County officials announced last week plans for facility upgrades at a recently acquired housing complex in San Bernardino that offers supportive services to residents, many of whom experienced homelessness and domestic violence.
At a recent community meeting at 450 N. G St., formerly the All Star Lodge, officials briefed residents and community members about what’s in store for the property’s next chapter. The purchase approved in March is the first step, officials said. Over the next 18 months, county officials plan to work with community organizations and contractors to transform the property into a safer, healthier environment to help improve residents’ quality of life.
For months, building residents faced uncertainty about the future of their homes. As many of the older adults who live there had already experienced homelessness before arriving there, when notices started appearing on their doors claiming that the state’s rental subsidies had ended and their monthly rent obligations would skyrocket, many feared they could lose the housing stability they had finally managed to find.
“The county recently acquired the site after residents came forward and spoke out about the challenges they were facing,” county Deputy Executive Officer Derek Armstrong said in a statement. “Thanks to support from the state, the county’s acquisition of the property will help ensure it continues to benefit the community.”
A county statement also provided several residents’ points of view.
The possibility of losing his apartment was frightening for 70-year-old William Carter, who supports two people on a fixed income of $1,200 a month. When Carter learned about the potential rent increase, he became concerned about what would happen next.
“That was a scary time,” Carter said. “I knew where I was going to go after that. I was going to go right back into the streets.”
The uncertainty weighed heavily on residents throughout the building. Carter said many feared they would no longer be able to pay their rent and once again would face homelessness.
“I don’t want to go back,” he said. “I’ll never go backwards like that.”
The county’s purchase of the property brought relief when residents learned of the move to ensure that they could stay in their homes.
As part of the transition, county officials held a community meeting with residents to discuss next steps, answer questions and hear concerns about the building.
Carter and resident Renee Mora expressed gratitude for the county’s effort to help them stay housed and plans for facility improvements.
Mora, 63, moved into the building in July 2023 after a family member told her about the housing opportunity. A survivor of domestic violence, she said her unit in the G Street building provided a sense of security at a very stressful, scary time in her life.
For Mora, the county’s purchase is the culmination of months of advocacy. The effort to preserve their housing began in December, when Mora and fellow resident Fred Miller brought notices they had received from their landlord to San Bernardino city officials in search of answers about the property’s future. Mora and Miller contacted county officials to get support for the property’s residents.
In the end, Mora said residents were grateful that the county purchased the property.
“All the tenants are excited because you guys are truly here to help us,” she said.
She hopes the transition will bring additional services and support for residents, many of whom have experienced trauma and other hardships throughout their lives, Mora said.
“Our main focus here is to get behavioral help, real behavioral help,” she added. “A lot of us are suffering from traumatic things that happened to us as a child.”
For Carter, the announcement brought relief.
“All of this is an opportunity for someone like me to not have so many worries and not be so stressed out,” he said.
Carter said he believes the county will provide the oversight and support residents have been seeking.
“This is a beautiful building,” said Carter. “I know the transformation is going to help everybody.”
Housing program for youth, families
The San Bernardino County Office of Homeless Services received budget adjustments totaling nearly $1.8 million to fund the Transitional Age Youth and Bringing Families Home programs.
The funding will provide housing navigation, rental assistance, case management and supportive services for young adults moving out of the foster care or probation systems, as well as families receiving child welfare services who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The programs aim to promote housing stability, support family reunification and help prevent children from entering foster care due to housing instability.
In January the county Board of Supervisors approved up to roughly $5.7 million in TAY funding and nearly $2.8 million for the BFH program from the state social-service agencies.
