The county Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to accept a $430,529 grant that will be used to build a welcome center for immigrants in North County.
The Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development awarded the Local Immigrant Integration and Inclusion Grant.
There is an existing county immigrant center in National City, which has been open since March. According to board Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer's office, officials haven't chosen a location for the new welcome center.
Supervisors established an immigrant office in June 2021 "to build on existing refugee programs" and emphasize assistance for "all community members — regardless of one's immigration status," according to Lawson-Remer's office.
"The diverse make-up of San Diego County's residents amplifies the need to provide culturally competent community engagement to link immigrant and refugee populations to necessary resources," Lawson-Remer added.
She noted that one out of every five people in the San Diego region was born outside the United States, "but this is a fact that the county downplayed for a long time."
"This is about making sure the county is bridging the gap to meet the needs of our diverse communities," Lawson-Remer said.
San Diego County has the third-largest number of refugee arrivals in California, behind only Sacramento and Los Angeles, according to her office.
Supervisors also heard an update from the county Department of Homeless Solutions and Equitable Communities' Office of Immigrant Refugee Affairs.
As part of a second annual report, office staff members focused on accomplishments, immigrant and refugee demographics, funding and service gaps, program improvements, coordination with local, state and federal policies, and community outreach.
According to the report, recent accomplishments include helping 65 refugees gain employment; creating the Landlord Education, Emotional Wellness and Self Care programs; and hiring multi-lingual health community health workers.
On Oct. 10, supervisors agreed on a 3-0 vote to spend $3 million for services to help migrants and asylum seekers with various needs, such as translation assistance and transportation.
