San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond is pushing a new test run to help first-time homebuyers break into one of the toughest housing markets in the country. At Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, he plans to introduce a pilot program that would mix down-payment help with interest-rate buy-downs and public-private partnerships, all aimed at cutting both upfront costs and monthly mortgage payments. The proposal is framed as a direct response to soaring home prices that have pushed many local workers out of the ownership game.
According to 10News, the measure is listed as item No. 25 on the board agenda. The meeting is scheduled to start at 9 AM in the Board Chamber at the County Administration Center, 1600 Pacific Highway. If approved, the item would instruct the Chief Administrative Officer, Ebony Shelton, to study how a pilot program could operate in unincorporated areas and return to the board within 120 days with options and cost estimates.
Desmond told 10News that the very people who serve our communities are being priced out, and said owning a home isn’t about property, it’s about dignity, it’s about stability. The board letter also calls on staff to outline safeguards and risk-reduction strategies if the pilot moves forward.
What the pilot would study
The requested analysis would look at several pieces of the affordability puzzle: down-payment assistance, interest-rate buy-downs and potential public-private partnerships with financial institutions. It would also consider eligibility rules designed to layer on top of existing county offerings rather than duplicate them.
The San Diego Housing Commission currently runs first-time homebuyer programs for both the city and the county, including deferred-payment loans and closing-cost grants, which staff would be asked to factor into any pilot structure, according to the San Diego Housing Commission. County officials also announced roughly $2.5 million in state grant funding for first-time buyers late last year, a move that unveils $2.5M grant program and underscores how aggressively the county has been trying to chip away at the affordability crisis.
Why officials say it matters
Affordability data from the California Association of Realtors paints a grim picture. In recent reporting, only about 13% of San Diego County households could afford the median-priced home, a level that helps explain why county leaders say they need more tools in the toolbox. C.A.R. found that affordability ticked up slightly in late 2025 but still sits well below historical norms.
Political context
The timing is not happening in a vacuum. The proposal lands as Desmond, first elected to represent District 5 in 2018, has filed to run for Congress in the newly redrawn 48th District to succeed Rep. Darrell Issa. The Coast News reported in early March that Issa will not seek reelection in the district and has endorsed Desmond, a campaign twist that observers say could influence the pace and visibility of county initiatives he brings forward.
