REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
January 14, 2025
FROM
CARRIE HARMON, Director, Community Development and Housing Department
SUBJECT
Title
Public Hearing to Receive Comments to Assist in the Development of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development 2025-30 Five-Year Consolidated Plan and the 2025-26 Annual Action Plan
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Conduct a public hearing to:
1. Obtain comments from residents, service providers, and other stakeholders regarding local housing and community development needs to assist in the development of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development 2025-30 Five-Year Consolidated Plan and the 2025-26 Annual Action Plan.
2. Report on the accomplishments and progress toward completing the 2020-25 Five-Year Consolidated Plan Goals.
(Presenter: Carrie Harmon, Director, 382-3983)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The results of the hearing will inform the usage of funds.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
As part of the County’s Citizen Participation Plan, a public hearing is required to gather public comments on housing and community development needs. This input will support the development of the next Consolidated Plan and Action Plan. The Consolidated Plan is a strategic framework that helps communities evaluate their affordable housing and development needs. It fosters a collaborative dialogue among residents and stakeholders to establish priorities for funding through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) programs. The Consolidated Plan guides the development of Action Plans, which outline specific actions, activities, and resource allocations to address identified priorities and goals for each year of the Consolidated Plan. The Consolidated Plan seeks to enhance community well-being and economic stability by focusing on data-driven and place-based investment decisions. This is the initial public hearing, and no formal action by the Board of Supervisors (Board) is necessary.
The County is classified by HUD as an Entitlement Urban County which includes the unincorporated areas of the County and cities that choose to participate in the County’s CDBG, HOME, and ESG programs. There are currently 13 Cooperating Cities: Adelanto, Barstow, Big Bear Lake, Colton, Grand Terrace, Highland, Loma Linda, Montclair, Needles, Redlands, Twentynine Palms, Yucaipa, and the Town of Yucca Valley. The cities of Chino Hills and Rancho Cucamonga have chosen to only participate in the County’s HOME program. These 15 cities are referred to as the County’s Consortium.
To identify the needs of the County’s Consortium, the Community Development and Housing Department (CDH) has conducted outreach efforts to gather insights on priority needs and develop goals for the 2025-30 Consolidated Plan aimed at guiding the use of federal funds from HUD. CDH created a community survey to collect input from residents and stakeholders. This survey was promoted through multiple media channels and at local events. CDH received 1,668 responses to this survey, which will be incorporated into the comments received during this public hearing to guide the development of the County’s priorities and goals. This initiative aims to ensure community voices are included in the planning process, addressing the most critical needs within the county. Below are the 2020-25 Consolidated Plan goals and accomplishments to date.
Once the new priorities and goals are developed, CDH will return to the Board to present the draft Consolidated Plan and Action Plan for review and approval. Upon completion of the citizen participation process and the review of comments, the final plans will be submitted to the Board for adoption in April 2025. The Board-approved plans will be sent to HUD for its review and approval.
2020-2025 Consolidated Plan Goals
• Provide funding to acquire, construct, or rehabilitate public facilities, capital infrastructure, and community development needs within the County’s Consortium.
• Support organizations addressing public service needs within the County’s Consortium.
• Offer resources for new construction, acquisition, or rehabilitation of affordable housing within the Count’s Consortium.
• Assist organizations that provide emergency housing and support services for people experiencing homelessness within the County’s Consortium.
The following information is a summary of accomplishments for the use of CDBG, HOME, and ESG funds for Program Year 2023-24.
CDBG Accomplishments
The County invested CDBG funds to enhance housing, infrastructure, and public services for low- and moderate-income residents. A total of $5,200,723 was dedicated in 2023-24 to public facility and infrastructure improvements, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) upgrades, programs for special populations, and community safety projects. These projects included:
• CDBG Public and Neighborhood Facilities/Infrastructure Improvements: $3,626,457 was invested across nine community improvement projects. These projects focused on making public spaces more accessible for people with disabilities; enhancing senior centers, parks, and recreational facilities; and improving streets, sidewalks, curbs, and gutters.
Newly improved public and neighborhood facilities include the ADA accessibility improvements to the swimming complex and RV parking areas at Yucaipa Regional Park, ADA accessibility improvements to sidewalks and picnic shelters at Prado Regional Park, and ADA sidewalk improvements at Boulder Bay Park in the City of Big Bear Lake. These improvements provide more recreational opportunities for those with mobility limitations to two County Regional Parks and the City of Big Bear’s Boulder Bay Park. The City of Redlands focused on community senior improvements at the Joslyn Senior Center, which included kitchen improvements to support the senior congregate meal program. To provide safe walking paths for travel within low-income residential communities, the cities of Loma Linda and Montclair rehabilitated existing sidewalks, curbs, and gutters or filled-in areas where there were no sidewalks. These improvements not only enhanced safety for pedestrians but also improved the overall community infrastructure.
• CDBG Public Service: $636,573 was spent on 26 public service projects to provide services to 27,092 low-to-moderate income county residents, including seniors, children/youth, and disabled persons. The services provided include Countywide Fair Housing and Tenant/Landlord Mediation Services, Adelanto Food and Clothing Distribution, Barstow New Hope Village - Housing and Services, Grand Terrace Senior Meals and Coordinator Program, Highland Family YMCA Scholarships, Loma Linda Adult Literacy Program, Montclair Graffiti Abatement, and Redlands Legal Services - YMCA of the East Valley Program. These services improved access to many vital resources that assist in improving the quality of life for residents.
• CDBG Community Projects: $937,693 was spent on community code enforcement and a community fire truck. Enhanced Code Enforcement activities were provided in the City of Highland to help improve health, safety, and quality of life for residents. The purchase of a fire truck increased fire protection and safety in the low- and moderate-income community of Lucerne Valley.
HOME Accomplishments
In 2023-24, the County invested $1,529,593 in HOME funds on the following affordable housing development projects throughout the county:
• HOME Project - Las Terrazas: $917,955 was expended on the completion of the Las Terrazas Apartment community, consisting of 112 affordable units, of which 48 are designated HOME units enhancing access to affordable housing for low-income individuals and families. The Las Terrazas project also includes 12 permanent supportive housing units for homeless and special needs clients with mental health conditions for whom the Department of Behavioral Health will provide supportive services.
• HOME Project - Liberty Lane: $611,638 was spent to construct the Liberty Lane affordable apartment complex in the City of Redlands. This is a new development aimed at providing affordable housing options with an emphasis on serving veterans who are experiencing homelessness. The development will consist of 80 one-, two-, and three-bedroom units. The project will set aside nine HOME units for low-income individuals and families. The project will also include 62 permanent supportive housing units, and nine will be reserved for special needs homeless clients. Construction is underway and is expected to be ready for occupancy in the fall of 2026, offering valuable housing resources for low-income residents.
• HOME Project - Rialto Metrolink South Apartments: Located in the City of Rialto, the project is the first transit-oriented affordable apartment community complex within the county. Construction was completed in January of 2024. This new development boasts a stunning design and layout that helps create a sense of community and provides an outstanding quality of life to residents. The development consists of 55 one-, two-, and three-bedroom units; residents of this community will benefit from residing near the Rialto Metrolink Station and an Omnitrans stop, giving residents access to multiple transit options which will reduce the number of cars on our roads while improving resident access to employment opportunities.
ESG Accomplishments
In 2023-24, the County invested $374,751 in ESG funds to address homelessness. These funds supported goals focusing on enhancing emergency shelter capacity and quality, supporting the operation of existing shelters, providing essential services to shelter residents, facilitating the re-housing of homeless individuals and families, and preventing homelessness. These initiatives aim to address the root causes of homelessness and provide comprehensive support for those who are homeless and at risk of homelessness:
• Homelessness Prevention: $21,120 was spent to assist 15 individuals to remain housed, including assistance with housing relocation, stabilization, rental assistance, and financial support.
• Emergency Shelter: $51,061 was used to support 67 individuals through emergency shelters, providing case management, meals, clothing, childcare, transportation, and other essential services to meet basic needs and stabilize their situations.
• Rapid Re-Housing: $302,570 was expended to help 16 individuals transition from homelessness to permanent housing, providing housing search, rental assistance, landlord recruitment, and ongoing retention services.
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Funding Accomplishments
This CARES funding includes the Community Development Block Grant-COVID (CDBG-CV) and Emergency Solutions Grant-COVID (ESG-CV). This funding continued to provide resources to respond to and prevent the spread of COVID among low- and moderate-income residents and to support a variety of homeless prevention, economic development, and public service activities to mitigate the impacts of COVID. Below are the accomplishments for CDBG-CV and ESG-CV since program inception.
CDBG-CV Accomplishments
A total of $5,981,357 of CDBG-CV funds were expended since 2019-20 to provide various activities throughout the county:
• CDBG-CV Economic Development Direct Financial Assistance to For-Profit Business: $137,424 was spent to provide loans to small businesses in Yucaipa, which were converted to grants once requirements were fulfilled by each business. A total of 12 full-time equivalent jobs were preserved due to the investment in small businesses.
• CDBG-CV Public Service: $3,466,058 was spent on 29 public service projects to agencies providing services to 73,834 low-to-moderate-income residents, including seniors, children, and disabled persons. Services included food distribution, youth programming, mortgage assistance, and homeless assistance.
• CDBG-CV Facility Rehabilitation: $2,377,875 was spent on three facility rehabilitation projects. Low- and moderate-income persons were assisted by projects such as the construction of outdoor dining areas at Redlands and Colton Senior Centers and the rehabilitation of facilities to a temporary homeless shelter at Pacific Village.
CDBG-CV funds are one-time funds from HUD. The expenditure deadline is October 22, 2026.
ESG-CV Accomplishments
A total of $3,649,618 of ESG-CV funds were expended since 2019-20. The funding helped ensure continuous shelter operations and enhanced efforts to rehouse displaced individuals, thereby mitigating the long-term effects of the pandemic on housing insecurity. The County successfully delivered vital support to its most vulnerable residents through this coordinated approach.
• Homelessness Prevention: $166,512 was spent to assist 66 individuals avoid becoming homeless. This included assistance with housing relocation, stabilization, rental assistance, and financial aid.
• Emergency Shelter: $940,666 was used to support 510 individuals through emergency shelters, providing case management, meals, clothing, childcare, transportation, and other essential services to meet basic needs and stabilize their situations.
• Street Outreach: $74,958 was utilized to assist 260 unsheltered individuals with case management, transportation to shelters, and access to emergency and mental health services.
• Rapid Re-Housing: $2,467,482 was expended to help 669 individuals transition from homelessness to permanent housing by providing housing search, rental assistance, landlord recruitment, and ongoing retention services.
ESG-CV funds are one-time funds from HUD, which the County fully expended in 2023-24.
Public Hearing Notice
To meet public hearing notice requirements, the County published a public notice in the following publications: Big Bear Grizzly, Daily Press, Hi-Desert Star, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, La Prensa Hispana, and The Sun. The County also posted notices and any applicable supporting documentation on the CDH’s website for no less than 30 days. The public comment period began on December 13, 2024, and will conclude with this public hearing.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Suzanne Bryant, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on November 21, 2024; Finance (Paul Garcia, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on December 23, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on December 23, 2024.