County leaders are teaming up with UC San Diego to create a blueprint for reducing the region’s carbon footprint to zero by 2035.

The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Wednesday to contract with UCSD’s School of Global Policy and Strategy to draft a plan that would establish a framework for zeroing out carbon emissions that cities through the county can embrace.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors Tuesday unanimously voted to provide $30 million in grants to small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as soon as federal or state stimulus dollars are available.

SAN DIEGO — $100 million in emergency rental assistance will be available starting Tuesday, March 2, the County announced today. 

“This is a new lifeline for people who are having trouble making ends meet due to the pandemic,” said County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer. “We want to make sure this public health crisis does not leave San Diegans in debt or without a home. If you are having trouble paying rent or utilities, we are here to help.”

SAN DIEGO — The County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted a proposal today by Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer to stop charging incarcerated individuals to make phone or video calls, making San Diego County the first jurisdiction in the U.S. to ensure free telephone and digital communication in a move applauded by criminal justice advocates, residents and even the author of Orange Is the New Black.

SAN DIEGO – Launching an effort to “Make the County Work for All,” Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer is advancing two proposed reforms at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors hearing to remove barriers keeping eligible residents from enrolling in County aid programs. 

The first Board Letter, co-sponsored with Vice Chair Nora Vargas, seeks to end “Project 100%,” a policy that requires anyone applying for CalWORKs to agree to a home inspection. Many eligible residents have felt this is an intrusive requirement and it can serve as a disincentive to apply. 

ENCINITAS — More native plants could be protected and county government programs would have a renewed focus on sustainability under proposals that will go before the Board of Supervisors next month.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer presented details of the proposals Saturday morning at San Diego Botanic Garden, where she was joined by Ari Novy, president and CEO of the garden and former executive director of the U.S. Botanical Garden. While at the Encinitas facility, Lawson-Remer also presented Novy with plaque proclaiming April 24 as San Diego Botanic Garden Day.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to make phone calls in county-run jails and juvenile detention facilities free.

Because a portion of the fees associated with those calls goes to the San Diego County Sheriff’s department for inmate services — roughly $2.8 million a year — the vote also asks county staff to identify funding to replace the lost revenue. 

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer introduced the proposal. In an interview last week with the San Diego Union-Tribune, she said it was morally wrong for the county to be generating revenue from inmate phone calls, especially since research shows that incarcerated people who are able to maintain connections to friends and family are less likely to reoffend after they are released from custody.

SAN DIEGO — The County Board of Supervisors approved a plan by Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer today that will make San Diego the first southern border county in the United States with a program to provide legal representation for immigrants facing removal proceedings. The initiative will help address the current backlog in immigration courts, while also saving taxpayer dollars and supporting the local economy. 

“Our justice system should be based on facts and law, not access to wealth and resources. Everyone in this nation, whether a citizen or not, has an established right under our constitution to be represented by legal counsel, and this program will help immigrants afford the ability to have a fair day in court,” said Supervisor Lawson-Remer, who is also an attorney. 

SAN DIEGO — The County Board of Supervisors today approved a package of policies to restructure County operations to focus on sustainability, and provide residents and businesses new tools to expand natural habitat. Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer partnered with Chair Nathan Fletcher and Vice Chair Nora Vargas on various pieces of the legislation.  

“Having a board led by people as committed to environmental justice as my colleagues Supervisors Fletcher and Vargas is transformational for our region,” Supervisor Lawson-Remer said. “Sustainability is not just something we need in our communities, but also in how local government works. This legislative package will restructure the County with sustainability as a focus, make climate action a part of our culture and daily operations, and provide new tools for residents and businesses to live more sustainably.”

SAN DIEGO — Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, an economist and environmental attorney testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee on Thursday, May 13th at 10:00am Pacific. A lifelong environmental advocate, Supervisor Lawson-Remer was invited by Representative Levin to provide testimony on the importance of protecting coastal communities like San Diego County from offshore oil drilling. 

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer sat down with NBC 7’s Priya Sridhar to discuss the issues important to the constituents of  District 3 and San Diego County as a whole.

If you are a renter in the San Diego area, the San Diego Eviction Prevention Collaborative has recently launched a great new resource:  housinghelpsd.org. The site is built to help tenants to access available support programs and learn their rights.

Supervisor Lawson-Remer votes to advance cheaper, greener energy in San Diego County by joining. San Diego Community Power.  A lifelong environmental advocate, Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer was selected by her Board colleagues to serve as the county’s representative on the SDCP board.

With talk on the state level of public banking, Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer joins KPBS to discuss in how public banking could be useful in advancing affordable housing in San Diego County.