I was honored to be a speaker at the Greater High Desert Chamber of Commerce’s “State of the County” event on Sept. 4. It was a pleasure to join District Attorney Jason Anderson, Sheriff Shannon Dicus, and San Bernardino County Assistant Executive Officer Chad Nottingham on the stage to share insights into the region’s progress and challenges.
The event highlighted the significant growth and positive developments taking place in the High Desert. Here are some key takeaways:
Economic Growth: The High Desert is experiencing substantial economic growth, with projected employment increases of nearly 10% in cities like Apple Valley, Victorville and Adelanto over the next decade. Additionally, the High Desert’s housing market is significantly more affordable than neighboring cities and counties in the state.
Educational Achievements: Victor Valley College and Barstow Community College have seen remarkable increases in degrees and certificates awarded, outpacing statewide trends. In the past five years, Victor Valley College has experienced a 298% increase in degrees and certificates awarded, while Barstow Community College has seen a 49.9% increase. These figures are significantly higher than the statewide average of 20.5%.
Business-Friendly Environment: The county is committed to creating a business-friendly environment through streamlined permitting processes, land use coordination, and community engagement initiatives. The county has implemented several initiatives to improve the permitting process, including the creation of a Land Use Coordinator position and the development of the EZ Inspect mobile app for contractors to schedule inspections and manage projects.
Public Safety Initiatives: Sheriff Dicus discussed the success of “Operation Consequences,” a crime suppression initiative that has led to significant firearm seizures and arrests. Additionally, Sheriff Dicus and District Attorney Jason Anderson highlighted Proposition 36, a citizen-led initiative focusing on stricter penalties for crimes. Proposition 36 includes provisions to hold serial thieves accountable, combat “smash and grab” thefts, and aggregate multiple thefts to meet the $950 felony threshold. It also mandates mental health and addiction services for individuals convicted of felony drug crimes, categorizes dealing fentanyl as a felony (as well as heroin and methamphetamine), and mandates state prison terms for carrying loaded firearms and substances containing fentanyl.
Community Well-being: Code Enforcement is actively addressing issues like illegal dumping, unoccupied vehicles, and illegal street vending to improve the quality of life for residents. Since the beginning of this year, Code Enforcement has held numerous community cleanup events, assisting over 1,100 residents and collecting over 153 tons of trash, 49 tons of waste tires, 8 tons of e-waste, and shredding 1.48 tons of documents.
The data presented at the event clearly demonstrates the growth and progress being made in the High Desert, and I am optimistic about the region’s continued success.