Why this matters
The research from the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute documents how Latino communities responded to a COVID-19 pandemic that exacerbated inequities in their area.
Nonprofit organizations in San Ysidro played a critical role in filling health and economic gaps during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the border community faced some of the region’s highest case and death rates, a new UC Los Angeles study found.
The report from researchers at the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute said San Ysidro offers a model for crisis response and equitable development: Local nonprofits stepped in when formal systems fell short, mobilizing quickly to deliver food, vaccination awareness, cash assistance and shelter for migrant children.
Their work, researchers say, not only stabilized families during the pandemic but also laid a foundation for long-term “economic resilience.” The nonprofits’ Latino identity also was a unique aid in rolling out crisis help.
The study highlights the role of three community-based organizations: Lifeline Community Services, the Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee on Anti-Poverty and Casa Familiar. These groups, led largely by Latinos, were able to respond with speed and cultural fluency.
Casa Familiar’s “health promoters,” or promotoras de salúd in Spanish, were a team of trusted neighborhood health workers who collaborated with San Diego County officials and went door to door to help Spanish-speaking families schedule vaccine appointments, the report said.
Nonprofits also worked with county officials and businesses to launch a South Bay Equity and Economic Recovery Task Force, which furthered vaccination efforts.
By 2023, San Ysidro recorded the highest COVID vaccination rate of any ZIP code in the county.
“We doubled down on our work,” MAAC CEO Arnulfo Manriquez told researchers. “Our staff mirrors the communities that we serve.”
COVID-19 cases in San Ysidro reached nearly twice the countywide average, and death rates were more than triple, data showed. Despite the disproportionate toll, businesses and residents there received significantly less federal aid than other parts of the county, researchers said.
San Ysidro businesses received about $2,300 per job and $500 per resident through the Paycheck Protection Program — less than half of the countywide averages. And only 13% of eligible local businesses received loans, compared to 95% in some wealthier, majority-white areas in Carlsbad and Poway.
MAAC and Casa Familiar distributed direct cash aid, delivered meals and expanded digital access for students.
“We were literally signing checks to car loans, paying Cox Communications for the internet,” Manriquez told researchers. “But this wasn’t just about relief, it was about preserving educational continuity, mental health, and digital equity.”
He added: “Bring the voices of the people to the recommendations, and you will begin to hear different recommendations … Representation matters on all levels.”
The report also points to some of the border town’s unique challenges: Residents face high pollution levels linked to motorists, low incomes, and its “physical and political distance” from San Diego City Hall. Two-thirds of households are renters, and median incomes are only 63% of the citywide median.
Nonprofits are now pursuing long-term solutions. Casa Familiar launched a community land trust to preserve affordable housing and prevent displacement. It also began construction of La Semilla Community Resiliency Center, which will serve as a cooling hub, emergency shelter and space for community organizing.
Along with San Ysidro, UCLA researchers also studied Oakland’s Fruitvale neighborhood. Silvia González, the institute’s director of research, said the reports show the “extraordinary resilience” of the Latino communities.
“By investing in community-based organizations as equal partners, policymakers and funders can amplify these models of inclusive growth that honor local voices and prevent displacement,” González said in a news release.
inewsource’s coverage on efforts to maintain the San Ysidro Business Improvement District was also cited in the study.
The full report — including detailed demographic data — can be found here.
Type of Content
News: Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
