June 11, 2025

Affordable Senior Housing in Borrego Springs

Updates from the Borrego Revitalization Meeting, June 2025

At the Borrego Revitalization Meeting on June 5, 2025, held at the Borrego Springs Library, San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond, his staff, and other county officials joined community leaders to discuss major updates impacting Borrego’s future.

Among the speakers was Honorary Mayor Daniel Wright, who presented encouraging news about expanded senior and youth programs—including free meal delivery, wellness services, and medical equipment loans—before outlining progress on the Village Campus Project, a new initiative led by the Wellsprings Community Foundation to build safe, affordable housing for low-income seniors.

Wright’s remarks highlighted how local nonprofits, public agencies, and county leadership are working together to improve quality of life in Borrego Springs.

Remarks by Honorary Mayor Daniel Wright

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In partnership with Meals on Wheels of San Diego County, we are delivering around 500 free meals per month to the homebound folks in the Valley, which allows us a chance to check on their well-being as well as making sure they have healthy meals.

The Seniors Community Center also offers free loans of medical equipment such as wheelchairs, walkers, and more. The center offers fitness, wellness, and social programs. Did I mention that everything is free at the senior center?

Supervisor Desmond and his staff have generously supported the youth and senior centers with a Neighborhood Reinvestment Grant in 2024 and now a Community Enhancement Grant in 2025. So we're very, very grateful to Supervisor Desmond and all of his staff, including Candace Yee. Just nothing but gratitude to our county folks.

Moving on to the subject of affordable housing and what we call our Village Campus Project... I want to introduce you to the concept of our new nonprofit that we have founded. It's called the Wellsprings Community Foundation. We are recognized by both the federal and the state as a 501(c)(3) public benefit community corporation.

We have made a lot of progress. We have:

Formed the nonprofit
Hired a developer, Robert Eco, who is very experienced in building low-income housing
Been approved for pre-development funding via a loan from Civic Community Partners
Begun researching additional funding sources such as grants and tax credit financing

At this time, we’re very excited about the progress we’re making. We think it’s a great location—next to the library, post office, sheriff’s department, county park, and the new fire station site.

Regarding the fire station: the location is approximately 4 acres, and we’re in the final stages of completing what’s called an Irrevocable Offer to Dedicate. This means that Wellsprings will retain ownership of the land, but once the County is ready to build, we’ll be contractually obligated to donate the property for that use.

Also visible in the site plan is a Community Resource Site—a space we’re reserving for a potential medical clinic. Between 1–2 acres, right next to the library, it could eventually house urgent care services.

Finally, in this conceptual drawing, you’ll see a 60-unit low-income housing complex. This will be long-term rental housing, not speculative. No one is going to profit from this. It’s safe, quality housing for seniors, and potentially for other groups as well.

That’s where we are at this time.

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High Resolution Map

This project is a major milestone for Borrego Springs. It not only addresses the real needs of local seniors but also strengthens community infrastructure for the future. As more updates are made public, we’ll continue to share them here.

Learn more by visiting: wellspringscommunityfoundation.org or contact (206) 948-8268.

Here are key facts about the Borrego Revitalization Meeting:

Date: June 5, 2025 at Borrego Springs Library
Library attendance showed strong community engagement
Led by San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond's office (5th District)

Senior Services Expansion:

500 free meals per month delivered through Meals on Wheels partnership
Free medical equipment loans (wheelchairs, walkers) at Seniors Community Center
All senior center programs are completely free
Funded by County Neighborhood Reinvestment Grant (2024) and Community Enhancement Grant (2025)

Village Campus Project Progress:

New Wellsprings Community Foundation established as 501(c)(3) nonprofit
Developer Robert Eco hired for low-income housing expertise
Pre-development funding approved from Civic Community Partners
Researching grants and tax credit financing

Planned Development Features:

60-unit low-income senior housing complex (long-term rental, non-profit)
4-acre fire station site with Irrevocable Offer to Dedicate in final stages
1-2 acre Community Resource Site reserved for potential medical clinic
Strategic location next to library, post office, sheriff's department, county park

Environmental & Infrastructure Updates:

Only 3 abandoned wells remain in cleanup process
Air quality monitoring expansion with local professors
Traffic circles planned for Palm Canyon/Country Club intersections
Roundabouts being explored as traffic-calming solution

Key Contact: Lily Cooper, Supervisor Desmond's office - LilyM.Cooper@sdcounty.ca.gov, 858.402.2442

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Ashes-to-go and Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2026

By by Michael Plekon • February 14, 2026

by Michael Plekon Every year, Christians move through the months with different seasons and festivals. The Christmas-Epiphany season is just finishing, and before that, in December, was Advent, is a time of preparation and anticipation of the Christmas feast of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. This year, on Ash Wednesday, February 18, Christians will start the season of Lent, a forty-day period of prayer and good works. It leads up to Holy Week, when Jesus’ last supper, his trial, crucifixion, death and burial are commemorated on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. Jesus’ resurrection is celebrated on Easter Sunday, April 5. Borrego churches and the BMA gather behind the Methodist Church for a Sunrise Service. St. Barnabas has a simple Eucharist right afterwards and a festive service at the regular 9:30am time. Why ashes? The Hebrew Bible has many references to ashes as a sign of sorrow and repentance for the evil one has done. Job places ashes on his head to acknowledge his failing in faith (42:6) Tamar also. (2 Sam. 13: 19) The entire people use ashes to express their desire to turn away from sin and back to God. (Numb. 19:9) And there are quite a few other examples. In our time there are gestures of admitting guilt and asking forgiveness, something that happens in courthouses after a trial concludes. In our families and circles of friends, at times we need to humble ourselves and ask forgiveness of those we have wronged. And accept the forgiveness of others as well. The ashes are put on a person’s forehead with the words, “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” (Gen. 3:19) Usually there are other things about which people ask for prayers—relatives who are ill, friends facing tough times with finances, work, relationships. Contrary to what some might think, ashes and Lent are anything but gloomy or self-imposed sorrow. The word “lent” comes from an Old English word for the spring slowly com ing, lencten. Yes, it connotes the lengthening of the days, more sunshine and warmth, which in years long ago meant release from cold, planting of crops, and the joy of spring and summer. Easter and its Jewish precedent, Passover/ Pesach, bears some of the same meanings—release from bondage, life triumphing over death. The encounters with folks on the Christmas Circle and in church are anything but morose, whether they drive up and stay in their vehicles or park and walk up, or line up for ashes after the BYOB music or at the afternoon service. There is joy, maybe even a lightness in their step. The clergy of Borrego will be there at The Circle in shifts starting at 8am, continuing till noon. And ashes will be available as mention, at church. In addition to taking daily prayer mor seriously, there are many things one can do in Lent. It used to be assumed that alcohol and desserts would be given up. This is fine if you so choose. Giving more for food insecurity, volunteering at food banks, even seeking out family and friends to make sure you are at peace with them—all of these are wonderful Lenten practices. Happy Lent.