State secretary visits San Bernardino to discuss housing and homelessness

California Secretary of Business, Consumer Services, and Housing (BCSH) Secretary Lourdes Castro Ramirez met with leaders from the City of San Bernardino on Friday, June 30 to discuss affordable housing and homelessness.

Secretary Castro Ramirez discussed current and upcoming funding opportunities at the State level, as well as the benefits of the City receiving a pro-housing designation from the State.

As well as discussing the importance to partner with the County of San Bernardino, who receive much of the funding allocated to the region with the expectation the funds will be distributed to the areas of highest need.

San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran, Council Member Sandra Ibarra, and Deputy Director for Housing and Homelessness Cassandra Searcy presented an update of the projects and initiatives the City has enacted in the past eight months based on the discovery that approximately 36% of the homeless individuals in the County of San Bernardino reside within the City of San Bernardino.

In February, the City declared a homeless state of emergency.