Council approves draft CAPER for HUD; residents raise concerns about ESG funding and landlords placing tenants in substandard units

The San Bernardino City Council on Sept. 17 authorized submission of the draft FY 2024–25 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The CAPER documents how federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds were used and measures progress on the city’s five‑year consolidated plan.

Trina Perez, Housing Division manager, told the council the city allocated roughly $4.16 million in HUD funds for 2024–25 across CDBG, HOME and ESG programs to support fair housing, affordable housing development, homeless services, infrastructure and public‑service activities. Perez highlighted projects and pipeline developments including Arrowhead Grove Phase 4 (affordable units), Jamboree at Fifth and Meridian, and Hillside infill single‑family development, and said the CAPER demonstrates federal dollars supporting neighborhood infrastructure and shelter/prevention services.

During the public comment period, several residents and tenant‑organizers urged the council to scrutinize which organizations receive ESG and rapid rehousing funds. Alicia Nash and Ashley Bridle (identified during comment as Inland Empire Tenants Union and a tenant) told the council they have observed property management companies that receive federal rental assistance operating substandard and unpermitted rehabilitations, placing formerly unhoused residents into units they described as unsafe. Nash said funds have been routed to management groups including names she cited (transcript: “Bridgeme Management, IE Hightowers”) and questioned oversight. Ashley Bridle displayed a city code enforcement red tag she said was issued the day before at a property where tenants had been placed with ESG assistance.

Another commenter, Dolores Armstead, urged the council to maintain program conditions where they aid enforcement against unsafe installations and asked whether a 9,000‑gallon tank cited in a separate agenda item had appropriate encasement and fire‑safety review; the fire department had inspected the tank, the permit holder later told the council.

Council members asked staff for clarification about funding amounts, the range of projects in the CAPER and the city’s monitoring of subrecipients. Perez said ESG, HOME and CDBG were used for homelessness prevention, rapid rehousing, shelter operations, affordable housing acquisition and rehabilitation, and public services, and that the CAPER is the federally required year‑end performance report. The council voted to authorize submission to HUD and to permit the city manager or designee to take further action to finalize the CAPER.

Motion and vote: the motion to authorize submission of the draft CAPER, and to authorize the city manager or designee to finalize it, was moved by Council Member Ibarra, seconded by Council Member Ortiz, and passed unanimously.

What residents asked for: several public speakers urged the city to (1) strengthen oversight of how ESG/rapid rehousing money is used by subrecipients and property managers, (2) ensure code enforcement inspects units where federal tenant assistance has been placed, and (3) include stronger tenant protections and closer monitoring in future CAPER and program agreements. Staff acknowledged the concerns and said the CAPER lists program accomplishments and that program monitoring is part of regular HUD compliance.

The council’s action keeps the city in compliance with HUD reporting deadlines and maintains access to federal funds that support homelessness services and affordable housing development; residents’ comments signal demand for increased local oversight of landlords and property managers who accept federal housing assistance.