First District Hosts Roundtables with Nonprofits, Faith-based Leaders

On Monday, our office enjoyed two wonderful and productive roundtables with members of our nonprofit and faith-based communities. The purpose of these meetings is to provide support, answer questions, connect community leaders with resources (and each other), and discuss important topics facing the First District.

During our faith-based roundtable, Rishad Mitha, Director of Operations for the San Bernardino County Housing Authority, provided an overview of the department’s various housing assistance programs.

Currently, 81,598 applicants are on the waiting list, and housing is provided on a first-come, first-served referral basis. The only exception is with Veterans, who are always placed at the top of the list.

Permanent Supportive Housing, such as the Desert Haven complex in Victorville, is available for chronically homeless families. Referrals for Desert Haven are provided through San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) and Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP).

In 2021, the Housing Authority began distributing emergency housing vouchers for victims of domestic violence. These referrals must come from organizations that support domestic violence victims. 

One of the Housing Authority’s main challenges is finding landlords to lease their units. New landlord virtual workshops are held on the first Thursday of every month, and there is a $1,000 incentive for landlords who join the program. 

Thank you to all of our nonprofits and faith-based leaders who joined us this week! New participants are always welcome. For more information about future roundtables, please contact our office at (760) 995-8100.