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Monthly Archives: April 2019
Supervisors direct funding toward community efforts to end homelessness
An estimated 3,400 homeless individuals and families at imminent risk of homelessness will benefit from more than $6.6 million in state grant funding distributed today by the Board of Supervisors to 15 local agencies throughout the county.
Photo Credit: SCNG
An additional $2.3 million in grant funding will be distributed to seven additional local agencies in the near future.
The funds are a portion of nearly $9.4 million the county received from the $500 million Homeless Emergency Aid Program, or HEAP, block grant funding program created by the state last year.
The county will use more than $6.3 million to support homeless prevention and diversion programs, general homeless services, homeless outreach, reentry services, emergency shelter response, utility assistance, moving assistance, transportation services, document readiness, eviction services and housing search and stability. Almost $1.3 million will go toward rental subsidies. More than $1 million will be set aside specifically to assist homeless youth, and $213,000 will go toward shelter acquisition projects to serve the homeless.
Funds will be provided to the cities of Barstow, Colton, Montclair, Redlands, Rialto and Upland, the Morongo Unified School District, and community organizations based in San Bernardino, Victorville, Twentynine Palms, Apple Valley, Redlands, Hesperia, Fontana and elsewhere collectively serving homeless throughout the entire county.
Ending homelessness in San Bernardino County is a priority for the Board of Supervisors, who created the San Bernardino County Homeless Partnership in 2007. In July 2016, the board launched an initiative to assist homeless veterans and since then has successfully housed 1,096 veterans. Since January 2017, 191 chronically homeless people with mental health issues have been housed.
San Bernardino County’s innovative approaches to address homelessness – which have received accolades at the state and national levels – focus on collaboration, creation of available dwelling units, whole-person healthcare, jobs, and technology.
On April 16, the Board of Supervisors and Gov. Gavin Newsom held a roundtable discussion about the county’s efforts to fight homelessness and solutions to the problem moving forward. Newsom said he was so inspired by the “big ideas” at work in San Bernardino County that he will work with the state Legislature to set aside funding in the state’s upcoming 2019-2020 budget to enhance support for the county’s efforts.
Candidate filing begins for 2019 Consolidated Mail Ballot Election
Citizens living in or near Apple Valley, Baker, and Twentynine Palms who are interested in running for the governing board of one of three local special districts may pick up candidacy documents starting on Monday, May 6.
Candidate filing for the Aug. 27, 2019 Consolidated Mail Ballot Election continues through 5 p.m. Friday, May 31.
The following special districts have offices up for election:
– Baker Community Services District
– Two Members of the Board of Directors for 4-year terms
– Mariana Ranchos County Water District
– Two Members of the Board of Directors for 4-year terms
– Twentynine Palms Water District
– Two Members of the Board of Directors for 4-year terms
Citizens who are interested in running for special district offices may obtain the appropriate documents at the district office, during regular business hours, or at the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters, 777 E. Rialto Avenue in San Bernardino from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
At the time a person picks up candidate documents for one of the special district offices, he or she must be a registered voter residing in the special district. Interested citizens may confirm whether they live within a district and are registered to vote by using the Registrar of Voters’ My Elections Gateway application at https://www.sbcountyelections.com/VoterRegistration/MyElectionGatewayInfo.aspx.
Completed candidate filing documents must be filed at the Registrar of Voters by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 31.
For more information on this election, please visit the Registrar of Voters’ website at www.SBCountyElections.com or call (909) 387-8300.
County Fleet Management among the best on the continent – again!
For the 14th time in the past 15 years, San Bernardino County Fleet Management has been named one of the 100 Best Fleets in North America, coming in 17th place this year – up from 23rd last year.
The 100 Best Fleets competition recognizes fleet operations that perf
orm at a high level using industry recognized processes and procedures, key performance indicators and best practices. The 100 Best Fleets results are announced every year at the National Association of Fleet Administrators Institute and Expo conference.
The approximately 100 men and women of San Bernardino County Fleet Management provide acquisition, maintenance, repair, modification, and disposal services for the majority of county vehicles and equipment. Fleet Management’s main garage in San Bernardino includes four shops: automotive, heavy duty, welding/metal fabrication, and generator services, as well as a parts room and fueling station. The department also operates five smaller service centers in Barstow, Victorville, Needles, Rancho Cucamonga and Twentynine Palms and 60 strategically located fueling sites.
Additionally, Fleet Management operates a motor pool, which has ownership and/or maintenance and replacement responsibility for approximately 1,940 vehicles and pieces of equipment assigned to or used by county departments.
County’s homelessness efforts impress new governor
From left, County CEO Gary McBride, Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Josie Gonzales, Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman and Gov. Gavin Newsom listen to presentations outlining the county’s efforts to combat homelessness.
San Bernardino County officials and their community partners impressed California’s new governor this week with the various strategies being employed to combat homelessness in America’s largest county.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said he was so inspired by the “big ideas” at work in San Bernardino County that he will work with the state Legislature to set aside funding in the state’s upcoming 2019-2020 budget to enhance support for the county’s efforts.
“This seems to me to be an extraordinary opportunity,” Gov. Newsom said. “I have the privilege of this moment to convince my legislative colleagues that this is a wise investment.”
“I am going back home re-energized,” he continued. “I want to look to redirect some of that money in a much more robust way. … That’s missing from my budget, but it doesn’t have to be on May 1. We can figure out ways to bolster that effort.”
San Bernardino County’s innovative approaches to address homelessness – which have received accolades at the state and national levels – focus on collaboration, creation of available dwelling units, whole-person healthcare, jobs, and technology. Efforts are coordinated by the county’s Interagency Council on Homelessness, which is chaired by Fifth District Supervisor Josie Gonzales and includes representatives from many cities within the county, and a variety of county departments, non-profit organizations, and other service providers.
During the meeting with Gov. Newsom on April 16, 2019, at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center McKee Family Health Center in San Bernardino, county and private sector partners outlined some of the county’s approaches toward ending homelessness, including:
- Managed healthcare to ensure newly-housed people achieve and maintain physical and behavioral wellness to help prevent them from reverting to homelessness and relying on more costly emergency room care for their basic needs.
- The conversion of hotels and motels to provide homes for the homeless. The Housing Authority of San Bernardino County and its private sector partners are in the process of converting motels in San Bernardino and Victorville into housing for homeless people. Tod Lipka, president and CEO of Step Up said there are 75 hotels and motels in the region that could be converted into housing if the state could provide funding for rent vouchers.
“There are wonderful things happening at the local level,” Gov. Newsom said. “We’ll have your back and we’ll be providing an unprecedented amount of resources, and we’re here for the long haul.”
Children’s Network Conference proposals being accepted
Professionals who work with children and youth are invited to submit proposals to one of the Inland Empire’s premier training events.
San Bernardino County Children’s Network is now accepting workshop proposals for the 33rd Annual Children’s Network Conference. The conference will be Sept. 18 and 19, at the Ontario Convention Center. The Workshop Proposal Submission Form can be found online at http://hs.sbcounty.gov/CN along with detailed information, including:
• Conference overview
• Proposal submission requirements
Workshop proposals are due Friday, May 10 at 5 p.m. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Janki Naik at: janki.naik@hss.sbcounty.gov or (909) 383-9677 We look forward to receiving your proposals.
Train Days Rolls into County Museums
San Bernardino County Museum and Victor Valley Museum will host Train Clubs
Calling locomotive lovers of all ages! Train Days is rolling back into the San Bernardino County Museums in Redlands and Apple Valley, April 6 to 14. This popular annual event features intricate, operating model trains, a riding train, and family programming.
At the San Bernardino County Museum in Redlands, the event opens with an “Off the Rails” dance party for families from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Model train layouts will be running throughout the museum and a trackless train will be available for ticketed rides on the weekends. Train clubs participating include the ZoCal Z-scale Group, N-Land Pacific Modular Club, Green River Junction Railroad, and the Orange County N’Gineers who will be leading instructions on module building for visitors. Rail safety education organization Operation Lifesaver will be providing safety information.
At Victor Valley Museum, model train layouts will fill the museum for the weeklong event by returning local train clubs Antelope Valley N’ Scalers and Sun City Train Club. Featured are daily train activities and crafts for families, and a “chugging” photo booth station. A trackless train will be available for ticketed rides on the weekends. Event partners include Mojave National Preserve: Kelso Depot and Route 66 Mother Road Museum both sharing High Desert railroad history and its role within the community, and rail safety education organization Operation Lifesaver.
Train Days and the County Museum’s other exciting events and exhibits reflect the effort by the Board of Supervisors to achieve the Countywide Vision by celebrating arts, culture, and education in the county, creating quality of life for residents and visitors.
The San Bernardino County Museum is at 2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands. The museum is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is $10 (adult), $8 (military or senior), $7 (student), and $5 (child aged 5 to 12). EBT cardholders are $1. Children under 5 and Museum Association members are admitted free.
The Victor Valley Museum is in Apple Valley at 11873 Apple Valley Road. This branch museum is open Wednesdays through Sundays; admission is $5 (adult), $4 (military or senior), and $2.50 (student or child),
EBT cardholders are $1.Children under 5 and Museum Association members are admitted free.
Train Days is included with museum admission. Parking is free. For more information, visit www.sbcounty.gov/museum/. The museum is accessible to persons with disabilities.
