AI is good. Sometimes you just need a human. Here is the right real person for the job in North County San Diego: PJ for tech help and errands, local partners PJ has checked, and the official human lines people can never find when they need them.
Humans near you
Family Assist · $30/hr booking now
Dry cleaning drop-off and pickup, returns, pharmacy and grocery runs, waiting for a delivery or a repair person, the to-do list that never ends, and the paperwork: Medicare.gov and Covered California logins, the SDG&E CARE application, the property tax e-check.
For parents home with kids in Solana Beach, Del Mar, Cardiff and Encinitas. Helpers: PJ does every job himself to start; checked local helpers join as it grows.
PJ ✓ PJ checked · Family Assist, tech help, errands and beach hauling
$30/hr family assist · $100/hr tech · $35 a stop · $20 each way · Solana Beach, Del Mar, Cardiff, Encinitas
To-do lists for busy families (dry cleaning, returns, pickups, waiting for a delivery); Wi-Fi, printers, phones, email, websites; one-stop errands and ice; Beach Stuff Hauler from the Del Mar garage. Text to book
Ride Solana Beach ✓ PJ checked · Surf and bike rentals, lessons
from $20/day · e-bikes $25/hr · Solana Beach (113 N. Acacia Ave)
Surfboards, body boards, wetsuits, beach cruisers and e-bikes steps from Fletcher Cove; private surf lessons; guided e-bike tours. Their site
Every person and business here is checked by PJ before it goes on the map. Pins show the area someone serves or a public storefront, never a home. Each human sets their own rate.
A human from SideGuy
- Tech help by the hour: printers, Wi-Fi, email, phones, websites, the app that won't cooperate. $100/hr, no retainer, text-first. Text PJ.
- Want it packaged? The SideGuy Hour: one focused hour on one stuck thing, with a written recap.
- Bigger questions: a $250 audit for your business systems, or HIPAA and SOC 2 help.
- Errands and ice one stop, brought to your door in Solana Beach, Del Mar or Cardiff: $35 a stop plus the ice at the store's price. Ice delivery · Text PJ.
- Beach gear, a local shop ✓ PJ checked in person · Oct 4 surfboards, wetsuits, beach cruisers and e-bikes from Ride Solana Beach, steps from Fletcher Cove Ride Solana Beach. Source: ridesolanabeach.com (prices, address, hours) and their street sign, photographed by PJ, checked Oct 4, 2026.
- Beach Stuff Hauler park free in Del Mar, PJ hauls your stuff to the sand: $20 each way. How it works · Text PJ.
The official humans
| When | Who | How to reach a person | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency | 911 | 911 | Fire, medical, crime in progress. |
| Crisis or mental health | 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline | Call or text 988 | Free and confidential, any time. Source |
| Poison or a swallowed something | Poison Control | 1-800-222-1222 | Free, expert and confidential, per Poison Control. Source |
| Food, housing, health care, benefits | 2-1-1 San Diego | Dial 2-1-1 | 24 hours a day, in more than 200 languages. Source |
| Power out or a line down | SDG&E | 1-800-411-7343 | A line down is also a 911 call. Source |
| Coaster, BREEZE or SPRINTER help | NCTD | (760) 966-6500 | The transit district's own line. Source |
| Strays, lost pets, injured animals | San Diego Humane Society, North Campus | 760-757-4357 | Animal control for Solana Beach, Del Mar, Encinitas, Carlsbad, Oceanside and Vista. Emergencies 619-299-7012, press 1. Source |
| Older adults, caregivers, elder abuse | County Aging & Independence Services | 800-339-4661 | The County's call center for older adults and people with disabilities, Mon-Fri 8am-5pm. Source |
| Medicare questions, plan comparisons | HICAP San Diego (Elder Law & Advocacy) | (858) 565-1392 | Free, unbiased Medicare counseling; they don't sell insurance. Statewide 1-800-434-0222. Source |
| Non-emergency police in Solana Beach, Del Mar or Encinitas | San Diego County Sheriff | (858) 565-5200 | Those cities contract with the Sheriff. Source |
Numbers checked on each official source October 5, 2026. Tap a number to call from your phone.
Licensed pros, checked with the State
- Licensed electricians and licensed plumbers by town, from the Contractors State License Board.
- Emergency rooms nearest you, from the State's licensing data.
- Everything else local: the North County toolkit.
Are you a local who helps people?
SideGuy is building a short list of North County people worth texting: handy folks, notaries, tutors, pet sitters, the neighbor who actually fixes the Wi-Fi. Text PJ what you do. Every listing gets checked before it goes up, and nobody pays to be listed.
Need a human?
This page is built every morning from public data by SideGuy, run by PJ, a local in Solana Beach. If something looks off, or you want a hand with your plans, text PJ at 858-461-8054. A real person answers.
Local help, free to read: make your fix plan · senior benefits checkup · lower your SDG&E bill · Medicare Extra Help · the next 90 days. Plans start as low as $25.
Questions people ask
How do I talk to a real person instead of a chatbot in San Diego?
For tech help, errands and local questions in North County, text PJ at SideGuy: a real person, $100/hr for hands-on help, no retainer. For County services dial 2-1-1, for power outages call SDG&E at 1-800-411-7343, and for transit call NCTD at (760) 966-6500.
Who do I call for non-emergency police in Solana Beach, Del Mar or Encinitas?
The San Diego County Sheriff, (858) 565-5200. Those cities contract with the Sheriff. For an emergency call 911.
What is 2-1-1 San Diego?
A free, confidential line to a person who connects you with food, housing, health care and other services, 24 hours a day in more than 200 languages. Dial 2-1-1.
Can I get help with errands and a to-do list in Solana Beach?
Yes. Family Assist is $30/hr for part-time help with the to-do list: dry cleaning, returns, pharmacy and grocery runs, waiting for a delivery. Text PJ your list; every helper is checked by PJ first.
Can I hire someone by the hour for tech help in North County?
Yes. PJ does hands-on tech help at $100/hr with no retainer, text-first, in Solana Beach, Del Mar, Encinitas and nearby.
Know someone who needs this?
Something changed here? Text PJ and we'll update this page.
More free local tools: the North County toolkit.