As 2023 draws to a close, we're taking a look back at some of the biggest stories of the year. The KPBS web team pulled the data on what readers were most interested in.
While a lot happened in the news in 2023, some of the biggest topics on KPBS readers’ minds were quality of life issues — housing, homelessness and high costs of living. Readers also enjoyed arts and culture stories, like the inspiring Flamy Grant (pictured above) — a drag queen that topped the Christian music iTunes chart.
Without further ado, here are some of the biggest stories of 2023.
💸 Bills, bills, bills
For our wallets and the U.S. economy, 2023 was, in many ways, the year life began to look more like it did before the pandemic. Shopping slowed and credit card debt inched up, while the labor market continued to hum along and unemployment remained near historic lows. Prices continued to climb, but at a slower pace, and by the year's end, wage growth was outpacing inflation.
Some things like grocery prices eased up, but insurance has become more difficult to get. Some insurance carriers have stopped writing new homeowner policies in California, and clients are having trouble finding policies from companies still in the state.
The insurance crisis in California has also spread to car insurance. Insurance agents told KPBS it’s been more difficult to insure clients, especially if they’ve missed a payment.
Utility bills were also a big concern for KPBS readers. The California Public Advocate's Office said SDG&E electricity rates have more than doubled in the past decade, rising 105% between Jan. 2014 to Sept. 2023.
But how we get billed for electricity in California is likely to change dramatically in 2026. The California Public Utilities Commission is considering income-based flat fee utility bills. Some of the bill will pay for the kilowatt hours a customer uses and a monthly fixed fee will help pay for expenses to maintain the electric grid.
🏡 Housing
This year U.S.News and World Report declared San Diego county as one of the most expensive places in the country to live, and housing stories dominated readers’ attention in 2023.
The California Housing Finance Agency (Cal HFA) has been providing down payment assistance for low- and moderate-income first-time home buyers for years, and in 2023 it rolled out a new program- set to supercharge their ability to help. It’s called the California Dream For All Shared Appreciation Loan program. “The state of California can give up to 20% for a down payment and closing costs. It’s a 0% interest rate. The payments are deferred for the entire life of the loan," Scott Evans, executive vice president of Cross Country Mortgage, told us when the program rolled out last spring.
It was very popular, running out of its first round of funding in just two weeks, but it’s set to make a comeback in spring of 2024.
🌇 Cross border life
Tijuana has long been a refuge for priced-out San Diegans looking for affordable housing. But now the region is dealing with significant issues as its population grows.
Rents there are rising twice as fast as in San Diego. Between 2016 and 2022, rents in Tijuana grew by 63%, compared to 30% in San Diego during the same time period. Data shows that this southward migration is also having an impact on the city’s housing availability and traffic congestion.
Meanwhile, Tijuana’s infrastructure has failed to keep up with its growth. Building collapses are just part of the problem. Poorly constructed homes and drainage systems have made the streets of some neighborhoods death traps during heavy rains. Decades of shoddy and sometimes illegal construction and poor government oversight are largely to blame.
🚘Freeway fights
This year we rolled out our “Freeway Exit” podcast, with history lessons about how two San Diego County neighborhoods fought against freeway building to improve their quality of life.
First, there’s State Route 15 in City Heights. Prior to its construction in the 1990s, SR 15 existed to the north and south of the neighborhood. But to get from one side to the other, drivers had to take a detour on other freeways or cut through neighborhood streets.
City Heights residents fought for decades to stop the freeway, but Caltrans saw it as a critical missing link in the regional transportation network. The state agency ultimately agreed to cap one block of the freeway and put a park on top.
Then, we learned about the fight over Highway 252. In the 1970s, the state seized 66 acres of Southcrest and demolished 280 homes to build Highway 252. But activists in Southeast San Diego fought back.
In 1986, after more than 15 years of sustained opposition, Caltrans was forced to abandon its plans for Highway 252 and sell the land back to the city of San Diego.
☀ Rooftop solar rules
Solar issues were a trending topic for our audience in 2022. The issue of changing solar rules dragged into 2023 with KPBS readers paying close attention.
It all started when California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) changed the state’s solar rules a year ago, slashing the value of rooftop generated electricity. The legislatively mandated review led to changes that cut the value of electricity generated by residential solar panels by 75% in the CPUC ruling, making it harder for residents to recover the cost of installing new systems.
This month, three environmental groups asked the 1st District Court of Appeal in San Francisco to force California regulators to reconsider new rules for rooftop solar. That was rejected by an appeals court.
Meanwhile, people working in solar are seeing grim business outlooks.
💔 Homelessness
The number of people experiencing homelessness continues to grow in San Diego County. Local officials put several programs into place aimed to help people get off the streets.
First, San Diego City Council approved the controversial Unsafe Camping Ordinance. The ban prohibits tent encampments in public spaces if city shelter beds are available. In order to sweep tent encampments, California cities need to offer “adequate shelter” to residents. What that means has been up for debate.
Following San Diego City Council’s approval of the encampment ban, a “Safe Sleeping” program site opened in Golden Hill and Lot O near the Naval Hospital. There are tents at these sites for people experiencing homelessness.
🏫 National City teacher
Editor's note: This story contains details that some readers may find disturbing.
Former National City teacher Jacqueline Ma was arrested in March. She is accused of grooming two boys and entering into a sexual relationship with one of the boys beginning when he was 12 years old.
Among the charges Ma faces are felony counts of lewd acts on a child, contacting a minor with the intent to commit a sexual offense and possession of child pornography. She faces up to 165 years to life in state prison if convicted of all charges.
Ma, 34, was named one of San Diego County's 2022 "teachers of the year."
In November, she was ordered to stand trial.
♻ Composting
San Diego rolled out its composting program in 2023. Many parts of the county were equipped with green bins and small buckets to collect organic waste thanks to the law requiring composting — Senate Bill 1383.
The bill is an effort to decrease the amount for short-lived climate pollutants, such as the greenhouse gas methane, which is 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20-year timespan, according to the California Air Resources Board.
While some areas of San Diego County were exempt from the composting requirement, many residents had to figure out how to compost for the first time. KPBS put together a how-to at the start of the program to help out.
Many residents were eager to get started with the composting program, but dealing with the flies and smell that come with composting has proven to be a challenge for some. Officials recommend layering organic waste with greenery or paper towels to reduce any smells.
🎸 Arts and culture
A lot happened in the arts and culture world in San Diego County, but there were four stories that captured readers’ attention the most.
First, former San Diego-based drag queen Flamy Grant (the alter ego of Matthew Lovegood) topped the iTunes Christian music charts in late July with her album “Bible Belt Baby.” Lovegood wrote the album to process their religious trauma.
Also in July, Comic-Con International returned to San Diego’s Convention Center. Readers wanted to know about all the free events happening around town in honor of the annual pop culture event.
Arts and culture reporter Beth Accomando served up a history lesson on the iconic — and rebellious history — of Les Girls theater. The Point Loma venue is both a strip club and a place for theater. Here’s more about their Fringe Festival submission, “Censored Heart.”
And then there was some sad news: indie movie theater Ken Cinema was sold.
Readers also liked these stories:
Most downloaded podcast
The most downloaded podcast episode of 2023 was from KPBS’ “Roundtable.” Host Matt Hoffman talked to CalMatters reporter Marisa Kendal about a UC San Francisco study examining causes of homelessness in California. It found losing income is the No. 1 reason Californians end up homeless — and the vast majority of them say a subsidy of as little as $300 a month could have kept them off the streets.
🎧 Roundtable: Study reveals causes of homelessness in California
Listen and subscribe to "Roundtable" wherever you listen to podcasts.
Did any of these topics surprise you? I was glad to see the inspiring story of drag queen Flamy Grant was a favorite with our audience.
