City of San Bernardino
201 North E Street
San Bernardino, CA 92401
http://www.sbcity.org
Minutes
FOR THE
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN
BERNARDINO ACTING AS THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, MAYOR
AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO ACTING AS THE SUCCESSOR HOUSING
AGENCY TO THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN
BERNARDINO ACTING AS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, AND MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO ACTING AS THE SAN BERNARDINO JOINT POWERS FINANCING
AUTHORITY
THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2026
3:30 PM
The Special Meeting of the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino was called to order at 3:30 P M by Mayor Helen Tran on Thursday , January 15, 202 6, at Norman F. Feldheym Central Library, San Bernardino, CA.
CALL TO ORDER
Attendee Name Title Status Arrived
Theodore Sanchez Council Member, Ward 1 Present
Sandra Ibarra Council Member, Ward 2 Late 3:36 PM
Juan Figueroa Mayor Pro-Tem, Ward 3 Present
Fred Shorett Council Member, Ward 4 Present
Kim Knaus Council Member, Ward 5 Present
Mario Flores Council Member, Ward 6 Present
Dr. Treasure Ortiz Council Member, Ward 7 Present
Helen Tran Mayor Present
Eric Levitt City Manager Present
Albert Maldonado Deputy City Attorney Present
Telicia Lopez City Clerk Present
Perla Lopez Chief Deputy City Clerk Present
Mayor Helen Tran
Council Members
Theodore Sanchez
Sandra Ibarra
Juan Figueroa
Fred Shorett
Kim Knaus
Mario Flores
Dr. Treasure Ortiz
Special Meeting Minutes January 15, 2026
Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino Page 2 3:30 PM
INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Chaplain Joseph Paul Lujan from Victory Outreach Church led the Invocation, and Council Member Flores led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ITEMS LISTED ON THE AGENDA
Jim Mulvihill commented on the presentation's completeness and transparency, noting the clear data and cost impacts when capacity targets are not met.
Zazette Scott, from the Family Assistance Program , expressed support for the city’s navigation center and shelter efforts and offered her organization’s partnership to expand homeless services.
Faith Gamble, a resident and SEIU 2015 member, spoke about homeless individuals congregating around the union hall at 195 Arrow, creating safety and sanitation concerns.
Christian Shaughnessy urged the City Council to limit the collection of immigration status information at the navigation center to only what is necessary.
Maelena Enriquez supported the navigation center and offered youth advisory board volunteers to help address homelessness.
DISCUSSION
1. Special Meeting - Homeless Workshop
Recommendation:
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of San Bernardino, California, receive the report on the Navigation Center and City Funded Homeless Initiatives and provide the City Manager direction on next steps.
Deputy Director of Housing and Homelessness Cassandra Searcy, Housing Division Manager Trina Perez, Homeless Services Coordinator Dam ian Fonseca, Homeless Outreach Coordinator Audie Estrada, Homeless Solutions Manager Gabriela Leon, PEACE Team Lieutenant Ernest Luna, and a representative from CREED, Gina Mizorak, provided a presentation to the Mayor and City Council.
The Mayor and City Council , and staff, reviewed homelessness outreach efforts and confirmed that reported outreach numbers reflected unique individuals and were not duplicative. The Salvation Army was identified as the primary provider for prevention and diversion services due to its capacity and experience, while acknowledging the need for future expansion to additional organizations. Funding allocations, sustainability concerns, and efforts to secure additional state, county, and federal resources were discussed. They also reviewed plans for the Homeless Navigation Center, including regional partnerships, operational costs, mental health services, and nonprofit accountability.
Special Meeting Minutes January 15, 2026
Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino Page 3 There was a motion by Mayor Pro-Tem Knaus to direct staff to explore and report back on regional partnership options for the Homeless Navigation Center, including cost -sharing with other cities and the County, and to evaluate alternative ownership or operational models, with a full analysis of costs, offsets, and benefits to the City. The motion was seconded by Council Member Ortiz
Council Member Sanchez amended the motion to direct staff to conduct an internal study or select a consultant to evaluate future development options for the Palm Field property acquired with ARPA funds, including affordable housing or permanent supportive housing; engage the County to pursue confirmation of its proposed $11 million contribution toward the Navigation Center and identify options to address the remaining estimated funding gap; and explore regional partnership options for the Navigation Center, including potential sale or transfer to the County for operation, and return to the Mayor and City Council with findings and recommendations.
RESULT: DIRECT STAFF TO CONDUCT AN INTERNAL STUDY OR SELECT
A CONSULTANT TO EVALUATE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT
OPTIONS FOR THE PALM FIELD PROPERTY ACQUIRED WITH
ARPA FUNDS, INCLUDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING; ENGAGE THE COUNTY
TO PURSUE CONFIRMATION OF ITS PROPOSED $11 MILLION
CONTRIBUTION TOWARD THE NAVIGATION CENTER AND
IDENTIFY OPTIONS TO ADDRESS THE REMAINING ESTIMATED
FUNDING GAP; AND EXPLORE REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP
OPTIONS FOR THE NAVIGATION CENTER, INCLUDING
POTENTIAL SALE OR TRANSFER TO THE COUNTY FOR
OPERATION, AND RETURN TO COUNCIL WITH FINDINGS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS [7-0]
MOVER: Kim Knaus, Mayor Pro-Tem, Ward 5
SECONDER: Treasure Ortiz, Council Member, Ward 7
AYES: Sanchez, Ibarra, Figueroa, Shorett, Knaus, Flores, Ortiz NOES: None
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting of the Mayor and City Council was adjourned on Thursday, January 15, 2026 at 6:45 p.m.
The next joint special meeting of the Mayor and City Council and the Mayor and City Council Acting as the Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency will be held on January 21, 2026, at the Feldheym Central Library located at 555 West 6th Street, San Bernardino, California 92410. Closed Session will begin at 4:00 p.m. and Open Session will begin at 5:00 p.m.
Telicia Lopez, CMC
City Clerk