For years, a homeless encampment along Buena Vista Creek and State Route 78 in North County had been growing.
Now, our Tigist Layne explains, a state grant-funded project to move unsheltered residents who had been staying in the area into longer-term homes has cleared the camp.
Sixty-five people who had been living in the area are now housed.
Next on the to-do list: Officials in Oceanside and Carlsbad, the two cities that teamed up on the project, are focusing on a third zone in Oceanside with a less concentrated homeless population.
City Launches Financial Assistance Program for Trash Fees
On Thursday, the city of San Diego launched a program to help low-income property owners pay for the trash fee implemented in July. The city is covering the program with $3 million from the fiscal year 2026 budget and $60,000 in donations.
In order to qualify, the household must have an income at or below 60 percent of the state’s median income or have at least one person enrolled in one or more of assistance programs like Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWORKs, and more.
Residents who qualify for the program can receive a subsidy that would cover about half of the trash and recycling fee. The fee ranges between $394 to $523 a year depending on the level of service. Some qualifying property owners could receive a subsidy for the full amount.
The city plans to review applications on a first-come, first-served basis. The city also plans to host in-person clinics to help with the application process. You can find more information here.
South County Report: How South Bay Has Fared Under Trump 2.0
It’s been a year since President Donald Trump took office, buoyed by a rightward shift in communities including San Diego’s South Bay.
For this week’s South County Report, our Jim Hinch decided to take stock of what’s happened since.
Among his conclusions: There have been comparatively fewer immigration-related arrests in South County compared with other parts of the state and U.S. Some local government budgets are shrinking, leading to conversations in cities and the county about dipping into rainy-day funds. Meanwhile, Chula Vista appears to be thriving with a balanced budget, recently-approved pay hikes to fuel police officer recruitment and big development projects.
Read the full South County Report here.
In Other News
- KPBS reports that San Diego County Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer is calling for a county health and safety inspection of an Otay Mesa immigrant detention center.
- The Los Angeles Times dropped a glowing review of the city of San Diego’s development-friendliness earlier this week.
- 10 News reports that South Bay Union School District teachers are preparing to strike after 20 months of contract talks.
- CBS 8 reveals that a federal judge has dismissed a developer’s legal fight opposing a city mandate to provide affordable housing units or pay fees to support other projects.
- The Union-Tribune reports that a North County water district will stop putting fluoride in its water for up to three months to dig into safety concerns for employees.
The Morning Report was written by Lisa Halverstadt and Mariana Martínez Barba. It was edited by Andrea Sanchez-Villafaña.