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San Bernardino County board receives public survey on housing policy from residents By Staff
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Health officials confirm 1st bird flu case in San Bernardino County By Staff
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ocal health officials on Wednesday announced San Bernardino County’s first confirmed case of H5N1 bird flu in a domestic cat. According to the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, the cat was one of three felines that consumed recalled raw milk from Raw Farm LLC. Two of the cats have died, and the third was hospitalized, treated and has recovered. The cats’ owner did not test positive for H5N1 bird flu, and currently there are no reported human cases of bird flu in the county, officials said. Also, no person-to-person spread of the virus has been detected in California. “The cats were not under the care of county services at the time of medical treatment,” according to the health department. “While the risk of H5N1 bird flu to the general public remains low, this case, found in a cat, serves as a reminder of the importance of avoiding raw milk and ensuring safe practices when handling food and interacting with animals or their environments,” San Bernardino County Health Officer Dr. Sharon Wang said in a statement. Public Health officials reported that “markers of H5 avian
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he Board of Supervisors on Tuesday held a public hearing on Tuesday to officially receive a survey to gather input from San Bernardino County residents on how to use federal grant funds for affordable housing. Every five years the county’s Community Development and Housing Department is required to identify affordable housing and community development needs and prioritize projects to address shortfalls. This process establishes goals and specifies exactly how grant funds lead to increased affordable housing options for residents, which reduces homelessness and offers a range of social services to underserved communities over the next five years, officials said. The hearing took place at the County Government Center in San Bernardino and was also open to residents via videoconference locations in Joshua Tree and Hesperia. One resident who spoke at the hearing said results of the community survey on housing needs were not on the CDH’s website, and another hearing participant said the county’s outreach efforts in Bloomington could have been more robustly publicized. “There’s just not enough community outreach to get enough community input,” he said. Community Development and Housing Director Carrie Harmon gave a presentation on the community survey prior to the public comment portion of the hearing. “Today’s hearing provided vital feedback from our citizens on affordable housing and community development needs across the county,” Harmon said in a statement. “Their input is important to us and will help shape the 2025 Consolidated Plan.”
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San Bernardino County supervisors attend a regular meeting. | Photo courtesy of San Bernardino County
Federal grant funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development can be distributed to projects and activities in the unincorporated communities of the county as well as cities that include Adelanto, Barstow, Big Bear Lake, Colton, Grand Terrace, Highland, Loma Linda, Montclair, Needles, Redlands, Twentynine Palms, Yucaipa and the Town of Yucca Valley, officials said. Chino Hills and Rancho Cucamonga also qualify for HUD funding. The public hearing concluded the county’s efforts of obtaining citizen and stakeholder feedback to guide the use of federal funds for the Consolidated Plan. Prior efforts included a variety of approaches to achieve meaningful public engagement with residents and other stakeholders, including participation in various public meetings and events throughout the county, as well as the
release of a community-wide survey. CDH staff attended 26 meetings and events in each region of the county. Events ranged from participating in “municipal advisory council meetings,” Continuum of Care Regional Steering Committee meetings and senior meal distribution programs in Bloomington, Joshua Tree, Crestline and other communities. “These efforts resulted in the completion of over 1,600 surveys to help inform the development of the Consolidated Plan. A separate stakeholder and service provider survey was deployed to capture feedback from a variety of stakeholder viewpoints, including fair housing/legal advocacy, housing, affordable housing, real estate and mortgage lending, community development and planning, transportation, education, homelessness, civic organizations,
services for low-income households, people with disabilities, seniors, children, domestic violence victims and others. “I want to thank our residents and stakeholders for sharing their thoughts with us throughout this process,” Harmon said. “We are committed to enhancing the quality of life in our communities by meeting the county’s affordable housing and community development needs.” County housing officials will return to the Board of Supervisors in March to present the draft Consolidated Plan and Action Plan for approval. Last year, the county spent over $16.7 million in HUD grant funding for housing and community services, according to Harmon’s presentation Tuesday. To view the Jan. 14 public hearing, visit sanbernardino. legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and go to agenda item 77.
San Bernardino County officials talk fire preparedness By Staff
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s wildfires devastate communities in Los Angeles County, top officials in San Bernardino County assured the public they are focused on the dangers of strong winds and preparing for the worst. Board of Supervisors Chair Dawn Rowe and San Bernardino County Fire Chief Dan Munsey had a conversation Tuesday about San Bernardino County’s state of preparedness, concerns being raised by county residents in the wake of the LA fires and what local residents can and should do to mitigate fire danger. Rowe and Munsey noted the work the county has done with residents to be “fire-ready,” the availability of water in different parts of the county, the help San Bernardino County has provided to LA-area firefighting agencies, technology that significantly reduces response times and other topics, according to a county statement. The county fire department “is working around the clock to support emergency operations in Los Angeles County,” officials said. “Since the early stages of both the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire, San Bernardino County Fire crews have been actively involved in response efforts.” San Bernardino County firefighting units aiding the effort in LA include three strike team leaders, two strike teams, See Fire Page 24