I became chronically ill in my 20s. The County of San Diego’s programs helped save my life.
But it was harder than it needed to be–
Some services took months to access.
My family was driven into poverty.
We lived with stigma and shame.
I’m not alone. Hundreds of thousands of San Diegans are not getting the support they need to turn their lives around.
Because of this experience, I dedicated my life to public service.
I know how the system works, and I’ve proven we can make it better. As District Four’s Councilmember I have seen the strengths and weaknesses of our regional government in dealing with our biggest challenges.
Together, we fought for what we deserved at City Hall. Now, we can serve even more San Diegans.
It’s time to move forward and build trust in San Diego County.
About Monica
Monica Montgomery Steppe was born and raised in San Diego and spent most of her life in District Four. She currently serves on the San Diego City Council, representing over 160,000 San Diegans and serves as chair of the Budget & Government Efficiency Committee– overseeing the process for the City’s $5.2 billion dollar budget. She’s also on the San Diego City-County Reinvestment Task Force, the board of MTS, the San Diego Workforce Partnership, and the San Diego Housing Authority.
An attorney by trade, Monica has a deep connection with the San Diego community. She began her education at Pacific View Leadership Elementary. After completing her undergraduate degree at Spelman College, she returned to San Diego to earn her Juris Doctor from California Western School of Law.
Before entering elected office, Monica dedicated her life to public service law. She fought for families to stay in their homes during the foreclosure crisis in the Great Recession, worked at the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties as a Criminal Justice Advocate, and served as a Senior Policy Advisor at the City of San Diego with specific focus in the policy areas of criminal justice reform and public safety, neighborhood revitalization, workforce development, small business development, equal opportunity contracting, and youth services.
Monica’s experience positioned her to make a significant impact in City Hall in a short time. She brought historical levels of investment to her district– bringing in over $100 million in new parks, paved streets, repaired sidewalks and street lights, a new senior center, a new library, graffiti removal, neighborhood clean ups, affordable and market rate housing, and small business support. She led the effort to ban the police carotid restraint, increase oversight over MTS security, and pass Measure B, creating a Commission on Police Practices with subpoena power and independent investigators. Monica also worked tirelessly during the budget process to create the Office of Race & Equity with a $3 million Equity Fund and an equity program for COVID-19 recovery funds. She helped lead the effort to keep renters in their homes and businesses during the crisis. Additionally, she worked with community leaders to create The Peace Movement: Let’s Live, Let’s Love to reduce neighborhood violence and ensure that seniors in the community who were impacted by the isolation of COVID-19 received necessary services, food, and other necessities.