In April 2020, the MTS Board of Directors postponed Elevate SD 2020, a ballot measure that, if approved, would have raised $24 billion over the next 50 years. The initiative had the potential to transform San Diego’s transit system. EHC, community members, and partner organizations have all worked tirelessly for the past two years advocating for MTS to prioritize equity and environmental justice (EJ) communities as it shaped Elevate SD 2020.

Then our lives were completely upended by the COVID-19 pandemic. As transit ridership plummeted and unemployment skyrocketed, the likelihood of a successful ballot measure became dire. While the ballot measure will not move forward, EHC and the San Diego Transportation Equity Working Group (SDTEWG) will now work even harder to achieve our EJ priorities through different channels like the SANDAG regional transportation plan.

Our communities and our environment cannot afford “a return to normal.” We cannot afford to waste time and money by locking in decades of toxic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, which will lead us into another health crisis from worsened air pollution and climate change.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay tuned for updates on our climate and transportation justice work as we continue to advance EJ priorities.

For more information about our Transportation Justice advocacy, contact Oscar Medina at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.