The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s Community Service & Reentry Division, through its Homeless Outreach Proactive Enforcement (H.O.P.E.) Team, conducted “Operation Shelter Me” in Loma Linda, Grand Terrace, and surrounding county areas. The operation was held on November 21, 2025, from 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., in partnership with the Department of Aging and Adult Services.
The goal of the outreach was to connect unhoused residents with housing options and access to medical and mental health treatment services while also addressing safety concerns within the community.
“On November 5, 2024, California voters passed Proposition 36 titled ‘The Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act.’ The proposition took effect on December 18, 2024, and reforms multiple laws from Proposition 47, which have been responsible for increasing homelessness, drug addiction, and theft. Proposition 36 includes several new Penal and Health and Safety Codes that deputies will be able to apply during arrests when appropriate. These new charges can carry enhanced sentencing, as well as prevent offenders from being cite released prior to their court appearance.”
During the operation:
– The H.O.P.E. Team contacted 36 individuals experiencing homelessness.
– Ten people accepted referrals for assistance programs.
– Two individuals were connected with local service providers.
– Two people—a mother and her two-year-old child—were housed.
– Six individuals were arrested for outstanding warrants or narcotics-related offenses.
– One person was arrested under Health & Safety Code 11395(b)(1), possession of a controlled substance with two prior convictions—a felony under Proposition 36.
The H.O.P.E. Team prioritized those with significant mental illnesses by linking them to restorative mental health pathways.
Ongoing operations like this are planned throughout the county over the next year due to special “Community Concerns” funding approved by the County Board of Supervisors. This funding supports efforts addressing homelessness, mental illness, and public safety for county residents.
“If you know of individuals experiencing homelessness who need services, please contact the H.O.P.E. Team at (909) 387-0623 or [email protected].”
For more information about these initiatives or how to access services, residents are encouraged to reach out directly to the Community Service & Reentry Division.
