Guides
Evergreen explainers from our reporters: the city, its government, its neighborhoods, and the institutions that shape it.
These guides are updated as the facts change. Something out of date? Tell us through the contact page.
A guide to San Diego's border region
San Ysidro is the busiest land border crossing in the Western Hemisphere. Here is how San Diego lives with the line.
How the strong-mayor system works
The mayor runs the city day to day; the council holds the purse and the land use. How San Diego's strong-mayor system divides power, and where the friction lives.
The military presence, explained
The fleet, the Corps, the shipyards and the veterans who stay: what the military means to San Diego, and how to read the signs.
A newcomer's guide to San Diego
The systems edition: registering, utilities, transit, emergencies and civic life. Everything a new San Diegan needs to work the city, not just enjoy it.