Board of Supervisors actions, April 23 – Welcome to San Bernardino County

Supervisors act to save the lives of wild cats

The Board of Supervisors approved a contract that will provide spaying/neutering of cats and dogs owned by residents within unincorporated areas of the county as well as the spaying/neutering and vaccination of community cats via a mobile service.

The contract will result in The PAW Mission partnering with other contractors providing services for the county’s new Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return program. The program works to reduce the incidence of healthy community cats being euthanized at county shelters.

Community cats are free-roaming cats who may be cared for by residents in the immediate area. They consist of feral cats, semi-socialized cats, and occasionally abandoned pets. In a community cat colony, one unspayed female cat can have approximately three litters of kittens each year. When these cats are spayed/neutered and vaccinated, it improves their health by reducing unwanted litters, fighting, and disease.

Once spayed or neutered and vaccinated, the community cat will be identifiable by an ear notch indicating that they can no longer reproduce and has been vaccinated. Community members will be able to make an appointment, at no cost, with The PAW Mission to have a healthy community cat spayed/neutered and vaccinated, then return it to its outdoor home.

For more information on these services, visit County Animal Care.

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Supervisors secure funding for Santa Ana River Trail

The board secured funding to cover the entire cost of the Santa Ana River Trail (SART) Phase IV-A project, located between California Street and Orange Street in Redlands.

Supervisors approved a $6.8 million grant agreement with the California State Coastal Conservancy to fund the planning, design, and the construction of the project.

The SART Phase IV-A project will extend the trail 3.9 miles from California Street to Orange Street in Redlands.

The county has completed and opened two sections of the Santa Ana River Trail to the public.

SART- Phase I was completed in April of 2007 and extended the trail from La Cadena Avenue in Colton to the Riverside-San Bernardino County Line, where it joined Riverside County’s existing trail section.

SART- Phase II was completed in April of 2005 and extended the trail from Waterman Avenue in San Bernardino west to La Cadena Avenue in Colton.

SART- Phase III is located between Waterman Avenue and California Street in Redlands and San Bernardino. Construction began in September of 2023 and is projected to be completed in December of 2024. The Santa Ana River Trail is brought to you by the San Bernardino County Regional Parks Department. Learn more at https://parks.sbcounty.gov/park/santa-ana-river-trail-pkwy/.

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Board reviews federal funding plan for homelessness and other community needs

The board conducted a public hearing on the county’s proposed plan to spend more than $11.2 million in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships Program, and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) programs.

San Bernardino County’s estimated grant entitlement includes $6.9 million for the CDBG program, which includes the allocation for both the county and 13 cooperating cities; $3.7 million for HOME; and $613,906 for ESG.

Since 1975, the county has qualified to receive federal housing and community development grant funds from HUD. The county uses the funds to develop viable communities by providing decent housing, suitable living environments, and expanded economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons. CDBG, HOME or ESG funds may be used for emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, housing preservation, capital improvements, public services, housing development, fair housing, and program management.

Cities can choose to participate in the county’s CDBG, HOME, and ESG programs. There are currently 13 cooperating cities under the county’s 2020-25 HUD Consolidated Plan: Adelanto, Barstow, Big Bear Lake, Colton, Grand Terrace, Highland, Loma Linda, Montclair, Needles, Redlands, Twentynine Palms, Yucaipa, and the Town of Yucca Valley. Chino Hills and Rancho Cucamonga have chosen to only participate in the county’s HOME program.

CDBG funds are used for public facility and street infrastructure improvement projects, homelessness prevention, transitional housing services, food distribution, transportation, childcare, and job training for eligible youth, senior, and veteran populations.

HOME and ESG funds are allocated to the county and deployed through partnerships with housing developers, non-profits, and county departments. Available funds are awarded to select service providers through a procurement process to ensure services are made available countywide. HOME program funds are utilized to help finance the new construction, acquisition, and rehabilitation of affordable housing, as well as Tenant Based Rental Assistance for low- and very low-income families.

Eligible ESG activities are categorized under five program components: Street Outreach, Emergency Shelter, Rapid Re-housing, Homelessness Prevention, and the Homeless Management Information System.

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Supervisors fund elementary school playground improvements

The board approved a proposal by Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr., to provide $1.3 million to assist with school playground improvement costs at Arrowhead Elementary School in San Bernardino.

During the past two and a half years, the board has set aside a small portion of the county budget to address community needs in each of the five county supervisorial districts that provide services to citizens that promote health, safety, economic well-being, and other public services that enhance quality of life and meet the needs of county residents. The Arrowhead Elementary School project will be funded by the Fifth District’s share of these funds.

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Board expands protections for seniors

Supervisors voted to join a statewide database that will increase the county’s ability to protect seniors from abuse and neglect.

JUMP Technology Services offers the LEAPS data management and reporting system that allows adult protective services (APS) programs in multiple counties to perform multi-county searches to request and share documentation from social worker to social worker. This system is being used by 53 of 58 California counties.

The software provides many benefits, including a robust reporting platform that can create comprehensive reports, the ability to upload documents directly into LEAPS, access to client information among almost all counties throughout California as well as cross-county reporting capabilities, the ability for mandated reporters to submit referrals online, and Google Maps integration for easy navigation to clients.

The LEAPS software will provide tools and features that will streamline processes and enhance the productivity of the APS program. JUMP is based entirely within the United States, ensuring that all data resides within our country’s borders.

Additional County Update News – April 25, 2024