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Monthly Archives: March 2019
A series of free fair housing workshops
Learn about:
- Federal and State fair housing laws
- How to recognize and report discrimination
- The protections provided for individuals living with disabilities or families with children
- New HUD guidelines on tenants with criminal backgrounds, evictions, deposits, habitability problems, notices
… and much more, during a series of fair housing workshops conducted free of charge by the Inland Fair Housing and Mediation Board.
Workshops will be held throughout May 2019 in various locations, including Chino Hills, Ontario, Big Bear Lake, Hesperia, Barstow, Rialto, San Bernardino, Chino, Needles and Upland. Click here for details in English and Spanish.
Greenspot Road reopened to traffic
The San Bernardino County Department of Public Works today reopened Greenspot Road, which is a major connector for the community of East Highland, Mentone, Redlands, and Yucaipa, as well as Highway 38 for mountain commuters.
During heavy rainstorms on Feb. 14, a portion of Greenspot Road near Florida Street was washed out by heavy storm water flows in Mill Creek and has been closed to traffic since then.
One of the biggest challenges was restoring Mill Creek back to its original flow path in order to prevent future erosion of the roadway. Over 50,000 yards of material needed to be moved in order to protect the roadway. This work was complicated by the series of storms that occurred after Feb. 14. The 2018/2019 storm season has been the wettest since the 2010-2011 storm season, with rain gauges in the county receiving anywhere from 125 percent to 185 percent above the normal seasonal average.
The Department of Public Works Flood Control District and Transportation Department team, along with a contractor, Jeremey Harris Construction, have been working together to restore the creek and repair the road in order to reopen it to the public. The Department of Public Works appreciates the collaborative effort displayed by the City of Redlands and utility agencies that were involved.
County crews will still be working on the roadway in the next couple of weeks to place permanent guard rail and traffic striping. Motorists must be ready to slow down and pay attention to construction traffic signs to ensure everyone’s safety. The cost of the repair work is anticipated to be more than $400,000 once the project is finished.
County improves health ranking for third straight year
For the third straight year, the Health Ranking of the county has markedly improved.
“The well-being of all county residents is a top priority for the Board of Supervisors,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman. “The County Department of Public Health and the partnerships they have created throughout the county are paying dividends and moving us closer to achieving the goal of a having a healthier, more-prosperous community.”
On an annual basis, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, in partnership with the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, develops and distributes County Health Rankings (www.countyhealthrankings.org). The goal is to build awareness of factors influencing health and empower community leaders working to improve health.
This year’s “Overall Rankings in Health Outcomes” was released to the public on March 19, with San Bernardino County ranking 38 out of 58 California counties. While recognizing continued need for improvement, the county ranked 41 in 2018 and 46 in 2017, improving eight places over the three-year period ending in 2019.
“This improvement is the result of the collective efforts of our staff and our partners,” said San Bernardino County Health Officer Dr. Maxwell Ohikhuare. “Initiatives such as Community Vital Signs (www.CommunityVitalSigns.org), which bring together critical partnerships invested in the health of the community; the Countywide Vision2BActive (www.Vision2BActive.com), which bring to the forefront the importance of the Countywide Vision and an active lifestyle; and recent accreditation efforts undertaken by dedicated Public Health staff were all crucial elements to this success.”
The department looks forward to continued improvement over the coming years.
Interested individuals seeking further information can contact the Community Outreach and Education Program at (909) 387-6604 or visit http://wp.sbcounty.gov/dph/programs/community-outreach-innovation/.
County receives $17 million for homeless outreach program
The County Department of Behavioral Health has been approved to implement its Innovative Remote Onsite Assistance Delivery (InnROADs) program with a budget of $17 million over five years.
On Feb. 28, the department successfully presented the InnROADs project to the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission . The InnROADs project is funded through the Innovation Component of the Mental Health Services Act, also known as Prop. 63.
“We are pleased to bring such an innovative project to San Bernardino County that addresses persons who are homeless, have a serious mental illness/addiction and are living in our rural and remote areas,” said County Behavioral Health Director Veronica Kelley.
The five-year, time-limited learning project, is a multi-agency, multidisciplinary approach to engaging individuals experiencing homelessness and mental illness in rural areas of San Bernardino County. The project is a collaborative effort among four county departments – Behavioral Health, Aging and Adult Services, Public Health and the Sheriff’s Department.
The goal of the InnROADs project is to build trust, help support and care for communities and eventually link them into the appropriate system of care.
“These funds will enable a multidisciplinary team made up of our essential partners, to go into our rural and frontier areas via five off-road mobile teams, to treat in place and assist moving our homeless population into permanent supportive housing with a focus on treating their mental illness and/or addiction,” Kelley said.
Possible treatment could include counseling, medication and basic physical health screenings. Through this project services will “go to” the individuals in need, no matter where they are located within San Bernardino County.
“We have taken the lead from our stakeholders and are very excited to bring this project to life for our community,” said Office of Innovation Program Manager Karen Cervantes. “This is a great opportunity to learn and improve the way we provide care.”
County Behavioral Health, through the Mental Health Services Act, is supporting the Countywide Vision by providing behavioral health services and ensuring residents have the resources they need to promote wellness, recovery and resilience in the community. Information on the Countywide Vision and on County Behavioral Health can be found here.
Supervisors seek applicants for Building and Safety Appeals Board
The Board of Supervisors is seeking individuals to serve on the County Building and Safety Appeals Board.
“The mission of this board is important, and I urge anyone who feels they are qualified and who is interested in serving their community to apply,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman.
The Building and Safety Appeals Board is a technical review panel. It is charged with considering matters in which property owners and builders believe the County has incorrectly applied the Building Code during plan review, construction, or to an existing building resulting in that building being declared substandard or unsafe. Applicants for this board should be familiar with construction and the California Building Code. The board has five seats plus three alternate positions. All members – regular and alternate – must have the knowledge, experience and training necessary to review and reach decisions on matters pertaining to building construction and applicable Building Codes, regulations and ordinances.
Two members of this board will also serve as members of the County Physically Disabled Access Appeals Board. This five-member board, with three alternates, will consider appeals to County decisions as they pertain to disabled access, consider ratifications of certain exemptions to accessibility requirements, and serve as an adviser to the County Building Official on disabled access matters.
The Building and Safety Appeals Board will work toward achieving the Countywide Vision by capitalizing on the county’s diversity, ensuring a sustainable system of quality community elements, and governing in an open and ethical manner. Members of the board will be appointed by the Board of Supervisors and serve four-year terms.
Anyone who believes they are qualified and who is interested in serving on the Building and Safety Appeals Board may apply at http://cms.sbcounty.gov/cob/Forms/BCCApplication.aspx or in-person at the Office of the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, 385 N. Arrowhead Ave., Second Floor, in San Bernardino.
