El Cajon's Mayor, Bill Wells, has expressed his disapproval of a California program designed to assist first-time homebuyers, including immigrants.
The program, known as the California Dream for All Shared Appreciation Loan, is open to all Californians and provides eligible applicants with a down-payment loan equivalent to 20 percent of the property's purchase price.
According to Newsweek, the loans provided by this program do not accumulate interest and are not subject to monthly repayments. Instead, borrowers are required to repay the original loan amount, along with 20 percent of any increase in the property's value, upon the sale of the home or refinancing of the mortgage. Notably, the program does not discriminate against illegal immigrants. In fact, earlier this year, Democratic assembly member Joaquin Arambula proposed a bill to ensure that immigration status would not be a disqualifying factor for applicants.
Mayor Wells voiced his criticism of this policy during an interview with online content creator Nick Sirley, who prides himself on presenting "the reality of things as they are." Wells discussed the impact of border crossings on El Cajon, revealing, "The county of San Diego already spent $6 million on a migrant welcome center, which I'm not sure why we need that. But they've just allocated another $19 million for that."
Wells further highlighted the hidden costs associated with immigration, stating, "Everybody that comes across, whether they're a citizen or not, is entitled to full healthcare that even includes having sex change operations, that's an expense for the whole family. People who come over with kids are put up in hotels (...) and that's paid for by the city."
The mayor also pointed out the benefits available to illegal immigrants, including free college tuition and a 20 percent down payment on a house, benefits he claims are not available to American citizens. However, it should be noted that the California Dream for All Shared Appreciation Loan program, established in 2023, is indeed accessible to American citizens, particularly those with low to middle incomes.
Wells' assertion that San Diego County allocated $6 million for a migrant welcome center is accurate. The funds were provided to the nonprofit SBCS to manage the Migrant Welcome Center in San Diego. However, the center was forced to close when funding ran out in February, as reported by local outlet KPBS.
During the COVID pandemic, California, like many other regions, utilized hotels to accommodate individuals, including immigrants, who were living on the streets. This practice continues as a temporary solution to manage the influx of immigrants. These shelters are typically managed by Catholic Charities of San Diego and the Jewish Family Service, both of which have been under significant strain, as reported by several local media outlets, including Spectrum News 1.
While San Diego does not specifically offer free tuition to illegal immigrants, it does provide in-state tuition rates and financial aid opportunities to those who qualify under the California Dream Act.
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