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Thursday, December 25-December 31, 2025
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San Bernardino County board OKs funding for homeless, youth services
NO. 255
Report: Regional inflation creeps higher during autumn By City News Service
By Staff
T
he San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors last week approved nearly $32.7 million for initiatives to help youth and adults experiencing or at risk of homelessness and health issues. The board approved contracts totaling about $23.9 million with Valley Star Behavioral Health Inc. and Victor Community Support Services Inc. to provide One Stop Transitional Age Youth Center services from Jan. 1, 2026, through Dec. 31, 2030. Mental Health Services Act and Medi-Cal funds support the initiative to assist youth ages 16 to 25 experiencing mental health problems, substance use disorders and housing instability. "TAY Centers offer safe, community-based spaces for underserved youth to receive counseling, treatment, case management and wraparound support that promote independence and reduce hospitalizations and homelessness," according to the county. Valley Star will operate in the East Desert and West Valley regions, while Victor will serve High Desert communities. The program is expected to serve more than 1,000 young people each year "and has demonstrated strong outcomes, with 66% of participants showing improvement in daily life-skills," officials reported. "Targeting housing assistance services and enhancing collaboration between departments to ensure vulnerable youth have the support and stability necessary for a
| Image courtesy of mohamed mahmoud hassan/PublicDomainPictures.net (CC0)
Volunteers speak with an individual experiencing homelessness during the 2024 Point-in-Time Count. | Photo courtesy of San Bernardino County
successful transition into adulthood aligns with the Countywide Vision," officials said. Board accepts grant for homeless services campus The county Community Development and Housing Department is getting a $3 million grant from the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation to support the completion of phase II of the Pacific Village Campus Project in the city of San Bernardino. The funding was awarded through the San Manuel Cares program. The grant aims to help close a construction funding gap and enhance key therapeutic and community spaces at the county’s flagship campus for addressing homelessness through housing, behavioral health and recovery services. "Pacific Village provides a full continuum of care for individuals experiencing homelessness, including permanent supportive housing, recuperative care beds and residential substance use treatment,"
according to the county. "Once complete, the campus will serve approximately 350 individuals annually and stand as a regional model for integrated homelessness response." Homekey grant to fund Tiny Home Village for at-risk youth The board approved a standard agreement with the California Department of Housing and Community Development and Family Assistance Program for the development and operations of the Transitional Age Youth Tiny Home Village in Victorville. The agreement will provide up to $5.8 million in Homekey Round 3 funding from the state to build 22 interim housing units and provide supportive services for youth 18-24 experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The project at 16857 C St. will include seven duplexstyle tiny homes, a rehabilitated residential structure and a full-service campus equipped with case management, life
skills training, education and employment readiness services, officials said. "No additional discretionary general funding is required; the Family Assistance Program will meet the local match requirement using a grant from the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation," according to the county. "Of the total award, $2 million will repay a previously approved county bridge loan. This marks the county’s first youth-focused Homekey initiative and fills a critical service gap in the High Desert region." More information on the county's efforts to address homelessness is online at sbchp.sbcounty.gov. San Bernardino County's 2025 Point-in-Time Count, reported 13 children under age 18 in nine families were experiencing homelessness. A total of 3,821 people were experiencing homelessness countywide, a slight decrease from the previous year.
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nflation throughout the Riverside metropolitan area increased roughly half a percentage point over the previous two months, tracking with trends nationwide, according to data released last week by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The agency's bimonthly report, based on metrics for northwestern Riverside County and the cities of Ontario and San Bernardino, indicated that the Inland Empire's Consumer Price Index was up 0.6%. BLS officials said that energy expenses were among the main drivers of price hikes in recent months. The energy component, which includes gasoline, electricity and natural gas costs, jumped 4.8%. Shelter costs, reflected in property rents, were up 0.2% in the two-month period. The food index increased by the same amount. However, it was tempered by an overall 0.5% decline in consumers' grocery store outlays, data showed. The year-over-year picture See Inflation Page 12
contrasted with bimonthly inflationary trends. From November 2024 to November 2025, the regional CPI showed a 4.5% rise, accounting for a range of upward pressures, most notably energy and shelter costs. The energy index was up 7.9% over the 12-month period, while the shelter component was up 4.4%, according to figures. Trending lower year-toyear were outlays for educational needs and communications services, such as Internet and mobile phone plans, dropping an aggregate 5.5%, according to the federal government. The report showed inflation was up 0.2% nationwide for November, and 2.7% on an annualized basis. Those numbers were largely unchanged since the end of summer, prior to the government shutdown. "BLS did not collect survey data for October 2025 due to a lapse in appropriations," the agency stated. "BLS is unable to retroactively