Maharaj, who manages the Country Inn, rents his rooms to copper wire thieves, prostitutes and the working poor. What can cities do to improve residents’ lives? I plan to share what you tell us. If you live somewhere you think has more dire circumstances, please tell me about it. And it’s not the only place struggling in California. If you live or have lived in San Bernardino, tell me how you see the city. In reporting these stories, I met a lot of hardworking people, but found a city overwhelmed by economic and social problems. More photos »Īs other California cities lift themselves out of the recession, San Bernardino, once a blue-collar town with a solid middle class, has become the poorest city of its size in the state and a distillation of America’s urban woes.Ĭould your city be the next San Bernardino? A couple and their 4-month-old baby will be evicted for not paying their bill. Top to bottom: Sam Maharaj, the manager of the Country Inn, evicts a couple and their baby.
