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Tenants, advocates urge county help as affordable housing operator faces foreclosure and Step Up residents report eviction notices
Summary
Tenants and advocates told the board that foreclosure and alleged financial mismanagement at a nonprofit operator may leave dozens homeless, while residents at a Step Up facility said sudden notices and alleged rent increases threaten vulnerable tenants and asked supervisors to intervene.
Multiple speakers told the Board of Supervisors that a building serving formerly homeless or low‑income tenants is at risk of foreclosure and that Step Up San Bernardino residents face imminent eviction or steep rent increases.
Jeff Green, associate director of the Inland Equity Community Land Trust, said a building operated by Step Up and financed with Project Homekey and other public funds had fallen into foreclosure after alleged financial mismanagement by Shangri La Industries, and that "75 people" could be made homeless unless local governments or community partners step in to preserve the property or facilitate community ownership. He urged city and county cooperation to avoid displacement.
Tenants from Step Up and other county‑sponsored housing read statements describing notices to vacate by Jan. 1, offers of $1,000–$5,000 to relocate, and concerns that small payments would jeopardize Social Security benefits or be insufficient to secure alternative housing. Residents, including older adults and people with health conditions, asked the board to enforce Homekey affordability covenants and investigate alleged illegal rent hikes.
Speakers asked the board for immediate emergency action to stop evictions, mandate enforcement of affordability agreements, and examine whether county oversight of Homekey and other funding instruments has been adequate to prevent loss of long‑term affordable units. The board acknowledged the testimony and indicated staff follow‑up would be needed; no board vote to intervene was recorded at the Dec. 16 meeting.
