E L C H I C A N o WWe e eekkllyy

By Manny Sandoval

Vi v a L a B o b a , t h e f a m o u s b u b b l e t e a shop known for helping revitalize downtown San Bernardino, is set to open a second location at 501 Orange

Street in downtown Redlands

The new shop will commence construction in the Summer of 2023 after being vacant for a decade, promising to deliver the s a m e u n i q u e a t m o s p h e r e , amenities, and commitment to the community that has made its San Bernardino location a local favorite

Owners David Friedman and Tansu Philip, both residents of Redlands, have played a significant role in bringing new energy and life to downtown San Bernardino since opening Viva

La Boba in March 2019 They aim to bring their success and positive vibes to the Redlands community while maintaining their dedication to the original location

"It's a trauma response when Boba cont on next pg

San Ber nardino Ends Car ousel Mall Site Developer Ag r eement, Aims to Addr ess Sur plus Land Act Violations

By Manny Sandoval

In a significant move, the San Bernardino City Council voted u n a n i m o u s l y o n We d n e s d a y, May 3, to terminate its exclusive negotiating agreement (ENA) with the San Bernardino Development Company (SBDC) to redevelop the 43-acre Carousel Mall site

This decision is expected to clear the way for the city to resume the d e v e l o p m e n t p r o c e s s , a d d r e s s i n g concerns raised by the California H o u s i n g a n d C o m m u n i t y Development Division (HCD)

In March, San Bernardino received a notice from HCD alleging multiple violations of the Surplus Land Act This state law mandates public agencies to first offer property intended for sale to affordable housing developers The city, however, disputes these claims

A c c o r d i n g t o a n o ff i c i a l p r e s s release issued by the city, recent conversations with HCD staff have concluded that terminating the agreement with SBDC will resolve the outstanding issues associated with the March letter

" We a r e c o m m i t t e d t o w o r k i n g closely with HCD on the Surplus Land Act process as we proceed with the disposition of the mall property to avoid potential delays and litigat i o n , " s a i d P u b l i c I n f o r m a t i o n

Officer Jeff Kraus

Terminating the agreement with SBDC also addresses HCD's concern about potential conflicts of interest when evaluating new proposals for the Carousel Mall site As a result, the March Notice of Violation will not apply to future dispositions

The timeline for San Bernardino to seek new development proposals, particularly those that include affordable housing at the Carousel Mall s i t e , r e m a i n s t o b e d e t e r m i n e d Meanwhile, the mall's demolition, which began in April, will continue as the city evaluates nearby infras t r u expedite the site's future development

Previously, Donald Monti, CEO of Renaissance Downtowns USA and ICO Real Estate Group, now SBDC, expressed frustration with the council's handling of the matter during a

Boba people ask if we're closing the San Bernardino location; because so many businesses up and leave or close down in this city So we want to assure everyone that we're not closing that location," said Philip

The purchase of the Redlands location was highly intentional as it's in a walkable area, helping the business reduce its carbon footprint In addition, plans in the forthcoming shop include solar panels and operating as a net-zero property, reflecting the owners' commitment to sustainability Their previous environmentally-conscious efforts in San Bernardino included using biodegradable straws made from sugar cane and hosting community cleanups

In addition to serving its signature bubble tea creations, the Redlands location will offer food options such as empanadas, grab-and-go salads, sandwiches, cookies, and brownies Regarding aesthetics, the design will differ from the Mexican-inspired elements seen in San Bernardino, pushing boundaries and offering a fresh vibe

"We plan on bridging the two locations by collaborating and coordinating art events, open mics nights, etc Both locations will be given equal love," said Friedman

Friedman and Philip hope the Redlands location will become a welcoming meeting place for all, from students to city council members and everyone in be- tween Like the San Bernardino location, it'll be a hip spot for non-drinkers to grab boba, tea, coffee, etc , in the morning, afternoon, evening, and at nightmaybe even until 2 AM Philip and Friedman said they would continue encouraging patrons to stay and enjoy the space without pressure to keep purchasing from the menu

With their expansion to Redlands, Viva La Boba's commitment to sustainability, community engagement, and unique offerings will delight new patrons and foster connections between the two cities The opening of the new location is an exciting step forward in the continued growth and development of San Bernardino and Redlands

Popular Omnitrans Fr ee Far es f or School Pr og ram to Expand Countywide in 2023-2024 School Year

Community News

Omnitrans is pleased to announce that the success of the agency’s Free Fares for School program, which offers kindergarten – 12th graders free rides to school and has provided more than 1,000,000 free rides for students since its inception, will be expanded county-wide for the 2023- 2024 school year

“We are grateful that SBCTA (San Bernardino County Transportation Authority) has decided to fund Free Fares for School for the next school year, given its use and the need for such an initiative in our region,” said CEO/General Manager Erin Rogers “Omnitrans is pleased to do its part to build the next generation of transit ridership ”

The Free Fares for School program allows community members 18 and under unlimited rides on

Omnitrans’ 29 routes with a current student ID card

The program was designed to allow students in Omnitrans’ service area to get to school, extracurricular and recreational activities, encourage school attendance and promote equity

The expansion of the program will allow students to continue to use Omnitrans service, as well as Basin Transit, Mountain Transit, Needles Transit, and Victor Valley Transit Authority bus services

To learn more about Free Fares for School, visit omnitrans org/buy-a-pass/free-fares-for-school/ and for more information on Omnitrans routes and services, please visit www omnitrans org

Feeding America River side & San Ber nardino Br ushed Up For Its 2nd Annual Paint the Bank Event!

Community News

Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino (FARSB) added a splash of color this spring during their 2nd Annual Paint the Bank Event on Saturday, April 8th, and Friday, April 28th

This year we wanted to do something different Something with a touch of our community

San Manuel Band of Mission Indians painted a large FARSB “butterfly” with orange slices as its wings for a fun social media wall for all visitors and volunteers to take photos with

Molina Healthcare painted an orange tree to represent our region and its local orange groves Special thanks to our wonderful sponsors, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and Molina Healthcare, for completing the two new murals within our food bank

Also, to Sherman Williams for providing the paint for the projects Next time you visit, don’t forget to take a photo with one of our many murals!

For more information regarding Paint the Bank, visit our website at feedingie org/paintthebank

Carousel Mall council meeting on April 5, 2023 Monti, who has been involved in the development project for 12 years, passionately addressed the council, stating, "I've been doing this job for 40 years and have never been treated in this manner " He urged the council to be more collaborative and transparent, emphasizing that solutions could be worked out without restarting the overall process

In April 2023, Monti shared with the council, "Our ENA is pretty clear It says that if there is a hiccup in the SLA process, our agreement should be TOLLED (put on hold) until the issue is resolved "

While the development agreement has ended, it is still being determined how quickly San Bernardino will seek development proposals that include affordable housing at the Carousel Mall site

San Ber nardino County Par tner s with Cities to Incr ease Housing and Reduce Homelessness

Community News

The Board of Supervisors this week launched a partnership with the county’s cities to invest a sizable share of the $72 7 million

Homeless Initiatives Spending Plan approved by the Board of Supervisors in March toward increasing housing for the homeless throughout the county

The plan sets aside $32 7 million specifically for partnerships between the county and cities to increase housing and system capacity, specifically by the creation of shelter beds with onsite services open to all homeless residents, permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing options as well as by addressing systemic barriers that prevent housing connections and placements

The Board convened a meeting with representatives from 16 of the county’s 24 cities on Tuesday and key county government agencies and service organizations to discuss ways in which the county and cities could partner on solutions

“We must increase capacity as this housing is clearly not sufficient to house the current unsheltered homeless population,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Dawn Rowe “The county wants to work with the cities because they are closest to our homeless individuals and are in the best position to know what will work in their communities ”

“Collectively the County Board of Supervisors has taken a major step in addressing some of the challenges of homelessness by making key investments to build treatment facilities that will provide supportive services and resume our street outreach,” said Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr “We want to continue collaborating with our community cities and partners to work on this issue for our county residents ”

“The time to act is now,” said Second District Supervisor Jesse Armendarez “Cities including Fontana have proposed key projects that will help stop the bleeding on homelessness It’s clear from one end of the county to the other that we need to address this head on ”

The results of the 2023 San Bernardino County Homeless Point in Time Count, announced last week, showed homelessness had increased 26 percent during the past year A total of 4,195 homeless individuals were counted of which 2,976 individuals were unsheltered

However, there are currently only 797 emergency shelter beds in the county, only 192 of which are available to the general population There are also 489 transitional beds and 1,654 permanent supportive housing units

Present were representatives from Adelanto, Big Bear Lake, Chino, Chino Hills, Colton, Fontana, Highland, Montclair, Needles, Redlands, Rialto, San Bernardino, Twentynine Palms, Upland, Yucaipa, and Yucca Valley

In response to the need for additional housing options and other services for the homeless, on March 28 the Board of Supervisors approved the Homeless Initiatives Spending Plan, which will leverage $72 7 million in federal, state and county resources to support the landmark 2022 Homeless Strategic Action Plan approved by the board in June The funding plan includes:

$32 7 million for city/county partnerships that increase housing and system capacity

$36 6 million for existing and expansion projects that provide immediate sheltering and service-enriched housing, including:

Pacific Village Phase II Expansion

Kern Street Adult Residential Facility Expansion

Project Roomkey Continuance

$3 4 million for outreach and engagement services for the unsheltered street population to support the Sheriff ’s Homeless Outreach and Proactive Enforcement (HOPE) team, County Behavioral Health, and County Aging and Adult Services