Encinitas rolls out Spanish-language hotline

The city of Encinitas on Aug. 17 launched a hotline to reach Spanish-only speakers.

It will provide information in Spanish on parks and beaches, who to contact at local public utilities and school districts, voter registration and more.

About 11.6 percent of the Hispanic population in Encinitas speaks Spanish at home and 6.4 percent do not consider themselves proficient in English, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

“The city of Encinitas recognizes that civic engagement is essential for good governance and is committed to being more inclusive by reaching demographics that have been underrepresented in the local civic process,” said a press release announcing the hotline.

The city’s Spanish hotline number: 760-943-2150.

On a related noted, San Diego County on Aug. 17 started Spanish versions of its website and app to give updates about emergencies such as fires, earthquakes and floods. The website can be found at listosandiego.org, which also has the app, as well as information about how to prep for natural disasters.

It’s estimated that about 350,000 people in San Diego County speak only Spanish.