The San Diego County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted a balanced $9.16 billion budget for fiscal year 2026-27. The new budget became effective July 1. It increases spending by $522 million, or 6.1%, over the current year and also includes 20,389.25 staff years, a net increase of 109.
More information about the budget process is on budget.sandiegocounty.gov.
The County’s recommended budget, released May 18 and revised in June, incorporated feedback from surveys, open houses, virtual and in-person forums, and an 11-day public comment period.
Highlights from the Adopted Budget
Behavioral Health
- $1.4 billion in behavioral health spending, including:
- Housing Interventions – $88 million
- Residential & Long-Term Care — $176 million
- BH CONNECT Implementation —Adding $47.3 million
- Substance Use Treatment for Adults — Adding $23 million
- Behavioral Health Workforce — $15.2 million
- Community Engagement and Network Support — $14.4 million
- Behavioral Health Wellness Campus — Adding $12.7 million
- Crisis Residential Treatment— Adding $9.6 million
- Behavioral Health Facilities — Adding $3.5 million
- Child & Youth Behavioral Health — Adding $2 million
- In-Home Outreach Teams — Adding $1.1 million
Environmental Sustainability
- Regional Watershed Protection & Ocean Pollution Prevention — $25.6 million
- Waste Diversion, Emissions Reduction & Closed Landfill Management — $25 million
- Farmland Preservation, Open Space Protection & Agricultural Safeguards — $17.3 million
- Climate Action Plan-related Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction Investments — $15 million (includes some programs referenced in other areas of the budget)
- Groundwater Resource Management — $3.4 million
- Green Building & Solar Energy Promotion — $1.4 million
- EV Roadmap Expansion & Fleet Electrification — $1.2 million
- Tree Planting — $500,000
- Pollution Chief for Tijuana River Valley Regional Coordination
Housing and Homelessness
- $93.1 million in housing resources for vulnerable residents
Including:- $16 million total, including $11.6 million prior year funds, for the Regional Homeless Assistance Program and Inclement Weather Program.
- $3.4 million for the Housing our Youth Program
- $2.8 million in prior year funds for the Shallow Rental Subsidy Program
- $1.6 million in prior year funds to extend the LGBTQ+ Innovative Housing Program
- $1.6 million in prior year funds for the Bancroft and Magnolia Safe Parking Programs
- $29.2 million for housing support and development services
- $600,000 for the District Attorney’s Shelter Ready app
Infrastructure
- Road Safety and Maintenance Investments — $266.9 million
- Facility Maintenance and Safety Upgrades—$73.3 million
- Stormwater and Flood Prevention — $63.6 million
- Parks & Recreation Operations — $37.7 million
- Ramona Sheriff Station Replacement — $34.3 million
- Library Operations — $71.5 million
- Vista Detention Facility Planning — $3 million
- Community Facility Investments
Public Safety
- Firefighting Operations and Emergency Medical Services — $84.5 million
- County Fire Night Flying Helicopter
- Citizen’s Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB)— $600,000
- Community Care Coordination and Alternatives to Incarceration — $5.5 million
- Justice Prevention, Diversion and Reentry Services — $4.5 million
- Expanding Community‑Led Violence Prevention in Spring Valley — $250,000
- Gun Violence Reduction Program — $227,000
Vulnerable Populations
- Eligibility and Self Sufficiency Services — $852 million
- Child and Family Well-Being — $502 million
- In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) — $248.7 million
- Health and Medical Care in Jails — $198.9 million
- Health and Medical Care for Youth in Custody — $14.36 million
- Animal Services — $12.2 million
- Immigrant Legal Defense Program — $13.2 million
- Sheriff’s Office (Proposition 36) — $15.3 million
- Public Defender (Proposition 36) — $4.82 million
- Probation (Proposition 36) — $2.97 million
- Library Wi‑Fi Access — $381,000
- Library High School Program— $245,000
- Citizenship Training — $221,000
- ¡Mas Fresco! Plus Program- $500,000
- Department of Youth Development- $250,000
- Child Support Services
Other Highlights
- Public Health Services — $235.6 million
- Food Safety Inspections — $18 million
- District Attorney Consumer Protection Expansion — $16.3 million
- Consumer Fairness and Public Protection Unit — $2.4 million
- Vector Control and Mosquito-Borne Disease Prevention — $16 million
- Beach Water Quality Testing — $1.9 million.
- Ethics, Compliance & Labor Standards — $300,000
- Mobile Veterinary Surgical Unit
- Arts & Culture and Film Office — $3.25 million
As reported by the County News Center, County of San Diego Communications Office
