REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
January 27, 2026
FROM
CARRIE HARMON, Director, Community Development and Housing Department
SUBJECT
Title
Public Hearing to Receive Comments to Assist in the Development of the 2026-27 Annual Action Plan for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Conduct a public hearing to:
1. Report on the accomplishments and progress toward completing the final year of the 2020-25 Five-Year Consolidated Plan goals.
2. Obtain comments from residents, service providers, and other stakeholders regarding local housing and community development needs to assist in the development of the 2026-27 Annual Action Plan for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.
(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) as it is non-financial in nature. Data and stakeholder input obtained during the hearing will be used to shape future spending by the Community Development and Housing Department (CDH).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
CDH administers federal and state programs that expand affordable housing, strengthen neighborhoods, improve public facilities, and provide essential services to residents throughout San Bernardino County (County). These programs support low- and moderate-income households and advance the County’s long-term community development goals.
As a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-designated Entitlement Urban County, the County receives annual allocations of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds. CDH administers these programs across fifteen participating jurisdictions. Thirteen 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-participate in CDBG, HOME, and ESG. The cities of Chino Hills and Rancho Cucamonga participate in HOME only.
The County’s Citizen Participation Plan requires an annual public hearing to report on prior-year performance and gather community input on future funding priorities. This process ensures residents and community partners have a meaningful role in shaping how federal funds are allocated.
The 2024-25 program year concludes the County’s 2020--25 Five-Year Consolidated Plan (Consolidated Plan). Accomplishments and expenditures are summarized in the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report, available on the CDH website (<https://cdh.sbcounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/117/2024-25-CAPER.pdf>). From July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025, the County invested $8,486,212 in federal resources to advance Consolidated Plan goals.
The County directed its largest investments toward CDBG-funded infrastructure projects that improved safety, accessibility, and quality of life. Twelve major capital projects received $5,891,890, benefiting more than 411,000 residents through modernized parks, upgraded senior centers, and improved walkways. Examples include Americans with Disabilities Act compliant paths at Lake Gregory Regional Park, accessibility upgrades at Boulder Bay Park in Big Bear Lake, renovations at the Redlands Joslyn Senior Center, and safer sidewalks and streets in Colton, Highland, and Loma Linda.
Community revitalization efforts were further supported through $200,087 in CDBG investments for neighborhood code enforcement in Highland and Montclair, helping maintain clean and safe communities. CDBG funds were also instrumental in purchasing a new fire truck for the Town of Yucca Valley, improving emergency response capacity in lower-income neighborhoods. To expand essential services, the County invested $535,622 in 26 public service programs administered by partner cities that supported food assistance, literacy programs, and senior services for more than 27,000 residents. An additional $117,052 supported the Inland Fair Housing and Mediation Board, which provided counseling, education, and mediation services to more than 1,800 residents to prevent eviction, address housing discrimination, and support housing stability.
Through the HOME program, the County invested $689,594 to expand affordable housing opportunities. Metro View Apartments (formerly known as Rialto Metrolink) in Rialto reached full completion, providing 54 affordable homes near transit and is expected to serve more than 590 households over its 55-year affordability period. The total project cost was estimated to be $28,744,673, which equals an overall per unit cost of $522,630. The County also facilitated the development of Liberty Lane Apartments in Redlands, which will add 79 affordable homes, including nine reserved for homeless and at-risk veterans. The total project cost was estimated to be $51,555,536, which equals an overall per unit cost of $652,601. Liberty Lane is projected to serve between 1,400 and 2,100 individuals over its 55-year affordability period and the property welcomed its first residents in December 2025. CDH also launched a new Notice of Funding Availability, generating a pipeline of 755 future affordable homes that will strengthen housing stability across the region.
The County invested $1,051,967 in ESG funds to strengthen the regional homeless services system in partnership with six nonprofit agencies and the Office of Homeless Services (OHS). These resources supported homelessness prevention, outreach, emergency shelter, and rapid re-housing services. Of the total, $205,349 helped prevent 217 individuals from becoming homeless through relocation assistance, rental support, and stabilization services. Street outreach teams dedicated $128,442 to engage 289 individuals and connect them to emergency shelter and basic necessities. Emergency shelter programs used $306,499 to assist 354 individuals with temporary housing, meals, case management, and support services. Rapid re-housing efforts invested $273,741 to help 66 households secure permanent housing. The remaining $137,936 supported Homeless Management Information System data quality, reporting, and ESG program oversight. During the 2024/25 program year, the average cost per client across all activities was $1,136, noting that direct service costs vary significantly depending on the activity and level of service provided.
These accomplishments demonstrate the impact of federal funds in improving neighborhoods, expanding housing opportunities, and strengthening homelessness response efforts across the County. Public input received during this hearing will inform how CDBG, HOME, and ESG funds are prioritized in the 2026-27 Annual Action Plan to meet local needs across the region.
To ensure broad public awareness of this hearing, CDH issued notice through local newspapers, the County website, the OHS ListServe, and direct outreach to participating cities. The public comment period opened on December 26, 2025 and concludes with this hearing. No Board of Supervisors (Board) action is requested at this time. Following the public comment process, CDH will return to the Board in March 2026 with a draft Annual Action Plan for review and direction. After completing all required citizen participation steps and incorporating public feedback, the final Annual Action Plan will be presented to the Board for adoption in April 2026.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Suzanne Bryant, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on December 11, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Paul Garcia, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on January 8, 2026.