January 27, 2023 County Update

The results, which will be tabulated and announced during the coming months, will help determine how much assistance the county receives from the federal government to address homelessness.

“The Point-in-Time Count is a crucial part to developing and implementing a comprehensive plan to combat homelessness and provide a pathway to self-sufficiency. I want to thank our partners and the dedicated volunteers who took part in conducting this year’s survey,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Dawn Rowe.

More than 800 volunteers assisted in Thursday’s count, including more than 300 County employees.

Since the 2019 PITC, the County’s award-winning mobile application survey leveraging Esri’s Arc GIS (Geographic Information Systems) technology has been used by volunteers throughout the county visiting riverbeds, underpasses, and anywhere else the homeless might be found to count them, ask them a series of questions to help the county determine how best to address the issue of homelessness, and assist those in immediate need of help.

“The Point-in-Time count is crucial for funding and the results of the homeless count will provide the County and local cities with opportunities to develop local community and countywide strategies to help people exit life on the streets and by which the success of our efforts will improve the quality of life for San Bernardino County residents,” said Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires local governments to conduct counts of their homeless populations every other year. However, San Bernardino County conducts an annual count in alignment with best practices recommended by HUD.

“Each year, we work to make a collective impact as a county to improve the processes created to reduce our homeless population. The efforts by volunteers, county staff, and community stakeholders have helped to make an impact in the lives of real people. It is through these concentrated and compassionate efforts that people experiencing homelessness find options and support. This is a crucial first step in improving the quality of life for people who have experienced hardships and need a helping hand,” said Fourth District Supervisor Curt Hagman.

After previously seeing increases in the number of unsheltered homeless people, last year’s Point-In-Time Count revealed a net decrease of one unsheltered person and a dramatic increase in the number of those in housing and shelters, demonstrating the success of the County-led efforts to provide housing options for the homeless.

The 2022 count showed a 6.6 percent increase in the total number of homeless, sheltered and unsheltered, which was a vast improvement from the 20 percent increase shown in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2021 count.

Last year’s count found 3,333 homeless persons in the county compared to 3,125 found in 2020. However, the unsheltered population decreased by one, from 2,390 in 2020 to 2,389 this year. This zero percent increase shows dramatic progress as each of the three previous counts in 2020, 2019, and 2018 showed double-digit percentage increases.

The 2022 count also found 209 more sheltered persons – those living in shelters and transitional housing – than were found in 2020, an increase of more than 28 percent, which demonstrates the County’s success in creating additional shelter space for our homeless population.

“Identifying our current state of homelessness will provide us a baseline on how to move our region forward,” said Second District Supervisor Jesse Armendarez. “Together, we will expand our services to those experiencing homelessness and mental health issues.”

In partnership with several community organizations and county departments – including the Sheriff, Behavioral Health, Aging and Adult Services, Public Health, and Probation – the county is building on the successes achieved by the pandemic-inspired Project Roomkey and Project Homekey to make serious progress toward addressing homelessness throughout San Bernardino County.

In May 2022 the Board of Supervisors launched a unified and strategic approach to tackling homelessness in San Bernardino County with clear, ambitious goals and an unprecedented alignment of 16 County departments.

The 2022 San Bernardino County Homeless Strategic Action Plan revolves around a Homeless to Home Roadmap to Self-Sufficiency and focuses on strengthening the ability of County departments and community partners to make a collective impact toward reducing and preventing homelessness by housing the most at-risk, increasing shelter capacity, and improving the current systems in place to shelter and serve the homeless.

The plan moves the County’s fight against homelessness from a collection of individual programs to a strategic and data-driven countywide response that directs the allocation of resources, services, and programs to improve the quality of life for all county residents.

On Saturday, January 21, 2023, several large off-road clubs staged on Deep Creek Road and rode to Big Bear. Five off-road vehicles were towed that day for operating on public roadways.  Numerous citations were issued for subjects not wearing helmets and for operating on private property without permission from the property owner.

Several of the off-highway vehicles ran over small spikes, which appeared to have been left intentionally on the trails in the Juniper Flats area. We would like to remind property owners and residents that setting booby traps can be constituted as criminal behavior and can subject them to legal and civil actions. To report illegal riding in your area, please email OHV@sbcsd.org. 

On December 17, 2022, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors authorized funding to assist with county-wide off highway vehicle enforcement. The funding allows the Sheriff’s Department to increase law enforcement services related to quality-of-life issues affecting the communities in our county.

Operation Dust Devil will take place over the next several months to encourage safe and responsible off-highway vehicle operation, by way of education and enforcement throughout San Bernardino County. 

Operation Dust Devil will focus on off-highway vehicle operations throughout the county’s 20,105 square miles. The operation will include personnel from the Sheriff’s Off-Highway Vehicle Team and various patrol stations. They will work with San Bernardino County Land Use Services/Code Enforcement, San Bernardino Park Services, Hesperia Park Services, US Forest Service, California State Parks, Bureau of Land Management, Department of Fish and Game, National Parks Service, BNSF Police, California Highway Patrol, San Bernardino Police Department, Rialto Police Department and Colton Police Department.
The goal of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Off-Highway Vehicle Team is to contact off highway vehicle enthusiasts and educate them in the safe and proper use of their equipment, to include use of helmets, seat belts, and operating on designated off-highway vehicle trails and open areas. Many enthusiasts are unaware of the locations of the legal and open off-highway vehicle riding areas.

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors and the Sheriff’s Department supports responsible and safe off-highway vehicle use and encourages enthusiasts to use the links below to and discover the legal off-highway vehicle opportunities in the county. If you would like the team to assess a particular area regarding illegal riding, please email OHV@sbcsd.org.

Off-Highway Vehicle Riding Resources

• San Bernardino National Forest – OHV Riding & Camping
• Off-Highway Vehicles | Bureau of Land Management
• State Vehicular Recreation Areas
• OHV Trails – Southern California Mountains Foundation
• California Trail Map

San Bernardino County Regional Parks Director Beahta Davis said the department wanted the event to acknowledge the history of the early California days through educational displays about California’s history, focusing on mining, the Pony Express, the state flag and the Butterfield Overland Trail through an annual event.

Calico Ghost Town is an Old West silver mining town in Yermo that was established in 1881, but was abandoned in the mid-1890s after silver lost its value. Calico has a rich history of mining and is a state historical landmark. In 2005, the town received a proclamation by the governor recognized as California’s Silver Rush Ghost Town.

The rich silver deposits at Calico sparked a boom-town hustle with the height of its population exploding to 1,200 in 1887, offering a schoolhouse, post office, cemetery, its version of a China Town and red-light district with about 22 saloons that sprang up all over town. This bustling industry created a shipping center in the neighboring town of Daggett, which thrived as a hub of activity in the Mojave Desert by 1888.

At the height of its wealth, Calico produced about $87 million in silver and $45 million in borax in more than 500 mines, including the Silver King, Waterloo, Bismark and Maggie Mines.

Walter Knott purchased Calico in the 1950s, architecturally restoring all but five original buildings to look as they did in the 1880s and donated the town to the county in 1966. Calico is now operated by the San Bernardino County Regional Parks Department.

Davis said partnering with mining companies for the California Days event added a layer of authenticity for eventgoers to visualize how the town relied on mining in the early days as well as an opportunity to see what mining is like today.  

“The purpose of the special event programming is to provide activities and experiences that submerse park patrons into the history of Calico Ghost Town and the important role its townspeople played. We wanted our eventgoers to relive the early days of Calico and California,” said Davis.

For the department’s effort, this thematic event won an Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties (NACo). The award was one of 82 won by San Bernardino County, which won the most 2022 NACo Awards of any other county in the United States.

Shawnita Jones, Park Superintendent of Calico Ghost Town and Mojave Narrows Regional Park, said the history of Calico and the role it played in California’s economy is an important part of local history in the county and was happy to see so many people come out to enjoy the new event.

“I have been with Regional Parks for about 10 years now and thought California Days was the right mix of fun activities and education. Families can come here together and really enjoy a slice of history whether it’s just for the day or a weekend of camping. I love seeing them smiling and having a good time together,” said Jones.

There were plenty of smiles, laughter and excitement prevalent throughout the weekend event with more than 4,300 visitors attending, including 217 camping reservations.

“I am super excited about the event scheduled on February 18 and 19 this year. I am sure it will be as amazing as last year,” Jones said.

“Working here enables me to see how people enjoy the outdoors. I started with the county in 2012 as a part time General Services Worker II [GSW II] while working another job and attending community college to get my AS in math and science. When I graduated in 2014, I was promoted to a full time GSW II. In 2016, I was promoted to a Park Ranger II, and then in 2019, I was promoted to Park Superintendent.”

Working for Regional Parks affords many opportunities to learn and grow. Come and join our award-winning team at San Bernardino County and you’ll find Opportunity Works Here! Learn more at Opportunity.sbcounty.gov.

For more information about California Days, including the schedule of events and activities, visit parks.sbcounty.gov/calico-california-days.