Council approves $250,000 CDBG grant agreement for El Sol recreational and wellness campus

The San Bernardino City Council voted unanimously Aug. 6 to approve a $250,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) agreement with El Sol to support phase 1 tenant improvements for a proposed El Sol Recreational and Wellness Center.

City staff told the council the $250,000 comes from the city’s FY 2025 action plan and would be used for initial tenant improvements; the project team and staff said phase 1 is part of a larger campus plan that has secured roughly $4.75 million in outside funding and will include community rooms, a gymnasium, library, art spaces, a playground and walking paths.

Ronald Verrado, a First Ward resident, addressed the council in support and said the project will serve an estimated 5,000 residents a year and target underserved groups including Latinx, Black, Asian, LGBTQIA+ and immigrant populations.

Staff presented architectural renderings and described the project as a public–private partnership leveraging modest city investment to unlock greater outside capital. The staff report emphasized that the $250,000 is phase‑one funding for tenant improvements, with build‑out phases and additional amenities planned in later stages.

Council members asked a handful of clarification questions; with no public opposition, the council approved the agreement by voice vote. Staff said the agreement was the final administrative step needed after the FY 2025 action plan included the project.

City staff will execute the agreement and monitor project milestones and CDBG compliance as the project moves into subsequent phases.