Project Homekey Looks to Help Homeless with Housing
New program expands on Project Roomkey initiative, addressing public health concerns
San Bernardino County is submitting applications for grants to fund the purchase and rehabilitation of properties that will be converted into interim or permanent housing for many of our most vulnerable homeless residents.
The grants will be awarded under the state of California’s $600 million “Project Homekey” initiative to help counties and cities secure housing for those at high risk for serious illness from COVID-19. The federal Coronavirus Aid Relief Fund is providing $550 million for the program, with the remaining $50 million coming from the State’s general fund. Approximately $60 million has been earmarked for five Southern California counties: San Bernardino, Ventura, Orange, Riverside, and Imperial. (Los Angeles and San Diego counties are being targeted separately.)
“This new program will build on the success of Project Roomkey, which provided temporary housing to our most vulnerable residents — not only protecting them, but also promoting public health by reducing spread of the virus in the community,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman. “We are excited about the potential to offer a more long-term solution to this formidable challenge.”
The County is currently investigating suitable properties that it hopes to acquire and renovate, with a goal of securing permanent housing for up to 100 households in the first round of the initiative.
To be awarded a Project Homekey grant, the County must meet several requirements, including the development team’s experience and capacity to acquire and operate the properties, the ability to show how the project will serve target populations and address racial equities, and the extent to which the County can demonstrate the project’s favorable community impact.
Another critical requirement: the County must be able to actually disburse the funds by December 30, 2020. Fortunately, the program includes elements to help expedite the process. For example, hotel conversions are exempt from environmental review — a locally controlled process that could otherwise delay construction for two and a half years, according to a Legislative Analyst’s Office report.
“Homekey is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to massively expand housing for the homeless in California with federal stimulus funds,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “This unique opportunity requires us to move quickly, in close collaboration with our city and county partners, to protect the most vulnerable people in our state.”
Need Critical County Documents? ARC is Serving Residents Safely
As our community continues to fight the spread of COVID-19, the Assessor-Recorder-Clerk (ARC) is committed to providing services while keeping the public safe. While ARC offers most services by mail, email and phone, in-person appointments are now available for marriage license and ceremony services; birth, death, marriage certificate requests; document recording; and records research.
This new public service video from ARC shares all you need to know for a visit to ARC, including an easy-to-use new appointment system that allows for a contact-free check-in for Recorder-Clerk services.
The Importance of Coping with “COVID Fatigue”
A concerning new trend sweeping the country may be contributing to our County’s recent spike in cases. Feeling exasperated by the quarantine and shutdowns, many residents have begun to experience “COVID Fatigue” (or “Caution Fatigue”), leading them to neglect safety precautions. In such cases social distancing requirements are ignored, face coverings rejected, and social gatherings become more common, leading to a sharp uptick in COVID-19 infections.
Fatigue or not, relaxing safety guidelines leads to a vicious cycle whereby cases and hospitalizations can rise, and perhaps lead to more social restrictions.
“Certainly all of us can related to being exhausted by it all. We’re into five months of careful distancing and masks, and it can simply be draining,” said Dr. Veronica Kelley, director of the County’s Department of Behavioral Health. “But we simply can’t stop listening to health leaders and the science.”
What we can do, says Dr. Kelley, is focus on some lifestyle habits that can alleviate our stress in a healthy way. Following are some ideas that Dr. Kelley and many other health experts suggest can help.
Exercise
Exercise reduces the body's stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, and stimulates the production of endorphins – the mood-elevating hormone. Find a local, low-traffic path in your area to get started on a run or walk, or consider working out at home to let some adrenaline out of your system. If nothing else, at least step outside to get at least five minutes of sunshine and fresh air each day.
Talking
Avoid repressing your discontent or unhappiness. Failure to communicate emotions can lead to feeling hopeless or a sense of losing control. Simply airing out your frustrations and discussing them with the right person can work to reduce the stress experienced during shutdown. It can be very helpful to be reminded we’re all in this together.
Be Mindful
Ground yourself in the present moment and mitigate the stress that often comes from projecting into the future or ruminating about the past. Take a few moments to meditate or sit quietly in a chair and focus on your breathing. No one is certain how long current conditions will last, but taking life day by day is a crucial step in taking control of your mental state.
Mindful Breathing
Something you can do throughout the day, anywhere you are, is some mindful breathing exercises whenever you’re feeling stressed. Inhale for a count of 4, hold it in for a count of 7, and exhale for a count of 8. This focuses your brain on breathing, and allows oxygen you take in to go to your brain and core organs, reinvigorating your ability to cope.
Yawn and Stretch
Even if you’re not particular tired, reset your brain by taking a conscious moment to stand up, yawn and stretch a little. If you’re busy worrying about all of life’s pressures, you need this sort of conscious stop to keep yourself from any catastrophic thinking.
 County Opens Up COVID Compliant Business Partnership Program to More Organizations
San Bernardino County recently made a number of program adjustments to its COVID Compliant Business Partnership Program to make the program available to even more business owners. The extended application deadline is now October 31, 2020. Some of the major revisions to the program include:
- All nonprofits with a storefront or physical space are now be eligible to participate.
- Short Term Rentals (STRs) are now be eligible to participate at a lower level of funding. The financial support is $500 for each STR owner to offset costs of safety improvements and increased sanitization requirements.
- Sole proprietors with no employees are now eligible if they have a retail space or storefront.
- Home-based businesses that service customers are now eligible.
For more information and to apply for up to $2,500 for your COVID-Compliant business, visit https://sbcovid19.com/covid-compliant-business-partnership-program/.
27 County Inmates and 4 Sheriff’s Employees Test Positive for COVID
Twenty-seven additional County jail inmates have tested positive for COVID-19, for a total of 273 inmates who have tested positive for the virus. Many of the inmates are only experiencing minor symptoms of the virus. The infected inmates are in isolation, being monitored around the clock, and are being provided with medical treatment. This far, 213 inmates have recovered from the illness.
All inmates continue to be provided with face coverings, cleaning supplies, soap, and are urged to wash their hands repeatedly throughout the day. They are routinely reminded of the need to practice social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Four additional department employees have tested positive for COVID-19 and are self-isolating at home. A total of 160 department employees have tested positive for COVID-19. To date, 132 employees have recovered from the virus; other employees are expected to return to work in the next few weeks.
Latest Stats
34,939 Confirmed Cases (up 0.9% from the previous day)
497 Deaths (up 1.4% from the previous day)
264,802 Tested (up 1.2% from the previous day)
For more statistics from the COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard, click the desktop or mobile
tab on the County’s sbcovid19.com website.
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