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Why this matters Wage theft far exceeds the combined financial losses of all traditional property crimes in the United States, including burglary, larceny and car theft. But victims rarely get justice. San Diego County officials have known for years about a fundamental breakdown in workers trying to recover stolen wages from their employers. According to the county’s own calculations, more than $30 million in unpaid wage theft judgments have accumulated across the region since 2017.

Why this matters Advocates and policy makers say the state’s wage theft enforcement system is broken. With a backlog of nearly 50,000 cases and employers who are adept at evading paying judgments, workers often don’t recover what they are owed. For five months, Paul Serrato worked 20-hour days, six days a week at a collection of small elderly care homes arrayed around a tidy cul-de-sac in Poway.

Why this matters: The number of San Diego County residents using food stamps has plummeted. Experts say new rules and longstanding fears are behind the decline. A line of umbrellas stretched around the corner and down the street as dozens of people sheltered themselves from the baking sun while they waited for cardboard boxes full of fresh produce and protein at a San Diego Food Bank distribution in San Ysidro Tuesday. “The lines are getting longer,” Maria Lewis said.

Why this matters San Diego faces a persistent housing and homelessness crisis — and it continues to fall short on production needs. San Diego officials plan to host four public meet-ups in the next two weeks to share plans for future affordable housing projects on city-owned land. In an open-house style, city officials plan to inform and collect input from the public about 11 project sites.

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. A California public university cut ties with a federal program that paid for campus police to aid Border Patrol, within weeks of CalMatters revealing the decade-long partnership.

Why this matters A change in a city’s ambulance services could affect service levels and pricing for those calling 911 for a medical emergency. National City could soon run its own ambulance services as it nears the likely end of its decadeslong relationship with a private company. The city’s contract with American Medical Response is set to expire by the end of next month, and staff are exploring the funding and recruitment needed to launch an in-house service under the fire department.

This story was originally published by our partner The San Diego Sun. Sign up for its newsletter. An unfinished bike lane project that passes in front of Little Italy’s 100-year-old Our Lady of the Rosary Church is still unsatisfactory to locals despite recent reconfigurations by the city. The church lost its long-held curb access in April when a two-way cycle track was drawn onto State Street.

Why this matters San Diegans and residents across California are grappling with a worsening housing and homelessness crisis. Inflation slowed down earlier this year in San Diego County, and that means local property owners won’t be able to set rents as high. Starting this Saturday, the new cap on rent increases for the San Diego region is 8.2% — a drop from last year’s limit of 8.8%. The change comes from a cost-of-living adjustment set by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Why this matters Public parks are special community gathering places. So what do you do when the public can’t agree on what should take place in them? Melissa Petri walks Kit Carson Park as much as she can. It’s therapy for her. She and fellow Escondido resident Brenda Townsend agree: The regional park in Escondido is more than just a park. It’s a place that gives people a break from the bustling city.

Why this matters The sheriff’s office said it is working to answer 911 calls faster to meet state requirements. Most county supervisors had nothing to say about it. Inside the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office emergency communications center it is quiet — calm, even. Dispatchers type on desktop computers with vertical screens enclosing the workers like cubicles. They speak plainly into their headsets.