On Tuesday, May 29, 2024, HACSB hosted a press conference to celebrate a milestone in the development of the Community Resource Center at the Arrowhead Grove community in San Bernardino. Representative Pete Aguilar (CA 33rd District) announced the award of an additional $2.6 million in Community Project Funding to support the CRC development. In 2023, Congressman Aguilar secured $3 million in funding to support the Community Resource Center. “We truly could not do this work without the ongoing support of leaders like Congressman Aguilar, who work so hard to bring resources to our community. This funding is going to make a tremendous difference in this community, and we are grateful to count the Congressman among our partners,” said HACSB Executive Director Maria Razo. During the event, HACSB also announced that it had issued a Request for Proposals for a developer partner to assist with the development of the Community Resource Center. “This is an important step as it will help us to finalize the building design, recruit additional partners, and secure additional funding to complete the project,” said Maria Razo. Congressman Pete Aguilar and San Bernardino County Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. also spoke during the event.
Arrowhead Grove is a newly redeveloped community located at the site of one of the first affordable housing developments to be built in San Bernardino County, a 252-unit Public Housing community built there in 1942. Since 2013, HACSB has been working to redevelop the aging community in phases to preserve affordable housing for future generations and bring additional resources to the community. Three phases of redeveloped housing have been completed so far. Additional phases of housing are planned, along with the Community Resource Center.
The Arrowhead Grove Community Resource Center will bring together educational opportunities, mentoring, job and career development services, recreational activities, children’s programming, health and wellness resources, and many other services. Partners in the plans for the CRC include Dignity Health, Making Hope Happen Foundation, Loma Linda University, Common Spirit, El Sol, and others. The Community Resource Center will be open to residents of the Arrowhead Grove community and the public. HACSB expects to break ground on the Community Resource Center as early as Fall 2025, contingent upon funding availability.
Immediately following the press conference, Maria Razo and other HACSB staff joined Congressman Aguilar for a roundtable with representatives from the Federal Home Loan Banks, National CORE, and other leaders on the topic of affordable housing and supportive services. The group discussed successes and challenges in affordable housing development. Maria Razo shared insights from HACSB’s experience as a Moving to Work housing authority, which has provided HACSB with flexibility to creatively address funding challenges in the redevelopment of its aging affordable housing communities.
Click here to view Congressman Pete Aguilar’s Press Release about the event.
Congressman Pete Aguilar presents a check for $2.6 million to the Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino for the Arrowhead Grove Community Resource Center in San Bernardino on Wednesday, May 29, 2024. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez). Left to Right: San Bernardino County Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr., San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chair Dawn Rowe, HACSB Executive Director Maria Razo, Representative Pete Aguilar.