Board Recap: Major Win on Fire Safety — and a Missed Opportunity on Housing

Media
2 days ago
2 min read

The County will be purchasing the same make and model of firefighting helicopter as this one used by CAL FIRE.The new helicopter will need to be outfitted with seating for a full crew and specific firefighting equipment. Until ready next fall, CAL FIRE will provide a reserve helicopter to the region.

I wanted to give you a quick update from today’s Board of Supervisors meeting — where we secured a major victory for wildfire protection and faced a disappointing setback on housing.

First, the good news

Today, the Board approved a major investment in our wildfire defense: the purchase of a new Sikorsky S-70 Firehawk helicopter.

Back in January, after three fires in North County and the devastating fires in Los Angeles, I called for a comprehensive review of our wildfire preparedness and pushed for stronger regional protections. I’m proud to say that effort led directly to today’s vote.

The Firehawk has greater water capacity, longer flight time, and can fly at night — giving our firefighters the ability to attack fires faster and stronger. Over the past six years, we’ve made strategic investments to keep our communities safe:

Added two twin-engine helicopters to our aerial fleet
Committed $3 million annually to add firefighters across the region
Installed helihydrants and expanded brush management

We haven’t had a major wildfire in recent years, and that’s not by chance — it’s because we’ve taken fire safety seriously and acted decisively. Today’s action builds on that work and gives our region more tools to protect lives, homes, and neighborhoods when the next fire sparks.

Now, the bad news

My proposal to protect San Diegans from being priced out of homeownership by foreign investors and corporate speculators was rejected by my colleagues on the Board.

This plan would have directed the County to advocate for state legislation restricting foreign investment in entry-level and single-family homes, especially near military installations and critical infrastructure, while exploring local solutions to level the playing field for working families.

The median home price in San Diego County is now $937,000. Only 8% of young adults under 35 own a home here, and more than 70% of families are priced out entirely. Meanwhile, foreign buyers and large corporations are buying up homes with all-cash offers that ordinary families can’t match.

Other states have already acted — and San Diego should too. This was a missed opportunity to take a stand for the next generation of homeowners. But I’m not done fighting. I’ll keep pushing to make sure the American Dream belongs to San Diegans, not foreign speculators or Wall Street investors.

Data: Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies; Chart: Axios Visuals | Click on image to enlarge

Bottom line

Today we took a major step forward on wildfire protection — and I’m proud to have led that effort. On housing, the work continues. I’m committed to fighting for policies that protect families, strengthen our communities, and keep San Diego a place where people can live, work, and raise their kids.

Thank you for your continued support — it means a lot as we keep fighting for the future of our region.