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CONSENT CALENDAR
City of San Bernardino
Request for Council Action
Date: August 6, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
From: Eric Levitt, City Manager
Gabriel Elliott, Director of Community Development & Housing Department: Community Development & Housing
Subject: Approve the Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) Funded Sub-Recipient Agreement with El Sol
Neighborhood Educational Center for the Development of
the El Sol Recreational and Wellness Center (Ward 1)
Recommendation:
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California:
1. Approve the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funded sub- recipient agreement with El Sol Neighborhood Educational Center for the development of the El Sol Recreational and Wellness Center;
2. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the sub-recipient agreement, along with any subsequent amendments, extensions, and other necessary documents to implement the project.
Executive Summary
This item seeks approval of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funded sub-recipient agreement with El Sol Neighborhood Educational Center to develop the El Sol Recreational and Wellness Center at 766 North Waterman Avenue. The Mayor and City Council allocated $250,000 in CDBG fund on May 15, 2024.. El Sol, leveraging an additional $4.75 million in external funding, will transform a 1.9-acre site into a holistic campus featuring health education, wellness programs, recreational facilities, and community spaces. The project will serve over 5,000 residents annually, particularly Latinx, Black, Asian, LGBTQIA+, and immigrant populations, fostering equity, inclusivity, and community empowerment. There is no General Fund impact with this item as it is fully funded by CDBG grant funds. 2 8
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Background
On May 1, 2024, staff presented the recommended sub-recipient awards outlined in the Fiscal Year 2024–25 Annual Action Plan (AAP) to the City Council, supported by a detailed PowerPoint presentation.
During the City Council meeting, both Council Members and members of the public provided input on the allocation of HUD grant funds. Staff incorporated this feedback into the Annual Action Plan and made adjustments based on the final allocations received from HUD.
On May 15, 2024, the Mayor and City Council adopted the FY 2024-25 Annual Action Plan for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG). The approved Annual Action Plan allocated $250,000 of CDBG funding to El Sol Neighborhood Educational Center, a California non-profit public benefit corporation, for the development of the El Sol Recreation and Wellness Center.
Discussion
El Sol Neighborhood Educational Center is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1991. Its mission is to empower vulnerable communities, particularly mono-lingual Spanish speakers, immigrants, and residents with limited English proficiency in the Inland Empire, California, to lead healthy lives. They aim to achieve this by providing access to healthcare, safe and affordable housing, education, and leadership skills to eliminate disparities.
El Sol is a pioneer in Community Health Worker (CHW) and Promotores de Salud (Health Promotes) programs in the region. These highly trained lay workers, chosen from community members, serve as trusted health advocates and provide culturally and linguistically responsive health promotion and community education. They work to achieve positive, measurable changes in individual knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and skills, and also engage, organize, and mobilize community residents to advocate for policies and programs that support healthy lifestyles.
El Sol operates two primary sites within the City of San Bernardino, located at 766 North Waterman Avenue and 1535 S D St, San Bernardino. Their centers offer a variety of programs and services at no cost, including health education, parenting classes, English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, and leadership programs.
Some of their program areas include:
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention: Addressing topics like mental health, postpartum depression, obesity, nutrition, and asthma. Strengthening Families: Through initiatives like home visitation programs (e.g., Parent-Child Home Program, Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters) that focus on reducing child abuse and neglect, improving child development, and enhancing parenting skills.
Advancing to Prosperity: Providing support and resources for self-sufficiency. 2 8
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Emotional Health Outreach and Connections: Working to dispel stigma and connect individuals to mental health support and services. Community Engagement and Policy: Building the capacity of CHWs to advocate for policies and programs that improve community health outcomes.
El Sol will leverage approximately $4.75 million in external funding, including a $4.2 million grant from the California Department of Parks and Recreation, to renovate and expand the site at 766 North Waterman Avenue. The City will provide $250,000 in CDBG funding to support the project. This project includes the development of the El Sol Neighborhood Educational Center Holistic Campus, also known as the ESNEC Holistic Park, on a 1.9-acre parcel northeast of Seccombe Lake. The expansion will significantly enhance the capacity of this established transformation hub to serve vulnerable San Bernardino residents, particularly Latinx, Black, Asian, LGBTQIA+, and immigrant communities.
The ESNEC Holistic Park, integrated in the San Bernardino Investment Playbook, is a community-led initiative developed with input from the Community Advisory Committee and local residents. It aims to address persistent health, educational, and cultural disparities in underserved communities, fostering equity, inclusivity, and holistic well- being. The expanded campus will offer culturally specific health education, basic health screenings, wellness classes, peer-to-peer counseling, and tailored educational services. It will feature healing and food gardens, a playground, a children’s amphitheater, a basketball court, a turf play area, and a new two-story Learning and Community Center. This facility will include flexible spaces for recreational and cultural activities, a children’s playroom, a library, an art gallery, a cafeteria, and a commercial kitchen for on-site food preparation. Multipurpose rooms will be available for community events, workshops, and meetings, with sliding-scale rental fees to ensure affordability and access for all.
Combined with ongoing programs such as bilingual counseling, free mental health support, chronic disease prevention, youth sports, Zumba, and family and senior wellness activities, the El Sol Holistic Campus will serve over 5,000 adults and children annually. This initiative is not just about providing services; it’s about cultivating social connection, cultural pride, and community empowerment.
2021-2025 Strategic Targets and Goals
Approval of the sub-recipient agreement with El Sol supports Key Strategic Target and Goal No. 2, Improved Quality of Life. Through this partnership, El Sol Neighborhood Educational Center will develop the El Sol Recreation and Wellness Center, providing essential facilities and services to low-income communities. The project aims to reduce social, economic, and health disparities by offering accessible resources and support.
Fiscal Impact
There is no fiscal impact to the General Fund with this item. The sub-recipient agreement will be funded using previously allocated CDBG funding. 2 8
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Conclusion
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California:
1. Approve the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funded sub- recipient agreement with El Sol Neighborhood Educational Center for the development of the El Sol Recreational and Wellness Center;
2. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the sub-recipient agreement, along with any subsequent amendments, extensions, and other necessary documents to implement the project.
Attachments
Attachment 1 CDBG sub-recipient agreement between the City of San Bernardino and El Sol Neighborhood Educational Center
Ward:
First Ward
Synopsis of Previous Council Actions:
May 1, 2025 Proposed Annual Action Plan was taken to the City Council for public comment and for City Council to review proposed
subrecipients.
May 15, 2024 Mayor and City Council adopted Resolution No. 2024-094, approving and adopting the FY 2024-25 Annual Action Plan