♪ [elegant string music] ♪ LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Our guest is Congressman Pete Aguilar from the 31st Congressional District.

Thank you so much for joining us.

PETE AGUILAR: Thanks, Lillian.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: What a joy.

Okay.

So, you are a real homeboy.

Grown up here, lived here, breathed here, done everything here in the Inland Empire.

Born in Fontana, spent time in San Bernardino growing up, went to school in Yucaipa, went to school in Redlands, lived in Redlands and a former mayor of Redlands.

So, now you represent us in Washington and you take the Inland Empire with you and we're so grateful.

And, recently in the last year, you were able to secure funding for our region, some nonprofits, some cities, and KVCR being one of the benefactors.

But, it's the Community Project Funding.

And, I want to know a little bit about that, and then I want to try and talk about as many of the ten that you were able to secure funding for.

PETE AGUILAR: Yeah, absolutely.

Thanks, Lillian.

Like you highlighted, the community funding projects is something that Congress really feels strongly about.

We wanted to make sure that we put into real terms for members of our community exactly what was included in the federal budget.

It's a $1.5 trillion budget.

It's a lot of money we spend for our national defense and for so many worthy things.

But, we also know as members of Congress that we know our communities best.

And so, we wanted specific projects in our community that would get help and support.

And, there are so many worthy things here in the Inland Empire that we wanted to highlight.

So, this year we were able to pass the budget and it includes ten projects, over $7 million directly coming to the Inland Empire.

And, I'm incredibly proud to talk about them.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Alright.

Well, let's begin with some of the nonprofits.

The first one up is the Children's Fund.

Tell me about that.

PETE AGUILAR: Yeah, the Children's Fund is just an amazing organization that has existed for decades that is really providing critical services to our youth, making sure that they're connected to services around the region, around the community, from each and every corner.

But, just understanding that Victorville is different than Rancho Cucamonga and it's different than Colton and Yucaipa.

It's just so important.

And so, $100,000 for mental services and access to caseworkers to ensure that young people have the mental health services that they need in this post-COVID environment.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: And, they're an organization that have been around for a very long time.

Tell me about the project for Habitat for Humanity in San Bernardino.

PETE AGUILAR: Habitat for Humanity.

And, selfishly, I was on the board of directors for Habitat for a number of years here in the San Bernardino area.

Building homes, as we all know from Jimmy Carter highlighting this, you know, decades ago, building homes by ensuring that people had a hand up and not a handout.

Individuals pay for their entire mortgage.

They just do so at a 0% interest rate, which is something that we're all envious of!

(Lillian chuckles) But, these are-- this is affordable housing for the region.

So specifically, this is $800,000 dedicated toward veterans homes here in the Inland Empire.

So, three veterans homes that will be built as a result of this funding here in San Bernardino.

So, veterans are not forgotten and they have access to affordable housing.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Yeah, I love Habitat for Humanity.

I've been out with a hard hat pounding nails in the past.

PETE AGUILAR: Let's do it!

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: I'm a big, firm believer of it.

PETE AGUILAR: I'll meet you back out again!

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Alright.

I love putting on my boots!

OK. Tell me about Mary's Mercy Center.

PETE AGUILAR: Yeah.

Mary's Mercy Center is located here in San Bernardino, and just providing critical services to individuals, men and women who need additional help and services, transitional housing, access to workforce development, access to jobs and employment, Oftentimes, these are individuals who have had tough times, specifically women who have been through a lot.

And so, making sure that they continue to have the resources.

So, this has $300,000 included to help them carry on their mission to help people in the region.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Nice.

SAC Health System.

What is that?

What are they doing?

PETE AGUILAR: Yeah.

SAC Health Systems is coordinated through the Loma Linda University Health Center.

And so, making sure that individuals have access.

And, they do such an amazing job serving low access, underserved communities.

But, one of the things that they were lacking was getting out into the community.

And so, this would help provide a mobile center to help get them and the services that they provide again, to the most at-risk Inland Empire residents, making sure that they can go directly to residents and provide services where they're most needed.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Right.

And, that's definitely hitting a special population that is probably not able to get into-- they are-- may not have transportation.

This opens up that opportunity for the mobile vehicle to go to them.

PETE AGUILAR: Absolutely.

$375,000 to help them carry on their mission.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Nice.

Alright.

Well, let's talk about some of the cities that have benefited from the Community Project Funding.

Let me begin with Rancho Cucamonga.

What went on there?

What's planned for Rancho?

PETE AGUILAR: Yeah, the project with Rancho is really just an amazing asset.

And, it's going to be building the second story of the library center.

So, they call it Second Story and Beyond project, but it's going to be a STEM-based, hands-on learning environment for young people, and it's going to be open to individuals, not just in Rancho Cucamonga, but around the region.

Now, the Inland Empire, we don't have some of those, you know, children's museums and some of those, real activities that some of our neighboring regions have in the desert and in Orange County and L.A.

So, making sure that young people have a real hands-on learning experience is something that I feel passionate about.

And, this will be conveniently located right at the Victoria Gardens, a library that the city has.

So, access and connectivity to the region in a strategic area is-- makes a lot of sense.

So, this was a million dollars to help them deliver that And, they're going to be breaking ground pretty soon here on this project and we'll deliver it quickly.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Oh, that's wonderful.

Alright.

Tell me-- my hometown.

I grew up in the city of Rialto.

What's going on for the city of Rialto?

PETE AGUILAR: The city of Rialto has been a leader across the nation in body-worn cameras for law enforcement.

They were one of the first in the nation to develop camera-- body-worn cameras.

This reduces liability for the city, but it also adds a layer of accountability and transparency.

So, the community knows that our law enforcement officers are doing the right thing.

And so, this is $700,000 to help them move forward with the next-- 2.0 of body cameras, making sure that they continue to provide the services, putting the information in the cloud, and making sure that the infrastructure is still there.

So, you have more access, not just a single viewpoint as well, but you have access in the police vehicle front and back, as well as to see what the officer is seeing in more of the periphery.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: So, their body cameras are-- So, are the officers wearing it in-?

How?

Do you know how they're wearing it?

PETE AGUILAR: Yeah.

So, usually over their shoulder, sometimes it's been kind of displayed, like, on their chest in the past.

This would be over the shoulder, so it would have a little bit more-- it would move with the officer, but also within the police vehicles.

Right now, sometimes you get that grainy footage, right?

Looking out the windshield.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Right.

PETE AGUILAR:B ut, you don't always see what's happening behind you, or what's happening if someone is in the vehicle.

And so, making sure that you have that access and that viewpoint is something that law enforcement individuals have wanted.

And so, this would help bridge that.

So, $700,000 to help them complete the next generation of their body-worn cameras.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Kind of a full all the way around.

PETE AGUILAR: Exactly.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: They have more eyes, I guess, on the whole situation scenario.

PETE AGUILAR: Exactly.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Alright.

Tell me about the city of Redlands.

What's going on there?

PETE AGUILAR: The city Redlands came forward with a request for their outdated Emergency Operations Center.

So $712,000 that will help them really, you know, rehabilitate, upgrade their infrastructure and make sure- because the Emergency Operations Center is co-located with their call center- making sure that everyone is talking and make sure that they have the access to the infrastructure that's needed in case we have a disaster or a single event that they have everyone coordinated and that they have the right resources at the right place.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Excellent.

Again, for emergency purposes.

Okay.

Tell me about Upland.

PETE AGUILAR: Upland came forward with a request for a million dollars for their downtown.

When we think of Upland, we think of just such a lovely, you know, community, but a little bit of a bedroom community.

And, what people often overlook is that they have just this historic and vibrant downtown, and the plans that they have for downtown are changing.

And, you have new shops, new restaurants, new stores going in.

They really wanted to help anchor that around a centerpiece.

So, the Pacific Electric Trail runs right through.

And so, having a little park right next door and a little plaza where they can have community art displayed and have holiday events right downtown to draw people so you can enhance that economic opportunity is something that they came forward.

They have a plan and a vision and great city leaders in order to implement it.

And so, we were able to please-- we were pleased to be able to deliver a million dollars for their efforts.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: That's nice.

I remember as a young girl growing up in high school, we would go to Upland because they had such a beautiful downtown and it was, you know, cool shops and good restaurants.

And so, I'm so pleased to hear about that.

Alright.

Let's talk about, or tell me about the San Bernardino International Airport.

What's the plans for there?

We do know they're going to start flying passengers out of there in August.

So, that's really exciting.

What will this money do?

PETE AGUILAR: Well, one of the things that any airport needs is runway maintenance.

And, the federal government plays a role.

The FAA does ongoing grants for runway maintenance.

But, we also feel-- I feel deeply that because this used to be Norton Air Force Base- that was closed by the federal government, jobs and opportunities fled when that happened- that we have a special obligation to make sure that we're delivering resources to support the economic development of the airport.

And, like you said, passenger activity coming later this summer.

We have lots of activity happening.

Amazon and others, you know, really flying goods and products into this region.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Right.

PETE AGUILAR: So, this is an additional million dollars for runway improvement.

So, we don't have to come out of our own pockets here locally to fund this and to make sure that this asset stays in the community.

So, this will be a million dollars to help ensure that that runway is safe and to make sure that we have access, and that all this economic development and activity can continue.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Terrific.

I know it's pretty exciting over there at San Bernardino to- again, growing up in this area- to see more going on there.

I did interview someone from the San Fernando Airport and they're so excited to finally have passengers flying from here to San Francisco on a daily basis.

So, that's a big-- that's a big thing, too.

PETE AGUILAR: It's a big deal.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Alright.

I saved the best or the-- I don't know if it's the best, but I saved KVCR for last.

Tell me, or share with me the funding for KVCR.

PETE AGUILAR: Yeah.

Just very pleased to be able to partner with the community and to deliver a million dollars for KVCR.

Just an amazing community asset that we have both radio and television, and the work that's done on the marketing side, as well.

And, to highlight and uplift the stories of the Inland Empire, and we don't see that when we turn on the television in other places.

And, I'm not complaining, but we're often in the shadows of some of our- LILLIAN: Often?

(laughs) PETE: neighboring communities.

And, that happens not just in the airwaves, but also when it comes to resource allocation.

And so, that means, you know, I have to fight, harder to deliver resources to this region.

And so, I was pleased to be able to work with the chancellor and the board of trustees here at the community college and to make sure that we secured a million dollars to help support local journalism, make sure that this public broadcasting asset continues, and ensure that students had access and pathways to careers that also can benefit from this.

So, just incredibly pleased at the work and the collaboration that everyone is doing.

And I'm a little selfish here, too.

This is something that's just an important priority for me in making sure that we have good public broadcasting in the region.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Well, I'm glad you're a little selfish on our behalf, so that's a great thing.

I will say, since we've had the students in and they are working on projects.

And I've had one intern, a guest on KV-- on Lifestyles, my one-- of my other shows.

And, we've had students editing and when they see their finished product, when they see their names in the credits, I know it's a boost to them and they're learning the skills.

And, I've worked with some of the interns and said, "Okay.

Take this back.

We got to try this again.

I need this part; add this", and they listen with intent.

You can just see their eagerness on their face to take instruction, produce that, and come out with a finished product.

So, it's been a great opportunity for all of us here at KVCR.

So, thank you so much.

PETE AGUILAR: I'm glad to hear that.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: So now I want to ask, moving forward, the Community Project Funding.

Was it a one-time thing?

Is it possible that it's coming back?

And, if those that are listening or watching, how would they know how to partake in it?

PETE AGUILAR: Yeah, it's a great question.

For 12 years, Congress basically gave away our authority to do this.

We had done this for a number of years.

And, because there were a couple of bad actors that-- it went away.

But thankfully, we added some guardrails.

We added some accountability.

So now, we can advocate for projects within our region.

We did these ten, and because of the success of this, we're now able to offer and propose 15 projects.

So, that's what we're working toward right now.

Those projects will go through the Appropriations Committee that I serve on.

And, once we can pass a federal budget, which we hope will be later this year, we can secure those projects and that funding back to the Inland Empire.

And so, I look forward to announcing and rolling those out.

Fifteen community projects from all corners of the Inland Empire here: making sure that we secure safe drinking water, making sure that we have good transit opportunities, connectivity between the regions, our local higher educational institutions have projects as well.

So, those are things that are important to the region and I look forward to delivering them.

But, specifically, nonprofits and cities are part of our grants process.

And so, they have raised their hand and they have submitted these projects to us.

It's a competitive process.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: OK. Do they have to have an invitation?

PETE AGUILAR: No, they don't have to have an invitation.

But, again, it is nonprofits and municipalities; public entities.

And so, no for-profit entities can apply.

They applied through our-- through a portal within our website and worked with our team.

We vetted these projects.

We made sure that they were possible to be included.

And then, we picked the 15 that made the most sense for now.

And so, building off of this, we hope that this continues.

Congress needs to take back the power of the purse and to make sure that we're delivering for our regions.

And, that means projects like this need to go forward.

So, I look forward to working with my colleagues and community organizations to secure this vital funding.

Over $30 million we're asking for this year, and I look forward to delivering.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Wow.

We are so grateful you're sitting in that seat, and the one in Washington, D.C.

Thank you so much for your time!

PETE AGUILAR: Thank you, Lillian!

♪ - My guest is Congressman Mark Takano with the 41st District.

Thank you so much for being here.

MARK TAKANO: Oh, my pleasure, Lillian.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: So, we want to talk about the Community Project Funding.

It seems to have done so much for our Inland Empire communities.

MARK TAKANO: Yes.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: And, you were able to secure about $30 million or just over $30 million?

MARK TAKANO: About $33 million.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: The funding for this community came out of a couple of different budgets or a couple of different agencies, or what would you call them?

MARK TAKANO: Well, the way it works is we have 12 subcommittees of the House Appropriations Committee, and they each have purview over several different agencies.

Let me give an example: HHS.

There's a committee, health and education subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee.

So, they typically appropriate all the dollars that get spent for HHS and the Department of Education.

There's another one.

That's CJS.

Commerce, Justice.

I forget what the S stands for!

(Lillian laughs) Within each of those subcommittees there are existing programs.

There are certain funds and eligibilities that, you know, that the funds are eligible for.

And, when a community group or a city, or a nonprofit entity.

LILLIAN: Mm hm.

MARK: So, you know, basically all the recipients have to be nonprofit.

They can't be a for-profit business.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Right.

MARK TAKANO: But, they could be a combination of nonprofits coming together.

It could be a combination of local governments; a school district, for example.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Do they reach out to you and request these funds?

Do they write a grant?

What's that process?

MARK TAKANO: That's a good question.

We revived the process after it was eliminated about ten years ago.

It was called "earmarking" before.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Yes.

MARK TAKANO: And, it was subject to abuse.

And, we brought it back because, you know, we believe that members of Congress and their communities really can be the best judge of where resources should be allocated.

And if there's a transparent, fair process that's not about lining anybody's pockets locally, you know, it can be a tremendous tool for improving communities.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Well, let's talk about some of the projects.

MARK TAKANO: The broad sort of pattern here is we have $33 million.

Of that $33 million, $6 million went to homeless, homelessness, and supportive housing.

So, in this broad category, you know, I want to say this because homelessness has been a topic that comes up a lot among my constituents.

And so, we allocated $6 million across four different projects- LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Okay.

MARK TAKANO: related to homelessness and supportive housing and outreach to the homeless.

One million dollars went to child care.

That's also a huge issue for the community.

We have three projects maintaining and expanding our health and mental health provider capacity that we allocated $4.6 million.

And then, five projects that we would-- that I would categorize as infrastructure, community enhancement or clean water.

About $15.2 million got allocated there.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: A big one.

MARK TAKANO: Kind of big ones.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Right.

MARK TAKANO: And then, finally, in the areas of job creation and innovation, we have two projects that we allocated about $4 million to.

So, this is five broad areas.

We obviously need more in each of those areas.

I would say, I had hoped that Build Back Better would bring about a huge increase in the amount of child care support.

I think that's one thing that's holding our economy back is the lack of access to affordable child care for all people; middle class.

(chuckles) I mean, even if you can't afford child care, there is a dearth of providers.

And, these little small child care businesses just-- really, a lot of them just didn't survive the pandemic.

LILLIAN: Right, right.

MARK: And so, bringing them back is going to take, I think, help from the government.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Now, are you able to talk about some of the actual projects?

MARK TAKANO: Yes!

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Because I know Riverside Community College District, the Inland Empire Education and Job Initiative received $3 million.

Do you know a little bit about that?

MARK TAKANO: Oh, yeah.

Actually, a lot.

So, you know, my colleague Pete Aguilar was very supportive of Registered Apprenticeship Hub.

There's going to be an actual campus in Jurupa Valley that we got planning money for in the last-- LILLIAN: Oh!

MARK: in last year's projects.

And, that spurred Assemblywoman Sabrina Cervantes to actually just secure $33 million from the state for purchase of property.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Right.

MARK TAKANO: Related to this hub.

Now, we don't want to wait for this hub to actually be physically built.

We can begin in portable buildings to actually create the programming to facilitate apprenticeship programs into the trades, into various kinds of job opportunities that require some training and some apprenticeships.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: So, it's already going to be able to start the program.

People are going to go through before the building is even up.

MARK TAKANO: By the time we open this, we do the groundbreaking, get all the land and all of that, there's no reason to not get people into these apprenticeship programs.

And so, that's what this $3 million will enable RCC to do is to support the expansion of the community college district's Regional Registered Apprentice Hub.

And, it's regional.

It's gonna- LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Right.

So, it's not just Riverside.

MARK TAKANO: No.

And, that's why, you know, Pete was such a great partner in this.

And, it increases access for students and job seekers pursuing apprenticeships in very critical industries in the Inland Empire.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Alright.

Well, let's talk about maybe the-- some of the health ones.

I know the Riverside Community Health Foundation, which is in-- obviously, all of these are in your district, in your backyard.

MARK TAKANO: Right.

What is the Riverside Community Health Foundation?

What's its plan there?

MARK TAKANO: We have in Arlanza, a kind of a clinic that's out in the- LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Okay.

MARK TAKANO: Arlanza area of Riverside.

It basically is going to allow them to acquire, you know, equipment, renovation and upgrading the facilities.

And, you know, it's going to just improve the ability to, you know, get access to the latest medical equipment.

So, this is about sort of maintaining and invigorating the capacity to offer clinical care to the community.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: So, let's stay on health for a little bit.

Jurupa Unified Children's and Family Services Behavioral Health Center.

What's going on there?

MARK TAKANO: Well, Jose Campos was instrumental in getting us a proposal that would allow him to improve the on-campus behavioral health centers.

Well, actually, it's not just behavioral health.

It's also health care, but it's basically going to increase services in behavioral health and co-locating Alma Family Services in partnership with the Riverside University Health System's Behavioral Health Unit.

So, you know, it's basically expanding the clinical outreach.

But, you know, one of the critical needs we have in the country everywhere is to increase mental health services to our teenagers.

It was-- the pandemic was really, really hard- LILLIAN VASQUEZ: It was brutal.

MARK TAKANO: on our teenagers.

The other health funding, we gave about a million dollars to the Riverside University Health System.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: How is that being used?

MARK TAKANO: Well, that's being-- that's basically facilitating the expansion of behavioral health beds.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Meaning, there'll be more beds?

MARK TAKANO: There'll be more beds.

I don't have the exact number of beds that they're needing to expand to.

And so, this money will facilitate that happening.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Okay.

Well, let's stay on health a little bit before we move on.

MARK TAKANO: Well, the other health-related there's also embedded in some of the homeless funding.

Homelessness is a combination of economic, socioeconomic conditions, and just-- people are just poor.

But, also substance abuse and mental health.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Which falls into mental health again, right?

MARK TAKANO: And, substance abuse is also just-- it's health, right?

So, it's like it's a health issue.

So, the Parkview Legacy Foundation.

We provide funding for permanent housing, clinical support.

So, there's the clinical support, wraparound services that go along with.

So, it's not just about getting people off the street and putting them into housing.

LILLIAN: It's the support they need around- MARK: They need all sorts of other support.

You know, the city of Moreno Valley, where they had two projects that were allocated a million dollars each?

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Mm hm?

MARK TAKANO: One is related to their Homelessness to Work program.

So, some of the money that they can actually use to, you know, pay people temporarily for certain kinds of work, but I really want to kind of uplift what they're doing out there.

They have something called a Community Behavioral Assessment Team that's-- kind of works with their police.

So, it's called a CBAT.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Okay.

MARK TAKANO: I was actually able to along with them.

So, a CBAT team is an officer, a law enforcement officer, but also a licensed clinical therapist who-- so they ride together.

And so, when they receive a call that looks like it's going to involve somebody who's mentally ill, they're able to respond not just with law enforcement, but also with a clinical licensed therapist.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Because the officer doesn't have that training or that ability, and many times we expect that officer to have that, and it just doesn't work that way.

MARK TAKANO: That's right!

And so, often, there may not have to be a law enforcement solution.

There could be the ride that we give that individual to a mental health facility.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Mm hm.

MARK TAKANO: And, it may be that he's just there to de-escalate a situation that doesn't involve an arrest.

You know, we saw so much unrest involving the police during the- LILLIAN VASQUEZ: So, you went on a ride-along and did this?

MARK TAKANO: I went on a ride-along and saw this in action.

And so, this funding will also enable them to get the equipment, an additional vehicle to support another CBAT team.

And, I have to commend the city of Moreno Valley because they used some of their ARP money, the American Rescue Plan money to fund these CBAT teams.

And, I thought that was a very innovative use of the money and it was very pandemic-related.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Related; yeah.

MARK TAKANO: As a way to de-escalate some of the tensions that can arise in law enforcement situations involving mentally ill people.

And, we know of some situations where law enforcement didn't correctly read a situation involving a mentally ill person.

And, I think we need to do more to improve.

And so, I want to just say, this is a great innovation.

There's $3 million, a pretty big grant, going to the Sunrise Bogart Permanent Supportive Housing Development.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: And, what is that?

MARK TAKANO: Well, it's a 23 unit, permanent supportive and affordable housing project.

So, it's basically housing units, but it comes with wraparound services.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: It's one thing to get a person in there.

It's another thing to have the support to keep them there, and keep them functioning and, hopefully, take them to a better place.

MARK TAKANO: Yes.

Well, look.

I think the community is so concerned about homelessness.

It's a huge issue all across our state.

I think in California it's particularly impacted and the Inland Empire, is not untouched by it.

I'm very proud to say, as chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee, that San Bernardino and Riverside counties, you know, have really done yeoman's work in getting veterans off the streets and into programs and into housing.

And, we have additional federal resources for that.

So, I really want to give a big, you know?

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Shout out?

MARK TAKANO: Shout out to the Riverside County folks.

And, we need to really extend that expertise.

And, they've learned a lot from how to take care of veterans, and how we need to approach the general homelessness in our general population.

And so, Lillian?

I mean, I think-- what I hear about from so many local officials, the city officials, et cetera, is, you know, we have such a mental health and addiction issue among our homeless and the refusal of services.

And so, the state has to do some more work on that.

We're going to have to really bite the bullet in terms of getting facilities for people who aren't gonna get better.

There's a certain percentage of the homeless population that won't get better, and that's the part we need to face up to, is like, what do we do about people who may need a conservatorship?

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Oh.

MARK TAKANO: We need to balance that with respect for people's civil rights.

You know, if you're going to involuntary put someone in a conservatorship because they can't take care of themselves, the solution isn't to just allow people to continue living on the streets where they can face greater harm.

So, we're going to have to do a lot of, like, heavy work in terms of how are we going to do with enough oversight.

But, in the meantime, projects like Sunrise at Bogart Permanent Supportive Housing, I'm really pleased that we were able to get $3 million for the gap funding to complete this project.

I want to mention one other program in Moreno Valley.

$1 million to rapidly rehouse 40 homeless households that were sort of negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It's not the permanent housing that we talked about with the Bogart project, but it's a way of giving the city the capacity to rapidly rehouse 40 homeless people.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: I see.

MARK TAKANO: And, that's usually a temporary.

"Rapid rehousing."

That's what that means.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: It's temporary.

It's not permanent.

We need to do all of the above.

We can't just put everything into permanent supportive housing.

We need ways for people to be in temporary housing because- LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Stepping stones to get to.

MARK TAKANO: Some of the homeless, maybe a third, maybe more, just need a respite.

They need a way to collect themselves, get some work opportunity and a little nudge.

We can get them back into stability, economic stability, housing stability within, you know, several months.

It's not going to-- it's not something instantaneous.

We got to give people a chance.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: But, nothing is instantaneous.

I want to talk about in our last few minutes some of the government things that you have done: the city of Jurupa Valley, the Mission Boulevard.

MARK TAKANO: Okay.

So, that's under a broad infrastructure.

So, they just got a terrible road situation.

And so, one of the kind of classic things we do with earmarks is to, like, fix these things.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ (laughs): Well, that's a good idea!

MARK TAKANO: And so, they got $2.3 million to improve pavement conditions.

You know, paving roads is pretty expensive.

And to fix these roads that maybe have deteriorated, a lot of truck trafficking, or whatever.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Right.

MARK TAKANO: That's what the city is using that money for.

And, it frees up their resources for other things, right?

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: You know, just touching on road situations.

I know it sounds (Mark laughs) like it's not very sexy and very exciting, but when you don't have dips in the road, when you don't hit your car with things, when there's so many other things that it affects.

When we have nice roads to travel on, it really does make things better.

MARK TAKANO: It makes a lot-- it preserves our cars.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: It does!

MARK TAKANO: It keeps us-- That's a big deal.

So, look.

Let's tick off some of the other things.

We have a project in the Riverside County Transportation Commission.

This is also in Riverside.

It's the Third Street, a grade separation near the freeway.

It's going to provide a, you know, a way to go under railroad tracks.

So, that improves efficiency.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Oh, right.

MARK TAKANO: People are not stuck at railroad tracks.

There's a lot-- LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Which can be really long!

(chuckles) MARK TAKANO: There's a lot of that here in San Bernardino, Riverside.

In Riverside, can be really long!

We're improving a community center.

The Perris City Hall is actually kind of on the campus of an old campus.

They have a gymnasium, which they kind of use as a big multipurpose room.

It's called the Bob Glass Gymnasium.

So, they got $3 million to do all sorts of improvements-- LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Nice!

MARK TAKANO: in that facility.

And, let me just mention.

The University of California.

They got $1 million to create their Northside Regional Agricultural Innovation Center.

What is that about?

High tech agriculture!

You know, being able to train people in high tech agriculture.

It's one of the, I think, evolving industries in our area.

How to do it with less water, how to identify high-value types of crops.

It's something that I think a lot of our citizens could get involved in as a kind of, you know, economic activity.

Now, let's get to the big, you know, almost $3.5 million each.

So, Eastern Municipal Water District.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Okay.

MARK TAKANO: And, Western Municipal Water District.

They got about $3.5 million each, each related to PFAS.

PFAS is a kind of chemical that was used by the fire-- the military fire department that's at March Air Reserve Base that kind of seeped into the aquifer.

And so, these two projects are about-- you know, Eastern is looking to take PFAS out of the water so they can use that water in that aquifer.

And, Western is looking to upgrade some of the infrastructure related.

It's also related to mitigating the-- So, these are both clean water projects.

And, I just want to just finally just say, you know, I'm really pleased that $1 million has gone to the Child Care Consortium in Riverside County.

What that money's going to used for, the Child Care Consortium, is it's going to pay trainees who are getting their credentials to finish the program so that we incentivize-- LILLIAN: Oh!

MARK: Yeah.

So, it's kind of like, you know, these trainees or apprentices or whatever you want to call them.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Kind of like interns and doctors when they're first learning to be interns- MARK TAKANO: Exactly!

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: and they're serving the community.

These-- this is how this program works?

MARK TAKANO: Yeah.

That's one of the things, one of the eligible uses of the money.

And, you know, anything we can do to increase the number of child care providers is going to be a good thing for everybody.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: So, all in this, we have-- we're working on our water; we're providing jobs, providing homes, we're providing health care.

So, you have a lot going on with that $33 million.

Looking forward, will there be more organizations that will apply again?

Does this project continue, or is this the end of it?

MARK TAKANO: As people understand that their members of Congress can be a source of resources, the best way to think about this is I would encourage nonprofit leaders- LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Mm hm.

MARK TAKANO: nonprofit groups to collaborate and coordinate.

I got 15 projects, and all my 15 projects that I submitted got funded.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Went through.

MARK TAKANO: What you need to do is you need to get a hold of my local staff, begin working with them on your ideas.

My staff can also encourage you to work with other people in the community to maybe combine your proposals together, like proposals, so that we don't go for, like, $50,000 here or $100,000.

We don't want you to apply for more than you can actually- LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Use.

MARK TAKANO: use.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Right.

But, think bigger on this one.

MARK TAKANO: But, think bigger.

Like, work together.

Understand you may have great ideas, but we've also got to match these ideas so that they fit the eligibilities of the different programs.

- Right.

Yes!

- There's certain accounts that we can draw from and those accounts define what the use, the eligible use, of the money can be.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Right.

MARK TAKANO: And so, that's-- you don't want to do that at the last minute.

You want to be designing your proposals early.

Generally speaking, construction involves a multiyear process.

If it's planning money you're seeking that you can probably apply for and get successfully.

But, generally it's a one-- we're looking at a one year use of money.

It's one fiscal year, and often it's not going to come right away.

It's something that-- but at this point in the process, these 15 projects, this $33 million?

It's a pretty high probability it's going to get done within this fiscal year.

And, it allows you, the agency or the nonprofit, to do some fiscal planning that way, the budgetary planning, knowing that the money will come in.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: So, what I'm hearing from you is reach out to your office if you have a project, work with your office to see if it's something that can work for the community and maybe work together with other organizations.

MARK TAKANO: Exactly.

And, you know, I-- we've got to-- we haven't, we don't have a lot with the arts and stuff.

I want to know-- I'm going to work with my staff to figure out-- LILLIAN: There isn't any arts- MARK TAKANO: So, the arts and culture, we need to kind of look at what eligible funds there are.

I don't want to kind of put out a misleading hope for people, but, you know, I want my staff to explore that some more.

But, you know, this is-- if we can keep making this work and these projects are good as the popularity grows, you know, we can do more of this in the future.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Well, it seems nice to have it back in our hands rather than in somebody's pockets and doing good for our community.

MARK TAKANO: Well, it's better than a bureaucrat making this decision.

Members of Congress and the community can work together, and also local government officials.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: So, we're kind of your boots on the ground helping you to help us (laughs) in Washington!

MARK TAKANO: Look, we're-- These proposals are only as good as the ideas that come from the people.

And city managers, city council people, school board members, water district people.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Yeah.

MARK TAKANO: The water district people made out really good here, right?

LILLIAN: Which means we made out really good!

(laughs) MARK TAKANO: That's right.

That's right.

We all want clean water.

Wouldn't it be great to have, you know, locally sourced food from high-tech farms that the Inland Empire is known for that.

We still have some land that we can use around here.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: So, other ideas out there?

MARK TAKANO: These are other-- there are other ideas out there.

Yeah.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: Congressman Takano, thank you so much for your time.

And, thank you for doing what you're doing for us in Washington.

We appreciate it.

MARK TAKANO: Oh, thank you for the opportunity to talk with you, Lillian.

Appreciate it.

LILLIAN VASQUEZ: This program was originally produced for 91.9 KVCR-Radio.

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