Rep. Pete Aguilar announced that the County of San Bernardino has received $8.5 million in Emergency Service Grant (ESG) funding to help provide homeless residents of the county with housing during the COVID-19 crisis. The funding comes from the CARES Act, and was disbursed by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help fund Project Room Key, a county-wide initiative to help the homeless find temporary transitional housing.

“During this pandemic, it’s more important than ever to make sure Inland Empire residents have a place to call home. This funding will help our region slow the spread of the coronavirus and reduce homelessness by helping people find transitional housing at a time when shelters and other options can increase the risk of exposure to the virus. I‘ll continue fighting for federal funding to help our region contain the spread of coronavirus and make sure more San Bernardino County residents have affordable housing options,” said Aguilar.

“COVID-19 has significantly impacted the economic security of many families in our community. Those at the most risk have faced the greatest degree of uncertainty. The County continues to work to meet the needs of these individuals. This critical funding allocation will allow us to continue these efforts to minimize the impacts of COVID-19 on homeless families and individuals,” said Dena Fuentes, Deputy Executive Officer, San Bernardino County Community Development & Housing Agency.

In March, Rep. Aguilar helped pass the CARES Act, legislation to provide resources to help communities like the Inland Empire navigate the coronavirus crisis. Since then, the House has passed the Heroes Act and updated Heroes Act to extend and expand key relief programs. Rep. Aguilar serves as Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee and is a member of the subcommittee that oversees HUD funding.