Big Beautiful Bill, Big Ugly Consequences for San Diego

July 29, 2025

President Trump signed the controversial "Big Beautiful Bill" (H.R.1) on July 4, which cuts social program funding and expands tax breaks for the wealthy. San Diego County officials have expressed alarm about the bill's impact on residents dependent on federally funded safety net programs, potentially losing up to $286 million yearly in program support. The legislation will significantly affect food assistance with approximately 96,000 people expected to lose CalFresh benefits due to expanded work requirements, while healthcare changes will eventually impact hundreds of thousands of Medi-Cal recipients through stricter eligibility rules.

Who is affected

Over 400,000 San Diego County residents who rely on CalFresh food assistance, including 130,000 children and 100,000 seniors
Non-citizens who are not permanent residents (up to 13,000 individuals)
Approximately 800,000 residents in San Diego County who rely on Medi-Cal for healthcare coverage
Up to 327,000 current Medi-Cal recipients impacted by work requirements
Up to 75,000 immigrants affected by new Medi-Cal eligibility restrictions
Lower-income families who depend on Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program
People with HIV/AIDS who receive housing assistance
Disadvantaged or underserved communities supported by the Neighborhood Access and Equity Grant Program

What action is being taken

San Diego County Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer and Monica Montgomery Steppe have presented a proposal to notify residents receiving government assistance that their benefits might be affected
The county is evaluating the impact of the bill on locally administered federal programs
Local officials are sounding the alarm about the bill's implications for county residents

Why it matters

San Diego County stands to lose up to $286 million per year in program support
About 96,000 people are expected to lose CalFresh food assistance benefits due to expanded work requirements
Counties like San Diego will now have to pay up to 25% of food assistance costs ($226 million per year plus $50 million in administrative expenses)
New Medi-Cal requirements will increase uninsured rates, leading to more visits to county facilities, increased disease rates, reduced workforce participation, healthcare system layoffs, and potential homelessness
The 44% decrease in HUD's budget will have "devastating impacts" on affordable housing, rental assistance, and homelessness reduction programs

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint