Assemblymember David Alvarez (D-San Diego) announced that Assembly Bill 662 –The Chula Vista University Act – has been signed into law. AB 662 establishes the South County Higher Education Task Force, creating a collaborative body that will bring together the University of California, California State University, CA Community Colleges, the City of Chula Vista, Sweetwater Union High School District and other stakeholders to evaluate the governance models, funding mechanisms, and statutory changes required for creating a four-year public university in South San Diego County.
“This legislation is about breaking cycles and building futures,” said Assemblymember Alvarez. “For too long, South County has been denied the opportunities that come with higher education access. AB 662 lays the groundwork to bring a world-class university to Chula Vista—fueling upward mobility, innovation, and economic strength for generations to come.”
Chula Vista is the second-largest city in San Diego County, with a population exceeding 250,000, and the largest city in California without a public university offering baccalaureate degree programs. Nearly 600,000 residents in South County are without this access, an area that is commonly referred to as a “college desert.”
To address this disparity, the City of Chula Vista has taken proactive steps by initiating the development of a University Innovation District on over 383 acres of city-owned land. This ambitious project envisions a bi-national, multi-institutional hub for higher education and innovation that includes collaboration with the University of California (UC), California State University (CSU), and California Community Colleges (CCC) systems.
For more information please visit David Alvarez website here.
