Rialto Mayor Joe Baca Sr. was appointed chair of the San Bernardino Regional Housing Trust, a body which oversees the support and creation of affordable housing in San Bernardino County, on Tuesday, May 12. The appointment comes at a critical juncture for the region, as state compliance mandates dictate which municipalities secure funding and which are penalized.
Rialto achieved compliance with California’s Housing Element earlier this year in March, aligning the city’s long-term housing plan with state law; likewise, the city of San Bernardino reached the same milestone in June 2024. However, much of San Bernardino County is lagging, leaving eligibility for critical state and federal funding streams locked, putting local budgets at risk with severe financial penalties — something Baca hopes to curtail by working with regional authorities to combat the housing crisis.
According to Baca, who spoke with Inland Empire Community News (IECN) Monday afternoon, neighboring Riverside County has far outpaced San Bernardino…