San Bernardino and Riverside

Two of California’s largest and fastest-growing counties

AT A GLANCE

13th largest metropolitan area in the U.S.
Major hub for the nation’s shipping and logistics industry
More nonprofit investment and infrastructure in the western part of the region than in the eastern part
Young and growing population

San Bernardino and Riverside stretch from the suburbs of Los Angeles County to the borders of Nevada and Arizona. Urban development is concentrated in the western portion of the region, with high and low deserts in the east. The vastness and diversity of the region’s geographies can translate into cultural and economic disparities. This region has a large young adult population.

The first listening session in this region was conducted in the Coachella Valley in North Shore, located on the north shore of the Salton Sea. This part of the region is mostly Latino. Participants represented a close community of seasonal agricultural and service workers. Here, we heard how geographic isolation from jobs and resources makes it difficult for individuals and families to build better lives.

Primarily warehouse and logistics workers participated in a second session in Ontario along the I-10 corridor. Ontario and the greater San Bernardino Valley struggle with issues like crime, strained police–community relations, incarceration, as well as troubled schools. Like many of the other regions where sessions were held, residents in Ontario face high costs of housing and physically demanding work.