VISTA — San Diego County leaders are planning a major project to rebuild and upgrade the out-of-date Vista Detention Facility to the tune of nearly $1 billion, in addition to short-term security and intercom improvements to keep the facility functional in the meantime.
In December, San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez provided an update to the Board of Supervisors about infrastructure needs at the county’s seven jail facilities. The Vista jail, first constructed in 1978 along Melrose Drive, is the oldest and most in need of improvements.
Last year, an outside consultant evaluating the Vista jail determined that it could no longer undergo repairs and must instead be replaced, with the lowest estimated cost at $949 million, Martinez told the board. However, that price tag is likely to increase the longer the process takes.
There is also urgency from the perspective of human dignity and safety for staff and inmates, Martinez noted, explaining that deficiencies in the current jail are also negatively affecting those incarcerated there.
“The time is now to replace the Vista facility in its entirety,” said Martinez. “We must recognize the impact of the physical environment on custody culture and rehabilitation. Dilapidated, punitive spaces undermine efforts to foster a rehabilitative and restorative, humane approach.”
Standards for jails have also changed over the decades. In addition to larger cells and more recreation space, these standards also require a more “nuanced, care-centered approach” for vulnerable individuals presenting complex behavioral and mental health needs, Martinez said.
For example, the jail’s small intake area does not allow privacy for inmates when conducting mental health screenings upon intake, and a grand jury has previously advised against holding inmates in the jail for more than a year due to the lack of access to natural sunlight.
The push for the replacement of the jail comes after the California State Auditor’s scathing 2022 report stating that the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office has failed to adequately prevent and respond to deaths in its jails.
In 2022, the county had one of the highest in-custody death rates in the state, with 19 total deaths. The Sheriff’s Office reported lower numbers in the following years, with 14 in 2023, nine in 2024 (although community members report that the true number is 10, counting one individual who was beaten into a coma in his cell in late 2023 and died the following year), and 10 in 2025.
The rebuild is primarily needed to address capacity issues and complete overdue modernization, with the jail acting as the primary intake facility for incarcerated persons awaiting court proceedings in the North County area.
The project would demolish and replace the jail with a new six-story detention facility, increasing inmate capacity from 807 to 1,412. In addition to increased housing, the new jail will include intake and release facilities, food services, medical and educational facilities, rehabilitation, indoor recreation, and security and staff areas.
Directly south of the jail, the 20,616-square-foot sheriff’s station will be replaced with a two-story station totaling 36,000 square feet. There will also be a new three-level parking structure, adding 576 parking spaces.
The project would also replace other ancillary structures at the North County Regional Center, including the law library, the Department of General Services Facility Operations Shop, the central utility plant, and the Fleet Services fueling station.
Work would take place in phases to prevent any disruption to operations, according to the county. County leaders hope to begin work on the project by 2028, with construction expected to last 12 years.
In December, the county issued a notice of preparation for an environmental impact report for the project, the first step in the California Environmental Quality Act process. Feedback on the notice of preparation was open until Jan. 20.
Funding would likely take the form of a loan, with $60 million in debt service per year. Martinez said the next step is for the county to complete a master plan for the Vista jail and conduct individual needs assessments at each county jail to ensure the most up-to-date cost estimates and information.
“Capital investment in our local jails is not optional. It is essential. It is a master of safety, compliance, fiscal responsibility, and human dignity,” Martinez said.
Security improvements
In the near term, the county is also planning another $20 million project to modernize various infrastructure at the Vista jail. This will include improving central controls over security features such as cameras, cell doors, access points, lighting, and more.
This project will also replace the intercom and closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems and install anti-ligature features to mitigate the potential for self-harm and harm to others.
The Board of Supervisors agreed on Jan. 13 to move forward with advertising this project for a contract. However, Chair Terra Lawson-Remer noted that she would have liked to see information about these needed improvements come forward earlier, such as during the budget planning process.
“I do think it’s really important that moving forward, we have some more transparency with the public ahead of time regarding these kinds of capital investments,” Lawson-Remer said.
She also requested more information about how these short-term improvements would pair with the larger jail replacement.
“I think we need a better timeline for us to better understand how this bridge investment intersects with the longer-term plan regarding the replacement of the Vista facility,” Lawson-Remer said.
Martinez told the board last month that the parts and software for these systems are no longer supported by the manufacturer, posing a major potential security issue.
“This is 1980s technology that could fail at any time and would require us to vacate the jail,” Martinez said in December. “While we realize we plan to rebuild the Vista jail, we still need this improvement. It’s $20 million and the investment is absolutely needed before any jail is built. The jail simply cannot operate without functioning cameras, intercoms and door locks.”
Funding for the security improvement project comes from $14 million in bond funding, $1.49 million in Criminal Justice Facility Funds, and $4.7 in General Fund dollars carried over from the previous year.
Several Sheriff’s deputies said improvements to the jail are long overdue.
“Simply put, the facility is outdated, overcrowded, and ill-equipped to meet the demands of modern corrections. We have multiple cells that are out of service due to outdated parts availability. Our deputy stations are tight quarters. Some can’t even fit the number of deputies that are assigned to this particular housing unit,” said Sgt. Kristen Hovis, administrative sergeant for the Vista jail.
Some community members agreed, but added that jails are not the right place for many individuals, especially those experiencing behavioral health and addiction issues.
“I think if we’re going to repair the jails, which I think there should be a humane habitation for people who are incarcerated, we should also have an equal bond measure for health and human services to build facilities for mental health, build facilities for homelessness, build facilities for people with drug addiction,” said Yusef Miller, executive director of North County Equity and Justice Coalition and founder of Saving Lives in Custody California.
