Located at the base of the San Bernardino Mountains in the "Heart of the inland Empire" and within a sixty mile radius to ocean beaches, desert playgrounds, and mountain resorts, San Bernardino offers the best possible location for recreation, culture, and employment opportunities. The City is served by major transportation routes including Interstates 10 and 215, railroads, and the Metrolink commuter train linking Los Angeles employment opportunities with quality housing at an affordable price. In addition, an ample supply of inexpensive, undeveloped land existing within the City of San Bernardino ensures the construction of entry level homes to serve the needs of first time buyers, while more prestigious real estate exists in the hillside communities to serve more upscale development.
The Consolidated Plan for the City of San Bernardino includes an action plan consisting of an application for funds under three different HUD formula programs for a total of $5,634,000. These funds, plus program income to the City from prior projects and local funds, will support the activities to be funded for the 1995 program year.
Elements of the Consolidated Plan were developed with active citizen
participation, including citizen advisory committees to help develop different
sections within the Plan. The City Council held two public hearings to obtain
citizen views and receive comments on the Consolidated Plan. The first public
hearing was held prior to the publication of the Consolidated Plan and included
proposed activities under the CDBG program. Citizens were given sufficient
information about the subject of the hearing through an advance notice
published in the local newspapers. Additional public meetings were held during
day and evening hours to accommodate most of the working population, and
accommodations were made to ensure adequate access for disabled individuals.
Accelerated job growth and the City of San Bernardino's number one ranking in population, retail sales, and financial deposits within the County, all contribute to the City's significant attractiveness for new development. From 1980 to 1990, San Bernardino's population grew by approximately 50% The City's current population of roughly 181,000 residents is expected to grow to 228,000 by the year 2010. Accelerated job growth is forecast for the City into the next century, thus highlighting the need for significant additional housing opportunities.
Based upon 1990 census data, the median family income for a family of four within the City is $28,843. This figure is 28% less than the median income within the County which is $36,977. Based upon these figures, a very low-income family within the City of San Bernardino would have an annual income of $14,422
The City of San Bernardino is one of racial and ethnic diversity. Based
upon 1990 census, whites are the largest racial group within the City,
representing 45.6% of the population. Hispanics represent the next largest
ethnic grouping, or 35% of the population. Blacks comprise just over 15% of the
population, while Asians/Pacific Islanders comprise nearly 3.4% of the
population.
Physical Inadequacy/Condition are another housing problem in the City. Physical condition of the housing stock is the second significant issue identified in the Community Profile. According to the Housing Element of the City's Plan, 11% of the City's housing stock is substandard in condition with 3% of the units in such poor condition as to be unsuitable for rehabilitation. The remaining 89% of the housing stock is considered in standard condition. A high percentage of respondents to the Community Needs Survey rank residential property maintenance/code enforcement as a high priority.
The City of San Bernardino is projected to have a population increase of 32,483 and a housing unit increase of 6,276 in the next five years. Initially, the population increase is projected to be partially absorbed in units that are currently vacant. However, by 1996 most of the vacant units will be occupied and the increase in housing units is projected at a slower rate than the increase in population. This would result in an increase in the average household size. It is also anticipated that there will be some increase in overcrowding. These factors indicate that there will be a need for larger housing units. It is also expected that the need for rental assistance could increase, since lower vacancy rates could cause an increase in market rents.
Another major housing problem in the City is Overpayment (Cost Burden/Affordability). Almost 37% of the City's households are paying more than 30% of their income on housing. Cost burden is defined as households paying more than 30% of their incomes on housing. Cost burden is most severe among extremely low-income renter households, with 76% of those earning 0-30% of median family income paying more than 30% on housing and 47% within this group paying more than 50%. Owner households within this income group also face cost burden of more than 30% in 63.6% of those households.
A lack of homeownership is a housing problem in the City. The cost of housing in San Bernardino has also prevented many families from becoming homeowners. 52% of the City's housing units are owner-occupied while 48% are renter-occupied. However, 60% of the City's housing units are single family and another 7.5% are mobile homes. 40% of all renters occupy single family detached homes. The vacancy rate among rental units was four times the owner vacancy rate at the time of the 1990 Census. The high rate of absentee owners contributes to a lack of maintenance.
Cost burden is also a problem among very low-income renter households earning between 30 and 50% of median income. Almost 79% of these households are paying more than 30% of their incomes on housing. Overpayment is not as severe among low-income households but is still prevalent, as 45% of the renters and 33% of the owners within this income group are paying more than 30% on housing. Cost burden is also a problem for middle-income home owners, with 32% of these households overpaying. However, only a small percentage of middle-income renters are overpaying (11%). A high percentage of respondents to the Community Needs Survey rank rental housing development as a high priority.
Homelessness is a problem in the City of San Bernardino. As the City has a relatively large homeless population. While it is difficult to obtain an accurate count of the homeless, estimates indicate that the range of homelessness in San Bernardino is as low as 1,000 persons and as high as 1,750 persons.
There are 24 organizations located in the City which serve the homeless. These include 13 which offer emergency shelter and transitional housing, nine which provide referrals and counseling and five which provide emergency food and clothing. The emergency shelters include those for veterans, homeless youth, the mentally ill, victims of domestic violence and drug and alcohol recovery programs.
The San Bernardino County Public Housing Authority, created in 1941 to provide affordable housing opportunities for very low-income families in the county, currently owns and manages 705 units and provides an additional 1,811 rental units to very low-income families through the Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Program. Of the households assisted, 16% of the public housing participants and 13% of the Section 8 recipients are elderly. Unfortunately, there are 2,305 additional households on the waiting list for assistance. The waiting list, as a result, was closed in 1991 and is not due to be reopened until new housing becomes available. 57% of all households waiting meet Federal preferences for admission to rental assistance programs within the City. The city has tabulated only those households meeting Federal preferences for over a year.
To remove or improve any negative effects from existing public policies, the City of San Bernardino intends to maintain a dialogue with developers and the citizenry to ensure the best planning, infrastructure and development decisions, and will continue to work toward increasing public awareness and acceptance of the need for affordable housing and homeless services throughout the City.
Many of the factors which tend to restrict housing supply cannot be controlled by local government, especially those that relate to the regional, national and international economies. Various facts not under the control of local government influence the cost, supply and distribution of housing. These factors include land costs, construction costs, financing costs, and availability of land and land use controls.
A five year lead-based paint strategy has been determined which contains five parts: 1) Coordination of public and private efforts to reduce lead-based paint hazards and protect young children; 2) Integration of lead hazard evaluation and reduction activities into existing housing programs; 3) Development of technical capacity to address lead-based paint hazards; 4) Promotion of comprehensive public health programs; and 5) Education and advocacy. The goal of the five year strategy is to reduce or eliminate lead-based paint hazards and prevent childhood lead poisoning. Actual programmatic, coordinated efforts regarding testing of children rests primarily with County and City health and housing and community development programs and staff.
The City of San Bernardino recognizes the need to prioritized issues, giving
first consideration and priority to economic strategies which encourage the
diversity, prosperity and expansion of those basic activities with growth
potential. Consequently, the City is turning its focus toward activities most
likely to foster economic growth, including housing programs which encourage
workers to live and spend their resources within the community. Also included
is the enhancement of the existing transportation and communications
infrastructure, an aggressive company retention plan, job training programs and
concentrated efforts to "attract" other firms to the community with
economic incentive packages such as the job linkage program and a variety of
loans and loan guarantee programs.
The City of San Bernardino attempts to address numerous issues. These include the elimination of slums and blight, elimination of conditions that are detrimental to health, safety and public welfare, conservation and expansion of the housing stock, expansion and improvement of the quantity and quality of community services, better utilization of land and other natural resources, reduction in the isolation of income groups within communities and geographical areas, restoration and preservation of properties of special values and alleviation of physical and economic distress.
The priorities and objectives for the City include:
The City is committed to expanding economic opportunities for its residents and the Action Plan contains over $800,000 in CDBG funding for economic development activities.
Short and long term non-housing goals which may be pursued by the City of San Bernardino over the next five years include:
The Anti-Poverty Strategy requires taking into account factors affecting poverty over which the jurisdiction has control. Currently, several programs exist that specifically target households in poverty, and that can assist them in improving their long-term financial and social position to eventually bring them out of poverty. The programs utilizing the City include: the Job Training Partnership Act which provides Federal funds for job training of high-risk youth, unemployed adults and other economically disadvantaged individuals, providing services at no cost to the participants to prepare them for entry into permanent jobs; and the County Family Self-Sufficiency Program which helps identify and remove economic barriers to make each household independent of housing assistance programs by increasing household income and eliminating the need for rental assistance.
The Federal government has a number of programs that are available for use in San Bernardino. These programs may be used for acquisition, rehabilitation, homebuyer assistance, rental assistance, new construction, homeless assistance, homeless prevention and non-housing activities. The programs available include: HOME, CDBG, CDBG Section 108 Loan Guarantees, Lead Based paint Abatement Program, Supportive Housing Program HOPE 3, Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation Program for Single Room Occupancy, Section 8 Rental certificates Program, Section 8 Rental Voucher Program, Supportive Housing for the Elderly (Section 202) Program, Emergency Shelter Grants Program, Surplus Housing for use to Assist the Homeless, Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program, State and local programs.
The Housing Division will continue to aggressively attract housing
development, and through extensive surveys and market analyses, will ensure that
all development will be completed in harmony with the State and City Housing
Element and Consolidated Plan goals. During FY 1995, specific actions will be
taken to achieve cooperation and coordination among State, local and private
agencies or institution in implementing activities.
The City will fund the following activities:
The City of San Bernardino Economic Development Agency, and the San Bernardino County Housing Authority.
MAP 2 depicts points of interest and low-moderate income areas.
MAP 3 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and minority concentration levels.
MAP 4 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and unemployment levels.
MAP 5 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and proposed HUD funded projects; in addition, a table provides information about the project(s).
Norma Owens
Economic Development Agency
City of San Bernardino
201 North "E" Street -- 3rd Floor
San Bernardino, CA 92401-1507
Phone: (909) 384-5081
