$15.8 Million State Award Fuels Affordable Housing and Community Upgrades in San Bernardino

National CORE and the Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino (HACSB) have been awarded $15.8 million from the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) to invest in new housing and community improvements as part of the fourth phase of redevelopment at the Arrowhead Grove housing community.

The funding includes an $8.7 million loan for housing construction and a $7.1 million grant for community improvements, including sidewalk upgrades, bikeways, bus service and bus stop improvements, urban greening and high visibility crosswalks – all benefits to residents who live in and around the award-winning Arrowhead Grove community.

The SGC is awarding the funds as part of its Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) program, which is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promotes environmentally sensitive developments that emphasize alternative transit means for their residents.

This is National CORE’s fourth AHSC award and its second for Arrowhead Grove, a 30-acre master-planned community in the heart of San Bernardino launched in 2012 by HACSB and National CORE with an extensive community outreach program. Arrowhead Grove replaces an aging 1940s era public housing site, with a modern community that supports educational attainment, economic mobility and improved health.

“We are proud to be working with the insightful leaders of HACSB on the fourth phase of Arrowhead Grove,” National CORE President Michael Ruane said. “Each new step of this innovative, resident-focused development deepens the significant transformation we are seeing for the San Bernardino community.”

“Phase IV at Arrowhead Grove is the next step in our work to preserve affordable housing for future generations,” HACSB Executive Director Maria Razo said. “With energy-efficient design features and enhanced access to public transportation, this phase of redevelopment helps to position the community for long-term sustainability. We are excited to work alongside National CORE as our developer partner to bring our shared vision to reality.”

So far, National CORE and HACSB have completed three phases of the transformative development: Valencia Vista (2016), Olive Meadow (2017) and Crestview Terrace (2022) totaling 321 homes. All three feature state-of-the-art sustainability design, earning two LEED for Homes Platinum certifications and one Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Crestview Terrace was the first development in San Bernardino County to receive funding through SGC’s AHSC program. The $20 million awarded in the Council’s third round included bus passes for three years for each household, new bus shelters, ADA-compliant sidewalks, improvements to lighting, additional trees and traffic-calming measures.

“Including sustainable transportation infrastructure when planning to build housing developments is how we increase a community’s long-term climate resilience,” said Amar Cid, SGC’s deputy

director of community investments and planning. “The type of continued investments happening in San Bernardino County are an example of how government and community can come together to not only address California’s housing crisis but also provide safe and environmentally friendly ways for people to move around their community.”

Arrowhead Grove’s fourth phase, set to launch construction in mid-2025, will add 92 new affordable and sustainable mixed-income apartments for residents earning under 80 percent of the area median income.

The all-electric construction will incorporate photovoltaic solar panels in its covered parking area, electric vehicle charging stations, a xeriscape landscape, permeable materials, an enhanced tree canopy, covered gardens, a Village Green and a system for channeling stormwater to recharge local groundwater supplies. Design elements will address the impacts of extreme heat, with solar panels producing at least a third of the community’s energy needs.

“Features such as the community garden and the EV charging stations that will be installed in this phase of the development will significantly increase the quality of life at Arrowhead Grove and create an example for future developments in this community in terms of what is possible,” HACSB Director of Development John Moore said. “We are continuing to partner with the city and local nonprofits to expand on the sustainability features of this site, as well as green jobs training programs that will help residents prepare for the future jobs being created via these development projects.”

Community partners include a host of nonprofits who will provide a vast array of onsite services, including Operation New Hope for workforce development, Hope through Housing Foundation for health and wellness, financial coaching and student mentoring, and Neighborhood Housing Service of the Inland Empire for free housing stability counseling.

One nonprofit – Uplift San Bernardino for ongoing engagement – was co-founded by National CORE and the San Bernardino City School District to support collective impact work in targeted neighborhoods of the city.

This latest phase also featured intensive outreach efforts to discern community perspectives on the most beneficial improvements. After the consultations, development partners are working on the following plans:

· Repair and upgrade sidewalks

· Provide residents with free Wifi

· Purchase an EV bus for Omnitrans to boost service frequency

· Fund one year of Omnitrans service on the route

· Fund three-year bus passes for residents

· Upgrade bus shelters along East Base Line Street

· Reduce 9th Street from two lanes to one lane in each direction

· Add bike lanes on 9th Street

· Add a high-visibility crosswalk on 9th Street at an elementary school

· Purchase Calvans residents can use for vanpools

Outreach will continue to keep community members engaged during the development process to ensure they are aware of opportunities for leasing the new apartments.