Resident urges housing navigator and interim housing; city officials say nearby camps are in Redlands

Brianna, a resident who said she lives north of Barton and east of California Street, urged the council to pursue a three-part approach to homelessness: hire a dedicated housing navigator or homelessness-response team; create interim housing options such as pallet housing or tiny-home clusters; and expand permanent supportive housing and use state programs such as Project Homekey to acquire or convert units.

"Number 1, having adequate staff, particularly like a dedicated housing navigator or homelessness response team... Number 2 is you need a place for them to go... And then the third leg that you need is permanent supportive housing," Brianna said, and described pallet housing and motel conversions that other cities used to rapidly house people.

City officials responded that the camps Brianna described near the walking path are largely within the jurisdiction of the City of Redlands, not Loma Linda, and that Loma Linda staff and the sheriff's department routinely offer services that some people decline; staff also said the city coordinates with county flood control and Caltrans to clean encampments and that the city works with regional partners and local interim facilities (including a facility for women with children and housing for veterans) when people request help.

Council members said the city held a homeless workshop the prior month and that staff will continue interagency outreach and cleanup; no new funding or formal policy was adopted during the meeting, but council members invited continued discussion and follow-up with staff and neighboring jurisdictions.