Proposition 47 funding will bolster city services and community partnerships aimed at rehousing residents and connecting them to employment opportunities.
Redlands secures $2M grant to expand homeless housing and job programs
Proposition 47 funding will bolster city services and community partnerships aimed at rehousing residents and connecting them to employment opportunities.
REDLANDS, Calif. — Redlands City Council unanimously approved a $2 million Proposition 47 grant on December 2 to expand programs supporting homelessness prevention and workforce development. The funding will cover city staffing, supplies and partner organizations that provide shelter and employment services for residents in need.
Why it matters: The grant reflects Redlands’ ongoing commitment to reducing homelessness and helping residents achieve self-sufficiency. By combining housing assistance with job placement services, the city aims not just to provide temporary shelter but to integrate individuals back into the community.
Details: Homeless Solutions Manager David Rabindranath explained the funding breakdown:
$1 million for city staffing, supplies and indirect costs.
$500,000 to the Salvation Army for Rapid Rehousing programs.
$300,000 to the Church of Religious Science for ongoing shelter bed operations.
$200,000 potentially to the Redlands Chamber of Commerce for employment services.
The grant prioritizes low-level offenders and individuals facing substance abuse or mental health challenges, helping them access rehabilitation programs rather than the criminal justice system.
What they’re saying: Council members and community partners praised the city’s efforts. Assistant City Manager Chris Boatman highlighted that Redlands has reduced homelessness by more than 60% over the last few years, housing hundreds of residents largely through state grant funding.
“A lot of the public isn't aware of this, but the majority of our costs associated with our efforts to combat homelessness have been state generated, not from our general fund,” Boatman said. “And it's because of David's team and other city staff who have continued to seek out these grants and presented very compelling cases that allowed us to continue to get these rewards.”
Since 2022, the city has received over $40 million in grants to support their homelessness initiatives, including a $30 million Homekey grant for the Step Up supportive housing project and $9.8 million across 2023 and 2024 to address encampments.
Evan Sanford, the executive director of the Redlands Chamber of Commerce, emphasized the grant’s role in workforce development.
“This grant will allow us to expand our workforce development offerings by providing basic employment services to the clients referred by the City,” Sanford said. “Since March of last year, when we launched our New Beginnings program, we have worked with 279 formerly homeless individuals and been able to secure a job for 68.”
Councilmember Paul Barich added, “We're not here to babysit the homeless. We're trying to be able to put them back into productive society.”
Moving forward: With the grant approved, city staff and partners will continue implementing housing assistance, shelter operations and job training programs.
Kathryne is a journalist and creative writer who has contributed to CFR since 2023. When she isn't reporting, she can be found curled up with a thick fantasy book.
