Real Property

Welcome to the Real Property Division

 The Real Property Division operates under the Community and Economic Development Department and serves as the administrator of City-owned property. These properties include, and are not limited to, public facilities, vacant land, public rights-of-ways, easements, encroachments, leases, public parking lots, commercial buildings, industrial facilities, residential properties, exempt surplus land, and surplus land. The Real Property team is committed to supporting the City Council and City departments with high levels of customer service in connection with appraisals, title reports, sales, acquisitions, property management, specialized projects, and overall real estate research and analysis.

 

Effective January 1, 2020, State Assembly Bill (AB) No.1486 amended the State of California Surplus Land Act (SLA) by prohibiting local agencies from commencing negotiations over the sale or lease of surplus property prior to sending notices of availability about public land to designated entities.

AB 1486 requires the City of San Bernardino to declare property as “surplus land” or “exempt surplus land” before taking any actions to dispose of such property. This process includes issuance of a notice of availability (NOA) or request for proposals (RFP). This declaration must be made by the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, during a regularly scheduled public hearing.

Following the declaration of surplus land, the City must provide a NOA to all eligible entities for specified uses, including affordable housing, parks and recreation, and schools. An entity desiring to purchase or lease the surplus land for any of the purposes described above must notify the City in writing of its intent to purchase or lease the land within 60 days after receipt of the City’s notification of availability and intent to dispose of the land.

If the City receives notice of interest from any eligible entity, the SLA mandates a 90-day good faith negotiation period with any designated entity that submits timely offers. If no notice of interest is received or negotiations do not result in a disposition, the City may proceed with disposing of the land after presenting the commencement of actions and history to HCD. The SLA does not require the City to dispose of surplus land at less than fair market value. However, the SLA requires that, at a minimum, any subsequent development of 10 or more residential units on the site must designate at least 15 percent of units as affordable.