental Health Services Act. She was flanked by Chairwoman Nora Vargas, San Diego,  City Councilmember Raul Campillo, Crystal Irving, President of SEIU Local 221 and medical professionals. 

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer on Tuesday is presenting a resolution of support at the San Diego County Board of Supervisors for Governor Gavin Newsom’s effort to modernize the Mental Health Services Act.

Kids – they’re a lot of responsibility (Yes, as the parent of a four-year-old, I recognize this is the understatement of the century). 

But kids aren’t just a responsibility for parents like me....

A resolution to support Governor Gavin Newsom’s Right to Safety Amendment is coming back before the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, January 23. 

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, the author of the resolution, is taking another shot at securing support for the Governor’s common-sense addition to the United States Constitution. 

A proposal from Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer to expand access to high-speed internet was approved by the County Board of Supervisors today. Without this push to speed up broadband projects, San Diego County may have a harder time meeting requirements to qualify for the unprecedented amount of federal funding made available for broadband investment during the pandemic.

Adding an additional 100 recuperative care beds and helping San Diego County workers with increasing health care costs were strong enough ideas to get the immediate support of county supervisors Tuesday. Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer brought forward the idea of moving quickly on recuperative care as an “evergreen” project.

A series of recommendations by Vice-Chair Terra Lawson-Remer with leftover federal stimulus money today was approved by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, including $8 million to build a new 100+ bed recuperative care facility for people experiencing homelessness and $13 million for workforce wellness one-time payments to address the impact of projected increases in healthcare costs.

In the fight against systemic homelessness in San Diego County, Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer is trying to rally the Board of Supervisors to make a generational investment to get people off the streets.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to retain its current leadership roster, with Nora Vargas as chairwoman, Terra Lawson-Remer as vice chair and Joel Anderson as chair pro tem. Lawson-Remer, who represents District 3, made a motion to keep Vargas as the board's leader.

The County Board of Supervisors advanced a proposal today to help prevent homelessness among seniors aged 55 and older. Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer cast a vote to create a shared housing program for seniors, an idea from Supervisor Joel Anderson that the Board first approved in August 2023. 

The Chair, Vice Chair, and Chair Pro Tempore for the San Diego County Board of Supervisors is now set. Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer will continue to be Vice Chair, Supervisor Nora Vargas will continue to be Chairwoman and Supervisor Joel Anderson will continue to be Chair Pro Tempore.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors can increase recuperative care homeless bed capacity and reduce overcrowding in hospital emergency rooms, create workforce housing for County employees, and address previously identified shortages in the behavioral health workforce at their next meeting on Tuesday, January 9, 2024.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer has said she plans to this month formally propose county investments in step-down beds for homeless patients to support SB 43 implementation.

Another recuperative care center for unhoused residents also being proposed by Supervisor Lawson-Remer

San Diego County has awarded $42 million to nine affordable housing developments intended to provide 872 new homes, it was announced Tuesday.

We cannot sit idly by while people struggle. It’s morally abhorrent to not implement Senate Bill 43 and let people die on our streets without the care they need and deserve. We must always do everything we can in our power to act with the utmost urgency to address the No. 1 issues our constituents are concerned about.

The County celebrated the beginning of construction on a new affordable housing complex in San Ysidro. The Iris at San Ysidro will feature 100 units ranging from one to three bedrooms, including 15 fully furnished units reserved for people experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness. 

San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer today sent a letter to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, to formally support their proposed new anti-monopoly patent rules to take on profiteering drug manufacturers and make life-saving medications available to the public at lower prices.

Four members of San Diego’s Congressional delegation led by Rep. Scott Peters are asking the local Veterans Affairs office to issue more housing vouchers amid a rise in homelessness among people who served in the military. “We are doing everything possible to remove the barriers,” County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer said.

To celebrate Hanukkah, tonight, Monday, December 11, Supervisor Lawson-Remer will host the 2nd Annual County of San Diego Menorah Lighting beginning at 5 p.m. inside the Board of Supervisors Chambers at the County Administration Center.

Happy Hanukkah! If you are celebrating like me, I hope you are able to find time for reflection, connections, and joy with your family and friends during this important time of the year. 

On Tuesday, the county approved a 100-unit project that will use public land in an effort to decrease senior homelessness. “In the face of truly alarming numbers of homeless seniors, we are using public land to create homes specifically for older San Diegans,” said Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, vice chair of the Board of Supervisors.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer voted to support the County of San Diego providing an additional $3 million in federal funding to support migrant families seeking asylum, but before casting her favorable vote, she asked several questions meant to ensure the resources the County is providing are being used effectively.  

The County Board of Supervisors approved more affordable housing for seniors in the region today with the authorization of a 100-unit project using public land owned by the County of San Diego.

A plan championed by Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer to move the County of San Diego – one of the region’s largest food buyers – toward cultivating, purchasing, and serving local food took another step forward today.

More people in the coastal region, and throughout San Diego County will receive the housing support they need because Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and her colleagues on the Board of Supervisors voted today to expand recovery housing for homeless individuals enrolled in County addiction recovery programs.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer voted against delaying implementation of Senate Bill 43, which expanded conservatorship criteria, and was slated to have gone into effect on January 1, 2024. The decision to delay was supported by the other County Supervisors, which means Senate Bill 43 will not be activated for at least a year.

In an effort to combat homelessness and bolster support for the region's vulnerable populations, Chairwoman Nora Vargas and Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer brought forward a call to action Tuesday for organizations, stakeholders, county employees, and the community to volunteer for the annual Point-in-Time Count, scheduled for January 25, 2024.

New Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe was sworn in this morning during a brief event at the County Administration Center, before the 10 a.m. Board of Supervisors meeting. Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, who was visibly excited watching her friend and new colleague being sworn in, provided her thoughts after the ceremony.

The County Board of Supervisors voted today to reappoint MaryAnne Pintar, a pioneering San Diego civic leader, to the Citizens’ Law Enforcement Review Board. Her term will run from December 6, 2023 to June 30, 2025.

People living and working in and around the Mira Mesa area on Monday attended a Meet and Greet hosted by San Diego County Supervisor Lawson-Remer, packing a room inside of Miramar College. Supervisor Lawson-Remer represents Mira Mesa on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors and hosted the event in partnership with the Mira Mesa Town Council.

Our region is full of hidden culinary creators who – with a little help from the County – are serving up everything from homemade latkes to handcrafted tamales right out of their homes. Today I want to highlight a County-enacted program that is helping our neighbors achieve their dreams, empower local entrepreneurs, and fill our stomachs.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer issued a statement urging the county to allow the expansion to take effect in January and calling for other amendments including evaluation of early data to try to improve access to long-term treatment.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer will not support a resolution and policy docketed today at the County of San Diego to delay the implementation of Senate Bill 43 (SB 43), which expands the criteria for those considered to be “gravely disabled.”

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer issued a statement late Wednesday afternoon that said she will not vote to delay. Doing so, she said, would amount to slow rolling change that needs to happen now.

San Diego County leaders are at odds with implementing a new mental hold law that is supposed to go into effect in January. Supervisor Lawson-Remer says leaders need to act fast to address mental health in San Diego County.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted earlier this month to extend the county’s temporary program, which was set to sunset in February, and expanded the earning potential for its participants.

You may be buried in emails by the time you read this post-Thanksgiving Day message, so I’ll keep this quick (and if you’re reading this on Friday and looking for a fun activity, don’t miss my colorful note at the end)...

Work in the reactor cavities is about 96 percent done. When finished, the hundreds of thousands of gallons of water will be purified to the level of acceptable drinking water so it can safely be discharged into the ocean.

On Monday, 120 City of Carlsbad residents and business owners went to New Village Arts to learn about Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the County of San Diego’s efforts.

“We are listening to residents, and as a result, the county is adding more parkland to our region,” Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer said in a statement.

Dozens of acres will be set aside as new parkland following a vote by Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and San Diego County Board of Supervisors today.

“When a fire starts and lives are in danger, every second counts. The new firefighting helicopter will help suppress flames and rescue people in harm’s way,” Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, vice chair of the board, said in a statement."

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer’s policy to provide more abortion education and shut down fraudulent, unaccredited pregnancy centers was voted down by Republican County Supervisors Jim Desmond and Joel Anderson during the regularly scheduled Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday.

Days before Veterans Day, Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the San Diego County Board of Supervisors took two actions to support San Diego County veterans and their families.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the County Board of Supervisors took action today to bring more accountability and oversight to the region’s response to the homelessness crisis.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today voted today to enhance public safety and better protect San Diego County from wildfires, directing millions successfully secured from the federal government toward equipment and programs.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors, including Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, cast a critical vote today to ensure funding for children in poverty, as well as to seek additional resources for kids in need of healthcare and other support.

In a move to help prevent San Diego County’s affordable homes from vanishing, Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted to put a pilot program in action today by keeping 151 apartments affordable for low-income renters for decades to come.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, a lifelong fighter for reproductive rights, has authored a policy that seeks to shut down “fake and fraudulent Crisis Pregnancy Centers'' in San Diego County using litigation.

County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer is urging her colleagues to get tough with local crisis pregnancy centers, asking them to consider not just a public education program on their practices but also filing a lawsuit

As this horrific war unfolds between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East, some communities across the United States and around the world are experiencing a terrifying and dramatic rise in antisemitic and Islamophobic hate incidents.

On Wednesday, November 1, nearly 100 Rancho Santa Fe residents joined Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer to learn more about the County of San Diego’s efforts to prevent Fentanyl overdoses, protect local beaches and coastlines, address the region’s homelessness and behavioral health crises, and several other topics.

The new welcome center approved by supervisors Tuesday will be the county’s first in North County, serving as a hub for services, resources and information for immigrants and refugees.

A two-to-two stalemate at the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today has once again obstructed the County’s ability to advance a gun violence reduction policy. Supervisors Joel Anderson and Jim Desmond voted against a resolution introduced by Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer for the County to support Governor Gavin Newsom’s Right to Safety Amendment calling for a Constitutional Convention.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer voted today, along with her colleagues on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, to advance a multi-million dollar project to remove debris from the Tijuana River Valley and reduce community and coastal pollution during flooding events.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer voted today to accept $300,000 to increase climate resiliency by growing green jobs, increasing healthcare access, and improving road safety, along with her colleagues.  The funds are the result of a successful application to the state of California that the Board of Supervisors voted to approve in June 2022.

Today the County Board of Supervisors reviewed the progress made by its new Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, and voted to advance the region’s second “Welcome Center” for immigrants in North County. 

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, and her colleagues, voted to accept more than $5 million in state of California funding Tuesday to help people experiencing homelessness who are living along the Sweetwater River in National City and Chula Vista.

There is no place for hate in our community. All are welcome here — Jews and Muslims, Palestinians and Israelis, whatever your faith or race or ethnicity or country of origin.. | Read More

Wednesday night, Carlsbad residents filed into the Harding Community Center to learn the latest information about the County of San Diego’s efforts to combat the fentanyl crisis, and protect children and families from the opioid epidemic.

California awarded $20.8 million to San Diego to expand housing for people experiencing homelessness. Officials will use the money to create 75 rental units for currently unhoused San Diegans — a step toward addressing the worsening homelessness crisis where 3,300 people are unsheltered citywide.

County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer is reacting to a landmark new contract between Kaiser Healthcare and 85,000 frontline workers, including right here in San Diego and across California, that is expected to be ratified on October 18.

This crisis of addiction was ignored by the old Board of Supervisors, but in the last three years — and with a new vote taken just this week — we have ramped up our County’s focus on addiction treatment and prevention.

Today, the Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and her colleagues on the San Diego Board of Supervisors adjusted the Opioid Settlement Framework it adopted in October of 2022, to redirect $7.5 million towards expanding proven additional prevention and treatment programs. 

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors agreed to direct funding to the Regional Task Force on Homelessness (RTFH) for its successful Diversion practice that has already kept 2,000 people in San Diego County housed since 2019, for a relatively low cost, roughly $1,500 per person.

A local leader—Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer—nonprofits and others are working on a project called the Homeless Diversion Initiative, which has been successful in the past could keep San Diegans from losing their homes.

"Israel has a right to exist, and the Jewish people, like all people subjected to persecution and genocide for generations, have the right to a safe homeland.  The people of Israel have my full support in the face of this unprecedented and appalling assault by Hamas terrorists."

Tuesday Supes Vote on $350K for Diversion & $150K for Evaluation, Combined Funds Would Total $1M for Diversion. Regional Task Force on Homelessness Diversion Practice Has Kept Almost 2,000 people from Being Homeless since 2019

"As a person of Jewish descent, the attacks on Israel have been hard for me, my family, and my community. In my conversations with family and friends, I have found it difficult to express exactly how I am feeling, but it is safe to say that shock, sadness and anger are all emotions that have washed over me today."

San Diego County’s Immigrant Legal Defense Program (IRLDP) is working, just like Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer had envisioned when she authored and passed the policy in 2021. Nearly 800 San Diegans have received free, constitutionally afforded access to an attorney to represent them in removal proceedings.

A 2018 study showed homeless diversion delivered results while being faster, more effective, less costly, and requiring less ongoing government support than interventions like emergency shelter.

San Diego County’s efforts are about to get a boost. The task force has had an annual diversion budget of about $300,000. After a series of meetings overseen by county Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, several groups have together pledged an extra $1.1 million.

Ending a historic week where 23 gun violence reduction bills were signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom, San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer held a summit to highlight actions taken in San Diego County to curb gun violence; and explore new opportunities. At the conclusion of the Summit, she called for widespread support of Governor Gavin Newsom’s Right to Safety Amendment 

At a young age, I had the honor of meeting Senator Dianne Feinstein and it was a life-changing experience for me. Senator Feinstein built a legacy that will forever be remembered. We all should take a moment to reflect on the trails she blazed for so many of us to follow and further. Senator Feinstein will be sorely missed, but never forgotten.

Supervisor Lawson-Remer is hosting her “Gun Violence Reduction Summit” on Friday, September 29, 2023 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. and it will feature a keynote address from California Attorney General Rob Bonta and four panels.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today voted to make it easier for San Diego families to care for aging parents, grandparents, or other relatives. In a first, the Board authorized providing up  to three “flex days” for County employees to use in emergency situations while caring for an older adult.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today voted to accept nearly $4.5 million to continue expanding a successful program that helps individuals deal with mental health or drug addiction crises. The additional money for the County’s Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT) program will come from a grant the County won in a successful application to the federal government.

Today the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted in support of a policy introduced by Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer, Jim Desmond, and Sheriff Kelly Martinez to train and provide informational materials using the Blue Envelope Program to County law enforcement, first responders, and other partners on best practices for engaging with individuals with cognitive differences. 

The lawsuit, filed Thursday, is the latest attempt by state Democratic leaders to rein in faith-based antiabortion clinics that have so far evaded legislative attempts at stricter regulation despite health warnings about the procedure.

Officials say a greater urban canopy cools city streets, improves air quality and has links to improved health outcomes

In June, the Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to issue a declaration and last week they continued it for at least another 60 days. Imperial Beach has had an emergency declaration in place for four years. Under the county’s declaration, staff were directed to report back by next month with documented economic damages from cross-border pollution.

Thanks to the advocacy of our community, we were able to gain approval this week for two actions that will put the new San Diego County Child Care Blueprint to work and start growing our region’s capacity for child care centers, staffing, and training.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, the author of the County’s Immigrant Legal Defense Program, is fighting back against her Republican colleagues on the Board of Supervisors who said, “we have enough criminals, we don’t need to import more of them.” Supervisor Lawson-Remer issued the following response.

The motion proposed by Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and Chair Nora Vargas will dedicate additional funding to licensing and infrastructure needs for child-care providers, allowing them to serve more children.

The county Board of Supervisors Tuesday unanimously approved an effort to increase the number of beds for Medi-Cal eligible county residents needing mental health treatment.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisor supported a policy by Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer and Chairwoman Nora Vargas to advance the County of San Diego Childcare Blueprint by growing capacity for childcare centers, staffing and training; and create a pilot County workers dealing with a childcare emergency.

The County of San Diego’s Behavioral Health Department plans to expand the number of available adult Residential Facilities (ARFs) and Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly beds for Medi-Cal eligible adults; and today Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the Board of Supervisors supported this with their vote.

Homelessness & Senior Rental Assistance programs are using data and evaluation to drive decision-making at the County; Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, today with her colleagues, accepted a strategy to make the County of San Diego’s data portal more accessible and easier to be understood by the general public.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today accepted around $1 million per year through 2028 to provide at-home public health nurse visits for pregnant women and families with young children in the north coastal and inland parts of the County.

The pilot program from Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer and Nora Vargas would provide county workers up to three paid days off for emergency child care and help fund improvements for daycare centers.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and Chairwoman Nora Vargas today previewed a policy they crafted to help advance the recently released County of San Diego Childcare Blueprint. 

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer secured support in 2021 to create the first-ever County Office of Evaluation, Performance, Analytics (OEPA); since then the County has been a national leader in promoting an organizational culture of learning, and leveraging evidence and data to make decisions and drive results.

Health care should be “about people, not about profits,” San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer told the crowd Monday.

Supervisor Lawson-Remer and local officials have an $8 million plan to revive Mira Mesa’s once-popular Epicentre, a former concert venue and teen center that has become a rundown eyesore since it was largely abandoned eight years ago.

The County of San Diego is again stepping up to help prevent homelessness among seniors aged 55 and older. Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer today voted for Supervisor Joel Anderson’s policy  to develop a “senior shared housing program” at the County of San Diego.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer voted to not allow the Rainbow and Fallbrook Water Districts to detach from the San Diego County Water Authority because their separation would cause water rates to spike for households across the region.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today passed a policy to hire external environmental experts to help the County develop new, innovative actions to slow climate change and improve air and water quality in the most vulnerable areas of the region.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today ratified the August 15, 2023 Fourth Supervisorial District Special Primary Election.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the Board of Supervisors today approved accepting the second installment of nearly 50 million ($14,356,108 per year) from the State of California to continue to expand its public health workforce.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the Board of Supervisors passed a policy to require San Diego County schools to provide a human trafficking awareness and prevention curriculum and implement best practices for reporting it.

Third Supervisorial District representative Lawson-Remer continues work to help fix coastal environmental crisis.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a proposal by Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer that would let developers self-certify projects in open space between existing structures as a way to speed up housing construction.

Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer said the major vote will more help people with severe mental health and addiction conditions get off the streets and connected to services.

San Diego County leaders send petitions to President Biden as holiday beach closures take toll on tourism industry, public health

Supervisor Lawson-Remer writes about the County's continued focus on serving our communities and addressing the pressing challenges confronting San Diego.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer advances homeless outreach through creative Live Well on Wheels program.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer announces new efforts to help workers recover stolen wages.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer hosts a rally calling for a firm commitment to  100% renewable energy by 2035.

The “Safety Through Services” initiative proposed by Supervisor Terra-Lawson Remer advances a data-driven approach to improving public safety.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer Takes Aim at Wage Theft, Champions Workers Rights.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer champions reproductive freedom, condemns misleading tactics by pregnancy crisis centers.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer champions reproductive freedom, condemns misleading tactics by pregnancy crisis centers.

County Supervisors Vote to Advance Sustainable Land-Use Policy.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer Decries Sewage Crisis Poisoning Our Environment.

 Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer presents proclamation celebrating Karl Denson’s musical achievement.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer Honors Emerald Keepers and Coronado Cays Yacht Club As Partners in Keeping Our Beaches and Coastlines Clean.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer’s “Safety Through Services” initiative takes another step forward.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer discusses homelessness, behavioral health and more on the Voice of San Diego podcast.

Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer champions improved working conditions for traffic control workers.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer increases funding to support foster youth, prevent homelessness.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer champions County’s first Holocaust Remembrance Exhibit.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer applauds brave County workers for protecting the community from COVID-19.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer’s data-driven homeless plan takes next step.

Supervisor Lawson-Remer stands with working families, demands dignity and respect.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer continues the effort to reduce gun violence, protect our children and community.

Supervisors Nora Vargas and Terra Lawson-Remer make history, becoming the first Latina Chair and LGBTQI+ Vice Chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer outlines her 2023 priorities for Pacific Beach.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer’s proposal to hire young San Diegans for the green jobs of tomorrow takes another step forward.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer touted the County’s commitment to strengthening public health infrastructure after a devastating pandemic.

The County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a proposal from Supervisors Lawson-Remer and Desmond to explore a “by-name list” to better understand the individual drivers of homelessness and identify prevention practices.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer voted with her fellow Supervisors to approve a framework to spend the $100 million settlement money from pharmaceutical companies.

After a $ 3 million dollar County investment championed by Supervisor Lawson-Remer, a new 106-bed recuperative center for homeless people recently charged from the hospital opens in Escondido.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer along with County Board of Supervisors unanimously approves proposal for required fentanyl awareness education in county classrooms. The proposal also includes distribution of naloxone and training on how to use it to parents and students.

“The housing challenges we face are bigger than any one jurisdiction can solve alone,” said Supervisor Lawson-Remer.

Lawson-Remer says little investment upfront can prevent kids from having to enter foster care, which comes with greater societal costs and greater challenges for the child and parents. 

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and Congressmember Mike Levin spoke at a roundtable discussion on the high costs and low availability of child care in San Diego County

At a Town Hall in La Jolla, County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, a graduate of La Jolla High, discussed her priorities for the newly redrawn District 3.

The County Board of Supervisors approved Lawson-Remer’s proposed Guaranteed Income project for the next two years to help hard-working/at-risk San Diego families meet their basic needs.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and Supervisor Nora Vargas sponsored a resolution urging the federal government to protect reproductive health data.

County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed Supervisor Lawson-Remer’s co-sponsored measure to adopt the use of a “by-name” list for all people experiencing homelessness. This will allow us to understand each individual as a person, better coordinate care, and keep track of progress over time to ensure the most vulnerable don’t fall through the cracks.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and Supervisor Nora Vargas call the Board of Supervisors to support My Body My Data, the national bill proposed by Congresswoman Sara Jacobs that aims to ensure reproductive and sexual health privacy and prevent sensitive reproductive health data from being collected, retained, and used by entities not currently covered under HIPAA.

Supervisor Lawson-Remer details how the County's new budget advances key investments in mental health, homelessness, sustainability. 

Supervisor Lawson-Remer's data-driven approach to protecting public safety receives praise from advocates and reformers. 

San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board Applauds Supervisors Jim Desmond and Terra Lawson-Remer for pushing the issue of rising Fentynal deaths to the forefront.

County Board Unanimously adopts Supervisor Lawson-Remer's proposal to tackle illicit fentanyl. 

Vote advances historic investments in mental health, homelessness, and sustainability.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer stands with San Diego’s elected official to denounce the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization.