San Bernardino County gets $11.8M for homeless shelters, housing

The county has been awarded an $11.82 million state grant to create temporary shelters and permanent housing at a homeless services campus in San Bernardino, officials announced last week.

The Pacific Village housing complex is a full-service Continuum of Care facility that offers health care and housing options to county residents experiencing homelessness. The funding via the fifth round of Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention grants from the California Department of Housing and Community Development will enable the county to expand housing, support rapid rehousing efforts, provide supportive services and bolster homeless outreach operations.

“Receiving this funding is an extraordinary step toward addressing the homelessness crisis in our region and making a meaningful impact in providing supportive services to those experiencing homelessness,” Board of Supervisors Chairman and 3rd District Supervisor Dawn Rowe said in a statement. “Through this funding, we aim to make a significant contribution toward improving the quality of life in our communities.”

The recent HHAP grant adds to $11 million the county received from the state in Encampment Resolution Funding to provide permanent housing and other services to people experiencing homelessness. The ERF grant s for outreach and case management work and to develop temporary and permanent housing solutions such as constructing of a tiny-home campus.

“Homelessness is a pressing challenge that is receiving our focused attention and strategic efforts,” Curt Hagman, 4th District supervisor and member of the board’s Ad Hoc Committee on Homelessness, said in a statement. “By prioritizing the expansion of housing and connecting individuals and families to vital resources, we anticipate significant progress in addressing the needs of those who are experiencing homelessness in our community.”

The state’s HHAP grants support the development of permanent housing while also providing rental and move-in assistance, case management services, rent subsidies and other supportive services, according to the county.

Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca Jr. said in a statement, “The HHAP grant will enable us to improve the quality of life in our communities and provide much needed support to people experiencing homelessness.”

San Bernardino County, city and the county’s Continuum of Care previously received $8.6 million during the fourth round of HHAP funding, which enabled them to expand shelter and housing capacity and boost outreach efforts to increase the number of homeless individuals and families accessing services.

The county has added 55 individual shelter beds this year in San Bernardino and the High Desert, has sheltered 102 individuals and connected 95 of them to permanent housing, officials said.

“I look forward to working with my colleagues to serve the needs of people experiencing homelessness,” the county’s Office of Homeless Services Chief Marcus Dillard said in a statement. “We will continue to do everything we can to ensure their needs are met.”

Information on the county’s Homeless Strategic Action Plan is at homelesstohome.sbcounty.gov.

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