REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
April 8, 2025
FROM
CARRIE HARMON, Director, Community Development and Housing Department
SUBJECT
Title
Contracts for Housing and Homelessness Incentive Program Services with the City of Fontana and the City of Victorville
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve the following contracts for the provision of Housing and Homelessness Incentive Program services, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $989,820, for the contract period of April 8, 2025 through April 7, 2027:
a. City of Fontana, in an amount not to exceed $500,000
b. City of Victorville, in an amount not to exceed $489,820
2. Authorize the Chief Executive Officer, Assistant Executive Officer, or the Director of the Community Development and Housing Department to approve and execute any subsequent, non-substantive amendments to the contracts in Recommendation No. 1, for the provision of Housing and Homelessness Incentive Program services, subject to County Counsel review.
3. Direct the Director of the Community Development and Housing Department to transmit any non-substantive amendments to the contracts in Recommendation No. 1 to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
4. Authorize the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector to post the necessary 2024-25 budget adjustments, as detailed in the Financial Impact section (Four votes required).
(Presenter: Carrie Harmon, Director, 382-3983)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Create, Maintain and Grow Jobs and Economic Value in the County.
Ensure Development of Well-Planned, Balanced and Sustainable County.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Services Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The item will authorize the use of $989,820 in Housing and Homelessness Incentive Program (HHIP) funds to support homeless sheltering in the cities of Fontana and Victorville. The Community Development and Housing Department (CDH) requests the following adjustments to the 2024-25 budget.
|
Cost Center |
Commitment Item/GL |
Description |
Action |
Amount |
|
6210002493 |
53003205 |
Public Assistance |
Decrease |
$989,820 |
|
6210002493 |
55305030 |
Operating Transfer Out |
Increase |
$989,820 |
|
6210002496 |
40909975 |
Operating Transfer In |
Increase |
$989,820 |
|
6210002496 |
53003205 |
Public Assistance |
Increase |
$989,820 |
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
HHIP was established to improve health outcomes and access to whole person care services by addressing homelessness and housing insecurity, as critical social drivers of health disparities, as well as to ensure Managed Care Plans (MCPs) develop the necessary capacity and partnerships to connect members to needed housing services.
The Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) and Molina Healthcare of California, Inc. (Molina), local MCPs, established HHIP Investment Plans that targeted a total of up to $33,330,000 in County HHIP funding towards specific areas, including transitional care housing and navigation center investments. Large scale shelters are prime opportunities for the use of HHIP funds, as they advance the primary goals of HHIP through the development and enhancement of facilities that provide essential stabilization services, while offering comprehensive health and social service integration.
The recommended contracts with the City of Fontana and the City of Victorville leverage local expertise, foster shared responsibility for regional homelessness challenges, and create integrated service delivery systems, that align with both County and local priorities. The City of Fontana operates The Path, an interim housing facility, and the City of Victorville operates the Victorville Wellness Center (Wellness Center).
The Path is a 120-bed interim shelter in Fontana that serves as a vital interim housing facility designed to provide comprehensive support services for individuals experiencing homelessness. The City of Fontana established The Path in 2024, converting a former 60-unit motel into the current 120-bed facility. This facility offers temporary shelter accommodations, combined with intensive case management, connecting residents to essential healthcare services, mental health support, substance use treatment, and pathways to permanent housing solutions.
On February 6, 2024 (Item No. 18), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved Agreement No. 24-117, awarding $5,000,000 in Housing Development Grant Funds to assist with the facility acquisition to promote development of The Path.
The Wellness Center is a comprehensive interim housing campus in Victorville designed to address the multifaceted needs of individuals experiencing homelessness. Established by the City of Victorville and opened in December 2023, as part of its strategic homeless response system, the Wellness Center offers 170 emergency shelter beds alongside an integrated array of wraparound support services. The facility provides residents with access to case management, healthcare services, behavioral health support, substance use treatment, and housing navigation assistance. Individuals who are eligible for Medi-Cal and/or Medicare benefits have access to a recuperative care facility and on-site medical clinic.
On January 23, 2024 (Item No. 23), the Board approved Contract No. 24-107 with the City of Victorville to provide services and support, through the Wellness Center, to homeless individuals residing in encampments in the Mojave Riverbed through the Encampment Resolution Funding Program.
The City of Fontana and City of Victorville have partnered with the Symba Center to provide services at their respective facilities. Symba Center is a nonprofit organization that specializes in providing comprehensive health and wellness services to underserved populations, focusing on individuals who are unhoused, low-income, or uninsured. Symba Center offers a range of essential support services including healthcare coordination, mental health counseling, substance use treatment, and case management, by utilizing a trauma-informed, whole-person care approach that addresses both immediate needs and long-term well-being.
The allocations to the City of Fontana and to the City of Victorville will be sourced from Molina HHIP funds as they align with Molina’s HHIP investment strategy and goals. To facilitate this investment, Molina has granted an extension of the HHIP fund expenditure deadline from December 31, 2024, to April 30, 2025.
On February 6, 2024 (Item No. 16), the Board approved Agreement No. 24-145 with IEHP and Agreement No. 24-146 with Molina, allowing the County to accept a combined amount of up to $33,330,000 in HHIP funding. CDH has been working with local municipalities, developers, and service providers to strategically utilize these funds by their respective expenditure deadlines.
On May 21, 2024 (Item No. 24), the Board approved Agreement Nos. 24-393, 24-394, and 24-395 with HHCA RE2421, LLC and Helping Hearts California, LLC, totaling $1,691,430 in HHIP funds, to increase homeless housing capacity at the Kern Street Project located in the unincorporated community of Muscoy.
On May 21, 2024 (Item No. 59), the Board approved the design-build request for proposal package to provide design and construction services for the CDH Pacific Village Campus Expansion Project, which would be funded in part by $3,223,773 in HHIP funds.
CDH is collaborating with other County departments to invest HHIP funds. On December 14, 2024, CDH entered into an Memorandum of Understanding with Arrowhead Regional Medical Center to utilize a total of $1,170,000 in HHIP funding for the establishment of a Street Medicine team that will provide direct care to unsheltered individuals in the County, who have not sought or do not want to seek care in traditional settings or help link people to brick-and-mortar primary care sites and housing.
CDH is also collaborating with the Office of Homeless Services (OHS), to target HHIP funds for improvements and enhancements to the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and the Coordinated Entry System (CES). OHS is the designated HMIS Lead Agency for the San Bernardino City and County Continuum of Care (SB CoC) and works very closely with Inland Southern California 211+, who is the SB CoC designated CES Lead Agency.
PROCUREMENT
CDH sought to identify partners capable of utilizing Molina funds in alignment with the County’s priorities and the state’s guidelines for HHIP funds. Purchasing supports the non-competitive procurements due to both facilities representing the only large-scale, city-owned, low-barrier regional homeless shelters with over 100 beds, operated by a service provider with staff qualified to deliver a medically informed model of client care.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Suzanne Bryant, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) -------------on March 21, 2025; Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector (Charlene Huang, Auditor-Controller Manager, 382-7022) on March 24, 2025; Purchasing (Ariel Gill, Supervising Buyer, 387-2070) on March 25, 2025; Finance (Paul Garcia, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on March 25, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on March 25, 2025.