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By Miriam Raftery
Image: County Administration Building
July 2, 2025 (San Diego) – The $8.63 billion balanced budget passed by San Diego County Supervisors last week prioritizes housing, homelessness, public safety, infrastructure, health, environmental sustainability and support for vulnerable populations.
It also includes projects benefitting or impacting East County communities. These include:
- Buying two ambulances for unincorporated areas
- Purchasing a helicopter for firefighting and search and rescue missions
- A new crisis stabilization unit in El Cajon
- Operating safe parking programs in Spring Valley and unincorporated El Cajon, plus opening a third safe parking site in Grantville for people living in vehicles
- Constructing Troy Street Sleeping cabins in Lemon Grove to shelter homeless people
- Upgrades and repairs at the Descanso Fire Station
- Staffing two water tenders to provide water during wildfires
- Partnering with Cal Fire to explore using livestock grazing to reduce fire risk
- Enhanced fire and emergency medical services in Dulzura and Pauma Valley
- Improving a temporary space during construction of new Ramona Sheriff’s substation
- New county library opening in 2026 in Casa de Oro
- Creating community gardens in Spring Valley and Ramona
- New mobile veterinary surgical unit for unincorporated areas
- Cleaning up homeless encampments in unincorporated areas
- Installing new electric vehicle charging stations in rural areas
In addition to those East County specific projects, the budget includes many other items to benefit residents countywide including these:
- A $4.1 million increase for road improvements and flood control
- Increased funds to support the Sheriff’s opioid enforcement program
- $267.3 million to prevent epidemics and spread of disease and assure access for all with public health centers, home visiting programs and pharmaceutical services
- Funds for a new public health lab to test for infectious diseases
- $500 a month rent subsidies for nearly 400 low-income elderly adults
- Funds to help tenants facing eviction
- 16 affordable housing developments funded partially by the County now under construction, with 18 more in the works
- Helping homeless people in the San Diego Riverbed
- $15 million for the Regional Homeless Assistance program
- Drowning prevention and swim lessons at Parks and Recreation sites
- $1 million for Safe Destination Nights, an after-school program serving 8,000 youths
- Treating mosquito breeding sites
- Funding for mental health services and substance abuse programs
- Funds for the Mas Fresco Plus program to deliver farm produces boxes to homes
- Office of Emergency Services disaster recovery efforts
- Improvements to medical and mental health services for people in custody
- New Resource and Reentry hub to help formerly incarcerated people
- $853 million to help people in need access Calfresh, MediCal and CalWORKS
- Road safety and infrastructure upgrades
- $4.8 million to clear culverts, channels and storm drains to prevent flooding
- $489 million to help keep at-risk families and children together
- $154.9 million to help families who support foster and adopted children.
- $223.5 million for in-home supportive services for vulnerable adults and those with disabilities.
- Funds for an LGBTQ+ innovative housing and supports contracts
- Increased funds for a domestic violence shelter program
- $4.1 million to implement the Climate Action Plan
- Additional funds to reduce greenhouse gases
- Funds to monitor and report on beach and bay water quality
- $1.3 million to improve the polluted Tijuana River Valley with dredging and habitat restoration
- Planting 2,000 trees on County property to combat climate change
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