Twentynine Palms City Council
December 13, 2022

LAND USE
City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 LU-87
Structural Fire Protection
The City and SOI, excluding the portion of Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in the City, are located in San Bernardino County Fire Protection District South Desert Service Zone. Fire Station #44 at 6560 Adobe Road serves the City and SOI (including the DUCs identified above). While the perimeters of the City and much of the SOI are located outside the 5-minute drive time area, 82.2 percent of the populated area in the South Desert Service Zone is covered within a ten-minute drive time, including portions of the SOI and DUCs. The San Bernardino LAFCO’s Countywide Service Review for Fire Protection/Emergency Medical Services/Dispatch, prepared in 2020, identified a very low population density of under 500 persons per square mile for the Twentynine Palms SOI, including the DUCs. The Service Review also projected a slow, nonsignificant increase in population density for this area. Therefore, the County Fire Protection District will focus on public outreach and safety training to prevent emergency accidents rather than dispatching more equipment/personnel at stations due to budget constraints. The District is also modifying its service delivery based on local needs and resources.

The Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Fire Department (CCFD) is a community-based organization that provides fire and emergency medical services to both military and civilian personnel on the base, and also to the surrounding local communities. The CCFD responds to emergency calls in the City of Twentynine Palms and surrounding areas as part of mutual joint response agreements with other Fire Departments.

LAND USE
LU-88 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012

REDEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Quality of life in Twentynine Palms is strongly tied to the economic success of its residents and businesses. Twentynine Palms seeks to take a strong proactive approach to redevelopment and economic development efforts to meet the needs of its residents, while protecting the small-town character of the community. Economic development efforts in the City of Twentynine Palms are primarily headed by the City’s Redevelopment Agency; however, the City continues to explore additional opportunities to expand its economic development efforts through partnerships with local businesses and organizations.

Redevelopment
Redevelopment is a tool used in many cities in California to spur economic activity and investment in focus areas that have experienced economic decline. Because of economic incentives, redevelopment is one of the most effective and sometimes only method to reinvigorate distressed neighborhoods and districts. Redevelopment is a process created by the State of California to assist local governments in eliminating blight and revitalizing designated project areas.

Redevelopment provides communities with the ability to obtain funding to make infrastructure improvements, acquire property and otherwise bring about desired development, reconstruction and rehabilitation. A portion of redevelopment funds must also be used to promote affordable housing opportunities in the community. The ability to fund economic development activities can aid in encouraging private businesses to do the same.

The California Health and Safety Code provides the basis for redevelopment activities (starting at Section 33000, also known as the Community Redevelopment Law). Section 33037 states that the basic goal of redevelopment is the removal of blight. Blight is a term used to describe a variety of physical and economic conditions, some of which may not fit the public's general perception of blight. Examples of physical blight include buildings that are deteriorating, aging or poorly maintained.

Blight may also describe buildings that are in good condition but need design or configuration improvements to meet current business needs.

Economic blight can be characterized by vacant buildings or land, high tenant turnover rates, residential overcrowding or the inability to attract or retain businesses in a particular area.

LAND USE
City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 LU-89
The Twentynine Palms Redevelopment Agency was created in 1991. In 1993, the City Council adopted the “Four Corners Redevelopment Plan” and established the Redevelopment Project Area (see Exhibit LU-5, Adopted Specific Plans and Redevelopment Project Area). The Redevelopment Plan is in effect until 2033. The Four Corners Redevelopment Project Area is the City’s only Redevelopment Project Area. The Project Area is bounded by Amboy Road, Siesta Drive and Mesa Drive to the north, Utah Trail to the east, Sullivan Road, Foothill Drive and Hatch Road to the south, and Morongo Road to the west. The Project Area encompasses 5,017.57 acres (7.8 square miles) and it includes Downtown Twentynine Palms and the City’s primary commercial corridors, which are located along Twentynine Palms Highway and Adobe Road. Currently, most of the parcels within the Redevelopment Project Area are vacant. Properties located within the Redevelopment Project Area are subject to the land use regulations outlined in the City’s General Plan and Land Use Map.

The Redevelopment Agency works in conjunction with City departments to achieve the goals set forth by the Redevelopment Plan. The Agency uses a process called tax increment financing to carry out its goals. When an area is designated as a Redevelopment Project Area by the City Council, the properties within the boundaries of the Project Area have a certain total property tax value. If this total assessed valuation increases due to redevelopment efforts, most of the taxes that are derived from the increase go to the Redevelopment Agency. These "tax increments" can be used only in the same Redevelopment Project Area where they were generated, except for residential projects, which benefit low-and moderate-income households.

Economic Development
The City of Twentynine Palms is located adjacent to the Joshua Tree National Park, a world tourist destination, and the Marine Base, the largest Marine Corps military facility in the world. A substantial number of visitors stop and/or pass by the City everyday. Twentynine Palms economic development efforts are guided by the following principles:
§ Develop a healthy and balanced community.
§ Develop a strong local economy.
§ Increase employment opportunities.
§ Increase retail opportunities.

LAND USE
LU-90 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
§ Expand the City’s tourism industry, by promoting the City’s arts, cultural and natural resources.
§ Expand the City’s revenue and tax base.
§ Ensure the economic sustainability of Twentynine Palms residents.

The General Plan Land Use Technical Report provides additional information regarding issues, constraints and opportunities in Twentynine Palms. The information provided in the Technical Report serves as the basis for the General Plan Economic Development policies included in this section. As Twentynine Palms continues to grow, economic development efforts will become a central factor in the success of the City, including its ability to provide a high quality of life for its residents The following goal and implementation policies will provide as basis for the economic and redevelopment activities of the City.

Goal LU-10
Promote a high quality of life for
Twentynine Palms residents by
developing and sustaining a strong and
diverse local economy.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.1
Encourage land use decisions that are fiscally
responsible and positively affect the City's
economic health by creating jobs, generating tax
revenue and involving private capital investment.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.2
Develop a fast track program to streamline the
development of commercial and industrial projects
that propose substantial retail and employment
opportunities in the City.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.3
Facilitate tourist oriented development adjacent to
the Joshua Tree National Park and Marine Base by
expediting the entitlement review process.

Development must be consistent with the
character of these amenities and further the
economic development goals of the community.

LAND USE
City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 LU-91
Implementation
Policy LU-10.4
Work with local businesses to promote the City as
a world class tourist destination by showcasing the
City’s relationship with the Joshua Tree National
Park as well as other City amenities, including the
Oasis of Mara (historical site), murals, clean air,
night sky, sunny and warm winter weather,
peaceful getaway, and the variety of lodging
facilities located in the City.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.5
Promote Twentynine Palms as an artist’s
destination by expanding the City’s public arts
program.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.6
Require the equitable sharing of the full fair-share
cost of public improvements between the public
and private sector.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.7
Work with the business community to generate
innovative ideas and strategies that will ensure the
City's continued economic viability.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.8
Maintain a strong economic base by targeting and
attracting new uses that provide high quality
development and meet important economic goals
such as employment and revenue generation.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.9
Encourage the expansion and attraction of small
and medium sized businesses with growth
potential.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.10
Develop a business creation, attraction, retention
and expansion program to further the community’s
economic development goals and showcase the
great opportunities the City has to offer to
potential businesses.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.11
Utilize redevelopment programs to further
economic development efforts in the City,
including the prioritization of projects that would
provide the greatest benefit to the Community as a
whole.

LAND USE
LU-92 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
Implementation
Policy LU-10.12
Promote development in Downtown Twentynine
Palms according to the City’s Downtown Specific
Plan.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.13
Review the boundaries of the Redevelopment
Project Area to determine whether they should be
expanded to allow redevelopment efforts in other
commercial areas of the City.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.14
Continue existing commercial building
rehabilitation programs and expand these
programs to include business relocation assistance.

LAND USE
City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 LU-93

SUMMARY OF GOALS AND IMPLEMENTATION

POLICIES
Land Use Map and Land Use Distribution
Goal LU-1 Encourage orderly growth and development as
envisioned by community residents.

Implementation
Policy LU-1.1
Build-out of the City, as planned and envisioned by the General Plan, shall be guided by the Land Use Map. Density of residential land uses shall be calculated on the basis on gross acreage. For the purposes of residential density calculations, the lot area shall include easements and dedications for public rights-of-way, such as streets, roads, alleys, sidewalks, trails, and flood control channels. Typically this would include the area to the centerline of the dedication or easement, if it is split between two parcels, unless the easement or dedication is contained within one property, or is demonstrated to be otherwise split between parcels.

Implementation
Policy LU-1.2 The Land Use Map shall serve as the City’s official Zoning Map.

Implementation
Policy LU-1.3
The City shall strongly adhere to the adopted Land Use Map by discouraging General Plan Amendments to the Land Use Map, except as required by law.

Implementation
Policy LU-1.4
General Plan Amendment (GPA) applications shall be
accompanied by a development proposal, as stand-alone GPA’s shall be denied.

LAND USE
LU-94 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
Implementation
Policy LU-1.5
General Plan Amendments shall only be approved if they can demonstrate that the proposed amendment will not adversely impact the existing community and the amendment will help achieve the vision and goals established by the General Plan.

Implementation
Policy LU-1.6
A General Plan Amendment dealing with a change in land use designation shall ensure the gross area included in the proposed change complies with the minimum district requirements shown in Table LU-5. Changes which propose to increase or decrease the size of existing, established Land Use Districts may be approved provided that the resulting Land Use Districts are not smaller than the Minimum Contiguous Land Area specified in the General Plan.

Implementation
Policy LU-1.7
“Spot zoning” shall be prohibited and all land use requests shall meet the minimum contiguous land area specified in Table LU-5.

Implementation
Policy LU-1.8
Following the adoption of a General Plan Amendment, the Land Use Map shall be updated to ensure that it accurately reflects the City’s land use policy.

Implementation
Policy LU-1.9
Existing legal non-conforming uses may be continued as permitted by the City’s Development Code.

Implementation
Policy LU-1.10
The City’s Development Code, composed of the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances, shall be consistent with the General Plan.

LAND USE
City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 LU-95
Density and Intensity
Goal LU-2
Protect existing neighborhoods and the area’s natural
surroundings by encouraging development that is
compatible with the City’s small-town character.

Implementation
Policy LU-2.1
Development shall be consistent with underlying land use densities and intensities.

Implementation
Policy LU-2.2
Land Use applications requesting higher or lower
densities/intensities than permitted by the underlying land use designation shall be required to process a General Plan Amendment as outlined by the “Land Use Map and Land Use Distribution Section” of the General Plan and the City’s Development Code.

Implementation
Policy LU-2.3
Require that new development be sensitive to neighborhood context and development scale.

Implementation
Policy LU-2.4
Discourage development extremes, such as, but not limited to, the construction of multi-story buildings immediately adjacent to single-family residences.

LAND USE
LU-96 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
Land Use Designations
Goal LU-3
Promote a high quality of life by encouraging attractive high quality development that is compatible with
existing uses and the City’s desert environment.

Implementation
Policy LU-3.1
Encourage high quality attractive residential neighborhoods, economically viable and attractive commercial and industrial areas, and high-quality public uses.

Implementation
Policy LU-3.2
Encourage residential development that enhances the visual character, quality and uniqueness of the City’s desert environment.

Implementation
Policy LU-3.3
Provide opportunities for a variety of residential densities to accommodate rural and suburban lifestyles, and housing types for all economic and demographic segments of the City's population, with convenient access to public facilities, employment and shopping.

Implementation
Policy LU-3.4
Require adequate maintenance and rehabilitation of the existing housing stock through code enforcement and financial assistance for home rehabilitation, as well as informing the public of any available assistance programs.

Implementation
Policy LU-3.5
Ensure that the provision of housing is consistent with the goals and policies contained in the Housing Element.

Implementation
Policy LU-3.6
Require that developers of housing consider and quantify the effects of new residential developments on local schools prior to development approval.

Implementation
Policy LU-3.7
Encourage cooperation between the City and the Morongo Unified School District regarding the expansion of existing and location of proposed school facilities.

Implementation
Policy LU-3.8
The City of Twentynine Palms shall work with the San Bernardino County Library System to ensure that library services adequately meet the needs of the planning area, cooperating with the County on grants and encouraging provision of needed services.

LAND USE
City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 LU-97
Implementation
Policy LU-3.9
Encourage public and quasi-public uses that provide communitywide benefits vital to the City and that meet the needs of Twentynine Palms residents.

Implementation
Policy LU-3.10
Encourage the construction of schools, parks and recreational facilities near residential areas.

Implementation
Policy LU-3.11
Preserve, protect and maintain open space, parks and recreation facilities as desirable land uses, recognizing that such uses contribute to the high quality of life in Twentynine Palms.

Implementation
Policy LU-3.12
Encourage economically successful commercial and industrial centers that are functional, safe, attractive and convenient to users, and which will strengthen the local economy.

Implementation
Policy LU-3.13
Encourage the transition of incompatible, ineffective and/or undesirable land uses to attractive land uses that will provide high quality residential, commercial or industrial developments.

Implementation
Policy LU-3.14
Allow the creation and implementation of Specific Plans for areas of community concern/special interest to better guide development of these properties.

Implementation
Policy LU-3.15
Properties located within Specific Plans shall be developed per the adopted Specific Plan documents.

Implementation
Policy LU-3.16
Protect the desert night sky by requiring that private lighting be installed in a manner that perpetuates the view of the stars in the evening, such as shielding outdoor lighting to protect adjacent and nearby residential districts and public rights-of-way.

Implementation
Policy LU-3.17
Develop a clear and specific set of architectural and landscape standards and guidelines. The standards/guidelines should address architectural themes, site development, drought tolerant landscaping, and desert friendly irrigation systems for commercial, industrial, and residential developments and State requirements for water efficient landscapes.

LAND USE
LU-98 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
Goal LU-4
Adequately address the potential impacts of new
development on the existing community and the City’s
infrastructure system.

Implementation
Policy LU-4.1
Consider and address the potential impacts of new development on surrounding properties.

Implementation
Policy LU-4.2
Require that development proposed adjacent to the Joshua Tree National Park and Marine Base be consistent in context and character to these two (2) resources.

Implementation
Policy LU-4.3
Maintain parking requirements that adequately meet the needs of commercial and industrial land uses, and protect adjacent residential neighborhoods from overflow parking encroachment.

Implementation
Policy LU-4.4
Commercial and industrial uses proposed within a Specific Plan shall adequately buffer existing or planned residential uses, both within and outside the Specific Plan.

Implementation
Policy LU-4.5
All proposed projects are subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and shall adequately address and meet CEQA requirements.

Implementation
Policy LU-4.6
Encourage development that complements the circulation and infrastructure network, meets the circulation demand of residents and businesses, and provides opportunities for non-automobile circulation.

Implementation
Policy LU-4.7
City codes, including building and safety, zoning and land use regulations, and property maintenance codes, shall be strictly enforced to maintain safe, high-quality residential neighborhoods and commercial/industrial developments.

Implementation
Policy LU-4.8
Incorporate consideration of alternative development standards (parking, road standards, etc.) to the Development Code for nonresidential zones to encourage economic development in the City.

LAND USE
City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 LU-99
General Plan Overlays
Goal LU-5
Preserve Twentynine Palms natural resources and
protect the public health, safety and general welfare of City residents in areas adjacent to potentially hazardous natural and man-made features and facilities.

Implementation
Policy LU-5.1
Development standards for the General Plan Overlays shall be established to protect the area’s natural resources and better protect the public’s health, safety and general welfare.

Implementation
Policy LU-5.2
In the event that the overlay standards differ from those of the underlying land use designation, the more restrictive standards shall apply.

Implementation
Policy LU-5.3
Development within the General Plan Overlays shall be
environmentally sensitive, minimize adverse environmental impacts, and enhance existing natural resources.

Implementation
Policy LU-5.4
Clustering shall be permitted for properties – and may be required for some properties – located within the General Plan Overlays to provide for the protection and preservation of open space, scenic, biological and natural resources in perpetuity.

Implementation
Policy LU-5.5
Development within the General Plan Overlays shall adhere to the safety standards established for the overlays as outlined in the Safety Element and described more in detail in the City’s Development Code.

Implementation
Policy LU-5.6
The Municipal Code shall provide enforcement mechanisms relating to off-highway vehicle uses within the General Plan Overlays.

Implementation
Policy LU-5.7
The Municipal Code shall provide enforcement mechanisms relating to illegal dumping within the General Plan Overlays.

LAND USE
LU-100 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
General Plan Build-Out (Population Growth)
Goal LU-6
Promote development of a well-balanced community
that can adequately meet the needs of future residents
and promotes economic development.

Implementation
Policy LU-6.1
Promote orderly growth and development through smart growth and planning principles.

Implementation
Policy LU-6.2
Require that new development protect the City’s natural resources by implementing sustainable design principles, including, but not limited to, California’s Green Building Code standards.

Implementation
Policy LU-6.3
New development shall be required to pay for its fair share of infrastructure needs and services to avoid burdening existing residents.

Implementation
Policy LU-6.4
Continuously monitor growth and development to ensure that the City’s population is being adequately served and that the City’s infrastructure is not being overburdened.

Implementation
Policy LU-6.5
Encourage development that creates employment opportunities in the City.

LAND USE
City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 LU-101
Sustainability
Goal LU-7
Protect and preserve Twentynine Palms natural
resources, promote the existing quality of life and
prepare for future residents and businesses by
promoting superior sustainable development.

Implementation
Policy LU-7.1
New development shall be designed in a manner that sound land use, transportation and economic development policies are implemented.

Implementation
Policy LU-7.2
Development shall be sustainable in its use of land and shall limit impacts to natural resources, energy, and air and water quality.

Implementation
Policy LU-7.3
Encourage a mix of retail, service, industrial, manufacturing and professional uses that create diverse, well-paying employment opportunities.

Implementation
Policy LU-7.4
Discourage development in the hillsides or other areas where such development would require significant infrastructure investment adversely impacting natural resources and/or creating adverse visual impacts.

Implementation
Policy LU-7.5
Allow clustering of residential development in sensitive areas of the City to protect and preserve the area’s natural resources for future generations.

LAND USE
LU-102 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
Implementation
Policy LU-7.6
Encourage the use of development design and amenities that support transit and other alternative forms of transportation, including bicycling and walking.

Implementation
Policy LU-7.7
Encourage development that incorporates green building practices and smart growth principles to conserve natural resources as part of sustainable development practices, including the reuse of previously developed properties that have fallen into disrepair.

Implementation
Policy LU-7.8
Encourage sustainable building practices that go beyond the requirements of Title 24 of the California Administrative Code through energy-efficient design.

Implementation
Policy LU-7.9
Update the City’s Master Plan of Drainage and incorporate Low Impact Development (LID) standards that address land
development and storm water management.

LAND USE
City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 LU-103
Waste Facilities
Goal LU-8 Maintain Twentynine Palms as a clean and healthy place to live, while protecting the City’s groundwater supply.

Implementation
Policy LU-8.1
Work with the Twentynine Palms Water District in the monitoring of the City’s groundwater supply and develop policies and standards as deemed necessary to protect the City’s groundwater.

Implementation
Policy LU-8.2
Develop standards for the construction of private wastewater disposal systems that address groundwater quality.

Implementation
Policy LU-8.3
New development shall adequately address wastewater and solid waste disposal.

Implementation
Policy LU-8.4
The City will continue the existing practice of allowing wastewater package treatment plants to serve commercial development and residential development greater than ten dwelling units. However, the City will consider standards for construction and operation of wastewater package treatment plants. The City will also consider planning for the construction and operation of a centralized wastewater treatment plant to serve the Downtown area, including cost and funding options, to provide more efficient treatment of waste water than individual septic systems and package treatment plants.

Implementation
Policy LU-8.5
Adequately size any proposed centralized wastewater treatment plant to allow for the expansion of the collection system to serve other new development which exceeds the thresholds for septic systems.

LAND USE
LU-104 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
Implementation
Policy LU-8.6
Continue to work with the County of San Bernardino and the City’s solid waste service purveyor to ensure that waste is adequately collected throughout the City.

LAND USE
City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 LU-105
Airports
Goal LU-9 Protect the health and safety of residents living in the vicinity of airports.

Implementation
Policy LU-9.1
Land use applications within airport influence areas shall be consistent with the Twentynine Palms Municipal Airport
Comprehensive Land Use Plan.

Implementation
Policy LU-9.2
Work with the San Bernardino County Land Use Services
Department to determine adequate allowable uses and
development densities/intensities within a two (2) mile radius of the Twentynine Palms Municipal Airport.

Implementation
Policy LU-9.3
If properties located within the Twentynine Palms Municipal Airport Land Use Plan are incorporated to the City, ensure that the land use designations and development densities/intensities for these properties are consistent with the adopted Airport Land Use Plan at time of incorporation.

LAND USE
LU-106 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
Redevelopment and Economic Development
Goal LU-10
Promote a high quality of life for Twentynine Palms
residents by developing and sustaining a strong and
diverse local economy.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.1
Encourage land use decisions that are fiscally responsible and positively affect the City's economic health by creating jobs, generating tax revenue and involving private capital investment.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.2
Develop a fast track program to streamline the development of commercial and industrial projects that propose substantial retail and employment opportunities in the City.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.3
Facilitate tourist oriented development adjacent to the Joshua Tree National Park and Marine Base by expediting the
entitlement review process. Development must be consistent with the character of these amenities and further the economic development goals of the community.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.4
Work with local businesses to promote the City as a world class tourist destination by showcasing the City’s relationship with the Joshua Tree National Park as well as other City amenities, including the Oasis of Mara (historical site), murals, clean air, night sky, sunny and warm winter weather, peaceful getaway, and the variety of lodging facilities located in the City.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.5
Promote Twentynine Palms as an artist’s destination by
expanding the City’s public arts program.

LAND USE
City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 LU-107
Implementation
Policy LU-10.6
Require the equitable sharing of the full fair-share cost of public improvements between the public and private sector.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.7
Work with the business community to generate innovative ideas and strategies that will ensure the City's continued economic viability.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.8
Maintain a strong economic base by targeting and attracting new uses that provide high quality development and meet important economic goals such as employment and revenue generation.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.9
Encourage the expansion and attraction of small and medium sized businesses with growth potential.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.10
Develop a business creation, attraction, retention and expansion program to further the community’s economic development goals and showcase the great opportunities the City has to offer to potential businesses.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.11
Utilize redevelopment programs to further economic
development efforts in the City, including the prioritization of projects that would provide the greatest benefit to the Community as a whole.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.12
Promote development in Downtown Twentynine Palms
according to the City’s Downtown Specific Plan.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.13
Review the boundaries of the Redevelopment Project Area to determine whether they should be expanded to allow
redevelopment efforts in other commercial areas of the City.

Implementation
Policy LU-10.14
Continue existing commercial building rehabilitation programs and expand these programs to include business relocation assistance.

SAFETY ELEMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2010 SF-i

SAFETY ELEMENT
Purpose....................................................................................................... 1 Background ............................................................................................... 3 Relationship to Other General Plan Elements ........................................ 3 Areas Of Concern ..................................................................................... 5 Seismic Hazards...................................................................................... 5 Geologic Hazards.................................................................................. 15 Flood Hazards....................................................................................... 22 Wind Hazards........................................................................................ 32 Fire Hazards.......................................................................................... 34 Hazardous Materials ............................................................................. 38 Public Safety ......................................................................................... 45 Climate Change Adaptation.................................................................. 49 Disaster Preparedness, Response And Recovery.................................. 52 Summary Of Goals And Implementation Policies............................... 65 Purpose....................................................................................................... 1 Background ............................................................................................... 3 Relationship to Other General Plan Elements ........................................ 3 Areas Of Concern ..................................................................................... 5 Seismic Hazards...................................................................................... 5 Geologic Hazards.................................................................................. 16 Flood Hazards....................................................................................... 23 Wind Hazards........................................................................................ 32 Fire Hazards.......................................................................................... 34 Hazardous Materials ............................................................................. 37 Public Safety ......................................................................................... 44 Disaster Preparedness, Response And Recovery.................................. 47 Summary Of Goals And Implementation Policies............................... 59

SAFETY
SF-ii City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2010
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LIST OF TABLES
City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-iii

SAFETY ELEMENT
Table SF-1 Coordination with Other Elements .......................................... 4 Table SF-2 Abridged Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale ........................... 6 Table SF-3 Estimated Horizontal Peak Ground Accelerations and Seismic Intensities in the Twentynine Palms Area .................................................. 9 Table SF-4 General Slope Instability Potential Within Twentynine Palms ................................................................................................................... 17 Table SF-5 Transportation Assets/Projects for Flood Resilience ............. 29 Table SF-6 Potential Shelter Locations in Twentynine Palms (For Their Location, Refer to Exhibit SF-3) .............................................................. 57 Table SF-1 Coordination with Other Elements .......................................... 4 Table SF-2 Abridged Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale ........................... 6 Table SF-3 Estimated Horizontal Peak Ground Accelerations and Seismic Intensities in the Twentynine Palms Area .................................................. 9 Table SF-4 General Slope Instability Potential Within Twentynine Palms ................................................................................................................... 18 Table SF-5 Potential Shelter Locations in Twentynine Palms (For Their Location, Refer to Exhibit SF-3) .............................................................. 52

SAFETY
SF-iv City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
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LIST OF EXHIBITS
City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-v

SAFETY ELEMENT
Exhibit SF-1 Seismic Hazards.................................................................. 11 Exhibit SF-2 Moderate Fire Hazard Areas, Flood Zones, and Significant Harzardous Materials sites........................................................................ 26 Exhibit SF-3 Potential Emergency Shelters and Evacuation Routes........ 58 Exhibit SF-4 Flood Hazard Zones ............................................................ 59 Exhibit SF-5 Fire Hazard Severity Zones................................................. 60 Exhibit SF-1 Seismic Hazards.................................................................. 11 Exhibit SF-2 Moderate Fire Hazard Areas, Flood Zones, and Significant Harzardous Materials sites........................................................................ 27 Exhibit SF-3 Potential Emergency Shelters and Evacuation Routes........ 53

SAFETY
SF-vi City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
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LIST OF GOALS
City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-vii

SAFETY ELEMENT
Goal SF-1.................................................................................................. 21 Goal SF-2.................................................................................................. 30 Goal SF-3.................................................................................................. 33 Goal SF-4.................................................................................................. 37 Goal SF-5.................................................................................................. 43 Goal SF-6.................................................................................................. 63

SAFETY
SF-viii City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
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SAFETY
City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-1

PURPOSE
Twentynine Palms’ City Council recognizes that a safe environment is required for building and maintaining a sustainable and prosperous City.

While the City cannot be able to prevent many of these hazards from occurring, it can set forth policies that can help reduce or minimize their effects, or that minimize exposure to them. This Safety Element sets forth policies designed to minimize threats from natural and human-caused hazards. By implementing the policies within this Safety Element, the City of Twentynine Palms can also provide timely emergency service delivery and focus on the expansion of such services throughout the City.

Section 65302 of the State of California Government Code identifies seven mandatory Elements in a General Plan, including Safety. Section 65302 (g) defines the hazards that are required to be identified and addressed. These include:
1) Seismic hazards, including strong ground shaking, surface fault rupture, and seismically induced ground failure, such as liquefaction and slope failures;
2) Geologic hazards, including slope instability due to non-seismic causes, and subsidence;
3) Flood hazards, including storm-induced flooding, inundation resulting from the failure of water reservoirs, dams, and levees, and areas vulnerable to flooding after wildfires; and
4) Fire hazards, including both wildland fires and structure fires in the urban area.

Also included within this Element are wind hazards, the management of hazardous materials and policies for dealing with disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-3

BACKGROUND

RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER GENERAL PLAN ELEMENTS
The Safety Element is written in conjunction with, and is designed to support the other elements of the General Plan, most notably the Conservation/Open Space, and Land Use and Circulation Elements. The Land Use Element limits the range of land uses allowed in hazardous areas so as to reduce the number of people, buildings and infrastructure exposed to risk. The Conservation/Open Space Element identifies and preserves natural open space with the purpose of protecting sensitive environments and preserve natural amenities such as water springs, canyons, washes and the sand dunes in the City. Many of these features worthy of conservation for their biologic and aesthetic value were formed by active, ongoing geomorphic and geologic processes that have the potential to cause damage to the built environment, and are therefore best left undeveloped Table SF-1 identifies the issues discussed in this Safety Element and identifies other elements which include discussions which also address these issues.

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SF-4 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
TABLE SF-1

COORDINATION WITH OTHER ELEMENTS
ISSUES
Circulation
Conservation/
Open Space
Housing
Land Use
Noise
Recreation
Safety
Seismic Hazards X X X X X
Geologic Hazards X X X X X
Flooding Hazards X X X X X
Wind Hazards X X X X
Fire Hazards X X X X X
Hazardous Materials X X X X X
Public Safety X X X X X X
Disaster Preparedness, Response, and
Recovery X X X X

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-5

AREAS OF CONCERN

SEISMIC HAZARDS
Earthquakes
Twentynine Palms, like most of southern California, is located in a seismically active region. Several earthquakes have been felt in the Twentynine Palms region in the last 150 years, since settlers in what is now San Bernardino and Riverside counties started to keep records.

Those most strongly felt at Twentynine Palms would include the M6.5 Desert Hot Springs earthquake of 1948, the M6.1 Joshua Tree earthquake of 1992, the M7.3 Landers earthquake of 1992, and the M7.1 Hector Mine earthquake of 1999. Two faults that extend through the City, namely the Mesquite Lake and Pinto Mountain faults, have the potential to generate very strong ground shaking in Twentynine Palms.

Ground Shaking
Strong ground shaking causes the majority of earthquake damage.

Earthquakes are typically classified by the amount of damage reported, or by how strong and how far the shaking was felt. An early measure of earthquake size still used today is the seismic intensity scale, which is a qualitative assessment of an earthquake’s effects at a given location. The most commonly used measure of seismic intensity is called the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale, which has 12 damage levels (see Table SF-2).

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SF-6 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
TABLE SF-2

ABRIDGED MODIFIED MERCALLI INTENSITY SCALE
Intensity Value and Description
Average Peak
Acceleration
(g = gravity )
I. Not felt except by very few under especially favorable circumstances.

Damage potential: None. <0.0017
II. Felt only by a few persons at rest, especially on upper floors of high-rise buildings. Delicately suspended objects may swing. Damage potential:

None. 0.0017 – 0.014
III. Felt quite noticeably indoors, especially on upper floors of buildings, but many people did not recognize it as an earthquake. Standing automobiles may have rocked slightly. Vibration like passing of truck.

Duration estimated. Damage potential: None.

IV. During the day felt indoors by many, outdoors by few. At night some awakened. Dishes, windows, doors disturbed; walls made creaking sound. Sensation like a heavy truck striking building. Standing automobiles rocked noticeably. Damage potential: None. Perceived shaking: Light.

0.014 - 0.039
V. Felt by nearly everyone; many awakened. Some dishes, windows, and so on broken; plaster cracked in a few places; unstable objects overturned. Disturbances of trees, poles, and other tall objects sometimes noticed. Pendulum clocks may have stopped. Damage potential: Very light. Perceived shaking: Moderate.

0.039-0.092
VI. Felt by all; many frightened and ran outdoors. Some heavy furniture moved few instances of fallen plaster and damaged chimneys. Damage slight. Damage potential: Light. Perceived shaking: Strong.

0.092 -0.18
VII. Everybody ran outdoors. Damage negligible in buildings of good design and construction; slight to moderate in well-built ordinary structures; considerable in poorly built or badly designed structures; some chimneys broken. Noticed by persons driving cars. Damage potential: Moderate.

Perceived shaking: Very strong.

0.18 - 0.34

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-7
Intensity Value and Description
Average Peak
Acceleration
(g = gravity )
VIII. Damage slight in specially designed structures; considerable in ordinary substantial buildings with partial collapse; great in poorly built structures. Panel walls thrown out of frame structures. Fall of chimneys, factory stacks, columns, monuments, and walls. Heavy furniture overturned. Sand and mud ejected in small amounts.

Changes in well water. Persons driving cars disturbed. Damage potential: Moderate to heavy. Perceived shaking: Severe.

0.34 - 0.65
IX. Damage considerable in specially designed structures; well-designed frame structures thrown out of plumb; great in substantial buildings with partial collapse. Buildings shifted off foundations. Ground cracked conspicuously. Underground pipes broken. Damage potential: Heavy.

Perceived shaking: Violent.

0.65 – 1.24
X. Some well-built wooden structures destroyed; most masonry and frame structures destroyed; ground badly cracked. Rails bent. Landslides considerable from riverbanks and steep slopes. Shifted sand and mud.

Water splashed, slopped over banks. Damage potential: Very heavy.

Perceived shaking: Extreme.
> 1.24
XI. Few, if any, (masonry) structures remain standing. Bridges destroyed.

Broad fissures in ground. Underground pipelines completely out of service. Earth slumps and land slips in soft ground. Rails bent greatly.

XII. Damage total. Waves seen on ground surface. Lines of sight and level distorted. Objects thrown into air.

Modified from Bolt (1999); Wald and others (1999)
Seismologists find that the most meaningful factor in determining the size of an earthquake is the amount of energy released when a fault ruptures.

This measure is called the seismic moment (abbreviated Mw), and most moderate to large earthquakes today are reported using moment magnitude. Seismic moment scales are logarithmic; thus, each one-point increase in magnitude represents a ten-fold increase in amplitude of the waves as measured at a specific location, and a 32-fold increase in energy.

That is, a Richter magnitude 7 earthquake produces 100 times (10 x 10) the ground motion amplitude of a magnitude 5 earthquake. Similarly, a moment magnitude 7 earthquake releases approximately 1,000 times more energy (32 x 32) than a moment magnitude 5 earthquake. Any given earthquake will have one moment and, in principle, one magnitude.

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SF-8 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
The Mesquite Lake fault is thought capable of generating an earthquake of magnitude 7.3 if it ruptures with other faults to the north. The Pinto Mountain fault is thought capable of generating a magnitude 7.2 earthquake. An earthquake on either of these two (2) faults would be a worst-case scenario for the City. The San Andreas fault is thought capable of generating an earthquake of magnitude between 7.2 and 8.0, depending on how many segments of the fault rupture together during a single event.

Given its distance from the City, however, an earthquake on the San Andreas fault is not expected to cause substantial damage in Twentynine Palms. With the exception of the Eureka Peak and Burnt Mountain faults, most other faults within about 62 miles of the City of Twentynine Palms can generate earthquakes as large or larger than the Mw 6.7 Northridge earthquake, the most-expensive earthquake yet to impact the United States.

Exhibit SF-1 shows the location of those earthquake faults within or near the City of Twentynine Palms. Table SF-3 identifies the peak ground accelerations and Modified Mercalli intensities anticipated to be measured in Twentynine Palms as a result of an earthquake on any of several seismic sources (faults).

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-9
TABLE SF-3

ESTIMATED HORIZONTAL PEAK GROUND ACCELERATIONS AND SEISMIC

INTENSITIES IN THE TWENTYNINE PALMS AREA
Fault or Fault SegmeFault or Fault Segment
Distance to
Twentynine
Palms (mi)
Magnitude
of Mmax
PGHA (g)
from
Mmax
MMI
from Mmax
Pinto Mountain 0 – 5.2 7.2 0.8 – 0.5 XI - X
Pisgah – Bullion Mtns. – Mesquite Lake 0 – 9.1 7.3 0.8 – 0.4 XI - IX Emerson South – Copper Mtn. 2.5 – 12.5 7.0 0.6 – 0.2 X – IX Southern San Andreas 21.3 – 29.4 8.0 0.3 – 0.2 IX – VIII Calico- Hidalgo 16 – 25 7.3 0.3 – 0.1 IX – VIII
Landers 13.5 – 25.8 7.3 0.3 – 0.1 IX – VIII
San Andreas (San Bernardino +
Coachella Segments) 21.3 – 29.4 7.7 0.3 – 0.1 IX - VIII San Andreas (San Bernardino Segment) 21.3 – 29.4 7.5 0.25 – 0.1 VIII San Andreas (Coachella Segment) 21.3 – 29.4 7.2 0.2 – 0.1 VIII – VII Eureka Peak 11.2 – 21.3 6.4 0.2 – 0.1 VIII - VII
Lenwood – Lockhart – Old Woman
Springs 29.6 – 41.8 7.5 0.2 – 0.1 VIII - VII
Burnt Mountain 12.8 – 23.9 6.5 0.2 – 0.1 VIII – VII
North Johnson Valley 19.7 – 31.6 6.7 0.15 –

0.05 VIII – VI
North Frontal (East Segment) 21.9 – 34.1 6.7 0.15 –

0.05 VIII – VI
Helendale – South Lockhart 42.1 – 54.5 7.3 0.15 –

0.05 VII – VI
North Frontal (West Segment) 44.8 – 51 7.2 0.1 – 0.05 VII - VI San Jacinto (Anza Segment) 47.5 – 55.8 7.2 0.1 – 0.05 VII - VI Abbreviations used in Table SF-3:

Mi Mile
Km Kilometer;
Mmax Maximum magnitude earthquake;
PGHA Peak ground horizontal acceleration as a percentage of g, the acceleration of gravity; MMI Modified Mercalli Intensity.

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EXHIBIT SF-1

SEISMIC HAZARDS
Exhibit SF-1

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SF-12 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
Surface Fault Rupture
The break or fracture between moving blocks of rock is called a fault, and such differential movement produces a fault rupture. Few faults are simple, planar breaks in the Earth. They more often consist of smaller strands, with a similar orientation and sense of movement. A strand is mappable as a single, fairly continuous feature. Sometimes geologists group strands into segments, which are believed capable of rupturing together during a single earthquake. The more extensive the fault, the bigger the earthquake it can produce. Therefore, multi-strand fault ruptures produce larger earthquakes.

Two major active faults zoned by the State bisect the City: the Mesquite Lake fault in a southeasterly direction, and the Pinto Mountain fault in a westerly direction. The short Airfield and East Airfield faults in the Marine Base have also been zoned as active. Other active or potentially active faults not yet zoned by the State, including the West and East Bullion Mountain faults, the southern sections of the West Calico, Hidalgo and Copper Mountain faults, and the Dog Wash fault, extend into the Twentynine Palms General Plan area (see Exhibit SF-1). All of these faults are potential sources of strong ground shaking and surface fault rupture.

Ground Failure
Earthquake shaking can cause several types of ground failure that can cause substantial damage to the built environment. The most destructive of these failures include liquefaction and slope failure.

Liquefaction typically occurs in the uppermost fifty (50) feet of the ground surface, in areas where fine- to medium-grained sandy to silty soils and shallow groundwater occur together. The shaking during a moderate to strong earthquake causes the saturated sediments to behave like a liquid or semi-viscous substance, with total or substantial loss of shear strength.

This can cause buildings to topple or sink, pools and underground storage tanks to pop out of the ground, and roads and pipelines to fail as a result of lateal spreading. Lateral spreading, a type of liquefaction-induced failure is the lateral displacement of surficial blocks of soil atop a liquefied layer.

Lateral spreads are often described as shallow landslides, with failure typically occurring on gentle slopes with the mass of soil moving downPage 652 of 854 SAFETY
City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-13
slope, toward a cut slope or free face such as a river channel or canal.

Other types of liquefaction-related ground failures include flow failures, ground oscillations and ground lurching.

Liquefaction features have been observed in trenches excavated across both the Pinto Mountain and Mesquite Lake faults, in Twentynine Palms.

Therefore, this hazard has occurred in the City before, and has the potential to occur again, during a future earthquake on either of these two (2) faults, if shallow groundwater is present. Areas underlain by young, unconsolidated sediments where shallow groundwater has been reported historically are shown on Exhibit SF-1. Geotechnical studies to evaluate the potential for liquefaction-induced differential settlement are recommended in these areas. Although groundwater levels have dropped significantly in the last three to four decades as a result of water pumping from wells, water levels could rise again if several wet years occurred back to back, or if the City started to rely on imported water instead.

Other areas in the City that could be susceptible to liquefaction if the groundwater table rises are shown on Figure 4-10 in the Technical Background Report. Geotechnical studies to assess the liquefactionsusceptibility in these areas may be appropriate prior to the development of critical facilities.

Strong ground shaking can worsen existing unstable slope conditions. The most widespread type of earthquake-induced slope failure consists of shallow failures involving the surficial soils and the uppermost weathered rock in moderate to steep hillside terrain. These are called disrupted soil slides. Rockfalls and rock slides are also common on very steep slopes.

In some areas, the re-activation of deep-seated landslides can also occur.

A combination of geologic conditions leads to landslide vulnerability.

These include high seismic potential; rapid uplift and erosion resulting in steep slopes and deeply incised canyons; highly fractured and folded rock; and rock with inherently weak components, such as silt or clay layers.

The orientation of the slope with respect to the direction of the seismic waves (which can affect the shaking intensity) can also control the occurrence of landslides. Ground water conditions at the time of the earthquake also play an important role in the development of seismically induced slope failures.

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SF-14 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
Given that most of the developed area in the City of Twentynine Palms has low relief, the hazard of seismically induced slope failure in the City proper is low. However, slopes are common in Twentynine Palms’s Sphere of Influence and along some of the City’s edges. In these areas (see Exhibit SF-1), earthquake-induced slope instability could lead to rockfalls with the potential to impact houses or vehicles at the base of the slopes, especially if and as these areas are developed in the future. Slope damage in the San Bernardino Mountains and foothills to the west, outside of the City’s limits, could impact the highways and roads that provide access to Twentynine Palms, with substantial impacts to Twentynine Palms residents and businesses that depend on these roads on a daily basis.

Strong ground shaking can also cause the densification of some soils, resulting in local or regional settlement of the ground surface. Put simply, as loose, granular soils are shaken, the soil grains become more tightly packed, resulting in a reduction of the thickness of the soil column.

The resulting differential settlement can damage structures placed atop these sediments, whereas regional settlement can damage pipelines by changing the flow gradient. Areas of Twentynine Palms underlain by young alluvial sediments, aeolian (wind) sediments, and artificial fill may be susceptible to earthquake-induced settlement.

Wedges of artificial fill on the sides of natural slopes used to create roadways or level building pads may deform in response to strong ground shaking. Deformation may include ground cracks at the cut/fill contact, differential settlement of the fill wedge, and bulging of the slope face.

Deformation of sidehill fills may occur locally in Twentynine Palms, possibly along the approaches to the bridges that extend across the Twentynine Palms Flood Control Channel, and in the hills and mountains in or adjacent to the City, on lots where grading involved the placement of fill to make a level building pad.

Ridgetop fissuring and shattering was reported in rugged terrain following the 1971 San Fernando, 1989 Loma Prieta, and 1994 Northridge earthquakes. Structures built on these ridges were damaged severely.

Linear, fault-like fissures on ridge crests that make the surf ace look as if it was plowed characterize this phenomenon. Ridgetop shattering may occur locally in the mountains bordering the Twentynine Palms area.

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Tsunami/Seiche
A tsunami is a sea wave caused by any large-scale disturbance of the ocean floor that occurs in a short period of time and causes a sudden displacement of water. Given Twentynine Palms’ inland location, the tsunami hazard in the City is nil.

A seiche is defined as a standing wave oscillation in an enclosed or semienclosed, shallow to moderately shallow water body or basin. Given the lack of large bodies of water in Twentynine Palms, seiches as a result of ground shaking are not anticipated in the study area. Water in swimming pools is known to slosh during earthquakes, but in most cases, the sloshing does not lead to significant damage.

GEOLOGIC HAZARDS
Slope Instability
Gravity is an effective geologic agent that alone, or in combination with other agents, such as running water, wears away the topographic highs at the Earth’s surface. Slope failures occur in a variety of forms, and there is usually a distinction made between gross (or “global”) failures and surficial failures. Gross failures include deep-seated or relatively thick slide masses, such as landslides, whereas surficial failures can range from minor soil slips to destructive mud or debris flows. Failures can occur on natural or man-made slopes.

Landslides are movements of relatively large landmasses, either as nearly intact bedrock blocks, or as jumbled mixes of bedrock blocks, fragments, debris and soils. Some of the most important factors in slope instability include slope height, slope steepness, shear strength and orientation of weak layers in the underlying geologic unit, as well as pore water pressures. Joints and shears, which weaken the rock fabric, allow penetration of water leading to deeper weathering of the rock along with increased pore pressures, increased plasticity of weak clays, and increased weight of the landmass. For engineering of earth materials, these factors are combined in calculations to determine if a slope meets a minimum safety standard. The generally accepted standard is a factor of safety of

1.5 or greater (where 1.0 is equilibrium, and less than 1.0 is failure).

Natural slopes, graded slopes or graded/natural slope combinations must

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SF-16 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
meet these minimum engineering standards where they impact planned homes, subdivisions or other types of developments.

Surficial failures typically occur in drainage swales and in the thick colluvial sediments and deeply weathered bedrock near the base of steep slopes. Surficial failures happen most often during particularly heavy and/or prolonged rainfall. The most common types of surficial instability include slope creep, soil slip, debris flows and rockfalls.

Debris flows are the most dangerous and destructive of all types of slope failure. A debris flow (also called mudflow, mudslide and debris avalanche) is a rapidly moving slurry of water, mud, rock, vegetation and debris. Larger debris flows are capable of moving trees, large boulders and even cars. Watersheds that have been recently burned typically yield greater amounts of soil and debris than those that have not burned.

Rockfalls are free-falling to tumbling masses of bedrock that have broken off steep canyon walls or cliffs. The debris from repeated rockfalls typically collects at the base of extremely steep slopes in cone-shaped accumulations of angular rock fragments called talus. Rockfalls can happen wherever fractured rock slopes are over steepened by stream erosion or man’s activities. Large boulders that perch precariously on slopes pose a rockfall hazard to areas adjacent to and below these slopes.

Rockfalls can occur suddenly and without warning, but are more likely to occur in response to earthquake-induced ground shaking, during periods of intense rainfall, or as a result of man’s activities, such as grading and blasting.

The natural hillsides in Twentynine Palms are vulnerable to the types of slope instability mentioned above, mostly in the form of surficial failures.

The potential for slope instability to occur in Twentynine Palms is summarized in Table SF-4, below.

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TABLE SF-4

GENERAL SLOPE INSTABILITY POTENTIAL WITHIN TWENTYNINE PALMS

LOCATION EXISTING GEOLOGIC

CONDITION

TYPES OF POTENTIAL

SLOPE INSTABILITY
Mountains and
adjacent areas
Moderate to very steep
natural slopes, many in
excess of 26 degrees.

Fractured, sheared, faulted
and locally crushed
bedrock; soils and loose
debris at the toes of slopes
and in drainage courses.

Locally, small to large
boulders perched on slopes.

Most Probable:

Rockfalls and rockslides,
falling boulders, soil slips,
slumping of over-steepened
stream banks; small to large
debris flows in canyons;
sedimentation at the mouths of
canyons.

Least Probable:

Large, deep-seated landslides.

Campbell Hill,
Donnell Hill, and
other low, unnamed
hills
Gentle to moderate slopes;
gentle to steeply dipping
bedding planes, poor
consolidation. Although the
sediments forming these
hills are generally granular
with massive to crude
bedding, the presence of
silt, clay and volcanic ash
beds indicates that a
localized potential for slope
failure exists if natural
slopes are over-steepened
by erosion, mining, or
grading operations.

Most Probable:

Small landslides on oversteepened slopes; soil slips,
small debris flows,
sedimentation at the mouth of
canyons.

Least Probable:

Large, deep-seated landslides

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SF-18 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
Compressible, Collapsible and Expansive Soils
Compressible soils are typically geologically young (Holocene age) unconsolidated sediments of low density that may compress under the weight of proposed fill embankments and structures. The settlement potential and the rate of settlement in these sediments can vary greatly, depending on the soil characteristics (texture and grain size), natural moisture and density, thickness of the compressible layer(s), the weight of the proposed load, the rate at which the load is applied and drainage. In Twentynine Palms, geologic units that are generally susceptible to this hazard include young alluvium, and the upper, weathered part of older alluvium.

Soil collapse (or hydroconsolidation) typically occurs in Holocene-age soils that were deposited in an arid or semi-arid environment. Soils prone to collapse include wind-deposited sands and silts, and alluvial fan or debris flow sediments deposited during flash floods. These soils are typically dry and contain minute pores and voids. The soil particles may be partially supported by clay, silt or carbonate bonds. When saturated, collapsible soils undergo a rearrangement of their grains and a loss of cementation, resulting in substantial and rapid settlement under relatively light loads. An increase in surface water infiltration, such as from irrigation, or a rise in the groundwater table, combined with the weight of a building or structure, can initiate rapid settlement and cause foundations and walls to crack. Typically, differential settlement of structures occurs when landscaping is heavily irrigated in close proximity to the structure’s foundation. The young alluvial fan and aeolian sediments in the Twentynine Palms area are locally susceptible to this hazard due to their granular nature, generally dry condition in their upper section, and as a result of having been deposited rapidly.

Expansive clay minerals may occur in fine-grained soils such as silts and clays. These minerals can undergo significant volumetric changes as a result of changes in moisture content. The upward pressures induced by the swelling of expansive soils can have significant harmful effects upon structures and other surface improvements.

The valley areas in Twentynine Palms are underlain primarily by silty sand, sand and gravel. Such units typically have a low expansion potential, although pockets of fine-grained expansive soils may occur

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within these units. Playa deposits generally contain very fine-grained silts and clays that are likely to be expansive. Silt and clay beds within the older alluvium are potentially expansive. Argillic (secondary clay from weathering) soil profiles that have developed on the older fan deposits probably fall in the moderately expansive range. Volcanic ash deposits, although rare, are present within the older alluvium. This type of material may weather to clays with a very high expansion potential. The rock units in Twentynine Palms are generally not expansive, except where they have been chemically altered (by natural processes), are very weathered, or contain clayey sheared zones.

Subsidence due to Groundwater Withdrawal
Land subsidence is the gradual settling or sinking of the ground surface with little or no horizontal movement. Most ground subsidence is maninduced, typically as a result of fluid (water or oil) extraction by pumping.

Ground-surface effects related to regional subsidence can include earth fissures, sinkholes or depressions, and disruption of surface drainage.

Damage is generally restricted to structures sensitive to slight changes in elevations, such as canals, levees, underground pipelines and drainage courses; however, significant subsidence can result in damage to wells, buildings, roads, railroads and other improvements. Subsidence due to the overdraft of groundwater can also result in the permanent loss of aquifer storage capacity.

In the Twentynine Palms region, groundwater occurs in sediment-filled basins that are floored by crystalline rock, and bounded on their sides by faults or rock – both of which act as barriers to groundwater movement.

For the most part, groundwater replenishment (recharge) in the aquifers occurs naturally by infiltration of stormwater runoff that percolates into the alluvial sediments. During the last few decades, the rate of groundwater extraction has exceeded the natural replenishment, resulting in declining water levels and overdraft of the groundwater supply in more densely populated areas. This condition has prompted the development locally of artificial recharge. The closest recharge sites to Twentynine Palms are percolation ponds in the Yucca Valley-Joshua Tree area that receive water from the California Aqueduct via the Morongo Pipeline.

Twentynine Palms currently does not import water.

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Recognizing the potential for declining water levels to induce land subsidence, the United States Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Mojave Water Agency (MWA), has been conducting geologic and hydrologic studies in portions of the high desert region, including the detection and measurement of subsidence. To date, subsidence has not been studied or detected in Twentynine Palms; the closest known subsidence area to Twentynine Palms is Lucerne Valley, approximately fifty (50) miles to the northwest. However, the thick alluvial deposits comprising these aquifers may be susceptible to compaction (with resulting subsidence at the surface) should rapid groundwater withdrawal occur beneath the area in response to the water needs of the City’s growing population.

Soil Erosion
Erosion is the gradual wearing away of landmasses through the action of wind, water, gravity and other geologic processes. Topographic relief makes erosion and sedimentation an important issue for communities built on alluvial fans and within hillside areas. Sediments forming the alluvial fans in Twentynine Palms are mantled with dry, loose, sandy soils that are highly susceptible to erosion, particularly the youngest, unconsolidated materials. Flooding due to infrequent but violent thunderstorms can result in severe erosion, especially if flows are concentrated. Thunderstorms that follow a season of mountain wildfires can transport great volumes of sediment onto the low-lying areas below. The natural erosion processes mentioned above are often accelerated through man’s activities. Erosion is a significant hazard in Twentynine Palms.

Goal SF-1 and its attendant Implementation Policies respond to both the seismic and geologic hazards facing Twentynine Palms.

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Seismic and Geologic Hazards
Goal SF-1
Minimize injury, loss of life, property damage and
economic and social disruption caused by
seismic shaking and other earthquake-induced
hazards, and by geologic hazards such as slope
instability, compressible and collapsible soils,
and subsidence.

Implementation
Policy: SF-1.1
New habitable structures shall be designed and built in accordance with the most recent California Building Code.

Implementation
Policy: SF-1.2
Prior to project approval, new development or expansion of existing projects within the Alquist-Priolo Fault Zone
Overlay (see Exhibit LU-6, Safety Overlays) shall conduct geotechnical and engineering geological investigations, prepared by State-certified professionals. No structure for human occupancy nor any critical facility fire and police stations; City communication centers; hospitals, schools, pre-schools, nursing homes and other limited-mobility or high-occupancy populations; electrical substations and
towers, water reservoirs, high-pressure or large-diameter pipelines, and bridges or other key transportation
structures) shall be allowed across the trace of an active fault. If these studies confirm that the fault trace of concern is active, structural setbacks or other measures designed to mitigate the potential for future surface fault rupture should be implemented.

Implementation
Policy: SF-1.3
Prior to project approval, new development or expansion of existing projects within the Liquefaction Susceptibility Overlay (see Exhibit LU-6, Safety Overlays) shall conduct liquefaction assessment studies, prepared by State-certified professionals.

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SF-22 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
Implementation
Policy: SF-1.4
Encourage owners of potentially hazardous buildings,
including pre-1952 wood-frame structures, concrete tiltups, pre-1971 reinforced masonry, soft-story, manufactured (mobile) housing and unreinforced masonry buildings, to assess the seismic vulnerability of their structures and conduct seismic retrofitting as necessary to improve the buildings’ resistance to seismic shaking.

Implementation
Policy: SF-1.5
The City shall develop and make available to all residents and businesses literature on hazard prevention and disaster response, including information on how to earthquakeproof residences and places of business, and information on what to do before, during and after an earthquake.

FLOOD HAZARDS
Storm Flooding
Twentynine Palms and the surrounding areas are, like most of southern California, subject to unpredictable seasonal rainfall. The flood hazards in Twentynine Palms can be classified into two (2) general categories: (1) flash flooding down natural and man-made channels and (2) sheet flooding across the alluvial fans, plains and valleys upon which most of the development in the City currently lies.

Twentynine Palms has no rivers or perennial streams. When a storm arrives, the normally dry rocky canyons of the adjacent mountains disperse runoff into broad desert washes or onto alluvial fans and plains – all of which are laced with a complex and dynamic drainage network that ultimately terminates in desert playas (dry lakebeds). Drainage channels in the local mountains are well incised; however, they lose their strong definition upon reaching the valley floor, where sediment-laden water typically spreads out into braided ephemeral stream channels and sheet flow. Channels that are dry most of the year can quickly become dangerous torrents of water, sand, mud and rocks, capable of transporting boulders, trees and even cars. The southern part of the City receives runoff from numerous small to large canyons in Joshua Tree National Park

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-23
(National Park), and from the Pinto Mountains to the east. The most significant drainages with respect to flood impacts on existing development are Fortynine Palms Canyon and canyons to the east, as well as Twentynine Palms Wash, the broad drainage that lies between the National Park and the Pinto Mountains. Indian Cove and Dog Wash, as well as smaller unnamed drainages in the Pinto Mountains, also have the potential to carry flash floods; however, downstream development in these areas is currently minimal.

Drainages in the western part of Twentynine Palms currently flow northward from the mountain front, then trend eastward toward the Mesquite Dunes and Mesquite Lake (via the Mesquite Lake Wash).

Drainage in the central part of the City flows northward towards two (2) small depressions (Cones Lake and Shortz Lake). Drainage flow in the eastern part of Twentynine Palms is generally eastward, eventually reaching Dale Lake, about eleven (11) miles to the east of the City’s Sphere of Influence. Transport across the valley floor is generally by sheet flow or within shallow gullies and rills, except where it is diverted around low hills.

Most of the existing development in Twentynine Palms has been completed without significant alteration to the natural terrain. As a result, natural drainage courses pass through developed or semi-developed areas.

Small channels pass through private yards, and some structures are built within the flow paths of shallow drainages. Most streets, many of which are unpaved, follow the natural contours of the land, crossing arroyos and gullies without culverts or bridges. These crossings can quickly become filled with high velocity floodwaters, trapping vehicles or washing them downstream. Floodwaters can also overflow these natural channels sending water, sand, mud and debris into streets, homes and businesses.

Where flows are concentrated or obstructed, the sandy soils that are prevalent can easily erode, forming new gullies and undermining structures.

FEMA Flood Mapping
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is mandated by the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 and the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 to evaluate flood hazards. Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) prepared by FEMA illustrate the extent of flood hazards in a

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SF-24 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
flood-prone community. These maps delineate Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs), areas subject to inundation by a “base flood” which FEMA sets as a 100-year flood. A 100-year flood is defined by looking at the long-term average period between floods of a certain size, and identifying the size of flood that has a one (1) percent chance of occurring during any given year. This base flood has a twenty-six percent (26%) chance of occurring during a thirty (30)-year period, the length of most home mortgages. However, a recurrence interval such as “100 years” represents only the long-term average period between floods of a specific magnitude; rare floods can in fact occur at much shorter intervals or even within the same year.

The base flood is a regulatory standard used by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) as the basis for insurance requirements nationwide. The Flood Disaster Protection Act requires owners of all structures in identified SFHAs to purchase and maintain flood insurance as a condition of receiving Federal or federally related financial assistance, such as mortgage loans from federally insured lending institutions. FEMA uses the concept of “floodway” (river channel or watercourse that must be kept free of encroachment in order to discharge the base flood without cumulatively increasing the water surface elevation above a certain height) as the basis for floodplain management. Communities are responsible for prohibiting encroachments into a designated floodway unless analyses indicate that the proposed development will not increase the flood levels downstream.

The City of Twentynine Palms has participated as a regular member in the NFIP since 1995 (Community ID No. – 060734#). The City’s FIRM maps date from April 1995, with revisions in March 1996, and August 2008, and September 2016. For unincorporated areas, the County of San Bernardino also participates in the NFIP (Community ID No. 060270#).

Because the City of Twentynine Palms and the County are participating members of the NFIP, flood insurance is available to any property owner in the Twentynine Palms area. In fact, to secure financing to buy, build or improve structures in SFHAs, property owners are required to purchase flood insurance. Lending institutions that are federally regulated or federally insured must determine if the structure is located in a SFHA and must provide written notice requiring flood insurance. FEMA recommends that all property owners purchase and keep flood insurance.

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-25
Keep in mind that approximately twenty-five percent (25%) of all flood claims occur outside of the 100-year flood zones.

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-26
EXHIBIT SF-2

MODERATE FIRE HAZARD AREAS, FLOOD ZONES, AND SIGNIFICANT HARZARDOUS MATERIALS SITES Exhibit SF-2

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-27
The FIRMs that cover the Twentynine Palms area show that the flood areas identified generally cover the low-lying parts of the City that are most heavily populated, in addition to several washes that carry runoff to and from these populated areas (see Exhibit SF-24). Much of the central and southern City is in a 100-year flood plain. The 500-year flood plain in the City is only a small patch along the river bottom area where most of the City’s water supply is located. Critical infrastructure within the City have taken precautions such as raising the land’s elevation above the flood plain, thus mitigating the damage from a 100-year flood. It is important to note that FEMA did not study the entire General Plan area, and thus, the flood zones identified are potentially incomplete.

Many storms smaller than the estimated 100-year events have caused localized flooding and sedimentation problems in Twentynine Palms, including areas outside of the mapped FEMA zones. Damage to structures occurs mostly in older buildings that are not adequately elevated above the ground surface, and/or have inadequate floodproofing. The Twentynine Palms area still has many unpaved roads in residential areas, and these, along with the natural drainage channels, are vulnerable to erosion and sedimentation. Sediment loads are deposited when the stream velocity slows down, resulting in property damage, or in some cases, parts of the community being temporarily isolated due to eroded or flooded access roads.

Residential areas that have experienced recurrent flooding are the Hansen Tract, located in the middle of the broad wash that lies between Joshua Tree National Park and the Pinto Mountains, and the Smoke Tree area that lies within the outwash plain of several canyons along the base of the mountains. Both of these areas are built out as small, single-family lots.

Low-lying commercial areas along Twentynine Palms Highway and Adobe Road south of the flood control channel have also been subject to flooding, although placement of a dry well near the intersection of these two (2) roads has helped to alleviate the problem at that location. Adobe Road commercial areas north of the Twentynine Palms Channel are generally outside of the flood zone, however localized low spots have been subject to flooding in recent years. Flooding also occurs on many streets and major roads that cross natural drainages and at depressions such as Shortz Lake and Cones Lake, or on sections of roadway that convey floodwater during storms, such as Utah Trail, north of the Hansen Tract.

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SF-28 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
The only major drainage structure in the City is the Twentynine Palms Channel, constructed between 1958 and 1972 to provide protection for the business district. The channel is a graded, sand-bottom trapezoidal-shaped open channel, with walls locally reinforced with rail and wire revetment.

Starting near the intersection of Hatch Road and Twentynine Palms Highway, the channel passes through the central, most densely populated part of the City, eventually releasing water into a natural wash near Bagdad Highway, north of Amboy Road. A tributary channel of similar construction skirts the southwest side of Campbell Hill. This channel is the northernmost section of a longer proposed channel named Pinto Cove. The 49 Palms Spreading Grounds, a triangular-shaped catchment area framed by small levees at the mouth of Fortynine Palms Canyon, is designed to retain a portion of the floodwaters for percolation into the groundwater basin. The remaining flow is directed into the Twentynine Palms Channel.

Donnell Basin, a smaller, but better-defined graded basin adjacent to the channel, is also designed for recharge as well as flood protection. These basins, as well as the flood control channel, are owned and maintained by the County of San Bernardino.

As of 2021, the City has identified the following transportation assets/projects that have the potential to be affected by a natural hazard.

Projects are under way to improve some of these assets, as shown in Table SF-5 below.

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-29
TABLE SF-5

TRANSPORTATION ASSETS/PROJECTS FOR FLOOD RESILIENCE

LOCATION EXISTING CONDITION PROJECT STATUS
El Rey Avenue Substandard bridge over
Flood Control Channel
Bridge upgrade – design at
95%, funding secured
49 Palms Avenue At-grade crossing of Flood
Control Channel
Potential for permanent
closing with bridge nearby
Star Dune Avenue At-grade crossing of Flood
Control Channel
Potential for permanent
closing with bridge nearby
Split Rock Avenue At-grade crossing of Flood
Control Channel
Bridge – design under
review by Caltrans, no
construction funding
Tamarisk Avenue At-grade crossing of Flood
Control Channel
Potential for permanent
closing with bridge nearby
Ocotillo Avenue At-grade crossing of Flood
Control Channel
No activity
Desert Knoll
Avenue
At-grade crossing of Flood
Control Channel
Potential for permanent
closing with bridge nearby
Joe Davis Drive At-grade crossing of Flood
Control Channel
No activity
The City’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP, set for adoption in 2021) studied flooding history in the region. The LHMP found that flooding in the City can cause minor property damage to homes and businesses in the flood zones such as downtown, but has never caused deaths or injuries to people. The City implements flood management regulations in its Municipal Code (Chapter 19.62), which include provisions for flood hazard reduction such as mandating a hydrological study and floodproof or resistant construction standards in the 100-year flood zones.

Dam Inundation/Failure

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SF-30 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
Seismically induced inundation refers to flooding that results when water retention structures, such as dams, fail due to an earthquake. Given that, currently, there are no dams in or near the Twentynine Palms area that could impact the City, the hazard of dam inundation is considered nil.

Seismically induced inundation can also occur if strong ground shaking causes structural damage to aboveground water tanks. If a tank is not adequately braced and baffled, sloshing water can lift a water tank off its foundation, splitting the shell, damaging the roof and bulging the bottom of the tank. Movement can also shear off the pipes leading to the tank, releasing water through the broken connections. These types of damage occurred during southern California’s 1992 Landers, 1992 Big Bear and 1994 Northridge earthquakes. As a result of lessons learned from recent earthquakes, new standards for design of steel water tanks were adopted in 1994 (Lund, 1994). The new tank design includes flexible joints at the inlet/outlet connections to accommodate movement in any direction.

The Twentynine Palms Water District maintains ten (10) aboveground, steel tank water reservoirs, ranging in capacity from 0.532 million gallons to 5.81 million gallons. All the tanks are located within City limits except for the Desert Heights Reservoir, which is located north of the Sphere of Influence. Two (2) of the tanks were constructed in 2007, whereas the older tanks were constructed twenty (20) years or more ago, before the adoption of newer earthquake design standards. The first reservoir, located on Donnell Hill, was built in 1957. According to the District, all the older tanks have been retrofitted to resist damage from earthquakes.

Goal SF-2 and its attendant Implementation Policies respond to the flooding hazards facing Twentynine Palms.

Flooding Hazards
Goal SF-2
Minimize injury, loss of life, property damage and
economic and social disruption caused by
flooding hazards.

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-31
Implementation
Policy: SF-2.1
New development or expansion of existing projects within the FEMA 100-Year Floodplain Overlay and Indian
Cove/Mesquite Drainage Area Overlay (see Exhibit LU-6,
Safety Overlays) shall mitigate flooding hazards to the project and potential impacts to surrounding properties.

Implementation
Policy: SF-2.2
Require new development within the 100 year flood plain or repeat flood properties as identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to conduct
hydrological studies, prepared by a State-certified engineer, to assess the potential impacts the new development will have on the flooding and sedimentation potential of
existing development down-grade and implement
appropriate mitigation measures to reduce this impact to an acceptable level.

Implementation
Policy: SF-2.3
The City shall participate in the National Flood Insurance Program and encourage that all owners of properties
located within the 100-year floodplain (Zones A and AO), and repeat-flood properties in Zone X to purchase and keep flood insurance for those properties.

Implementation
Policy: SF-2.4
Prohibit new facilities that use or store hazardous materials in quantities that would place them in the State’s TRI or SQG databases from being located in the flood zone (Zones A, AO and X), unless all standards of elevation, anchoring and flood proofing have been implemented to the
satisfaction of the City’s Building Department, and the Twentynine Palms Fire Department.

Implementation
Policy: SF-2.5
Require all essential and critical facilities (including, but not limited to, essential City offices and buildings, medical facilities, schools, child care centers and nursing homes) in or within 200 feet of Flood Zones A, AO and X, to develop disaster response and evacuation plans that address the actions that will be taken in the event of flooding.

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SF-32 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
Implementation
Policy: SF-2.6
Prepare and adopt development policies, which respect the dynamic nature of water movement on alluvial fans and
leaves intermittent and perennial streams in a natural
unobstructed state.

Implementation
Policy: SF-2.7
Improve the drainage conditions in those areas of the
planning area that flood repeatedly using dry wells, storage basins, berms or similar measures, including educating
residents about the importance of keeping drainage
channels free of debris and not altered in such a way that the flow is obstructed or significantly changed or reduced.

Implementation
Policy: SF-2.8
Locate new essential and critical facilities (including, but not limited to, essential City offices and buildings, medical facilities, schools, emergency shelters, childcare centers and nursing homes) outside of flood hazard zones, when
feasible.

WIND HAZARDS
Windstorms in the Twentynine Palms area have the potential to impact life, property, utilities, infrastructure and transportation systems, causing damage to trees, power lines, utility poles, road signs, cars, trucks, building roofs and buildings. Uprooted trees and downed utility poles can also fall across the public right-of-way disrupting transportation. These events can be major hindrances to emergency response and disaster recovery. A windstorm also has the potential to displace residents, which may require the City to provide short-term and/or long-term shelters to accommodate these individuals, in addition to providing for other emergency response activities such as cleanup and repair.

Thunderstorm-related winds have impacted the Twentynine Palms area preferentially during the summer, fall and winter months, although the historical record shows that the City can be impacted by strong winds anytime. Tornadoes have been reported in the lower Mojave Desert area, including at least one tornado or macroburst that damaged three (3) structures in Twentynine Palms on July 22, 2005. Data from the last

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-33
decade only indicates that this portion of San Bernardino County is impacted, on average, by two (2) to seven (7) windstorm events per year.

Tornado activity is less consistent, with some years seeing several tornadoes in the region, and no tornadoes in others.

Goal SF-3 and its attendant Implementation Policies respond the wind hazards facing Twentynine Palms.

Wind Hazards
Goal SF-3 Reduce the risk of death, injury, property damage and economic loss due to windstorms.

Implementation
Policy: SF-3.1
Educate property owners of the importance of maintaining clearances between trees and power lines, to reduce the potential for downed trees and branches to come in contact with, and disrupt, adjacent distribution power lines, in conformance with the California Public Resources Code.

Implementation
Policy: SF-3.2
Require the undergrounding of overhead utility lines in new developments, and review the cost benefit of
systematically undergrounding the existing overhead utility lines in the planning area, to help reduce the impact of windstorms on the City’s power system.

Implementation
Policy: SF-3.3
Require all signs and other structures susceptible to wind damage, whether temporary or permanent, to be tied down appropriately, or brought in under cover when a
thunderstorm threatens the area.

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SF-34 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012

FIRE HAZARDS
Urban Fires
Based on 2006 data, structure fires in the City of Twentynine Palms represent a very small percentage of the annual emergency calls that the Fire Department receives and responds to. The structure fires that occurred in 2006 were for the most part confined to the room of origin, resulting in an overall low dollar loss. At least twenty-five percent (25%) of the residential structures in the City date from before 1970 and are, therefore, not likely to be fitted with internal sprinklers. Some of the older, highoccupancy apartment complexes are most likely also not sprinklered, nor are they likely built of fire-resistant materials, making these high probability/high consequences target hazards.

Wildland Fires
Wildland and vegetation fires within City limits are not well documented.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL DFIRE) database does not include any fires within the City. The U.S. Geological Survey California Wildfire Map records historical fire perimeters from 2000 to present, and the fire perimeters never included or approached the City limits, with the closest being in Joshua Tree and the Joshua Tree National Park to the west and south. The National Park Service has mapped several fires up to ten (10) acres in size and one fire up to 99.9 acres in size (the 29 Palms Inn fire in 1964) along the southern portion of the City between 1948 and 2009. However, National Fire Incident Reporting system data for the year 2006 alone includes seven (7) brush fires within City limits that are not included in either CAL FIREthe CDF or the National Park Service databases. However, recent data indicates only two local wildfires had a direct impact on the City in 2013 (Summit Fire) and 2019 (La Barisa Fire) since 1993. This suggests that while wildland fires in Twentynine Palms are may be more common than the data indicate, but they are generally small in size with limited impacts, possibly due to the scant vegetation in the valley, and the effective response by the Twentynine Palms Fire Department.

CAL FIRE The CDF considers the City’s wildland fire threat as moderate for the most part (including Sphere of Influence, see Exhibit SF-25), ).

Most of the City falls in a Local Responsibility Area, and although some

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-35
portions along the City boundary and north and south ends are in a Federal Responsibility Area., mostly in the southern portion of tThe City’s and its Sphere of Influence, and in the Mesquite Dunes area, are mapped as having a high fire threat also falls between Local/Federal Responsibility Areas. Immediately south of the City, theThe nearest fire hazard zone classified as higher than moderate severity by CAL FIRE is located approximately 5.5 miles to the southwest in Joshua Tree, a high fire hazard severity zone in a State Responsibility Area. CAL FIRE CDF has mapped some sections of the Joshua Tree National Park as having a very high fire hazard severity zonethreat. Both the City and the Marine Base are included in the list of Communities at Risk due to their location adjacent to or within federal responsibility areas with a high fire hazard.

The National Park Service indicates that the potential future arrival of invasive, non-native grasses, such as buffelgrass, could result in a substantial change in the fire regime of the region, with an increase in the number and size of wildland fires, and an increase in the fire danger due to the high temperatures at which these grasses burn.

Overall, the City has a very low probability for massive wildfires, and wildfires typically have little direct adverse effects on City population and property. The main concern is potential pressure on the water supply system when firefighting personnel need to draw large amounts of water to extinguish fires. The City shall continue to implement standard practices such as preventative maintenance to clear brush and other potential hazards that can start fires, public outreach to educate locals on evacuation routes and emergency response, and effective communications between the City, the public, firefighting personnel, and County Offices of Emergency Services.

Fires after Earthquakes
History shows that earthquake-induced fires have the potential to be the worst-case fire-suppression scenarios for a community because an earthquake typically causes multiple ignitions distributed over a broad geographic area, with the potential to severely tax the local fire suppression agencies. Furthermore, if fire fighters are involved with search and rescue operations, they are less available to fight fires. Fire suppression efforts can also be limited by a water distribution system that has been impaired by the earthquake. Thus, many factors affect the severity of fires following an earthquake, including ignition sources, types

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SF-36 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
and density of fuel, weather conditions, functionality of the water systems and the ability of firefighters to suppress the fires. The principal causes of earthquake-related fires are open flames, electrical malfunctions, gas leaks and chemical spills. Downed power lines may ignite fires if the lines do not automatically de-energize. Unanchored gas heaters and water heaters are common problems, as these readily tip over during strong ground shaking (State law now requires new and replaced gas-fired water heaters to be attached to a wall or other support).

An earthquake centered in Twentynine Palms, either on the Pinto Mountain or Mesquite Lake fault, has the potential to cause substantial damage to the City’s water distribution system, with a resultant reduction in water availability immediately after the earthquake. The two (2) fire stations in the Twentynine Palms area are located very near to faults that have the potential to cause surface fault rupture and other types of ground failure during an earthquake. This in turn can result in structural damage to the fire stations and to the surrounding roads, impacting the stations’ emergency response capabilities. Structure fires caused by an earthquake, the result of electric malfunctions, gas leaks or toppled-over heat or flame sources, can occur simultaneously at several different locations throughout the City. The multiple ignitions could severely tax the Fire Department, especially if their own buildings and equipment have been damaged.

Goal SF-4 and its attendant Implementation Policies respond to the fire hazards facing Twentynine Palms. Per Government Code Section 65302 (g), the goal and policies are developed under the guidance of the Office of Planning and Research’s most recent publication of “Fire Hazard Planning, General Plan Technical Advice Series” (May 2015).

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-37
Fire Hazards
Goal SF-4
Reduce the risk of death, injury, property damage
and economic loss due to structure and
vegetation fires.

Implementation
Policy: SF-4.1
New habitable structures shall be constructed in accordance with the most recent California Fire Code.

Implementation
Policy: SF-4.2
Cooperate with the Twentynine Palms Fire Department to
regularly re-evaluate specific fire hazard areas and adopt reasonable safety standards covering such elements as
adequacy of nearby water supplies, fire flow tests, fire hydrants, routes or throughways for fire equipment, clarity of addresses and street signs and maintenance.

Implementation
Policy: SF-4.3
Conduct regular inspections of parcels throughout the City, and require property owners to bring their property into compliance with fire inspection standards, including weed abatement and to encourage homeowners to follow fire-safe practices, including maintaining a fire-safe landscape, and keeping combustibles (such as fire wood) a safe distance away from all structures.

Implementation
Policy: SF-4.4
Encourage the Twentynine Palms Water District to review and improve as needed the adequacy of the water storage capacity and distribution network, with priority given to the water mains that extend across the Pinto Mountain and
Mesquite Lake faults.

Implementation
Policy: SF-4.5
Coordinate with the Joshua Tree National Park to develop abatement programs to control the spread of buffelgrass and other non-native invasive plant species before they take hold in the region.

Implementation
Policy: SF-4.6
Cooperate with outside agencies to ensure fire, police and medical personnel, equipment and services should
adequately meet the needs and serve all areas of the
planning area.

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SF-38 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
Sites
The use, storage, transport and disposal of hazardous materials are controlled by several Federal and state laws. The San Bernardino County Fire Department, Hazardous Materials Division (SBCFD-HMD) oversees those businesses in Twentynine Palms that handle hazardous materials.

The SBCFD-HMD is the Local Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA). All businesses that handle a specified amount of hazardous materials or extremely hazardous materials are required to submit a Hazardous Materials Business Plan to the CUPA.

As of June 2009, there were eleven (11) facilities in the Twentynine Palms area that are small-quantity generators of hazardous materials, and two (2) other facilities whose classification as small- or large-quantity generators was unspecified. The Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Base, however, is a large-quantity generator of hazardous materials. According to the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) database, substances released onsite or offsite from the Base include copper, lead compounds, mixed isomers, ethylene glycol, nitroglycerin and phosphorus.

According to EPA data, there are no Superfund sites in Twentynine Palms, nor have there ever been in the past. The EPA reports, however, that there is one (1) Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System (CERCLIS) site in the area, namely the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Base. Approximately sixty-five (65) sites within the base are known or suspected to have released contaminant to the environment, typically the result of past land use practices. The contaminants involved include diesel, waste/fuel/motor oil, benzene, toluene and other compounds found in petroleum hydrocarbons, lead, PCBs, insecticides and pesticides, arsenic and other metals. In most cases, the only media impacted was soil, and after cleanup, many of the sites have been closed, as they have been deemed to not pose a risk to human health or to the environment. The Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board is overseeing those cases still open that are undergoing further investigation and/or remediation.

According to data from GeoTracker, fifteen (15) leaking underground storage tank (LUST) facilities have been reported in Twentynine Palms

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-39
between about 1986 and February of 2009. Eleven (11) of the LUST sites have been remediated and closed, leaving only four (4) still active. Most of the leaks impacted only soil, but two (2) of the sites are listed as under investigation, and one of the sites is known to have impacted non-drinking groundwater and soil vapor. The California Regional Water Quality Control Board (CRWQCB), in cooperation with the Office of Emergency Services provides oversight and conducts inspections of all underground tank removals and installation of new ones.

At least seven (7) wells have been drilled in or around the City of Twentynine Palms to look for petroleum. Most of these wells were drilled in the 1950s and 1960s, were dry or economically non-productive, and have since been abandoned. It is unknown whether the drilling and pumping of these wells resulted in contamination of the immediate area surrounding the wells. Oil-stained soils, heavy metals used in the drilling muds, and spilled refined fuels, may be found locally around some of these wells.

Household Hazardous Waste
Hazardous materials are also used in residential applications: paints, thinners, bleach, ammonia, Drano and other similar products, in addition to motor oil, batteries and spent fluorescent light bulbs, to mention a few.

If not disposed of properly, such substances can impact the environment.

There are several facilities in and around the City of Twentynine Palms that receive and recycle used materials, including household hazardous waste. Twentynine Palms is a “Zero Waste Community of San Bernardino County,” and as such, residents have several drop-off options for their used motor oil, batteries and other waste.

Releases Due to Transportation Accidents and Pipeline Failures There are no registered transporters of hazardous waste in the Twentynine Palms area, but hazardous waste may be transported through the City, as there are several routes in the area that are prescribed or permitted to carry hazardous materials and explosives. Releases of hazardous materials from trucks can occur during an accident. The California Highway Patrol is the responding agency in the event of a spill on the freeways, but local emergency response agencies, such as the police and fire departments, are responsible for additional enforcement and routing assistance. All

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SF-40 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
transportation of hazardous materials needs to be conducted under strict regulations established by State and Federal agencies.

There is a pipeline that extends through the City that carries high-pressure natural gas. The pipeline could be damaged within the study area if either the Pinto Mountain or Mesquite Lake faults rupture causing an earthquake.

Earthquake-Induced Releases of Hazardous Materials
In an earthquake, hazardous materials spills can occur even when the building housing the materials does not suffer significant damage.

Hazardous material containers not properly secured and fastened can easily be punctured and/or tipped over, pipelines may rupture, and storage tanks may fail. Containers may also explode if subject to high temperatures, such as those generated by a fire. Improperly segregated chemicals could react, forming a toxic gas cloud. In a worst-case scenario, several hazardous materials releases could occur simultaneously.

Chemical substances are often unstable under high temperatures. Other chemicals are reactive to water or oxygen and can self-ignite if exposed to water or air.

In the event of a fire involving hazardous materials, special attention, including special handling and evacuation procedures, are often necessary.

These by-products include the “smoke plume” and water run-off from the fire-extinguishing process. The smoke plume has the potential to pose a severe hazard to those exposed to it: Depending on the types of chemicals involved in the fire, an evacuation of the immediate area and especially of those areas down-wind should be conducted.

If water is used to fight a fire, the runoff could include chemicals or substances that pose a hazard to the environment. Therefore, the runoff should be contained to prevent it from flowing into storm drains or leach fields. Containing the water runoff from a fire is difficult but possible, especially if the special equipment to do so is available.

At present, several hazardous materials sites identified in Twentynine Palms are located within the 500-year or 100-year flood zones, and adjacent to fault zones. Many of the sites at the Marine Base are located in an area potentially susceptible to liquefaction.

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-41
Drinking Water Supply
The Twentynine Palms Water District provides drinking water to many of the residents of Twentynine Palms (with the exception of those residents that have their own water wells) and the USMC – 29 Palms provides drinking water to the Marine Base from their own wells. Only one of the small well producers, the Twentynine Palms Inn, which provides water to twenty-five (25) or more individuals, is required to satisfy the legal water standards, including testing and reporting. All three (3) of these water purveyors rely on groundwater as their primary water source.

According to the EPA Safe Drinking Water Violation Report, the Twentynine Palms Water District has not had any violations reported in at least the last ten (10) years, an excellent record, with the exception of The Twentynine Palms Inn which had several monitoring violations, typically assessed when the sampling is not conducted in a timely manner.

However, the most recent violation dates to the first quarter of 2004. The USMC – 29 Palms has had three (3) health violations in which the concentration for Total Coliform exceeded the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL). The most recent of these occurred in March 2008.

Perchlorates at concentrations between 0.08 and 0.47 parts per billion (ppb), considerably lower than the California-defined maximum contaminant level of 6 ppb, has been detected in some groundwater samples from the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Base. These concentrations are low enough that the California EPA has declared that No Further Action is necessary.

Given that there are no permanent surface waters in the Twentynine Palms area, and that all wastewater in the region is disposed through individual septic tank or tile field disposal systems, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits are not required in the City.

However, anyone who is discharging or proposes to discharge wastewater onto land must file a report with the Regional Water Board which can impose waste discharge requirements on these individuals or facilities, based upon the review of these reports. Furthermore, all discharges, with the exception of small, residential, on-site systems, are required to complete and submit to the Board a Report of Waste Discharge.

Recognizing that the increased population in the region is starting to impact the quality of the groundwater – septic tank-leachfield systems

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SF-42 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
have contributed to an increase of nitrates in the groundwater in the Yucca Valley area.

Goal SF-5 and its attendant Implementation Policies address potential impacts from hazardous materials in Twentynine Palms.

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-43
Hazardous Materials
Goal SF-5 Reduce the potential for hazardous materials
contamination in Twentynine Palms.

Implementation
Policy: SF-5.1
Coordinate with the Twentynine Palms Fire Department
and the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Base, to develop
policies to respond safely and effectively to a hazardous materials incident in the planning area.

Implementation
Policy: SF-5.2
Coordinate with regional providers of emergency services, including the County’s Fire and Sheriff Departments, to ensure that all residents, workers and visitors to Twentynine Palms are protected from exposure to hazardous materials and wastes.

Implementation
Policy: SF-5.3
Identify roadways along which hazardous materials are
routinely transported. If critical facilities, such as schools, medical facilities, child care centers or other facilities with special evacuation needs are located along these routes, identify emergency response plans that can be implemented in the event of a roadway accident nearby that result in the unauthorized release of hazardous materials.

Implementation
Policy: SF-5.4
Reduce and/or eliminate the use of hazardous materials by the City by using non-toxic, safer alternatives that do not pose a threat to the environment, or buying and using only the smallest amount of a hazardous substance needed.

Encourage residents and businesses in the planning area to do the same.

Implementation
Policy: SF-5.5
Prohibit new facilities that will be involved in the
production, use, storage, transport or disposal of hazardous materials from being located within the 100-year floodplain (unless all standards of elevation, anchoring and flood proofing have been implemented), from within a fault zone or from within an area susceptible to liquefaction.

Implementation
Policy: SF-5.6
Prohibit the development and siting of new sensitive
facilities (e.g., schools, child care centers, nursing homes, etc.) near existing sites that use, store or generate significant quantities of hazardous materials.

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SF-44 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
Implementation
Policy: SF-5.7
Establish programs and recycling centers that accept
hazardous substances, such as paint, paint thinner, used waste oil, etc.

Implementation
Policy: SF-5.8
Evaluate alternatives to leachfield systems, such as a
municipal sewage collection and treatment system, to
ensure that the groundwater beneath the planning area is not degraded by these land use practices.

Implementation
Policy: SF-5.9
Require an analysis for the presence of other related
hazardous chemicals, lead-based paints or products,
mercury, and asbestos containing materials (ACMs) when
buildings or other structures, asphalt or concrete-paved surface areas are being demolished. If other hazardous
chemicals, lead-based paints or products, mercury or ACMs are identified, require proper precautions shall be taken during demolition activities and require the contaminants shall be remediated in compliance with California
environmental regulations and policies.

Implementation
Policy: SF-5.10
Require new development that require discretionary
approval by the City and are identified in DTSC databases or pertinent agency databases identified by the DTSC to undertake a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment,
prepared in accordance with the latest ASTM protocol for such assessments. Require the implementation of the
recommendations/mitigation measures from the Phase I
study.

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-45

PUBLIC SAFETY
Fire Services
The Twentynine Palms Fire Department, a subsidiary agency to the Twentynine Palms Water District, provides fire prevention, fire suppression and public education programs. Their coverage area is very large (approximately eighty (80) square miles in addition to the City boundaries), and the population in the area has doubled in the last decade, at times hindering the Fire Department’s response time to emergency calls.

Mutual aid agreements with neighboring communities to the west, San Bernardino County Fire Department, Joshua Tree National Park and with the Marine Base Fire Department, help with the response times, but additional fire resources will be necessary as the City continues to grow.

Fire-fighting resources in Twentynine Palms include two (2) fire stations:

Station 421 (main) located at 6560 Adobe Road, and Station 422 at 3834 Lear Avenue.

The Twentynine Palms Fire Department constantly monitors for fire hazards in the City and has ongoing programs for public education and the investigation and mitigation of hazardous situations. Such hazards include emergency response calls, vegetation and structure fires, vehicle accidents, public assistance and false alarms. The fire stations are staffed by administration, fire fighters and paramedic personnel.

Fire protection services for the areas of the City’s Sphere of Influence, which are not served by the Twentynine Palms Fire Department, are provided by the San Bernardino County Fire Department (SBCFD) - South Desert Fire Protection Division. The SBCFD provides administration and support for this and other fire districts serving unincorporated areas, along with other services such as hazardous materials regulation, dispatch communication and disaster preparedness.

There is one fire station located within the Wonder Valley plan area:

Wonder Valley Station 119 located at 80526 Amboy Road, Twentynine Palms.

The Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Fire Department, known as the Combat Center Fire Department (CCFD), is a community-based

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SF-46 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
organization that provides fire and emergency medical services to both military and civilian personnel on the base, and also to the surrounding local communities. The CCFD responds to emergency calls in the City of Twentynine Palms and surrounding areas as part of mutual joint response agreements with other Fire Departments.

Fire protection planning is a key consideration in new and modified developments in Twentynine Palms. For all discretionary applications and most administrative applications, including building permit applications, a description of the project and/or plans are sent to the Twentynine Palms Fire Department for comment and clearance. Developments within Twentynine Palms are required to comply with all applicable County and State fire codes to reduce the opportunities for fires to start and/or spread, provide for evacuation of occupants and provide access for firefighters to extinguish the fire.

The Fire Department also enhances fire safety in the community through coordination of education programs designed to increase community involvement. The CCFD provides public education by teaching children home fire safety and what to do in the event of a fire. It also provides monthly training in First Aid and CPR, and free EMT recertification classes to the public.

Police Services
Police protection is provided through contract with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Service is provided from the Morongo Basin station at 6527 White Feather Road in Joshua Tree and Sheriff’s Department personnel are provided a satellite office at Twentynine Palms City Hall on Adobe Road. Police services are dispatched from the Communications Center in Victorville but the satellite office is centrally located for efficient response. There are currently approximately ten (10) patrol officers assigned to the City from the Morongo Basin Sheriff's Station to provide dedicated, community-based policing. The Morongo Basin station is equipped with twelve (12) police vehicles, which includes five (5) marked vehicles, one (1) unmarked vehicle, two (2) off-highway motorcycles, three (3) citizen patrol units, and one (1) radar trailer.

The Sherriff’s Office provides various crime reducing projects such as Operation Clean Sweep, Choices Youth Program, Juvenile Crime

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-47
Reduction Plan, Citizens on Patrol and the appointment of a School Resources Officer.

Operation Clean Sweep is designed to address problems at local schools, which are not of a significant criminal nature, and allows school personnel to write citations for such violations. Choices Youth Program is an activity/education program for at-risk youth administered by the City’s Community Services Department in cooperation with the Sheriffs’ Department. The Juvenile Crime Reduction Plan allows teams of officers to "adopt" local schools to reduce campus-related crime and develop sitespecific Safe Schools Plans. The Citizens on Patrol Unit supplements the City's uniformed patrol officers with more than two dozen trained residents who donate thousands of volunteer hours each year. They patrol the neighborhoods acting as an "extra" set of eyes and ears for the City's patrol officers. They also assist with crowd control, traffic control, community events and the Public Safety Office at City Hall.

Numerous grant-funded special operations beyond normal patrol activity are conducted routinely within the City. These operations include parole/probation/sex registrant compliance sweeps, traffic safety checkpoints and traffic safety saturation patrols. City patrol officers also conduct juvenile alcohol and tobacco stings along with problem-oriented policing projects throughout the City. The Off-Highway Vehicle Enforcement Team has been very successful in reducing the number of off-road vehicle complaints received within the City limits.

Medical Services
Hospitals in the Twentynine Palms area include the Robert E. Bush Naval Hospital within the Twentynine Palms Marine Base for military personnel and their families, and the High Desert Medical Center located at 6601 White Feather Road, in Joshua Tree. The two (2) medical facilities combined have a total bed capacity of 158 beds. However, both facilities have the capacity to expand their bed counts, with the High Desert Medical Center providing up to 179 beds, and the Naval Hospital, 37 beds, for a combined total of 216 beds. It is possible that the regional hospital (the High Desert Medical Center in Joshua Tree) will not be able to meet the demand for medical care in the aftermath of an earthquake in the area.

Although only a few residents from Twentynine Palms are anticipated to require medical help, a larger number of casualties could result from

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SF-48 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
damage to buildings in adjoining communities, especially those that have a higher percentage of older construction types. If the Pinto Mountain fault breaks, surface fault rupture could hinder access to the hospital, given its location on the south side of the fault.

Medical response and ambulance services in the City of Twentynine Palms are provided by the Morongo Basin Ambulance Association (MBA), a community-based, non-profit, non-tax supported association.

The MBA has two (2) units in Twentynine Palms at their station immediately south of the main Fire Station on Adobe Road. When an emergency call is dispatched through to the Fire Station, the MBA is also notified at the same time. The two (2) ambulance units in Twentynine Palms are manned twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week, with emergency response personnel that are State-certified. The MBA have two (2) additional ambulance units manned full time in the Morongo Basin area; and an additional four (4) ambulances that can be manned in short order as needed. Air ambulance service, if necessary to airlift a patient to a hospital, is provided in the area by Mercy Air Service.

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-49

CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION
Climate change is a global phenomenon associated with increase in atmospheric greenhouse gas levels and can have myriad effects at local or regional scales. The Conservation and Open Space Element explain the mechanism of greenhouse gases and climate change and outline state and local efforts and measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and potential impacts from climate change. This section of the Safety Element focuses on the interaction of climate change with other natural hazards and identifies resilience and adaptation strategies for the City to safeguard the community.

Temperature
The annual average maximum temperature in Twentynine Palms is projected to increase throughout this century despite constant variations.

The historical record from 1950 to 2005 does not show any obvious pattern, with most records between 80°F to 84°F (1950), with a high of

84.5°F (1996) and a low of 79.6°F (2005). In this century, different models project the annual average maximum temperature to increase between 6°F to 10.4°F under the RCP 4.5 scenario (emissions peak around 2040, then decline). As of 2019, the average high temperature in Twentynine Palms is around 81°F. It will rise to 85.2°F in 2040 for average modeled projections. Local temperature has been recorded to go as high as 118°F and as low as 10°F since the 20th century.

Extreme heat hazard occurs in a single extreme heat day/warm night or heat wave. According to the Cal-Adapt Tool used to gather data for this Element, an extreme heat day/warm night is defined as a day in a year when the daily maximum/minimum temperature exceeds the 98th historical percentile of daily maximum/minimum temperatures based on observed historical data from 1961–1990 between April and October. This threshold is 58.9°F for the minimum and 90.2°F for the maximum in Twentynine Palms. While there is no universal definition of a heat wave, the Cal-Adapt Tool defines a heat wave as a period of 4 consecutive extreme heat days or warm nights when the daily maximum/minimum temperature is above the extreme heat threshold. Heat conditions can strain vulnerable residents including seniors and cause dehydration and heat stroke especially when coupled with power outages.

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SF-50 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
Similar to the annual average maximum temperature, the number of extreme heat days in a year shows a somewhat increasing trend despite year-to-year variations. As discussed below in Emergency Planning, the City undertakes proactive hazard management through its Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP, to be adopted in 2021) and participation in San Bernardino County’s multi-jurisdictional HMP. The County HMP implements the Shelter Operations Compound in 32 trailers/caches equipped with mass care and shelter supplies, strategically placed throughout the County and ready for rapid deployment for all hazards. The City LHMP also calls for setting up public cooling centers throughout the City.

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-51
Precipitation
Annual precipitation varies between wet and dry years throughout California. Research on climate change suggests a trend of wet years getting wetter, and dry years getting drier while occurring in consecutive years. Precipitation patterns are projected to be more intense events (i.e. storms), more concentrated (i.e. shorter wet season), and less regular (i.e. large year to year fluctuations). These changes can impact snow packs, which feed much of the state’s surface water. Drought, flood, and even wildfire hazards may be exacerbated with altered/irregular precipitation patterns. Coupled with temperature change, precipitation shift can impact more human and natural processes such as spread of infectious diseases and grow seasons.

Twentynine Palms had an average rainfall of 4.5 inches during 1961 to 1990, which is 81 percent less than the average in California. Similar to the overall state trend, the City is not expected to see any significant changes in average annual precipitation in this century. The annual average precipitation is modeled to increase by 0.5 inch or decrease by 0.8 inch in mid-century (2035-2046), and increase by 1.2 inches or decrease by 0.3 inch at the end of the century (2077-2099) under different emission scenarios in four priority models. While precipitation may not significantly impact Twentynine Palms due to groundwater as the predominant water source, extreme precipitation events raise a concern for water conservation and adequate drainage and flood control infrastructure to prepare for drought or flooding hazards.

Resilience and Adaptation
Climate science and models that predict impacts of climate change on regional and local levels keep evolving and refresh the understanding of potential hazards and their severity. The City will continue to coordinate with all government agencies to stay current on climate change information and projections, especially at the local level. The City shall base its policy making on current scientific consensus and review its resilience and adaptation strategies as they relate to emergency planning and preparation for other natural hazards.

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SF-52 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
As discussed in the Conservation and Open Space Element on measuring GHGs and reducing emissions, over time the City will incorporate reducing, mitigating, and adapting to climate change into most aspects of planning and operation in the community. The City is actively preparing the community for a changing climate while keeping up with the current science and legislation. The City also recognizes the importance in informing, educating, and engaging the public for behavioral change to benefit both individuals and the community and beyond, for example, through water and energy conservation and alternative transportation discussed in other Elements of this General Plan.

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE AND RECOVERY
A disaster is a sudden and dramatic emergency. When a disaster occurs, the threatened community strives to: 1) protect its residents to the extent possible; 2) care for victims; and 3) restore basic services as soon as possible. To do this, a community needs to respond quickly and dynamically, and as effectively as possible. This requires preparation at all levels, from the Federal government (for large-scale disasters) down to individual neighborhoods, families and businesses.

Issues pertaining to emergency response, disaster preparedness and disaster recovery require an assessment of the hazards, identification of functions and resources to handle both short-term and long-term response, and development of recovery procedures. Coordination between all levels of responders is critical. Direct, clear updates on the situation, provided in a timely manner by public officials, are important; this engenders cooperation from the public. Emergency preparedness includes having an alerting system that can be put to use immediately to warn the community of impending danger, and to transfer information post-disaster. It is also essential to have provisions in place to deal with handicapped individuals, and people that do not understand or speak English and need to be notified of the disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts in their native language. Recognizing and being sensitive to cultural differences are also important for effective emergency preparedness and response in multiethnic communities.

The City of Twentynine Palms has a main Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at City Hall, and two (2) alternate EOCs: 1) at the City’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services office building in Luckie Park

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-53
(74362 Joe Davis Drive), and 2) at the Senior Community Center (6539 Adobe Road). These locations are all located within about 1 to 1-1/2 miles of the two (2) main faults that extend across the City, and in or next to the FEMA-designated flood zones.

Emergency Planning
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) encourages the development and regular update of emergency preparedness documents by providing grant money to communities that have approved and adopted Local Hazard Mitigation Plans. Since January 1, 2008, jurisdictions have been required to adopt their Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (or Disaster Mitigation Plan) as part of their Safety Element. The City of Twentynine Palms participated in the development of the San Bernardino County Operational Area Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP), for its first adoptioned in April 2005 and last update in July 2017. FEMA requires that these types of documents be reviewed on a yearly basis, and updated every 5 years. Data provided in the Technical Background Report to the Safety Element can be used to update the City’s portion of the County’s HMP.

The revised HMP should be adopted as an addendum to the Safety Element. The State of California also encourages the maintenance of HMPs: California, through the California Disaster Assistance Act, limits the State share for an eligible project that is in response to a fire disaster to no more than seventy-five percent (75%) of total state eligible costs, except if the local agency has adopted a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan as part of their Safety Element, and complies with several requirements imposed by the State Fire Marshal (Senate Bill 1764, 2008). If the community complies with all requirements, the state share may be up to 100% of the cost.

The City has developed its first Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP), which is set for adoption in 2021. The LHMP identifies hazards and vulnerabilities, provides mitigation strategies, and coordinates all institutions for disaster mitigation planning and actions within the City.

The LHMP assessed specific hazards including earthquake, flooding, windstorms, wildfire, and climate change induced drought. The City also maintains an Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) as a framework for implementation of the California Standardized Emergency Management

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SF-54 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
System (SEMS) and the National Incident Management System (NIMS).

As an extension of the State of California Emergency Plan, the EOP establishes the emergency organization, assigns tasks, specifies policies and general procedures, and facilitates multi-agency and multijurisdictional coordination for emergency operations across the region and state.

Evacuation Routes
Evacuation refers to the movement of people that are at risk of being impacted by a disaster to a safer location, using routes that do not pose a significant danger to the evacuees. Thus, both the destination and the route need to be scrutinized, preferably before the evacuation orders are issued. This involves making a decision as to which of the potential temporary shelters in the City be opened, based on the shelters’ locations relative to the approaching disaster, and their ease of accessibility from the routes identified as safest.

The Police Department typically serves as the lead organization in carrying out evacuations, supported by the Fire Department as appropriate.

The Public Works Department typically assists in the identification of the best evacuation routes and in barricading the evacuated areas.

Exhibit SF-3 identifies several potential evacuation routes in Twentynine Palms. Which routes should be used will depend on the specific disaster:
§ Earthquakes occur suddenly and for the most part without warning.

Evacuation may be necessary post-disaster if the ground shaking or fault rupture causes a secondary disaster, such as the failure of a water reservoir or the release of a toxic cloud from ruptured containers of hazardous materials. Post-earthquake fires may also require the evacuation of certain areas, but these are generally localized areas with a limited number of affected individuals.

Which evacuation routes to use will depend on which area is at risk from any of these secondary hazards.
§ Fires in the Twentynine Palms area have historically occurred in the mountains and foothills to the south, in and adjacent to Joshua Tree National Park. If the prevailing winds fan a fire so that it moves north and into the urban-wildland fire interface, then

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-55
evacuation of the potentially affected neighborhoods may be required. In general, evacuees would take roads leading north and west, toward Twentynine Palms Highway and the more developed areas in the City.
§ Flooding in Twentynine Palms will impact the southern and central portions of the City preferentially. Localized flooding due to storm events can occur throughout the planning area, typically where low spots in the topography obstruct the flow of
floodwaters. The appropriate evacuation routes to use in the event of this disaster will therefore depend on where localized flooding is more severe, and on the destination (i.e., shelter location).

Evacuation may involve merely getting out of the low spots and onto higher ground.
§ Releases of hazardous materials, either as a result of a leak in one of the facilities that handle these substances in the area, or as a result of an accident-caused spill on the highway or roadways, generally will require the evacuation of a relatively small area, generally within a 1- to 2-mile radius of the release. The evacuation routes to follow would be designated by the Sheriff Department based on an assessment of the leak location, prevailing wind directions, traffic flow and location of the emergency shelter, if any, opened for that event.

Potential Emergency Shelters
Earthquakes, flooding, wildland fires and other disasters can cause loss of function or habitability of buildings that provide housing. Displaced households may need alternative short-term shelter provided by family, friends, temporary rentals or public shelters established by relief organizations such as the Red Cross or Salvation Army in facilities around the City.

Potential shelter locations in Twentynine Palms include parks, schools and churches. These locations are generally ideal as shelters because they have: 1) open space where tents can be set up; 2) restroom facilities and possibly kitchens; and 3) fairly large parking lots where displaced families can park their cars and, if they have them, their recreational vehicles, which can be used for housing.

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SF-56 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
Given that not all of these facilities may be available or fully functional after a disaster, having several options is ideal. Table SF-6 5 includes the potential shelter locations in the City. These locations were selected so as to avoid as much as possible the areas in the City most susceptible to natural hazards. Nevertheless, the selection of which sites to open during an emergency should be made after consideration of the hazard involved, and the potential for that hazard to progress (such as a northward-moving wildfire) into the area where a shelter has been established. The parks included herein have restroom facilities; those parks in the City that do not have restrooms were not considered. These are short-term shelter facilities to be used for a few hours to a few days. Long-term alternative housing may require import of manufactured homes, occupancy of vacant units, net emigration from the impacted area, or, eventually, the repair or reconstruction of new private and public housing.

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-57
TABLE SF-56

POTENTIAL SHELTER LOCATIONS IN TWENTYNINE PALMS (FOR THEIR LOCATION, REFER TO EXHIBIT SF-3)
Map
Identifier
Name Address Amenities
Parks
P1 Knott Sky Park On El Sol Avenue Picnic shelter; large playground; restrooms.

P2 Luckie Park Off of Two Mile
Road and Utah
Trail
Picnic shelters; two playground
areas; restroom facilities.

Schools
S1 Twentynine Palms
Junior High School
5798 Utah Trail
S2 Twentynine Palms
High School
72750 Wildcat Way
Churches
C1 New Testament Baptist
Church
70478 29 Palms
Highway
Building, parking lot; open space
to the east, north and west of
building.

C2 St. Martin in the Fields
Episcopal Church
72348 Larrea
Road
Building, parking lot; open space
to the northeast, southeast and
south-southwest of building.

C3 Blessed Sacrament
Catholic Church
74462 National
Park Drive
1940s church building; open space
to the north and northeast of
buildings.

C4 Spirit and Truth
Worship Center
4751 Adobe Road Building, parking lot; open space
around building.

C5 Little Church of the
Desert
6079 Adobe Road Building, parking lot; open space
north of parking lot.

C6 Twentynine Palms
Methodist Church
6250 Mesquite
Spring
Large building, large parking lot;
large open space around building.

C7 True Vine Fellowship 71669 29 Palms
Highway
Small building, parking lot; open
space to the east, west, and south
of building.

C8 Seventh Day Adventist
Church
72070 Samarkand
Drive
Building, parking lot; open space
around building.

C9 Jehovah’s Witness
Kingdom Hall
70626 29 Palms
Highway
Building, parking lot; some open
space to the south of building.

C10 Desert Congregational
Church
5688 Sunrise
Road
Buildings, parking lot; open space
around buildings.

C11 Church of the
Nazarene
72603 Juanita
Drive
Building, parking lot; open space
around building.

C12 First Baptist Church of
Twentynine Palms
6414 Split Rock
Avenue
Buildings, parking lot; open space
to the northwest of building.

C13 Immanuel Prince of
Peace Lutheran Church
6540 Stardune
Road
Small building, large open space
around building.

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-58
EXHIBIT SF-3

POTENTIAL EMERGENCY SHELTERS AND EVACUATION ROUTES
Exhibit SF-3

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-59
EXHIBIT SF-4

FLOOD HAZARD ZONES

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SF-60 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
EXHIBIT SF-5

FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONES
Twentynine Palms
Limitations: This map is intended for general land use
planning only. Information on this map is not sufficient to serve as a substitute for detailed hydrology investigations of individual sites, nor does it satisfy the evaluation requirements set forth in flood hazard regulations.

Terra Nova Planning & Research, Inc. (Terra Nova) makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy of the data from which these maps were derived. Terra Nova shall not be liable under any circumstances for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages with respect to any claim by any user or third party on account of, or arising from, the use of this map.

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-61
Mutual Aid Agreements
Although the Twentynine Palms Fire Department is tasked with the responsibility of fire prevention and fire suppression in the City, in reality, fire-fighting agencies team up and work together during emergencies.

These teaming arrangements are handled through automatic and mutual aid agreements, which obligate fire departments to help each other under pre-defined circumstances. Automatic aid agreements obligate the nearest fire company to respond to a fire regardless of the jurisdiction. Mutual aid agreements obligate fire department resources to respond outside of their district upon request for assistance.

The City of Twentynine Palms is one of twenty-four (24) cities and towns that make up the San Bernardino County Operational area. The Operational Area is part of the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) that promotes effective disaster management, response and cooperation across jurisdictional boundaries. As a result of being part of an Operational Area group, all of the jurisdictions have mutual aid agreements that allow them to obtain additional emergency resources, as needed, from non-affected members in the group. Given its geographic location, Joshua Tree is the first responder to mutual aid requests from the City of Twentynine Palms. Furthermore, each of these cities is signatory to a Joint Powers Agreement that provides for the joint use and operation of machinery, equipment, vehicles and personnel in the event of a fire, disturbance or other local emergency that cannot be met solely by the requesting City.

Numerous other agencies are available to assist the Twentynine Palms Fire Department if needed. These include the City’s Police Department and California Highway Patrol, who, depending on the location of the incident, would provide support during evacuations and to discourage people from traveling to the incident area to observe Fire Department operations, as this can hinder fire suppression and emergency response efforts.

Several State and Federal agencies have roles in fire hazard mitigation, response and recovery, depending on the type of incident and its location.

These agencies include the Office of Emergency Services, Office of Aviation Services, National Weather Service, the Department of the Interior, and, in extreme cases, the Department of Defense. The Twentynine Palms Marine Air Corps Base Fire Department provides

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SF-62 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
assistance as needed to the Twentynine Palms Fire Department. In forest and open areas, agencies that often assist with fire suppression include the National Park Service, US Forest Service, National Association of State Foresters, Fish and Wildlife Service, the Department of Agriculture and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Private companies and individuals may also be asked to provide assistance in some cases.

Goal SF-6 and its attendant Implementation Policies deal with disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-63
Disaster Preparedness, Response and Recovery
Goal SF-6 Maintain a high level of emergency response
capability.

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.1
Maintain, update and adopt the City’s Local Hazard
Mitigation Plan on a regular basis, as mandated by FEMA.

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.2
Adopt the City’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) in conformance with Assembly Bill 2140 (2006).

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.3
Maintain and update an Emergency Response Plan that
ensures that the emergency response organization and
resources are identified, and where emergency response
procedures are provided.

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.4
Ensure the City’s emergency plans are consistent with
regional, state (SIMS), and Federal (NIMS) standards,
guidelines and/or recommendations.

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.5
Maintain mutual aid agreements with neighboring cities and the San Bernardino County Operational Area.

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.6
Provide training to all City employees on their roles and responsibilities in times of disasters and local emergencies and participate in appropriate regional and local emergency exercises.

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.7
Adopt policies and programs to ensure to the fullest
possible extent that critical, dependent care and highoccupancy facilities remain functional in the event of a major disaster.

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SF-64 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
Implementation
Policy: SF-6.8
Compile and maintain a list of facilities that may have a high risk and specific needs requiring special response during a disaster because of population demands (such as mobility issues), construction type, location relative to a high hazard area, or other factors.

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.9
Enhance public awareness and preparedness by
encouraging residents and businesses to store supplies for self-reliance following a disaster and educate residents and businesses regarding mitigation measures to take prior to, during, and after an emergency.

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.10
Identify potential emergency shelter locations for people and animals and develop agreements, as needed, with the owners and operators of those facilities.

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.11
Cooperate and/or participate in regional efforts to ensure that the local medical care facilities will remain functional after a large regional earthquake and can provide
emergency medical care to all residents and workers that need medical attention following a disaster.

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.12
Review and circulate findings of the vulnerability
assessment in the LHMP with applicable City departments to carry out necessary actions to protect the vulnerable populations, assets, and functions.

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.13
Consider posting current information and/or key updates on climate change adaptation on the City website such as under City Services and during community workshops or local
events.

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City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-65

SUMMARY OF GOALS AND IMPLEMENTATION

POLICIES
Seismic and Geologic Hazards
Goal: SF-1
Minimize injury, loss of life, property damage and
economic and social disruption caused by
seismic shaking and other earthquake-induced
hazards, and by geologic hazards such as slope
instability, compressible and collapsible soils,
and subsidence.

Implementation
Policy: SF-1.1
New habitable structures shall be designed and built in accordance with the most recent California Building Code.

Implementation
Policy: SF-1.2
Prior to project approval, new development or expansion of existing projects within the Alquist-Priolo Fault Zone
Overlay (see Exhibit LU-6, Safety Overlays) shall conduct geotechnical and engineering geological investigations, prepared by State-certified professionals. No structure for human occupancy nor any critical facility fire and police stations; City communication centers; hospitals, schools, pre-schools, nursing homes and other limited-mobility or high-occupancy populations; electrical substations and
towers, water reservoirs, high-pressure or large-diameter pipelines, and bridges or other key transportation
structures) shall be allowed across the trace of an active fault. If these studies confirm that the fault trace of concern is active, structural setbacks or other measures designed to mitigate the potential for future surface fault rupture should be implemented.

SAFETY
SF-66 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
Implementation
Policy: SF-1.3
Prior to project approval, new development or expansion of existing projects within the Liquefaction Susceptibility Overlay (see Exhibit LU-6, Safety Overlays) shall conduct liquefaction assessment studies, prepared by State-certified professionals.

Implementation
Policy: SF-1.4
Encourage owners of potentially hazardous buildings,
including pre-1952 wood-frame structures, concrete tiltups, pre-1971 reinforced masonry, soft-story, manufactured (mobile) housing and unreinforced masonry buildings, to assess the seismic vulnerability of their structures and conduct seismic retrofitting as necessary to improve the buildings’ resistance to seismic shaking.

Implementation
Policy: SF-1.5
The City shall develop and make available to all residents and businesses literature on hazard prevention and disaster response, including information on how to earthquakeproof residences and places of business, and information on what to do before, during and after an earthquake.

SAFETY
City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-67
Flooding Hazards
Goal: SF-2
Minimize injury, loss of life, property damage and
economic and social disruption caused by
flooding hazards.

Implementation
Policy: SF-2.1
New development or expansion of existing projects within the FEMA 100-Year Floodplain Overlay and Indian
Cove/Mesquite Drainage Area Overlay (see Exhibit LU-6,
Safety Overlays) shall mitigate flooding hazards to the project and potential impacts to surrounding properties.

Implementation
Policy: SF-2.2
Require new development within the 100 year flood plain or repeat flood properties as identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to conduct
hydrological studies, prepared by a State-certified engineer, to assess the potential impacts the new development will have on the flooding and sedimentation potential of
existing development down-grade and implement
appropriate mitigation measures to reduce this impact to an acceptable level.

Implementation
Policy: SF-2.3
The City shall participate in the National Flood Insurance Program and encourage that all owners of properties
located within the 100-year floodplain (Zones A and AO), and repeat-flood properties in Zone X to purchase and keep flood insurance for those properties.

Implementation
Policy: SF-2.4
Prohibit new facilities that use or store hazardous materials in quantities that would place them in the State’s TRI or SQG databases from being located in the flood zone (Zones A, AO and X), unless all standards of elevation, anchoring and flood proofing have been implemented to the
satisfaction of the City’s Building Department, and the Twentynine Palms Fire Department.

SAFETY
SF-68 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
Implementation
Policy: SF-2.5
Require all essential and critical facilities (including, but not limited to, essential City offices and buildings, medical facilities, schools, child care centers and nursing homes) in or within 200 feet of Flood Zones A, AO and X, to develop disaster response and evacuation plans that address the actions that will be taken in the event of flooding.

Implementation
Policy: SF-2.6
Prepare and adopt development policies, which respect the dynamic nature of water movement on alluvial fans and
leaves intermittent and perennial streams in a natural
unobstructed state.

Implementation
Policy: SF-2.7
Improve the drainage conditions in those areas of the
planning area that flood repeatedly using dry wells, storage basins, berms or similar measures, including educating
residents about the importance of keeping drainage
channels free of debris and not altered in such a way that the flow is obstructed or significantly changed or reduced.

Implementation
Policy: SF-2.8
Locate new essential and critical facilities (including, but not limited to, essential City offices and buildings, medical facilities, schools, emergency shelters, child care centers and nursing homes) outside of flood hazard zones, when
feasible.

SAFETY
City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-69
Wind Hazards
Goal: SF-3 Reduce the risk of death, injury, property damage and economic loss due to windstorms.

Implementation
Policy: SF-3.1
Educate property owners of the importance of maintaining clearances between trees and power lines, to reduce the potential for downed trees and branches to come in contact with, and disrupt, adjacent distribution power lines, in conformance with the California Public Resources Code.

Implementation
Policy: SF-3.2
Require the undergrounding of overhead utility lines in new developments, and review the cost benefit of
systematically undergrounding the existing overhead utility lines in the planning area, to help reduce the impact of windstorms on the City’s power system.

Implementation
Policy: SF-3.3
Require all signs and other structures susceptible to wind damage, whether temporary or permanent, to be tied down appropriately, or brought in under cover when a
thunderstorm threatens the area.

SAFETY
SF-70 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
Fire Hazards
Goal: SF-4
Reduce the risk of death, injury, property damage
and economic loss due to structure and
vegetation fires.

Implementation
Policy: SF-4.1
New habitable structures shall be constructed in accordance with the most recent California Fire Code.

Implementation
Policy: SF-4.2
Cooperate with the Twentynine Palms Fire Department to
regularly re-evaluate specific fire hazard areas and adopt reasonable safety standards covering such elements as
adequacy of nearby water supplies, fire flow tests, fire hydrants, routes or throughways for fire equipment, clarity of addresses and street signs and maintenance.

Implementation
Policy: SF-4.3
Conduct regular inspections of parcels throughout the City, and require property owners to bring their property into compliance with fire inspection standards, including weed abatement and to encourage homeowners to follow fire-safe practices, including maintaining a fire-safe landscape, and keeping combustibles (such as fire wood) a safe distance away from all structures.

Implementation
Policy: SF-4.4
Encourage the Twentynine Palms Water District to review and improve as needed the adequacy of the water storage capacity and distribution network, with priority given to the water mains that extend across the Pinto Mountain and
Mesquite Lake faults.

Implementation
Policy: SF-4.5
Coordinate with the Joshua Tree National Park to develop abatement programs to control the spread of buffelgrass and other non-native invasive plant species before they take hold in the region.

Implementation
Policy: SF-4.6
Cooperate with outside agencies to ensure fire, police and medical personnel, equipment and services should
adequately meet the needs and serve all areas of the
planning area.

SAFETY
City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-71
Hazardous Materials
Goal: SF-5 Reduce the potential for hazardous materials contamination in Twentynine Palms.

Implementation
Policy: SF-5.1
Coordinate with the Twentynine Palms Fire Department
and the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Base, to develop
policies to respond safely and effectively to a hazardous materials incident in the planning area.

Implementation
Policy: SF-5.2
Coordinate with regional providers of emergency services, including the County’s Fire and Sheriff Departments, to ensure that all residents, workers and visitors to Twentynine Palms are protected from exposure to hazardous materials and wastes.

Implementation
Policy: SF-5.3
Identify roadways along which hazardous materials are
routinely transported. If critical facilities, such as schools, medical facilities, child care centers or other facilities with special evacuation needs are located along these routes, identify emergency response plans that can be implemented in the event of a roadway accident nearby that result in the unauthorized release of hazardous materials.

Implementation
Policy: SF-5.4
Reduce and/or eliminate the use of hazardous materials by the City by using non-toxic, safer alternatives that do not pose a threat to the environment, or buying and using only the smallest amount of a hazardous substance needed.

Encourage residents and businesses in the planning area to do the same.

Implementation
Policy: SF-5.5
Prohibit new facilities that will be involved in the
production, use, storage, transport or disposal of hazardous materials from being located within the 100-year floodplain (unless all standards of elevation, anchoring and flood proofing have been implemented), from within a fault zone or from within an area susceptible to liquefaction.

SAFETY
SF-72 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
Implementation
Policy: SF-5.6
Prohibit the development and siting of new sensitive
facilities (e.g., schools, child care centers, nursing homes, etc.) near existing sites that use, store or generate significant quantities of hazardous materials.

Implementation
Policy: SF-5.7
Establish programs and recycling centers that accept
hazardous substances, such as paint, paint thinner, used waste oil, etc.

Implementation
Policy: SF-5.8
Evaluate alternatives to leachfield systems, such as a
municipal sewage collection and treatment system, to
ensure that the groundwater beneath the planning area is not degraded by these land use practices.

Implementation
Policy: SF-5.9
Require an analysis for the presence of other related
hazardous chemicals, lead-based paints or products,
mercury, and asbestos containing materials (ACMs) when
buildings or other structures, asphalt or concrete-paved surface areas are being demolished. If other hazardous
chemicals, lead-based paints or products, mercury or ACMs are identified, require proper precautions shall be taken during demolition activities and require the contaminants shall be remediated in compliance with California
environmental regulations and policies.

Implementation
Policy: SF-5.10
Require new development that require discretionary
approval by the City and are identified in DTSC databases or pertinent agency databases identified by the DTSC to undertake a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment,
prepared in accordance with the latest ASTM protocol for such assessments. Require the implementation of the
recommendations/mitigation measures from the Phase I
study.

SAFETY
City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012 SF-73
Disaster Preparedness, Response and Recovery
Goal: SF-6 Maintain a high level of emergency response
capability.

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.1
Maintain, update and adopt the City’s Local Hazard
Mitigation Plan on a regular basis, as mandated by FEMA.

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.2
Adopt the City Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) in
conformance with Assembly Bill 2140 (2006.

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.3
Maintain and update an Emergency Response Plan that
ensures that the emergency response organization and
resources are identified, and where emergency response
procedures are provided.

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.4
Ensure the City’s emergency plans are consistent with
regional, state (SIMS), and Federal (NIMS) standards,
guidelines and/or recommendations.

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.5
Maintain mutual aid agreements with neighboring cities and the San Bernardino County Operational Area.

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.6
Provide training to all City employees on their roles and responsibilities in times of disasters and local emergencies and participate in appropriate regional and local emergency exercises.

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.7
Adopt policies and programs to ensure to the fullest
possible extent that critical, dependent care and highoccupancy facilities remain functional in the event of a major disaster.

SAFETY
SF-74 City of Twentynine Palms General Plan 2012
Implementation
Policy: SF-6.8
Compile and maintain a list of facilities that may have a high risk and specific needs requiring special response during a disaster because of population demands (such as mobility issues), construction type, location relative to a high hazard area, or other factors.

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.9
Enhance public awareness and preparedness by
encouraging residents and businesses to store supplies for self-reliance following a disaster and educate residents and businesses regarding mitigation measures to take prior to, during, and after an emergency.

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.10
Identify potential emergency shelter locations for people and animals and develop agreements, as needed, with the owners and operators of those facilities.

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.11
Cooperate and/or participate in regional efforts to ensure that the local medical care facilities will remain functional after a large regional earthquake and can provide
emergency medical care to all residents and workers that need medical attention following a disaster.

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.12
Review and circulate findings of the vulnerability
assessment in the LHMP with applicable City departments to carry out necessary actions to protect the vulnerable populations, assets, and functions.

Implementation
Policy: SF-6.13
Consider posting current information and/or key updates on climate change adaptation on the City website such as under City Services and during community workshops or local
events.

STRATEGIC PLAN
PREPARED BY:

Draft September 2022

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 2

CONTENTS
Contents
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................3 OUTREACH SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................5 HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT .................................................................................................17 FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS ..........................................................................................40 HOUSING TRUST ACTIVITIES .......................................................................................................58 AFFORDABLE HOUSING INVENTORY.........................................................................................63 LOCAL FUNDING GAP ANALYSIS..................................................................................................69

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 3

INTRODUCTION
In response to an increasing need for access to affordable housing across the San Bernardino region, the lack of sufficient funding to produce needed affordable housing, due in part to the dissolution of redevelopment, and an increased interest in solutions to comprehensively address regional housing needs, the San Bernardino Council of Governments (SBCOG) / San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA), referred to as SBCOG from this point forward, is developing pathways for increased funding to support housing-related programs. One such pathway is the establishment of a regional housing trust fund, which would serve as a funding mechanism to support housing programs.

In 2021, in response to increasing concern around the region’s housing shortage, the City/ County Managers Technical Advisory Committee (CCMTAC) of the San Bernardino Council of Governments (SBCOG) formed an adhoc subcommittee (Subcommittee). The Subcommittee expressed interest in exploring the feasibility of implementing a housing trust fund for the San Bernardino region. In response to the request of the Subcommittee, in January 2022, SBCOG released a Draft San Bernardino Regional Housing Trust White Paper that details the potential benefits, structures, and an assortment of relevant case studies regarding the formation of a Regional Housing Trust Fund. In the White Paper, it is recommended that a housing trust serving the San Bernardino Region be structured as a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) made up of participating members with a non-profit component that allows the Housing Trust to solicit and accept private donations. It is further recommended that a Housing Trust should be administered by SBCOG to utilize existing staff resources and expertise related to the pursuit of regional grant funds and to better connect housing with regional transportation efforts.

To better inform the formation of the San Bernardino Regional Housing Trust Fund (Housing Trust), this report provides a detailed overview and analysis of background information needed to formally establish the Housing Trust. This includes a summary of all outreach and engagement conducted for the Housing Trust to-date, an assessment on housing needs within San Bernardino, an analysis of funding opportunities for funding programs of the Housing Trust, and inventory of existing and pipeline affordable housing developments in San Bernardino. The analyses will provide the foundation for the Administrative Plan of the Housing Trust, which will detail the purpose and structure, participating jurisdictions, administrative responsibilities, and program objectives of the Housing Trust.

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 4

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 5

OUTREACH SUMMARY
In 2021, in response to increasing concern around the region’s housing shortage, the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) of the San Bernardino Council of Governments (SBCOG) expressed interest in exploring the feasibility of implementing a housing trust fund for the San Bernardino region. In response to the request of the TAC, in January 2022, SBCOG in collaboration with the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) released a Draft San Bernardino Regional Housing Trust White Paper. The White Paper details the potential benefits, structures, and an assortment of relevant case studies regarding the formation of a San Bernardino Regional Housing Trust Fund (Housing Trust). In the White Paper, it is recommended that a housing trust serving the San Bernardino Region be structured as a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) made up of participating members with a non-profit component that allows the Housing Trust to solicit and accept private donations. It is further recommended that a Housing Trust should be administered by SBCOG to utilize existing staff resources and expertise related to the pursuit of regional grant funds and to better connect housing with regional transportation efforts.

The release of the White Paper garnered interest in a Housing Trust across the region.

Building on this momentum, SBCOG conducted a robust outreach effort to engage the SBCOG member jurisdictions, housing trust professionals, and other interested parties. This summary provides a description of the outreach conducted prior to the establishment of the Housing Trust. The contacted parties consist primarily of member jurisdictions of SBCOG. Additionally, representatives of other local or regional housing trusts, jurisdictions, and organizations in Southern California were also consulted. The outreach served to identify and gauge the interest in developing a Housing Trust, while addressing questions, and collecting information on local housing needs and priorities.

Representatives from 24 cities and towns of San Bernardino County were contacted, as well as representatives from the County of San Bernardino and its Housing Authority, and representatives from housing trusts and non-profits across Southern California. Presentations were provided to the COG Board, Planning Directors, and the City Managers TAC, one-on-one meetings were held with all COG member jurisdictions that expressed interest, and a survey was sent out to the SBCOG listserv. Those consulted provided insight on the development of a Housing Trust for the San Bernardino region. Other local or regional housing trusts, jurisdictions, and organizations that were consulted include the County of Orange, Orange County Housing Finance Trust (OCHFT), and San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust (SGVRHT).

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 6

SBCOG MEMBER INTEREST
Through the outreach conducted, representatives from jurisdictions expressed their respective jurisdictions level of interest in the Housing Trust and housing-related priorities. A list of all jurisdictions is provided below, and each is categorized based on its known level of interest in participating in the Housing Trust. Categories include “highly interested,” “potentially interested,” or “unknown/uninterested,” as shown in Figure 1, Jurisdiction Interest in Housing Trust Participation.

Figure 1. Jurisdiction Interest in Housing Trust Participation

OUTREACH SUMMARY

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 7 SBCOG MEMBER JURISDICTION – HOUSING PRIORITIES, ISSUES,

CONCERNS, AND IDEAS
Outreach conducted by SBCOG provided an overview of the White Paper detailing what a Housing Trust is, what varying structures can be used for administering a Housing Trust, and what we have learned from neighboring Housing Trusts. Housing Trust interest and housingrelated priorities were solicited through outreach and engagement including one-on-one meetings, meetings with the COG Board, the COG CMTAC, Planning Directors, and a survey.

The following summarizes the varying housing priorities, issues, concerns, and ideas that were expressed by representatives of the varying SBCOG member jurisdictions. • Organization, Structure, and Administrative Cost of the Housing Trust:

Most jurisdictions expressed strong interest in understanding the exact cost and benefits that will apply to their respective cities/county. • Grants should be sought after to offset the cost of membership. • There needs to be a clear benefit of participation.
• A population-based methodology for determining the membership fee should be considered.
• Offsetting the cost of the fee is important, but all participants should pay a fee to participate to demonstrate a clear commitment.
• The structure for the allocation of funds should ensure that funds are allocated to all participating jurisdictions. Should avoid weighted voting powers for larger cities.

Small cities want a seat at the table.
• If weighted toward small cities, it takes the burden off the large cities to construct. • All participants should be full participants and partial participation should not be included within the structure.
• The Housing Trust should establish readily deployable solutions to assist in the near-term as well as long-term solutions.
• Can Housing Authorities join the Housing Trust? Yes. The Joint Exercise of Powers Act allows two or more public agencies to jointly exercise powers by agreement to form a Joint Powers Authority (JPA). The term “public agency” is defined very broadly and can include, but is not limited to, the federal government or any federal department or agency, this state, another state or any state department or agency,

OUTREACH SUMMARY

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 8 a county, county board of education, county superintendent of schools, city, public corporation, public district, regional transportation commission of this state or another state, a federally recognized Indian tribe, or any joint powers authority.

Housing authorities are independent agencies governed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, so while they qualify as a public agency, there may be bureaucratic or political constraints to housing authorities joining a JPA. • Funding Sources:

Many jurisdictions expressed ideas about potential funding sources for the Housing Trust.
• The trust should pursue grants on behalf of the participants. • A ballot measure could bring funds in to support the Housing Trust. • Seek opportunities to coordinate with large employers. This could be a linkage fee, or a donation tied to the number of employees. Many employees in the warehouse sector are commuting long distances.
• Consider linking fees for housing to vehicle miles traveled fees. • There is money to spend but no staff to administer funds. • Participating jurisdictions can impose new fees or tap into existing ones to pay into the Housing Trust.
• Jurisdictions can place funds into the Housing Trust that they may have difficulty expending by the deadline.
• Jurisdictions should not be required to allocate general funds or in-lieu fees toward the Housing Trust.
• Expenditure of Funds:

While there are many priority areas where jurisdictions have expressed interest in expending available funds, specifics of how funds would be expended were also discussed.
• Funds can provide a source of gap financing for developments that are seeking or have secured funding.
• Resources could be allocated by need and interest or geographically. • Funding could be prioritized for those projects receiving Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC).

OUTREACH SUMMARY

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 9 • Housing for those Experiencing Homelessness:

Jurisdictions expressed a need to support housing and services for those experiencing homelessness.
• The County oversees many homelessness services and the level of influence the Housing Trust could have on homelessness could play into participation from the County.
• Existing Permanent Supportive Housing can serve as models for developers. There are some waiting in households for supportive housing units to become available. • Staffing can be a challenge for administering programs. • The supply and availability of affordable housing is directly tied to homelessness. • Emergency shelters are needed in the interim until people can get into housing. • There is a need for a taskforce on homelessness.
• Wraparound services are needed. Need to pair with services tied to mental health. • Housing Rehabilitation:

Some expressed a need for the rehabilitation and conversion of existing structures. • Adaptive reuse can increase units, expedite the development process, and reduce development costs. This can be particularly useful for Supportive Housing, as these units tend to fill up quickly.
• New construction takes too long. Rehabilitation and conversion can be used to expedite the process. Modular housing is another solution for reducing the cost of development.
• Acquisition and rehabilitation projects are not competitive for funding. • Reserves are limited and do not provide enough for acquisition and rehabilitation. • Hotels can present opportunities for conversion.
• Workforce and Missing Middle Housing:

Workforce and missing middle housing refers to housing types that fall somewhere between a single-family home and a mid-rise apartment building, such as townhomes duplexes, triplexes, and bungalow courts, offering increased housing opportunities for households earning between 80% and 120% of the area median income. These housing types are an important component of a diverse housing stock, as they can expand

OUTREACH SUMMARY

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 10 the diversity and affordability of housing, especially in lower density neighborhoods.

Many conversations led to a focus on the need for more workforce and missing-middle housing.
• Much of the affordable housing that is being developed in the region is affordable to households earning between 30% and 60% of the area median income. • Housing vouchers support households earning up to 80% of the area median income, but there are few housing types for those earning up to 120% of the area median income.
• Single-bedroom units are in high demand. This is the most desirable unit type for older and aging adults.
• Households need to have access to wealth building and to pass wealth and housing along to families.
• Some households need further support to remain in their homes. • Land Banking:

Land banks acquire, hold, manage, and sometimes redevelop property in order to return these properties to productive use to meet community goals, such as increasing affordable housing or stabilizing property values. Many jurisdictions expressed an interest in land banking.
• When surplus land is available, it is good to take the opportunity. Few surplus sites are suited for residential uses. They are typically industrial, too small, not zoned for housing, or not a developable piece of property.
• Community Land Trusts (CLTs):

CLTs are a form of shared-equity homeownership that maintain the units as affordable over a long-term. CLTs typically make units affordable through the use of subsidies and maintain long-term affordability to future purchasers through a legally binding mechanism, such as a long-term ground lease or a deed covenant. CLTs are generally managed by a nonprofit or quasi-governmental organization and governed by a body comprised of purchasers of CLT homes, members of the public, and governmental and nonprofit stakeholders to ensure they remain grounded in the needs of the community. • CLTs and land banking can go hand-in-hand. As land can be donated for the purposes of support a CLT.

OUTREACH SUMMARY

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 11 • Some CLT models do not prioritize ownership and it can be difficult to see the benefits.
• The benefits of the CLT model should be communicated clearly. • Coordination with Other Agencies and Organizations:
• It’s important to reach out to the tribal groups and work with the San Bernardino Valley Community College District.
• Loma Linda hospital and the university could certainly be interested in participating. • Potential coordination with the federal government, although it may be challenging, the Department of Defense.
• Seek opportunities to coordinate with Western Riverside COG. • Coordinate with other trusts such as the San Diego County Innovative Housing Trust. • There is a lot of interest in housing trusts from localities in the Inland Empire. It is important to follow the progress of others to share information. • Seek opportunities to coordinate with Habitat for Humanity. • Coordinate with Housing Authorities across the region. • Other:

A variety of other housing priorities, concerns, and needs were discussed that are not categorized. They are as follows.
• There is a strong need for more housing overall. All types of housing at all income levels.
• There is a need for funds to support soft costs of development such as predevelopment, land acquisition, and funding for entitlements. • The loss of Redevelopment Agencies has left a large gap in the localities ability to support households with grants and loans for home improvement, provide rent relief, and financial support for housing production and rehabilitation. • There are no sustainable sources of funding for cities to support affordable housing. • The cost of land is rising, and residents are driving to jobs outside of the region. It is important to do more locally (jobs and housing). People need to have the option to live where they work.

OUTREACH SUMMARY

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 12 • There may be more than can done in the realm of accessory dwelling units. • There are several entities and developers that want to provide housing for seniors, veterans, and those with disabilities but there are limited funds. • The cannabis industry is expanding more rapidly than the housing supply, and this is creating a housing supply issue. There needs to be coordination and proactive action to address these concerns. This could look like linkage fees or community benefits agreements.
• Develop creative and cooperative solutions to housing that can be replicated across the region.

OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS CONSULTED
In addition to the outreach conducted to the SBCOG member jurisdictions, the following organizations were consulted to provide insight into best practices and strategies for housing trust funds. The following organizations were consulted:
• Orange County Housing Finance Trust (OCHFT)
• County of Orange (County)
• San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust (SGVRHT)
• Inland SoCal Housing Collective (ISCHC)
Key takeaways from meetings with these organizations are detailed below.

OUTREACH SUMMARY

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 13 Orange County Housing Finance Trust
Orange County Housing Finance Trust (OCHFT) was established by statute in 2018 as a JPA consisting of the County of Orange and 23 cities in Orange County. OCHFT provides funding for housing and services to support those experiencing homelessness. Funding for projects is allocated between Service Planning Areas (SPAs), where geographic boundaries guide public health planning.

The OCHFT receives much of its support through the County of Orange, including significant financial contributions. The County of Orange provided seed funding for administrative costs to the OCHFT for the first year and provides annual contributions. OCHFT notes that the County of Orange is one of their largest contributors and the funding allows the trust to maximize funds provided through the state Local Housing Trust Fund grant program. The Trust partners with the Orange County Community Foundation, which accepts funding on their behalf while pursuing philanthropic opportunities without having a separate board and separate audit.

The County of Orange recognized the challenges of starting up the trust fund, so it provided support by covering all administrative costs for the first year of the housing trust. During the second year, all members contributed based on population size as detailed by the JPA bylaws.

By year 3, the housing trust received administrative grant funding. The County continues to provide $200,000 in contributions each year regardless of grant funding. A trust can receive grant funding as soon as the trust is formed, and the OCHFT has recommended to pursue grants as early as possible. There were two NOFAs released in 2 years, and the trust is currently on their third round. The County currently provides 5% of the local housing trust fund (LHTF) towards administrative expenses, and REAP funding is though the Orange County Council of Governments (OCCOG). Since the agency matches dollar to dollar with the state, up to $5 million, more funds are available for more projects.

County of Orange
In 2017 there was momentum building around the Orange County housing need, specific to housing for those experiencing homelessness. The County of Orange (County) has always seen itself as a regional participant, especially in the housing realm and wanted to leverage their positions to bring cities together to collaborate, which is what led to the formation of the OCHFT. The County looked into different Housing Trust models and coordinated with participants to develop a JPA Housing Trust. This strategy unified the participants to use one strong voice to garner support from the State, rather than 34 different voices. The JPA was structured so that the cities have the majority of the appointments to the board and the chair and vice chair switch out between county and non-county. This allows the County to react to the needs of the cities.

The County supported the OCHFT in the first year through staffing to set up the Trust as a separate JPA governing body. Through a Master Services Agreement, the County contributes $20 million to the OCHFT and $5 million through its General Fund. The Local Housing Trust

OUTREACH SUMMARY

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 14 Fund matching grants helps their money go further. The OCHTF also has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the County for services annually, not to exceed $165,550. The services provided include—but are not limited to—accounting services, cost, revenue, and budget services, financial reporting, and information technology. At least 90% of the projects that receive funding from the County also receive funding from the OCHFT.

San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust
The San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust (SGVRHT) is established as a JPA and includes member cities from San Gabriel Valley, a region in Eastern Los Angeles County. The trust is restricted to affordable housing and is legislatively able to accept public and private financing and funds. The SGVRHT negotiated with city managers of participating cities to have an administrative fee. The administrative fee is divided between 20 cities and supports at least one full-time staff person and one part-time staff person at a cost of $300k a year. The contributions made per city is population based and the most any city provides is $20,000 annually. The trust allows for affiliate membership for those jurisdictions that wish to participate but do not need funds invested back into their boundaries, an affiliate membership rate is fixed at $2,000 annually. This provides a benefit for both the trust and for partners who wish to contribute.

The trust provides gap financing on a competitive basis for affordable housing developments, applicants that receive funding from the participating jurisdictions are prioritized for funding awards. Additional projects that the trust has provided funding for include a tiny home shelter pilot project and surplus property that was converted into veteran housing. They are looking to the community land trust model, as well as affordable senior housing that is at-risk of converting to market-rate. One of the key challenges faced by households in the region is that they cannot apply for the first-time homebuyer program because the median household income and income limits are incompatible.

The San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust expressed interested in pursuing a 501(c)3 component, which would qualify it for additional grant programs and would provide incentives for donors. This would aid in diversifying funds from a variety of sources including those from both public and private investments. In order to establish SGVRHT for 501(c)3, the trust will be required to identify a fiscal sponsor before pursuing private funding sources. The County is not a member of the SGVRHT, but provides financial assistance through Measure H. Through the State’s 2022 budget SGVRHT was awarded a $21 million dollar grant. This will be divided up between several programs, including approximately $8 million for pipeline projects, $4 million for projects to support those experiencing homelessness, and $8 million for its revolving loan program.

OUTREACH SUMMARY

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 15 San Diego County Innovative Housing Trust
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors directed the creation of the Innovative Housing Trust Fund (IHTF) to increase the regional supply of affordable housing for low income and vulnerable populations. The efforts of IHTF were sparked through an evaluation of excess properties for lease or sale in the county. Since its inception in 2017, the IHTF has helped to create 1,397 affordable units across 20 developments in the region, leveraging over $560 million in public and private capital sources. The IHTF is different than other trusts, in that it does not have any ongoing dedicated resources. Instead, the Board of Supervisors allocates funding when it is available. As of June 2022, the trust has had two allocations of $25 million and one allocation of $20 million. Because the trust does not have a dedicated funding source, they are ineligible for State matching grants, although they are currently evaluating establishing an in-lieu fee program to provide dedicated funding. IHTF staff noted the importance of having a dedicated funding source, to ensure that you have funding from year to year.

Funding of the IHTF is prioritized for development in unincorporated areas, developments that have already secured other sources of funding, and higher preference is given to projects in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) efficient areas. Allowable uses of funds include acquisition, rehabilitation, and new construction of affordable housing. IHTF acts as a lender and provides funds in the form of gap loans. With initial investments in 2017, in June of 2022, the trust has yet to see significant revenues from interest, as several projects are still under construction.

OUTREACH SUMMARY

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 16

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 17

HOUSING NEEDS

ASSESSMENT
Housing supply is one of the most critical issues today facing the State of California, including San Bernardino County. The state and county face a significant housing supply and affordability crisis spurred by high land costs, rising construction costs, and limited financing options.

These issues and challenges have become localized with compounding, interrelated impacts on housing supply, homelessness, and economies at the local and regional scale. A series of actions are needed at the local, regional, and statewide level to address these growing housing challenges. One such regional action is a regional housing trust fund, which can raise funds for affordable housing production, preservation and rehabilitation, and other affordable housing-related activities. The Housing Needs Assessment provides a regional analysis of demographic and economic characteristics, housing challenges, and housing needs in San Bernardino County. This report provides an assessment of housing-related data that will be used as a baseline to inform the San Bernardino Regional Housing Trust Fund.

GEOGRAPHIES
As the largest county in the United States, San Bernardino County (County) comprises a large portion of Southern California. The region is defined by urbanized areas in the southwest, the developing Victor Valley, which is comprised of four cities with expanding residential development, resort communities in the mountains, and vast desert areas with scattered rural communities. San Bernardino County’s 24 cities and towns and the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors work collectively as the San Bernardino Council of Governments (SBCOG) to address regional matters. The jurisdictions that make up the SBCOG are shown in Figure 2, Incorporated and Unincorporated Areas in San Bernardino County. The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) is the metropolitan planning organization for a six-county region, including San Bernardino County, which is shown in Figure 3, San Bernardino County in the SCAG Region. The County faces unique opportunities and challenges compared to its neighboring coastal counties within the SCAG region, which are detailed through this analysis.

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 18

DATA SOURCES
This analysis uses State and federal data that is publicly available, as well as private sources.

Together, the sources will provide an overview of existing and projected trends relating to demographics, economics, and housing market conditions. These sources include the following:
• U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census
• U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
• U.S. Census Bureau Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) • U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) dataset
• California Department of Finance
• California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC)
• Center for Neighborhood Technology
• California Housing Partnership
• Southern California Association of Governments

HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 19 Figure 2. Incorporated and Unincorporated Areas in San Bernardino County Figure

HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 20

3. San Bernardino County in the SCAG Region

HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 21

POPULATION
San Bernardino County is one of the most populous counties in the State of California. In 2022, the County’s population size was ranked 5th in the State of California and 4th in the SCAG region. Within the County, the City of San Bernardino was the most populated city in 2022.

Population trends in the region from Figure 4, Population Change and Figure 5, Population Compared to SCAG Region, are provided below.
• Between 2010 and 2022, the total population of San Bernardino County increased from 2,035,210 to 2,187,665, or 7.5%.
• In 2022, the total population of San Bernardino County accounted for 11.7% of the total population of the SCAG region.
• Between 2010 and 2022, Victorville had the largest population growth of all the jurisdictions in the County at 20,658 persons. Fontana had the second-largest population growth of 16,740, and Ontario had the third-largest population growth of 15,592 persons.
• Between 2010 and 2022, Chino had the largest percent increase of population at

18.0%.

Figure 4. Population Change (2010–2022)
Source: California Department of Finance E-5, 2010, 2020, and 2022.

HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 22 Figure 5. Population Compared to SCAG Region
Source: California Department of Finance E-5, 2022.

HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 23

ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS
Economic and employment trends can identify whether households are making adequate income to support their housing needs and if populations are at-risk of facing poverty. The following section highlights economic and employment trends in San Bernardino County.

Housing Costs
Households in San Bernardino County are affected by housing market conditions, such that the affordability of housing is impacted. This section summarizes the market conditions of forsale and rental units.

Home Sales Price
The median home sale price in San Bernardino County between 2000 and 2021 is illustrated in Figure 6, Median Home Sale Price in San Bernardino County. • In 2021, the median home sale price in San Bernardino County is the highest it has been since 2000, at $449,000, an increase of more than 19% from 2020.

Figure 6. Median Home Sale Price in San Bernardino County (2000–2021) Source: California Department of Finance E-5, 2021.

HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 24 Rental Price
The average asking rent in San Bernardino County is shown in Figure 7, Annual Average Asking Rent, San Bernardino County. The affordability of rent based on income category and household size is outlined in Table 1, 2022 HUD Income Limits. • Between 2010 and 2021, the annual average asking rent for a two-bedroom home increased from $1,066 to $1,751.
• In 2021 between the beginning and end of the year, average rents increased from $1,664 to $1,813, an increase of nearly 9%.
• Households need to earn at least $6,043 a month ($72,516 annually) to be able to afford a monthly rent of $1,813.

Figure 7. Annual Average Asking Rent, San Bernardino County (2010–2020) Source: California Housing Partnership. 2021. https://chpc.net/housingneeds. Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 25 Income
Table 1 shows the 2022 HUD Income limits for low- very low-, and extremely low-income groups by persons in the family and Figure 8, Median Family Income, indicates the Median Family Income from 2010 to 2022.
• Households meeting HUD income limits for 5 or more persons in family in the LowIncome (80% of AMI) category would be able to afford the average monthly rent of $1,813 (two-bedroom household).
• From 2021 to 2022, the median family income increased by 12% at rate slightly higher than the average asking rent increase at 9%.

Table 1. 2022 HUD Income Limits
Income
Category
Persons in Family
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
LowIncome
(80% of
AMI)
$49,300 $56,350 $63,400 $70,400 $76,050 $81,700 $87,300 $92,950 Very LowIncome
(50% of
AMI)
$30,800 $35,200 $39,600 $44,000 $47,550 $51,050 $54,600 $58,100 Extremely
LowIncome
(30% of
AMI)
$18,500 $21,150 $23,800 $27,750 $32,470 $37,190 $41,910 $46,630 Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 2022. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il.html.

HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 26 Figure 8. Median Family Income (2010–2022)
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 2010 and 2022. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il.html.

While median income trends indicate an increase of 16% in the last 2 years, Figure 9, Income Category Distribution, provides a comprehensive understanding of the distribution of various income groups, based on HUD income categories, and are highlighted below:
• Extremely Low-Income income households in the County are disproportionately made up of renters, who are the most at-risk of displacement cause by sudden rent increases.
• Figure 9 also highlights the wealth gap as lower-income groups make up 40% of the households while between and moderate- and above moderate-income groups make up 60%.

HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 27 Figure 9. Income Category Distribution
Source: CHAS (Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy). 2014–2018 ACS, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. https:// www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/cp.html#2006-2018.

Lower-income households are not evenly distributed throughout the County with Census tracts near or in Victorville, Hesperia and Yucca Valley indicating more than 70% of lowerincome households as shown in Figure 10, Distribution of Lower-Income Households.

HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 28 Figure 10. Distribution of Lower-income Households
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2014-2018 Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) data; Dudek, 2022.

HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 29 Figure 11, Income Compared to Rent Prices, provides the average monthly income across major job sectors in the County compared to the monthly income needed to afford average asking rent.
• A lower-income family (80% or less of AMI) of four would not be able to afford the monthly income needed to afford average asking rent for a two-bedroom unit. • Average wages for the industries highlighted in Figure 11 would be considered severally cost burden as the average rent exceeds monthly income by more than 50%.

Figure 11. Incomes Compared to Rent Prices
Source: California Housing Partnership. Accessed June 2022. https://chpc.net/housingneeds/.

The challenge of housing costs and income for lower-households in the County is further reflected in Figures 12a and 12b, which show the percentage of total households (renter and ownership) that are considered to be burdened by their housing costs. Households that spend more than 30%, but less than or equal to 50%, of their gross incomes on housing costs are considered to be cost burdened and households that spend more than 50% of their gross incomes on housing costs are considered to be severely cost burdened. The figures highlight the following:
• There is a need for more affordable housing as nearly 50% of lower-income households (earning 80% or less of the AMI) experience moderate or severe cost burden.
• Lower-income renter households are disproportionately impacted by cost burden as 29% of all lower-income renters experience some level of cost burden, 11% of which are severely cost burdened.

HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 30 Figure 12a. Low-Income Households Spending 30% - 50% of Income on Housing by Tenure
Figure 12b. Low-Income Households Spending More than 50% of Income on Housing by Tenure
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2014-2018 Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) data.

HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 31 In addition to housing costs, transportation is typically a household’s second largest expenditure. Figure 13, Income Spent on Housing and Transportation Costs, factors both housing and transportation costs to provide a more comprehensive analysis of the true cost of housing. For example, people who move further from their job for more affordable housing prices, will often spend a greater amount of their income on transportation costs. In the San Bernardino region:
• The average combined housing and transportation costs are 59% of household income.
• Nearly half of the San Bernardino region households spend between 54% and 78% of their income on housing and transportation costs.

Figure 13. Average Percent of Income Spent on Housing and Transportation Costs Source: Center for Neighborhood Technology. 2017. Housing and Transportation Index.

Regional Commute Patterns
In 2019, San Bernardino County employed 879,084 workers, including those who live in nearby counties. Further, 769,630 residents of the county were employed whether they worked within the county or elsewhere. Figure 14, Inflow/Outflow Job Counts, shows the commute patterns of both residents and those employed in San Bernardino County. Most workers employed in San Bernardino County live in the county, at 46.9%. San Bernardino County also employs

24.1% of workers who reside in Los Angeles County, and 11.4% of workers who reside in Riverside County.
• Most workers employed in San Bernardino County work in the City of San Bernardino (16.2%), followed by Ontario (13.1%), and Rancho Cucamonga (9.9%). • More than 53.6% of San Bernardino County residents work within the county, while

17.5% of residents work in nearby Riverside County, and 15.5% of residents work in

HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 32 Los Angeles County.
• The City of San Bernardino employed the most residents in the county at 11.4%.

This is followed by Fontana (9.9%), and Rancho Cucamonga (8.4%).

It should be noted, that total trips decreased from 73 million in 2019 to 45 million in 2021/2022, due to travel restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a total reduction in travel activity of 39-percent. The majority of trips (85-percent) are local within San Bernardino County. Proportions of total trip purposes; whether from home to a non-workplace location, from home to the workplace and back, or trips that do not come or go from home; remained the same between 2019 to 2021/2022.1
Figure 14. Inflow/Outflow Job Counts (All Jobs)
Source: United States Census Bureau. 2019. https://onthemap.ces.census.gov/. 1Fehr & Peers “Travel Patterns: San Bernadino County” and “Travel Patters: Unincorporated Area”. Accessed September 7, 2022.

HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 33 In dispersed areas, households need to own more vehicles than in urbanized areas and rely upon driving farther distances, which in turn drives up the cost of living. The annual household transportation cost in San Bernardino County is $14,814. Households own an average of 1.92 vehicles, and 27% of household income is spent on transportation. Figure 15, County Residents Distance to Work, summarizes the distance County residents drive from home to work. • Commute distances are generally evenly dispersed across the four mileage categories.
• While the 33% of working residents fall within the shortest commute distance of less than 10 miles, 43% of working residents likely rely on a vehicle to commute as the commute varies from 25 to more than 50 miles.

Figure 15. County Residents Distance to Work
Source: United States Census Bureau. 2019. https://onthemap.ces.census.gov/.

HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 34

HOUSING STOCK, PRODUCTION, AND NEEDS
The following section highlights housing characteristic such as stock, tenure, and market trends, which is important to understanding the types of housing-related needs in San Bernardino County.

Housing Stock
In 2022, San Bernardino County was estimated to have 740,654 housing units. The total number of housing units in San Bernardino County and the SCAG region from 2000 to 2010 is illustrated in Figure 16, Number of Housing Units.
• In the County, the total number of housing units increased from 601,369 units in 2000 to 731,899 units in 2020. In the SCAG region, the total number of housing units increased from 5,722,035 units to 6,651,919 units in 2020. • From 2020 to 2020, the County has produced housing a rate faster than the SCAG region, with a 21.7% increase in housing stock at the County level and 16.2% increase at a regional level for the SCAG region.
• Single family detached units accounted for the largest share (71.0%) of residential units in San Bernardino County. Multifamily units of five or more units were the second-most common type of housing (13.2%).

Figure 16. Number of Housing Units (2000–2020)
Source: California Department of Finance, E-8, 2000 and 2010; E-5, 2020.

HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 35 Housing Production
The total number of residential permits issued in San Bernardino County are illustrated in Figure 17, Total Residential Units Permitted in San Bernardino County. • In 2020, permits were issued for 4,547 residential units in San Bernardino County.

The average number of permits issued in the County between 2000 and 2006 was considerably larger than the following years, due to the economic recession in the late 2000s.

Figure 17. Total Residential Units Permitted in San Bernardino County (2000–2020) Source: Construction Industry Research Board. 2000–2020.

HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 36 Housing Needs
Housing production rate in San Bernardino County is greater than the SCAG region as indicated by Figures 16 and 17 in the previous section. However, there is currently a shortage of affordable housing as highlighted through the cost burden and rental price data which impact renters the most. Figure 18, Affordable Homes Shortfall, indicates the number of very low- and extremely low-income renter households compared to the available number of affordable and available rental homes in the County.
• There is a shortfall of 59,882 housing units to accommodate low-income renters in the County.

Figure 18. Affordable Homes Shortfall
Source: California Housing Partnership. 2019. https://chpc.net/housingneeds.

HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 37 San Bernardino County is planned to accommodate 138,110 residential units through 2029 per the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) methodology. The SCAG region overall is planned to accommodate 1,341,827 residential units through 2029. • The 5th Cycle RHNA Allocation for San Bernardino County was 22,663 for lower income and 34,543 for moderate- and above moderate-income. • The County achieved 10% of its lower RHNA income unit and 73% of its moderateand above moderate-income RHNA unit target for the 5th Cycle. • The 6th Cycle RHNA Allocation for San Bernardino County for lower-income units increased by 154% from the 5th Cycle and increased by 133% from the 5th Cycle for moderate- and above moderate-income.

Figure 19. 5th Cycle RHNA and Production Compared to 6th Cycle RHNA Source: California Department of Housing and Community Development, Accessed June 2022, https://www.hcd.ca.gov/community-development/housing-element/index.shtml

HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 38 The shortfall of housing for lower-income households directly impacts the unsheltered population, as lower-income households struggle to compete for the low availability of affordable housing. An insufficient supply of affordable housing leaves vulnerable households with few options and exacerbates issues such as household overcrowding and homelessness.

As shown in Figure 20, Persons Experiencing Homelessness in San Bernardino County, there is an upward trend in the number of persons experiencing homeless in the region. The number of shelters and housing needed to serve those experiencing homelessness has not kept pace and this has led to a greater increase of those persons who are experiencing homelessness and are unsheltered.
• From 2019 to 2020, the number of persons experiencing homelessness increased by 19.8%
• From 2015 to 2020, the percentage of persons experiencing homelessness has increased by 46%.

Figure 20. Households Experiencing Homelessness in San Bernardino County (2015– 2020)
Source: San Bernardino County Homeless Count and Subpopulation Survey. 2015–2020.

HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 39

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 40

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

ANALYSIS
Housing trusts use different forms of revenue to raise funds such as grants, loans, donations, taxes, and fees. Some housing trusts will receive a majority of their funding from one funding source, such as fees, but many seek out a variety of funding sources. Ensuring a variety of funding sources, is advantageous for trusts, as it can increase flexibility in how funds may be expended and can help to better leverage funds for additional revenues. The type of funding opportunities available to housing trusts is dependent on the formation of the trust (e.g., public, public/private, non-profit). Additionally, the type of funding pursued by a housing trust can determine how funding is allocated toward the specific goals and needs of the trust. None of the funding sources that would be pursued by the Housing Trust would compete against any existing funding pursuits across the region, but would instead increase overall funding opportunities for the region.

PRIORITY PROGRAMS
Housing trust programs are those steps that carry out the overarching goals of a housing trust to assist in the implementation of activities. Programs of a housing trust often act as an investment strategy, creating additional funding streams for the implementation of housing trust activities. The following programs should be prioritized by the Housing Trust. • Funding Pursuits.

There are many funding opportunities available to Housing Trusts. The Housing Trust should pursue funding opportunities through grant applications and private donations and should coordinate with participating member jurisdictions on local funding pursuits.

Further detail on funding opportunities is provided within this chapter. None of the funding sources that would be pursued by the Housing Trust would compete against any existing funding pursuits across the region but would instead increase overall funding opportunities for the region.
• Revolving Loan Fund.

Revolving loan funds can be structured as construction loans, loans for gap financing, or loans to fund other housing related activities and can provide revenue to the Housing Trust by replenishing the fund through interest gained. While revolving loan funds require seed funding, they can be a good mechanism for providing a continuous stream of revenues. Loans should be prioritized for construction and gap financing in early years of the Housing Trust, as this will ensure a quicker return on investment.

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 41 • Nonprofit Component.

The Housing Trust should identify an existing nongovernmental nonprofit organization with an independent board of directors to activate 501(c)3 activities so that the Housing Trust may accept charitable contributions. Potential organizations include the Inland Empire Community Land Trust or Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services. • VMT Mitigation Bank.

As a response to recent state legislation (SB 743, 2013; effective July 2020) encouraging the overall reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through the monitoring of and mitigating for Vehicles Miles Traveled (VMT) incurred by future land use and transportation investments, SBCTA is actively pursuing the development of a Pilot VMT Mitigation Bank. Guided by Board action in July 2020, the pilot program would create a monetary value for VMT reduction such that a developer or an agency building a VMT-generating project could purchase VMT reduction credits. The money exchanged for credits could be applied to local, regional, or state level VMT reduction projects or actions. SBCTA has identified the Housing Trust as one such potential beneficiary of generated revenues; a certain percentage (identified by SBCTA) would fund the activities outlined by the Housing Trust’s Bylaws.

While planning for the Pilot VMT Mitigation Bank is underway, additional work and funding are needed to move forward in this process. SBCTA anticipates applying for REAP 2.0 grant funding in late 2022/early 2023 to develop the needed program components (fee structure, VMT mobile application, participant verification process, etc.). Depending on the REAP 2.0 opportunity, SBCTA is anticipating that the pilot program could be implemented as soon as 2024, with revenues collected and distributed by 2025.

SECONDARY PROGRAMS
Community Development Financial Institution. If the Housing Trust develops a nonprofit component, the Housing Trust could operate as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). CDFIs are private community-based non-governmental financial institutions that provide affordable lending to underserved populations or low-income people. Many private housing trusts are certified with the U.S. Department of Treasury as CDFIs. If the Housing Trust were established as a CDFI, it would gain access to competitive monetary awards through the Capital Magnet Fund, which awards grants to finance affordable housing solutions and community revitalization efforts that benefit low-income households and communities.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 42 Grants and Loans
Current State and Federal Funding Opportunities
Table 2 provides a summary of funding programs that provide funds, either through grants or loans, for housing development activities. The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is the main agency that provides funding opportunities for new or existing housing trusts and housing activities. Programs specifically developed for the establishment of new housing trusts are described below. Other agencies that provide funding are the California Strategic Growth Council, which provides funding for housing activities under the Transformative Climate Communities Program and the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program, and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research and California Air Resources Board, which co-funds the Regional Early Action Planning 2.0 Grant with the HCD.

The Transformative Climate Communities and Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Programs are funded through the General Fund’s Climate Budget. The Transformative Climate Communities Program funds projects including affordable and sustainable housing developments that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in disadvantaged communities that are ranked in the top 25% of California Communities Environmental Health Screening. The Transformative Climate Communities Program requires applicants to develop and implement projects that address three of Transformative Climate Communities’ 11 strategies. Strategies that housing trusts established as a JPA or non-profits can select are: Equitable Housing and Neighborhood Development, Land Acquisition for Affordable Housing, and Solar Installation, Energy Efficiency, and Appliance Electrification or Water Efficiency. The Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program provides funding for affordable housing development and transportation infrastructure for disadvantaged and low-income communities and households. The goal of this program is to reduce the need and use of personal vehicles by increasing the supply of affordable housing that allows residents to live near jobs, stores, transit stops, and other daily needs.

The Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) 2.0 Grant is a new program created from the 2021 California Comeback Plan. The program is funded through Federal COVID-19 Fiscal Recovery Fund and State General Funds. REAP 2.0 builds upon REAP 1.0 and “integrates housing and climate goals.”5
This program provides funding to housing development activities that reduces vehicle usage, increases housing affordability, and advances equity. 5 California Department of Housing and Community Development, Accessed June 2022, Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) Website, https:// www.hcd.ca.gov/regional-early-action-planning

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 43 Program and
Organization
Type
of
Funds
Maximum
Funds Available
Match
Requirement
Expenditure
Deadline
Examples of Eligible Housing Activities—See
Guidelines for Entire List
Local Housing
Trust Fund— HCD1
Grant $5 million 100% 3–5 years •Loans for acquisition
•Predevelopment expenses and development of affordable
rental housing projects
•Rehabilitation of homes owned by income-eligible
homeowners
•Down payment assistance to qualified first-time
homebuyers
National Housing
Trust Fund— HCD
Loan $10 million per
project
Not Required 5 years •New construction of multifamily permanent housing for extremely low-income households
Permanent
Local Housing
Allocation— HCD
Grant $20-30 million2 Not Required 5 years •The predevelopment, development, acquisition, rehabilitation, and preservation of multifamily, residential live-work, and affordable rental and ownership housing. •Matching portion of funds placed in housing trusts and available through the Low- and Moderate-Income Housing
Asset Fund
•Efforts to acquire and rehabilitate foreclosed or vacant homes and apartments
•Homeownership opportunities, including, but not limited to, down payment assistance
Table 2. Summary of Current State and Federal Funding Opportunitiesa

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 44 Program and
Organization
Type
of
Funds
Maximum
Funds Available
Match
Requirement
Expenditure
Deadline
Examples of Eligible Housing Activities—See
Guidelines for Entire List
Regional Early
Action Planning

2.0 Grant— HCD,
CSCG3
, Governor’s
Office of Planning
and Research,
CA Air Resources
Board
Grant Based on County
Population
Projections as of
July 1, 2021
Not Required 2–4 years •Establishing and funding an affordable housing catalyst fund, trust fund, or revolving loan fund for location
efficient project
•Affordable housing development programs
•Housing development soft costs, such as predevelopment costs
•Accelerating infill development that facilitates housing supply, choice, and affordability through various planning programs, services, or capital expenditures
Multifamily
Housing Program
(AB4
434 Super
NOFA5)— HCD
Loan $35 million per
project; $80
million in Super
NOFA fund
awards
Not Required 3 years •Property acquisition
•On-site improvements related to the Rental Housing
Development
•Architectural, appraisal, engineering, legal and other consulting costs, and fees, which are directly related to the planning and execution of the Project Rent-Up Costs
Joe Serna, Jr.

Farmworker
Housing Grant (AB
434 Super NOFA)—
HCD
Grant $3 million; $80
million in Super
NOFA fund
awards
Not Required 3 years •Projects must be intended for Agricultural Workers •Property acquisition
•Onsite improvements related to the Rental Housing
Development
•Architectural, appraisal, engineering, legal, and other consulting costs, and fees, which are directly related to the planning and execution of the Project, and which are incurred through third-party contract
Table 2. Summary of Current State and Federal Funding Opportunitiesa

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 45 Program and
Organization
Type
of
Funds
Maximum
Funds Available
Match
Requirement
Expenditure
Deadline
Examples of Eligible Housing Activities—See
Guidelines for Entire List
Veterans Housing
and Homelessness
Prevention
Program (AB 434
Super NOFA)—
HCD
Loan $15 million per
project; $80
million in Super
NOFA fund
awards
Not Required 5 years •Projects must be intended for Veterans and their families •Property acquisition
•On-site improvements related to the Rental Housing
Development
•Architectural, appraisal, engineering, legal and other consulting costs, and fees, which are directly related to the planning and execution of the Project, and which are incurred through third-party contract
Affordable Housing
and Sustainable
Communities—
CSGC
Grant,
Loan
$30 million per
project area
(Loan, Grant, or
Combination)
90% 6 years •New construction
•Acquisition and Substantial Rehabilitation (including
preservation of affordable housing at-risk of conversion to market rate)
•Conversion of one or more nonresidential structures to residential dwelling units
•Soft costs such as those incidentally but directly related to construction or other pre-development components
Transformative
Climate
Communities
(Implementation)
CSGC
Grant $35 million 50% 6 years •New construction
•Acquisition and substantial rehabilitation including
preservation of affordable housing at-risk
•Conversion of one or more nonresidential structures to residential dwelling units
•Affordable housing or mixed-use developments
Table 2. Summary of Current State and Federal Funding Opportunitiesa

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 46 Program and
Organization
Type
of
Funds
Maximum
Funds Available
Match
Requirement
Expenditure
Deadline
Examples of Eligible Housing Activities—See
Guidelines for Entire List
HOME Investment
Partnership
Programs - US
Department of
HUD6
Grant,
Loan
$150,00-200,000
(Grant); $7 million
(Loan)
Not Required 3.3 years •Rental new construction or rehabilitation project •Acquisition-only down payment assistance or with
rehabilitation
•Tenant based rental assistance
•Infill new construction
CalHome Program
- HCD
Grant $300,000- 5
million
Not Required 3 years •First-time homebuyer mortgage or Owner-occupied rehabilitation assistance
•Technical assistance for self-help homeownership projects •Loans for ADU/JADU construction or repair or
homeownership project development projects
Homekey - HCD Grant $200,000-300,000
per door (Capital);
$50,400 per unit
(Operating)
Not Required,
but if provided
additional
funding is
available
8 months or 4
years7
•Acquisition and/or rehabilitation of motels, hotels, hostels, or other sites and assets
•Conversion of units from nonresidential to residential •New construction of dwelling units
•Leasing of properties for non-congregate housing
Notes:
a Program guideline are subject to change each year. The table summarizes the most current guidelines for each program, accessed in May and June 2022. 1 California Department of Housing and Community Development 2 Funds are allocated based on a formula. Maximum funds available are based on 2021 allocations. 3 California Strategic Growth Council
4 Assembly Bill
5 Notice of Funding Availability
6 Housing and Urban Development
7 Capital funds must be expended by 8 months of the date of award and operating funds by June 30, 2026.

Table 2. Summary of Current State and Federal Funding Opportunitiesa

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 47 Key Funding Opportunities for Housing Trusts
Most of the funding opportunities listed in Table 2 allow housing trusts formed as a JPA to directly apply for program funds. Some funding programs are of particular importance for housing trusts, as the funding is offered in the form of a grant and housing trusts may be ideal applicants. The programs listed in Table 2 that should be prioritized by the Housing Trust are further detailed as follows.
• Local Housing Trust Fund
The Local Housing Trust Fund program (LHTF) provides matching grant funds to housing trusts. Funds may be used for the development or rehabilitation of affordable housing (construction loans, predevelopment finance loans, acquisition costs, or similar costs); housing to serve those experiencing homelessness (emergency shelters, permanent supportive housing, transitional housing); affordable homebuyer or homeowner projects, or for the development of accessory dwelling units. Matching funds are provided on a dollar-for-dollar basis, up to $5 million annually. Housing trusts must have ongoing sources of revenues such as membership dues and a percentage of each NOFA is set aside for new housing trusts.
• Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities
The Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) program awards funds to projects that integrate land use and transportation strategies to reduce vehicle miles traveled. This program requires a defined project area that includes a transit stop and supports affordable housing development. This program would best serve the Housing Trust for a specific development. This could be through a coordinated effort with an affordable housing developer or through a grant pursuit for the development of a publicly owned site.
• Transformative Climate Communities
Similar to the AHSC program, the Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) funds projects that implement other state objectives such as greenhouse gas reduction. TCC provides implementation grants for projects that are shovel-ready, located near transit, and provide or are near a planned or existing community benefit. Community benefits can include multimodal improvements, community gardens, parks, or similar uses.

This grant would best serve the Housing Trust for a specific development, ideally in a community with an adopted TCC plan.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 48 Funding Opportunities for Outside Applicants
The majority of programs listed in Table 2 allow housing trusts and organizations formed as a JPA to directly apply for program funds. However, there are programs that require housing trusts to work or partner with their local government agency to receive or apply for funds. The following programs in Table 2 require collaboration. • Regional Early Action Planning 2.0
REAP 2.0 allocates most of program funds to Metropolitan Planning Organizations, including SCAG. A portion of funds go to rural, tribal, and other entities. SCAG represents the Counties of Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura and may partner with other forms of governments or entities or suballocate funds to a regional housing trust fund. Suballocations are based on housing, land use, transportation, climate change, equity, and planning priorities. • Permanent Local Housing Allocation
The Permanent Local Housing Allocation Program allocates its funds to entitlement and non-entitlement jurisdictions. Entitlement jurisdictions are defined as principal cities of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, other metropolitan cities with populations of at least 50,000, and qualified urban counties with populations of at least 200,00 (excluding the population of entitled cities). Allocated funds for entitlement jurisdictions, which includes San Bernardino County6
, are based on the Community Development Block Grant formula allocation. A local government receiving the entitlement or non-entitlement allocation may delegate a Local or Regional Housing Trust Fund to submit an application on its behalf and administer its allocation of program funds.
• HOME Investment Partnership Program
Federal HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) funds are allocated to participating jurisdictions, often counties or cities, and are restricted for use within their jurisdictions. Funds can be used for affordable housing development, rehabilitation, and tenant assistance, but must serve low- to very low-income levels. A participating jurisdiction may be allowed to use a for-profit or nonprofit lender to administer its HOME homebuyer assistance program, such as a housing trust or partner to the trust, if it provides both the HOME financing and other mortgage financing to HOMEassisted homebuyers. To do so, a participating jurisdiction must implement safeguards such as specifying in a written agreement the forms, amounts, and any conditions of homeownership assistance the lender is authorized to provide. 6 Needles, Big Bear Lake, Grand Terrace, Yucca Valley, Loma Linda, Barstow, Twentynine Palms, Montclair, Adelanto, Colton, Yucaipa, Highland, and Redlands

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 49 • CalHome Program
Only local public agencies and nonprofit corporations are eligible to apply for the CalHome Program. A consortium with a single administrator can be established on behalf of all jurisdictions in a consortium to help less experienced localities to qualify for funding, provided there is a Memorandum of Understanding between the parties.

A housing trust would benefit from this as a nonprofit, if funding is provided through its jurisdictions, or as an administrator of a consortium of local public agencies. The Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County, a nonprofit, was awarded a $1.76 million grant which helped relaunch its Workforce Homebuyer program. • Homekey
Homekey provides funding to house those experiencing or at-risk of experiencing homelessness. This includes acquisition, rehabilitation, or preservation to provide housing such as emergency shelters, transitional housing, or permanent supportive housing. Applicants are required to be cities, counties, cities and counties, and all other state, regional, and local public entities (alone or acting jointly), including councils of government, metropolitan planning organizations, and regional transportation planning agencies. The Housing Trust could utilize Homekey funds to assist jurisdictions in providing housing for those experiencing homelessness.

Eligible Use of Funds
Table 2 provides examples of eligible projects and activities for each program. To view a comprehensive list of eligible uses of funds, refer to the most recent program guidelines. Most programs are specifically designed for housing activities. However, there are some programs with a broader focus, such as the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, but incorporate affordable housing activities as a way to meet the program’s overall goal (e.g., Transformative Climate Communities, Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Programs, and Regional Early Action Planning 2.0 Grant). There are other programs that require funds to be used for specific groups or targeted areas such as agricultural workers (Joe Serna, Jr.

Farmworker Housing Grant), veterans (Veterans Housing and Homelessness Prevention Program), individuals eligible for health care assistance (Housing for a Healthy California), and disadvantaged communities (Transformative Climate Communities and Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities).

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 50 Programs for New Housing Trusts
Certain state or federal programs designate specific funds for new housing trusts. The Local Housing Trust Fund Program administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development typically reserves 15% of funds for new housing trusts. The minimum amount a new housing trust can request is $750,000 (maximum is $5 million) and sources of ongoing revenues must be sufficient to pay for the new trust fund’s operating costs for a minimum of 5 years. Ongoing revenues include public or private sources of revenue. If there are insufficient applications from new housing trusts in a given funding year, then the remaining 15% of reserved funds for new housing trusts become available to existing housing trust funds.

The Local Housing Trust is one of the most well-known programs to secure funds for new and existing housing trusts, but there is another program that provide funds specifically for new housing trusts. The REAP 2.0 Grant was developed to provide coronavirus recovery through financial assistance of activities that meet housing goals and reduce vehicle usage.

Approximately 80% of the funding available for REAP 2.0 comes from the Federal COVID-19 Relief funds and 20% comes from State General Fund dollars. Therefore, REAP 2.0 also uses the “United States Department of Treasury’s Final Ruling on State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF)” as guidance on eligible uses of funds, specifically for the 80% of funds sourced from the Federal COVID-19 Relief funds7
. SLFRF allows REAP 2.0 program funds to be used to
“establish and fund an affordable housing catalyst fund, trust fund, or revolving loan fund for location efficient projects as long as the fund is spent by the expenditure deadline (June 30, 2026).”8

Past Funding Availability for Housing Trusts
Funding availability for programs listed in Table 2 has varied over the years. Table 3 provides a summary of past funding opportunities and total funding amount available for each Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) released. Not all programs provide past NOFA documents consecutively and some programs have been recently formed, so past NOFA documents only go back 1 or 2 years. Almost all funding for programs has increased over the years, with two programs receiving a slight decrease in funds in 1 year. The Local Housing Trust Fund has repeatedly had $57 million allocated to the program and the REAP 2.0 Grant had a high increase in funds due to the Federal COVID-19 Relief. Both programs have specific activities or funds allocated for new housing trusts.
7 United States Department of Treasury’s Final Ruling on State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) 8 Regional Early Action Planning Grant Program 2.0 2022 Draft Guidelines

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 51 Program and
Organization
Type
of
Funds
Year Release of
Notice of
Funding
Availability
Total
Funding
Available
More Information
Local Housing
Trust Fund— HCD1
Grant 2022 April $57 million Not Available
2021 May $57 million
2020 April $57 million
National Housing
Trust Fund— HCD
Loan 2021 December $160 million Funding for federal years 2018-2021 were used for the 2019 May $33 million Housing for a Healthy California Program 2018 June $30 million
Permanent
Local Housing
Allocation— HCD
Grant 2021 May $304 million Formula Component (Non-Entitlement and Entitlement) 2020 February $195 million
Regional Early
Action Planning

2.0 Grant— HCD,
CSCG2
, Governor’s
Office of Planning
and Research,
CA Air Resources
Board
Grant 2022 Summer $600 million REAP 2.0 Draft Guidelines are currently available and approximately $510 million will go towards Metropolitan Planning Organizations’ Direct Allocation
2020 February $119 million REAP 1.0
Multifamily
Housing Program
(AB3
434 Super
NOFA4
)— HCD
Loan 2022 March $275 million Part of the Multifamily Finance Super NOFA (AB 434) providing $650 million in funding for all programs
2021 July $220 million $20 million each year was set aside for project(s) selected pursuant to Executive Order N-06-19 2020 August $195 million Table 3. Summary of Past Funding Opportunities for Housing Trusts

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 52 Program and
Organization
Type
of
Funds
Year Release of
Notice of
Funding
Availability
Total
Funding
Available
More Information
Joe Serna, Jr.

Farmworker
Housing Grant (AB
434 Super NOFA) -
HCD
Grant 2022 March $80 million Part of the Multifamily Finance Super NOFA (AB 434) providing $650 million in funding for all programs
2021 February $86 million Not Available
2019 December $74 million
Veterans Housing
and Homelessness
Prevention
Program (AB 434
Super NOFA)—
HCD
Loan 2022 March $95 million Part of the Multifamily Finance Super NOFA (AB 434) providing $650 million in funding for all programs
2021 May $75 million Not Available
2020 January $75 million
Affordable Housing
and Sustainable
Communities—
CSGC
Grant,
Loan
2021 February $405 million Not Available
2019 November $550 million
2018 November $395 million
Transformative
Climate
Communities—
CSGC
Grant 2022 March $105 million Three implementation grant awards of $35 million each 2019 October $56.4 million Two implementation grant awards of $28.2 million each Housing for
a Healthy
California— HCD
Grant,
Loan
2021 December $160 million Uses $160 million in federal National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF) funding
2020 June $43.5 million Combined $33 million from 2020 NHTF funds and $10.5 million from 2019 NHTF funds
Table 3. Summary of Past Funding Opportunities for Housing Trusts

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 53 Program and
Organization
Type
of
Funds
Year Release of
Notice of
Funding
Availability
Total
Funding
Available
More Information
HOME Investment
Partnership
Programs - U.S.

Department of
HUD5
Grant 2021 and 2020 December $72 million NOFAs released for 2020 and 2017 cover two years of funding 2019 October $42 million
2018 and 2017 June $72 million
CalHome
Program— HCD
Grant 2021 September $57 million Not available
2020 August $57 million
2019 November $57 million
Homekey— HCD Grant 2021 September $1.45 billion •$1.2 billion is derived from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (CSFRF) established by the federal
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
2020 July $600 million •$550 million is derived from the state's direct allocation of the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund
Notes:
1 California Department of Housing and Community Development 2 California Strategic Growth Council
3 Assembly Bill
4 Notice of Funding Availability
5 Housing of Urban Development
Table 3. Summary of Past Funding Opportunities for Housing Trusts

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 54 Donor
Organization
Housing Trust
Donation Recipients
More Information
Bank of America Silicon Valley Housing
Trust and Santa Barbara
County Housing Trust
No information Available
Wells Fargo Silicon Valley Housing
Trust and Housing
Endowment and
Regional Trust of San
Mateo County
Chase Silicon Valley Housing
Trust Kaiser Permanente
1st Capital Bank San Luis Obispo County
Housing Union Bank of
California
California
Association of
Realtors
Stater Bros. Market N/A Stater Bros. Charities funds nonprofit organizations that support causes such as children’s well-being and health Cal State San
Bernardino
N/A Ventura County Housing Trust Fund received donations from Cal State Channel Islands University
Lowe’s Home
Improvement
City of Redding Seed money for City of Redding (Note— Housing trust no longer exists)
Esri Esri has been noted through outreach as a potential collaborator in the Housing Trust. This could be through charitable donation or through other coordination.

Amazon Ventura County Housing
Trust Fund
San Luis Obispo County
Housing Trust Fund
The Ventura County Housing Trust Fund uses AmazonSmile, which allows a proportion of profits made through Amazon using a special link to be donated into the housing trust.

FedEx Fedex has been noted through outreach for this effort as a potential collaborator in the Housing Trust. This could be through charitable donation or through other coordination.

UPS UPS has been noted through outreach for this effort as a potential collaborator in the Housing Trust. This could be through charitable donation or through other coordination.

PRIVATE DONATIONS
Table 4. Examples of Potential Donor or Partner Organizations

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 55 Previous and current housing trusts have been able to secure private donations to help fund their programs. The ability for a housing trust to receive donations is dependent on the filing status. The Silicon Valley Housing Trust files as a 501(c)(3) corporation and is one of the housing trusts that provides a comprehensive list of all their donors on their website9 . It is
acknowledged that the Silicon Valley Housing Trust is a unique case because of the numerous opportunities for private donations available in the area. However, some of the donors in the Silicon Valley region could be applicable to San Bernardino. Table 4 provides a list of potential organizations that could be of interest to SBCOG for either charitable donations or for potential partnerships to develop solutions to the regional housing needs that impact residents as well as the private sector. These organizations have a presence in the San Bernardino region, and some have previously donated to housing trusts. Additional organizations that have been identified through outreach as potential Housing Trust partners include Logistix, Habitat for Humanity, NEW Economics for Women, Heart 2 Serve Inc., and Pelican Communities. As stated above, the filing status of the housing trust would determine how San Bernardino Housing Trust can receive donations. The Orange County Housing Finance Trust, formed in 2019, is formed as a JPA and has formed a partnership with an existing non-profit so that it may receive tax-exempt donations to fund more affordable and supportive housing.

The San Luis Obispo County Housing Trust Fund which also files as a 501(c)(3) has also raised a lot of capital through donations and provides links on the trust’s website for the public to make personal donations. An innovating mechanism San Luis Obispo County uses is partnering with AmazonSmile. AmazonSmile donates 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to a user’s charity of choice. To be eligible to receive donations from AmazonSmile, an organization must be listed in Candid’s GuideStar, a repository of nonprofit organizations.

TAXES AND FEES
Taxes and fees can be implemented by local governments and can be utilized as another form of revenue for housing trusts. New or existing taxes and fees may be utilized by participating member jurisdictions to provide funds for annual Housing Trust membership dues. In the 2016, the Sonoma County Community Development Commission reviewed the revenue sources of 37 housing trusts in California in their “Prospects for a Sonoma County Housing Trust Fund 10” report and found that in-lieu and mitigation fees were the most common type of fees for housing trusts in California. The Institute for Local Government also published a report, “Establishing a Local Housing Trust Fund: A Guide for California Officials,11” and listed the most commonly used taxes and fees for housing trust in California, which include the following:
9 Silicon Valley Housing Trust Website
10 Prospects for a Sonoma County Housing Trust Fund (2016) Report. https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Microsites/Permit%20Sonoma/Documents/Pre-2022/_Documents/Documents/Building%20HOMES%20-%20Prospects%20for%20a%20Sonoma%20County%20Housing%20Trust%20 Fund.pdf. Accessed June 2022.
11 Establishing a Local Housing Trust Fund: A Guide for California Officials (2007) Report

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 56 • Developer Fees.

Developer fees include linkage/impact fees, and in-lieu/mitigation fees. These fees can be applied to commercial or residential development. Linkage/impact fees are applied developers with to commercial development projects and are used to meet the demand of affordable housing created by economic growth. In-lieu/mitigation fees are typically included in inclusionary housing programs and are fees that developers can pay to opt out of building affordable housing units. The Urban Institute published a report, “Determining In-Lieu Fees in Inclusionary Zoning Policies,12” to assist local governments in determine whether in-lieu fees should be established and how to structure them. • Local Sales Tax.

Local sales tax includes property taxes, real estate excise taxes, and hotel and motel taxes. Some local governments will directly contribute these tax funds to housing trust funds.
• Redevelopment Tax Increment Set Asides.

Additional property taxes that come from increased value of an area due to improvements, also known as tax increments, are received by redevelopment agencies. These agencies must set aside a percent of the tax increment to fund affordable housing. Local housing authorities may administer these funds.
• Loan Repayment Fees.

Loan repayment fees from private or nonprofit developers that construct affordable housing are typically used to create revolving funds. These funds are constantly replaced by the same funds used from the account, but also can grow due to interest paid.

Each state has requirements for using public revenues for specific activities. The fees listed above are used by housing trusts in California. Other fees commonly used by housing trusts in the state include real estate transfer tax, boomerang funds, business registration fee and operation tax, short-term rental tax, and “membership” fees. Housing trust funds, such as the Housing Endowment and Regional Trust of San Mateo County, have required jurisdictions that are members of the trust to commit a percent of their annual appropriations to the trust. Funds that are committed are considered “membership” fees and create a dedicated source of revenue for the trust during its first years of establishment. Local taxes and fees are only applicable at the local level but can be tapped into by localities to assist in housing trust membership dues.
12 Determining In-Lieu fees in Inclusionary Zoning Policies (2020) Report (Brief)

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 57

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 58

HOUSING TRUST

ACTIVITIES
Housing trust activities are those implementation actions which the housing trust fulfills through the expenditure of funds. Activities can include, but are not limited to, new construction of affordable housing, predevelopment activities for affordable housing development, down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers, gap financing for affordable housing developers, preservation or rehabilitation of existing affordable housing, land acquisition for development of affordable housing, and establishment of housing or services for those experiencing homelessness. Further, housing activities that a housing trust undertakes can serve a variety of housing needs. Those primary housing needs that have been identified for the Housing Trust include housing for middle income earners or workforce housing, housing for lowerincome households, housing for first-time homebuyers, and housing for those experiencing homelessness. Priority activities of the Housing Trust have been identified through outreach conducted for this effort and are detailed in this section.

PRIORITY HOUSING TRUST ACTIVITIES
The following details those priority activities that have been identified through outreach and that have been determined to be feasible endeavors by the Housing Trust.

Gap Financing for Housing Development
Financing for housing developments can be complex, often requiring the ¬¬¬¬stacking of multiple funding sources, and funding is even more complex for affordable housing developments. Housing Trusts can provide grants for gap financing to assist developers in closing the gap between the market-rate rents or sales prices needed to make a project feasible, bringing the rent or sale of housing down to levels that low- and moderate-income households can afford. Further, gap financing can provide affordable housing developers with a competitive advantage, as they can leverage funds to acquire additional funding through state and federally administered programs. Gap financing would be provided on a competitive basis through the Housing Trust, where funds would be available based on geographic boundaries.

The specific distribution of funds will be determined by a methodology agreed upon by the board of the Housing Trust.

Housing Preservation or Rehabilitation
Preservation or rehabilitation of existing structures is often a lower-cost alternative to new construction. Preservation of existing affordable housing units can reduce displacement of lower-income residents and even create new pathways for cooperative housing ownership models. Further, the rehabilitation or conversion of existing structures can expedite the development process and reduce the overall costs of development. Housing trusts can provide financing in the form of grants or low interest loans to support preservation, rehabilitation, and conversion for affordable housing.

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 59 Land Banking
Acquiring and holding land can strategically hold properties until they can be developed with affordable housing, without concern for an increasing cost of land. Housing trusts can acquire and assemble properties and even look within existing public land inventories to seek key opportunity sites suitable for housing development. Housing trusts can support affordable housing developments, housing rehabilitation or preservation, or even housing cooperatives such as community land trusts through land leases, land grants, or land loans.

Housing and Services for those Experiencing Homelessness Funds from housing trusts can be used for the development and ongoing operation of emergency shelters, transitional, supportive, or permanent housing and accompanying supportive services for individuals experiencing or at-risk of experiencing homelessness.

Housing trusts may offer funds to build the capacity of local nonprofits to help maintain or grow their in-house supportive services or may provide grants or low-interest loans to support the development of housing types for homelessness.

Local Program Support
Housing trusts can provide funds to support existing local programs such as first-time homebuyer programs, homelessness programs, fair housing programs, or other local programs that may need bolstering to support the local housing need.

Technical Support
Housing trusts can utilize resources to provide local technical support at the regional scale.

This can include trainings, draft ordinances, and other guidance to help localities implement best practices for programs that can build housing funds, coordinate community benefits agreements, or other resources that can support housing related activities. Support for new funding streams can be prioritized for programs that will allocate a proportion of the funds toward the Housing Trust.

Table 5. Housing Activities breaks down each of the priority housing trust activities as well as some secondary housing trust activities that may be pursued in the future.

HOUSING TRUST ACTIVITIES

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 60 Table 5. Housing Trust Activities
Activity Implementation Recommendations Priority
Gap Financing
for Housing
Development
Funds to support gap financing
can be released through notices of
funding availability (NOFA) that are
awarded based on a competitive
basis.

It is recommended that in the
early stages of the housing trust,
low-interest loans are issued
for construction, as this can
create an option for establishing
a revolving loan fund, which
can have quicker results due to
shorter term limits compared to
predevelopment loans.

High
Housing
Preservation or
Rehabilitation
Funds to support housing
preservation or rehabilitation can
be released through notices of
funding availability (NOFA) that are
awarded based on a competitive
basis. Local jurisdictions would
be eligible applicants that could
tap into these funds to support
existing preservation and
rehabilitation efforts.

It is recommended that the
Housing Trust prioritize efforts
to preserve and rehabilitate
structures for affordable
housing, as this can be an
effective way to get units on the
ground, while ensuring efficient
use of funds.

High
Land Banking Many agencies in the region
may have publicly-owned lands
that are suitable for housing
development. The Housing Trust
can use its regional connections to
conduct a county-wide inventory
of lands and seek opportunities
for holding properties for future
housing development. Further,
the Housing Trust could purchase
available lands in areas most
advantageous for future housing.

Available lands can be noticed
through requests for proposals
(RFP).

It is recommended that the
Housing Trust prioritize a
county-wide inventory of
publicly-owned lands to seek
opportunities to bank lands
prior to the disposal of sites.

Seeking opportunities early
can help prevent any missed
opportunities and banking lands
can ensure that the price does
not continue to rise.

High
Housing and
Services for those
Experiencing
Homelessness
Funds to support housing and
services for those experiencing
homelessness can be released
through notices of funding
availability (NOFA) that are
awarded based on a competitive
basis.

Funds should be prioritized for
those projects that are already
recipients of a dedicated source
of funding either through
Federal, State, County, Housing
Commission, or local funds.

High

HOUSING TRUST ACTIVITIES

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 61 Activity Implementation Recommendations Priority
Local Program
Support
Local program support can
provide a range of funding
opportunities to support local
housing-related priorities. Through
this activity, the Housing Trust can
release funds on a competitive
basis for participating member
jurisdictions.

It is recommended that
applications list eligible activities
that will result in positive impacts
for lower- and moderate-income
households. Applications can be
prioritized based on those local
programs that best align with the
overarching goals and objectives
of the Housing Trust.

High
Technical Support Technical support can be provided
to create resources that can assist
localities across the region.

It is recommended that technical
support activities be aligned
with the overarching goals
and objectives of the Housing
Trust and result in products
that support localities across
the region through technical
expertise and minimal needed
local staff resources.

High
First-Time
Homebuyer
Program
Housing trust funds can be used
to issue low-interest loans for
qualifying first-time homebuyers.

Loans can provide down payment
or closing cost assistance, as well
as long-term loans.

It is recommended that the
Housing Trust only implement
such a program once the
housing trust is fully established
and determines that this is a
priority, as the long terms on
such loans can be draining and
provide opportunities to only a
select few.

Medium
Community Land
Trusts (CLT)
CLTs are mechanisms for creating
affordable homeownership units
and maintaining the units as
affordable by retaining ownership
of the land and requiring the
homebuyer to purchase only the
home that is situated on the land.

CLTs are generally managed by
non-profit organizations to ensure
they remain grounded in the
needs of the community.

Many of the aforementioned
housing trust activities can
support existing CLTs or the
establishment of new CLTs.

It is recommended that CLTs
be administered and owned
by communities and that the
Housing Trust provide technical
or financial assistance for CLTs.

Medium
Table 5. Housing Trust Activities

HOUSING TRUST ACTIVITIES

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 62

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 63

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

INVENTORY
The affordable housing inventory provides an overview of federally and state-subsidized affordable rental properties, many of which also receive local subsidies, within the County of San Bernardino. The countywide affordable housing inventory currently includes a total of 14,010 units across 167 developments, as shown in Figure 21, Affordable Housing Projects in San Bernardino County (2022).

The inventory includes affordable projects that were either completed or awarded funding during the last 50 years (1971–2021). Projects that have completed construction or rehabilitation are categorized in the inventory as existing affordable projects. Projects that have been awarded funding but have not yet completed construction or rehabilitation are categorized in the inventory as pipeline projects. As of June 2022, there are currently five pipeline projects in the region with a total of 321 new affordable units and an additional 237 existing affordable units undergoing rehabilitation.

Financing for the affordable housing projects in the inventory come from one or more of the following general funding sources:
• LIHTC Program
The Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) program is the largest source of federal support for the creation and preservation of dedicated affordable housing is administered by state and local housing finance agencies. The LIHTC program is an indirect subsidy program that provides a dollar-for-dollar tax reduction against federal tax liability, provided to developers based on the criteria set out in the states’ qualified allocations as 9% and 4% credits. In addition to Federal tax credits, California makes additional State tax credits available for the development of affordable housing in the state.
• HUD Financing Program
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is a federal agency that supports community development and homeownership, enforces the Fair Housing Act, and oversees programs to assist low-income and underserved households with their housing needs.
• USDA Financing Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a federal agency that offers loans, grants, and loan guarantees to support economic development and housing in rural communities.

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 64 • HCD Financing Program
The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is a state government agency that oversees a number of programs and allocates loans and grants to preserve and expand affordable housing opportunities and promote strong communities throughout California.
• CalHFA Financing Program
The California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) is California’s affordable housing bank that provides financing and programs that support affordable housing opportunities for low- to moderate-income households.

As shown in Figure 23, Affordable Housing Projects in Western San Bernardino County (2022), the majority of affordable projects are located in the densely populated southwestern portion of the county, with the remainder located on the eastern side of the county as reflected in Figure 22, Affordable Housing Projects in Eastern San Bernardino County (2022).

AFFORDABLE HOUSING INVENTORY

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 65 Figure 21. Affordable Housing Projects in San Bernardino County (2022)

AFFORDABLE HOUSING INVENTORY

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 66 Figure 22. Affordable Housing Projects in Eastern San Bernardino County (2022)

AFFORDABLE HOUSING INVENTORY

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 67 Figure 23. Affordable Housing Projects in Western San Bernardino County (2022)

AFFORDABLE HOUSING INVENTORY

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 68

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 69

LOCAL FUNDING

GAP ANALYSIS

OVERVIEW AND METHODOLOGY
As part of the analysis completed for the San Bernardino Regional Housing Trust Fund Administrative Plan, a comprehensive analysis was performed to evaluate local gap funding sources. The analysis provides an overview of the funding profile, or representation of the project funding over the life of the project, including an assessment of local funding sources used to close the funding gap between available funds and the project’s cost, for affordable housing projects in San Bernardino County (County). The analysis provides information on funding sources from various local jurisdictions and entities to highlight gap funding mechanisms that the Regional Housing Trust Fund can employ to support future affordable housing development in the region.

The analysis primarily relied on applications to the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC) for Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC(s)) to paint a picture of how LIHTC developments in the County assemble permanent financing. The TCAC applications for LIHTCs provide project specific information like the number of units, unit affordability (i.e., market rate or low-income units), housing type, location, and the total development costs and anticipated permanent financing sources to support construction. Based on the application details, each affordable housing project’s capital stack (the funding or investment structure of a project) was analyzed and used to inform the assessment of local funding sources.

The analysis pulls from TCAC applications for LIHTCs for new construction projects in the County between 2018 through June of 2022. Applications for both recently completed TCAC projects (recently completed projects) (projects that have completed construction and are operating under a TCAC regulatory agreement) and projects in the TCAC pipeline (pipeline projects) (projects that have been awarded credits but have not yet completed construction) were included as part of the analysis. Although TCAC applications for LIHTCs also include acquisition and rehabilitation projects, only new construction projects that have been awarded credits were included in the analysis as they can be easily compared. In addition, new construction projects must leverage additional funding sources as part of their capital stack, typically relying the most on local funding sources. These recently completed and pipeline projects in the County, provide methods to filling the funding gaps for future affordable housing projects in the region and underscore the important role those local entities have in the funding process for affordable housing.

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 70

AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Recently Completed and Pipeline Projects
A total of nine new construction projects (including recently completed and pipeline projects) with 766 residential units in the County received funding through the LIHTC program between 2018 and 2022. Five of the projects, with a total of 445 residential units, recently completed construction. The remaining four projects are in the County’s affordable housing pipeline. Once completed, the pipeline projects will produce a total of 321 new residential units. An overview of the total development costs and capital stack funding sources for the new construction projects are provided in the following sections. All nine projects, including recently completed and pipeline projects, were accounted for in the overview.

Total Development Cost
Based on recently completed and pipeline projects, the average cost for the development of an affordable multifamily rental unit in the County is $412,838 per unit, as detailed in Table 6, Development Cost by TCAC Project - Recently Completed and Pipeline Projects in San Bernardino County. Looking exclusively at development costs for projects in the pipeline, the average per unit cost is $452,805 per unit. The costs range from approximately $335,000 to $515,000 per unit.

When broken down by housing type, most of the affordable housing projects in the County are large family projects, which average $430,434 per unit. Based on the development costs of Day Creek Villas, the recently completed senior housing project, projects serving the senior population have a development cost of approximately $342,000 per unit, which is lower and may be attributed to the size of the units typically targeted towards smaller, older adult households.

LOCAL FUNDING GAP ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 71 TCAC
Number
Project Name City Housing
Type
Affordable
Units
Development Cost
Total Per Unit
Recently Completed Projects
CA-18-001 Ontario
Emporia Family
Apartments
Ontario Large
Families
74 $32,167,639 $428,902
CA-18-130 Day Creek Villas1 Rancho
Cucamonga
Seniors 78 $31,430,508 $334,367
CA-18-775 Day Creek Villas1 Rancho
Cucamonga
Seniors 46 $16,124,848 $350,540
CA-18-634 Virginia Holt
Apartments
(Vista Verde)
Ontario Large
Families
100 $37,154,345 $367,865
CA-18-639 Crestview
Terrace (of
Arrowhead
Grove)
San
Bernardino
Large
Families
147 $77,767,250 $422,648
Pipeline Projects
CA-19-017 Sierra Avenue
Family
Apartments
Fontana Large Family 59 $26,594,800 $434,939
CA-19-059 Bloomington
Housing Phase III
Bloomington Large Family 97 $48,000,414 $468,372
CA-20-580 Las Terrazas
Apartments
Colton Large Family 111 $43,915,962 $392,107
CA-21-128 Rialto Metrolink
South
Rialto Large Family 54 $28,368,975 $515,800
Total, Pipeline Projects 321 $146,880,151 $452,805
Total, All Projects 766 $341,524,741 $412,838
Large Family Projects 642 $293,969,385 $430,434
Senior Projects 124 $47,555,356 $342,454

1. The Day Creek Villas project application was submitted as a hybrid application comprised of a 9% LIHTC component (CA-18-130) and a 4% LIHTC component (CA-18-775).

Table 6. Development Cost by TCAC Project - Recently Completed and Pipeline Projects in San Bernardino County
Data Source: TCAC, 2022.

LOCAL FUNDING GAP ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 72 Funding Sources
A capital stack is the different layers of financing sources that go into funding the purchase and improvement of a project. In order to close the gap between development costs and the rents that would be affordable to lower- and moderate-income households, developers of affordable housing projects utilizing LIHTCs typically have to layer between four to eight sources of funding, while others have to layer more13 (including equity).

Based on the nine TCAC applications for recently completed and pipeline projects in the County between 2018 and 2022, new affordable residential projects required an average of seven financing sources, ranging between four to 10 funding sources. Funding sources in the project’s capital stack include federal, state, private, and local sources. (Refer to Figure 24 for a breakdown of the capital stack composition specific to the pipeline projects).

As shown in Table 7, Funding Type by TCAC Project - Recently Completed and Pipeline Projects in San Bernardino County, all nine projects in the County relied on LIHTCs, permanent debt, and local funding sources, with LIHTCs accounting for the largest portion of funding. LIHTCs come in two varieties, 9% credits and 4% credits. Projects receiving 9% tax credits can expect that the credits will pay for approximately 65% of the development costs of the project, while projects receiving 4% tax credits can only expect that the credits will pay for approximately 30% of the project costs. However, projects receiving 4% tax credits can also be awarded tax-exempt bonds, which enable them to receive less expensive debt financing to help make up for the shortfall in funding. Across all of the affordable projects analyzed (shown in Table 7), state and federal LIHTCs make up approximately 50 percent of the project’s required funds, ranging from a low of 29 percent to a high of 65 percent for individual projects. Private permanent debt accounts for 10 percent of the capital stack and ranged from two to 25 percent on an individual project basis.

Although variable across individual projects, local funds and contributions account for the second most significant funding source overall, with an average of approximately 34 percent across all projects. On a per project basis, the local funding sources portion of total development costs ranges from a low of 10 percent to a high of 49 percent. Additionally, LIHTC applications submitted to TCAC are scored on a number of factors, including the amount of local funds leveraged. This points to the important role that local funding sources play in addressing funding gaps and in competing for LIHTC required to achieve financial feasibility and in supporting the development of new affordable projects in the County.

The remaining layers of financing come from state and private sources. On average, state sources account for 13 percent of the capital stack; however, it should be noted that only four of the nine projects received funds from state programs, and while state funds make up 40 percent of one project’s capital stack, the other three range from three to six percent of total funds. These allocations came from the Transformative Climate Communities Program, Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program, Special Needs Housing Program and No Place like Home Program funds. An additional six percent of funds are provided by private sources, and only three projects relied on development funds from private sources. 13 https://ternercenter.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/LIHTC-Complexity-Final.pdf

LOCAL FUNDING GAP ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 73 Table 7. Funding Type by TCAC Project - Recently Completed and Pipeline Projects in San Bernardino County
TCAC
Number
Project
Name
City Affordable
Units
Funding Type by Percent
LIHTC Debt State Private Local
Recently Completed Projects
CA-18-001 Ontario
Emporia
Family
Apartments
Ontario 74 49% 2% 0% 0% 49%
CA-18-130 Day Creek
Villas1
Rancho
Cucamonga
78 65% 10% 0% 0% 25%
CA-18-775 Day Creek
Villas1
Rancho
Cucamonga
46 32% 14% 0% 9% 45%
CA-18-634 Virginia Holt
Apartments
(Vista Verde)
Ontario 100 36% 12% 40% 3% 10%
CA-18-639 Crestview
Terrace (of
Arrowhead
Grove)
San
Bernardino
147 29% 25% 5% 8% 35%
Pipeline Projects
CA-19-017 Sierra
Avenue
Family
Apartments
Fontana 59 56% 7% 0% 0% 37%
CA-19-059 Bloomington
Housing
Phase III
Bloomington 97 52% 4% 3% 0% 41%
CA-20-580 Las Terrazas
Apartments
Colton 111 52% 13% 6% 0% 29%
CA-21-128 Rialto
Metrolink
South
Rialto 54 60% 6% 0% 0% 35%
Total, Pipeline Projects 321 55% 7% 5% 0% 35%
Total, All Projects 766 48% 10% 13% 6% 34%
Large Family Projects 642 48% 10% 13% 5% 34%
Senior Projects 124 49% 12% 0% 9% 35%

1. The Day Creek Villas project application was submitted as a hybrid application comprised of a 9% LIHTC component (CA-18-130) and a 4% LIHTC component (CA-18-775).

Data Source: TCAC, 2022.

LOCAL FUNDING GAP ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 74 Local Gap Funding Sources for the TCAC Pipeline
Local funding resources help to ensure that affordable housing projects are economically feasible, often providing an essential layer of financing that closes the gap between available funds and the project’s cost. Local gap funding sources account for roughly 35 percent of the required funds to support construction of the four affordable housing developments in the County’s TCAC pipeline. Local gap funding amounts range from $8,358,000 from San Bernardino County HOME funds in the Las Terrazas Apartments, to a low of $592,000 from the County’s Inland Valley Development Agency funds. Across all pipeline projects, the local funds total $52.1 million, with an average of $162,322 per unit.

The composition of funding sources that make up the capital stack of each pipeline project is presented in Figure 24, Capital Stack Composition for TCAC Pipeline Projects. Refer to Figure 24 for a visual representation of local sources relative to federal, debt, and state sources.

LOCAL FUNDING GAP ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 75 Figure 24. Capital Stack Composition for TCAC Pipeline Projects Data Source: TCAC, 2022.

LOCAL FUNDING GAP ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 76 Local Funding Sources
The local gap fund contributions include a range of funding sources and vary between three to six local sources per project. The funding sources detailed below primarily focus on those used by the projects in the pipeline.

HOME Funds
The HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) is the largest federal block grant to state and local governments designed exclusively to create affordable housing for low-income households. HOME funds are awarded annually as formula grants (noncompetitive awards based on a predetermined formula) to participating jurisdictions. The program’s flexibility allows states and local governments to use HOME funds for grants, direct loans, loan guarantees or other forms of credit enhancements, or rental assistance or security deposits.

Only one of the recently completed projects received HOME funds, however, all four pipeline projects received local funding contributions through the allocation of local HOME dollars from the City of Fontana or the County. The City of Fontana and the County are entitlement jurisdictions eligible to receive HOME funds directly from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. Between 2019 and 2021 the County received approximately $22.9 million in HOME funds, and the City of Fontana received approximately $4.7 million in HOME funds14.

The four pipeline projects received a total of $15.7 million in HOME funds. The Sierra Avenue Family Apartments in the City of Fontana received a $1.6 million allocation in HOME funds from the City of Fontana. The three other projects in the TCAC pipeline received a total of $14.1 million in HOME funds from the County, ranging from approximately $2.2 million to $8.4 million, or $36,000 to $75,000 per unit.

Land Donation or Land Loans
One of the challenges in building new affordable homes is acquiring land suitable for housing.

High land costs can pose as an obstacle to developing affordable housing for lower-income families. However, local funding contributions in the form of public land can help reduce the cost of land, and therefore, the overall cost of the project. The assistance can provide affordable housing developers a way to compete with market rate developers for land.

All four pipeline projects received a local funding contribution in the form of a land lease, land grant, or land loan from public agencies, ranging from $2.45 million to $6.7 million and totaling approximately $15.8 million. In addition, all five recently completed projects also received a local contribution in the form of free or subsidized land from a public agency. This is a critical funding method for supporting affordable housing development in the region. 14 https://www.hudexchange.info/grantees/allocations-awards/

LOCAL FUNDING GAP ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 77 Impact Fee Waivers/ Deferrals
While impact fees and permitting fees can serve an important purpose, they can also increase the cost of development. Local jurisdictions can encourage the development of new affordable housing by reducing or waiving these fees for qualifying projects to reduce overall development cost. Rather than reducing or waiving fees, some local jurisdictions allow payment on a deferred basis. Deferred fee payments allow developers to make payments after securing long-term, lower-cost financing, while the community still collects the expected revenue and avoids budget shortfalls in other areas.

The Sierra Avenue Family Apartments is the only pipeline project that financed a portion of the development through deferred developer fees. The value of the deferred developer fee was approximately $151,000. Additionally, three of the recently completed projects received developer fee deferrals totaling approximately $208,00 across all three projects.

Housing Trust Fund/ Housing Authority
Two pipeline projects received direct loans from the local municipal housing trust fund or housing authority. The Sierra Avenue Family Apartments received funds from the City of Fontana Housing Trust in the amount of $1 million and the Rialto Metrolink South project received funds from the Rialto Housing Authority in the amount of $4.55 million. Additionally, two of the recently completed projects received approximately $3.8 million and $12.3 million funds from the San Bernardino Housing Authority and the Ontario Housing Authority, respectively.

Other Funding Sources
Additional local gap funding contribution sources for the TCAC pipeline projects include the following:
• Grants
The Bloomington Housing Phase III project received $2 million in grants, including $500,000 from the County (tax exempt bond proceeds), and $1.5 million in grant funds from the Inland Empire Health Program.
• Loans
Additional gap funding contributions included an approximately $3.5 million loan from the City of Fontana’s Supplemental Educational Revenue Augmentation Fund for the Sierra Avenue Family Apartments, and a $5.35 million loan from the County for the Bloomington Housing Phase III project. In addition, Las Terrazas Apartments received an approximately $1.4 million loan from the County’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds and an approximately $590,000 loan from the Inland Valley Development Agency, a Joint Powers Authority comprised of the County and the Cities of Colton, Loma Linda, and San Bernardino.

LOCAL FUNDING GAP ANALYSIS

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST STRATEGIC PLAN | 78 • Reimbursements
The Bloomington Housing Phase III project received $2.1 million from the County through reimbursement for a public park and community center that will be located to the north of the development.

Housing Choice Vouchers
The Housing Choice Voucher program is federally funded by HUD and administered at the local level through public housing agencies. The program can help to offset the cost of housing for qualified households by providing tenant-based assistance to low-income families or individuals through vouchers to help pay for the rent of any rental unit that meets program guidelines. These tenant-based Housing Choice Vouchers are awarded to households and are used to pay the difference between what is affordable for the household to pay and the market rate rent. Tenant-based Housing Choice Vouchers ensure low-income households are free to choose their own housing on the open market, instead of only being able to find assistance through public housing or a deed-restricted affordable housing unit.

Project-Based Vouchers
As part of a public housing agency’s Housing Choice Voucher program, a public housing agency may elect to administer up to 30 percent of their voucher to project-based vouchers.

Unlike tenant-based vouchers, which are tied to a particular family, project-based vouchers are attached to units in a specific property. Because project-based vouchers are tied to the unit, the assistance remains with the unit when a family moves from the project-base voucher unit. Public housing agencies can use up to 20 percent of their Housing Choice Vouchers for project-based vouchers and an additional 10 percent for projects that assist veterans or people experiencing homelessness; are located in properties that provide supportive housing to older adults or people with disabilities; or are located in areas where the poverty rate is 20 percent or less. In addition, project-based vouchers can typically only be dedicated to a maximum of 25 percent of the project’s units or to 25 total units, whichever is greater (exceptions exist for projects in low-poverty areas or if residents are eligible for supportive housing.) These restrictions aim to encourage mixed-income communities to give access to lower-incomes families to resource rich areas.

When project-based vouchers are used, the property owner agrees to reserve the specified units in a building for occupancy by eligible families through a Housing Assistance Payment contract and the public housing agencies refer families to the project owner to fill unit vacancies.

The anticipated proceeds from the contract sometimes function as a form of gap funding in Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) projects. Developers can use the contract as collateral and as a regular source of income that will be needed for the project to repay its debt service.

The Housing Assistance Payment contract therefore provides a layer of certainty that helps makes these projects more attractive to investors and lenders.

The certainty of rental income provided by project-based vouchers affect the ability to leverage private debt and equity. Under a long-term, project-based subsidy contract, the rents

LOCAL FUNDING GAP ANALYSIS