Montclair approves joining West End Navigation Center; council lowers local share and seeks firmer county commitment

The Montclair City Council voted to join a regional West End Navigation Center in Fontana, authorizing staff to finalize agreements and appointing city representatives to oversight bodies while reserving close legal review of funding language.

City Manager Ed Star told the council the navigation center would be a 200-bed facility offering low-barrier shelter, recuperative medical care and intensive case management. San Bernardino County plans to acquire and retrofit the building with a $20 million capital investment and a $5 million operating reserve; participating agencies are projected to cover $3 million of annual operating costs in year one.

Why it matters: Council members said the center promises a centralized, service-rich option to stabilize people experiencing homelessness and to reduce encampments and emergency costs across the region. Montclair will be entitled to seven beds at all times and may purchase additional beds at $125 per night when needed.

Key details: Staff described a negotiated change to Montclairs share. After discussing allocation formulas based on population and point-in-time counts, Montclairs annual contribution was reduced from a proposed $250,000 to $100,000 for fiscal year 2026'7. The county has told the city it will offset Montclairs contribution by $150,000 annually from its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allocation; the countys letter uses "up to $150,000" language that staff said they will clarify before executing final documents.

Council concerns and conditions: Several council members pressed staff and the mayor to tighten contract language around the county offset and to add safeguards if federal or county CDBG allocations decline. Council members also pressed for clear committee roles (oversight and operations), procedures for referrals and transportation responsibilities, and explicit limits on Montclairs long-term financial exposure. Staff said the city will direct the city attorney to negotiate clarifying amendments and that the city manager will not finalize the county funding letter until legal review is complete.

Committees and governance: The council authorized the mayor to serve on the navigation center oversight committee and designated Community Development Director Michael Diaz as the citys operations representative (with Economic Development Director Mike Fuentes as alternate). The MOU is structured for a 10-year term with an automatic five-year renewal unless a party gives notice.

Vote and next steps: The motion to approve participation (Agreement No. 26-01) and to authorize the city manager to execute related documents subject to attorney review passed by roll call 4-0 with one abstention (Council Member Rue). Staff said Montclair's first payment would be due on or about July 2026, drawn from the citys general fund and existing homeless advocacy reserves; staff will pursue grant offsets and continue negotiating the county offset language.

Representative quotations: "We will hold the county to the $150,000" said the city manager as he described staffs position on the offset language. Council Member Lopez urged caution: "I really would hope for the ability to work out that language," she said, citing the 10-year term and the risks of changing federal funding. Council Member Rue abstained, saying she needed more information before committing Montclair for a decade.

What comes next: Staff will work with the city attorney and county counsel to clarify the "up to" funding language, return any final offset letter for council review if language changes, and coordinate Montclairs participation on the oversight and operations committees. The center is projected to begin operations around January 2027 pending tenant improvements and county approvals.