The San Bernardino City Council unanimously approved the cityconsolidated plan and annual action plan during its June 18 meeting, a final step required before the city can receive federal housing and community development funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The plan, described by city staff as the second and final public hearing on the 2025–2030 consolidated plan and the 2025–26 annual action plan, sets how San Bernardino will use HUD funds to support affordable housing, homelessness services and community development projects over the next five years. The city reported anticipated five‑year totals of roughly $12,000,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, $5,000,000 in HOME funds and $1,100,000 in Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds, and said first‑year allocations total about $2,700,000 in CDBG, about $1,100,000 in HOME and $241,347 in ESG.

The plan document lists programs and projects that staff said align with HUD priorities, including dental and medical services, rehabilitation services, housing assistance, services for people experiencing homelessness, a future housing project entered into an exclusive negotiating agreement with Jamboree, and contracts for landlord‑tenant mediation with Inland Fair Housing and Mediation Board. City staff said one public comment (received earlier and incorporated) and any comments made at the June 18 hearing would be added to the draft before submission to HUDfor review in HUD's IDIS system.

During public comment, Scott Olsen, a San Bernardino resident, spoke on multiple topics but addressed aspects of the plan by urging support for public safety vehicle funding and for modest support for a local community garden. "Get him up the police cars he needs," Olsen said when referencing public safety vehicle needs, and later asked council members to consider funding for garden water and maintenance.

Council member Theodore Sanchez moved to approve the consolidated plan and annual action plan; a second was recorded, and the clerk conducted a roll call vote. The motion passed unanimously with all present members voting yes.

The approved annual action plan must now be uploaded into HUD's Integrated Disbursement and Information System (IDIS) for HUD review and final approval. City staff said funding will enter the city's accounts only after HUD completes its review and releases the funds.

The council did not adopt any detail in the public hearing that was not contained in the draft submitted to HUD; staff said organizations not selected for funding were excluded for not meeting eligibility thresholds, program priorities or demonstrating capacity to perform the proposed work.

Looking ahead, the city will incorporate any comments received at the meeting into the final submission to HUD and proceed with HUD's review process. Staff said they remain concerned about potential future reductions to CDBG allocations but are proceeding with current planning assumptions.

(Reporting in this article is based on the city's presentation of the consolidated plan and the public hearing and vote recorded during the June 18, 2025 City Council meeting.)