HomeMy WebLinkAboutChristian Flores - COVID-19 Rent Relief Through CDBG ESG COVID Funds_RedactedFrom:Christian Flores
To:Public Comments (publiccomments@sbcity.org)
Subject:COVID-19 Rent Relief Through CDBG ESG COVID Funds
Date:Wednesday, July 1, 2020 4:45:02 PM
Hello,
My name is Christian Flores, I am an active San Bernardino Voter and Resident in the 1st
Ward as well as a community organizer with ICUC and activist with San Bernardino
Generation Now respectively. I am submitting public comments via e-mail and want to submit
a letter of support to use new CDBG Covid Virus and ESG COVID Virus related funds for
rent relief for San Bernardino City residents impacted due to COVID 19.
July 1st, 2020
To :
First Ward: Theodore Sanchez
Second Ward: Sandra Ibarra
Third Ward: Juan Figueroa
Fourth Ward: Fred Shorett
Fifth Ward: Henry Nickel
Sixth Ward: Mayor Pro Tem Bessine L. Richard
Seventh Ward: James L. Mulvihill
San Bernardino City Council:
We, the undersigned, in collaboration with regional community organizations, respectfully
urge the San Bernardino City Council, to develop a coordinated rent relief payment program
with landlords and residential and commercial tenants and a 6 month payment plan. At the
State level, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency and recommended for a
moratorium against evictions. As result, it is upto the cities and county to clarify and provide
those landlord and rent protections. Most renters are not going to know that there is a court
ordered moratorium on evictions in place or that they were required to submit a letter to their
landlord. The National Multifamily Housing Council reports that 31% of renters, nationwide,
have not paid their April rent. The majority of renters do not fight an eviction in court and will
simply comply with a notice from a landlord. The number of reported people who have been
out of work because of the epidemic and the economic crisis is going to grow even more in the
coming weeks. The number of people that are going to be made homeless because of this will
be staggering when the moratorium on evictions ends and people who have been out of work
for months are required to come up with back rent. As the City of San Bernardino, we should
have the economic incentive for people to stay in their homes. We have some of our San
Bernardino residents that are employed or under employed that have the opportunity to work
as teleworkers. By having them be able to stay in their homes, will allow them to work from
home. Some of the suggested solutions and language drawn from other jurisdictions is below.
We urge you to join other jurisdictions.
We ask at the San Bernardino City level to pass an ordinance that will do the following:
Through new Community Development Block Grants COVID Virus and Emergency Solutions
Grants COVID Virus related funds to create a San Bernardino City level rent relief program
for landlords for residential tenants that have been financially impacted due to COVID 19