The Problem

For decades, San Bernardino has faced a set of related challenges that have restricted economic opportunity and pathways for its residents. A key city in the growing Inland Region, San Bernardino faces extremely high levels of poverty, unemployment and related problems including health and housing insecurity. These challenges expand to include the lack of civic engagement and accountability in the leadership of the City. 

These crises are rooted in a failure of civic leadership to address these problems comprehensively with a mind to community-based solutions. In response to this situation, the Just San Bernardino (Just SB) Collaborative came together in 2020 to engage residents and community members to assess the sources and develop a plan that actively addresses the conditions that have led to San Bernardino’s consistently high rates of poverty, unemployment, underemployment, low wages, eviction and other key indicators of economic health through a grassroots lens.

The Plan

The People’s Plan for Economic Inclusion is intended to be a roadmap for economic policies and projects to develop local, grassroots-based solutions focused on job creation that is sustainable and community-owned. We intend to create innovative models and strategies for economic growth in the City of San Bernardino; and offer participatory models for inclusive community engagement that put people first.

In order to assess the needs of the city, Just SB leaders spent 2021 conducting a large scale survey, focus group sessions, and interviews of community members to gather community needs.  The data interpretation team individually reviewed all data responses submitted by all Just SB Collaborative organizations. These responses were categorized by major themes and sub-themes: Employment/Quality Jobs Housing, Education, Healthy Communities (Warehousing and Environmental Justice), and Entrepreneurship. Interview summaries were used as supplemental support for the focus group findings because not every organization used the same interview questions, making it harder for the analysis process and concluding findings.

The Solutions

Based on the community responses and the area of expertise of the organizations in our collaborative, the People’s Plan includes proposals for the following: 

Good Employment/Quality Jobs: The current jobs available in San Bernardino are not the good, quality jobs residents want to see. Quality jobs include benefits such as healthcare, retirement plans, upward mobility and a respectful and positive working environment.

Housing: The need for affordable and safe housing is growing as rents increase. There is a need for a comprehensive housing policy for the city focused on housing insecure San Bernardino residents.

Education: Residents express a need for more resources in the education system, but also guidance on how to navigate career paths. Participants do not see college as a successful investment for their future. The City needs meaningful training programs and paths to long term employment in jobs of the future.

Healthy Communities: Residents envision community commercial investment such as the enhancements of local stores and the revitalization of shops in San Bernardino with an emphasis on greater arts funding. This goes in hand with community government investments to improve public infrastructure in parks, hospitals, clinics and public works.

Entrepreneurship: Classes and training on business education and financial literacy along with education on grant writing. Overall the community lacks information about how to start and grow a business. Many residents express a desire to start, but do not feel like they have the resources or knowledge to begin. Applied training, technical assistance and access to capital are necessary to establish significant economic opportunities for the community.

What’s Next

The findings of the People’s Plan are intended to guide our work into a new phase. Based on these findings the Just SB Collaborative and its constituent organizations will expand and direct their policy efforts and project strategies to efforts centered in the community-based economic development strategies detailed here. Instead of depending on outside structures and employers, we are looking for locally-rooted economic opportunities and projects that will keep capital in the community and support a holistic economic strategy.

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