Riverside City Council
February 8, 2022

City of Riverside

HOUSING ELEMENT
SIXTH CYCLE 2021-2029

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND REPORT
Table of Contents
2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside

TABLE OF

CONTENTS
Technical Background Report 1: Community Profile 31
Population Characteristics and TrendsError! Bookmark
not defined.3Population Characteristics and Trends
............................................................................... 2 Employment Profile ........................................... 77 Household Characteristics ............................ 1010 Special Needs Groups .................................... 1515 Housing Stock Characteristics ...................... 2929 Project-Based Rental Housing Assistance3940Project-
Based Rental Housing Assistance ..................... 39 Evaluation of Preservation Options4344Evaluation of
Preservation Options ..................................... 4343 Program Efforts to Preserve At-Risk Units
.. 4749Program Efforts to Preserve At-Risk Units 4747
Estimates of Housing Needs4850Estimates of Housing
Needs .................................................................. 48 Technical Background Report 2: Housing Constraints
51 52
Technical Background Report 2: Housing Constraints
51 51
Market Constraints .......5253Market Constraints 5252
Governmental Constraints ... 5455Governmental
Constraints ..................................................... 5454 Land Use Regulations 6162Land Use Regulations 6161
Building Codes and Site Improvements8890Building
Codes and Site Improvements .......................... 87 Environmental Factors9396Environmental Factors
......................................................................... 9392 Technical Background Report 3: Housing Resources
98 10
0Technical Background Report 3: Housing Resources  97
Future Housing Needs100101Future Housing Needs
............................................................................. 98 Opportunity Sites Inventory104105Opportunity Sites
Inventory .......................................................... 102 Financial Resources for Housing 112112Financial
Resources for Housing ..................................... 110 Administrative Resources . 114114Administrative
Resources ......................................................... 112 Opportunities for Energy Conservation
.. 116116Opportunities for Energy Conservation 114
Technical Background Report 4: Review of Housing
Element Past Performance  120119Technical Background
Report 4: Review of Housing Element Past Performance
12 0117
Technical Background Report 5: Public Outreach  154151
Public Workshops ....... 157152Public Workshops
..................................................................... 157153 Surveys .......................................... 167162Surveys ..................................................................... 167163 On-Line ......................................... 172167On-Line ..................................................................... 172168 Technical Background Report Section 6: Affirmatively
Furthering Fair Housing  175170Technical Background
Report Section 6: Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 17 5172
Introduction and Overview of AB 686
..... 177171Introduction and Overview of AB 686
..................................................................... 177172 Assessment of Fair Housing Issues177171Assessment
of Fair Housing Issues ................................ 177172 Section 2: Housing Plan
Housing Element
2021-2029 DRAFT Housing Element City of Riverside 3
Identification and Prioritization of Contributing
Factors249234Identification and Prioritization of
Contributing Factors ................................. 249242

TECHNICAL

BACKGROUND
REPORT 1:

COMMUNITY

PROFILE

Technical Background Report:

Community Profile
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2 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
The City of Riverside, located in the northwestern part of Riverside County, in the Inland Empire metropolitan area, was founded in the 1870s. The City, named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, is the most populous city in the Inland Empire and in Riverside County, 12th most populous city in California, and the 58th most populous city in the United States.

Located about 50 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, it is also part of the Greater Los Angeles area. The City is bordered by Moreno Valley to the east, Norco to the west, Jurupa Valley to the north, Colton to the northeast (in San Bernardino County), and several Census-designated places within unincorporated Riverside County.

Most of the City's residentially zoned land has already been developed with a diversity of housing types, including single-family homes, mobile home parks, townhomes, condominiums, and apartments. The City recently completed a major specific plan for the Northside neighborhood and is currently working to adopt changes to the Innovation District adjacent to Downtown. Both areas are expected to support substantial residential and mixed-use development over the next few decades.

POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS AND
TRENDS
The following describes and analyzes the various population characteristics and trends in Riverside that affect housing need.

POPULATION GROWTH
According to the Census and CA Department of Finance data, Riverside’s population rose by almost 8% from 303,871 in 2010 to an estimated 328,155 in 2020 (Figure CP-1: Population Trend).

The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) forecasts that the Riverside population will reach 386,600 by the year 2040. This represents a growth of 17.8% or 58,445 people from 2020.

The chart above (Figure CP-1: Population Trend) describes the population trend in Riverside from 2000 to 2020. Over this period Riverside had an annual growth rate of 1.3% compared to 0.7% for the region.

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Table CP-1: Population Growth
Jurisdiction
Population % Change
2010-2020
Projected %
Change
2020-2040 2000 2010 2020 2040
Colton 47,662 52,154 54,118 69,100 3.8% 27.7%
Moreno Valley 142,381 193,365 208,838 256,600 8.0% 22.9% Corona 124,966 152,374 168,248 172,300 10.4% 2.4%
Norco 24,157 27,063 27,564 32,100 1.9% 16.5%
San Bernardino 185,401 209,924 217,946 257,400 3.8% 18.1% Riverside 255,166 303,871 328,155 386,600 8.0% 17.8%
Riverside County 1,545,387 2,189,641 2,442,304 3,183,700 11.5% 30.4% Sources: Table E-1 City/County Population Estimates, CA Dept. of Finance, 2019; 2016-2040 RTP/SCS Final Growth Forecast by Jurisdiction, SCAG Figure CP-1
: Population Trend, 2000-2020
Source: CA DOF E-5 Population and Housing Unit Estimates

0.0 50.0
100.0
150.0
200.0
250.0
300.0
350.0
2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
Riverside 255,166 284,715 303,871 318,387 328,155
SCAG 16,516,703 17,541,873 18,051,534 18,731,901 19,021,787

15.0 15.5

16.0 16.5

17.0 17.5

18.0 18.5

19.0 19.5

THOUSANDS
Millions
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4 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside

AGE COMPOSITION
The age structure of a population is also an important factor in evaluating housing and community development needs and determining the direction of future housing development. Typically, each age group has distinct lifestyles, family types and sizes, incomes, and housing preferences. As people move through each stage of life, housing needs and preferences change. For example, young households without children will have different housing preferences than middle-age households with children or senior households living alone.

Consequently, evaluating the age characteristics of a community is important in determining the housing needs of residents.

Figure CP-2: Age Composition
Source: American Community Survey 2014/2018 – 5 Year Estimates 20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0 5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
0-4 5-9 10-14 15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80-84 85+ Male Female
Each age group has distinct
lifestyles, family types and
sizes, incomes, and housing
preferences. Evaluating the
age characteristics of a
community is important in
determining the housing
needs of residents.

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AGE DISTRIBUTION
The share of the population of Riverside which is under 18 years of age is 24.1%, which is higher than the regional share of 23.4%. Riverside's seniors (65 and above) make up 10.4% of the population, which is lower than the regional share of 13%.

Table CP-2: Age Characteristics (2019)
Source: Census, American Community Survey 2019 and 2011 (5-year estimates)

MEDIAN AGE
Riverside’s population is, as measured by the median age of its residents, older than in neighboring communities and the County as a whole. In 2018, Riverside’s median age was 38.8 years, while the County’s median age was 35.6. The proportion of residents aged 65+ in Riverside (14%) was the second highest among its neighbors but saw the highest increase in the past 10 years from 11% to 14%. The proportion of residents under 18 was consistent with countywide average.

AGE TRENDS
As shown in Table CP-2: Age Characteristics, a shift in the ages of Riverside residents occurred between 2011 and 2019. The child population decreased somewhat while the senior population increased substantially. These changes in age structure represent a significant change in the age composition of Riverside towards an aging population, which could affect the housing needs of Riverside residents during the planning period.

This trend has been taking place since 1990, when only 8% of Riverside residents were 65+. From 2000 to 2010, the proportion of Riverside residents over 65 increased also increased from 9% to 11%. Overall, the senior population in Riverside has increased by 6 percentage points in the past 30 years. At the same time, the proportion of Riverside residents under the age of 18 has declined dramatically, from 29% in 1990 to 22% in 2019.

Jurisdiction
Under 18 years 65+ years Median
Age 2011
Median
Age 2019 2011 2019 2011 2019
Colton 16,949 15,084 3,724 5,687 28.6 31.4
Moreno Valley 63,520 58,308 11,409 17,733 27.8 30.9
Corona 45,578 42,253 11,188 16,466 32.0 35.0
Norco 5,930 5,186 2,604 3,705 39.3 41.2
San Bernardino 68,205 64,020 16,707 19,356 28.6 29.9
Riverside 83,370 77,767 26,517 34,815 30.0 31.6
Riverside County 616,909 614,149 252,556 340,575 33.5 35.6 Technical Background Report:

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6 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
A decrease in residents aged 18-64 has also taken place in the last decade, with this age group decreasing from 66% to 64% of the population. Both young adult residents and older adults saw slight decreases between 2010 and 2018 while adults aged 25 to 44 saw a minimal increase. As a result, Riverside’s median age rose by 1.6 years between 2011 and 2019. These changes match the general trends seen in Riverside County in the past 10 years, but they are more pronounced in Riverside.

Figure CP-2 Age Composition shows the number of residents in each age bracket in 2019. Although younger age groups have declined as a share of the population in recent years, the figure shows that they still comprise large percentages. In 2019, the 20-24-year-old age group was the single largest in the City, comprising an estimated 31,959 residents, while the 25-29-year-old age group was the second largest, comprising 29,384 residents.

Table CP-3: Racial Composition in Neighboring Cities and Region (2019) Jurisdiction
White
Alone Black
American
Indian /
Alaskan Asian
Hawaiian
/ Pac
Islands
Two or
More
Hispanic /
Latino
Colton 17.9% 7.4% 1.0% 5.4% 0.1% 3.5% 67.9%
Moreno
Valley 15.7% 17.5% 0.4% 6.1% 0.3% 2.9% 58.7%
Corona 34.7% 5.7% 0.5% 11.2% 0.4% 4.6% 45.7%
Norco 55.6% 4.7% 0.4% 4.4% 0.1% 4.0% 33.0%
San
Bernardino 14.4% 14.3% 0.7% 4.1% 0.3% 4.9% 65.2%
Riverside 29.8% 6.2% 0.8% 7.6% 0.3% 4.9% 53.7%
Riverside
County 34.1% 7.3% 1.9% 7.2% 0.4% 3.6% 50.0%
Sources: American Community Survey 2019 data; due to the nature of sampling data, estimated totals may not equal 100% Technical Background Report
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RACE AND ETHNICITY
Different racial and ethnic groups often have different household characteristics, income levels, and cultural backgrounds, which may affect their housing needs and preferences. Studies have also suggested that different racial and ethnic groups differ in their attitudes toward and/or tolerance for “housing problems” as defined by the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), including overcrowding and housing cost burden. According to these studies, perceptions regarding housing density and overcrowding tend to vary between racial and ethnic groups. Especially within cultures that prefer to live with extended family members, household size and overcrowding also tend to increase. In general, Hispanic, and Asian households exhibit a greater propensity than White households for living with extended families.

However, with the housing crisis in California and the recent economic challenges presented by COVID-19, extended family members sharing housing arrangements or adult children moving back with parents have become a trend in many California communities across all groups.

Per Table CP-3: Racial Composition, the predominant racial group in Riverside is Hispanic/Latino at almost 54%. The White population (not including those that identify as Hispanic/Latino) is approximately 30%. Blacks, Asians, American Indians/Alaskans, Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders, and those identifying as belonging to two or more groups, account for the remainder.

EMPLOYMENT PROFILE
An assessment of the needs of the community must take into consideration the type of employment held by City residents. Incomes associated with different jobs and the number of workers in a household determines the type and size of housing a household can afford. In some cases, the types of jobs themselves can affect housing needs and demand (such as in communities with military installations, college campuses, and seasonal agriculture). Employment growth typically leads to strong housing demand, while the reverse is true when employment contracts.

OCCUPATION AND LABOR PARTICIPATION
The American Community Survey (ACS) provides information about employment, specifically the number of City residents by industry type, who are employed by businesses either outside or within their community. As of 2019, Educational Services/Health Care/Social Assistance and Retail Trade were the two largest occupational categories for City residents (Table CP-4: Employment Profile). These categories account for almost 36% of the jobs held by employed residents. Similarly, these categories accounted for about 34% of jobs held by Riverside County residents.

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The proportion of City residents in all other occupations was similar to the occupation profile of County residents, with a higher proportion of Riverside residents being employed in Manufacturing.

Legal and Management occupations were the highest paid occupations in the Riverside County region in the first quarter of 2020 and had a 14% to 21% increase in average yearly salaries from 2011 to 2020 (Table CP-5:

Average Yearly Salary by Occupation). Overall, average yearly salaries for all occupations increased by 19.7% over the same period.

Table CP-4: Employment Profile (2019)
Industry Sector
Riverside Riverside County
Estimate Percent Estimate Percent
Educational services, and health care and social assistance 36,171 23.8% 216,876 21.0% Retail trade 18,001 11.8% 131,334 12.7%
Manufacturing 16,527 10.9% 87,663 8.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services 15,446 10.2% 117,439 11.4%
Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services 14,620 9.6% 105,430 10.2% Construction 12,848 8.5% 92,614 9.0%
Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 9,870 6.5% 68,110 6.6% Other services, except public administration 7,974 5.2% 53,205 5.2% Public administration 7,078 4.7% 49,925 4.8%
Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing 6,571 4.3% 51,994 5.0% Wholesale trade 4,228 2.8% 28,905 2.8%
Information 1,711 1.1% 14,545 1.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 944 0.6% 14,694 1.4% Totals 151,989 1,032,734
Source: Census, American Community Survey 2019 (5-year data 2015-2019) Technical Background Report
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Table CP-5 – Average Yearly Sa lary by Occupation (2011/2020) Occupation
Salary % Change
(2011-
2020)
2011 2020
Legal $97,252 $117,886 21.2%
Management $101,100 $115,670 14.4%
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical $81,221 $100,429 23.6% Architecture and Engineering $77,937 $89,949 15.4%
Computer and Mathematical $70,623 $85,434 21.0%
Life, Physical, and Social Science $65,054 $84,995 30.7% Business and Financial Operations $64,623 $70,841 9.6%
Education, Training, and Library $59,831 $68,733 14.9%
Community and Social Services $52,175 $59,837 14.7%
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media $48,373 $57,896 19.7% Construction and Extraction $49,236 $57,678 17.1%
Protective Service $49,427 $57,169 15.7%
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair $45,909 $52,052 13.4% Total All Occupations $43,447 $51,996 19.7%
Office and Administrative Support $34,448 $43,346 25.8% Sales and Related $32,831 $41,705 27.0%
Production $31,607 $39,858 26.1%
Transportation and Material Moving $32,824 $38,729 18.0% Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance $26,955 $35,403 31.3% Personal Care and Service $24,741 $34,054 37.6%
Healthcare Support $28,715 $31,819 10.8%
Food Preparation and Serving-Related $21,667 $29,429 35.8% Farming, Fishing, and Forestry $21,734 $28,350 30.4%
Source: California Employment Development Department, Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Q1, 2011, Q1, 2020.

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10 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside

HOUSEHOLD CHARACTERISTICS
The Census defines a household as all persons who occupy a housing unit, which may include single persons living alone, families related through marriage or blood, and unrelated individuals living together. Persons living in retirement or convalescent homes, dormitories, or other group living situations are not considered households. Information on household characteristics is important to understand the growth and changing needs of the community.

HOUSEHOLD TYPE
According to the ACS, there were 87,189 households in Riverside in 2019. Of these households, 19.7% were single-person households (no change from the 2010 Census), while households with seniors (65+) comprised almost 42%. Single-person households in Riverside were on par with most neighboring jurisdictions and countywide, except for Moreno Valley and Corona. Some 27% of Riverside households consisted of families with children, a smaller proportion than in neighboring Norco and Riverside County but consistent with most other neighboring jurisdictions. When compared to Census 2010 numbers, Riverside’s household composition is slowly trending toward senior-headed households and away from families with children and large households.

Different household types have different housing needs. Seniors or young adults typically comprise most single-person households and tend to reside in apartment units, condominiums, or smaller single-family homes.

Families often prefer single-family homes. Riverside’s housing stock provides a range of unit types to meet the needs of its residents (Table CP-6: Household Characteristics). Roughly, 68% of the City’s housing stock is comprised of single-family units, while approximately 30% of the units consist of multifamily units such as apartments and condominiums according to the American Community Survey.

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Table CP-6: Household Characteristics (2019)
Jurisdiction
Single-
Person
Households
Single-
Parent
Households
All
Households
with
Children
Households
with
Seniors
Large Households
Owner-
Occupied
Renter-
Occupied
Colton 17.6% 11.1% 24.5% 44.5% 17.5% 19.0%
Moreno Valley 10.9% 11.7% 24.6% 48.9% 27.6% 27.8%
Corona 12.6% 6.4% 22.3% 42.6% 19.3% 17.4%
Norco 19.7% 3.0% 34.2% 33.6% 17.5% 18.7%
San Bernardino 20.7% 11.5% 24.1% 41.8% 24.2% 23.9%
Riverside 19.7% 7.7% 27.4% 41.8% 20.2% 17.1%
Riverside County 20.4% 7.0% 33.8% 37.0% 17.4% 19.1%
Source: Census, American Community Survey (2015-2019 Estimates)

HOUSEHOLD SIZE
Household size identifies sources of population growth and overcrowding of housing units. In communities where the population is aging, the average household size frequently declines simultaneously because elderly residents often live without children. Although Riverside’s elderly population grew as a share prior to 2019, the City’s average household size grew from 3.26 to 3.43 people per household between 2011 and 2019, which seems to contradict the pattern of the City’s growing share of senior residents. One factor that may explain the trend is the City’s large share of overcrowded households, which the ACS defines as households with five or more individuals and are examined later in this chapter. Large households comprise almost one fifth (19%) of Riverside households, and their prevalence may have contributed to the City’s rising average household size growing (Figure CP-3: Household Size).

The County also had a similar increasing household size trend, increasing from 3.15 to 3.28 from 2011 to 2019.

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Figure CP-3: Household Size
Source: Census, American Community Survey (2015-2019 Estimates)

HOUSEHOLD INCOME
Household income is an important consideration when evaluating housing and community development needs because lower income typically constrains a household's ability to secure adequate housing or services. While housing choices such as tenure (owning versus renting) and location are very much income-dependent, household size and type often affect the proportion of income that can be spent on housing.

According to ACS estimates, 9% of Riverside households in 2019 had incomes lower than $15,000, while nearly 16% of households earned incomes between $15,000 and $34,999 (Table CP-7 Household Income Distribution). This represents a proportional change in lower income categories since 2010. Approximately 29% of City households earned incomes between $35,000 and $75,000, while roughly 32% had incomes between $75,000 and $149,999. Another 14% of Riverside households earned $150,000 or more.

Proportionally, more households in Riverside earn incomes between $50,000-149,999 when compared to households in Riverside County overall (50% in Riverside compared to 47% in Riverside County). The ACS estimates that the median household income in Riverside was $69,045 as of January 2019, while the median income for the County was estimated to be $67,005.

3.45 3.82

3.48 3.29

3.35 3.26

3.15 3.25

4.06 3.4

3.34 3.46

3.43 3.28

COLTON MORENO
VALLEY

CORONA NORCO SAN

BERNARDINO

RIVERSIDE RIVERSIDE
COUNTY
2011 2019
More households in
Riverside earn incomes
between $50,000-149,999
compared to countywide
households.

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Table CP-7: Household Income Distribution 2011/2019
Household Income
2011 2019 Change in Proportion
Riverside
Riverside
County Riverside
Riverside
County Riverside
Riverside
County
Less than $15,000 10.1% 9.9% 9.0% 9.3% -1.1% -0.6%
$15,000 - $34,999 19.5% 20.2% 15.9% 16.9% -3.6% -3.3%
$35,000 - $49,999 14.0% 13.2% 11.4% 11.7% -2.6% -1.5%
$50,000 - $74,999 19.7% 18.5% 17.8% 17.1% -1.9% -1.4%
$75,000 - $99,999 13.8% 13.4% 14.8% 13.1% 1.0% -0.3%
$100,000 - $149,000 14.3% 14.9% 17.6% 16.9% 3.3% 2.0%
$150,000 or more 8.6% 9.9% 13.6% 15.0% 5.0% 5.1%
Source: American Community Survey 2011 and 2019 (5-Year Estimates Table DP03)

OVERCROWDING
An overcrowded housing unit is defined as a unit occupied by more than one person per room (including living and dining rooms but excluding kitchen and bathrooms). Overcrowding can result when there are not enough adequately sized units within a community, when high housing costs relative to income force too many individuals to share a housing unit than it can adequately accommodate, and/or when families reside in smaller units than they need to devote income to other necessities, such as food and health care.

In Riverside, 2,741 owner-occupied and 5,995 renter-occupied households had more than 1.0 occupants per room, which meets the ACS definition for overcrowding. Additionally, 673 owner-occupied households and 1,690 renter-occupied households had more than 1.5 occupants per room, which meets the ACS definition for severe overcrowding.

According to the 2014-2018 ACS, roughly 25% of Riverside households experienced overcrowded living conditions in 2018 (Table CP-8: Overcrowding). Of these, 31% were in owner-occupied households, and 69% were renters. This suggests that renters are disproportionately affected by overcrowding – as of 2019, only 33% of the households in Riverside were renter-occupied, but they represent 69% of all overcrowded households.

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While more than 61% of occupied housing units in the City had three or more bedrooms (the minimum size considered large enough to avoid most overcrowding issues for large households), only 23% of these units were occupied by renters. This pattern suggests an inadequate supply of larger rental units.

Table CP-8: Overcrowding (2018)
Tenure
Overcrowded
Households 1
Severely
Overcrowded
Households 2
% of Overcrowded
Households
% of All
Households 3
Owner 2,741 673 30.8% 7.0%
Renter 5,995 1,690 69.2% 18.3%
Total 8,736 2,363 100.0% 25.3%
1) Overcrowding 1.01 or more persons per bedroom.
2) Severe overcrowding 1.51 or more persons per bedroom. 3) % of households for that category
Source: American Community Survey 2014-2018 (5-Year Estimates)

COST BURDEN
State and federal standards for housing cost burden are based on an income-to-housing cost ratio of 30% and above. Households paying more than 30% of their income on housing have limited remaining income for other necessities. Upper income households generally can pay a larger proportion of income for housing; therefore, estimates of housing cost burden generally focus on lower- and moderate-income households.

According to the most recent Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) data, published by HUD, 40% of Riverside households overpaid for housing in 2017 and housing cost burden affected a larger proportion of renters (55%) than owners (28%) (Table CP-9: Cost Burden by Tenure and Income Level). Cost burden affected a smaller proportion of households in 2017 than 2010 with 40% of households overpaying for housing in 2017, whereas 47% did so in 2010. Since 2010, the proportion of cost burdened renter-households has increased slightly from 54% to 55%. By contrast, the proportion of cost burdened owner-households decreased substantially from 42% to 28% in seven years.

Cost burden affected a majority of lower and moderate-income households in 2017 regardless of tenure; however, the incidence of cost burden was greatest among extremely low-income homeowners (79%) and very low-income renters (94%). With a high prevalence of cost burden amongst lower income households, households may attempt to mitigate cost burden by taking in additional roommates or occupying smaller and presumably cheaper units, leading to overcrowding.

With a high prevalence of
cost burden among lower
income households,
households may mitigate
cost burden by taking in
roommates or occupying
smaller and cheaper units,
leading to overcrowding.

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Table CP-9: Cost Burden by Tenure and Income Level (2010/2017) Income
Owners Renters
Owners and
Renters
2010 2017 2010 2017 2010 2017
Extremely Low Income (<=30% AMI) 79.9% 79.2% 83.1% 78.3% 82.2% 78.5% Very Low Income (30-50% AMI) 75.4% 69.6% 93.1% 94.0% 86.2% 86.4% Low Income (50-80% AMI) 66.8% 56.5% 67.5% 78.0% 67.1% 69.1% Moderate/Above Moderate Income (>80%
AMI) 31.0% 17.5% 17.4% 20.2% 27.1% 18.4%
All Households 42.2% 28.1% 54.0% 55.0% 47.1% 40.4%
Note: AMI means Area Median Income
Source: Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS), 2006-2010 and 2013-2017

SPECIAL NEEDS GROUPS
Certain segments of the population may have more difficulty in finding decent, affordable housing due to their special needs, including employment and income, household size, disability status, or number of dependents.

These groups, which are termed “special needs groups” herein, often expend a greater proportion of their income on housing costs, live in overcrowded units, or in substandard conditions. Special needs groups (Table CP-10: Special Needs Groups) include the following:
 Senior-headed households;
 Female
-headed households;
 Large househ
olds;
 Persons with disabilities;
 Agricultural w
orkers;
 Students; and
 Homeless ind
ividuals.

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Table CP-10: Special Needs Groups
Special Needs Group
Riverside Riverside County
Number Percent Number Percent
Senior-Headed Households (65+ years) 4,826 24.6% 249,767 22.3% Single-Parent Households 1,634 8.3% 124,701 11.1%
Female-Headed Households with Children 1,072 5.5% 66,423 5.9% Large Households (5 people or greater) 1,843 9.4% 132,588 11.8% Individuals with Disabilities 5,964 10.8% 314,897 9.8%
Agricultural Workers (Individuals)1 13 0.0% 13,471 0.9% Students (Individuals)2 4,019 7.0% 296,600 9.0%
Homeless (Individuals) 439 0.0% 7,619 0.2%

1. Category includes civilians employed in the "agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining" industry as reported in the ACS.

2. Population enrolled in college or graduate school.

Source: Census, ACS, 2014-2018; and Regional Task Force on the Homeless, 2020.

SENIOR-HEADED HOUSEHOLDS
Senior-headed households are considered special needs groups due to their relatively low incomes, disabilities or limitations, and dependency needs. The senior age range includes individuals over 65 years of age. This group has four main concerns: limited and often fixed income; poor health and associated high healthcare costs; mobility limitation and transit dependency; and high costs of housing.

According to ACS data collected between 2014-2018, households headed by seniors (age 65+) represented approximately 19% of all Riverside households. Of these households, the majority (72%) owned their homes, while the remainder (28%) rented their housing. Table CP-11: Senior-Headed Households by Income and Tenure shows the number of senior households that rent and own by income category. The share of senior- headed households that rent their housing is substantially higher in Riverside than smaller neighboring communities.

Many seniors have a disability. Roughly 25% of Riverside’s senior population had one or more disabilities according to ACS data collected between 2014 and 2018. The need for housing for senior individuals will likely increase as City’s number of senior-headed households continues to grow. It will therefore be particularly important for the City to promote housing types that accommodate senior lifestyles and incomes.

It will be important for the
City to encourage and
facilitate the development
of housing that is affordable
and accommodating to
seniors.

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Table CP-11: Senior-Headed Households by Income and Tenure

FEMALE-HEADED HOUSEHOLDS
Single-parent households require special consideration and assistance because of their greater need for day care, health care, and other facilities. Female-headed households with children tend to have lower incomes, thus limiting housing availability for this group. According to the 2014-2018 ACS, approximately eight percent of Riverside households were headed by single parents. The large majority of these, 66 percent, were headed by females.

Figure CP-4 Female-Headed Households shows the number and percentage of female-headed households in the city in 2019 in relation to the total number of households. According to the 2014-2018 ACS, 21 percent of single-parent households had incomes below the poverty level; 87 percent of those households were headed by women. City efforts to expand affordable housing opportunities will help meet the needs of single-parent households.

Figure CP-4: Female Headed Households
Source: Census, American Community Survey 2014-2018
Income Category
Relative to surrounding
Area Owner Renter Total
Percent Total Senior
Households
< 30% HAMFI 1,180 1,815 2,995 15.8%
30-50% HAMFI 1,665 1,360 3,025 15.9%
50-80% HAMFI 2,250 1,020 3,270 17.2%
80-100% HAMFI 1,385 445 1,830 9.6%
> 100% HAMFI 6,755 1,110 7,865 41.4%
TOTAL 13,235 5,750 18,985
90866

15.6%; 14197

7.5%; 6858

1.2%; 1117
0 20000 40000 60000 80000 100000

TOTAL HOUSEHOLDS

TOTAL FHH

FHH W/CHILDREN
FHH W/CHILDREN UNDER 6
PERCENT OF TOTAL HOUSEHODS; NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS
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LARGE HOUSEHOLDS
Large households, defined as those with five or more members, are identified as a group with special housing needs based on the limited availability of adequately sized, affordable housing units. Large households are often of lower income, frequently resulting in the overcrowding of smaller dwelling units and, in turn, accelerating unit deterioration.

As Table CP-12: Small and Large Households shows, about 19% of Riverside households were classified as “large households” by the 2014-2018 ACS. Table CP-13: Household Size by Number of Persons shows that about 47% of large households rented the housing units they occupied.

Table CP-12: Small and Large Household Size (2018)
Persons per
Household
Total
Households Percent Owner
Households
Percent of
Owner
Households
Renter
Households
Percent of
Renter
Households
Small
Households (<5
people)
73,657 81.1% 39,239 43.2% 34,418 37.9%
Large
Households (≥5
people)
17,209 18.9% 9,792 10.8% 7,417 8.2%
Totals 90,866
Source: Census, American Community Survey 2014-2018
The housing needs of larger households are typically met through larger units. While the American Community Survey shows that 25% of occupied housing units in the City had four or more bedrooms, only a small portion of these units (13%) were occupied by renters. Since 19% of Riverside’s households are large households, lower-income large renter households may have greater difficulty securing adequately sized units than other large renter households.

In Riverside, 2,741 owner-occupied and 5,995 renter-occupied households had more than 1.0 occupants per room, which meets the ACS definition for overcrowding. 673 owner-occupied households and 1,690 renter- occupied households had more than 1.5 occupants per room, which meets the ACS definition for severe overcrowding.

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Table CP-13: Household Size by Number of Persons (2018) Persons per Household
Total
Households Percent
Owner
Households
Percent of
Total
Households
Renter
Households
Percent of
Total
Households
One Person 18,050 19.9% 7,909 16.1% 10,141 24.2%
Two People 25,374 27.9% 14,310 29.2% 11,064 26.4%
Three People 15,733 17.3% 8,380 17.1% 7,353 17.6%
Four People 14,500 16.0% 8,640 17.6% 5,860 14.0%
Five People 9,528 10.5% 5,413 11.0% 9.8%
Six People 4,083 4.5% 2,307 4.7% 1,776 4.2%
Seven+ People 3,598 4.0% 2,072 4.2% 1,526 3.6%
Overall Totals 90,866 49,031 41,835
Source: Census, American Community Survey 2014-2018

PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
Persons with disabilities have one or more physical, mental, or developmental conditions that substantially limits one or more day-to-day activities. These individuals often have difficulty holding employment opportunities, have limited incomes, and have difficulty occupying conventionally designed housing. According to 2014-2018 ACS data, 11% of Riverside’s population over five years old had a disability. Figure CP-5:

Peoples with Disability by Type shows that 8,841 individuals, 32% of the disabled population, had difficulty hearing, 6,425 individuals, 20% of the disabled population had vision difficulty, 17,406 individuals, 55% of the disabled population, had ambulatory disabilities, 13,442 individuals, 38% of the disabled population had a disability that made independent living difficult, while 7,871individuals, and 21% of the disabled population, had self-care difficulty. It is important to note that persons with a disability can have more than one type of disability and can, therefore, be classified within more than one of the categories listed.

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Four factors – affordability, design, location, and discrimination – significantly limit the supply of housing available to persons with disabilities. The most pressing need for persons with disabilities is housing that is accommodates the nature of their disability. Most single-family homes are inaccessible to people with mobility and sensory limitations. Conventional housing often does not feature widened doorways and hallways, access ramps, larger bathrooms, lowered countertops, and other features necessary for accessibility.

The cost of retrofitting a housing unit often prohibits disabled individuals from buying a home, even among those who could otherwise afford one. Furthermore, some providers of basic homebuying services do not have offices or materials that are accessible to people with mobility, visual, or hearing impairments.

The location of housing is also a factor for individuals with mobility-related disabilities, as they often rely upon public transportation. Transportation services for persons with disabilities are typically provided by public and private agencies. State and federal legislation sets accessibility and adaptability standards for new or rehabilitated multifamily apartment complexes to ensure that the housing accommodates individuals with physical mobility constraints.

Disability data also provides valuable context to assess the current and future need for accessible housing units. It is important to note that since some disability types are not recorded for children below a certain age, the disability rate within the population may be an underestimate. Understanding the employment status of people with disabilities may also be an important component in evaluating specialized housing needs. In Riverside, only 35.5% of the population with a disability is employed, which is far lower than 71.2% of the non- disabled population. This data indicates housing units that are universally accessible will also need to be affordable given disabled individuals’ limited employment status and incomes.

PERSONS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
A recent change in State law requires that the Housing Element discuss the housing needs of persons with developmental disabilities. As defined by State law, “developmental disability” means a disability that originates before an individual attains 18 years of age; continues, or can be expected to continue, indefinitely; and constitutes a substantial disability for that individual. Intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and autism are considered developmental disabilities. The term also includes conditions closely related to intellectual disability and that require similar treatment, but the term does not include other handicapping conditions that are solely physical in nature.

Many persons with developmental disabilities can live and work independently within a conventional housing unit. More severely disabled individuals often require a group living environment, however, where supervision is provided. The most severely affected individuals may require an institutional environment where medical attention and physical therapy are provided. Because developmental disabilities exist before adulthood, the first issue in supportive housing for the developmentally disabled is the transition from the person’s living situation as a child to an appropriate level of independence as an adult.

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The California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) provides data on developmental disabilities by age and type of residence at the ZIP-code level and the data is show in Table CP-14: Persons With Development Disabilities. According to the DDS data, there were approximately 3,058 Riverside residents with developmental disabilities being served by CA-DDS in June 2019. Most of these individuals (76%) resided in a private home with their parent or guardian and 2,092 of these persons with developmental disabilities were under the age of 18.

Figure CP-5: Peoples with Disability by Type
Source: CA DDS consumer count by CA ZIP, age group and residence type for the end of June 2019. Data available in 161/197 SCAG jurisdictions. 8,841
6,425
13,719
17,406
7,871
13,442
0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000 18,000 20,000

HEARING
VISION

COGNITIVE

AMBULATORY

SELF-CARE

INDEPENDENT LIVING
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Table CP-14: Persons with Developmental Disabilities Served by CA-DDS Source: CA DDS consumer count by CA ZIP, age group and residence type for the end of June 2019. Data available in 161/197 SCAG jurisdictions.

AGRICULTURAL WORKERS
Housing for agricultural workers is a unique concern throughout California. While only a small share of jurisdictions in the SCAG region have agricultural workers living in them, these workers are essential because they support the region's economy and food supply.

Agricultural workers are defined as persons whose primary incomes are earned through permanent or seasonal agricultural labor. Permanent farm laborers work in the fields, processing plants, or support activities, generally on a year-round basis. When the workload increases during harvest periods, the labor force is supplemented by seasonal labor, often supplied by a labor contractor. For some crops, farms may employ migrant workers, defined as those whose travel distance to work prevents them from returning to their primary residence every evening. Determining the true size of the agricultural labor force is difficult. For instance, the government agencies that track farm labor do not consistently define agricultural workers (e.g. field laborers versus workers in processing plants), length of employment (e.g. permanent or seasonal), or place of work (e.g. the location of the business or field).

By Residence for 0-17 Years Age Group
Home of Parent/Family/Guardian 1,590
Independent/Supported Living 117
Community Care Facility 254
Intermediate Care Facility 56
Foster/Family Home 37
Other 38
TOTAL 2,092
By Age Group
0 - 17 Years 2,092
18+ Years 966
TOTAL 3,058
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According to the 2015-2019 ACS data, 1,612 Riverside residents were employed in farming, forestry, or fishing occupations, as Table CP-15: Agricultural Workers shows. Riverside is an urbanized community with very few undeveloped parcels zoned for agriculture as a principal use; however, some residential zones allow a range of agriculture and related uses. The City has a 5,000-acre agricultural greenbelt in its southwest corner that permits agricultural uses, which means that there are many working farms within the City’s borders.

Riverside’s agricultural worker population accounts for 1% of the City’s working population of 151,989 and

0.15% of the County’s 1.07 million working. According to the 2017 U.S. Department of Agriculture Census, 1,107 farms were operating in Riverside County, employing 11,365 farmworkers. Specifically, 421 farms were employing 1,132 seasonal workers who worked fewer than 150 days a year. Also, 74 farms were employing 1,684 migrant workers.

Notably, most areas adjacent to Riverside are considered urban and built-out or otherwise unproductive for agriculture. Because no major farming activities are located near Riverside, there is a limited need for agricultural worker housing in the City. Promoting affordable housing for extremely low and very low-income households would address the housing needs of agricultural workers in Riverside, if any.

Table CP-15: Agricultural Workers
Riverside
Percent of total
Riverside Residents
Working in Farming SCAG Total
Agricultural Workers by Occupation:

Total jobs: Farming, fishing, and
forestry occupations 603 0.40% 57,741
Full-time, year-round jobs:

Farming, fishing, and forestry
occupations
399 0.41% 31,521
Employment in the Agricultural Industry:

Total in agriculture, forestry,
fishing, and hunting 870 0.58% 73,778
Full-time, year-round in
agriculture, forestry, fishing, and
hunting
742 0.76% 44,979
Source: Census, American Community Survey 2014-2018
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STUDENTS
Riverside includes two private, non-profit universities (California Baptist University and La Sierra University – which have a total of 9,477 students) and two public universities within its jurisdictional limits (University of California – Riverside and Riverside City College). UCR is the largest university in the Riverside region, with approximately 20,548 undergraduate students and 3,493 postgraduate students. Riverside City College has nearly the same number of undergraduate students (19,022 students).

Approximately 52,540 students were enrolled in the City’s colleges between 2018-2019, which represented about 16% of Riverside’s population, although it is important to consider that many of these students likely live outside the City’s limits. This number is nearly triple the national average number of students in each community (about 6%). Typically, students have lower incomes and, therefore, can be impacted by a lack of affordable housing. Overcrowded housing within special needs groups are also a common concern.

HOMELESS POPULATION
According to United State Department of Housing and Community Development (HUD), the homeless population includes:
 Individuals and families who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including individuals who are exiting an institution where they resided for 90 days or less and who resided in an emergency shelter or a place not meant for human habitation immediately before entering that institution;  Individuals and families who will imminently lose their primary nighttime residence;

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 Unaccompanied youth and families with children and youth who are defined as homeless under other federal statutes who do not otherwise qualify as homeless under this definition; or  Individuals an
d families who are fleeing, or are attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other dangerous or life-threatening conditions that relate to violence against the individual or a family member.

According to the City’s 2020 Point in Time Homeless Count, the total homeless count was 587 individuals.

Additional information about Riverside’s homeless demographics is presented in the Tables below. In 2003, the City of Riverside adopted the “Riverside Community Broad-Based Homeless Action Plan.” Table CP-16: Point in Time by Subpopulation (2020)
Homeless Persons by Condition # Persons
Household Interview 278
Chronically Homeless 105
Mental Health 84
Physical Disability 66
PTSD 63
Brain Injury 33
Developmental Disability 33
Veteran 30
Domestic Violence 24
AIDS or HIV 1
Total 587
Source: City of Riverside 2020 Point in Time Count
Table CP-17: Point in Time by Age Group (2020)
Homeless Persons by Gender # Persons %
Children (<18 years) 11 2%
Youth (18-24 years) 66 11%
Adult (>24 years) 415 71%
Blank 95 16%
Total 587
Source: City of Riverside 2020 Point in Time Count
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Table CP-18: Point in Time by Gender (2020)
Homeless Persons by Gender # Persons %
Male 359 61.1%
Female 150 25.5%
Transgender 1 0.2%
Did not Identify 1 0.2%
Blank 76 12.9%
Total 587
Source: City of Riverside 2020 Point in Time Count
Since its adoption, the City has implemented 30 strategies to address homelessness, including hiring a homeless services coordinator and street outreach workers, opening a new emergency shelter, developing a homeless services access center, expanding funding for community-based service agencies, identifying funding for homeless prevention strategies, strengthening collaboration with faith-based service providers, and creating more affordable housing.

On October 11, 2016, the Riverside City Council held a workshop to discuss the current conditions contributing to homelessness, the programs and services available, and new options for policies and programs with the goal to improve the quality for life for all residents by:
 Maintaining clean and sanitary streets, parks, and public areas;  Mitigating impacts to businesses and residents;
 Educating the community about effective ways to assist individuals and families experiencing homelessness through a connection to volunteer opportunities with effective service providers; and  Connect
ing residents, especially those most vulnerable and living without shelter and with many barriers, to sustainable homeless services, employment, and housing opportunities.

On June 20, 2017, the City Council received an update on City efforts to address Riverside’s homeless issues that include action items for new initiatives and receive an update on previously authorized action items that include the following:
 Continue efforts to establish a full-service campus
 The Housing First Model of Service Delivery (creation of permanent supportive housing units accompanied with supportive services onsite)
 The Community Response Team (Supportive services team)  The Riverside at Work Program
The City formally adopted its Housing First Strategy in 2018, which described available resources and The City has implemented
30 strategies, including
hiring a homeless services
coordinator and street
outreach workers, opening
a new emergency shelter,
developing a homeless
services access center,
expanding funding for
community-based service
agencies, and more.

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approaches for the City to take to address homelessness. The City’s strategy provides background on the current funding opportunities and strategies for future development and operations, including the use of Building Homes and Jobs act funding to update plans and zoning ordinances to prioritize housing first. Other report recommendations to develop and finance housing for homeless individuals include:
 Increase the percentage of Measure Z funding allocated to the development of affordable housing and make the funding permanent for the duration of the measure.  Seek partnerships with County agencies to focus funding for Housing First as a priority.  Make pre-development funding available to organizations interested in developing available surplus property.
 Setting aside 15 percent of all affordable housing developed.  Explore waiving all fees from various City departments that collect fees related to Housing First development.

The City also identified a list of potential properties that are large enough to accommodate multifamily with 20 to 35 efficiency or one-bedroom units and are near transit, grocery stores, and healthcare services. Fourteen sites in the City met these criteria and were identified in the plan. As part of this Housing Element update, the City analyzed sites that could accommodate new homeless shelters. The City used the following criteria to determine potential sites for new homeless shelters:
 The site is a small parcel that a nonprofit could purchase and construct on.  The site is zoned I - Industrial but not actively occupied with an industrial use.  The site is not located immediately adjacent to an existing heavy-industrial use.  The site is located at least 300 feet from another potential homeless shelter site or existing homeless shelter.

The analysis determined that the following parcels would be suitable for new homeless shelters:
 646 I – Industrial-zoned parcels exist in the City of Riverside which total 834 acres.  202 I - Industrial-zoned parcels totaling 171 acres have been identified as underdeveloped, underused, or vacant.
 Thirteen I - Industrial-zoned parcels between 0.5-2 acres are underdeveloped, underused, or vacant and can support the development of a homeless shelter. All the parcels meet the 300-foot separation requirement.

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ALTERNATIVE HOUSING FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE
Riverside’s comprehensive continuum of care approach is predicated on the understanding that homelessness is caused by a complex range of underlying physical, economic, and social needs. Nonetheless, there is still the need for immediate housing. To that end, the City provides the following housing options:

Emergency Shelter. This includes short-term facilities that provide basic, temporary overnight sleeping accommodations along with meals, showers, and supportive service linkage for people who are homeless.

Transitional Housing. This is a residence that provides a stay of up to two years during which residents are provided case management services that prepare them to obtain and maintain housing and be self-sufficient.

Permanent Supportive Housing. This is a residence that provides permanent housing linked with ongoing support services that allow residents to live at the place of residence on an indefinite basis.

Homeless Services Campus. The City’s Homeless Services campus for homeless people is modeled after the nationally acclaimed “PATH Mall” concept. The Campus features an innovative services-to-housing approach that offers temporary shelter and a mix of supportive services in one centralized campus.

Table CP-19: Homeless Shelter Resources
Facility
Facility
Sites
Clientele
Individuals
Persons in
Families Youth Total
Emergency Shelter 3 414 193 172 779
Transitional Housing 8 180 0 25 205
Permanent Supportive
Housing 3 38 3 6 47
Total 14 632 196 203 1,031
Source: City of Riverside, 2021
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HOUSING STOCK CHARACTERISTICS
The term “housing stock” refers to all the housing units located within a community’s boundary. The characteristics of the housing stock, including its growth rate, housing types, age, condition, tenure, vacancy rates, costs, and affordability compared with incomes are important considerations in determining the community’s housing needs. The following details the City of Riverside’s housing stock and identifies how well the current housing stock meets the needs of current and future residents.

Riverside’s housing stock has grown steadily since 2000, at which time the City had 85,974 housing units. Just since 2015, the housing stock grew from 99,501 units to 101,414 units, a growth of approximately 2%.

Between 2000 and 2020, more single-family housing than multi-family housing was constructed in the City. In that timeframe, 9,891 single-family residential units were built, compared with 5,703 multifamily units, while the City lost 154 mobile homes.

Figure CP-6: Housing Type Trend
Source: Census, American Community Survey 2014-2018
The chart to the left shows the number of housing units by type in Riverside, and the share of the total 101,414 housing units that each type comprises. Riverside has 64,645 single-family housing units, making them the most common type. When combined, the share of single-family attached and single-family detached units comprised 67.6% of the City’s total units, a larger share than 61.7% in the SCAG region overall. Meanwhile, the average household size is 3.43 persons per household.
58,669
24,924
2,381
63,260
27,640
2,303
67,351
28,866
2,227
67,706
29,568
2,227
68,560
30,627
2,227
0 10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000

SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (SFR) MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL (MFR) MOBILE HOMES

HOUSING UNITS
2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
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Figure CP-7: Housing Stock Composition
Source: Census, American Community Survey 2014-2018

HOUSING AGE AND CONDITION
Examining the age of the current housing stock is one way to understand how historical development patterns have contributed to the City's built form. The time during which the largest share of Riverside's housing units was built is 1970-1979, and approximately 76% of the City’s housing stock was constructed prior to 1990. This is consistent with trends seen in the SCAG region, where more units were built during 1970-1979 than any other period.

Housing that is 30 years old or older, like most of the housing in Riverside, is assumed to require some rehabilitation. Features such as electrical capacity, kitchen features, and roofs usually need updating if no prior replacement work has occurred.
64,645
3,915 6,406
24,221
2,227

54.4%

7.2% 7.5%

27.3%

3.5%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Single-Family Detached Single-Family Attached Multif amily, 2-4 Units Multifamily, 5+ Units Mobile Homes Riverside (%) 63.7% 3.9% 6.3% 23.9% 2.2%
SCAG (%) 54.4% 7.2% 7.5% 27.3% 3.5%

PERCENT OF TOTAL UNITS
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Figure CP-8: Housing Units by year Structure Built
Source: Census, American Community Survey 2014-2018
The ACS estimates that about 1% percent of homes in Riverside are in substandard condition currently– including 1% (937 units) lacking complete kitchen facilities and about 0.3% percent lacking plumbing. By the end of this Housing Element planning period in 2029, 86% of the City’s housing stock, a total of 87,216 units, will exceed 30 years of age and may, therefore, need some degree of rehabilitation at that time; however, the need for rehabilitation does not necessarily make a housing unit substandard.

Figure CP-9: Substandard Housing
Source: Census, American Community Survey 2014-2018
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
2014 &
Later
2010-
2013
2000-
2009
1990-
1999
1980-
1989
1970-
1979
1960-
1969
1950-
1959
1940-
1949
1939 &
Earlier
Riverside (%) 0.6% 1.8% 11.9% 10.1% 16.6% 19.2% 12.1% 15.7% 5.0% 7.1% SCAG (%) 1.0% 1.5% 10.1% 9.5% 15.0% 16.3% 14.5% 15.9% 6.9% 9.3%

PERCENT OF TOTAL UNITS
Riverside (%) SCAG (%)

2.25%

0.28%

1.03%

1.95%

0.39%

1.29%
0%
1%
1%
2%
2%
3%
No Telephone Service
Available
Lacking Plumbing Facilities Lacking Complete Kitchen
Facilities

PERCENT OF TOTAL
UNITS
Riverside SCAG
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According to records provided by the Building and& Safety, as well as and Code Enforcement Divisions, the City investigated 210 complaints on code violations in 2018 and 147 complaints in 2019. Complaints about code violations declined in 2020 (94 complaints) and 2021 (39 complaints), primarily due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Based on this level of complaints represents only 0.3% of the housing stock. However, as complaints typically represent only a portion of the housing condition issues, the City generally estimates that about 3% of its housing stock (approximately 3,000 units) is in substandard condition, requiring substantial rehabilitation or replacement.

HOUSING TENURE
The tenure distribution of a community's housing stock (owner versus renter) influences several aspects of the local housing market. Homeownership can stabilize the housing market by allowing households to reside in the community in the long-term, however, a substantial share of housing available for rent is also advantageous in that it allows new residents to move into the community and enables more households to access housing who might not be able to otherwise. Tenure preferences are primarily related to household income, composition, and age of the householder. Resultantly, housing cost burden, while faced by many households, is far more prevalent among renters. Between 2015 and 2019, 54% of Riverside residents owned the units they occupied, while 46% rented (Table CP-20: Housing Tenure). This rate of homeownership is substantially lower than the countywide rate.

Owner-occupied households were slightly larger than renter-occupied households in Riverside (Table CP-21:

Tenure by Household Size). Among those who owned their homes between 2015 and 2019, 55% lived in homes with three or more persons per household, compared to 49% for the renter-households.

Table CP-20: Housing Tenure (2019)
Jurisdiction Percent Owner-Occupied Percent Renter -Occupied Colton 51.7% 48.3%
Moreno Valley 61.7% 38.3%
Corona 64.1% 35.9%
Norco 83.9% 16.1%
San Bernardino 47.4% 52.6%
Riverside 54.0% 46.0%
Riverside County 66.3% 33.7%
Source: Census, American Community Survey 2014-2019
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Table CP-21: Tenure by Household Size (2019)
Households % of Total Units Owner-Occupied
% of Total Units Renter-
Occupied
1-person 16.1% 24.2%
2-person 29.2% 26.4%
3-person 17.1% 17.6%
4-person 17.6% 14.0%
5-person or more 20.0% 17.7%
Average household size 3.62 3.21
Source: Census, American Community Survey 2015-2019

HOUSING VACANCY
A certain number of vacant units are needed to moderate the cost of housing, allow sufficient choice for residents, and provide an incentive for unit upkeep and repair. Specifically, vacancy rates of 1.5% to 2% for owner-occupied housing and 5% to 6% percent for rental housing are considered optimal to balance demand and supply for housing.

Figure CP-10: Vacant Units by Type
Source: Census, American Community Survey 2015-2019

42.5%

8.5% 9.4% 5.4% 10.4%

0.0%

23.7%20.7%

5.4% 7.9% 4.5%

33.5%

0.3%

27.7%
0%
20%
40%
60%
For Rent Rented For Sale Sold Seasonal Migrant Other

PERCENT OF TOTAL

VACANT UNITS
Riverside SCAG
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34 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
Table CP-22: Household Vacancy by Tenure
Jurisdiction
Total #
Household
s
Homeowner
Vacancy Rate
Rental Vacancy
Rate
Riverside 95,991 1.0% 4.8%
Riverside
County 840,501 1.9% 4.8%
Source: Census, American Community Survey 2015-2019
Table CP-23: Overall Household Vacancy
Jurisdiction
Total #
Households
# Vacant
Households
% Vacant
Households
Riverside 95,991 5,269 5.49%
Riverside
County 840,501 115,608 13.75%
Source: Census, American Community Survey 2015-2019
Vacancy rates in Riverside are lower than what is considered optimal for a healthy housing market.

According to the 2014-2018 ACS, the overall The overall vacancy rate in Riverside was 5.49%, which equates to 4,935 total vacant units Specifically, the vacancy rate for owner-occupied housing was 1% and 4.8% for renter-occupied housing. When vacancy rates are too low, prices are often forced to go up, making it more difficult for low- and moderate-income households to find housing, increasing the incidence of overcrowding.

The category “other” vacancy refers to vacant housing units that do not fall into one of the other categories, including housing held by a janitor or caretaker, or units held vacant for an owner’s personal reasons.

HOUSING COSTS AND AFFORDABILITY
The cost of housing is directly related to the extent of housing problems in a community. If housing costs are relatively high in comparison to household income, there will be a correspondingly higher prevalence of housing cost burden and overcrowding. The following summarizes the cost and affordability of the housing stock to Riverside residents.

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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 35
Figure CP-11: Median Home Sales Price for Existing Homes Source: Census, American Community Survey 2015-2019

HOMEOWNERSHIP MARKET
Between 2000 and 2018, median home sale prices in Riverside increased 217% while prices in the SCAG region increased 151%. 2018 median home sale prices in Riverside were $435,000, the highest experienced since 2000. Prices in Riverside have ranged from a low of 59.4% of the SCAG region median in 2009 and a high of 77.5% in 2018.The home sale market (Table CP-24: Home Asking Prices) continues to rise in Riverside, as the median asking price of homes in August 2020 ($551,334) is significantly higher than the median sale price of homes in November 2012 ($275,000) as reported in the 2013-2021 Housing Element based on the online Multiple Listing Service (MLS) database.

RENTAL MARKET
It is important to understand the rental market in Riverside as renters comprise approximately 46% of the City’s households. Rental price information was collected for nearly 200 apartment complexes within the City with units for rent, as detailed in CoStar data pulled in March 2021. At the time of this research, studio apartment units rented for $525 to $1,843 and one-bedroom units rented for $560 to $2,023. Larger units were more expensive; two-bedroom units were offered at rents ranging from $767 to $2,425, while three- bedroom units were listed at $1,022 to $2,845.

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%
$-
$100,000
$200,000
$300,000
$400,000
$500,000
$600,000
Riverside SCAG Riverside Percentage of SCAG Price
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Table CP-24: Home Asking Prices (August 2020)
Unit Type # for Sale Asking Price Range
Median
Asking Price
Single-Family Homes 37 $117,000-$1,355,000 $600,714
2-Bedroom 4 $117,000-$149,900 $124,900
3-Bedroom 20 $445,912-$975,000 $596,947
4+-Bedroom 13 $552,668- $1,355,000 $667,956
Condos/Townhomes 21 $360,000- $599,000 $450,000
2-Bedroom 3 $360-000-$450,000 $369,000
3-Bedroom 17 $389,800-$599,000 $459,000
4+-Bedroom 1 $525,000 $525,000
All Homes 58 $117,000-$1,355,000 $551,334
Source: Zillow, August 26, 2020.

Table CP-25: Apartment Rental Rates (March 2021)
# Bedrooms Rental Price Range Average Rent
Studio $525 - $1,843 $995
1 Bedroom $560 - $2,023 $1,189
2 Bedroom $767 - $2,425 $1,445
3 Bedroom $1,022 - $2,845 $1,822
Sources: CoStar 2021 data (pulled March 1st, 2021)

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY BY HOUSEHOLD INCOME
While Table CP-25: Apartment Rental Rates breaks down average rental price and the price range for rental units by size, the ACS also allows for the analysis of Riverside's 39,927 renter households (for which income data are available) by spending on rent by income bracket (dollar amounts). As one might expect, the general trend is that low-income households spend a higher share of income on housing (e.g. over 50%) while high- income households are more likely to spend under 20% of income on housing.

Housing affordability is dependent upon income and housing costs. Using set income guidelines, current housing affordability can be estimated. According to the HCD income guidelines for 2020, the Area Median Income (AMI) in Riverside County was $77,500 for a household of four. If the potential homebuyer has sufficient credit and down payment (10%) and spends no greater than 30% of their income on housing expenses (i.e. mortgage, taxes and insurance, the maximum affordable home price can be determined). Similar assumptions allow us to determine the maximum affordable rental rate for a given income level. The maximum Technical Background Report
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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 37
affordable home and rental prices for residents of Riverside County are shown in Table CP-26: Housing Affordability Matrix Riverside County. Households in the lower end of each category can afford less by comparison than those at the upper end. The market-affordability of Riverside’s housing stock for each income group is discussed on the following page.

Table CP-26: Housing Affordability Matrix Riverside County (2020) Annual Income
Affordable
Housing Cost Utilities, Taxes, and Insurance Affordable Price Rent Own Rent Own
Taxes
Insurance
HOA Rent Purchase
Extremely Low Income (30% of AMI)
One Person $24,300 $608 $608 $164 $164 $213 $444 $60,846 Small Family $31,200 $780 $780 $240 $240 $273 $541 $70,498 Large Family $37,450 $936 $936 $348 $348 $328 $589 $68,801 Very Low Income (50% of AMI)
One Person $40,450 $1,011 $1,011 $164 $164 $354 $847 $130,009 Small Family $52,000 $1,300 $1,300 $240 $240 $455 $1,061 $159,576 Large Family $62,400 $1,560 $1,560 $348 $348 $546 $1,213 $175,652 Low Income (80% of AMI)
One Person $64,700 $1,618 $1,618 $164 $164 $566 $1,454 $233,862 Small Family $83,200 $2,080 $2,080 $240 $240 $728 $1,841 $293,192 Large Family $99,800 $2,495 $2,495 $348 $348 $873 $2,148 $335,821 Moderate Income (120% of AMI)
One Person $77,900 $1,948 $1,948 $164 $164 $682 $1,784 $290,392 Small Family $100,150 $2,504 $2,504 $240 $240 $876 $2,264 $365,782 Large Family $120,150 $3,004 $3,004 $348 $348 $1,051 $2,656 $422,971

1. Small family =3-person household

2. Large family= 5-person household.

Assumptions: 2020 HCD income limits; 30% gross household income as affordable housing cost; 35% of monthly affordable cost for taxes and insurance; 10.0% down payment; and 3.0% interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage loan. Utilities based on the Housing Authority of the County of Riverside Utility Allowance, 2019. Utility allowances based on the combined average assuming all electric and all-natural gas appliances
Source: California Department of Housing and Community Development, 2020 Income limits; and Veronica Tam and Associates.

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Extremely Low-Income Households: Extremely low-income households earn 30% or less of the AMI. The estimated maximum affordable rental payment ranges from $444 per month for a one-person household to $589 per month for a family of five (Table CP-26: Housing Affordability matrix Riverside County (2020)). The maximum affordable home purchase price for extremely low-income households ranges from $60,846 for a one-person household to $68,801 for a five-person household. Extremely low-income households generally cannot afford housing at market rate.

Very Low-Income Households: Very low-income households are classified as those earning 50% or less of the AMI. The estimated maximum affordable rental payment ranges from $847 per month for a one-person household to $1,213 per month for a family of five (Table CP-26: Housing Affordability matrix Riverside County (2020)). The maximum affordable home purchase price for very low-income households ranges from $130,009 for a one-person household to $175,652 for a five-person household. Based on the rental data presented in Table CP-25: Apartment Rental Rates and Table CP-26: Housing Affordability matrix Riverside County (2020), very low-income households of all sizes would be unlikely to secure adequately sized and affordable rental housing in Riverside.

Low-Income Households: Low-income households earn 51% to 80% of the County AMI. The estimated maximum home price a low-income household can afford ranges from $233,862 for a one-person household to $335,821 for a five-person household. Affordable rental rates for low-income households would range from $1,454 for a one-person household to $2,148 for a five-person household.

Low-income households could not afford adequately sized homes listed for-sale in August 2020. Despite a higher income, low-income households do not have a better chance in securing an adequately sized and affordable rental housing unit as rental units range from $1,495-1,755 for one-bedroom units to $2,750 for three-bedroom units and are out of the affordable rent price (Table CP-25: Apartment Rental Rates and Table
CP-26: Housing Affordability matrix Riverside County (2020)). Also, the limited number of apartment complexes offering three-bedroom units in Riverside at prices affordable to larger low-income households is indicative of the potential difficulty these households face.

Moderate-Income Households: Moderate income households earn up to 120% of the County AMI. The estimated maximum affordable home price for moderate income households ranges from $290,392 for a one- person household to $422,971 for a family of five. A moderate-income household can afford rental rates of $1,784 to $2,656 per month depending on household size.

Based on the rental and for-sale housing market data presented in Table CP-24: Home Asking Prices and Table CP-25: Apartment Rental Rates, moderate income households can afford to rent some of the apartments advertised in September 2020 but not purchase adequately sized homes. For example, asking prices for a four- bedroom home (an adequately sized home to avoid overcrowding) range from $525,000 to $1.3 million (Table CP-24: Home Asking Prices (August 2020)). This far exceeds the affordable purchase price for large households. This table does include some single- family home and condo/townhome listings that meet the affordable price for large families, but do not have adequate rooms to avoid overcrowding.

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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 39

PROJECT-BASED RENTAL HOUSING

ASSISTANCE
Project-based rental housing assistance includes affordable housing that receives public subsidies in return for long-term affordability controls.

ASSISTED HOUSING INVENTORY
Riverside has a significant amount of project-based rental housing. Typically, these projects provide units affordable to extremely low, very low, and low-income households, including persons with special needs. Most projects are restricted for 15–55 years, after which they can begin charging market rate rents. The City of Riverside has an estimated 3,298 assisted affordable housing units.

Table CP-27: Publicly Assisted Affordable Housing provides an inventory of the City’s affordable housing that has received public assistance. This includes all projects that have received public subsidies and are deed- restricted to be affordable to lower income households. The “Date of Potential Conversion” column shows the date that each housing development may convert to market rate. These conversion dates were typically determined during the planning period.

Table CP-27: Publicly Assisted Affordable Housing
Project Name Address
Tenant
Type
Type of
Public
Assistance
Total
Units
Total
Affordable
Units
Date of
Potential
Conversion
Breezewood
Apartments
3893
Kirkwood
Avenue
Family RDA/HOME 156 156 2028
Goldware Senior
Apartments
6730 Streeter
Avenue Senior RDA/HOME 152 137 2055
Autumn Ridge
Apartments
9057 Indiana
Avenue Family RDA/HOME
and SHP 53 53 2063
Mission Pointe
Apartments
2750 Topaz
Drive Family RDA/HOME 64 63 2058
Mt. Rubidoux Manor
(Riverside First
Baptist Homes)
3993 Tenth
Street Family RDA/HOME 188 23 2026
Oak Tree
Apartments
1946 7th
Street Family RDA 51 25 2026
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Project Name Address
Tenant
Type
Type of
Public
Assistance
Total
Units
Total
Affordable
Units
Date of
Potential
Conversion
Riverglen
Apartments
10566 Hole
Avenue Family RDA 148 30 2023
Riverbrook
Apartments (10560 -
10590 Burton Street)
10560 Burton Family RDA 16 10 2027
Sandra Apartments 1789 7th
Street Family RDA 25 8 2025
Cambridge
Apartments
3533 Harrison
Street Senior RDA/HOME 75 75 2022
Cypress Springs 7850 Cypress
Avenue Family RDA/HOME 100 100 2059
TELACU- Las Fuentes 1807 11th
Street Senior RDA 75 75 2052
Emerald Pointe
Apartments
1863 12th
Street Family RDA 144 79 2024
Riverside Silvercrest
(Salvation Army)
3003 Orange
Street Senior RDA 75 75 2024
Victoria Manor 4660 Victoria
Avenue Senior RDA 112 112 2062
TELACU - El Paseo
(11 homes)
4030 Harrison
Street Senior RDA 75 74 2056
Vintage at
Snowberry Senior
Apartments
8426
Colorado
Avenue
Senior RDA 224 222 2067
Coco Palms
Apartments
1740 Loma
Vista Family NSP/SHP 28 27 2068
Ohio Street
Apartments
1824 Ohio
Street Family NSP 4 4 2064
Seventh Street
Apartments
1833-1837
7th Street Family NSP 3 3 2064
Fairmount Boulevard
Apartments
3065-3067
Fairmount
Blvd.

Family NSP 2 2 2064
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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 41
Project Name Address
Tenant
Type
Type of
Public
Assistance
Total
Units
Total
Affordable
Units
Date of
Potential
Conversion
3556 Dwight Avenue Family NSP 2 2 2064
3590 Dwight
Avenue/1929 Loma
Vista
Family NSP 2 2 2064
3675-3681 Dwight
Avenue Family NSP 4 4 2064
10640 Collett
Avenue Family RDA 4 1 2029
10680 Burton Street Family RDA 4 1 2025
10640 & 10652
Burton St. Family RDA 4 1 2033
Linden Square
Apartments
3552 Lou Ella
Lane Family NSP/HOME 16 16 2068
Lou Ella Lane
Apartments
3553 Lou Ella
Lane Family NSP/HOME
Funds, SHP 28 28 2068
Camp Anza (5731,
5741, 5761, 5797
Picker St.)
5797 Picker
Street
Veteran
s RDA/HOME 30 29 2071
3426 Lime Street Family NSP 1 1 2065
2350 & 2348
University (Duplex) Family RDA 2 2 2063
4320 Emerson Family RDA/HOME 1 1 2070
6835 Capistrano Family 1 1 2070
Genesis Home
(Lutheran Social
Services)
3772 Taft
Street Family RDA 8 1 2071
4307 Park Avenue Family HOME and HA
Funds 1 1 2072
3343 4th Street
(four-plex) Family HOME 4 4 2073
3943 Tenth Street Family CARES ACT
Funding 6 6 2076
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Project Name Address
Tenant
Type
Type of
Public
Assistance
Total
Units
Total
Affordable
Units
Date of
Potential
Conversion
Centerpointe
Market Apartments
3145 Market
Street Family HA Funds 125 3 2076
Canyon Shadows
8505
Arlington
Avenue
Family LIHTC 121 121 Indefinitely
El Dorado
Apartments 4675 Jackson Family Public Housing 68 68 Indefinitely Linden Manor
Gardens/Riverside
1245 Linden
Street Family LIHTC 192 191 2028
Phoenix Terrace
Gardens
6930 Phoenix
Avenue Family LIHTC 89 89 Indefinitely
Victoria Heights 7650 Lincoln
Avenue Family Sec. 27/LIHTC 150 150 2050
Sierra Woods 4655 Minnier
Avenue Family Section
231(j)(1) 190 188 Indefinitely
Las Colinas (formerly
Ridgecrest)
3250
Panorama
Road
Family County Bond;
LIHTC 148 148 2054
Brandon Place
Apartments
3941 Polk
Street Senior LIHTC 196 196 2045
Tyler Springs
Apartments
10406 Indiana
Avenue Senior MRB; bond
financing 273 28 Indefinitely
Whispering
Fountains
4790 Jackson
Avenue Senior
HUD Vouchers
(54 bond units,
no vouchers)
268 268 Indefinitely
Highlander Pointe
Apartments
1055 W.

Blaine Street Family 501C3 Bonds 133 27 2026
Source: City of Riverside 2021
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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 43

EVALUATION OF PRESERVATION

OPTIONS
State law requires that the City identify, analyze, and propose programs to preserve existing affordable multifamily rental units that are eligible to convert to market rate rents due to termination of subsidy contracts, mortgage prepayment, or expiring deed restrictions during the 10-year period starting June 15, 2022.

Consistent with State law, the following identifies publicly assisted housing units in Riverside and analyzes their potential to convert to market rate housing uses.

Table CP-28: Summary of Publicly Assisted Affordable Housing reveals that 1,474 units are at risk of conversion within 10 years of the start of the 6th Cycle planning period, from 2021 to 2029. The following analyzes three options to preserve affordable units at risk of conversion to market rents including:
 Replacement of rent subsidies;
 Const
ruction of new housing; and
 Acquisition/
rehabilitation of units in return for extended affordability controls.

Table CP-28: Summary of Publicly Assisted Affordable Housing Project Type Total Housing
Projects Total Units Affordable Deed
Restricted Units
# Units At Risk
(2022-2029)
Family Housing 39 2,286 1,640 551
Senior Housing 10 1,525 1,262 150
Veterans 1 30 29 0
Total 50 3,841 2,931 701
Source: City of Riverside, 2021
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AT-RISK AFFORDABLE UNITS
Existing housing that receives governmental assistance is often a significant source of affordable housing in many communities. Riverside has 50 publicly assisted housing developments that provide 2,931 affordable housing units (Table CP-28: Summary of Publicly Assisted Affordable Housing). During the 2022-2032 “at- risk” housing analysis period, 13 projects are at risk of conversion totaling 1061 family units and 150 senior units.

REPLACEMENT OF RENT SUBSIDIES
The first option for preserving affordable units is to replace the HUD rental vouchers given to each tenant or the payment subsidies given to each property owner. The cost of replacing subsidies depends on the fair market rent for the unit and the household income level of the tenant. Typically, the subsidy is the difference between what a household can afford to pay and fair market rent for the unit. As shown in Table CP-29:

Preservation by Replacing Subsidies, replacing the rental subsidies for senior housing - assuming all the units are occupied by very low-income households - would cost approximately $62.5 million over 25 years. For family housing, the subsidy (assuming all units are occupied by low-income households) would be approximately $24.6 million. Significant variation in these amounts is possible depending on the actual income level of the residents.

This option assumes the property owner accepts a subsidy that guarantees fair market rent. In some cases, property owners may decline. Although this subsidy would guarantee the long-term affordability of the unit, the cost could increase over time as market pressures push rents higher and require the City to increase the rental subsidies. Generally, this option is a short-term fix to a long-term problem and is not considered a sustainable solution.

Table CP-29: Preservation by Replacing Subsidies
Project Details
Project per Unit Cost Estimate
Senior Project Family Project
Number of At-Risk Units 696 188
Affordable Rent for Very Low to Low
Income Household
2-person
$670-$1,073/mo.
4-person
$838-$1,340/mo.

Affordable Rent with $50/ Person Utility
Allowance
$570 (VLI) to
$973 (LOW)
$638 (VLI) to
$1,140 (LOW)
Fair Market Rent for an Apartment
Project
$873
(1-bdr unit)
$1,116–$1,577
( 2 & 3 bedroom unit)
Total Subsidy over 25 Years $62.5 million $24.6 million Source: City of Riverside, 2021
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CONSTRUCTION OF NEW UNITS
The second option for preserving affordable units is to replace the affordable units by constructing new affordable units. This option would entail finding suitable sites, purchasing land, negotiating with a developer, and obtaining financing.

The final cost depends on whether the builder must purchase land (or whether the City can transfer the land at a subsidized price), and whether the City or private developer’s initial financial contribution can be leveraged with other funding sources.

Table CP-30: Preservation by Replacing Units
Project Details
Project Cost Estimates
Senior
Projects Family Projects Total
Number of At-Risk Affordable Units
696 units
800 sf/unit
188 units
1,200 sf/unit 884 units
Average Construction Cost ($100 to
$180/square foot
$55.7 million
$100 million
$22.6 million
$40.6 million
$78.3 million
$140.6 million
Land Costs at 30du/ac at $5 per square foot $5.1 million $1.3 million $8.4 million Incidental Costs at 15% of Hard Costs $9.1 million
$15.8 million
$3.6 million
$6.3 million
$12.7 million
$22.1 million
Total $69.9 million
$120.9 million
$27.5 million
$48.2 million
$99.4 million
$1711 million
These cost estimates are intended as a magnitude of order estimate. Actual costs can vary significantly depending on market conditions and the number of subsidies received from other state, federal, and private sources.
sf means square feet
DU means dwelling unit
Source: City of Riverside
Several organizations in Riverside recently built affordable projects. Although costs vary with each project, generally, construction costs (including labor) totaled $100 to $180 per square foot. Land costs varied by the maximum allowable development on the site and when the project was built (given the runup in land values).

However, land costs are assumed to be $5 per square foot. Density is assumed at 30 units per acre, the maximum allowed in the R-3 zone. Additional costs of 15% are assumed for other contingencies.

Table CP-30: Preservation by Replacing Units summarizes the estimated cost of replacing the 884 affordable housing units that could expire by 2023. The costs would range from $69.9–$120.9 million for the 696 senior units and $27.5–$48.2 million for the 188 family units, for a total of $99.4–$171.1 million. The final replacement cost to the City would depend on the cost of land and construction, the intended income level and subsidies required, and the amount of nonlocal funding provided to the City.

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ACQUISITION AND REHABILITATION
Table CP-31: Preservation by Acquisition and Rehabilitation Project Detail
Project Per Unit Cost Estimate
Total
Number of At-Risk Affordable Units 884
Average Per Unit Rehabilitation Cost $24,000
Average Per Unit Acquisition Cost $60,000
Total Rehabilitation $21.2 million
Total Acquisition $53.0 million
Total Costs $74.2 million
Source: City of Riverside, 2021
The third option for preserving affordable units is to acquire and rehabilitate existing affordable units.

Apartment projects often need rehabilitation, and the property owner may have insufficient funds to complete periodic repairs and renovations. In these situations, the City may find it advantageous to work with the property owner and offer a flexible number of financial incentives (e.g., low-interest loans, renegotiating current loan packages, cash incentives) in return for extending the length of the affordability covenants on the affordable units.

Rehabilitation and preservation costs depend on numerous factors, most notably the condition of the property, the amount of deferred maintenance, the financial viability of the project, and the length of the affordability term. The City of Riverside, working in conjunction with nonprofit and for-profit partners, has completed several major acquisition and rehabilitation projects that provide a basis for making a magnitude-of-order estimate of the future cost of such activities.

Based on recently completed projects, the average acquisition cost is $60,000 per unit and the average rehabilitation cost is $24,000 per unit.

Table CP-31: Preservation by Acquisition and Rehabilitation summarizes the cost of acquiring and/or rehabilitating affordable housing projects and deed-restricting them as affordable. Total costs for preserving the 696 senior and 188 family housing units in Riverside range from $53 to $74.2 million depending on whether the units require rehabilitation, acquisition, or both.

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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 47

PROGRAM EFFORTS TO PRESERVE AT-

RISK UNITS
The following programs have been developed and implemented by the Housing Authority to address the preservation of assisted units. Funding is generally provided through a variety of means cited above.  Monitoring At-Risk Units. The City will communicate to the owners of at-risk units the importance of the units to the supply of affordable housing and its desire to preserve the units as affordable. The City will confirm that the owners of at-risk projects will continue their Section 8 contracts or other affordability covenants and will determine whether HUD will offer the owners a contract extension.  Financial Assistance. If federal funds for the Section 8 program are discontinued at some point and/or affordability restrictions are expiring, the City will determine if it can assign financial resources to preserve the units. This option could include issuing bonds or holding TEFRA hearings that are the prerequisite for issuing multiple-family revenue bonds. The City will explore other means as feasible.  Technical Assistance. The City can assist the owners of properties eligible for conversion to market rates in seeking funds and completing other tasks necessary to secure funds that preserve the affordability of housing. Based on information gathered through the monitoring program and visitation program, the City will dedicate staff resources to work with property owners.

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 Identify and Work with Qualified Entities. The City works with nonprofit entities, for-profit organizations, and developers who are interested in acquiring and/or managing at-risk units. HCD also lists qualified agencies interested in managing affordable housing in Riverside County. The City will consult the list of qualified entities to expand its administrative capacity to preserve affordable housing. A list of qualified entities with which the City works can be found in TBR 3 – Housing Resources.  Housing Element law requires that cities identify the maximum number of units that can feasibly be preserved over the planning period. Based on objectives stated in the 2020-2021 Annual Action Plan1 and this Housing Element, the City’s objective is to preserve all at-risk units where feasible, pending funding availability. The Housing Plan sets forth programs to allocate, where feasible, technical, and financial resources to preserve at-risk housing units in Riverside.

ESTIMATES OF HOUSING NEEDS
The Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) developed by the Census for HUD provides detailed information on housing needs by income level for different types of households in Riverside. Detailed CHAS data based on the 2015-2019 ACS is displayed in Table CP-32: Housing Assistance Needs of Lower- Income Households in Riverside. Based on CHAS, housing problems in Riverside include:
 Units with physical defects (lacking a complete kitchen or bath room);
 Overcrowded
conditions (housing units with more than one person per bedroom);  Housing cost
burden, including utilities, exceeding 30% of gross income; or  Severe ho
using cost burden, including utilities, exceeding 50% of gross income.

DISPROPORTIONATE NEEDS
The types of problems vary according to household income, type, and tenure. Some highlights include:
 Overall, housing problems affected roughly a greater proportion of renter-households (48%) than owner- households (31%)
 Elderly renters had the highest level of housing problems regardless of income level (64%).  All extremely low-income large renter families had housing problems; the CHAS estimates that these households paid more than 50% of their income on housing costs.  More than a third (36%) of all lower income households (<80% AMI), regardless of tenure, incurred a cost burden.
1 Five-Year Consolidated Plan that is a establishes a framework of housing and community development priorities for Riverside.

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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 49
 Of the 1,615 extremely low-income Riverside households reported in the 2015-2019 CHAS, approximately 63% experienced housing cost burden exceeding 50% of their monthly income.

Table CP-32: Housing Assistance Needs of Lower-Income Households in Riverside Household by Type, Income &
Housing Problem
Renters Owners
Total
Households Elderly
Small
Families
Large
Families
Total
Renters
Elderly Total
Owners
Extremely Low Income (0-30% AMI) 240 290 65 855 500 760 1,615 % with any housing problem 83.3% 87.9% 46.2% 78.9% 80.0% 75.0% 77.1% % with cost burden >30% 83.3% 87.9% 46.2% 78.9% 80.0% 75.0% 77.1% % with cost burden > 50% 58.3% 77.6% 46.2% 63.7% 64.0% 62.5% 63.2% Very Low Income (31-50% AMI) 225 440 75 955 665 960 1,915 % with any housing problem 91.1% 90.9% 100.0% 89.5% 54.9% 60.4% 74.9% % with cost burden >30% 91.1% 90.9% 100.0% 89.5% 54.9% 59.9% 74.7% % with cost burden >50% 68.9% 43.2% 100.0% 57.1% 30.1% 37.5% 47.3% Low Income (51-80% AMI) 170 770 195 1,375 970 2,14
0 3,515
% with any housing problem 52.9% 71.4% 82.1% 69.5% 30.4% 52.1% 58.9% % with cost burden >30% 52.9% 71.4% 71.8% 68.0% 29.4% 51.1% 57.7% % with cost burden > 50% 8.8% 11.7% 5.1% 12.0% 13.4% 20.7% 17.3% Total Households 875 3,255 605 6,025 4,085 13,44
5 19,470
% with any housing problem 68.0% 48.5% 58.7% 51.5% 35.5% 32.0% 38.1% Source: HUD CHAS tabulations of 2015-2019 ACS data.

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50 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside

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TECHNICAL

BACKGROUND
REPORT 2:

HOUSING

CONSTRAINTS

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52 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
Various factors influence the City of Riverside’s ability to meet its housing goals. Pursuant to state law requirements, this Appendix provides the requisite analysis of potential and actual market, governmental, and environmental constraints to the production, maintenance, and improvement of housing for persons of all income levels and persons with disabilities.

This section of the Technical Background analyzes potential constraints in three areas:
 Market factors such as land costs, construction and rehabilitation costs, and the availability of financing;  Governmental factors such as land use regulations, development standards, building codes, permit procedures, and other local policies; and
 Environmental factors including adequacy of infrastructure, public services, water supply, and transportation system to support new development.

MARKET CONSTRAINTS
This section analyzes constraints related to market conditions that affect the development and availability of affordable housing in the City of Riverside. Key constraints include land costs, construction and rehabilitation costs, availability of financing, and affordable housing financing.

LAND COSTS
Land costs and the cost of assembling parcels are among the largest components of the total cost of building new housing. Land costs vary greatly in Riverside, based on size, location, surrounding uses, and other factors.

A review of listings of vacant land for sale on Zillow in March 2021, indicated that land prices range from less than $1 per square foot to over $60 per square foot2..

The average price per square foot was $11, and the median price per square foot was $8. Parcels zoned for higher density in Riverside’s urban core and along its key transportation corridors command higher prices.

Additional density or larger projects that can realize economies of scale are sometimes necessary to reduce the per-unit land costs and enhance project feasibility.
1Zillow.com, accessed March 16, 2021.
2 National Association of Home Builders, 2019 Construction Cost Survey.

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CONSTRUCTION AND REHABILITATION COSTS
Construction costs are the largest component of costs associated with new and rehabilitated housing.

Construction costs include labor, materials, site improvements, and developer profit. The National Association of Home Builders 2019 Construction Cost Survey found that the average construction cost for a single-family home was $114 per square foot and that construction costs account for approximately 61 percent of the sales price of a new single-family home3. However, as a national survey, these figures may not be entirely representative of costs in Riverside.

The 2020 Construction Market Analysis provided by construction management company Cumming provides further regional insight. While it does not include data for Riverside, the Analysis indicates that construction costs for a single-family home in Los Angeles range from $65 to $241 per square foot. For mid-rise multi-family projects4, construction costs range from $294 to $529 per square foot5.

Again, while these figures may not be fully representative of Riverside, they indicate that construction costs do comprise a significant portion of the final cost of housing. Residential development with limited ground preparation, simplified architectural features, and standard quality of interior materials would be in the lower range of these estimates. However, construction costs would be higher for more luxurious buildings and higher for projects with underground parking.

It should also be noted that while the price per square foot of construction of multi-family units is generally higher than for single-family development, multi-family developments can benefit from economies of scale and the price per unit generally goes down with higher densities. In this way, programs such as the Density Bonus for Affordable Housing can lower per-unit construction costs.

AVAILABILITY OF FINANCING
The availability of financing is an important consideration for both developers seeking construction financing and households looking to purchase homes. Financing availability depends on many factors, including current interest rates and regulations governing lending practices.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, interest rates are at historic lows and as of February 2021, below 3% for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. While lower interest rates can serve to spur development and encourage homeownership, securing a down payment remains a significant impediment for first time homebuyers. With lending institutions generally requiring between 10-20% of the sale price as a down payment, many homebuyers are priced out of the region’s costly housing market. 3 National Association of Home Builders, 2019 Construction Cost Survey. 4 Multi-Family developments typically between 4-12 stories 5 Cumming, U.S. Costs per Square Foot of Gross Floor Area, 2020.

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AFFORDABLE HOUSING FINANCING
The Great Recession impacted the financing for affordable housing much as it did for conventional housing.

One example is the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program (LIHTC), which is a federal affordable housing funding source available for developers seeking to build affordable units. LIHTCs provide affordable housing developers an allocation of tax credits, which they sell to investors to raise equity for projects. Investors that purchase tax credits can reduce their federal tax liability dollar-for-dollar, so that the purchase of $1,000 in tax credits reduces tax liability by $1,000. As a result of the equity made available through the sale of tax credits, a developer can complete projects with less debt and pass cost savings in the form of lower rent.

Prior to the Great Recession, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac provided 40% of LIHTC investments, and banks motivated by the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) provided 40%. Unfortunately, during the Great Recession, both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac ceased making new investments through the LIHTC Program, affecting the availability of financing for affordable housing projects for the better part of a decade. However, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac both resumed LIHTC equity activities in recent years (2017-2018), making this type of funding a more accessible option going forward.

GOVERNMENTAL CONSTRAINTS

FEES AND EXACTIONS
The City of Riverside collects fees to process plans submitted for residential projects and to finance the provision of important services that are needed to accommodate housing and population growth. Some fees are collected to fund City services and infrastructure, while others are collected on behalf of and passed through to other agencies for similar purposes. Fees and exactions are used to finance public facilities, roadways, water and sewer infrastructure, schools, and other community services.

For new residential projects, developers in Riverside may be required to pay a variety of fees depending on the location, type, and size of the project. Figure H1: Typical Housing Fees provides a summary of fees for a typical 25-unit apartment project, an affordable 25-unit apartment project, and a 10-unit condominium project. It should be noted that these fees are based on assumptions for a “typical” project and may vary based on project specifics. Additionally, the fee summary assumes that the projects meet the requirements of the underlying zone and therefore would not require a general plan amendment, zoning code amendment, or variance.

As shown in Figure H-
1: Typical Housing Fees, the total fees per unit for a typical 25-unit apartment project are $26,862. For a similar project, but with affordable units and on a site that was previously developed, the per unit fees are $19,312. The total per unit fees for the 10-unit condominium project were $36,296, indicating that the cost per unit generally goes down with the development of additional units.

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While permit and development fees do represent a significant cost, they are necessary to expand and maintain infrastructure to support expanding residential development and to cover the City’s costs of reviewing and processing permits. Riverside’s development fees do not represent a greater constraint to housing development in comparison to other jurisdictions in the region. The Western Riverside Council of Governments conducted an Analysis of Development Impact Fees in Western Riverside County in 2016. The fee study showed that the average residential development impact fees in the region were $28,314 per multi- family unit. Therefore, the per-unit fees indicated in Table H-1: Typical Housing Fees, ranging from $19,312 to $36,296, are generally comparable to the region. Riverside’s permit fees are lower than average, when it is considered that the totals presented include actual construction cost for water and electricity service. Figure H-2: Development Fees shows the City’s fees for permitting processes in 2020 that are often needed for residential construction including site plan review, conditional use permits, and variances.

The Western Riverside County Council of Government’s (WRCOG) Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fee (TUMF) program includes an exemption for affordable projects. The TUMF is typically the largest development fee for a project; therefore, the exemption is a significant incentive.

Finally, developers proposing apartments or Planned Residential Developments (PRD) that contain units affordable to lower income residents can receive higher densities (and thereby project revenues) plus concessions for qualified projects through the Affordable Housing Density Bonus provisions. Density bonuses improve the financial feasibility of projects and create a third layer of financial benefits for developers. The City’s density bonus provisions are discussed in further detail in the “Development Standards” analysis later in this Section.

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Table H-1: Typical Housing Fees
25-Unit Multi-
Family
Apartment
Project1
25-Unit Multi-
Family Apartment
Project
(Affordable)2
10-Unit
Condominium
Project3
30-Unit Single-
Family
Subdivision4
Single
Family Unit,
Infill5
Entitlement Fee
Design Review $3,560 $3,560 $3,560 $3,560 -
Tentative Map - - $10,516 $10,516 -
Preliminary
WQMP Review $1,669 $1,669 $1,669 $1,669 -
Landscape
Design Review $919 $919 $919 $1,407 $488
Permitting, Utilities Design and Construction9
Building Plan
Check (valuation
based)
$8,000 $8,000 $5,000 $30,000 $1,400
Grading Permit $4,100 $4,100 $4,100 $15,200 $2,700
Final Map Check - - $5,000 $5,000 -
Final WQMP
Plan Check $1,500 $1,500 $1,500 $1,500 -
Sewer Permit $7,700 $7,700 $6,000 $20,000 $1,700
Storm Drain Fee $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $16,000 $500
Sewer
Connection Fee $91,000 $91,000 $36,000 $129,000 $4,300
Acreage Fee
(Storm Drain
Supplement)
$900 $900 $500 $4,500 $150
Utility Plan
Review Deposit $2,000 $2,000 $2,000 $2,000 -
Water10 $43,700 $43,700 $37,700 $175,000 $1,500
Electrical11 $100,000 $100,000 $85,000 $200,000 $2,500
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25-Unit Multi-
Family
Apartment
Project1
25-Unit Multi-
Family Apartment
Project
(Affordable)2
10-Unit
Condominium
Project3
30-Unit Single-
Family
Subdivision4
Single
Family Unit,
Infill5
Development Impact and Permit Fees
Local Park Fee $76,000 $76,000 $26,000 $139,380 $4,646
Regional Park
Fee $5,500 $5,500 $3,000 $27,445 $850
Aquatic Park Fee $7,400 $7,400 $2,400 $13,050 $435
Traffic Impact
Fee (City) $10,500 $10,500 $4,200 $15,750 $525
Traffic Signal Fee $3,100 $3,100 $1,300 $5,700 $190
Building Fee
(valuation based) $8,000 $8,000 $5,000 $30,000 $1,400
TUMF (County)6 $159,725 - $63,890 $266,190 $8,873
MSHCP (County)7 $29,025 - $11,610 $109,050 $3,635
School Fees $100,250 $100,250 $40,100 $255,000 $8,500
Miscellaneous8 $6,000 $6,000 $5,000 $20,000 $500
Total $671,548 $482,798 $362,964 $1,496,917 $44,792
Total per Unit $26,862 $19,312 $36,296 $49,897 $44,792
Source: City of Riverside, Planning Division, 2017

1. 25-unit multi-family apartment project on 1-acre site with 1,000 sf/unit

2. 25-unit affordable multi-family apartment project on 1-acre site with 1,000 sf/unit, developed on a site that was previously developed

3. 10-unit condominium project on 0.5-acre site with 1,000 sf/unit

4. Low-income housing projects may be exempt from this fee.

5. Projects on sites that were previously developed are exempt from this fee.

6. Miscellaneous permits/fees include fire permits, street tree fees, inspections, temporary power, issuance, imaging fees, etc.

7. The Utilities cost estimates assume standard rates and installation and do not account for additional costs that frequently occur based on the specific of a given site or project.

Construction costs may double or triple those shown.

8. Includes fire service (6”), domestic service (2”), landscape service (2”), and other construction/installation costs.

9. Includes cost of typical design and construction.

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Additional Planning application fees include:

Table H-2: Planning Application Fees – Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Application Type Fee - Fiscal Year
2020/2021
Conceptual Development Review $1,712
Single-family Residential $488
General (Commercial, Industrial, Multi-family) $3,560
General (Commercial, Industrial, Multi-family) – Revision/Substantial Conformance $2,282 Site Plan Review
Per Initial Application $14,138
Revision to Application $9,755
Specific Plan Review
Per Application or Actual Cost $27,726
Revision to Existing Specific Plan $19,347
Planned Residential Development $13,648
Variances
With Signatures - Residential Zones Only $1,725
Without Signatures - All Zones $2,586
Conditional Use Permit $8,615
Minor Conditional Use Permit $3,938
Source: City of Riverside, Planning Division, 2017
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PLANNING, BUILDING, AND ENVIRONMENTAL FEES
The City of Riverside charges developers standard plan check fees, fees for processing applications, building permits, tentative tract maps, environmental review, variances, conditional use permits, or other permits and land use entitlements to help recover the cost of processing applications and conducting inspections for specific projects.

Multi-family residential projects are generally permitted by-right (without a site plan review permit or conditional use permit), significantly reducing the entitlement fees for the project. Additionally, by-right projects are exempt from further CEQA review, providing additional cost savings. For projects that do require additional environmental review, additional fees for a mitigated negative declaration are approximately $4,600 (including the Dept. of Fish and Game filing fee). This does not include the cost for additional studies that may be necessary for further environmental review. The costs for a full environmental impact report would be significantly higher, should the project necessitate that level of review.

Building plan check fees and permit fees are based on project valuation and are designed to cover the City’s cost to review, process, and inspect projects.

REGIONAL IMPACT FEES
Certain impact fees are paid to fund regional efforts, including, transportation, parks, habitat conservation, and schools. These regional fees make up a large proportion of the total development fees for a project; however, they are necessary to expand and maintain regional infrastructure and provide for habitat conservation.

The regional Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fee (TUMF) was developed to ensure that new development pays its fair share to address regional traffic issues and fund regional transportation projects. Effective January 1, 2021, the TUMF fee was $9,810 per single-family unit and $6,389 per multi-family unit.

However, per City Council Ordinance No. 7067, publicly subsidized affordable projects are exempt from TUMF fees, creating a significant incentive to development affordable housing.

The region’s Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP) is administered by the Western Riverside County Regional Conservation Authority. MSHCP fees are based on density. As of July 1, 2020, the fee was:
$2,234 per unit for development at 8 du/ac or less; $1,430 per unit for development between 8 and 14 du/ac; and $1,161 per unit for development exceeding 14 du/ac. However, if a site has been previously developed, it is exempt from the MSHCP fee.

The Riverside Unified School District (RUSD), Moreno Valley Unified School District (MVUSD) and Alvord Unified School District (AUSD) all serve residents within the City of Riverside. These school districts charge fees to finance the construction and expansion of schools to accommodate student enrollment. The County of Riverside also implements requirements for regional park facilities.

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CITY IMPACT FEES AND UTILITY DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
The City charges impact fees to finance new or expanded infrastructure (sewer, library, parks, and public facilities) required to serve residents. The fee must have a reasonable relationship to the infrastructure costs and represent the marginal cost of improvements required to serve residents of the new residential projects.

The City charges a local park fee, sewer capacity and treatment fee, local transportation fee, storm drain fees, and other impact fees. Other fees and credits may apply depending on the location.

As Riverside Public Utilities is the primary provider of both water service and electricity in large portions of the City, the City also charges for the design and construction of water facilities and power service. Construction costs for utilities can vary greatly depending on the nature of the development, site conditions, and other factors; therefore, the values contained in Table H-1: Typical Housing Fees are estimates based on standard design and construction and actual costs could easily be significantly higher.

The Riverside General Plan 2025 recognizes that the availability of adequate parks and recreation, both passive and active, improves the quality of life in neighborhoods and the City. New residential development within the City generates a greater demand for existing park and recreational facilities, both locally and regionally. Chapter 16.60 of the Riverside Zoning code requires that three acres of developed parkland be available for every 1,000 residents. Therefore, the City of Riverside requires the payment of fees (or in-lieu dedications) for a pro rata share of improvements to local park facilities pursuant to the Zoning code. These fees are allowed for in state law and the amount charged is tied to the marginal cost of facilities needed to serve new housing.

In 2008, the City adopted a policy of deferring certain development fees until final inspection or certificate of occupancy, totaling $10,000 in short-term savings. Senior housing projects also receive substantial fee reductions.

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LAND USE REGULATIONS
This section discusses the City’s General Plan, 2025 land use designations, and Zoning Code provisions relative to the types of housing allowed as a potential governmental constraint.

The Land Use and Urban Design Element within the City’s 2025 General Plan establishes land use designations that guide the location, type, and intensity of land in the City. Title 19 of the Zoning code) serves to implement the General Plan 2025 by providing specific development standards for each general plan land use category.

Table H-3: Primary Land Use Designations Allowing Housing shows the general plan land use designation, the corresponding zoning designation, and residential uses, including allowable densities for designations.

The City of Riverside’s Zoning Ordinance is codified on the City’s website as Title 19 of the code of ordinances and is to the public and developers. The City complies with all state transparency laws and standards.

Table H-3: Primary Land Use Designations Allowing Housing GP Symbol Zone Symbol Zoning Designation
Single-Family Residential Land Use Designations
Agricultural/Rural (Max. 0.20 du/acre) A/RR RA-5 Residential Agriculture Hillside (Max. 0.63 du/acre) HR RC Residential Conservation Semi-Rural (Max. 3.3 du/acre) SRR RR
RE
R-1-1/2 acre
Rural Residential
Residential Estate
R-1 – ½ acre – Single Family
Very Low Density (Max. 3.2 du/acre) VLDR RE
R-1-1/2 acre
Residential Estate
R-1-1/2 acre–Single Family
Low Density (Max. 6.0 du/acre) LDR RR
RE
R-1-1/2 acre
R-1-13000
R-1-10500
Rural Residential
Residential Estate
R-1-1/2 acre–Single Family
R-1-13000–Single Family
R-1-10500–Single Family
Medium Density
(Max. 8.0 du/acre)
MDR RE
R-1-1/2 acre
R-1-13000
R-1-10500
R-1-8500
R-1-7000
MH
Residential Estate
R-1-1/2 acre–Single Family
R-1-13000–Single Family
R-1-10500–Single Family
R-1-8500–Single Family
R-1-7000–Single Family
Mobile Home Park Overlay
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GP Symbol Zone Symbol Zoning Designation
Multiple-Family Residential Land Use Designations
Medium-High Density
(Max. 14.5 du/acre)
MHDR R-1-7000
R-3-4000
R-3-3000
R-1-7000–Single Family
R-3-4000–Multi-family
R-3-3000–Multi-family
High Density
(Max. 29 du/acre)
HDR R-3-4000
R-3-3000
R-3-2500
R-3-2000
R-3-1500
R-3-4000–Multi-famil y
R-3-3000–Multi-famil y
R-3-2500–Multi-famil y
R-3-2000–Multi-famil y
R-3-1500–Multi-family
Very High Density (Max. 40 du/ac) VHDR R-4 R-4–Multi-family Mixed-Use Designations
Downtown Specific Plan (Various DUs/FAR) DSP DSP Downtown Specific Plan Orangecrest Specific Plan (Various
DUs/FAR)
OSP OSP Orangecrest Specific Plan
Mixed-Use –Neighborhood (Max. 10
du/acre, and 1.0 FAR/acre)

MU-N MU-N
R-1-13000
R-1-10500
R-1-8500
R-1-7000
Mixed Use– Neighborhood
R-1-13000–Single Family
R-1-10500–Single Family
R-1-8500–Single Family
R-1-7000–Single Family
Mixed-Use – Village
(Max. 30/401 du/acre, and 2.5 FAR/acre)

MU-V MU-V
R-3-4000
R-3-3000
R-3-2500
R-3-2000
R-3-1500
R-4
Mixed Use–Village
R-3-4000–Multi-famil y
R-3-3000–Multi-famil y
R-3-2500–Multi-famil y
R-3-2000–Multi-famil y
R-3-1500–Multi-family
R-4 Multi-family
Mixed Use – Urban (Max. 40/601 du/acre,
and 4.0 FAR/acre)

MU-U MU-U
R-3-4000
R-3-3000
R-3-2500
R-3-2000
R-4
Mixed Use–Urban
R-3-4000–Multi-famil y
R-3-3000–Multi-famil y
R-3-2500–Multi-famil y
R-3-2000–Multi-famil y
R-4 Multi-family
Community Amenities and Support Designations
Agriculture (Max. 0.20 du/acre) A RA-5 Residential Agriculture Proposed projects within one-half mile of a transit stop along Magnolia or University Avenue may qualify for the higher residential density.

Source: City of Riverside General Plan 2025, Land Use & Urban Design Element, Amended August 2019.

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HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES
Housing element law specifies that jurisdictions must facilitate and encourage a range of housing types for all economic segments of the community. Shown in Table H-3: Primary Land Use Designations Allowing Housing, the Zoning Code permits a wide variety of conventional and special needs housing within the residential zones.

With the adoption of the General Plan 2025 and Zoning Code, the City of Riverside also allows numerous opportunities for conventional and special needs housing in commercial, mixed-use, and other zones Table H-4:

Allowable Residential Uses in Nonresidential Zones.

Given the built-out nature of many areas, the City has adopted smart growth principles to direct its new residential growth to mixed-use or commercial areas, as shown below.

Table H-4: Allowable Residential Uses in Residential Zones RC RA-5 RR RE R-1 R-3 R-4
Traditional Housing
Single-Family Dwelling Detached P P P P P P1 P1
Single-Family Dwelling Attached. X X P P P P1 P1
Manufactured Dwelling P P P P P P P
Mobile Home Park - - With Overlay Zone X X
Accessory Dwelling Unit/Junior Accessory
Dwelling Unit

P P P P P P P
Multiple-Family (2 or more units) X X X X X 2 P P
Live-Work X X X X X X X
Planned Residential Development PRD - PRD PRD PRD X X
Special Needs
Assisted Living (Residential Care Facility) X X X X C C X Boarding House X X X X X C X
Caretaker Living Quarters
Agricultural - C MC - MC - -
Industrial Use & Commercial Storage - - - - - - -
Temp. during Construction TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP
Group Homes (6 or fewer persons) P P P P P P P
Group Homes (7 or more persons)5 X X C C C X X
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RC RA-5 RR RE R-1 R-3 R-4
Parolee/Probationer (6 or fewer persons) X X MC MC MC X X Parolee/Probationer (7 or more persons) X X C C C X X
Senior Housing4 X X X X MC P P
Emergency Shelters (6 or fewer persons)3 X X MC MC MC X X Emergency Shelters (7 or more persons)3 X X C C C X X
Sober Living Homes P P P P P P P
Student Housing X X X X X C C
Supportive Housing (6 or fewer persons) P P P P P P P
Supportive Housing (7 or more persons) P P P P P P P
Transitional Housing (6 or fewer persons) P P P P P P P Transitional Housing (7 or more persons) P P P P P P P
Tiny Home Community (Foundation) X X X X X P P
Tiny Home Community X X C C C C X
P Permitted by Right
C Conditional Use Permit
PRD Planned Residential Development Permit
SP Site Plan Review Permit
MC Minor Conditional Use Permit
X Prohibited Use
TUP Temporary Use Permit

1. Permitted as part of a PRD.

2. Legal existing duplexes built prior to the adoption of the Zoning Code are permitted in the R-1- 7000 zone.

3. Emergency shelters are permitted by right in the Industrial Zone.

4. Age Restricted to 55+.

5. Group homes with 7+ persons cannot be permitted in the RA-5 and RC Zones as modifications to these zones require voter approval pursuant to Proposition R and Measure C.

Source: City of Riverside Zoning Code
Table H-5 Allowable Residential Uses in Nonresidential Zones Commercial Mixed Use

O CR CG CRC MU-N MU-V MU-U
Traditional Housing
Single-Family Dwelling Det. X X X X P X X
Single-Family Dwelling Att. X X X X P X X
Manufactured Dwelling X X X X P X X
Mobile Home Park X X X X x X X
Accessory Dwelling Unit/Junior Accessory
Dwelling Unit

X X X X P P P
Multiple-Family (2 or more units) X X X X x P P
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Commercial Mixed Use

O CR CG CRC MU-N MU-V MU-U
Live Work X X X X P/MC P/MC P/MC
Planned Residential X X X X X X X
Special Needs Housing
Assisted Living C C C X X X X
Boarding House X X X X X X X
Caretaker Living Quarters
Agricultural X X X X X X X
Industrial Use/Commercial Storage X X X X X X X
Temp. during Construction TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP
Group Homes (6 or fewer) X X X X P P P
Group Homes (7 or more) C C C C X X X
Senior Housing3 X X X X MC P P
Emergency Shelters (6 or fewer persons)2 MC MC MC X X X X Emergency Shelters (7 or more)2 C C C X X X X
Single Room Occupancy (SRO) X X X X X X C
Sober Living Homes X X X X P P P
Student Housing X C C X X C C
Supportive Housing (6 or fewer clients) MC MC MC X P P P Supportive Housing (7 or more clients) C C C X P P P
Transitional Housing (6 or fewer clients) MC MC MC X P P P Transitional Housing (7 or more clients) C C C X P P P
Tiny Home Community4 C C C C C C C
P = Permitted by right C = Conditional Use Permit
PRD = Planned Residential SP = Site Plan Review Required MC = Minor Conditional Use X = Prohibited Use
TUP = Temporary Use Permit

1. Mixed-use is also allowed in the Downtown Specific Plan

2. Shelters are permitted by right in the Industrial Zone

3. Age Restricted to 55+

4. Only permitted with CUP when incidental to Assemblies of People – Non-Entertainment use Source: City of Riverside Zoning Code
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SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSING
The Zoning Code allows a range of single-family housing types in residential zones, predominantly as by-right uses. Further details on various single-family housing types are provided below.

Traditional Detached and Attached Single-Family Housing. Traditional detached single-family homes are permitted by-right within the City’s residential zones, except that they are required to be within a Planned Residential Development in the R-3 and R-4 zones. Attached single-family dwellings are permitted by-right in all residential zones except for the RC and RA-5 zones. Detached and attached single-family dwellings are also permitted in the Neighborhood Mixed Use (MU-N) zone.

Manufactured Housing. The City allows the installation of manufactured homes certified under the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 on a foundation system, pursuant to Section 18551 of the Health and Safety Code, on lots zoned for conventional single-family residential dwellings. Such uses are not subject to any administrative, planning, or development process or requirement.

The construction of Manufactured home is subject to HUD guidelines. HUD is charged with adopting rules and regulations to interpret the provisions of California law and codes that relate to manufactured housing.

Specifically, the Department has adopted building standards that are consistent with the recognized and accepted standards as published in the most recent editions of uniform or international industry codes. The source of these codes:
 The Uniform Housing Code of the International Conference of Building Officials  The International Residential Code of the International Code Council  The International Building Code of the International Code Council  The Uniform Plumbing Code of the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials.  The Uniform Mechanical Code of the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials.  The National Electrical Code of the National Fire Protection Association.  Local ordinances or regulations cannot be prescribed in conflict with these standards, the state laws codes and regulations take precedence.

However, local zone requirements, building setback, local fire zones, building setback, rear and side yard size requirements, site development and property line requirements are within the jurisdiction of local governments as well as the review and regulation of architectural and aesthetic requirements.

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TINY HOME COMMUNITIES
Like mobile home parks, tiny home communities allow for multiple single-family dwellings to be placed on one site. With smaller unit sizes, they provide another source of affordable housing, particularly for smaller lower- income households. Per the Zoning Code, a tiny home is defined as: “a structure constructed on a chassis, intended for separate, independent living quarters that meets all of the following conditions:
 The unit cannot (and is designed not to) move under its own power;  When sited on a parcel the wheels and undercarriage shall be skirted;  No larger than allowed by California State Law for movement on public highways;  Has at least 100 square feet of first floor interior living space;  Is self-contained unit including basic functional areas supporting daily needs (cooking, sleeping, toiletry);  Is designed and built to look like a conventional building structure;  Shall be licensed and registered with the California Department of Motor Vehicles and meet the American National Standards Institute 119.5 or National Fire Protection Association 1192 requirements;  Served by underground utilities; and
 A tiny home is not a recreational vehicle as defined in the Zoning Code.

Tiny home communities with structures on a chassis are allowed with the approval of a conditional use permit in the RR, RE, R-1, and R-3 residential zones and all commercial and mixed-use zones, but only when configured as incidental uses to a primary Assemblies of People – Non-Entertainment use. Tiny home communities where the structures are placed on a permanent foundation are permitted within the R-3 and R-4 zones.

Mobile Home Parks. According to the Department of Finance, there were an estimated 2,227 mobile home units within the City of Riverside, several of which provide affordable housing for seniors. Mobile home parks are permitted in the RR, RE, and R-1 zones with a Mobile Home Park Overlay Zone and approval of a conditional use permit. The Zoning code requires that mobile home parks be at least 10 acres, have a maximum density of 10 units per acre, and comply with standards in accordance with Title 25 of the California Code of Regulations. The Zoning code establishes setback standards for mobile home parks that are like the R-3 zone.

The City has also worked with partners to rehabilitate and preserve the condition of viable mobile home parks.

Planned Residential Development (PRD). PRD regulations are a unique and flexible development incentive that is intended to assist in producing a diversity of single-family housing; incentivize clustered development of environmentally and topographically constrained land; allow the development of small-lot infill subdivisions; encourage more creative and imaginative project design by allowing increased densities in return for enhanced amenities; provide increased opportunities for home ownership; and assist in the preservation and enhancement of valuable natural areas, where appropriate and especially in the RC Zone. A PRD is permitted in any single-family residential zone (except RA-5), subject to a Planned Residential Development Permit.

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ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS, JUNIOR ACCESSO RY DWELLING UNITS, CARETAKER’S LIVING QUARTERS.

Accessory dwelling units, junior accessory dwelling units, and caretaker’s living quarters can provide a significant source of affordable housing. Chapter 19.442 of the City’s Zoning Code contains provisions for the development of accessory dwelling units (formerly known as second dwelling units) and junior accessory dwelling units.
 Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU). The Zoning Code defines an accessory dwelling unit as “an attached or a detached residential dwelling unit that provides complete independent living facilities for one or more persons and is located on a lot with a proposed or existing primary residence. It shall include permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation on the same parcel as the single-family or multifamily dwelling is or will be situated.”
 Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit. A junior accessory dwelling unit is a unit contained entirely within an existing single-family structure. A JADU must have its own kitchen facilities but may or may not share sanitation facilities with the primary unit.
 Recent changes to state law pertaining to ADUs and JADUs have impacted how cities are able to regulate them. Most recently, several state laws became effective on January 1,2020, including AB 68, AB 587, AB 881, and SB 13. These new laws impose the following requirements for jurisdictions:
 Cit
ies must allow the conversion of existing accessory structures, including garages, into ADUs. When a garage or carport is demolished or converted to develop an ADU, the City may not require the lost parking to be replaced.
 Standards related to FAR, lot size, lot coverage, and open space may not have the effect of limiting ADU development. Further, a City may not impose standards that would limit the size of an ADU to less than 850 square feet for a one-bedroom ADU or 1,000 square feet for a unit with two or more bedrooms.  ADUs must be permitted in zones that permit multi-family housing and on lots developed with multi-family residences. Development of ADUs can no longer be limited to single-family zones.  In response t
o changing state regulations, the City updated its ADU provisions several times over the past few years, most recently in 2020. With the most recent amendments, the City’s provisions are compliant with state law; however, state regulations will continue to be monitored and future amendments to the City’s Zoning Code made as necessary to remain in compliance.  Caretaker’s Living Quarters. The Zoning Code defines a caretaker’s living quarters as a single-family dwelling unit as an accessory to an agricultural, professional, commercial, or industrial use for occupancy by the owner/caretaker. Caretaker’s living quarters for industrial uses are permitted in three industrial zones (I, AI, and AIR) and the CS Overlay zone pursuant to a Minor Conditional Use Permit, where 24-hour on- site management is required. Within the industrial and commercial zones, the unit is limited to 650-square- feet, and 2 bedrooms and is covenant restricted to be occupied by the owner or employee of the business where the unit is located. Caretaker living quarters associated with agricultural uses are permitted with a Technical Background Report:

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conditional use permit in the RA-5 zone and with a minor conditional use permit in the RR and R-1 zones with a minimum lot size of five acres.
 Multiple-Family Housing. The City of Riverside actively encourages and facilitates the production of multiple-family housing in the community. This includes traditional multiple-family developments and senior projects, as well as mixed use and student housing projects. Traditional multi-family development is permitted in the R-3 and R-4 zones at maximum densities ranging from 14.5 to 40 dwelling units per acre.

Other multi-family housing types are described in greater detail below.  Mixed-Use. The Zoning Code has mixed-use zones that offer development opportunities for integrated, complementary residential and commercial development on the same parcel or contiguous group of parcels. Singular, stand-alone uses are permitted when they foster an overall mixture of uses within the surrounding area. Design and development standards for all three zones are directed toward encouraging pedestrian activity and ensuring that mixed commercial and residential uses are compatible both within the development and with other surrounding
areas.

The MU-N zo
ne is designed to have the lowest intensity of commercial and residential uses. Both attached and detached single-family dwellings are permitted in the MU-N zone at a density of 10 units per acre. The MU-V and MU-U zones permit multi-family projects with maximum base densities of 30 units per acre and 40 units per acre, respectively. New development in the MU-V and MU-U zones requires review and approval of a Site Plan Review Permit.

The Riverside General Plan and Zoning Code contain a variety of incentives to facilitate multiple-family developments, particularly transit-oriented projects. Proposed projects within one-half mile of (1) a transit stop along Magnolia or University Avenues or (2) any transit station may obtain an increase in density of up to 40 units per acre in the MU-V zone with a maximum FAR of 2.5, and up to 60 units per acre in the MU-U zone with a maximum permissible FAR of 4.0.

SPECIAL NEEDS HOUSING
The City of Riverside also provides opportunities for the development of housing to meet the needs of specific segments of the community, including seniors, students, and persons living with disabilities, as described below.

Student Housing. The City of Riverside has an extensive system of universities, colleges, and educational institutions and one of the largest populations of students in southern California. To accommodate the need for student housing, the Zoning Code allows student housing, fraternities and sororities, and dormitories with a conditional use permit in two residential zones (R-3 and R-4), two office and commercial zones (CR and CG), and two mixed-use zones (MU-V and MU-U). Thousands of student units are available in Riverside and developers are proposing additional units.

The Zoning Code specifies two types of student housing. A fraternity or sorority house is a building rented, occupied, or owned by a chapter of some regularly organized college fraternity or sorority or by or on its behalf by a building corporation or association composed of members or alumni, and occupied by its members as a Technical Background Report:

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place of residence. A dormitory is a building intended or used principally for sleeping accommodations where such a building is related to an educational, public, or religious institutions. Student housing that is designed as regular apartment buildings is permitted as similar multi-family housing in the same zones.

Residential Care Facilities.

California law states that persons who require supervised care are entitled to live in a traditional residential setting. To that end, the Health and Safety Code (sections 1500 et seq.) requires that state-licensed residential care facilities serving six or fewer persons be (1) treated the same as a residential use, (2) allowed by right in all residential zones, and (3) treated the same with respect to regulations, fees, taxes, and permit processes as other residential uses of the same type in the same zone. Residential care facilities include but are not limited to residential facilities for the elderly, persons with developmental disabilities, and other state-licensed facilities.

The Zoning Code permits the above uses primarily under the term “group homes”, which is defined as, “any living situation including motels and hotel buildings that are not for temporary use, that accommodates unrelated individuals, and may include but not be limited to the following types of facilities: (1) licensed alcohol and drug treatment facilities; (2) licensed board and care homes for the elderly including convalescent or rest homes and nursing homes; (3) licensed homes for minor children; (4) licensed homes for mental patients; (5) licensed homes for the developmentally disabled; and (6) single- room occupancy (SRO) projects. Group housing would typically involve a living arrangement where either support services are provided to the occupants, where cooking, living or support sanitary facilities are shared in common between the occupants or where there is a formal program establishing rules of conduct and purpose of the facility.” As required by state law, group homes serving six or fewer persons are permitted in all residential zones and all mixed-use zones as a by-right use. Larger facilities serving seven or more individuals are conditionally permitted in the RR, RE, and R-1 residential zones and the O, CR, CG, and CRC commercial zones. Besides general regulations, group homes serving seven or more persons are subject to a 300-foot separation from another group home (including an assisted living facility or shelter) and 1,000 feet from a parolee/probationer home. A group home shall have no more than 40 beds nor shall serve more than 40 clients at the same time (RMC Section 19.315.040).

The City’s policy of allowing residential care facilities larger than seven or more persons pursuant to a conditional use permit is not considered a constraint. According to the State Community Care Licensing Division, there are a total of 182 licensed residential care facilities within the City of Riverside, with a total capacity for 2,513 individuals. This includes 83 facilities with a total of 1,910 beds that provide care for the elderly and 182 facilities with 603 beds providing care for adults ages 18 to 59. Furthermore, 65 percent of beds are part of larger facilities, illustrating that the City’s conditional use permit requirement has not constrained this type of use.

However, the definition of group home included in the Zoning Code may be problematic in that it is broader than the State’s definition of a residential care facility, which is a facility that provides “24-hour nonmedical care Technical Background Report:

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of persons in need of personal services, supervision, or assistance essential for sustaining the activities of daily living or for the protection of the individual” (Health and Safety Code Section 1502). Additionally, the Zoning Code provides definitions and lists separately on the table of permitted uses other group home types that would also fall within the Code’s current group home definition, including assisted living facilities, sober living homes, parolee/probationer homes, and single-room occupancy projects. In order to provide clarity on which types of uses are permitted as residential care facilities, adding a definition for residential care facility and/or updating the definition for group homes and the other similar uses listed above has been added as a Program for implementation in HE Section 2 (Housing Policies) of the Housing Element.

Sober Living Facilities. The Zoning code defines “sober living homes” as the use of a residential dwelling structure or unit for a cooperative living arrangement to provide an alcohol- and drug-free environment for persons recovering from alcoholism or alcohol and/or drug abuse, who seek a living environment in which to remain clean and sober; and which demonstrates identifying characteristics that distinguish such uses from similar land uses or community care facilities subject to state licensing requirements and from all other uses of residential property.

Federal and state fair housing statutes confirm that sober living homes are not subject to local zoning, business taxation, or licensing regulations. Like residential care facilities, they cannot be treated in a different manner than other residential structures of the same type in the same zone. Thus, the Zoning Code permits sober living facilities by right in all residential zones.

Single-Room Occupancy. Single-Room Occupancy (SRO) units provide a source of affordable housing for lower income individuals, including seniors, single workers, and persons that have recently experienced homelessness. The Zoning Code defines an SRO development as “a multi-unit housing development for very low-income persons that typically consists of a single room and shared bath, also may include a shared common kitchen and common activity area”. SRO units typically do not require a move-in deposit and are leased monthly, further removing barriers for very low-income individuals.

Pursuant to SB 2 (2007), jurisdictions must include provisions for SRO development and are limited on the types of performance and development standards that they may impose on SROs. In 2018, as part of the implementation of the 2014-2021 5
th Cycle Housing Element, the City adopted Ordinance No. 7408 which included provisions for SRO development. SRO projects are conditionally permitted in the MU-U zone.

Chapter 19.401 of the Zoning Code contains site location, operation, and development standards for SROs which are consistent with state law.

Farmworker and Employee Housing. The Residential Agricultural Zone (RA-5) is established to provide areas where general agricultural uses can occur independently or in conjunction with a single-family residence, that preserves the agricultural character of the area. Currently, only Caretaker’s Living Quarters (see discussions above) are identified as an accessory use conditionally permitted in the zone.

As required by Employee Housing Act (Health and Safety Code Section 17021.5(b)), employee housing is Technical Background Report:

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deemed a single-family structure within a residential land use designation. The Employee Housing Act also deems employee housing consisting of no more than 36 beds in a group quarters or 12 units or spaces designed for use by a single family or household to be an agricultural land use and therefore similarly permitted in zones agricultural uses are permitted. HE Section 2 (Housing Policies) of the Housing Element includes a program to address the provision of employee and farmworker housing.

FACILITIES FOR PERSONS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
Riverside has the largest and most integrated system of addressing homelessness in the entire county.

Riverside’s comprehensive continuum of care approach is predicated on the understanding that homelessness is caused by a complex range of underlying physical, economic, and social needs. Nonetheless, there is still the need for immediate housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness or at-risk of becoming homeless. To that end, the City of Riverside currently provides the following continuum of care housing options:

Emergency Shelters. Emergency shelters are typically the first step in the continuum of care and are short-term facilities that provide basic temporary overnight sleeping accommodations along with meals, showers, and supportive service linkages. Enacted in 2007, SB 2 requires local governments to identify one or more zones where emergency shelters can be permitted without approval of a discretionary permit. Further, the identified zone must have sufficient capacity to accommodate local shelter need and provide capacity for at least one year-round shelter, at a minimum. The City may require a ministerial permit where limited conditions may be applied; however, the local standards for emergency shelters must be objective and facilitate the development of this use.

In response to State regulations, the City created the Emergency Shelter (ES) Overlay Zone in 2010 where emergency shelters are permitted by-right. The ES Overlay Zone may be applied to the City’s commercial zones and all residential zones, except for the RC and RA-5 zones. The City also has development standards which address lighting, parking, security, management, and number of beds; these standards remain flexible to allow proposals to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. However, the ES Overlay requires the applicant to process a Zone Change to utilize the overlay provisions. In April 2021, the City amended the Zoning Code to eliminate the ES Overlay. Instead, emergency shelters are now a permitted use by-right in the City’s Industrial Zone.

According to the 2020 Point-in-Time Count, the City of Riverside has a population of 587 unsheltered individuals. The City’s Industrial zone encompasses approximately 805 646 parcels totaling 1,357834 acres.

Existing industrial uses include many warehouse and outdated light industrial uses that offer opportunities for the conversion to or development of emergency shelters. The City’s Industrial zones are located along major corridors and therefore offer access to public transportation and services.

Development standards applicable to emergency shelters include varying minimum separation requirements from other emergency shelter facilities, group housing, senior housing, schools, parks, businesses licensed for Technical Background Report:

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the sale of alcohol for consumption off-premises, which could constrain the development of this type of facility by reducing the number of locations where it is a use permitted by-right. To address this constraint, Section 2 (Housing Plan) contains a program to modify these minimum separation standards to further facilitate the provision of emergency shelters, in addition to updating parking standards to be consistent with maximum parking requirements per AB 139. Other standards contained in the Zoning Code relate to the operation of such facilities and are consistent with the requirements of State law, and therefore are not a constraint on this type of facility.

In addition to the ES Overlay Zone, the RR, RE R-1, R-3 and R-4 residential zones permit emergency shelters for six or fewer individuals with a minor conditional use permit and shelters for seven or more individuals with a conditional use permit. The O, CR, CG, MU-N, MU-V, MU-U and BMP zones also permit shelters subject to the same discretionary permit requirements based on size.

Low Barrier Navigation Centers. Adopted in 2019, AB 101 requires jurisdictions to permit Low Barrier Navigation Centers in mixed-use zones and other nonresidential zones permitting multi-family housing, provided they meet certain requirements. AB 101 defines a Low Barrier Navigation Center as “a Housing First, low-barrier, service-enriched shelter focused on moving people into permanent housing that provides temporary living facilities while case managers connect individuals experiencing homelessness to income, public benefits, health services, shelter, and housing.” Low Barrier shelters may include options such as allowing pets, permitting partners to share living space, and providing storage for residents’ possessions. The City has not yet updated the Zoning Code to provide for this type of housing; therefore, a program to amend the Zoning Code to include provisions for Low Barrier Navigation Centers has been added to HE Section 2 (Housing PoliciesPlan) of the Housing Element.

Transitional Housing. Transitional housing facilities are intended to provide a stay of six months and up to two years during which residents are provided case management and other supportive services that prepare them to obtain and maintain housing and become self-sufficient. Transitional housing may be provided in a variety of forms, including in group homes, single-family residences, and multi-family residences. Pursuant to State law, transitional housing must be treated as a residential use and may only be subject to the restrictions that apply other residential dwellings of the same type in the same zone.

The Zoning Code permits transitional housing by-right, regardless of size, in all residential and mixed-use zones. In the O, CR, and CG commercial zones, facilities serving six or fewer individuals require a minor conditional use permit and facilities serving more than six individuals require a conditional use permit.

Permanent Supportive Housing. The California Health and Safety Code defines supportive housing as follows:
“housing with no limit on length of stay, that is occupied by the target population (i.e., persons with low incomes having one or more disabilities, including mental illness, HIV or AIDS, substance abuse, or other chronic health conditions, or individuals eligible for services provided under the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act), and that is linked to onsite or offsite services that assist the supportive housing resident in retaining the housing, improving his or her health status, and maximizing his or her ability to live and, when Technical Background Report:

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possible, work in the community.”
Like transitional housing, supportive housing may be provided in a group home setting, or within a single- or multi-family residential setting. The Zoning code allows supportive housing by-right in all residential and mixed- use zones and supportive housing facilities are only subject to the restrictions that apply to residential dwellings of the same type in the same zone. Small supportive housing facilities (six or fewer clients) are also permitted with a minor conditional use permit in the O, CR, and CG commercial zones. Large facilities (more than six clients) require a conditional use permit in these commercial zones.

The State Legislature adopted AB 2162 in 2018, which requires jurisdictions to permit supportive housing developments with 50 or fewer units by-right in zones where multi-family and mixed-use development is permitted, provided the development meets certain requirements. Further, cities may not impose parking requirements for supportive housing based on the number of units if they are located within one-half mile of a public transit stop. While the City’s current Code is compliant with the requirement that larger facilities be permitted by-right in certain zones as described above.

DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
Riverside regulates the type, location, density, and scale of residential development primarily through the Zoning Code. Zoning Code regulations are designed to protect and promote the health, safety, and general welfare of residents and implement policies of the General Plan 2025. The Zoning Code also serves to preserve the character and integrity of existing neighborhoods. Table H-6: Generalized Residential Development Standards presents a summary of development standards for residential development in Riverside. Specific requirements and exceptions are in Article V of the Zoning Code.

Table H-6: Generalized Residential Development Standards Zone
Max.

Density
(Units/Ac.)
Min. Lot
Area (sf, new
lots)
Max. Height:

Ft./Stories
Max. Lot
Coverage
Setbacks –
Front/Side/ Rear
(ft.)
RC 0.5 Varies 20 ft./1 story N/A 30/25/25
RA-5 0.2 5 acres 35 ft./2 stories 30% 40/20/25
RR 2.1 20,000 sf 35 ft./2 stories 30% 30/20/100
RE 1.0 43,560 sf 35 ft./2 stories 30% 30/25/30
R-1-½ ac 2.0 21,780 sf 35 ft./2 stories 30% 30/20/35
R-1-13000 3.4 13,000 sf 35 ft./2 stories 30% 25/15/30
R-1-10500 4.1 10,500 sf 35 ft./2 stories 35% 25/10-15/25 R-1-8500 5.1 8,500 sf 35 ft./2 stories 35% 25/7.5-12.5/25 Technical Background Report:

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Zone
Max.

Density
(Units/Ac.)
Min. Lot
Area (sf, new
lots)
Max. Height:

Ft./Stories
Max. Lot
Coverage
Setbacks –
Front/Side/ Rear
(ft.)
R-1-7000 6.2 7,000 sf 35 ft./2 stories 40% 20/7.5-10/25 R-3-4000 10.9 30,000 sf 30 ft./2 stories1 N/A 25/10/20
R-3-3000 14.5 30,000 sf 30 ft./2stories1 N/A
R-3-2500 17.4 30,000 sf 30 ft./2 stories1 N/A
R-3-2000 21.8 30,000 sf 30 ft./2 stories1 N/A 15/7.5-10/15 R-3-1500 29 30,000 sf 30 ft./2 stories1 N/A
R-4 40 30,000 sf 50 ft./4 stories N/A
MU-N 10 7,000 sf 35 ft. 1.0 FAR 15/0/15
MU-V 302 20,000 sf 45 ft. 2.5 FAR 0/0/15
MU-U 402 20,000 sf 60 ft. 4.0 FAR 0/0/15
60% of units may be in buildings that are up three stories and 40 feet in height subject to Community and Economic Development Director review and approval. Since 2015, 19 projects were approved in R-3 Zones consisting of two-story buildings and 12 projects were approved in the R-3 Zones consisting of three-story buildings. No multi-floor projects were denied in the timeframe Proposed projects within one-half mile of: 1) a transit stop along Magnolia or University Avenues or (2) any transit station may have a residential density of up to 40 units per acre in the MU-V Zone with a maximum FAR of 2.5, and up to 60 units per acre in the MU-U Zone with a maximum total permissible FAR of 4.0.

Source: City of Riverside Zoning
Table H-7: Open Space Requirements
Zone Common Usable Open
Space (min. per unit)
Private Usable Open Space (min.
per unit, ground floor/upper
story)
R-3-4000 500 sf 120 sf/50 sf
R-3-3000 500 sf 120 sf/50 sf
R-3-2500 400 sf 120 sf/50 sf
R-3-2000 400 sf 100 sf/50 sf
R-3-1500 300 sf 100 sf/50 sf
R-4 200 sf 50 sf/50 sf
MU-N1 50 sf 50 sf/50 sf
MU-V2 50 sf 50 sf/50 sf
MU-U3 50 sf for at least 50% of units >50 sf
Requirement for mixed-use developments. Standalone residential developments are subject to R-3-4000 open space requirements.

Requirement for mixed-use developments. Standalone residential developments are subject to R-3-1500 open space requirements.

Requirement for mixed-use developments. Standalone residential developments are subject to R-4 open space requirements.

Source: City of Riverside Zoning
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OPEN SPACE REQUIREMENTS
In single-family neighborhoods, the Zoning Code regulates the amount of open space by maximum lot coverage. In these areas, the Zoning Code limits single-family homes to a lot coverage not to exceed 30 to 40% of the lot size, with the presumption that homes have a sizable front yard, setbacks, and a backyard. In this manner, each home has adequate open space, and the setting is conducive and consistent with lower density residential settings.

In recognition that multiple-family residences create a need for recreational amenities, common open space that is available for use by all residents as well as private open space for use of individual unit occupants is required for multi-family development in the multi-family zones. Table H-7: Open Space Requirements lays out the open space requirements for multi-family residential and mixed-use projects. The amount of common and private open space required decreases as the allowable density increases. Common open space requirements range from 500 square feet per unit in the R-3-4000 zone to 200 square feet in the R-4 zone. Requirements for private open space range from 120 square feet for ground floor units in the R-3-4000 zone to 50 square feet for ground floor units in the R-4 zone. The private open space requirement for upper story units is 50 square feet in all zones except the MU-U zone, where this amount of private open space is required for at least half the total units.

The recreational amenities provided as part of the required common open space are based upon the size of the development. Smaller developments (less than 20 units) are required to provide a large open yard area. Larger developments are required to provide further amenities from a menu of options such as barbeque facilities, tot lots, pool and spa, and others. The number of amenities required to be provided is based on the number of units.

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Open space is also a desired amenity in mixed-use developments, and thus mixed-use projects must meet specific open space requirements. However, reflecting the urbanized setting of such projects, mixed-use developments are subject to lesser open space requirements compared to stand-alone residential projects, as indicated in H-8: Open Space Requirements. This provision helps to facilitate the feasibility and development of mixed-use projects within the community. Stand-alone residential projects in the mixed-use zones are subject to the open space requirements of the multi-family zones of similar density.

Parking Requirements. Parking is an important development regulation in communities. Adequate parking for residential projects contributes to the value of a project, the safety of residents, its appearance, and livability.

However, excessive parking standards can pose a significant constraint to the development of housing because it reduces the land and financing availability for project amenities or additional units.

The Chapter 19.580 of the Zoning Code establishes residential parking requirements for different types of residential uses. These requirements are summarized below in Table H-8: Parking Standards for Residential Development.

When compared to other cities in the region, Riverside’s parking requirements are comparable and, in some cases, more lenient. For example, Riverside requires two spaces per unit for multi-family units with two or more bedrooms, where some cities may require 2.5 or more spaces per unit with three or more bedrooms.

Additionally, Riverside does not require any guest parking for multi-family developments, further removing a constraint on achieving the maximum density for a multi-family project. Finally, the City has removed parking requirements altogether for ADUs, which is above and beyond what is required by State law.

The City’s parking requirements do not create a constraint to the development of housing in the community.

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Table H-8: Parking Standards For Residential Development Parking Standard
Single-Family Residential Two parking spaces/unit, within a private garage Accessory Dwelling Unit None required
Multiple-Family Residential
Studio: 1 space/unit
1 Bedroom: 1.5 spaces/unit
2 or more Bedrooms: 2 spaces/unit
Rooms that can be used as bedrooms count as bedrooms. At least 75% of the total spaces must be within an enclosed garage or carport. Tandem parking may be provided when assigned to units with two or more bedrooms.

Group Housing
6 or fewer residents: 1 enclosed space/unit
More than 6 residents: Determined by the designated Approving or Appeal Authority in conjunction with required land use or development permits, based on the impacts of the proposal and similar uses.

Assisted Living (7 or more clients) 0.5 parking spaces per bed Transitional Housing / Supportive
Housing/ Emergency Shelters
Based on demonstrated need, provided that the standards do not require more parking than that for other residential uses within the same zone.

Mobile Home Park 1 parking space per mobile home site plus 1 off-street guest parking space for every 5 mobile home sites
Single Room Occupancy 1 parking space/unit
Senior Housing 1 parking spaces/unit, of which 50% must be covered either in a carport or a garage
Student Housing 1.1 parking spaces per bed provided on same or adjoining lot.

Source: City of Riverside Zoning Code
Flexibility in Development Standards. Development standards affect the financial feasibility of a residential project, both from the revenue side (through achievable density) and through the costs of accommodating specific development standards. However, there is no specific threshold that determines whether a particular standard or combination constrains the affordability or supply of housing. Many factors determine project feasibility. The City offers several strategies to increase the financial feasibility and potential revenue generation from a residential project as discussed below.

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Density Bonus for Affordable Housing. The City initially adopted density bonus provisions for affordable housing in accordance with Government Code §65915-65918 in 2007 and most recently updated the Density Bonus Ordinance in 2016. The City’s density bonus regulations are contained in Chapter 19.545 of the Zoning Code.

These provisions facilitate the development of affordable housing by allowing for a density bonus and other regulatory concessions in exchange for the development of affordable housing units. Based on the number of units provided and the percentage designated for low-income, very-low income, or senior households, an applicant may request a density bonus and/or other concessions such as reductions in development standards or reductions in fees.

The State Legislature has enacted several changes to density bonus law in recent years to further encourage the development of affordable housing units. In 2019, AB 1763 was adopted, which included the following changes for projects with 100 percent affordable units:
 The maximum achievable density bonus is 80 percent.
 Projects may include up to 20 percent of units affordable to moderate income households.  For projects within a half mile of a major transit stop, there is no limitation on density and the maximum height may be increased by three additional stories or 33 feet.  Projects must be allowed four incent
ives or concessions.
 Developers may request
the elimination of parking requirements for projects providing supportive or special needs housing, as defined.

Enacted in 2020, AB
2345 increased the maximum available density bonus for projects not comprised exclusively of affordable units from 35 percent to 50 percent and allowed for further reduction or elimination of required on-site parking spaces for projects meeting certain affordability thresholds and within certain proximity to transit stops.

Based on these changes, the density bonus provisions contained in the Zoning Code are not up to date with current State law. The Planning Division currently utilizes Government Code §65915-65918 6 when processing development applications that request a density bonus to ensure that review is compliant with current State law. This is an out-of-date version of the state statute and so the Planning Division will need to refer to the updated statute.

Transit-Oriented Projects. The City permits higher residential densities for transit-oriented projects in the MU-V and MU-U Zones. Proposed projects within one-half of a mile of: (1) a transit stop along Magnolia or University Avenues or (2) any transit station may have a residential density of up to 40 dwelling units per acre in the MU-V Zone with a maximum total permissible FAR of 2.5 and up to 60 dwelling units per acre in the MU-U Zone with 6 Government Code. Title 7. Planning and Land Use [65000-66499.59] Division 1. Planning and Zoning [65000-6630] Chapter 4.3. Density Bonuses and Other Incentives [65915-65918].

The City of Riverside has a total
of twenty approved specific
plans, many of which provide
for a range of residential
development, including low-
density single-family units,
medium to high density multi-
family units, and mixed-use
developments.

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a maximum total permissible FAR of 4.0. This additional density is permitted, but not mandatory, and subject to discretion as part of the Site Plan Review process.

Planned Residential Development Permit. The PRD permit allows for flexibility and creativity in design of single- family residential developments, and for the application of unique development standards that reflect special property conditions. Projects within the RR, RE and R-1 zones can secure a 10% density bonus if the project exhibits exemplary design, based on criteria listed in RMC Section 19.780.050(E). Additionally, a project with superior design can receive a 25% density bonus in the RC Zone with an approved PRD permit. The City has successfully used the PRD process to approve thousands of smaller lot and affordable single-family projects in the City.

Specific Plans. Specific plans are a regulatory tool that provide vision for a unique planning area by customizing land use regulations to that area. The City of Riverside has a total of twenty approved specific plans, many of which provide for a range of residential development, including low-density single-family units, medium to high density multi-family units, and mixed-use developments. Below are brief descriptions of some of the City’s specific plans which provide significant residential development potential.

The Downtown Specific Plan encompasses 640 acres in Riverside’s historic downtown. The Specific Plan area is divided into nine land use districts which include traditional single-family residential neighborhoods, as well as areas that allow for high-density residential development up to 60 units per acre by-right, with higher densities permitted with a Conditional Use Permit.

The Magnolia Avenue Specific Plan area encompasses one of the City’s primary east/west corridors. The plan includes nearly 200 acres that are designated for medium to very high-density residential uses, with maximum allowable densities ranging from 14.5 to 40 units per acre. The plan also includes mixed use districts which allow for medium and high-density residential development.

Adopted in 2020, the Northside Specific Plan is the City’s most recently adopted specific plan. The Specific Plan area includes approximately 2,000 acres within the City of Riverside, the City of Colton, and adjacent unincorporated Riverside County. The plan anticipates a total of over 11,000 units within the portion of the Specific Plan area that is within Riverside at maximum build out, including medium- to high-density standalone residential development as well as mixed use development.

DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS
Development review is the primary way that local governments ensure the construction of projects that contribute in a positive manner to the community and improve quality of life. Residential development projects may undergo several types of approvals: ministerial, discretionary actions (either with or without a public hearing), and legislative actions. This section outlines the timeline for the development review process for housing and describes the conditional use permit, design review, and site plan review processes.

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Timeframe for Review. Residential projects in Riverside undergo several processes from the initial submittal of an application to project approval. Below is a summary of the steps to review, condition, and approve proposals for residential development. The ability to get construction financing is a typical factor in the timeframe for review.

Initial Application Check. When an application is initially submitted to the City, staff has 30 days to review the application for completeness and notify the developer applicant in writing of any missing information or necessary modifications. The City provides online forms to help developers submit a complete application, accepts electronic applications and plan submittals, and works with applicants to remedy any deficiencies prior to moving forward in the review process.

Design Review. Certain projects require design review to ensure the quality of the project and consistency with Citywide Design and Sign Guidelines. This process is described later in this section. If the project requires another discretionary permit, such as a conditional use permit or site plan review, design review is completed concurrently with the review process for the other permit rather than independently.

Site Plan Review. Mixed-use projects require site plan review to ensure conformance with the requirements of the Zoning Code and consistency with applicable Design Guidelines for mixed-use development. This process requires a public hearing before the Planning Commission, which is the approval authority. This process is described in further detail later in this section.

Conditional Use Permit. Certain residential uses may require a conditional use permit or minor conditional use permit to ensure that the type, location, and operation of the use is consistent with the provisions of the Zoning code and General Plan 2025 objectives. A more detailed review of the conditional use permit and minor conditional use permit processes is provided.

Tract Or or Parcel Maps. Some projects require a parcel or tract map pursuant to the state Subdivision Map Act.

In these cases, an additional step is required. Tentative parcel map review is required for projects involving the creation of four or fewer parcels. Tentative parcel maps can be reviewed and approved by the Community and Economic Development Director. Tentative tract maps involving five or more parcels require a public hearing before the Planning Commission, which is the final approval authority. Tract and parcel maps are reviewed concurrently with the other required permits for a project and therefore generally do not add significant review time.

Legislative Actions. When an applicant proposes to build housing on a site that is not currently zoned to allow residential development, a general plan amendment, specific plan amendment and/or zone change is required for the project to be approved. In these cases, the time frame for approval can be considerably longer. The City Council is the approval authority for all legislative actions, with the Planning Commission acting as a recommending body.

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Environmental Review. The City makes every attempt to minimize delay to projects related to compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), including but not limited to categorical and statutory exemptions and tiering from previous environmental documents whenever possible. Many projects are categorically exempt from CEQA, therefore involving little to no delay in the approval process. Larger residential projects may require adoption of a negative or mitigated negative declaration. The time involved is largely due to mandated periods for public review. Even then, the environmental review is concurrent with project review, thus adding minimal time to the overall project approval time.

Plan Check. After projects have completed any required entitlement review process and the ten-day appeal period has expired, the applicant may submit plans for plan check review. The plan check review process typically takes six to eight weeks, but may be shorter or longer, depending on the complexity of the project and the number of submittals needed to address all corrections.

Table H-9: Planning Entitlement Review Time and Approval Authority indicates the estimated processing time and approval authority for various discretionary permits. It is important to note that the City processes discretionary permits concurrently to ensure projects are reviewed in the most time efficient manner. Typical projects that are permitted uses and do not require any discretionary actions (i.e. single-family residences and stand-alone multi-family residential projects), will take less time to review than the timeframes listed below.

Additionally, unusually large or complex projects may have longer time frames, particularly if an environmental impact report is required.

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Table H-9: Planning Entitlement Review Time and Approval Authority Application Type Timeframe Approval
Authority
Appeal Authority
Design Review
Administrative
Public Hearing
3-4 months
4-6 months
DRC
PC
PC
CC
Site Plan Review 4-6 months PC CC
Minor Conditional
Use Permit
3-4 months DRC CC
Conditional Use
Permit
4-6 months PC CC
Tentative Parcel Map 3-4 months CEDD CC
Tentative Tract Map 4-6- months PC CC
Planned Residential Development
Permit
4-6 months PC CC
General Plan Amendment/Zone
Change
8-10 months CC CC
Specific Plan 10-12 months CC CC
CEDD = Community & Economic Development Director
DRC = Development Review Committee
PC = Planning Commission
CC = City Council
Source: City of Riverside Planning Division

DESIGN REVIEW
The City’s Design Review process is intended to “protect and preserve the value of properties and to encourage high quality development thereof in areas where adverse effects will result from excessive uniformity, dissimilarity, poor exterior quality and appearance of buildings and structures, and from inadequate and poorly planned landscaping, and from failure to preserve where feasible natural landscape features and open spaces” (RMC 19.710.00(A)). To that end, the City established city-wide Design Guidelines in 2007 to assist developers in designing and building residential, commercial, mixed-use, and industrial projects that demonstrate excellence in design; create quality living environments; and contribute in a positive manner to the appearance and quality of life in the City. The Guidelines address such topics as site planning, scale, and mass, building appearance, landscaping, and open space, fencing and walls, parking, and other related design topics.

For ease of understanding, the Guidelines provide sketches and illustrative photographs of preferred methods of building design. Other design review standards are included in the Zoning Code.

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The City’s Design Review procedures are outlined in Chapter 19.710 of the Zoning Code. Design review is required for all new or altered structures in the RC, R-3, CR, CG, CRC, O, MU, Industrial, and DSP Zones. It is also required for any project that requires a conditional use permit, site plan review permitminor conditional use permit, or planned residential development permit that also involves new construction or building or site alterations. The Planning Commission is the Design Review authority for projects that are subject to a separate discretionary review by the Planning Commission, such as a Conditional Use Permit or Planned Residential Development Permit. All other projects subject to design review may be reviewed by the Development Review Committee (DRC) or the Community & Economic Development Department (CEDD) Director. To minimize the time required for review, design review is done concurrently with the processing of all other entitlements required of the same project.; however,
For projects reviewed by the Director or Development Review CommitteeCEDD Director or DRC, the Planning Commission is the appeal authority. The City Council hears appeals for projects that are subject to Planning Commission design review. any In addition to appeals, any project may be referred to the Planning commission Commission subject to the Director or Committee’s discretion; in practice, however, Planning Commission referrals are reserved for projects with significant public interest or controversy. Since the adoption of the City’s previous Housing Element in 2017, no residential design review application has been referred for Planning Commission review and, as such, the referral process does not constitute a constraint on development. For projects reviewed by the Director or Development Review Committee, the Planning Commission is the appeal authority. The City Council hears appeals for projects that are subject to Planning Commission design review. To minimize the time required for review, design review is done concurrently with the processing of all other entitlements required of the same project.

Single-family residential infill projects are not subject to design review; however, plans submitted to the Planning Division through the Building & Safety Division plan check review process are reviewed for consistency with the Citywide Design Guidelines to ensure compatibility with existing neighborhoods. To facilitate the development of stand-alone multi-family residential and senior housing projects in certain zones, design review is completed administratively by the Community & Economic Development Director, provided that the development meets certain criteria listed in Chapter 19.710. The findings for design review approval are as follows:
 Sites shall be graded and developed with due regard for the aesthetic qualities of the natural terrain and landscape, and trees and shrubs shall not be indiscriminately destroyed.  Buildings, structures, and signs shall be properly related to their sites and consistent with the character of the neighborhood and surrounding sites and shall not be detrimental to the orderly and harmonious development of their surroundings and of the City.  Open spaces, parking areas, pedestrian walks, signs, illumination, and landscaping (including water efficient irrigation facilities) shall be adequately related to the site and arranged to achieve a safe, efficient, and harmonious development.

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 Sites shall be developed to achieve a harmonious relationship with existing and proposed adjoining developments, avoiding both excessive variety and monotonous repetition, but allowing, when feasible, similarity of style or originality of design.

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 When feasible, electrical and similar mechanical equipment, and trash and storage areas shall be effectively screened from public view. The use of harmonious or related colors and materials shall be encouraged.
 The design review process shall endeavor to eliminate the ugly, the garish, the inharmonious, the monotonous, and the hazardous, and shall endeavor to ensure that proposed improvements will not impair the desirability of investment or occupancy nearby; but originality in site planning, architecture, landscaping and graphic design shall not be suppressed.  Review shall include exterior design, materials, textures, colors, means of illumination, signing, landscaping and irrigation.

It should be noted that projects that comply with applicable objective development standards and demonstrate substantial compliance with the Citywide Design and Sign Guidelines are presumed to comply with the findings for design review approval. The objective development standards and clear guidelines improve development certainty and mitigate cost impacts and therefore, the Design Review process is not a potential constraint on housing supply and affordability.

CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT
The City implements a conditional use permit process for uses that require special review due to the nature, intensity, size, or location, to ensure its compatibility with surrounding uses. Development and operational conditions may be imposed upon a project through the conditional use permit process to ensure that its development and continuing operation is compatible with surrounding properties.

The City uses two conditional use permit processes to review, approve, and modify residential projects of different types, sizes, and complexity, and dependent on the zoning designation of the underlying property as shown previously Table H-4: Allowable Residential Uses in Nonresidential Zones and Table H-5: Allowable Residential Uses in Nonresidential Zones.

The minor conditional use permit is considered an administrative discretionary action and typically does not require a public hearing, as the Development Review Committee is responsible for review and approval of the application. In contrast, the conditional use permit requires a public hearing before the Planning Commission, which is the approval authority.

In either case, the Development Review Committee or Planning Commission must make certain findings to grant a conditional use permit:

The proposed use is substantially compatible with other existing and proposed uses in the area, including factors relating to the nature of its location, operation, building design, site design, traffic characteristics, and environmental impacts;
The proposed use will not be materially detrimental to the health, safety, and general welfare of the public or otherwise injurious to the environment or to the property or improvements within the area; and Technical Background Report:

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The proposed use will be consistent with the purposes of the Zoning Code and the application of any required development standards is in the furtherance of a compelling governmental interest and is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest.

SITE PLAN REVIEW
The City of Riverside implements a site plan review permit to ensure high quality land planning is incorporated into development projects; to ensure that new projects are compatible with existing neighborhoods in terms of mass, scale, and functionality; to ensure that development occurs with due regard to environmental factors; to provide public improvements necessitated by the development; and to promote orderly, attractive, and harmonious development and promote the general welfare by preventing uses or structures that are not properly related to or that would adversely impact their sites, surroundings, traffic, or environmental setting (RMC 19.770.010).

The Zoning Code requires site plan review for projects within the mixed-use zones involving structures exceeding 10,000 square feet20,000 square feet or 20 residential units; however, standalone multi-family residential projects within the mixed-use zones are exempt from the Site Plan Review requirement. For projects that are subject to another discretionary permit (i.e., conditional use permit, minor conditional use permit, PRDs, or design review), site plan review is conducted as part of the overall development review process and no independent separate site plan review application is required. The site plan review permit requires a public hearing and general noticing of the proposed project to property owners and occupants within 300 feet of the project site. The Planning Commission is the approval authority for site plan review permits, with appeals being heard by the City Council.

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BUILDING CODES AND SITE

IMPROVEMENTS
The City implements and enforces various building codes and requires site improvements to ensure quality housing, maintain neighborhood quality and protect the health, safety, and welfare of residents and businesses.

BUILDING CODES AND ENFORCEMENT
As required of all communities by state law, the City must periodically adopt the California Building Code (CBC) by reference. The CBC is a set of uniform health and safety codes addressing building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, fire safety, and other minimum standards for the construction of buildings. Riverside adopted the 2019 edition of the CBC, the California Residential Code, and the California Green Building Standards Code (RMC Title 16).

As part of the adoption of the CBC, a city may adopt additional codes if it makes an express finding that such modification is reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological, or topographical conditions (Health and Safety Code Section 17958.7). The City Council has adopted local amendments to address these specific local conditions, primarily related to fire suppression and protection; repair and reconstruction of damaged structures; seismic safety concerns; and noise insulation standards.

Once construction of a project is complete, the Code Enforcement Division of the Community & Economic Development Department enforces zoning codes affecting the ongoing maintenance of the property. The Building & Safety Division enforces zoning codes affecting the structural integrity of buildings. The Building & Safety Division’s code enforcement is driven by violation reports and complaints. The City works with the community to remedy code violations by referring property owners to loans or other assistance programs when available and appropriate. If code violations are not remedied in a timely manner, the City can pursue legal action to address violations.

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Table H-10: Required Street Right-of-Way Improvements
Type of Improvement
Right of Way
(ft.) Median (ft.) Pavement
Width (ft.) Curb & Gutter Parkway (ft.)
Arterial 144 12 56 (two)1 Yes 10
Arterial 120 12 44 (two)2 Yes 10
Arterial 110 18 34 (two)3 Yes 12
Arterial 100 21 34 (two)3 Yes 10
Arterial 88 N/A 641 Yes 12
Collector 80 N/A 40 Yes 20
Collection
street or local
street, multi-
family area
66 N/A 40 Yes 13
Local Street,
single-family
area
66 N/A 36 Yes 15
Local cul-de-sac
street
60 N/A 36 Yes 12
Frontage road 42 N/A 32 Yes 10
Alley 20 N/A 20 N/A N/A
Half streets 43 N/A 28 Yes 15
Provides four travel lanes in each direction (excluding turn lanes, parking lanes, and bike lanes).

Provides three travel lanes in each direction (excluding turn lanes, parking lanes, and bike lanes).

Provides two travel lanes in each direction (excluding turn lanes, parking lanes, and bike lanes).

Source: City of Riverside Subdivision Code

SUBDIVISION IMPROVEMENTS
The City’s Subdivision Code (Title 18) regulates the design and improvement of subdivisions and installation of improvements needed for new development pursuant to the requirements of the California Subdivision Map Act. The code is designed to assist in the implementation of the General Plan; provide lots of sufficient size and appropriate design; provide adequate infrastructure necessary to support development; ensure that the costs of providing improvements are borne by the subdividers; and ensure that land is subdivided in a logical and well-planned manner (RMC Section 18.020.010).

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The Subdivision Code specifies requirements for on- and off-site improvements for new residential development. Table H-10: Required Street Right-of-Way Improvements summarizes the required street improvements for subdivisions.

Chapter 18.230 of the Zoning code allows for the modification of public improvement requirements of the Subdivision Code pursuant to the Approving/Appeal Authority making specific findings to ensure the health, safety, and public welfare and consistency with the General Plan and other implementing plans and specifications.

The City enforces adherence with Zoning codes and requirements through various means. For new projects, developers will be unable to obtain final building permits or recover bonds or other financial deposits if subdivision improvements are not made in a manner that fulfills the obligations set forth in the Subdivision Code, development agreement, or discretionary permit associated with a specific project. Noncompliance may eventually lead to legal action or payment of additional fees to ensure that the improvements are constructed.

HOUSING FOR DISABLED PERSONS
The City has a long history of improving housing opportunities for persons with disabilities through education, representation, land use and zoning, development practices, and reasonable accommodation. Pursuant to Section 65008 of the Government Code, this section analyzes potential and actual constraints on housing for persons with disabilities and demonstrates efforts to remove government constraints. Programs are included in the Housing Policies Section.

LAND USE AND ZONING
Definition of Family. The definition of family within the Zoning code is, “any individual or group of individuals living together, in a dwelling unit as a single housekeeping unit. Family does not include larger institutional group living situations, such as in a boarding house or hotel/motel/long-term stay.” The City’s definition does not include limitations related to blood relation or number of unrelated persons and, therefore, does not limit the development of group housing for persons with disabilities.

Housing types for persons with disabilities. Various housing types for persons with disabilities, including residential care facilities and supportive housing, were discussed previously in this Appendix; the following is a summary of that discussion.

The City’s Zoning Code allows for small group homes of six or fewer residents as a permitted use in all residential zones as required by fair housing law. Larger facilities are conditionally permitted in several residential and commercial zones (RR, RE, R-1, O, CR, CG, and CRC). Of the total 2,513 beds in residential care facilities for adults or the elderly, 65 percent of beds are within large facilities, indicating that the conditional use permit process has not constrained the development of larger facilities.

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Supportive housing is also a permitted use in all residential zones and the mixed-use zones as required by state law. Additionally, supportive housing is permitted with a minor conditional use permit or conditional use permit in some commercial zones, dependent on size of the facility.

As noted previously, a program has been added to the Housing Element to make minor changes to how residential care facilities and supportive housing are regulated to provide clarity and ensure compliance with state law.

Development Standards. The City examined its development standards and permitting process to identify potential constraints on the construction or improvement of housing occupied by a disabled person. Parking standards for group homes are equal to those required for any single- or multiple-family residence.

To avoid overconcentration, the City requires group home facilities serving seven or more persons to be spaced a minimum of 300 feet from other group housing, assisted living or emergency shelters and 1,000 feet from a probationer/parolee home. Other operational standards for larger group homes are in RMC Section 19.315.040. As discussed, previously, emergency shelters are permitted by right in the Industrial zone, where group homes are not permitted. This distance requirement, therefore, does not directly conflict with SB 2.

Reasonable Accommodation. Both federal and state fair housing laws require local governments to make reasonable accommodations in local zoning and land use regulations when such accommodations are necessary to afford disabled persons an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling. Reasonable accommodations most commonly grant modifications or exceptions to development standards; for example, a setback modification to allow a wheelchair access ramp within the required front yard setback of a dwelling.

The City first adopted Chapter 19.850, “Fair Housing and Reasonable Accommodation,” in 2003 and most recently updated its Request for Reasonable Accommodation procedures in 2016. Chapter 19.850 provides procedures for the application and review of Requests for Reasonable Accommodation. An application for a Request for Reasonable Accommodation follows the same timeline as a Variance. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations are typically reviewed and approved by the Development Review Committee; however, the Committee may refer complex or controversial requests to the Planning Commission.

To approve a Request for Reasonable Accommodation, the following findings must be made by the Development Review Committee in addition to the findings for a standard Variance:
 The persons who will use the subject property are protected under Fair Housing Laws;  The requested exception to zoning law is necessary to make specific housing available to a dwelling occupant;
 The requested exception will not impose an undue financial or administrative burden on the City; and A program has been added
to the Housing Element to
make minor changes to how
residential care facilities
and supportive housing are
regulated to provide clarity
and ensure compliance with
state law.

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 The requested exception will comply with all applicable Building and Fire Codes and will not require a fundamental alteration of the zoning laws and procedures.

The required findings for a standard Variance are as follows:
 The strict application of the provisions of the Zoning Code would result in practical difficulties or unnecessary hardships inconsistent with the general purpose and intent of the Zoning Code;  There are special circumstances or conditions applicable to the property involved or to the intended use or development of the property that do not apply generally to other property in the vicinity and under the identical zoning classification;
 The granting of such variance will not be materially detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to the property or improvements in the zone or neighborhood in which the property is located; and  The granting of the variance will not be contrary to the objectives of any part of the General Plan.

Decisions of the Development Review Committee or Planning Commission on Request for Reasonable Accommodation applications may be appealed to the City Council.

In an effort to eliminate barriers to housing for persons with disabilities, Section 2 (Housing Plan) of the Housing Element contains a program to remove the requirement to make Variance findings in addition to Reasonable Accommodation findings from the Zoning Code.

BUILDING CODES
The City has adopted the 2019 California Building Code, which contains the latest techniques and accessibility requirements. The City adheres to federal laws that require at least 5% of publicly funded new units be accessible to persons with mobility impairments and an additional 2% of the units be accessible to persons with hearing or visual impairments. New multiple-family housing must also be built so that: 1) the public and common use portions of such units are readily accessible and usable by persons with disabilities; 2) doors allowing passage into and within such units can accommodate wheelchairs; and 3) all units contain adaptive design features.

The City has established a procedure for resolving the application of building codes and its impact on housing opportunities for people with disabilities. The City is charged with the responsibility to convene an Accessibility Appeals Board comprised of four members of the Planning Commission, plus three additionally designated persons with disabilities, at least two of whom shall be mobility impaired. This Board may conduct hearings on written appeals of decisions of the Building Official regarding accessibility issues and approve or disapprove interpretations and enforcement actions taken by the Building Official relating to access.

COMMISSIONS AND ADVOCACY
The City works with several agencies to further improve housing opportunities for people with disabilities. The City has established a Commission on Disabilities to advise the City Council on all matters affecting persons Technical Background Report:

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with disabilities in the community; review community policies, programs, and actions that affect persons with disabilities; create public awareness of the needs in areas such as housing, employment, and transportation; and promote the total integration of persons with disabilities into all aspects of community life. All Commission meeting agendas and minutes are posted on the City’s website, along with other resources for persons with disabilities.

In 1999, former Mayor Loveridge created the Model Deaf Community Committee to raise the profile of Riverside’s deaf and hard-of-hearing community—many with ties to the California School for the Deaf- Riverside, one of two such schools in the state—and to encourage greater interaction and understanding with the wider community. The Committee’s mission is “helping to create an integrated community that promotes full participation in society, education and employment, effective communication, and cultural awareness.

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
This section discusses various environmental factors as they relate to the production, maintenance, and improvement of housing in Riverside. These include the availability of water supply and provision, adequacy of sewer systems and capacity, other critical dry utilities, and various opportunities for energy conservation.

WATER INFRASTRUCTURE
Water service is provided by Riverside Public Utilities (RPU), Western Municipal Water District (WMWD), Eastern Municipal Water District, and Riverside Highland Water Company. The vast majority of the City of Riverside is served by RPU; therefore, the analysis below focuses on the demand and capacity of the RPU service area. Riverside Highland serves most of the City’s northern Sphere of Influence (SOI), while the majority of the southern SOI is served by Western Municipal Water District.

RPU’s primary water source is local groundwater from the Bunker Hill, Riverside North, and Riverside South sub-basins. RPU’s service area encompasses approximately 75 square miles, of which approximately 70 square miles are within City limits and 5 square miles are outside. In 2015, there were an estimated 295,000 people living within RPU’s service area.

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RPU’s 2015 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP)
provides information on the service area’s current and
projected demand, plans for system expansions, updates, and maintenance, and planned future supply. The UWMP utilizes SCAG population growth forecasts to make projections on future water demand. Based on the SCAG data, the population of RPU’s service area is projected to be 334,700 in 2030 and 360,500 in 2040. The actual demand for water in the RPU service area was 75,128 acre-feet in 2015 and is projected to be 99,015 acre-feet in 2030 and 104,257 acre-feet in 2040.

Based on projected demand, the UWMP lays out future
projects and programs that will serve to increase RUP’s supplies to meet future demand. Based on planned projects and improvements, the UWMP projects an available water
supply of 124,703 acre-feet by 2030. Therefore, water supply and treatment capacity needs do not constrain the
development of housing needed to address the RHNA in
Riverside.

SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE
The City of Riverside Public Works Department provides for the collection, treatment, and disposal of all wastewaters generated within the City of Riverside—except for a small area of the community south of Van Buren Boulevard, which is served by WMWD. The total area served by the City’s sewer system is 87.4 square miles. Most of the northern SOI is also served by the City of Riverside with some areas of the Box Springs Mountain Regional Reserve outside of either service area. Primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment of wastewater from the Jurupa, Rubidoux and Edgemont Community Services Districts is also provided. The City also has an agreement with the County of Riverside whereby the City will operate and maintain the collection system and provide sewer services to the northern SOI, also known as the Highgrove community.

The City’s wastewater collection system includes over 800 miles of gravity sewers, 414 miles of City-owned sewer laterals and 20 wastewater pump stations. Wastewater is transported to the City’s Regional Water Quality Control Plant (RWQCP) for treatment.

The City’s 2019 Sewer Master Plan provides an analysis of current and future wastewater needs, along with planned improvements to meet ongoing wastewater collection and treatment needs into the future. Like the UWMP, the Master Plan utilizes SCAG population growth forecasts to project future capacity needs.

According to the Master Plan, the service area within City limits is projected to generate a total flow of approximately 29 million gallons per day by 2032.

After that time, total flow is expected not to increase under the assumption that the City will be built-out in John North Water Treatment Plant
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2032. System-wide (including areas outside of city limits), in 2037, total flow is projected at 39 million gallons per day and treatment capacity is projected at 43.5 million gallons per day. Wastewater capacity and treatment needs thus do not constrain the development of housing needed to address the RHNA in Riverside.

DRY UTILITIES
Riverside Public Utilities is the primary electricity provider, responsible for the generation, transmission, and distribution of electric power within the City. Southern California Edison (SCE) serves small portions of the City primarily located in the northeast and southeast edges of the City.

RPU’s 2018 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) includes
projections on the utility’s projected demand and anticipated supplies. According to the IRP, the expected annul load is anticipated to increase 1.4 percent annually between 2018 and 2037, with an annual load of 2,970 GWh in 2037.These projections include factors such as population growth, as well as energy efficiency efforts.

The City has proactively planned for future growth in energy use and demand. Approximately every two years, RPU
assesses its current and future electricity demand and
capacity. Additionally, in conjunction with SCE, RPU is undertaking the Riverside Transmission Reliability Project (RTRP), which will provide additional transmission capacity to meet future projected load growth, as well as provide a second point of interconnection for system reliability and transmission capacity to import bulk electric power.

RESOURCE CONSERVATION
The protection of the natural and built environment to ensure sustainable communities and conserve natural resources is one of the foremost challenges facing communities across the country. Rising energy costs, dependence on fossil fuels, and the adverse impacts of global climate change have provoked the need in California and nationwide to improve energy management and resource conservation strategies.

The City has adopted the Green Action Plan, which establishes sustainability goals in the areas of energy, greenhouse gas emissions, waste, urban design, urban nature, transportation, water, and healthy communities.

The Riverside Sustainability Coalition is tasked with monitoring the City’s progress toward the goals within the Green Action Plan.

RERC Electric Generation Units
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96 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
The City continues to take a leadership role in developing and implementing resource conservation programs addressing water resources, renewable energy sources, solid waste management, urban forestry programs, and other efforts toward becoming a green and sustainable city.

BUILDING DESIGN
California’s Title 24 and CalGreen regulations require new housing to meet minimum energy conservation standards. In addition to California’s Title 24 standards, all residential projects are subject to meeting the state building codes, which also include energy conservation standards. Riverside also offers the following energy conservation programs.

The Riverside Green Builder (RGB) program is a voluntary program based on the California Green Builder Program. An RGB-certified home must meet five criteria: energy efficiency (15% more efficient than Title 24 requirements), water conservation (20,000 gallons per home), waste reduction (50% waste diversion), wood conservation, and indoor air quality.

The City offers priority field inspections, guaranteed timelines, overtime inspections, and priority electrical design incentives for developers wishing to utilize the program.

The Community Energy Efficiency Program (CEEP) is a voluntary program that encourages the construction of homes built to standards 15% above Title 24 requirements. CEEP homes have mechanically engineered HVAC systems, tight ducts, high performance windows, and improved installation of energy-efficient features. RPU offers financial incentives of up to $500 per home to help defray the costs of certification to builders and to promote building energy efficient homes.

The City of Riverside also offers several programs to retrofit homes for energy-saving devices. These programs can be found online at http://www.riversideca.gov/utilities/ California Green Community
Challenge:

The City of Riverside has
achieved “Silver” status from
the California Green
Communities Challenge, a
recognition program designed
to encourage cities to reduce
their energy consumption and
carbon emissions.

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TECHNICAL

BACKGROUND
REPORT 3:

HOUSING

RESOURCES
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This Technical Background Report addresses the resources available to the City in implementing the policies and programs contained in the Housing Element, specifically regarding the potential for future residential development. The analysis demonstrates the City’s ability to satisfy its share of the region’s future housing need, identifies financial and administrative resources available to support housing activities and facilitate implementation of City housing policies and programs. Opportunities for energy conservation are also explored.

FUTURE HOUSING NEEDS
State Housing Element law requires that a local jurisdiction accommodate its share of the region’s projected housing needs for the planning period. This share, called the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), is important because State law mandates that a jurisdiction provide sufficient land to accommodate a variety of housing opportunities for all economic segments of the community. Compliance with this requirement is measured by the jurisdiction’s ability to provide adequate land with adequate density and appropriate development standards to accommodate the RHNA.

REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS ALLOCATION
The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), as the regional planning agency for Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, and Imperial Counties, is responsible for distributing the RHNA to individual jurisdictions within the six-county region. SCAG has allocated the City 18,458 units (4,861 very low units, 3,064 low-income units, 3,139 moderate-income units: and 7,394 above moderate-income units).

To ensure the City meets this minimum, a buffer is recommended by the State Department of Housing and Community Development to account for the “No Net Loss” requirement as mandated by SB 166. Pursuant to SB 166, if sites are not developed at the density or income level identified in the Housing Element, the City must ensure that there is enough land in reserve to fully accommodate the RHNA. The city has elected to provide a “No Net Loss” buffer of 17% effectively creating a self-prescribed target of 21,643 units for the 2021-2029 Cycle (Table HR-1: City of Riverside RHNA 2021-2029).

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Table HR- 1 City of Riverside RHNA 2021-2029
Source: Final RHNA, SCAG (Southern California Associations of Governments), March 2021.

CREDITS TOWARDS THE RHNA
The 6th Cycle RHNA covers a planning period of almost nine years, starting on June 30, 2021. Jurisdictions can count housing units built, under construction, or approved from June 30, 2021, onward toward meeting their RHNA obligation. Table HR-2: Credits and Remaining Need summarizes Riverside’s RHNA credits and the remaining housing need through October 15, 2029. With the anticipated ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units), entitled projects, and projects under review, the City’s remaining need is 13,679. has capacity to accommodate its moderate and above-moderate income RHNA. The projected income distribution of ADUs is based on SCAG’s ADU Affordability Analysis and assumptions, which surveyed existing ADU rents in the region to determine the proportion of ADUs within each income category. The City must has the capacity to accommodate the remaining RHNA of 13,679 including the 7,008 371 extremely/very low and low-income units with vacant and nonvacant sites that are appropriately zoned and have near-term development potential.

Income Category (% of County AMI) Number of Units
Extremely Low (30% or less) * 2,431
Very Low (31 to 50%) 2,430
Low (51 to 80%) 3,064
Moderate (81% to 120%) 3,139
Above Moderate (Over 120%) 7,394
Subtotal 18,458
No Net Loss Buffer (17%) 3,185
Total 21,643
AMI = Area Median Income Note: * The City has a RHNA (Regional Housing Needs Assessment) obligation of 4,861 very low-income units (inclusive of extremely low-income units). Pursuant to State law (AB 2634), the City must project the number of extremely low-income housing needs based on Census income distribution or assume 50 percent of the very low-income units as extremely low.

Assuming an even split, the City’s RHNA allocation of 4,861 very low-income units may be divided into 2,430 very low and 2,431 extremely low-income units. However, for purposes of identifying adequate sites for the RHNA allocation, State law does not mandate the separate accounting for the extremely low- income category.

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Table HR- 2: RHNA Credits and Remaining Need

ANTICIPATED ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS (ADU)
New State laws passed since 2017 relaxed the development standards and procedures for the construction of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). As a result, the City has seen increases in ADU permit applications from just a few units annually in 2017 & 2018 to 152 units over the 18-month period from June 1, 2019, to December 31, 2020. Based on this trend, and anticipating a growth factor of 1.25, the City anticipates permitting at least 1,014 accessory dwelling units during the 6th Cycle planning period. The growth factor is partially due to the City’s ongoing efforts to streamline the ADU permitting process including the development pre-approved prototypical architectural and site plans for ADUs. However, to ensure a conservative estimate, only ADUs that have completed construction and issued a final Certificate of Occupancy have been used to estimate future production.

ENTITLED PROJECTS
As of July 1, 2021, the City entitled a total of 1,995 housing units, including apartment, condominiums and single-family homes. Active entitlement projects are separate from the Opportunity Sites Inventory and counted as credit units and not as potential sites. The income distribution of the active entitlements is based on market rate and developer proposals. Of the active entitlements, 202 are affordable to lower-income households (earning less than 80% AMI). This requirement is enforced through the imposition of a Condition of Approval on land use entitlements granted for these projects requiring the recordation of an affordability covenant, guaranteeing affordability to households at the specified income levels for the designated units for a specified term,. on title to the project site prior to release of occupancy for the project. Table HR-3: Entitled Projects Since 2019 shows housing projects that have been granted approval from the City just since the beginning of 2019, which totals 1,995 dwelling units. These units are expected to be completed within the timeframe of the Housing Element.

Income Category RHNA Potential
ADU Entitled
Under
Review
Remaining
Needed
Very Low (<50% or less AMI) 4861 0 0 0 4,861
Low (51 to 80% AMI) 3,064 57352 202 0 2,8052,510
Moderate (81% to 120% AMI) 3,139 87538 0 0 3,0522,601
Above Moderate (Over 120% AMI) 7,394 20124 1,793 1,770 3,8113.707 Total 18,458 1641,014 1,995 1,770 14,52913,679
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Table HR-3: Entitled Projects Since 2019
Source: Cit
y of Riverside
Project Number Location Address
Dwelling
Units
Lower-
Income
Units
Site Size
(Acres) Approval Date
P18-0369 3907 Polk Street 92 2.92 05/16/2019
P18-0091-0101
NEC Orange Street and
Vista Avenue 482 35.4 06/04/2019
P19-0225-0226 4046 Tyler Street 36 0.30 10/31/2019
P17-0533 1606 Orange Street 7 1.96 11/01/2019
P19-0410-0412 4350 La Sierra Avenue 34 7 3.74 11/14/2019 P19-0077 7509 Arlington Avenue 102 3.47 11/15/2019
P18-0172 9501 Lincoln Avenue 190 6.6 11/19/19
P18-0020-0023 3444 Center Street 104 12.88 12/03/2019
P19-0420
Patterson Street and
Minnesota Street1990
Patterson Street 33 1.70 12/26/2019
P18-0922-0924 2841 Mulberry Street 10 10 0.48 01/14/2020 P19-0692 4682 Mitchell Avenue 56 2.47 01/28/2020
P19-0283-0285
NWC Wells Avenue and
Hedrick Avenue 22 1.77 06/25/2020
P19-0507-0508 4070 Jackson Street 50 50 3.57 03/31/2020 P19-0553-0555 11253 Pierce Street 79 79 4.67 06/02/2020 P20-0086 9174 Indiana Avenue 184 6.85 06/30/2020
P20-0035 3861 Third Street 33 33 0.60 09/09/2020
P20-0239-0243
4061 Mission Inn
Avenue 8 0.62 10/15/2020
P19-0863
10431 Magnolia
Avenue 450 11.86 02/18/2021
PR-2020-000243 11049 Bogart Avenue 23 23 0.76 05/05/2021 TOTAL 1,995 202
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PROJECTS UNDER REVIEW
As of July 1, 2021, a total of 1,770 units were at various stages of review and approval process. For RHNA credit purposes, the units were counted towards the above-moderate income category.

REMAINING NEED
After accounting for ADUs, active entitlements and pipeline projects, the remaining RHNA need is 15,12213,679 units. The City must demonstrate the availability of sites with appropriate zoning and development standards that can facilitate and encourage the development of such units by October 15, 2029.

To accomplish this, the Opportunity Sites Inventory was developed and is described in further detail.

OPPORTUNITY SITES INVENTORY
The RHNA period extends from October 15, 2020, to October 15, 2029. The City has considered potential development on suitable vacant and/or nonvacant sites and identified how zoning and development standards on the sites will facilitate housing. Riverside has the land capacity to meet the 6th Cycle RHNA obligation for each of the income groups. A summary of the detailed parcel data is included in Appendix A, Opportunity Sites Inventory.

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Sites are considered suitable for residential development if zoned appropriately and available for residential use during the planning period. To accommodate the RHNA, the City identified sites for rezoning and intends to process these zone changes concurrently with the adoption of the Housing Element. Appendix A, Opportunity Sites Inventory, shows the sites that will be rezoned. There are 649 637 individual parcels grouped in to 205 186 distinct groupings of contiguous parcels that represent the “Opportunity Sites”. Of the 649 637 parcels identified 472 460 are being rezoned to accommodate the City’s RHNA obligation. Of the 472 460 parcels that will be rezoned, 208 196 are currently zoned for residential uses and densities will be increased. The 264 264 non-residentially zoned parcels will be rezoned to one of several zones that allow higher-density residential development.

Residential uses proposed on sites counted toward meeting Riverside’s RHNA for very low, low, moderate, and/or above moderate-income needs must be approved if developed in accordance with the applicable development standards of Title 19 of the Riverside Municipal Code. The Development Review process will ensure that projects on the inventory sites comply with development regulations and design requirements. In no case will a project be denied for residential use based on the use itself.

METHODOLOGY IN IDENTIFYING SITES
The City has completed an analysis to ensure that sites were identified throughout the City in each Ward. The process of developing the Opportunity Sites Inventory involved identifying and eliminating sites with constraints to development. Properties that were impacted by various environmental constraints or hazards were excluded from the analysis. The Opportunity Sites Inventory analysis was initially conducted using a data- driven process to identify as many sites as possible. A weighted suitability model was used to evaluate multiple criteria influencing the likelihood of development on a parcel-by-parcel basis. Each property was assigned a total weighted score, where the higher the score the greater the likelihood of development. The following factors were used in this process:

Existing Land Use was used to identify properties with industrial, commercial, office, and mixed-use uses active on the site as defined by Riverside County. These uses either currently allow for housing production or could support housing in the future with zoning amendments. Single-family residential existing land use properties were generally excluded from further consideration, except for large sites located on arterial corridors with access to services and amenities.

General Plan Land Use identified what is allowed within the General Plan designation, which may allow for future housing on a site that currently does not support housing. Targeted land uses include multi-family residential, industrial, commercial, office, and mixed use.

Year Constructed of buildings on the property, as defined by Riverside County Assessor, was used to identify older properties more likely to redevelop.

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Improvement Ratio identified the ratio between the value of improvements (buildings, or other construction) versus the value of the underlying land (improvement value/land value) which is considered a market factor influencing the likelihood of development. When the underlying land is worth more than the improvements on the land, the property is more likely to redevelop.

Lot Acreage was evaluated based on guidance from the California Department of Housing and Community Development site inventory criteria for the 6
th Cycle RHNA process. Lots with an area less than half an acre were eliminated as too small to allow enough housing to support affordability. Lots larger than 10 acres were considered too expensive for affordable housing developers to purchase. Therefore, the analysis looked for properties greater than half an acre and smaller than 10 acres, with exceptions for sites in strategic locations with unique development potential.

Lot Vacancy is a key driver for identifying potential opportunity sites because of the ease of developing housing on vacant lots. GIS data on existing land use information was used and manually verified to ensure accuracy.

Underutilization Index determines a site’s built potential and compares it to what exists on the site currently.

The index assesses the amount of actual lot coverage, actual building height, and the actual floor area developed on a property and compares the existing to what could be allowed under the current zoning. The greater the difference between the existing conditions and what is allowed, the greater the property is underutilized and is, therefore, a candidate for redevelopment.

Airport Compatibility Zone constraints removed properties from consideration if the properties are in the most restrictive airport land use areas: A, B1, B2, C, C1, and C2 as set forth in the Riverside County Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (RCALUCP)
Current Zoning identifies the current zoning designation of the potential opportunity sites.

City Opportunity Sites contains a list of target sites identified by the City for consideration.

Pipeline Projects contains a list of active development projects under consideration in the City. 5th cycle RHNA Sites were included in the analysis if undeveloped.

Manual Override flag was used to include or exclude properties based on a detailed evaluation of each site for characteristics or conditions not captured by the methods described above.

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REALISTIC CAPACITY ASSUMPTIONS
Most residential zones in Riverside establish a range of allowable density, expressed as dwelling units per acre (du/ac). To calculate realistic capacity assumptions for each site, a typical density achieving 75% of maximum du/ac per site was assumed, because this density was the average buildout percentage among the case study projects in Appendix B that were built within their maximum allowable density. For sites in zones where data on recently approved projects was available, a more precise du/ac factor was identified.

Data on recently approved Riverside developments indicated that for sites where mixed-use development is possible, about 33% of the sites would be developed with residential uses, 33% would be developed with commercial uses, and 33% would be developed with a mix of residential and commercial uses. Further, recent development trends indicate that the sites developed with mixed uses typically feature 80% residential square footage and 20% commercial square footage.

These assumptions were used to determine the capacity assumptions for the mixed-use sites in the Opportunity Sites Inventory, and thus the assumed development yield of sites identified in these Zones incorporate a “discount” to reflect potential development with non-residential uses in the realistic capacity assumptions for these sites. .

Riverside has the land
capacity to meet the
needs of all income
groups.

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Although rare, developers have occasionally requested densities below the maximum permitted on the site.

This typically occurs when market demand is inconsistent with development regulations. When this occurs, the City should work cooperatively with a developer to maximize the site's potential consistent with the general plan and other community objectives.

AFFORDABILITY, SUITABILITY, AND AVAILABILITY ANALYSIS
The assumptions applied to each parcel in Appendix A - Opportunity Sites Inventory allowed the City to determine affordability level and establish the suitability and availability of inventory sites for development within the planning period. When determining which sites are best suited to accommodate lower-income RHNA, the City considered proximity to transit, access to amenities such as parks and services, locational scoring criteria for Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (TCAC) Program funding, and “default” density assumptions (described below).

Government Code Section 65583.2(c)(3)(B) allows local governments to use a “default” numerical density standard for establishing adequate zoning to accommodate lower income housing (i.e., households earning less than 80% of the Area Median Income [AMI]). The City’s R-3-1500 (Multi-family), R-4 (Multi-Family), MU-V (Mixed Use – Village) and MU-U (M ixed Use – Urban) Zones, as well as several subdistricts within the Downtown and Northside Specific Plans and the proposed Innovation District overlay zone, allow for the development of at least 30 dwelling units per acre and therefore are assumed to be available for the development of an estimated 17,09814,290 units affordable to lower income households. No minimum density standards currently exist in the City, although the City may consider establishing minimum densities in the future.

The housing market analysis in the Community Profile of the Technical Background Report demonstrates that moderate-income households (those earning 80-120% of AMI) can afford a wide range of rental and, to a lesser degree, for-sale housing options available in Riverside. As such, this analysis assumes that moderate-density sites, such as those in the R-3-2500 (Multi-family) Zone and portions of the Northside Specific Plan, can accommodate 1,7141,241 moderate income units. A small number of inventory sites in the lower-density subdistricts of the Northside Specific Plan are assumed to accommodate 58 56 above moderate-income units.

SUITABILITY OF NONVACANT AND UNDERUTILIZED SITES
Existing vacant sites in the City cannot accommodate the RHNA obligation and, as such, the Opportunity Sites Inventory includes underutilized properties to help the City to ensure sufficient capacity for housing development during the planning period.

A Site Feasibility Analysis was conducted on the initial Opportunity Sites Inventory to further support their use.

Site feasibility criteria was established based on the characteristics and conditions of recent development projects & existing pipeline projects sites as well as recent development proposals usually meet these similar criteria. Residential and non-residential sites were assessed differently based on four qualifying factors. If a Technical Background Report:

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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 109
site met at least two of the following four factors it was deemed feasible.

Improvement Ratio – Sites with an iImprovement-to-lLand vValue rRatio of 1.0 or less (i.e., existing buildings/structures on site are worth less than the land) for properties currently improved with non- residential uses. For properties improved with residential uses, an improvement-to-land value ratio of 0.5 was used to identify underutilized properties.

Zoning – Site is currently zoned to allow residential
Age of Existing Structures – If existing non-residential building is 30 ye ars or older and if an existing residential building is 50 years or older.

Existing FAR - If less than 1/3 of permitted FAR is utilized on a commercial zone parcel. Only non-residential parcels were assessed for this factor.

For purposes of this analysis, underutilized sites are defined as those with an improvement-to-land value ratio of 1.0 or less (i.e., existing buildings/structures on site are worth less than the land) for properties currently improved with non-residential uses. For properties improved with residential uses, an improvement-to-land value ratio of 0.5 was used to identify underutilized properties. The underutilized inventory sites include those that have marginal uses and existing structures that were built before 2000. 55 percent of the underutilized sites include structures over 30 years old, and 21 percent include structures over 70 years old. (Note: 31 percent of the non-vacant inventory sites lack adequate data on building age). For those sites developed with more recently built structures or structures that are in fair condition, most are located on lots that are highly underutilized based on the allowable zoning or improvement ratio.

In addition to the site feasibility analysis performed above, several overriding factors were considered that resulted in the inclusion of sites that demonstrate feasibility despite not meeting feasibility criteria based on the characteristics described above. These factors include:
 Developer Interest. This group consists of sites that, notwithstanding other feasibility criteria, are the subject of express developer interest in conversion or redevelopment with residential uses, indicated by submittal of a Conceptual Development Review application or similar, substantive formal inquiries to City Staff. These sites are summarized in Table HR-4: Sites with Developer Interest.  Policy Changes. This group consists of sites located within two adopted Specific Plans – the Northside Specific Plan and the Downtown Specific Plan. The Northside Specific Plan was adopted in November 2020 and introduced a significant amount of residential and mixed-use development capacity where none existed previously. Similarly, there were pending policy changes to the Downtown Specific Plan that proposed to was amended concurrently with the adoption of this Housing Element to permit residential and mixed-use development to Specific Plan districts that did not previously allow it.

Subsequently, Tthese policy changes were implemented, and the Specific Plan were amended concurrently with the adoption of this Housing Element thus which effectively created new market Technical Background Report:

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opportunities for residential uses, increasing the feasibility of the sites in this group.  Commercial Vacancy and/or Turnover. This group of sites are zoned exclusively for nonresidential uses, are generally well developed with existing commercial uses (e.g., shopping centers, strip malls, etc.), but exhibit high observed rates of vacancy and/or turnover in commercial tenants. Inclusion of these sites paired with implementation of Program HE-5-1 creates new opportunities for residential conversion, increasing site feasibility.
 Site Assemblage Opportunities. This group of sites consists of individual parcels that, on their own, fail to meet established feasibility criteria for any reason; however, these parcels are contiguous with and comprise portions of larger, multi-parcel sites that, taken together, create stronger opportunities and better feasibility for residential development.
 Motel Conversion Opportunities. This small group of sites consists of existing hotels and motels that are not currently rezoned for non-transient residential uses. These sites are included in the Sites Inventory and rezoning program (HE-5-1) specifically because they represent opportunities to create transitional supportive housing through Project Roomkey or equivalent mechanisms.

Details for each site selected are provided in Appendix A - Opportunity Sites Inventory. Table HR-4- Sites with Developer Interest shows the number, size, and location of sites with current developer interest.

Table HR-4-: City of Riverside – Sites with Developer Interest Ward Total Number of Parcels
With Developer Interest
Total Acres With Developer
Interest
One 1019 68.91102.88
Two 2021 39.8942.86
Three 1413 8.716.92
Four 1 13.613.77
Five 1110 18.7412.68
Six 79 6.127.52
Seven 1311 18.5214.10
TOTAL 7684 174.49200.73
Source: City of Riverside

PUBLIC SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE AVAILABILITY
Sites that lack access to existing public services and infrastructure were screened out of inclusion in the Opportunity Sites Inventory and, therefore, there are no significant public service or infrastructure constraints Technical Background Report:

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identified for the inventory sites identified by the City. Existing water service and wastewater collection infrastructure is available to all inventory sites, and the City has adequate water and wastewater capacity to accommodate its overall goal of 23,964 units.

All sites are accessible to existing public roadways and are serviceable by the City’s police and fire departments, the consumer-owned Riverside Public Utilities which provides water and electric service throughout most of the City, as well as service providers for phone, cable, natural gas.

ADEQUACY OF SITES TO MEET RHNA
For the 6th Cycle RHNA, Riverside has been allocated a minimum of 18,458 units. Since RHNA uses June 30, 2020, as a baseline for growth projections for the 6th Cycle planning period, the City can count the number of new units for which building permits or certificates of occupancy were issued since June 30, 2020, toward the RHNA.

Table HR-5: Sites Adequacy summarizes Riverside’s applicable RHNA credit and the remaining RHNA need through October 15, 2029. With the anticipated ADUs, entitled projects, and projects under review, the City has an unmet RHNA need of 15,12213,679 units (4,861 extremely and very low-income units, 2,8052,510 low-income units, 3,0522,601 moderate income units, and 3,8113,707 above moderate-income units).

Table
HR-5 - Sites Adequacy
Income Level RHNA Credits
Remaining
RHNA
Sites Inventory
Capacity Surplus
Extremely Low/Very Low
(<50% AMI) 4,861 0 4,861
10,3258,408 2,6591,037 Low (51-80% AMI) 3,064 259554 2,8052,510 Moderate (81%-120%
AMI) 3,139 87538 3,0522,601 13,54012,535 10,4889,934
Above Moderate (>120%
AMI) 7,394 35833,687 3,8113,707 56 -3,7553,651
Total 18,458 3,9294,779 15,12213,679 23,92120,999 9,3927,320 To meet this need, the City has identified a minimum of 452 409 acres to be rezoned for housing, including rezoning approximately 386 373 acres to the R-3-1500, R-4, MU-V or MU-U Zones, all of which allow a density of at least 30 units per acre. Inventory sites to be rezoned will permit owner-occupied and rental multi-family residential uses by-right (without a conditional use permit, planned unit development permit or other Technical Background Report:

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discretionary action) pursuant to Government Code Section 65583.2(h).

Table HR-5 Sites Adequacy summarizes the City’s accommodation of the RHNA for all income groups during the planning period. After accounting for development credits and the realistic capacity of vacant and nonvacant inventory sites the city has identified adequate capacity for the RHNA.

FINANCIAL RESOURCES

FOR HOUSING
Given today’s housing market conditions, developing affordable housing requires multiple layers of public subsidies from different funding sources. Private-public partnership is an important tool for developing and managing affordable housing. Riverside will continue to use its available resources as leverage to assist in affordable housing development. These resources, in partnership with nonprofit developers, can help the City achieve its housing goals.

FINANCIAL RESOURCES
SB2 PLANNING AND PERMANENT LOCAL HOUSING

ALLOCATION (PLHA) GRANTS
In 2017, Governor Brown signed a 15-bill housing package aimed at addressing the State’s housing shortage and high housing costs.

Specifically, it included the Building Homes and Jobs Act (SB 2, 2017), which establishes a $75 recording fee on real estate documents to increase the supply of affordable homes in California. Because the number of real estate transactions recorded in each county will vary from year to year, the revenues collected will fluctuate.

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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 113
The first year of SB 2 funds are available as planning grants to local jurisdictions. The City of Riverside received $625,000 for planning efforts to facilitate housing production. For the second year and onward, 70 percent of the funding will be allocated to local governments for affordable housing purposes. A large portion of year two allocations will be distributed using the same formula used to allocate federal Community Development Block Grants (CDBG). The City applied for and has been awarded $1,622,125 for the FY 2019 funding under this Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) component of SB 2. This funding is anticipated to be used for the following activities:
 The predevelopment, development, acquisition, rehabilitation, and preservation of multifamily, residential live-work, rental housing that is affordable to Extremely low-, Very low-, Low-, or Moderate-income households, including necessary operating subsidies.
 Assisting persons who are experiencing or At-risk of homelessness, including, but not limited to, providing rapid re-housing, rental assistance, supportive/case management services that allow people to obtain and retain housing, operating and capital costs for navigation centers and emergency shelters, and the new construction, rehabilitation, and preservation of permanent housing.

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114 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside

HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM
Riverside receives an annual federal entitlement under the HOME program to promote the construction of affordable rental housing, first-time homebuyer assistance, moderate or substantial rehabilitation, and tenant- based assistance. Federal regulations require the City provide a 25% match with nonfederal resources.

Annually, the City receives approximately $1.2 million in HOME funds, the majority of which is used to finance affordable housing development, with some funding allocated for housing rehabilitation.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) FUNDS
Riverside is an entitlement jurisdiction to receive CDBG funds from HUD for housing and community development activities, including acquisition and/or disposition of real estate or property, public facilities and improvements, relocation, the rehabilitation and construction of housing, homeownership assistance, and demolition activities. Annually, the City receives approximately $3 million in CDBG funds, which are used primarily for public improvements and supportive services.

Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG)
The City receives about $270,000 annually from HUD that can be used for emergency shelters and rapid rehousing.

HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS
The HOPWA program provides housing assistance and supportive services for low-income people with HIV/AIDS and their families. Riverside is designated as the responsible jurisdiction for dispersing HOPWA funds throughout Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The City’s project sponsors are the Riverside County Housing Authority and San Bernardino County Public Health Department. The City receives approximately $3.6 million annually.

ADMINISTRATIVE RESOURCES
The City of Riverside relies on the active involvement of public and nonprofit agencies in meeting local housing needs. Some of the more active organizations in the community are described below.  Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services. NPHS is a nonprofit community development organization dedicated to building equitable communities in the Inland Empire since 1991. Over the span of 30 years, NPHS has grown from a small grassroots organization into a multifaceted organization focused primarily on the Southern California region of Riverside, San Bernardino, and Eastern Los Angeles Counties. NPHS administers the City of Riverside’s Housing Rehabilitation programs.

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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 115
 Riverside Housing Development Corporation. RHDC is a nonprofit organization established to provide and improve affordable housing units. RHDC is a main provider of affordable rental housing in the community, having acquired and rehabilitated various housing developments, including Autumn Ridge; Linden Square Apartments; Cypress Springs; Greystone Apartments; Oaktree Apartments; and Riverbrook Apartments.
 Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building affordable housing and rehabilitating homes. Habitat homes are sold to very low-income families at no profit with affordable, no-interest loans. Volunteers, churches, and businesses provide most of the labor; public agencies or individuals donate land. In recent years, Habitat has also been involved in providing housing rehabilitation assistance.
 Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation. Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation owns and manages more than 7,500 residential units throughout California. In Riverside, the 30-unit Home Front project at Camp Anza and the 72-unit Mission Heritage Plaza project are Wakeland projects.  National CORE. National CORE is one of the most active affordable housing developers in Southern California. Within Riverside County, National CORE has developed eight affordable housing projects.

Nat
ional CORE has also been actively pursuing opportunities to partner with local churches to develop affordable housing on church properties.
 Neighborhood Housing Services of Inland Empire. NHSIE is a nonprofit that is dedicated to creating homeownership opportunities, bridging the housing affordability gap, and building sustainable communities of choice.
 Fair Housing
Council of Riverside County. FHCRC provides fair housing services for the City and prepared the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice.
 At-Risk Affordable Housing Developers. Several additional developers may be able to assist in preserving affordability covenants attached to at-risk affordable housing projects:
o Riverside Housing Development Corporation,
o National Community Renaissance,
o Wakeland Housing and Development,
o Eden Housing Corporation,
o Jamboree Housing Corporation,
o Abode Housing Corporation,
o Habitat for Humanity Riverside,
o A Community of Friends, and
o Community Development Partners.

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OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENERGY

CONSERVATION
Construction of energy-efficient buildings can add to the cost of ownership and rental housing. Over time, however, housing with energy conservation features typically reduces occupancy costs as the consumption of fuel and electricity is decreased. This results in monthly housing costs that are equal to or less than what they otherwise would have been had no energy conservation measures been incorporated into the construction of new residential buildings.

CITY OF RIVERSIDE INITIATIVES
In January 2016, the City adopted the Riverside Restorative Growthprint Economic Prosperity Action Plan and Climate Action Plan. RRG. The RRG embodies the City’s commitment to be an engaged and responsible steward of its natural resources both locally and regionally and its dedication to addressing climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

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In the RRG, the City has established goals and policies that incorporate environmental responsibility into daily management of community and municipal operations. The City will continue enforcement of local and state energy regulations for new residential construction and provide residents with information on energy efficiency.

STATE PROGRAMS
The California Department of Community Services and Development, in partnership with its network of local community services agencies, administers the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

LIHEAP provides financial assistance to lower income households to offset the costs of heating and/or cooling their residences.

REGIONAL PROGRAMS
The HERO Program established under the guidance of AB 811 (2008) and AB 474 (2009) is administered by the Western Regional Council of Governments. The HERO Program is a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program providing financing to residential and commercial property owners who install energy efficient, renewable energy, and water conservation improvements on existing properties. Financing provided through the HERO Program is repaid through an assessment on property tax bills over 5-, 10-, 15-, 20-, and 25- year terms, based on the useful life of the products, and upon sale of the property, the balance generally stays with the property.

PRIVATE SECTOR PROGRAMS
California Alternative Rates for Energy (CARE): Lower-income customers enrolled in the CARE program receive a 20 percent discount on their electric and natural gas bills and are not billed in higher rate tiers that were created for Southern California Edison and SoCalGas. CARE is funded through a rate surcharge paid by all other utility customers. Qualifying households have a portion of their electricity usage billed at a lower rate.

Rebate Program: Riverside Public Utilities offers rebates for single-family and multifamily dwelling units for certain improvements that lead to greater energy efficiency. These improvements include purchase and installation of insulation, energy efficient appliances, and the replacement of old light bulbs with Energy Star light bulbs.

Residential Direct Install Program (RES DI): SoCalGas provides a no-cost energy assistance program for SoCalGas customers, this program replaces the Middle-Income Direct Install (MIDI) program and has no income requirements. The Program provides no-cost energy improvements to eligible customers to help make their homes more comfortable and help conserve energy, which could lead to lower utility bills. And should the customer decide to further their energy savings efforts, the Program reduces the amount of money a customer needs to invest to participate in the single-family or multifamily home upgrade programs.

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120 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside

TECHNICAL

BACKGROUND
REPORT 4:

REVIEW OF

HOUSING

ELEMENT PAST

PERFORMANCE
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122 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
Government Code Section 65588(a) requires each jurisdiction to review its housing element as frequently as appropriate to evaluate:
 The appropriateness of the housing goals, objectives, and policies in contributing to the attainment of the state housing goal.
 The effectiveness of the housing element in attainment of the community’s housing goals and objectives; and
 The progress of the city, county or city and county in implementation of the housing element.

This Technical Background Report documents the City’s achievements under the 2013-2021 Housing Element related to the actions and objectives contained therein. This Appendix also contains recommendations for program retention, revision, deletion or addition to address current and projected needs and State requirements between 2021 and 2029.

CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ON ADDRESSING SPECIAL NEEDS
The City of Riverside expended significant resources in addressing the housing needs of special needs groups.

These included:
 Housing rehabilitation: Senior Disability Grants; Mobile Home Grants  Preservation of affordability: Extended affordability of Whispering Fountains, Tyler Springs, and Cambridge Gardens
 Provision of new affordable housing, such as:
o Mission Heritage - 22 units for veterans
o Oasis Senior Villas – 108 units for seniors
o St. Michaels – 49 units for extremely low income households o Mulberry Village – 10 units for formerly homeless
 Land use policy and development regulations:
o Reduced fees (by 60 percent) for age-restricted senior housing  Provision of housing assistance
o Mobile home park rent stabilization
o Housing Choice Vouchers that target primarily extremely low income households and those with special needs (seniors, formerly homeless, and disabled)  Addressing homelessness
o Housing First Plan that focuses on rapid rehousing into permanent housing o Tiny home village - 4 units for homeless
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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 123
With these efforts, the City was able to expand the affordable housing inventory for special needs groups by about 200 units between 2018 and 2020 and maintains the affordability of existing housing for over 1,000 senior households through preservation of at-risk housing and mobile home park rent stabilization. The City’s Housing First Plan also was effective in placing 80 homeless persons/households into permanent housing.

However, the extent of housing needs is beyond the financial means of the City, especially most special needs groups are in the extremely low income level, requiring the deepest subsidies to provide or maintain affordability. In the 6th cycle Housing Element, the City will implement inclusionary housing as a tool to expand affordable housing opportunities in the City.

PROGRAM-SPECIFIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS
The following is a detailed summary and assessment of the City’s achievements during the 5th cycle Housing Element.

Table HEPP1 - Review of 2013-2021 Housing Element Performance Tool Description
Responsibility/
Time Frame
GP 2025 Relationship/
Progress Details
Housing Conditions
H-1 Continue to provide rehabilitation assistance
to single family residential and mobile
homeowners through the Housing
Rehabilitation Programs which help
extremely low- to low-income households
rehabilitate their homes. Low interest loans
and a number of grants are available to
finance housing repairs for income eligible
homeowners.

Housing Authority
On-going
H-1, H-1.1, H-4
The City continues to provide
rehabilitation assistance using a variety of
funding sources. These included HOME,
CDBG, and CalHome funds. Between
2018 and 2020, over 50 households were
assisted with loans and grants for
rehabilitation for both single-family and
mobile homes.

However, the funding transition and
changeover of Program Administrator
from Riverside Housing Development
Corporation to Neighborhood Partnership
Housing Services, Inc. in 2020 created a
delay in processing new loans and grants.

The City applied to the California
Department of Housing and Community
Development for additional CalHome
Program funds in October of 2020.

Rehabilitation Loans – These loans provide up
to $40,000 for rehabilitation. They are
available at 3% simple interest and are
repayable over 20 years. A Deed of Trust is
used to secure the loan (as a lien on the
property).

Housing Authority
On-going
Senior and Disability Grants - Grants up to
$5,000 are available to seniors and persons
with disabilities to make necessary housing
repairs or modifications that allow disabled
access.

Housing Authority
On-going
Mobile Home Grants – Grants up to $8,000
for mobile homeowners to make necessary
housing repairs
Housing Authority
On-going
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124 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
Tool Description
Responsibility/
Time Frame
GP 2025 Relationship/
Progress Details
Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE)
Program - This Program makes conservation
enhancements more affordable by creating a
property based financing tool that offers little
or no upfront cost. The cost of improvements
are placed on the property tax rolls and
repaid through the property tax bill for the
term of the loan.

Public Utilities
On-going
Continued Appropriateness:

The City continues to have extensive
housing rehabilitation needs and this
program is included in the 2021-2029
Housing Element. However, programs such
as PACE that is not a direct city program,
are removed from the Housing Element.

H-2 Continue to perform analysis on at-risk
housing units that are in need of
rehabilitation as well as substandard multi-
family housing units. Provide assistance to
very low, low, and moderate-income multi-
family residential homeowners as funding is
available.

Housing Authority
On-going
H-1, H-1.1
The City continues to monitor the
affordability covenants of affordable
housing projects and pursued extension
opportunities:

Mt Rubidoux Manor: Loan documents
were amended in 2017 to extend the
affordability periods by an additional 57
years, increase current loan interest rate to

2.75%, require an additional 11 affordable
units in the project and allow subordination
to new construction financing.
 Total # of affordable units: 23
 Affordability covenants expire: 2083
 Cambridge Gardens: Receiving annual
renewals of HUD 202 funds
 Sierra Woods: Per the property
owner, the following units will
indefinitely remain affordable.
 68 one bedrooms
 74 two bedrooms
 48 three bedrooms
 Whispering Fountains: 55+
community continues to provide
affordable units for 460 sq. ft. 1
bedroom units, and 670 sq. ft 2
bedroom units.
 Tyler Springs: Due to bond financing,
28 senior units will remain affordable
indefinitely. They consist of one-
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Tool Description
Responsibility/
Time Frame
GP 2025 Relationship/
Progress Details
bedroom units at affordable rates.
 Cambridge Gardens: Receiving annual
renewals of HUD 202 funds.

Continued Appropriateness:

The at-risk status of the City’s affordable
housing inventory is updated in the 2021-
2029 Housing Element.

H-3 Continue implementing the Multi-family
Development Program for new construction
as funding is available.

Housing Authority
On-going
H-1, H-1.1
Between 2018 and 2020 the City
completed several affordable housing
projects, partnership with developers.

Most significantly, the City received $32M
in funding for the following:
 Mission Heritage Project, a 72-unit
affordable housing project in the
downtown neighborhood, with a 22-
unit set-aside for veterans. This
project is being built with $16.8 million
in assistance from the Affordable
Housing and Sustainable Communities
Program, including more than $10
million for the housing project and $6
million for nearby integrated transit
improvements. The City’s financial
commitment is $3 million.
 Oasis Senior Villas, which received
$8.2 million in support from the state’s
No Place Like Home Program (NPLH),
will consist of 108 units in the Eastside
neighborhood benefitting low-income
seniors, including people who are
previously homeless and living with
mental illness.
 St. Michaels Project, which will receive
$4.3 Million in NPLH Program funding
to construct 49 units of housing for
extremely low-income residents in the
Arlington neighborhood. The City
participated with project assistance of
$2 million.

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126 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
Tool Description
Responsibility/
Time Frame
GP 2025 Relationship/
Progress Details
 Cedar Glen II, which includes 49 units
of affordable housing in the La Sierra
neighborhood, received $3.3 million of
NPLH Program assistance. The City
provided project assistance of
$650,000.

Other affordable housing projects
included:
 Entrada Project (65-Units)
 Habitat for Humanity 3753 Myers
Street project (4-units)
 Mulberry Village Project (10
permanent supportive units)
 3337 Fourth Street and 4307 Park
(RAM House) projects (3-units in two
projects)
Continued Appropriateness:

This program is restructured to outline the
City’s various incentives and efforts for
facilitating affordable housing
development under one housing program
in the 2021-2029 Housing Element.

H-4 Continue to perform lead & mold abatement
on homes. Through a grant provided by the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD), the County of
Riverside, Department of Public Health has
developed a program to help fight lead paint
poisoning in the County. This program offers
free, or low cost, lead-based paint service to
qualified families.

RHDC
Riverside County
Department of
Public Health
On-going
H-1, H-1.1
Between 2018 and 2020, as part of the
City’s Housing Rehabilitation Program,
lead and mold testing is conducted, and any
necessary abatement is completed through
this program.

The City conducted a total of 14 lead
inspections of which only 6 tested positive
for lead-based paint. Two households
underwent lead abatement.

Continued Appropriateness:

This is a minor component of the City
efforts in improving housing conditions.

This program is incorporated into the
overall housing rehabilitation program.

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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 127
Tool Description
Responsibility/
Time Frame
GP 2025 Relationship/
Progress Details
Code Enforcement
H-5 Continue implementation of Code
Enforcement services.

Code Enforcement
Division
On-going
H-1, H-1.2
The City continues to offer a variety of
code enforcement services throughout the
City.

Continued appropriateness:

Code enforcement is a routine city services
and is not included in the 2021-2029
Housing Element as a specific Housing
Element program.

Neighborhood Livability Program (NLP) – In
conjunction with other City departments,
Code Enforcement coordinates and
investigates neighborhood livability concerns
related to illegal group homes, parolee
boarding houses, unlicensed massage parlors,
non-permitted homeless encampments, and
other severe public nuisance violations in the
community.

Code Enforcement
Division
City Attorney Office
Police Department
Planning Division
On-going
Foreclosed or Vacant Properties Program –
Code Enforcement addresses all complaints
of vacant and foreclosed homes where the
property is not being maintained to the
neighborhood standards.

Code Enforcement
Division
City Attorney Office
On-going
Neglected Property Team – Code
Enforcement actively addresses vacant,
neglected, and foreclosed homes through a
comprehensive enforcement program aimed
at eliminating the blight associated with these
properties and working with property owners
to have properties rehabilitated and re-
occupied.

Code Enforcement
Division
City Attorney‘s
Office
On-going
Warrants, Abatements, Receiverships, and
Demolitions (WARD) Team – Code
Enforcement Officers on the WARD Team
specialize in obtaining warrants, conducting
abatements, coordinating receivership
actions, and demolishing hazardous
structures.

Code Enforcement
Division
City Attorney’s
Office
On-going
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128 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
Tool Description
Responsibility/
Time Frame
GP 2025 Relationship/
Progress Details
Historic Preservation
H-6 Continue to implement the Historic
Preservation Program and future
amendments to Title 20.

Planning Division
On-going
H-1, H-1.3, Historic Preservation Element
The City continues to implement Title 20.

Continued appropriateness:

Implementation of the Municipal Code is
not a specific Housing Element program
and is removed from the 2021-2029
Housing Element.

Parks and Recreation
H-7 See Tools OS-1, OS-4, OS-5, OS-6, OS-9, OS-
10, OS-11, OS-13, OS-14, OS-15, and OS-19
of the Open Space and Conservation Element
portion of the General Plan 2025
Implementation Plan for tools implementing
Policy H-1.4.

City Manager’s
Office
Parks, Recreation
and Community
Services
Department
Planning Division
Public Works
Department
Public Utilities
On-going
H-1, H-1.4, OS-1, OS-3, OS-5, OS-6, LU-5,
LU-6, AQ-1.9
The City continues to implement the Open
Space and Conservation Element.

Continued appropriateness:

Implementation of the City’s General Plan
is not a Housing Element program and is
removed from the 2021-2029 Housing
Element.

H-8 Continue to implement the Crime Free Multi-
Housing Program. Participation in the
program is a condition of approval of
entitlement of new multiple-family residential
development. This program is designed to
reduce crime, drugs, and gangs on apartment
properties.

Police Department
Planning Division
On-going
H-1, H-1.5
The City continues to implement the Crime
Free Multi-Housing Program.

Continued appropriateness:

Participation in the Crime Free Multi-
Housing Program is a condition of approval
of entitlement of new multiple-family
residential development. This is not a
specific Housing Element program and is
removed from the 2021-2029 Housing
Element.

H-9 Continue to implement the Neighborhood
Watch Program and Academy.

Neighborhood Watch is the added eyes, ears,
and awareness on the city streets. It is
critically important to reducing crime and
Police Department
On-going
H-1, H-1.5
The City continues to implement the
Neighborhood Watch Program and
Academy.

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Tool Description
Responsibility/
Time Frame
GP 2025 Relationship/
Progress Details
improving the quality of life in each of the
neighborhoods.

Continued appropriateness:

Neighborhood Watch is supportive service
for reducing crime. It is not a direct housing
program that foster housing production
and preservation. It is not included in the
2021-2029 Housing Element.

H-10 Require all new projects with a Homeowner’s
Association (HOA) to participate in the Crime
Free Multi-Housing Program.

Police Department
Planning Division
On-going
H-1, H-1.5
The City continues to implement the Crime
Free Multi-Housing Program.

Continued appropriateness:

Participation in the Crime Free Multi-
Housing Program is a condition of approval
of entitlement of new multiple-family
residential development. This is not a
specific Housing Element program and is
removed from the 2021-2029 HE.

Neighborhood Identity
H-11 Riverside’s neighborhoods are the
fundamental building blocks of the overall
community. Updating the neighborhood
plans with the involvement of the community
will ensure that a more detailed design and
policy direction is available for each
neighborhood for which new development
projects can be measured. (See Overarching
Tool 17)
Planning Division
Historic
Preservation
Ongoing
H-1, H-1.6, LU-30.1, LU-30.7
The City continues to utilize neighborhood
plans as a tool to enhance the
neighborhood design and character and
provide guidance to new development.

Continued appropriateness:

Neighborhood planning is incorporated
into the 2021-2029 Housing Element as a
component of a place-based strategy for
neighborhood improvement.

H-12 Consider reopening the Neighborhood
Improvement Program in the Chicago/Linden
Neighborhood and if successful rolling the
program out to other neighborhoods.

Housing Authority
Police Department
Planning Division
TBD
H-1, H-1.7
The Housing Authority applied for a
Transformative Climate Communities
Program – Planning Grant in collaboration
with Riverside County to facilitate
pathways that maximum neighborhood-
level environmental, public health,
workforce, and economic benefits over the
planning area which includes the
Chicago/Linden and Downtown
Neighborhoods.

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Tool Description
Responsibility/
Time Frame
GP 2025 Relationship/
Progress Details
Continued appropriateness:

This is incorporated into the 2021-2029
Housing Element as a component of a
place-based strategy for neighborhood
improvement.

H-13 Continue the City’s efforts with
neighborhood organizing, including such
programs as:

Historic
Preservation
Ongoing
H-1, H-1.7
The City continues to offer a range
neighborhood organizing activities.

Continued appropriateness:

As appropriate, these activities are
incorporated into the 2021-2029 Housing
Element as components of a place-based
strategy for neighborhood improvement.

Riverside Neighborhood Partnership – The
Riverside Neighborhood Partnership (RNP) is
a community group whose mission is to
encourage and facilitate the formation of
neighborhood associations city-wide and to
act as a clearinghouse for neighborhood
concerns. It is the Partnership's belief that by
being organized, neighborhoods are better
equipped to tackle problems that periodically
arise.

Historic
Preservation
Ongoing
Neighborhood Leadership Academy – Critical
to the success of any neighborhood
improvement effort is the effective leadership
of key residents who can guide their
neighbors in community-wide decision-
making. Selected applicants develop the skills
and networks essential to neighborhood
improvement at this free academy.

Historic
Preservation
Ongoing
Our Riverside, Our Neighborhood - The Our
Riverside, Our Neighborhoods Initiative is a
citizen-led visioning and action-oriented
planning process where Riverside residents
will create unique neighborhood strategies
for each of Riverside’s 26 neighborhoods in a
26 month time frame.

Neighbor Fest! Created from the Our
Riverside, Our Neighborhood effort, this
neighborhood event provides the opportunity
for people to learn about how to use Asset-
Based Community Development to affect
positive change in their neighborhoods. Out
of this event, leaders who wish to take the
Historic
Preservation
Last Quarter 2017
Ongoing
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Tool Description
Responsibility/
Time Frame
GP 2025 Relationship/
Progress Details
next step and begin a “Neighborhood
Hospitality Team” will go home and gather
with neighbors to share their hopes and
dreams for their neighborhood and come up
with creative ways that they can work
together to make a difference in their
communities.

Neighborhood Spirit Awards – Seven
neighborhood groups, one for each ward in
the city, are recognized for their
extraordinary commitment, accomplishments,
creativity, and resourcefulness as organized
neighborhood groups.

Historic
Preservation
On-going
Jack B. Clarke Award – This award was
established in 1996 to commemorate the late
Councilman Jack B. Clarke, Sr.’s vision of
building neighborhood relationships and
bringing neighborhoods together for the
betterment of the City of Riverside.

Historic
Preservation
On-going
Healthy Neighborhood Assessment – On
April 17, 2007 the City Council approved the
Healthy Neighborhood Assessment report
which provides a framework for developing a
diagnostic model to assess the effective
quality life in each neighborhood. The
Council has requested that the Development
Department evaluate the Healthy
Neighborhood Assessment report and report
to the Community Services and Youth
Committee with a plan to proceed with
drafting a neighborhood diagnostic analysis.

Historic
Preservation
On-going
H-14 Continue to support Keep Riverside Clean
and Beautiful (KRCB). This organization
strives to instill a sense of community pride
and leadership within Riverside by creating
partnerships that work toward the
beautification of the city.

Keep Riverside
Clean & Beautiful
On-going
H-1, H-1.7
Continued appropriateness:

This is not a housing program of the City
and is not included in the 2021-2029
Housing Element.

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Tool Description
Responsibility/
Time Frame
GP 2025 Relationship/
Progress Details
Smart Growth
H-15 Continue to seek new partnerships with non-
profit developers and continue on with
existing partnerships to assist in the
development of affordable housing projects
for extremely low- to low-income households.

The City will annually invite non-profit
developers to discuss the City’s plans,
resources, and development opportunities.

Based on funding resources, the City will
select a non-profit developer to pursue
developments, including leveraging the local
housing trust fund, assisting in the application
for State and Federal financial resources, and
offering a number of incentives such as fee
deferrals, priority processing, and relaxed
development standards.

Housing Authority
Planning Division
On-going
H-2, H-2.2
The City and Housing Authority continue
to partner with affordable housing
developers such as Riverside Housing
Development Corporation, Habitat for
Humanity Riverside, Wakeland Housing
and Development Corporation, National
CORE, and Meta Housing to facilitate the
development of affordable housing and the
acquisition and rehabilitation of
substandard housing units that have been
long neglected and are crime ridden as a
result of poor property management.

Continued Appropriateness:

This program is restructured to outline the
City’s various incentives and efforts for
facilitating affordable housing
development under one program in the
2021-2029 Housing Element.

H-16 Continue to provide the voluntary Riverside
Green Builder (RGB) program. This program
is primarily for production builders. RGB is
based on the California Green Builder
Program that is recognized by the California
Public Utilities Commission, the California
Energy Commission, and California League of
Cities, and is the largest residential green
builder program in California.

Building Division
On going
H-2, H-2.3, OS-8, OS-8.2, OS-8.6
The City continues to implement the
Riverside Green Builder (RGB) program.

Continued Appropriateness:

Implementation of building codes is not
included in the 2021-2029 Housing
Element as a housing program. The RGB
program is discussed in the Housing
Element as opportunity or resource for
energy conservation.

H-17 Continue to offer “Energy Saving,” “Green
Power” and “Water” Rebates to residential
customers and their contractors (both for
rehabilitation and new construction) for
energy conservation found at
http://www.riversideca.gov/utilities/resident
s.asp.

Public Utilities
On going
H-2, H-2.3, OS-8, OS-8.4, OS-8.8, OS-8.9
These programs continue to be
implemented by the City’s Public Utilities
Department.

H-18 Continue to offer Energy Efficiency Loans
which provide improvement financing for
Public Utilities
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energy efficiency projects. On-going Continued Appropriateness:

These programs are discussed in the
Housing Element as opportunity or
resource for energy conservation.

H-19 Continue to offer the Residential
Photovoltaic System Rebate Program.

Public Utilities
On-going
H-20 Continue to offer SHARE. SHARE is a
Riverside Public Utilities (RPU) program that
assists qualified, low-income residential
customers with their electric utility bills and
deposits.

Administered by Riverside County’s
Community Action Partnership, this program
is supported by voluntary customer
contributions, and state-mandated Public
Benefits Charge.

Public Utilities
On-going
The SHARE program continues to be
implemented by the City’s Public Utilities
Department. The SHARE program was
enhanced in 2017 to provide monthly bill
credits to income qualified customers as
well as expanded through changing the
eligibility criteria from 150% Federal
Poverty Level (FPL) to 200% FPL.

Additional funding from the Public Benefits
Charge has been dedicated to the program.

RPU has also opened an assistance location
at the Casa Blanca Customer Resource
Center that complements the County of
Riverside Community Action Partnership
location and allows customer to now apply
for SHARE assistance at both locations.

Continued Appropriateness:

This program is discussed in the Housing
Element as opportunity or resource for
energy conservation.

H-21 Rezoning Program
To accommodate the housing need for the
remaining 4,767 units affordable to lower-
income households, the City will rezone a
minimum of 191 acres at achieving at least an
average density allowing a minimum of 24
units per acre. Further, the program will
provide for a minimum of 16 units per site.

Candidate sites for rezoning include sites
identified in Appendix D of the Technical
Report of the Housing Element and will
permit owner-occupied and rental multi-
family residential uses by-right (without a
conditional use permit, planned unit
development permit or other discretionary
action) pursuant to Government Code
Section 65583.2(h). In addition, at least 50
Planning Division
By December 2017
H-2, H-2.2
The Rezoning Program of the 2014-2021
Housing Element was adopted in October
2017. In December 2017 the City Council
approved a Zoning Code amendment to
implement the Housing Element program,
which rezoned sites to multi-family
residential or mixed-use.
 Between 2018-2020 the City
rezoned 57 sites (308 acres) to
both the Mixed Use or Multiple-
Family zones.
 Sites Zoned for Residential
Development in Rezoning
Program: 6,598
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percent of the remaining units (2,384 units)
will be accommodated on sites zoned for
exclusively residential uses.
 At the end of 2020 the City had a
RHNA buffer of approximately
569 units.

The City was awarded a SB2 Planning
Grant that will allow the City to create a
RHNA tracking dashboard, which will be
linked to the City’s new building permit
software.

Continued Appropriateness:

A new rezone program for adequate sites
for the City’s 6th cycle RHNA is included in
the 2021-2029 Housing Element.

Accompanying the new rezone program
are monitoring for no net loss (SB 166) and
by-right approval of rezoned sites where
the projects include 20 percent of the units
affordable to lower income households (AB
1397).

H-22 Coordinate outreach to the public,
development community, and stakeholders
regarding land use, design, and development
standards
Planning Division
On-going
H-2.3, H-2.4, H-2.

This is a routine and mandatory function of
the Planning division.

Continued Appropriateness:

This is not included in the 2021-2029
Housing Element as a specific housing
program.

H-23 See Tools OS-30, OS-31, OS-35, and OS-38
of the Open Space and Conservation Element
portion of the General Plan 2025
Implementation Plan for tools implementing
Policy H-2.3.

Public Utilities
Public Works
Building Division
Planning Division
On-going
H-2
H-2.3, OS-8, OS-9, OS-10
Continued Appropriateness:

Implementation of the General Plan is not
considered a specific Housing Element
program and is not included in the 2021-
2029 Housing Element.

H-24 Streamline Riverside – Streamline Riverside is
a program developed by a collaboration of
multiple City departments and key
stakeholders such as design professionals,
developers and business owners on a strategy
to reduced entitlement and building permit
Planning Division
Public Works
Building Division
Fire Department
The City brought together, on one floor, all
City departments that are part of the
development process. The One Stop Shop
(OSS) established customer centric
environment that allows permits and
approvals to be obtained faster than ever.

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review times, as well as costs for customers. Public Utilities Ongoing
The OSS served it’s 100,000th customer
and maintained a customer satisfaction
rating in 2019 of 96%.

Over 2,500 permits have been processed
in the new permit tracking software, which
significantly improved the field inspection
and information sharing process among
City staff and development customers.

The City continues to make incremental
updates to the Zoning Code to provide
greater clarity, reduce barriers to
development, and comply with state law.

The City Council approved streamlined
changes to Title 19 - Zoning for ADUs,
Family Day Care Homes, and tiny homes.

Continued Appropriateness:

The City’s permit processing procedure is
discussed in the Governmental Constraints
section of the Housing Element. It is not
included as a specific housing program.

Housing Incentives
H-25 Continue to provide financial incentives to
facilitate the production of a variety of
housing types including the following
programs:

Planning Division
Ongoing
H-2, H-2.7, H-4
The City applied for and was awarded
$625,000 in SB 2 Planning Grant Program
(PGP) funds to facilitate housing. The
grant application included nine (9) planning
programs, including an effort to develop a
comprehensive ADU policy that includes
public brochures and zoning code update,
over-the-counter standard ADU plans; a
small lot and infill ordinance; and update of
Density Bonus regulations.

Continued Appropriateness:

This program is updated to include current
planning efforts with SB 2 grants.

Residential Infill Incentive Program – Infill is
defined as the development, redevelopment
or reuse of less than five undeveloped or
underutilized developed R-1 or RR zoned
parcels of 21,780 square feet or less,
surrounded by residential uses (80% of land
uses within a half mile radius) where the
proposed project is consistent with General
Plan designations and applicable Zoning. For
such, infill projects fees are adjusted, avoided,
and/or waived as an incentive. To keep this
program current, an update of the lot
inventory on the City’s website should be
completed.

Planning Division
Ongoing
Age-Restricted Senior Housing Program – On Planning Division Technical Background Report:

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August 23, 2005, the City Council authorized
a 60% reduction in all City Permit, Plan
Check, and City Impact Mitigation Fees for
age-restricted senior housing projects in
order to promote such development.

Ongoing
H-26 Consider the feasibility of the certain Zoning
Code incentives that would promote diversity
in housing types, sustainability and
affordability such as:

Planning Division
Last Quarter 2015
H-2, H-2.7
The City Council approved a Zoning Code
Amendment to implement State mandated
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) provisions.

City was awarded a grant under the SB 2
Planning Grant Program, which will
promote diversity in housing types,
sustainability, and affordability.

Projects under the PGP: a comprehensive
ADU policy, public brochures and zoning
code update, over-the-counter standard
ADU plans, a small lot and infill ordinance
and update of Density Bonus regulations
City Council approved a Zoning Code
Amendment to implement State mandated
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) provisions
and implement tiny home provisions to
provide greater flexibility in housing types.

The City began coordinating with on-call
consultants to begin working on the SB2
projects. Work will continue into 2021.

Continued Appropriateness:

This program is updated to include current
planning efforts with SB 2 grant.

Universal Design/Visitability -- Investigate
the feasibility of a universal design/visitability
program to expand the range of housing
available for the needs of seniors. (See Tool
H-47 – Recommendation #10)
Planning Division
Last Quarter 2015
H-2, H-2.7, H-4
Continued Appropriateness:

This City is continuing to explore this as an
option.

Second Units -- Consider an amendment to
the Second Unit ordinance that would permit
second units for creative projects that take
advantage of corner lots, housing above
garage units, units on alleyways, or are
Planning Division
First Quarter 2018
H-2, H-2.7,
See discussions above on Accessory
Dwelling Units.

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designed into the project with the unit
already considered in terms of parking and
open space requirements.

Eastside Infill Program – Consider creating an
infill program for undeveloped lots in the
Eastside neighborhood. This program would
include an inventory of properties with an
opportunity for infill development, continued
implementation and promotion of the
Riverside Infill Development Incentives
Program encouraging owners of
undeveloped properties to build compatible
residential development. In addition, a
component of the program could include
standardized house plans pre-approved for
use on infill lots to alleviate the cost
associated with architecture and plan check
fees.

Housing Authority
Consider
feasibility of an
infill program by
First Quarter 2018
H-2, H-2.7
As part of the City’s SB grant-funded
efforts, the City is developing an infill
development ordinance.

Continued Appropriateness:

The program is updated and included in the
2021-2029 Housing Element.

Encourage Lot Consolidation – The City will
play an active role in facilitating the
consolidation of smaller, multiple-family
parcels as follows:
 The City will publicize the
undeveloped and underutilized
developed sites land inventory on
the City’s website.
 Provide technical assistance to
property owners and developers in
support of lot consolidation,
including assessor parcel data and
information on density and design
incentives.
 To encourage development of
quality housing at prices lower
income households can afford on
smaller multiple-family parcels, the
City will meet with developers,
including non-profit sponsors, to
promote strategies and incentives
within one year of adoption of the
Housing Element.

Planning Division
Housing Authority
Last Quarter 2019
As projects are
processed through
the Planning
Division.

H-2, H-2.4, H-2.5, H-2.6, H-2.7
The City provides a waiver of lot
merger/lot consolidation fees for Housing
Element rezone sites. The waiver is
intended to facilitate site consolidation to
combine small residential parcels into
larger, developable parcels to provide for
affordable housing opportunities.

Eligible parcels must be contiguous with
other parcels that create the opportunity
for development of at least 16 units, and
the small parcels must have the same
owner as one or more of the parcels it is
aggregated with.

Combined together, the parcels must
create the opportunity for 16 units.

The Housing Authority initiated the 11502
Anacapa project to demonstrate the ability
to build quality housing on smaller infill
lots. Further, the Housing Authority hired a
design consultant to produce the first
functional renderings for “tiny homes”
developments on smaller infill lots as a way
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Further, the City will undertake a series of
strategies to support the use of State and
Federal affordable housing funds on
consolidated parcels.
to use design and a new housing type
balance of lot size constraints and costs of
single-family development.

Continued Appropriateness:

The program is updated and included in the
2021-2029 Housing Element.

H-27 Provide down payment assistance to first
time home buyers. When funding has been
exhausted, seek additional funds to continue
the program.

Housing Authority
Program Ended
H-3, H-3.1, H-4
The City of Riverside no longer has
mortgage assistance funding for first-time
homebuyers.

Continued Appropriateness:

The program is removed from the 2021-
2029 Housing Element.

H-28 Continue to promote the County of Riverside
Economic Development Agency Mortgage
Credit Certificate Program on the City’s
Housing & Neighborhoods Development’s
webpage.

Housing Authority
On-going
H-3, H-3.1, H-4
The City continues to promote the MCC
program on the Housing Authority's
website along with the City's Down
Payment Assistance Program.

Continued Appropriateness:

The program is restructured as a
homebuyer resources program in the
2021-2029 Housing Element.

Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) – This
program entitles qualified homebuyers to
reduce the amount of their federal income tax
liability by an amount equal to a portion of the
interest paid during the year on a home
mortgage. This tax credit allows the buyer to
qualify more easily for a loan by increasing the
effective income of the buyer. The Riverside
County MCC Program provides for a fifteen
percent (15%) rate that can be applied to the
interest paid on the mortgage loan.

County of Riverside
Economic
Development
Agency
Restructured
Homeownership Preservation
H-29 Continue to market homebuyer preservation
tools, including foreclosure prevention &
financial management programs, on the
Housing Authority’s website including the
following programs:

Housing Authority
On-going
H-3, H-3.2, H-1, H-4
The City continues to market homebuyer
preservation tools and financial
management programs offered by Fair
Housing Council of Riverside County, Inc.,
HOPE NOW, and Springboard Nonprofit
Consumer Credit Management on the
City's housing web page at
http://riversideca.gov/housing/foreclosure
Fair Housing Council of Riverside County,
Inc. – is a non-profit agency that offers
confidential counseling to help those with
financial problems. FHCRC will review
Fair Housing
Council of Riverside
County, Inc.

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individuals’ financial situation and develop a
financial plan to meet their financial needs.

On-going .asp. Between 2018-2020 the City:
 Participates in Fair Housing’s
homebuyer’s workshops and program
presentations at community groups
related to the down payment assistance
program or housing rehabilitation
program.
 Assisted FHCRC in marketing their
Town Hall Meeting that provided
renters, landlords and homeowners
with information related to foreclosure,
bankruptcy and sales on the City’s
webpage at
https://riversideca.gov/housing/Town%
20Hall%20Flyer,,,,.cleaned.pdf. Topics
included: Fair Housing, Mortgage
Lending, Identifying Scam and
Predatory Lending and Legal Rights
Services.
 Participates in Fair Housing’s
homebuyer’s workshops and program
presentations at community groups.

Continued Appropriateness:

The program is restructured as a
homebuyer/homeowner resources
program in the 2021-2029 Housing
Element.

HOPE NOW – is staffed with HUD-approved
credit counselors to assist with foreclosure
prevention. Counselors are trained to set up
a plan of action designed just for the situation.

Counselors provide in-depth debt
management, credit counseling, and overall
foreclosure counseling.

HOPE NOW
On-going
Springboard Nonprofit Consumer Credit
Management – is a non-profit community
service agency that offers personal financial
education and assistance with money, credit,
and debt management through confidential
counseling. Springboard provides
homeownership preservation and foreclosure
prevention counseling. Springboard also
provides pre-bankruptcy counseling and
debtor education.

Springboard
Nonprofit
Consumer Credit
Management
On-going
H-30 Periodically provide and/or market
Foreclosure Prevention Seminars.

Housing Authority
On-going
H-3, H-3.2, H-1, H-4
Between 2018 and 2020 the City
continues to market homebuyer
preservation tools and financial
management programs offered by Fair
Housing Council of Riverside County, Inc.,
HOPE NOW, and Springboard Nonprofit
Consumer Credit Management on the
City's housing web page at
http://riversideca.gov/housing/foreclosure
.asp.

The City participates in Fair Housing’s
homebuyer’s workshops and program
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presentations at community groups.

The City assisted Fair Housing Council of
Riverside County in marketing their Town
Hall Meeting that provided renters,
landlords and homeowners with
information related to foreclosure,
bankruptcy and sales on the City’s
webpage at
https://riversideca.gov/housing/Town%20
Hall%20Flyer,,,,.cleaned.pdf.

Topics included: Fair Housing, Mortgage
Lending, Identifying Scam and Predatory
Lending and Legal Rights Services.

Continued Appropriateness:

The program is restructured as a
homebuyer/homeowner resources
program in the 2021-2029 Housing
Element.

H-31 The City of Riverside maintains more than a
significant stock of rental housing affordable
to seniors, families, and individuals earning
lower incomes. The City is committed to
preserving its stock of affordable housing,
some which is at risk of conversion and/or
needs significant renovation and
improvement.

As the City remains committed to preserving
its affordable housing, the City will monitor
the status of publicly subsidized affordable
projects, provide technical and financial
assistance where feasible, and consider
appropriate actions should these projects
become at imminent risk of conversion.

Housing Authority
Ongoing
H-3, H-3.2
Between 2018 and 2020 the City Housing
Authority actively monitors units that are
under affordable obligations because of a
City contribution to the Project.
 When applicable, the City to
actively negotiate to extend
affordable obligations, pursuant
to negotiations and the
availability of housing resources.
 The City of Riverside has over
1,550 affordable rental units
made available to low-income
seniors, families and individuals.

Continued Appropriateness:

The City’s affordable housing inventory is
updated and this program is included in the
2021-2029 Housing Element.

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Rental Assistance
H-32 Continue to implement the City’s mobile
home park rent stabilization policy (Chapter

5.75 of the Municipal Code) to preserve the
City’s mobile home parks. The policy is
updated on an annual basis. The rents may be
increased in accordance with the Los
Angeles-Riverside-Orange County Consumer
Price Index for the twelve-month period
ending August 31st of the prior year. A public
hearing is held in September to announce the
allowed rental increase, if any.

Housing Authority
City Attorney Office
On-going
Annual public
hearings
H-3, H-3.3
Between 2018-2020 the City holds a
public hearing in September to announce
the rent increase in mobile home parks
where tenants have annual leases.

Notifications are also sent to mobile home
park owners, managers and mobile home
tenant advocacy groups. The rental
increases go into effect in January
following the public hearing.

In 2020, the City began using the
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
Consumer Price Index for the twelve-
month period ending July 31st of the prior
year to calculate the allowable increased
rents beginning January of the following
year.

Continued Appropriateness:

This program is included in the 2021-2029
Housing Element.

H-33 Continue to participate and promote the
Housing Authority of the County of Riverside
rental assistance programs on the City’s
Housing Authority Community
Development’s webpage. They offer
programs to extremely low- to low-income
renters, including the following:

Housing Authority
On-going
H-3, H-3.3, H-4
Between 2018 and 2020 the City allocated
an additional $200,000 of HOME
Investment Partnerships Program funds
towards the Tenant Based Rental
Assistance program to help homeless
individuals and families exit life from the
streets. Program participants receive
ongoing case management to address
barriers preventing clients from becoming
self-sufficient.

The Riverside County Housing Authority
begin prioritizing seniors and the homeless
for Section 8 vouchers. Referrals are being
made from the Project Roomkey Program
and the Riverside County Continuum of
Care Coordinated Entry System.

The Section 8 project-based vouchers
Housing Choice Voucher Program – The
Section 8 rental voucher program provides
rental assistance to help extremely low- to
low-income families afford decent, safe, and
sanitary rental housing.

Housing Authority
of the County of
Riverside
On-going
Section 8 Project Based Moderate
Rehabilitation Housing Assistance Programs -
- These Programs were developed to increase
the number of affordable housing units to
low-income families. Housing assistance is
offered to eligible families who wish to live in
privately owned multi-family developments
Housing Authority
of the County of
Riverside
On-going
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that were upgraded or rehabilitated. request for funding has been released alongside the No Place Like Home Funding.

The City had five projects in the City that
have been awarded these resources.

Continued Appropriateness:

This program is included in the 2021-2029
Housing Element focusing on Housing
Choice Vouchers, the primary resource for
rental assistance.

Bond Financed Rental Housing -- The
Riverside County Housing Authority owns
several bond financed multi-family rental
housing developments in the City of
Riverside.

Housing Authority
of the County of
Riverside
On-going
The Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program --
This is a program that assists families
receiving federal rental assistance move to
economic independence, so they are free of
any governmental assistance.

Housing Authority
of the County of
Riverside
On-going
H-34 Encourage rental property owners to register
their units for participation in the Housing
Authority of the County of Riverside rental
assistance programs and the City’s Rapid Re-
housing Program.

Housing Authority
First Quarter 2015
H-3, H-3.3, H-4
Between 2018 and 2020 the Housing
Authority assigned one staff person to fill
the role of a housing locator to identify
vacant residential units for rental
assistance program participants. The
housing locator was able to identify over
99 residential units for the rental
assistance program and Section 8 program
participants. In addition, the City has
integrated a housing locator into staffing
and management plans for the
rehabilitation and expansion of the City’s
Homeless Access Center.

Continued Appropriateness:

This program is incorporated into the
Housing Authority rental assistance
program referenced above.

H-35 Continue to maintain the list of affordable
rental units on the Housing Authority’s
webpage.

Housing Authority
On-going
H-3, H-3.3, H-4
The City continues to maintain a list of
affordable rental units on the Housing
Authority's webpage at
http://riversideca.gov/housing/rental.asp.

Continued Appropriateness:

This program is incorporated into the
Housing Authority rental assistance
program referenced above.

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H-36 Provide rental assistance to 120 extremely
low-income families.

Housing Authority
Winter Quarter
2021
H-3, H-3.3
Between 2018 and 2020 the Housing
Authority was able to assist approximately
283 households with housing through the
family reunification program and rental
assistance program.

Continued Appropriateness:

This program is incorporated into the
Housing Authority rental assistance
program referenced above.

H-37 Continue to support the Mayor’s Commission
on Aging whose mission is to “. . . enhance the
quality of life for seniors in our community.

We study local senior issues to learn about
current programs, define future needs, and
reference Best Practices. We then make
recommendations to the Mayor and City
Council on ways we think the City of
Riverside can maintain and improve its status
as a Senior-Friendly Community.”
Mayor’s Office
On-going
H-4, H-4.1
The Mayor’s Commission on Aging
continues to meet on a regular basis and
make recommendations to the Mayor and
City Council.

Continued Appropriateness:

This is not a housing program and is
removed from the 2021-2029 Housing
Element.

H-38 Continue to pursue the 10 recommendations
of the “Seniors’ Housing Task Force Report”
approved by City Council on October 26,
2004 that are on-going including:

Housing Authority
On-going
H-4, H-4.1, H-2
Between 2018-2020 the Housing
Authority teamed with the Grove
Community Church to create a
development template for the production
of 4-unit tiny home villages that could be
replicated on other church sites
throughout the City.
 The Housing Authority also
readied several projects for new
homeless service funding and
non-traditional housing finance
sources such as the
Transformative Climate
Communities Program
(application for Mission Heritage
Program) and the Affordable
Housing and Sustainable
Communities Program
(application for Mission Heritage
Recommendation #1 – Make Seniors Housing
a priority in the Housing Element (HE) of the
General Plan.

Planning Division
On-going
With the
Certification of
each new HE
Recommendation #2 – Create a Seniors’
Housing category in the Zoning Code. The
Zoning Code shall include standards for
senior housing.

Planning Division
Last Quarter 2021
Recommendation #5 – Generate Creative
Sources of Financing. Although there are
several funding sources available like tax
credits there are two additional sources that
have not been addressed. These sources are
Housing Authority
On-going
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the inclusionary housing ordinance noted in
Recommendation #4 and the funds available
from HUD to faith based organizations
(FBO’s) for the development of senior
housing. Most FBO’s do not have the
capacity to apply for the funding and to
construct senior projects. The Housing
Authority shall work with FBO’s to build
capacity to successfully apply for the funding.
and preparation of Entrada
Project for an application).
 Two faith-based organizations
have identified land that they are
willing to develop with affordable
housing with a portion set-aside
for Housing First
The Housing Authority of the City of
Riverside’s deed restricted units from
senior housing projects consist of about
60% of its inventory.

Continued Appropriateness:

Many of these recommendations are
implemented through other housing
programs. The recommendations are not
included in the 2021-2029 Housing
Element as a separate housing program.

Recommendation #6 – Exploit Economic
Opportunities. Many of the funding sources
for Seniors Housing construction understand
that seniors buy in their own neighborhoods.

This is the reason the funding sources require
developments to be within a very small radius
of amenities (i.e., shopping, medical, etc.).

Housing Authority will not only make an
effort to encourage more senior housing
opportunities, but to encourage these
developments within each neighborhood and
for every demographic and the needs of the
senior population.

Housing Authority
On-going
Recommendation #7 – Take a competitive
approach. This is a general statement
encouraging timely action on completing the
recommendations of the Seniors’ Housing
Task Force Report.

Housing Authority
On-going
Recommendation #10 – Recommend
Universal standards in new construction.
(See Tool H-30)
Planning Division
Last Quarter 2021
Family Housing
H-39 Actively seek additional partnerships with
service organizations to provide supportive
services for residents.

Housing Authority
First Quarter 2018
H-4, H-4.2
As part of the City’s Housing First Plan the
City executed a partnership agreement
with the Riverside County Department of
Public Social Services, County Housing
Authority, Step Up on Second, Riverside
County Workforce Development Board,
and Path of Life Ministries increase the
amount of services being provided to the
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homeless population.

Continued Appropriateness:

This is not a housing program and is not
included in the 2021-2029 Housing
Element. The program outlining the City’s
homeless strategy includes essential
services.

H-40 Continue to implement the Density Bonus
provisions of the Zoning Code for projects
providing affordable housing units.

Planning Division
On-going
H-4, H-4.2
Continued Appropriateness:

This program is incorporated into a
program that outlines the various
incentives and efforts for facilitating
affordable housing development in the
2021-2029 Housing Element.

H-41 Continue to permit second units in
compliance with the Zoning Code as a means
of providing affordable units throughout the
City.

Planning Division
On-going
H-4, H-4.2
The City continues to implement the
second unit provisions of the Zoning Code.

Continued Appropriateness:

This program is updated in the 2021-2029
Housing Element to include incentives for
facilitating ADU development.

H-42 Continue providing fair housing services and
publicize these efforts. Prepare an update to
the Analysis of Impediments (AI) to Fair
Housing in time for the submission of the
Consolidated Plan.

Housing Authority
On-going
H-4, H-4.2
Between 2018-2020 the City contracts
annually with Fair Housing Council of
Riverside, Inc. to provide fair housing
services. In 2015/16 the City updated its
AI to Fair Housing, which was submitted
along with the City's HUD Five Year
Consolidated Plan.

During the reporting period, an estimated
5,400 low to moderate income persons
within the City of Riverside received fair
housing services, including but not limited
to landlord-tenant conflict resolution, anti-
discrimination services, etc.

Continued Appropriateness:

A new Affirmatively Furthering Fair
Housing program is included in the 2021-
The Fair Housing Council of Riverside County
has provided a comprehensive fair housing
program to further equal housing opportunity
for all residents and households in the City of
Riverside. The mission of the Fair Housing
Council is to provide comprehensive services
which affirmatively address and promote fair
housing (anti-discrimination) rights and
further other housing opportunities for all
persons without regard to race, color,
national origin, religion, sex, familial status,
Fair Housing
Council of Riverside
County
Housing Authority
Ongoing
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presence of children, disability, ancestry,
marital status, or other arbitrary factors.
2029 Housing Element pursuant to AB
686.

Educational Housing
H-43 Facilitate and encourage the development of
student housing oriented to the local
universities and college campuses.

Planning Division
Housing Authority
On-going
H-4, H-4.3
The City contracts annually with Fair
Housing Council of Riverside, Inc. to
provide fair housing services.

The City participated in planning
workshops with University of California,
Riverside (UCR). UCR processed and
received State approval of their North
District Development Plan, which is
expected to house 6,500 students.

California Baptist University (CBU)
adopted a specific plan update that
expands their campus enrollment to
12,000 students by 2025. CBU also
received building permits to develop
property with 93 housing units.

Continued Appropriateness:

As part of the adequate sites analysis, the
City has already explored near-term
housing development potential associated
with the college campuses. This program is
removed from the 2021-2029 Housing
Element.

Housing for Homeless People (Extremely Low-Income Population) H-44 Continue to carry out the Homeless
Reduction and Prevention Strategy Five-Year
Plan (Homeless Plan).

Housing Authority
On-going
H-4, H-4.4
Pursuant to the new Housing First Plan,
the City placed more than 50 individuals
into permanent housing during this
reporting period. In addition, the City
began an effort to increase public outreach
for homeless services with a weekly set of
social media posts and a new City webpage
designed to inform the public about
homelessness and introduce Riverside
residents who had successfully received
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services.

The City finalized a full program of
rehabilitation for the Hulen Homeless
Service campus with the goal of grant
applications for State funds to improve the
campus.

The City Housing Authority and Human
Resources Department formed a new
partnership to expand the Riverside at
Work (RAW) program with the goals of
serving more clients and strengthening the
employee base for employee job training
and placement.

Continued Appropriateness:

A new program reflecting the City’s various
components of the City’s homeless
strategy is included in the 2021-2029
Housing Element.

H-45 Aggressively work to address homelessness
in the community in partnership with a wide-
range of non-profit organizations, social
service agencies, faith-based institutions and
others working together to end homelessness
in the community through such programs as:

Housing Authority
On-going
H-4, H-4.4
Between 2018-2020 the City was able to
house 80 formerly homeless individuals:
 In 2018, the City of Riverside
adopted the Housing First concept
and directed staff to identify
potential Housing First sites for
development. In the Plan, the City
will pursue the creation of nearly 400
units of housing to meet the needs of
the current unsheltered count of 389
persons highlighted in the 2017
Point-in-Time Count.
 Housing First is a best practice
approach to address homelessness,
and specifically to using the
supportive housing intervention that
are characterized as deeply
affordable housing paired with wrap-
around supportive services targeted
at hard-to-serve homeless
households with a disability.

City of Riverside Rapid Re-Housing Program
(RP)
Housing Authority
2014
On-going
Homeless Street Outreach Program Housing Authority
On-going
Annually
Housing First Initiative/Tenant-Based Rental
Assistance Program (TBRA) – The Housing
Authority of County of Riverside will continue
to implement the TBRA program. This
provides eligible homeless individuals and
families as well as those at-risk to
homelessness in Riverside with short-term
Housing Authority
of County of
Riverside
On-going
Annually
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rental subsidies coupled with home-based
case management.
 Supportive housing has proven
effective in ensuring housing stability
of formerly homeless households and
limiting returns to homelessness.

Additionally, many studies have
demonstrated the cost effectiveness
of providing housing and services
that lead to decreased utilization of
high-cost public systems, including
emergency services, health care, and
criminal justice.
 The Homeless Reduction and
Prevention Strategy Five-Year Plan
(Plan) was sunset in 2018. The Plan
was superseded on March 13, 2018
by the Housing First Plan.
 At the end of 2019, the City had 584
affordable housing units in the
pipeline for development, 273 of
which are permanent supportive
housing units.
 The City placed more than 39
individuals into permanent housing in
2019.
 Through City Net, a non-profit
organization, the City increased
outreach services in 2019 to link
homeless individuals and families to
shelter beds and programs to help
them exit life from the streets.
 The City continued to proceed with
the Hulen Place Homeless Service
Campus improvements project. The
City applied for a State Homeless
Emergency Aid Program (HEAP)
grant from the Riverside County
Continuum of Care in late 2018. The
City requested $1.3 million and was
only awarded $606,575 to
rehabilitate 2881 Hulen Place for 45
bridge housing units. The City is
funding the rehabilitation of 2801
Permanent Supportive Housing Program –
Continue the operation of the fifteen
permanent supportive housing units the City
acquired through the HUD Continuum of
Care Supportive Housing Program (SHP)
which supported the acquisition,
development, and operations of the housing
projects.

Housing Authority
On-going
Riverside Homeless Care Network –
Continue the monthly meetings of the City-
sponsored Riverside Homeless Care Network
to facilitate effective communication,
coordination, and collaboration of over 50
organizations, including nonprofit service
providers, municipal service agencies, law
enforcement, and faith-based institutions.

Housing Authority
On-going
Annual Funding for Social Service Providers –
The City Council will continue to annually
allocate funding to local agencies providing a
range of services to homeless and those at-
risk of becoming homeless.

City Council
Spring Quarter of
Each Year
On-going
Community Foundation Fund to Support the
City’s Homeless Strategy – Staff will continue
to work on avenues to look beyond
government resources and strategically tap
into support from the private sector and the
community at-large through a Donor Advised
Fund with The Community Foundation to
help support the city’s homeless strategy.

The Fund Advisory Committee is in the
process of updating a non-profit status in
anticipation of applying for corporate grants.

Housing Authority
On-going
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Hulen Place for 40 mental health
bridge housing units and the medical
clinic space at 2880 Hulen Place. The
City, in partnership with the County,
will be rehabilitating 2800 Hulen
Place to increase the number of PSH
units.
 The City of Riverside was able to
house 37 formerly homeless
individuals in 2020 through the City’s
HOME Tenant-Based Rental
Assistance Program, Coronavirus
Aid, Relief, and Economic Security
Act Rental Assistance Program, and
Emergency Solutions Rental
Assistance Program coupled with
case management to achieve housing
stability and self-sufficiency. Seventy-
nine (79) homeless individuals were
preapproved for a housing voucher
during the reporting period.
 The City continues to operate 16
permanent supportive housing units,
of which 3 units are located at 1833
7th Street, 5 units are located at
1740 Loma Vista Street and 3552
Lou Ella Lane, and the remaining 8
units are located at the Autumn
Ridge Apartments located on Indiana
Avenue.
 The City has 229 permanent
supportive housing units in the
pipeline. Most of these developments
will receive an award of No Place Like
Home Program funding.
 POLM continues to operate the
Year-Round Emergency Shelter
Program, which provides 85 beds on
a year-round basis connected with
c661se management services for
homeless men and women for up to
30 continuous days. In FY 2019/20 a
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total of 4 unduplicated homeless
individuals received assistance
through the shelter.

The City continues to operate sixteen
permanent supportive housing units, of
which 3 units are located at 1833 7th
Street, 5 units are located at 1740 Loma
Vista Street and 3552 Lou Ella Lane, and
the remaining 8 units are located at the
Autumn Ridge Apartments located on
Indiana Avenue.

The Riverside County Continuum of Care
(CoC) meets monthly and has been
successful in streamlining data collection,
policy development, and access to state
and federal funds.

The City of Riverside created a community
donor fund called the Riverside Ending
Homelessness Fund (REHF) where the
community can donate to homeless
services offered in the City of Riverside.

The REHF has a ten-person Board to
oversee the Fund and ensure that
expenditures are in line with the City's
Homeless Plan. REHF has recently
obtained their nonprofit status so the
Board can now begin applying for
corporate and private grants.

POLM continues to operate the Year-
Round Emergency Shelter Program, which
provides 64 beds on a year-round basis
connected with case management services
for homeless men and women for up to 30
continuous days. In FY 2018/19 a total of
1174 unduplicated homeless individuals
received assistance through the shelter.

Riverside Access Center – Continue to
operate and expand Riverside Access Center,
the centralized environment of housing and
supportive services designed to assist
homeless individuals and families to address
Housing Authority
On-going
The Riverside Community Access Center
serves as the entry point and service hub of
the City’s homeless continuum of care. At
the Access Center there are a range of
services under-one-roof including street
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their issues and achieve housing stability. outreach, rental assistance, client stabilization resources, employment
development, health care, veterans’
services, life skills training, legal services,
computer resources and phones, housing
placement, and homeless prevention
resources. Referrals are available such as:
mental health services, benefits
enrollment, substance abuse recovery,
education services, and financial
counseling. Transportation is available on a
case by case basis. All services are
coordinated through a centralized data
management system and collaborative
team case management. The following
courses are also offered at the Access
Center:

Presentations
 Parenting, Nutrition Classes, Stroke
Prevention, Smoking Cessation,
Proper Care for Asthma, Veterans
Housing Support, Legal Aid
Assistance.
 Topics including, but not limited to:

Mainstream benefits, Veterans
benefits, Family Services,
Tenant/Landlord issues
 Other Services Provided: HIV 101
and testing (Health in Motion), One-
on-One financial counseling,
Internet job search and readiness,
Veterans Administration
Continued Appropriateness:

A new program reflecting the City’s various
components of the City’s homeless
strategy is included in the 2021-2029
Housing Element. Routine staff duties are
removed from the 2021-2029 Housing
Element as a housing program.

Path of Life Ministries (POLM) – Continue to
support Emergency and Family Shelter
services provided by Path of Life Ministries in
the City of Riverside.

Housing Authority &
CDBG
On-going
H-46 Continue to support the Building Industry
Association’s (BIA) program HomeAid Inland
Building Industry
Association of the
H-4, H-4.4
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Responsibility/
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Empire. HomeAid is a leading national non-
profit provider of housing for today's
homeless. The organization builds and
renovates multi-unit shelters for the
temporarily homeless families and individuals,
many of whom are children, while they rebuild
their lives.

Inland Empire
On-going
Continued Appropriateness:

This is not a housing program and is
removed from the 2021-2029 Housing
Element.

H-47 Process an amendment to the Zoning Code
(Title 19) to permit supportive and
transitional housing in all zones where
residential uses are permitted pursuant to the
requirements of SB 2.

Planning Division
Rezone program -
December 2017
H-4, H-4.4
Continued Appropriateness:

The 2021-2029 Housing Element includes
a program that outlines all zoning code
amendments necessary to comply with
State law.

Changes have been completed.

Housing for People with Disabilities
H-48 Continue to support the Mayor’s Model Deaf
Community Committee which promotes unity
between Riverside’s deaf and hearing
community, promoting access, advocacy,
education, and inclusion.

Mayor’s Office
On-going
H-4, H-4.5
Continued Appropriateness:

This is not a housing program and is
removed from the 2021-2029 Housing
Element.

H-49 Continue to support the Commission on
Disabilities whose members advise the Mayor
and City Council on all matters affecting
persons with disabilities in the
community. The Commission reviews
community policies, programs, and actions
that affect persons with disabilities and make
appropriate recommendations to the City
Council.

General Services
Department
City Attorney Office
On-going
H-4, H-4.5
Continued Appropriateness:

This is not a housing program and is
removed from the 2021-2029 Housing
Element.

H-50 Continue to provide expert analysis of the
disabled access requirements of the Building
Code during the plan review process so that
developers will have clear directions on how
to construct their projects. Such expert
analysis, provided early in the development
process will limit conflicts in the field during
construction, saving the developer time,
money, and resources by avoiding
unnecessary changes.

Building Division
Planning Division
On-going
H-4, H-4.5
Continued Appropriateness:

This is routine staff duties and not a
housing program and is removed from the
2021-2029 Housing Element.

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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 153
Tool Description
Responsibility/
Time Frame
GP 2025 Relationship/
Progress Details
H-51 Support the ability of persons with
developmental disabilities to live in integrated
community settings. The City will work with
the Inland Regional Center and other
appropriate non-profit organizations and
service agencies to identify the housing needs
of Riverside residents with developmental
disabilities, promote opportunities for
supportive living services and support efforts
to eliminate barriers to housing for persons
with developmental disabilities.

Housing Authority
Planning Division
Building Division
On-going
H-4, H-4.5, H-4.6
Continued Appropriateness:

This is not a housing program and is
removed from the 2021-2029 Housing
Element.

H-52 In an effort to create additional opportunities
for affordable housing, the City will facilitate
lot consolidation to combine small residential
lots into larger developable lots. The City will
allow lot consolidation without discretionary
review on the eligible sites and will waive fees
for lot consolidation.

Planning Division
Concurrent with
rezoning
(Implementation
Tool H-21)/
December
H-2
Continued Appropriateness:

See lot consolidation program above.

H-53 Process an amendment to the Zoning Code
(Title 19) and/or any applicable specific plans,
to define single-room occupancy (SRO) units
and permit them with a conditional use permit
in an appropriate zone or zones near transit
stations, and along high quality transit
corridors in compliance with AB 2634.

Planning Division
First Quarter 2018
H-4, H-4.4
Continued Appropriateness:

The 2021-2029 Housing Element includes
a program that outlines all zoning code
amendments necessary to comply with
State law.

Changes to allow in MU-U zone.

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TECHNICAL

BACKGROUND
REPORT 5:

PUBLIC

OUTREACH

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156 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
The City of Riverside took a multifaceted approach to engage the community as part of the update housing element, public safety element, and the development of environmental justice policies. This Section identifies the outreach undertaken and how that outreach was used to develop the Policies and Actions to facilitate housing in Riverside. In summary, outreach included:
o Updates and presentations to the City Council and Planning Commission o Informat
ional Discussion Sessions with the City Council and Planning Commission o Individual Councilmember Project Briefing Meetings (via phone or zoom) o A series of six virtual public workshops in January, February, May, and June 2021; o Virtual focus group meetings as requested;
o One-
on-one consultations with residents and stakeholders;
o A dedicated p
roject website;
o Two online surveys;
o Map.Social – online map-
based commenting application;
o Interactive Housing Opportunity Sites web map;
o Noticed public hearings;
o Recorded public meetings posted online, including a final adoption meeting; o Letters to individual property owners and occupants of Opportunity Sites Inventory properties; o Flyer distribution at emergency food distribution events with City partners; o Electronic billboard announcements;
o Social media outreach through official City channels; o Meet
ing flyer & widgets shared by City and Councilmembers; and o Regular email blasts to over 50,000 recipients.

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PUBLIC WORKSHOPS
The City conducted six virtual public workshops over Zoom throughout the planning process. The Virtual Workshops included poll questions to measure participants’ views on housing, while the Policy Workshops asked participants to input on City’s proposed policies for housing and environmental justice. Three of the public workshops provided an opportunity for participants to dialogue with City staff on the project. Several of the City’s virtual meetings had more than 100 participants.

The virtual meetings were grouped into two series: public workshops and policy workshops. The purpose of the virtual public workshops was to inform the public of the RHNA process and goals, review the potential opportunity and rezoning areas, and discuss the environmental impacts. The virtual policy workshop series was designed for the public to discuss potential policies, programs, and strategies to address the key environmental justice, housing, and safety concerns, to inform the public on state housing laws, and to create awareness of the Housing Element’s progress.

The meetings and workshops encouraged the public in attendance, including students, advocacy group and nonprofit representatives, and elected officials, to ask questions, provide comments, and engage in open discussion with City staff. The meetings included polls throughout the session and included Spanish interpretation, ASL interpretation available upon request, and were shown on the City’s website and YouTube channel. In addition to the public workshops, the City led several additional meetings to disseminate information to stakeholders and community members.

Table PO-1 Summary of Workshops
Number Date Title
1 01/07/21 Virtual Public Workshop #1
2 01/27/21 Virtual Public Workshop #2
3 02/25/21 Virtual Public Workshop #3
4 04/22/21 Scoping Meeting
5 06/10/21 Policy Workshop #1
6 06/17/21 Policy Workshop #2
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158 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
A four-stage outreach approach was used to align public meetings with project milestones:
o Inform. Virtual public workshops focused on announcing that the project was active and seeking public input and survey responses. An ‘Icebreaker Survey’ was released two weeks prior to the first public meeting to alert potential attendees to the project kick-off. o Engage. One CEQA scoping meeting was held to offer stakeholders an opportunity to rate and comment on the available options and opportunity sites. The public provided comments and feedback that were captured and factored into the technical plan. o Policy Workshops. A two-part workshop was added to the process in June 2021 to offer stakeholders an additional opportunity to engage, ask questions, and provide comment. o Adoption. One final CEQA adoption meeting will be held in October 2021. Comments, input, and questions received in this phase of work will continue to be collected for inclusion in the draft EIR report.

VIRTUAL PUBLIC WORKSHOP 1 - THURSDAY, JAN. 7, 2021

PURPOSE
Virtual Public Workshop 1 was held to inform the public on the RHNA and housing element update processes.

The workshop was also intended to collect stakeholder feedback to define the City’s desirable housing policies, including its greatest housing challenges, the appropriate strategies to address the challenges, and the greatest environmental concerns affecting Riverside neighborhoods.

PROCESS
The workshop began with a detailed project introduction, described the RHNA background, and discussed the opportunity sites inventory. The workshop then featured a series of poll questions designed to collect resident feedback on housing concerns. The opening questions were designed to understand the group’s level of familiarity with the project and to measure the demographics of the attendees. Scenario questions were then asked to gather feedback on the housing challenges and opportunities that the community feels are the most important. Question and answer segments were conducted throughout the workshop in which attendees could provide written input through the Zoom chat feature. A total of 102 people attended the workshop, including representatives from Love Riverside, Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice, and Inland Equity Partnership, and councilmembers from Ward 5 and Ward 6.

The desire to “Find a way to
make housing cost less”
informed multiple City
programs, including by-
right approval for projects
with 20% affordable units
and support for lot
consolidation
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OUTCOME
Highlights from Virtual Public Workshop 1 include:
 Participants were asked to identify the greatest challenge to finding a decent place to live in Riverside. The most common answer was:
o The high cost.
 Participants were asked to identify a way to solve the housing challenge. The most common answer was:
o Find a way to make the housing cost less.
 Participants were asked to identify the most pressing environmental concern that affects their neighborhood more intensely than others. The most common answer was:
o Air pollution.

Participants’ comments and questions largely pertained to affordable housing development, state laws for accessory dwelling units, potential opportunity areas for housing development, and the concern for higher- density units. From the poll responses gathered during virtual public workshop 1, half of the respondents did not have previous knowledge of the general plan or housing element update. The polls indicated that most respondents were between the ages of 25 to 34, half of the respondents are White/Caucasian, more than half identify as female, and more than half have an annual household income above $75,000.

VIRTUAL PUBLIC WORKSHOP 2 - WEDNESDAY, JAN. 27, 2021

PURPOSE
Virtual Public Workshop 2 was designed to identify the most desirable actions and strategies to address the City’s housing challenges, including the best approaches to add new housing and to make it more affordable.

PROCESS
The workshop started with a presentation by the project team which included information on the RHNA process and scenarios and an introduction to potential policies. ASL interpretation was made available upon request. A series of poll questions were conducted to understand participants’ demographics and to garner their views on housing scenarios and strategies including how housing should be added in the community and where it should be located. Question and answers segments were conducted throughout the workshop to gather attendees’ questions, comments, and concerns. A total of 39 questions and 27 comments, amounting to a total of 66 questions and comments were received. A total of 140 individuals attended the meeting including Participants’ indication of
“Air Pollution” as a concern
informed Policy AQ-EJ-1.0
Air Quality, which ensures
that land use decisions are
made to protect residents
and workers in
environmental justice
communities.

Participants’ support for
the “blended scenario”
approach informed
programs to encourage
housing on assembly sites,
and facilitate ADU
development
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160 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
representatives from National Core: Affordable Housing, Inland Empire Labor Council, and Inland Empire Coalition for Immigrant Justice.

OUTCOMES
Highlights from Virtual Public Workshop 2 include:
 Participants were asked to identify the most desirable scenario to add new housing. The following two responses tied for the most votes:
o A blended scenario in which new housing is provided in a variety of locations and densities. o New housing should be added near services like jobs, schools, and shopping.  Participants were asked to identify the most effective strategy to make housing more affordable. The most common answer was:
o Provide financial assistance to help build new housing in exchange for guaranteed affordability.  Participants were asked to identify the best strategy to increase the availability of affordable housing. The most common answer was:
o Increase the number and variety of affordable units available to lower-income households.

The key themes from the question and answer segment centered around the need to ensure that development does not contribute to gentrification and displacement. Participants also mentioned the lack of affordable housing and current affordable housing incentives and asked questions on potential rezoning areas.

VIRTUAL PUBLIC WORKSHOP 3 - THURSDAY, FEB. 25, 2021

PURPOSE
Virtual Public Workshop 3 was designed to receive feedback on the preferred alternative for RHNA sites, discuss the CEQA process and next steps in the environmental review, and promote open discussion on the safety and environmental justice policies.

PROCESS
The workshop’s primary activity was a question and answer session in which attendees asked questions, expressed concerns, and provided comments on housing in Riverside. There was also a dedicated discussion segment for the public to share their input on the information presented in the presentation. A polling session was not included as part of this discussion. American Sign Language interpretation was made available upon request. A total of 65 people attended the virtual community including elected officials, and representatives from community organizations such as Inland Communities Corp, Habitat for Humanity, Fair Housing Council, and California Climate Action Corps.

Participants’ support for
financial assistance to build
affordable housing
influenced program HE-1-3
– Nonprofit Partnerships
and Financial Assistance
Participants’ support to
increase the number of
affordable units for lower-
income households
influenced program HE-1-
11 Funding For Extremely
Low-Income Projects
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OUTCOMES
Highlights from Virtual Public Workshop 3 include:
 A total of 80 questions and comments were received, which largely concerned the RHNA count and cycle, rezoning of sites, and community outreach.
 Att
endees asked questions about the makeup of the RHNA count and understanding what types of housing is eligible towards the goal.
 Other public concerns included potential zoning changes to single-family residential and equitable approaches in community outreach.

SCOPING MEETING – THUR SDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

PURPOSE
The scoping meeting was hosted after the virtual public workshop series to assess the Housing Element’s environmental impacts and the CEQA process.

PROCESS
The meeting included a question and answer session to respond to attendees’ questions, comments, and concerns. A total of 57 individuals attended the meeting including representatives from the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice, California Climate Action Corps, Inland Equity Partnership, and the Fair Housing Council.

OUTCOMES
A total of 39 questions and comments were received, which focused on the RHNA progress and goals, potential development impacts, and environmental justice. Specifically, attendees commented on the impacts on public services and environmental impacts on communities of color and disadvantaged communities including the following:
 One participant asked whether there will be an annual report on the City’s goals to the actual units built and those in the pipeline, and whether there will be a spot on the City website to monitor RHNA progress.
 One participant asked whether additional data could be provided regarding where new housing is designated in relation to areas of pollution in the City.  Multiple expressed concern regarding how green spaces will be provided through housing development and how green spaces will be provided to communities of color.

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 A participant asked how the City will engage communities impacted by Environmental Justice concerns.
 One participant asked whether policies will require that infrastructure including roads, water, power, healthcare, and schools be paid for by developers or whether the community will be responsible.

POLICY WORKSHOP 1 – TH URSDAY, JUNE 10, 2021

PURPOSE
The first policy workshop was designed to garner input on the draft strategies and policies to address the City’s housing and environmental concerns including vehicular and pedestrian circulation, noise, natural hazards, transportation, and homelessness.

PROCESS
The City’s draft actions to implement the policies were described. A poll was launched after every potential policy and program was described to allow the public to provide input and indicate their degree of support for the policies. Demographic questions were also included. A total of 20 individuals attended the workshop.

OUTCOMES
Highlights from Policy Workshop 1 include:
 Participants expressed strong support for the following policies:
o EJ-1-Land Use and Urban Design: Ensure new housing developments adhere to local, state, and federal requirements to avoid disproportionate impacts on environmental justice communities. o EJ-10-Healthcare: Coordinate with healthcare providers to expand healthcare access for residents of environmental justice communities.
o PS-1-Natural Hazards: Reduce the risk to the community from hazards related to geologic conditions, seismic activity, flooding, drought, and structural and wildland fires. o PS-5-Pandemic: Provide high-quality and responsive public health services to all residents of Riverside. o PS-6-Homelessness: Reduce homelessness in Riverside through coordinated implementation of and equitable accessibility to public safety, economic, and social programs.

Participants also indicated that the Citywide Community Engagement Policy should provide the public with opportunities to participate in decisions that affect their environment and health.

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POLICY WORKSHOP 2 – TH URSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021

PURPOSE
Policy Workshop 2 was designed to continue the dialogue on draft policies, programs, and action items for the Housing Element Update, including topics such as housing affordability, availability, and accessibility, and environmental justice.

PROCESS
The Team launched a short poll with 7 questions on demographics to further understand the makeup of the audience. A total of 34 people attended Policy Workshop 2 and the Team received a total of 14 questions and comments focused on the policy review period and collaborations with non-profits for outreach. The Team launched a short poll with 7 questions on demographics to further understand the makeup of the audience.

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OUTCOMES
The questions and comments posted in the meeting chat included the following:
 Regarding policy H-2.1 one participant asked whether the City plans to work with nonprofits that provide services or just contract with agencies outside the City.  Regarding policy EJ 7.4, one participant asked whether community members have access to the dashboard for listings on underdeveloped and underused parcels.  One participant asked whether the equitable park distribution policy also addresses maintenance.  One attendee asked whether there are state requirements for low-barrier navigation centers and whether there are any plans for one in the City.
 One participant asked whether the City’s progress on each goal could be monitored in a shorter timeframe than the 5 year timeframe mentioned in the 6th policy.

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NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES
Notifications of each outreach event were designed to reach diverse stakeholders. Spanish translations were created for all project materials and public meetings and American Sign Language interpretation was available at all public meetings. The Notifications for outreach events in the Riverside Housing Element project included:
o Eblasts and social media
o City website banners
o Electronic sign
o Coordination with extended outreach partners to distribute flyers and media toolkit o Survey & poll distribution
o Live meetings and stream to the City Youtube page.

An electronic communications tool kit was created in English and Spanish prior to each meeting for the project staff to share with partner agencies and community members. The tool kit included social media widgets, website banners, and newsletter/eblast graphics and content.

The meeting notices were designed as small printed flyers, social media widgets, a website banner, and a bi- lingual newsletter graphic.

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ADDITIONAL MEETINGS AND HEARINGS
In addition to the public workshops, additional meetings were held to solicit input. These include:
o City Planning Commission Workshop – March 18, 2021
o Virtual Environmental Impact Report (EIR) Scoping Meeting – Thursday, April 22, 2021 o City Council Housing and Homelessness Committee – Monday, May 3, 2021 o Mayor’s Housing Action Team – February, May, June, and August 2021 o Ward In-Person Updates
 Ward 5 – June 27, 2021
 Ward 3 – June 30, 2021
 Ward 1 – July 14, 2021
 Ward 4 – July 21, 2021
 Wards 6 and 7 – July 26, 2021
o City Planning Commission Workshops – August 5th and August 13th, 2021 o City Planning CouncilPlanning Commission Public Hearing – September 9th, 2021 o City Council Public Hearing – October 5th, 2021

AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING
Beginning in August 2021, Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) concepts and findings from the City’s AFFH analysis (Technical Background Report 6) were incorporated into public presentations and workshops. A draft of TBR-6 was also posted to the Project website on June 16, 2021, the availability of which was announced via e-mail blast communications to the City’s 50,000-person email distribution list. Public input and comment on AFFH issues, contributing factors and actions was solicited from e-mail blast recipients, Website visitors, and public workshop and hearing participants throughout the remainder of the Project. Feedback received include but are not limited to the following major themes:
 Improve the distribution of Opportunity Sites within higher-opportunity areas of the City, particularly the southwestern portion.
 Evaluate the effect of voter-approved growth control and agricultural preservation measures on fair housing, particularly the supply of affordable housing.  Promote strategies and initiatives to build household and community wealth in lower-income communities and communities of color such as land trusts and cooperative housing.  Develop an inclusionary housing program and explore other methods of increasing the supply of affordable housing such as rent control or stabilization.

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 Expand regulations on industrial land uses to improve public health outcomes and quality of life in environmental justice communities.

This feedback was instrumental in forming later revisions to TBR-6 – AFFH and the Action Plan as it relates to meaningful actions to affirmatively further fair housing.

SURVEYS
Two online surveys hosted through SurveyMonkey in English and Spanish were important outreach components. Survey 1 served as an icebreaker that introduced the goals of the Housing Element Update and asked respondents to identify potential housing opportunity sites, while Survey 2 focused on Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), zoning scenarios, and housing-related policies. Both surveys were shared on the project website, through City eblasts, and at the virtual public workshops, and were available for weeks before and after the meetings. The surveys provided additional feedback opportunities for residents that were not able to attend workshops and engaged a broader audience.

The results of the survey are not representative of Riverside’s total population, given the relatively small number of respondents relative to the City’s population, however, the responses are useful to explore respondents’ opinions and views. The survey results were compiled, processed, and analyzed to portray the opportunities and challenges the City’s housing and environmental justice concerns.

SURVEY 1

PURPOSE
The purpose of Survey 1 was to identify respondents’ preferences, and perspectives regarding housing needs, opportunity sites, strategies, affordable housing, and environmental concerns. This survey was shared as interactive Zoom polling questions during virtual public workshop 1 and continued to be available after the meeting. A total of 224 surveys were collected, 224 English and 0 Spanish.

OUTCOMES
Highlights from Survey 1 include:
 Question 7 asked respondents to select desirable locations for new housing. The three most common answers, from most-common to least-common were:
o Promote the re-use of empty office buildings, stores, and other buildings to convert them to living space.
o Redevelop older industrial areas to create new neighborhoods with homes, businesses, and parks. o Strategically use empty lots and vacant buildings in walking distance to existing amenities and services.

The desire to reuse office
buildings and old industrial
areas in question 7
informed the City’s
programs to support
housing on small and infill
lots, create a density bonus
program, and encourage lot
consolidation
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 Question 8 asked respondents to select a strategy for the City to accommodate new housing growth. The most-selected answer was:
o Distribute new homes in a manner that generates the least amount of traffic overall and reduces our impact on the climate.
 Question 9 asked respondents to identify the biggest challenge to finding a decent place to live. The most common answer was:
o It costs too much.
 Question 10 asked respondents to identify an approach for the City to solve the housing challenge. The most common answer was:
o Find a way to fix up places that are not good quality.  Question 11 asked respondents to rate the environmental concerns that affect their neighborhood more intensely than other Riverside neighborhoods. The most common answer was:
o Traffic danger to people walking or biking.

SURVEY 2

PURPOSE
The purpose of Survey 2 was to gather respondents’ input on the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), zoning scenarios, and housing policies. A total of 471 responses were collected, 470 in English and 1 in Spanish.

OUTCOMES
Highlights from Survey 2 include:
 Question 7 asked participants to select the preferred approach to planning for new housing on the identified priority sites. The two most common answers, beginning with the most common, were:
o Blended Scenario – New housing should be provided in a variety of locations and densities. o Dispersed Scenario – New housing should be lower-density but spread throughout more areas.  Question 8 asked residents to choose two principles that the City should follow when planning locations for new housing. The two most common answers, beginning with the most common, were:

The responses to question
10 informed program HE-1-
5 – WRCOG Housing Trust
Fund
Respondents’ answers to
question 9 supported
program to support ADU
construction and monitor
the construction trends.

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o New housing should be located with good access to existing and future transit facilities. o New housing should be focused around existing services like jobs, schools and shopping.  Question 9 asked participants to identify top priorities for the City in adopting a zoning strategy. The most common answers were:
o The Plan should minimize traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions. o The Plan should minimize aesthetic changes to existing neighborhoods. o The Plan should make housing more affordable to lower-income households.

The responses to question
11 supported the City’s
program to preserve at-risk
rental units.

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Table PO-2: Survey Responses
Survey 1 Total Responses Completion Rate
English 224 93%
Spanish 0 0%
Survey 2 Total Responses Completion Rate
English 470 75%
Spanish 1 100%
 Quest
ion 10 asked respondents to select the top strategy to make housing more affordable. The two most common answer was:
o Make the construction of new housing less expensive by reducing fees and other costs where possible.
o Provide financial assistance to help build new housing, in exchange for guaranteed affordability.  Question 11 asked participants to identify actions for the City to increase the availability of affordable housing. The most common answer as:
o Preserve, maintain and improve existing affordable housing units.  Question 12 asked respondents which programs the City should focus on to make housing more affordable. The two most common answers were:
o Support non-profit and/or community organizations that work to improve housing conditions and help people find places to live.
o Financial assistance for those who rent, especially those with lower incomes, to purchase homes.  Question 13 asked respondents to indicate what can be done to ensure new housing is affordable when it is constructed. The most common answer was:
o Require new housing to set aside a certain portion of units at prices affordable to lower-income households.

The answers to question 12
informed multiple programs
including the mortgage
credit certificate, which
allows potential
homebuyers to qualify for
loans more easily.

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ONE-ON-ONE CONSULTATIONS
The City conducted a series of one-on-one meetings with stakeholders representing many interests. A list of one-on-one meetings conducted as of April 2021 includes:
 AARP
 An
ti-Racist Riverside
 Building Industry Association
 Downtown Area Neighborhood Alliance
 Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce
 Inland Equit
y Partnership
 Inland Empire Labor Council
 Inland Valley Association of Realtors
 Raincross Group
 Riverside Unified School District
 Riverside County Health Coalition
 Riverside County Coalition for Tobacco-Free Communities  Riverside Neighborhood Partnership
 Riverside University Health System
 University of California, Riverside
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ONLINE

WEBSITE
The City designed an interactive project website (riversideca.gov/housingupdate) to allow for communication between stakeholders and the City throughout the process. Project documents, meeting summaries, announcements, and other materials were posted on the website throughout the process. It also included interactive activities including a 3D map, StoryMap, and surveys. The Website content included:
 Project overview and background
 Project schedule/timeline
 Public meeting information, presentations, and
video recordings
 Background and technical reports/documents
 Records of past meetings
 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
 Surveys and feedback forms for draft Policies
and Actions
 Environmental Impact Report (EIR) Notice of
Preparation (NOP) and Initial Study
 3D and PDF
Housing Opportunity Sites Maps
 ESRI interactive StoryMap
 Link to City’s Facebook page
 Link to City’s Instagram page
 Link to City’s Twitter handle
 Contact us page

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SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS
A promotional campaign helped garner awareness of the projects. Social media widgets were created in English and Spanish to promote the virtual workshops and included each workshop’s date and time and a link to the project website. The widgets also provided notice of the online surveys and were shared on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

EBLASTS
The City’s email database, which contains contact information of over 50,000 individuals, was a key resource to reach residents, elected officials, City agencies, community groups, civic organizations, non-profits, businesses, and environmental justice groups, and inform them of the outreach events.

The City distributed eblast notifications to their database to encourage attendance at virtual workshops and participation in the surveys. The eblasts were distributed to residents, elected officials, neighborhood/community organizations, non-profits, local businesses, and individuals that completed a contact form through the project website. The eblasts included upcoming and past meeting information and links to past presentation slides and recordings
The project database was updated throughout the process, such as after meetings and inquiries. The City engaged over 900 stakeholders were engaged throughout the process.

MAP.SOCIAL
An online interactive mapping tool was developed using the app Map.Social to gauge the public’s feedback on issues and opportunities regarding Housing, Environmental Justice and Public Safety. The mapping tool was available in English and Spanish. Participants were able to drop points on a map to identify desirable and undesirable sites for new housing. Respondents were also commented on environmental hazards, public safety concerns, and environmental justice opportunities at specific locations.

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STORY MAP
An interactive ESRI StoryMap was
created to illustrate how the City
developed the housing opportunity
sites inventory that laid the
groundwork for the draft preferred
alternative. The StoryMap showed
the City’s approach to the update
step-by-step.
3D MAP
A 3D Housing Opportunity Site Map
was developed to show the sites that
were identified as the best locations
for the City to add new housing in
keeping with its housing
requirements. The map included the
proposed zoning for each site, which
determines the type of development
that could occur. The map was also
available as a downloadable PDF on
the project website.

The outreach efforts for the City of Riverside Housing and Public Safety Updates and Environmental Justice Policies project have been developed and executed to reach a diverse group of stakeholders. The diverse viewpoints and important public concerns around housing, environmental justice, and safety have been considered and factored into the technical planning. The team implemented a transparent and inclusive outreach process that provided ample opportunities for meaningful engagement from the public. Outreach for this project is on schedule and ongoing. Feedback will continue to be solicited and comments will be considered and included in the draft report due in October 2021.

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TECHNICAL

BACKGROUND
REPORT SECTION 6:

AFFIRMATIVELY

FURTHERING FAIR

HOUSING
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INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW OF AB
686
In January 2017, Assembly Bill 686 (AB 686) introduced an obligation to affirmatively further fair housing (AFFH) into California state law. AB 686 defined “affirmatively further fair housing” to mean “taking meaningful actions, in addition to combating discrimination, that overcome patterns of segregation and foster inclusive communities free from barriers that restrict access to opportunity” for persons of color, persons with disabilities, and other protected classes. The Bill added an assessment of fair housing to the Housing Element which includes the following components: a summary of fair housing issues and assessment of the City’s fair housing enforcement and outreach capacity; an analysis of segregation patterns and dis-parities in access to opportunities, an assessment of contributing factors, and an identification of fair housing goals and actions.

For purposes of this report, the regional analysis is of the Inland Empire which is defined by the Census Bureau as the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area.

ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING ISSUES

FAIR HOUSING ENFORCEMENT AND OUTREACH
The Fair Housing Council of Riverside County (FHCRC) is a non-profit organization that has the capacity to provide fair housing information, out-reach, and enforcement to 24 cities and communities located in Riverside County, including the City of Riverside. The organization is approved by HUD and works with government offices to ensure Fair Housing laws are upheld. The mission of the Fair Housing Council is to provide comprehensive services which affirmatively address and promote fair housing (anti-discrimination) rights and further other housing opportunities for all per-sons without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, presence of children, disability, ancestry, marital status, or other arbitrary factors.

The FHCRC has been awarded a Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) grant that allows them to undertake various activities that affirmatively further fair housing. Activities include conducting fair housing tests on rentals, sales and design and construction; hosting the Annual Housing Conference during National Fair Housing Month; creating partnerships with local agencies, universities and colleges; conducting town hall meetings to connect the public with housing professionals and industry leaders; and systemic investigations to help re-move barriers to fair housing.

The FHCRC also provides a full range of services that include anti-discrimination training, landlord/tenant counseling, first time homebuyer seminars, foreclosure prevention, loan modification, and other fair housing trainings.

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Fair housing complaints received by the City are referred to FHCRC. From FY 2014 through FY 2019, 518 housing discrimination complaints were processed by the FHCRC. Specifically, during FY 2018-FY 2020, FHCRC received 170 fair housing calls. Among the callers, 32 percent were White, 27 percent were Hispanic, 26 percent were Black, 7 percent were Black/Other. 5 percent were Other, and 3 percent were Asian. The majority (84 percent) of those who called for fair housing issues were in-place tenants, with 11 percent being persons seeking housing, and 5 percent being landlords/management. Of the 170 calls, 49 percent were based on physical disability, followed by 13 percent on mental disability, 9 percent on race, 9 percent on national origin, 6 percent on familial status, and 5 percent on sex. Some callers did have issues based on age, immigration status sexual orientation, and source of income; however, these combined represent less than 5 percent of the calls.

FHCRC’s approach to resolving the fair housing complaints is counseling and mediation, as well as education.

About 68 percent of the complaints were resolved through counseling and 32 percent were provided fair housing education. FHCRC had not referred any cases to the State Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) or to HUD during those three years. No cases were referred to attorneys for litigations either.

Among these complaints, 61 percent involved disability and 14 percent involved race issues. The FHCRC also conducted routine audit tests for the City. The audit tests conducted be-tween 2014 and 2019 involved the groups protected on the basis of race, disability, national origin, and familial status. The audits found dis- crimination in all sectors tested – rental, lending, and sales. The most frequent instances of discrimination were found in the rental sector.

During this time, 32,8000 landlord/tenant calls were received. The City of Riverside’s 2020 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing (AI) found that enforcement and outreach services offered by the FHCRC were not an impediment to affirmatively furthering fair housing. The FHCRC and the City of Riverside will continue to work together to provide Fair Housing Services. As outlined in the City’s 2020 AI, these include:
 Fair housing workshops and town hall meetings
 Investigation of fair housing complaints and resolution through education and counseling  First-time homebuyer education on lending practices to prevent falling victims to predatory lending  Outreach to landlords and property management companies, including teaching the three-hour fair housing course for housing professionals

INTEGRATION AND SEGREGATION

RACE AND ETHNICITY

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The ethnic and racial composition of a region is useful in analyzing housing demand and any related fair housing concerns as it tends to demonstrate a relationship with other characteristics such as household size, locational preferences, and mobility.

To assist in this analysis of integration and segregation, the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (CTCAC) convened the California Fair Housing Task force to “provide research, evidence-based policy recommendations, and other strategic recommendations to HCD and other related state agencies/departments to further the fair housing goals (as defined by HCD).” The Task force has created Opportunity Maps to identify resources levels across the state “to accompany new policies aimed at increasing access to high opportunity areas for families with children in housing financed with 9 percent Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs)”.

These opportunity maps are made from composite scores of three different domains made up of a set of indicators. Table AFFH-1 – Domains and List of Indicators for Opportunity Maps shows the full list of indica- tors. The opportunity maps include a measure or “filter” to identify areas with poverty and racial segregation.

To identify these areas, census tracts were first filtered by poverty and then by a measure of racial segregation.

The criteria for these filters were:

Poverty: Tracts with at least 30 percent of population under federal poverty line.

Racial Segregation: Tracts with location quotient higher than 1.25 for Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, or all people of color in comparison to the County.

Table AFFH-1- Domains and List of Indicators for Opportunity Maps Domain Indicator
Economic Poverty
Adult Education
Employment
Job Proximity
Median Home Value
Environmental CalEnviroScreen 4.0 pollution Indicators and values Education Math proficiency
Reading proficiency
High School graduation rates
Student poverty rates
Source: California Fair Housing Task Force, Methodology for the 2020 TCAC/HCD Opportunity Maps, December 2020 Technical Background Report:

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According to the California Fair Housing Task Force’s 2021 opportunity maps, there are five census tracts or areas of high racial segregation and poverty in Riverside. Regionally, areas with high segregation and poverty are sporadically located throughout the Inland Empire with the majority of these tracts located in and near San Bernardino.

Figure AFFH-1-Areas of Non-White Populations in Riverside-2018 shows that there are areas within Riverside that have high percentages of non-white populations, particularly north-west of the 91 freeway and surrounding the 91-60-215 freeway inter-changes near the University of California, Riverside. The southeast portion of the City has the highest population of white residents. Hispanic population increased from 49 percent to 52.7 percent from 2010 to 2018.

As shown in Figure AFFH-2– Areas of Non-White Populations in Riverside County- 2018, areas with higher percentages of non-white populations are prevalent north of Riverside in Fontana and San Bernardino and to the west in Ontario. 51 percent of the population identifies as being Hispanic or Latino, which is comparable to the City of Riverside (52.7 percent).

Figure AFFH-3- Hispanic Majority – City of Riverside shows that the areas of high non-white populations are also the areas where the population is predominately Hispanic. According the the City of Riverside’s 2020 AI, Hispanics make up 52.7 percent of the City’s population. Between 2010 and 2017 the Hispanic population in the City grew by 20,782 persons.

Riverside’s highest concentrations of Hispanic or Latino-identified population are primarily situated in the western part of the City, including the Arlanza and La Sierra Acres neighborhoods; in the central portion of the City south of the 91 Freeway in and near the Casa Blanca neighborhood; and in the Eastside neighborhood immediately to the east of Downtown. Each of these areas are recognized as having long histories of Hispanic and Latino settlement strongly associated with the early growth of the City’s citrus and railroad industries at the turn of the 20th Century (in the cases of the Eastside and Casa Blanca) and, in the case of Arlanza and La Sierra Acres, military operations and related industrial activities during and after World War II.

The Eastside and Casa Blanca areas share similar lineages as early locations developed to house low-wage migrant workers of the City’s citrus packinghouses, railroads and related industries. Minority communities developed and later flourished in these areas due in part to the de facto and de jure segregation that prohibited many from workers form finding residences in areas of “Riverside proper” to the north and west in the City’s original Mile Square district (now Downtown Riverside) and its first streetcar suburbs that grew up around the former Pacific Electric streetcar routes that once traversed Magnolia Avenue.

In the western portion of the city, the largely agrarian unincorporated area that would become Arlanza and La Sierra Acres was transformed first by the establishment of Camp Anza, a base of military operations that saw the arrival and embarkation of over 600,000 servicepersons during World War II. Following the war, a series of annexations that doubled the City’s size and tripled its population were concurrent with a postwar boom in the construction of suburban housing tracts on the decommissioned Camp Anza. To this day, former military Technical Background Report:

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barracks and operations buildings persist in this area, having been converted to homes, apartments and businesses.

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Figure AFFH -1 - Areas of Non-White Populations in Riverside -2018

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Figure AFFH-2– Areas of Non-White P opulations in Riverside County- 2018

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Figure AFFH-3–Hispanic Majo rity – City of Riverside

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PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
According to the 2020 AI, of the civilian noninstitutionalized population in Riverside, an estimated 33,014 persons have a disability (10 percent). In the City, 24.7 percent of households have one or more persons with a disability. Census tracts with higher percentages of persons with disabilities (10-20 percent) are scattered throughout the City and not concentrated in one area. In the Inland Empire, there are more census tracts with a lower percentage of persons with disabilities (less than 10 percent), however the areas with lower per- centages are also in areas further from city centers and access to resources.

In the Inland Empire, there are a few areas where the percentage of persons with disabilities is high-er and one specifically is a census tract in the north-east in Highland. This is the location of the Patton Department of State Hospital, a forensic psychiatric hospital that provides treatment to forensically and civilly committed patients within a secure treatment area. The patients in this hospital are counted as residents of this hospital under the Census.

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Figure AFFH-4-Persons with Disabilities City of Riverside

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Figure AFFH-5 - Percent of Population with Disabilities in the Inland Empire

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FAMILIAL STATUS
Familial status refers to the presence of children under the age of 18, whether the child is biologically related to the head of household, and the martial status of the head of the household. According to the HCD AB686/AFFH Data Viewer maps (Figure AFFH-6-Adults Living Alone in Riverside), there is only one area of concentration of households with adults living alone. This census tract is in Downtown Riverside and includes City Hall and Riverside City College. The location of the college can add to the number of single adult students, which would explain why there is a higher percentage of adults living alone within that census tract.

Additionally, Downtown Riverside and the surrounding areas include several large independent and assisted senior housing developments including Mt. Rubidoux Manor (3993 Tenth Street), Plymouth Towers (3401 Lemon Street), and Silvercrest Senior Residences (3003 Orange Street) which also contribute to this area’s share of single adult households.

Adults living with their spouse are spread out in the City with a most of the tracts being either 20-40 percent or 40-60 percent of adults living with their spouse). There are two tracts in the south-eastern portion of the City with a higher percentage of 60-80 percent of the adult population living with a spouse located in the Canyon Crest and Orangecrest neighborhoods, respectively. Canyon Crest was developed largely in the 1970s and 1980s as a resort-style community in the vicinity of the Canyon Crest Country Club and consists of a proportionally higher number of condominiums and common interest developments relative to the rest of the City. Orangecrest is a master-planned neighborhood of suburban tract housing developed in the late 1990s and early 2000s with relatively few urban amenities, services and employment areas.

Families with children may face housing discrimination by landlords who fear that children will cause property damage. Differential treatment such as limiting the number of children in a com-plex or confining child to a specific location are also fair housing concerns. Single parent households are also protected by fair housing law.

According to the 2020 AI, 34.7 percent of the City’s households have children under the age of 18. Households with children are made up of married couples (69.5 percent), single female headed households (21.9 percent) and single male headed households (8.6 percent). Figure AFFH-8-Percent of Children in Married-Couple Households shows that there are high percentages of children in married couple households throughout the City with some areas, especially along Alessandro Boulevard to Central Avenue, with more than 80 percent of households with children and a married couple. These areas are comprised mainly of the Victoria, Canyon Crest, Alessandro Heights, Mission Grove and Orangecrest neighborhoods, the majority of which were developed after 1980 and consist almost exclusively of suburban tract housing.

Figure AFFH-9-Children in Single-Female Headed Households shows that there are some areas with children in single female headed households in different parts of the City. Female headed households with children require special consideration and assistance because of their greater need for affordable housing and accessible day care, health care and other supportive services.

According to the 2019 ACS, there were 87,189 households in Riverside. Of these households, 19.7 percent were single-person households (no change from the 2010 Census), while households with seniors (65+) Technical Background Report:

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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 189
comprised almost 42 percent. Single-person households in Riverside were on par with most neighboring jurisdictions and countywide, except for Moreno Valley. Some 27 percent of Riverside households consisted of families with children, a smaller proportion than Riverside County but consistent with most other neighboring jurisdictions. When compared to Census 2010 numbers Riverside’s household composition is slowly trending toward senior-headed households and away from families with children and large households.

Table AFFH-2- Household Characteristics
Riverside San Bernardino Moreno Valley Riverside County Single Person
Hosueholds 19.7% 20.7% 10.9% 20.4%
Single-Parent
Hosueholds 7.7% 11.5% 11.7% 7.0%
Households
with Children 27.4% 24.1% 24.6% 33.8%
Households
with Seniors 41.8% 41.8% 48.9% 37.0%
Households
Below the
Poverty Line

9.6% 22.2% 12.0% 10.4%
Source: American Community Survey (2015-2019 Estimates) Technical Background Report:

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190 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
Figure AFFH-6-Adults Living Alone in Riverside

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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 191
Figure AFFH-7 – Adults Living with Their Spouse

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192 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
Figure AFFH-8 – Percent of Child ren in Married-Couple Households

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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 193
Figure AFFH-9 – Children in Single-Female Headed Households

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194 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside

INCOME LEVEL
Identifying areas of different incomes can help illustrate how individuals in those areas are influenced by their surroundings and what can used to overcome patterns of segregation that may be present. With the HCD AB686/AFFH Data View-er map, the median income in the state is com-pared to the median incomes of each Census block group. Figure AFFH-10-Median Income in Riverside shows block groups and how the median income in those groups compare to the median state income of $87,100. Areas of the City that have a higher median income than the state are primarily concentrated at the north-western and southeastern edges of the City, which coincide largely with areas of more recent development and fewer urban services and amenities. By contrast, areas of the City with low-er median income block groups are primarily concentrated along the City’s major east-west transportation corridors (i.e., Magnolia and Arlington Avenues) in the western portion of the City, as well as the northern portion of the City in the vicinity of the 60-91-215 interchange. These areas coincide with the older and more urbanized parts of the City. However, there are pockets of higher-than-state median income scattered throughout these areas as well, reflecting the significant variations in patterns of development in a city as large and diverse as Riverside.

In the Inland Empire, there are areas on the outer edges of cities that have higher median income block groups as Figure AFFH-11-Median Income in Riverside County shows. In North Rancho Cucamonga there are higher median income block groups that line the mountains and hills and sur-round Chaffey College and the North Etiwanda Preserve. This is also seen to the east in Highland and Redlands in the communities that reside along the Santa Ana riverbed, including Eastvale, Norco, Corona and Chino Hills.

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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 195
Figure AFFH-10 – Median Income in Riverside

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196 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
Figure AFFH-11 – Median Income in Riverside County

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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 197

RACIALLY AND ETHNICALLY CONCENTRATED AREAS

RACIALLY/ETHNICALLY CONCENTRATED AREAS OF POVERTY
The TCAC/HCD approach to calculating racially/ethnically concentrated areas of poverty (R/ECAPs) uses a location quotient for segregation and a poverty threshold of 30 percent of the population living below the poverty line. This approach helps to measure concentration of race in a small area for a more precise result. In Riverside, there are six areas in the City identified as racially/ethnically concentrated areas of poverty as Figure AFFH-12-Areas of High Segregation and Poverty – Riverside shows.

A cluster of four of these areas is in the northern part of the City surrounding Downtown and includes parts of the Eastside neighborhood. Others coincide with higher concentrations of industrial land uses in the Airport and Arlanza neighborhoods. In the Inland Empire, a majority of the R/ECAPs are concentrated in San Bernardino area as Figure AFFH-13- Areas of High Segregation and Poverty – Riverside County shows.

In 2013, R/ECAPs were concentrated near UC Riverside and the in the industrial areas near the major highway interchanges. This is consistent with where R/ECAPs are located now which have a higher concentration of industrial land uses, but just concentrated in other portions of the City. This could be due to a shift in the local economy and the location of major industries in the area. Within the Inland Empire, R/ECAPs have not changed as the majority of the R/ECAPs identified in 2013 are still identified in San Bernardino and are highly concentrated.

RACIALLY CONCENTRATED AREAS OF AFFLUENCE
While racially concentrated areas of poverty and segregation (RECAPs) have long been the focus of fair housing policies, racially concentrated areas of affluence (RCAAs) must also be analyzed to ensure housing is integrated, a key to fair housing choice. RCAAs are defined as census tracts where 1) 80 percent or more of the population is white, and 2) the median household income is $125,000 or greater. There are four areas that have a non-white population of 20-40 percent and have a median income higher than $125,000 in the City.

These four areas are in the southeast near Alessandro Boulevard as Figure AFFH-14- Income and Race – City of Riverside shows and are considered to be areas of affluence within the community.

RCAAs have not been studied extensively nor has a standard definition been published by HCD or HUD, this fair housing assessment uses the percent White population and median household income as proxies to identify potential areas of affluence. As Table AFFH-3-Median Household Income shows, White households also tend to have higher median incomes than all households as seen in the County as a whole. Riverside also has a very high proportion of white only residents which is comparable to the County as a whole unlike San Bernardino and Moreno Valley both of which do not have any census tracts with a majority White population. Southeast Riverside has multiple tracts with a majority White population.

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198 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
Table AFFH-3 - Median Household Income
Group Riverside San Bernardino Moreno Valley Riverside County All Households $71,967 $49,721 $65,449 $73,260
White Alone $80,913 $51,270 $85,895 $80,283
White Population 37% 17% 18% 46%
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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 199
Figure AFFH-12 - Areas of High Segregation and Poverty - Riverside

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200 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
Figure AFFH-13 - Areas of High Segregation and Poverty – Riverside County Figure 14 – Median Income and Racial Demographics

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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 201
Figure AFFH-14 – Income and Race – City of Riverside

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202 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
Figure AFFH-15 – Income and Race in the Inland Empire

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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 203

ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES

TCAC/HCD OPPORTUNITY MAPS
In collaboration, the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC) and HCD developed the TCAC/HCD Opportunity Maps, a mapping tool that identifies areas of higher and lower resources to evaluate access to opportunity. The tool maps areas of highest resource, high resource, moderate resource, moderate resource (rapidly changing), low resource and high segregation and poverty.  High and Highest Resource: four indica-tors of the census tract had an above-average score compared to other tracts in the Region.
 Moderate Resource: two indicators of the census tract have scores above the 40th percentile in the Region.
 Moderate Resource (rapidly changing): have the qualifications for moderate re-source, plus at least two of the indicators had significant statistical increases above the 75th percentile of change for tracts in the Region between 2000 and 2018.
 Low resource: indicators for the census tract scored the lowest of the Region.  High Segregation and Poverty: the tract has the some of the highest segregation and poverty in the Region.

The mapping tool identified seven 7 highest resource and 11 high resource census tracts in Riverside as Table AFFH-4-Census Tract by Resource Level and Figure AFFH-16– High Resource Census Tracts show.

Table AFFH-4 – Census Tracts by Resource Level
Census
Tract Neighborhood
Economic
Domain
Score
Environmental
Domain Score
Education
Domain
Score
Composite
Index Score Final
6065030601 Alessandro Heights 0.99 0.4 0.74 0.70 Highest Resource
6065042004 Orangecrest 0.9 0.59 0.88 0.76 Highest
Resource
6065042005 Orangecrest 0.92 0.47 0.93 0.82 Highest
Resource
6065042012 Mission Grove 0.82 0.25 0.89 0.56 Highest
Resource
6065042207 Canyon Crest 0.96 0.46 0.72 0.59 Highest
Resource
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204 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
Census
Tract Neighborhood
Economic
Domain
Score
Environmental
Domain Score
Education
Domain
Score
Composite
Index Score Final
6065042208 Canyon Crest 0.95 0.39 0.72 0.54 Highest
Resource
6065042217 Mission Grove 0.9 0.43 0.83 0.63 Highest
Resource
6065030200 Downtown 0.89 0.07 0.62 0.10 High
Resource
6065030602 Hawarden Hills 0.83 0.36 0.69 0.32 High
Resource
6065030603 Victoria 0.94 0.31 0.61 0.34 High
Resource
6065031001 Magnolia Center 0.76 0.31 0.59 0.12 High
Resource
6065031200 Victoria 0.69 0.24 0.67 0.13 High
Resource
6065040901 La Sierra 0.77 0.47 0.39 0.07 High
Resource
6065041403 La Sierra South 0.78 0.3 0.52 0.09 High
Resource
6065042206 Canyon Crest 0.84 0.24 0.79 0.41 High
Resource
6065042213 University 0.73 0.33 0.65 0.16 High
Resource
6065042214 University 0.81 0.37 0.37 0.06 High
Resource
6065030501 University 0.27 0.28 0.6 -0.22 Moderate
Resource
6065030700 Wood Streets
Downtown 0.75 0.15 0.59 0.02 Moderate
Resource
6065030800 Grand 0.65 0.23 0.56 -0.01 Moderate
Resource
6065030900 Airport 0.56 0.13 0.43 -0.20 Moderate
Resource
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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 205
Census
Tract Neighborhood
Economic
Domain
Score
Environmental
Domain Score
Education
Domain
Score
Composite
Index Score Final
6065031100 Magnolia Center
Wood Streets 0.61 0.13 0.56 -0.10 Moderate
Resource
6065031401 Magnolia Center 0.42 0.17 0.45 -0.26 Moderate Resource
6065031402 Magnolia Center 0.55 0.27 0.45 -0.12 Moderate Resource
6065031701 Arlington Heights 0.41 0.18 0.64 -0.12 Moderate Resource
6065031702 Arlington Heights
Arlington South 0.65 0.32 0.57 0.03 Moderate
Resource
6065031703 Arlington South 0.58 0.21 0.59 -0.05 Moderate Resource
6065031704 Arlington South
Presidential Park 0.67 0.15 0.44 -0.11 Moderate
Resource
6065040902 La Sierra, La Sierra
Hills 0.65 0.19 0.47 -0.08 Moderate
Resource
6065040903 La Sierra
La Sierra Hills 0.49 0.48 0.37 -0.12 Moderate
Resource
6065040904 La Sierra
La Sierra Hills 0.66 0.5 0.34 -0.02 Moderate
Resource
6065041003 La Sierra Acres 0.74 0.48 0.36 0.03 Moderate Resource
6065041301 La Sierra Acres 0.41 0.5 0.28 -0.23 Moderate Resource
6065041302 La Sierra Acres 0.51 0.44 0.24 -0.21 Moderate Resource
6065041406 La Sierra 0.71 0.23 0.48 -0.02 Moderate
Resource
6065041407 La Sierra 0.5 0.31 0.45 -0.14 Moderate
Resource
6065041408 La Sierra 0.46 0.12 0.51 -0.23 Moderate
Resource
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206 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
Census
Tract Neighborhood
Economic
Domain
Score
Environmental
Domain Score
Education
Domain
Score
Composite
Index Score Final
6065042210 University 0.52 0.22 0.45 -0.15 Moderate
Resource
6065050900 Canyon Springs 0.87 0.17 0.36 0.03 Moderate
Resource
6065031501 Ramona 0.72 0.22 0.41 -0.05
Moderate
Resource
(Rapidly
Changing)
6065041102 La Sierra Acres 0.47 0.46 0.39 -0.13
Moderate
Resource
(Rapidly
Changing)
6065041201 Arlington
Arlanza 0.55 0.36 0.27 -0.19
Moderate
Resource
(Rapidly
Changing)
6065030400 Eastside 0.49 0.03 0.53 -0.33 Low
Resource
6065031300 Casa Blanca
Presidential Park 0.36 0.04 0.61 -0.35 Low
Resource
6065031502 Ramona 0.45 0.19 0.34 -0.28 Low
Resource
6065040201 Hunter Industrial
Park 0.62 0.11 0.17 -0.36 Low
Resource
6065041001 Arlanza 0.44 0.2 0.32 -0.28 Low
Resource
6065041202 Arlanza 0.34 0.43 0.28 -0.30 Low
Resource
6065041203 Arlanza 0.37 0.25 0.31 -0.33 Low
Resource
6065042209
University
Hunter Industrial
Park

0.35 0.05 0.46 -0.43 Low
Resource
Technical Background Report:

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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 207
Census
Tract Neighborhood
Economic
Domain
Score
Environmental
Domain Score
Education
Domain
Score
Composite
Index Score Final
6065046500 University 0.14 0.18 0.65 -0.34 Low
Resource
6065030103 Downtown 0.35 0.02 0.59 0.00
High
Segregation
& Poverty
6065030300 Downtown 0.48 0.05 0.53 0.00
High
Segregation
& Poverty
6065030502 Eastside,
University 0.28 0.03 0.39 0.00
High
Segregation
& Poverty
6065030503 Eastside,
University 0.25 0.09 0.56 0.00
High
Segregation
& Poverty
6065031002 Magnolia Center
Airport 0.29 0.33 0.55 0.00
High
Segregation
& Poverty
6065041101 Arlanza 0.29 0.23 0.31 0.00
High
Segregation
& Poverty
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208 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
Figure AFFH-16– High Re source Census Tracts

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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 209

OPPORTUNITY INDICATORS
The 2020 AI identifies opportunity indices and the factors that could possibly contribute to fair housing issues.

The 2020 AI used opportunity indica-tors developed by HUD to help inform communities about disparities in access to opportunity. These indices are only available to Entitlement Jurisdictions (i.e., those with population over 50,000 and receiving Community Development Block grant (CDBG) funds from HUD), including Riverside.

EDUCATION
The “school proficiency index” developed by HUD uses school-level data on the performance of 4th grade students on state exams to describe which neighborhoods have high-performing elementary schools nearby and which are near lower perform-ng elementary schools. The school proficiency index is a function of the percent of 4th grade students proficient in reading and math on state test scores for up to three schools within 3 miles of a block-group’s most central point.

The index values are percentile ranked at the state level and range from 0 to 100. The higher the score, the higher the school system quality is in a neighborhood. According to the 2020 AI, for Riverside (the aggregate of all neighborhoods), the school proficiency index scores were:
 White, Non-Hispanic: 44.84
 Black, Non-Hispanic: 43.36
 Asian or Pacific Islander, Non-Hispanic: 44.30
 Native American, Non-Hispanic: 39.46
 Hispanic: 36.36
These index scores indicate that Hispanic and Native American, non-Hispanic students had the lowest access to schools with high proficiency scores. These index scores indicate that Hispanic and Native American, non- Hispanic students had the lowest access to schools with high proficiency scores. According to the 2020 AI, with the exception of Hispanics, all other students are enrolled in schools that score above average in their proficiency at a higher proportion than the demographic proportion of the entire population enrolled.

In the County, the school proficiency index scores were:
 White, Non-Hispanic: 46.43
 Black, Non-Hispanic: 25.68
 Asian or Pacific Islander, Non-Hispanic: 51.51
 Native American, Non-Hispanic: 35.90
 Hispanic: 33.26

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210 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
The index scores for the County indicate that Hispanic and Black, non-Hispanic students had the lowest access to schools with high proficiency scores. Much like the City, White, non-Hispanic students had relatively higher access to better schools. However, in the County Asian or Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic students had the best access to high proficiency schools. According to California School Ratings, the City of Redlands has some of the highest rated schools in the Inland Empire. In March 2021 seven Inland Empire schools were named 2021 California Distinguished Schools which included schools from Hemet, Murrieta Valley, San Bernardino, Temecula Valley and Victor Valley Union Districts.

The TCAC/HCD Opportunity Maps can help to identify areas within the community that provide good access to opportunity for residents or, conversely, provide poor access to opportunity. In Riverside, there are clusters of areas that provide different ranges of access to better educational outcomes as Figure 17: TCAC Education Opportunities shows. In the western portion of the City there a number of Census tracts that have some of the least positive educational out-comes. In this area there is also one tract with the lowest score compared to its neighboring tracts. In other parts of the City, such as the southeast, there are tracts with higher educational outcomes which coincide with the higher median income areas. By contrast, the lower-scoring census tracts also have some of the lowest median incomes. It should be noted that the low score tract on the east side of the City is the Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Park that has no housing or population.

Kidsdata.org reported that in 2019, 67.2 percent of students in Riverside County are considered to be high- need (i.e. those who are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals, are English Learners, or are foster youth—as reported in the Unduplicated Pupil Count). In the Riverside Unified School District (RUSD), 66 percent of students are considered high-need while in Alvord Unified School District, which serves the western half of the City, 81 percent of the students are considered to be high-need. Alvord Unified serves the areas of the city with some of the lowest scoring tracts. Kidsdata also reported that in Riverside County in 2019, 77 percent of students in middle schools with special needs, such as a disability, had services available for them in the classroom. In comparison, 46 percent of students in high schools had services available to them countywide.

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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 211
Figure AFFH-17– TCAC Education Opportunities

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212 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside

EMPLOYMENT
In the 2020 AI, it was reported that he City of Riverside has a pronounced specialization in educational services, warehousing and storage, and specialty trade contractors in terms of major employment sectors. This specialization is due to the presence of UC Riverside and other major public and private educational institutions in the City, and the Inland Empire’s proximity to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which has, in concert with the ascendancy of online retailing, precipitated substantial increases in the amount of industrial construction for the logistics and goods movement industries throughout the region, particularly over the past two decades. Together, these three sectors account for over 20 percent of the city’s private employment.

While these sectors pay around the average or above average wages compared to the city aver-age wage, by the standards of the rest of the state, they pay quite modest wages. None of these three sectors pay wages higher than the State average. For wages to grow in the City of Riverside, its industrial base would need to transition into higher paying sectors.

There are two primary ways that economic indicators can improve in any location. The first is through educational attainment: better educated and skilled residents earn higher wages. The primary way in which a city can attract higher skilled workers is through improving local amenities and services, such as improving schools. The second is by nurturing the city’s better-paying industries and attracting more of such industries, consistent with the city’s job base. Better-paying industries can provide employment opportunities for local workers and enhance their ability to earn higher incomes. If the City of Riverside seeks to improve economic indicators in the community, it should focus its attention in these areas.

The San Bernardino County Workforce Development Board operates programs that are funded by the Department of Labor’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. One of the programs is the America’s Job Centers of California (AJCCs) that has three locations that serve portions of the In-land Empire. Strategies to meet the needs of local businesses and the workforce allows for employment opportunities for the region’s residents.

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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 213
The Riverside County Economic Development Agency (EDA) also works to help provide business expansion or help business relocate to Riverside County easier. The EDA has programs that help develop hiring criteria, advertise employee recruitment, screen and test applicants, and provide training programs for businesses in the community.

In Riverside County the Unemployment rate is currently 7.7% with the recent job growth declining in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. However according to the Riverside County Economic Development Agency the future job growth in the County is projected to be around 39 percent, comparable to the overall job growth in the United States in the next 10 years. The growth in jobs in the County will allow the access to jobs within the County to increase among residents. The Labor Market index values are percentile ranked at the state level and range from 0 to 100. The higher the score, the higher the labor market participation and capital among a certain population group. The following are scores for the County:
 White, Non-Hispanic: 33.94
 Black, Non-Hispanic: 26.46
 Asian or Pacific Islander, Non-Hispanic: 42.31
 Native American, Non-Hispanic: 24.58
 Hispanic: 24.37
In the County, Asian or Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic residents have greater labor force participation followed by White, non-Hispanic residents. Hispanics had the lowest index score.

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214 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
Figure AFFH-18 – TCAC Economic Opportunities

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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 215

TRANSPORTATION
All Transit, an online resource for transit connectivity, access and frequency data, explores metrics that reveal the social and economic impact of transit, specifically looking at connectivity, access to jobs, and frequency of service. According to All Transit, the City of Riverside has a score of 5.2 out of 10, with a score of 10 being high connectivity, access to jobs and frequency of service. This is comparable to other Cities in the region who average a score of 4.8. This shows that the City’s residents have difficulties accessing consistent and reliable transportation that is also affordable to them. The further away from the 91 freeway, the lower the overall transit score. In the northernmost portion of the City, where there is a high number of minority populations, the majority of the transit scores average at 2. Overall, the average household in the City has five transit routes within ½ mile of their home and 83,122 jobs accessible in a 30-minute trip.

Riverside County has an overall score of 3.3 which illustrates the low number of trips per week and the low number of jobs accessible to residents via transit. San Bernardino County has a score of 4.4. Both counties have about one percent of commuters use public transit according to the data presented in All Transit.

The pattern of low percentage of commuter utilizing public transit is consistent with the postwar suburban development that is characteristic of the Inland Empire. However, Riverside does have better transit access relative to a majority of the region, with perhaps the exception of the San Bernardino County communities along the Metrolink San Bernardino Line. Riverside contains High-Quality Transit Areas (HQTA) as defined by SCAG (transit areas within one half mile of a well-services transit stop or a transit corridor with 15 minute or less service frequency during peak commute hours), related primarily to RTA service on the Magnolia Avenue/Market Street/University Avenue corridor. This service as well as the City’s three Metrolink stations add to the accessibility of transit in the City. The Riverside Transit Agency went through a federal review in 2019 that covered the three previous years of service and received good feedback on RTA’s commitment to residents. During the review period, RTA launched the massively successful Route 200 with service between San Bernardino, Riverside and Disneyland; as well as RapidLink Gold Line service between Riverside and Corona. The Agency also expanded free Wi-Fi to all buses, launched BusWatch real-time bus arrival service, and forged partnerships with area universities and colleges so thousands of students could get unlimited rides while catering to the needs of residents with disabilities. Other projects took flight during the review period when a new transit hub in Temecula, offered quarter rides to youth and modernized bus stops and signage throughout the service area. These projects and others have made improvements in finding and accessing transportation among special needs groups such as students and persons with disabilities in Riverside and the surrounding region.

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216 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside

ENVIRONMENTAL
The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) developed a screening methodology to help identify California communities disproportionately burdened by multiple sources of pollution called the California Communities Environmental Health Screening Tool (CalEnviroScreen). High scoring census tracts tend to be more burdened by pollution from multiple sources and are most vulnerable to its effects, considering their socioeconomic characteristics and underlying health status.

In Riverside, most of the City is impacted by pollution and has high scoring census tracts as Figure AFFH-19– CalEnviroScreen - Riverside shows. The lowest scoring census tract is the open space of Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Park in the east-ern portion of the City, which has no population or housing units. Immediately surrounding Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Park are areas less affected by pollution, but this score is higher throughout the City. The areas with high scores do affect minority populations and areas of high percentage of non-white residents.

In the Inland Empire, a majority of the census tracts score very high on the CalEnviroScreen. In San Bernardino alone, most of the census tracts score within the 91-95 percentile or 96-100 percentile.

According to the American Lung Association (ALA) State of the Air Report, both San Bernardino and Riverside Counties score an F in the Ozone Grade. An F grade means that the county had nine more days than average of high air pollution levels. The ALA also calculates the county population at risk from these pollutants based on the population of the entire county where the monitor is located. The ALA then calculates the metropolitan population at risk based upon the largest metropolitan area that contains that county. Overall, the Inland Empire has an Ozone Grade of F because of the number of unhealthy air quality days and the risk populations take from the pollutants pre-sent. Because this is a reginal tool, it can be assumed the issues affecting residents in the Inland Empire as a whole also affect Riverside residents.

In the Inland Empire, communities are most being affected by the burden of online shopping with the increase of diesel trucks and freight lines continue. San Bernardino County has the Country’s worst ozone pollution and affects special needs groups in this area and the surrounding region the most. Also, communities with high percentages of minority populations are the most affected as the majority of the County’s new warehouses neighbor minority concentrated areas according to a California Air Resource Board study done in 2019. Areas of higher minority concentration also tend to be areas where there are more persons with disabilities.

Households with special needs are disproportionately affected by the high environmental scores. This can be seen in the location of region R/ECAPs, the concentration of persons with disabilities, and the high environmental scores that all correlate.

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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 217
Figure AFFH-19– CalEnviroScreen - Riverside

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218 2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside
Figure AFFH-20 CalEnviroScreen in the Inland Empire

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2021-2029 Housing Element City of Riverside 219

DISPROPORTIONATE HOUSING NEEDS
The AFFH Rule Guidebook defines “disproportionate housing needs” as a condition in which there are “significant disparities in the proportion of members of a protected class experiencing a cate-gory of housing needs when compared to the proportion of a member of any other relevant groups or the total population experiencing the category of housing need in the applicable geo-graphic area.” The analysis is completed by assessing cost burden, severe cost burden, over-crowding, and substandard housing.

The Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) developed by the Census for HUD provides detailed information on housing needs by income level for different types of households in Riverside. Housing problems considered by CHAS include:
 Housing cost burden, including utilities, exceeding 30 percent of gross income;  Severe housing cost burden, including utilities, exceeding 50 percent of gross income;  Overcrowded conditions (housing units with more than one person per room); and/or  Units with physical defects (lacking complete kitchen or bathroom).

As shown in Table AFFH 5 – Housing Problems by Tenure and Race, a higher percent of Black (55.1 percent), White (54.5 percent), Pacific Is-lander (53.4 percent) and Hispanic (53.9 percent), and other non-white (55.3 percent) households experience housing problems compared to Ameri-can Indian (51.9 percent), Asian (44.8 percent), and all City households (52.1 percent). While renter-households, independent of race, experience housing problems at higher rates than own-er-occupied households, Black, American Indian, Hispanic, and other non-white renter-households experience housing problems at higher rates than White and Asian households.

Riverside households experience housing problems (52.1 percent) at slightly higher rates than the County overall (50.6 percent). Riverside non-white minority households also experience housing problems at higher rates than non-white County households. For example, approximately 55.3 percent of other non-white households in Riverside have housing problems, compared to 45.6 percent of County other non-white households.

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Table AFFH-5 – Housing Problem by Tenure and Race
With Housing
Problem White Black Asian American
Indian
Pacific
Islander Hispanic Other All
Riverside
Owner-Occupied 24.5% 37.1% 36.5% 11.9% 45.3% 39.8% 49.0% 35.0% Renter-Occupied 53.7% 64.6% 55.1% 60.2% 55.9% 67.2% 60.2% 68.5% All Households 54.5% 55.1% 44.8% 51.9% 53.4% 53.9% 55.3% 52.1% Riverside County
Owner-Occupied 30.8% 38.2% 38.5% 32.5% 36.0% 44.4% 37.5% 33.8% Renter-Occupied 53.5% 65.7% 53.8% 66.4% 66.7% 65.6% 56.6% 75.2% All Households 37.0% 52.6% 42.7% 50.1% 52.4% 53.5% 45.6% 50.6% Source: HUD CHAS – 2013-2017
Elderly and large households may also be subject to disproportionate housing problems, whether it is affordability or adequate physical needs (number of rooms, complete facilities). Table 4 shows that renter elderly and large households experience housing problems at greater rates than all households in the City.

Renters in both the City and the County experience housing problems at a greater rate than owners. However, a larger pro-portion of renter households in the City experience housing problems than all the County renter households, and vice versa for owner households.

Table AFFH-6 – Housing Issues - Renters
With
Housing
Problem
Elderly Large
HH All Renter Elderly Large HH All Owners All HH
Riverside 67.1% 79.0% 61.5% 31.0% 44.5% 32.1% 45.5%
Riverside
County 62.9% 74.5% 60.3% 35.2% 45.1% 36.1% 44.6%
Source: HUD CHAS 2013-2017
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COST BURDEN
A household is considered cost burdened if it spends more than 30 percent of its income in housing costs, including utilities. Similar to Any Housing Problem trends shown in Table AFFH-5 – Housing Problem by Tenure and Race, Black, American Indian, Hispanic, and non-white Other households experience cost burdens at higher rates than White households as Table-AFFH-7 – Cost Burden by Race show s. These racial minorities experience cost burdens at slightly higher rates in both the City and the County as compared to White households. Also, renters, regardless of race, experience cost burdens at high-er rates than owners in both the City and County.

Riverside elderly and large households as a whole also experience cost burdens at slightly lower rates than the County, but renters of these groups experience cost burden at the highest rates. A majority of elderly renters in the City and County experience a cost burden (Table AFFH-8– Cost Burden for Elderly and Large Households).

Affordability could be a barrier to housing for per-sons with disabilities or special needs populations who rely on Supplemental Security Income as their primary source of income, which ranges from $954 to $1,776 monthly, depending on their qualifications. These households may experience cost burden when SSI incomes are not adequate to pay for rent and do not increase at rates comparable to rent increases.

The highest concentration of renter- and owner-households experiencing cost burdens are located in the northeastern and north census tracts within the City, with the most significant cost burden conditions occurring in the Arlington Heights neighborhood in the southern portion of the City as Figure AFFH-21 Overpayment by Renters and Figure AFFH-22 Overpayment by Homeowners show. Between 60 and 80 percent of renter households in most tracts in these areas experience housing cost burdens. These census tracts also have high minority concentrations (especially Hispanic) and low- and moderate-income households.

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Table AFFH-7 – Cost Burden by Race
Cost Burden
>30% White Black Asian Am Ind
Pacific
Islander
Hispanic Other All
Riverside
Owner-Occupied 12.5% 17.5% 22.3% 6.2% 0.0% 16.2% 33.3% 14.9% Renter-Occupied 54.6% 102.6% 95.5% 86.3% 72.2% 72.0% 91.7% 70.7% All Households 23.4% 63.0% 46.0% 65.9% 50.0% 38.0% 62.9% 33.8% Riverside County
Owner-Occupied 20.6% 27.6% 28.4% 27.1% 16.8% 26.9% 26.0% 23.3% Renter-Occupied 60.4% 88.3% 65.0% 100.0% 89.0% 74.0% 64.9% 69.4% All Households 28.6% 53.5% 36.4% 56.0% 49.2% 42.7% 39.7% 35.5% Source: HUD CHAS 2013-2017
Table AFFH-8– Cost Burden for Elderly and Large Households With Housing
Problem Elderly Large HH All
Renter Elderly Large HH All
Owners All HH
Riverside 92.2% 79.2% 83.2% 45.7% 34.0% 38.4% 58.9%
Riverside County 96.9% 79.2% 83.1% 52.6% 37.8% 47.0% 59.6% Source: HUD CHAS 2013-2017

OVERCROWDING
Overcrowding is defined as housing units with more than one person per room (including dining and living rooms but excluding bathrooms and kitchen). According to the 2019 five-year ACS estimates, a higher percentage of households in Riverside (9.4 percent) are living in overcrowded conditions than the County (6.9 percent). In Riverside, census tracts with overcrowded households are concentrated in the north and north west of the City that are also areas of higher concentrations of racial/ethnic minorities, families with children, female-headed households with children, and LMI households In the Inland Empire, over-crowded census tracts are concentrated north of Riverside, especially in San Bernardino.

According to the 2014-2018 ACS, roughly 25 percent of Riverside households experienced overcrowded living conditions in 2018. Of these, 31 percent were in owner-occupied households, and 69 percent were renters.

This suggests that renters are disproportionately affected by overcrowding – as of 2019, only 33 percent of the households in Riverside were renter-occupied, but they represent 69 percent of all overcrowded households.

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In Riverside County, 14 percent of owner households and 29 percent of renter households experienced overcrowded living conditions in 2018. Renters in the County are also disproportionately affected by overcrowding. While more than 61% of occupied housing units in the City had three or more bedrooms (the minimum size considered large enough to avoid most overcrowding issues for large households), only 23% of these units were occupied by renters. This pattern suggests an inadequate supply of larger rental units.

Table AFFH-9– Overcrowding in Riverside
Tenure
Overcrowded
Households 1
Severely
Overcrowded
Households 2
% of
Overcrowded
Households
% of All
Households 3
Owner 2,741 673 30.8% 7.0%
Renter 5,995 1,690 69.2% 18.3%
Total 8,736 2,363 100.0% 25.3%
1) Overcrowding 1.01 or more persons per bedroom.
2) Severe overcrowding 1.51 or more persons per bedroom. 3) % of households for that category
Source: American Community Survey 2014-2018 (5-Year Estimates) Technical Background Report:

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Figure AFFH-21 Overpayment by Renters

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Figure AFFH-22 Overpayment by Homeowners

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Figure AFFH-23 – Overcrowded Households in Riverside

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Figure AFFH-24 – Overcrowded H ouseholds in Riverside County

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SUBSTANDARD CONDITIONS
Examining the age of the current housing stock is one way to understand how historical development patterns have contributed to the City's built form. The time during which the largest share of Riverside's housing units was built is 1970-1979, and approximately 76 percent of the City’s housing stock was constructed prior to 1990. This is consistent with trends seen in the SCAG region, where more units were built during 1970-1979 than any other period.

Housing that is 30 years old or older, like most of the housing in Riverside, is assumed to require some rehabilitation. Features such as electrical capacity, kitchen features, and roofs usually need updating if no prior replacement work has occurred.

The ACS estimates that about one percent of homes in Riverside are in substandard condition currently– including one percent (937 units) lacking complete kitchen facilities and about 0.3 percent lacking plumbing. By the end of this Housing Element planning period in 2029, 86 percent of the City’s housing stock, a total of 87,216 units, will exceed 30 years of age and may, therefore, need some degree of rehabilitation at that time; however, the need for rehabilitation does not necessarily make a housing unit substandard.

DISPLACEMENT RISK
HCD defines sensitive communities as “communities [that] currently have populations vulnerable to displacement in the event of increased development or drastic shifts in housing cost.” The following characteristics define a vulnerable community:
 The share of very low-income residents is above 20%; and  The tract meets two of the following criteria:
 Share of renters is above 40%;
 Share of people of color is above 50%;
 Share of very low-income households (50% AMI or below) that are severely rent burdened households is above the county median;
 The community or areas in close proximity have been experiencing displacement pressures (percent change in rent above County median for rent increases); or  Difference between Census tract median rent and median rent for sur-rounding Census tracts above median for all tracts in the County (rent gap).

In Riverside, there are a number of census tracts identified as vulnerable communities. These communities are generally located along and north of the 91 freeway corridor and are the areas that meet some or most of the criteria above, especially the percentage of people of color. This is generally consistent with the historical development patterns of the city, which begin with its establishment in the Mile Square (now Downtown) area and outlying villages, including Casa Blanca and Arlington. These were originally isolated communities Technical Background Report:

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developed around citrus packinghouses and railroad depots established concurrently with the growth of the City’s citriculture industry at the turn of the 20th Century.

Over the following decades, as postwar suburban development—facilitated in part by the construction of what is now known as the 91 freeway—subsumed much of the Ci ty’s citrus industry, the City simultaneously grew its borders and its population. Communities closest to the major rail and roadway transportation corridors (i.e., Magnolia and Arlington Avenues) grew rapidly. Federal policies that prioritized and subsidized racially homogeneous suburban development, at the direct expense of more diverse, established urban neighborhoods, were a contributing factor to this pattern.

Existing housing that receives governmental assistance is often a significant source of affordable housing in many communities. Riverside has 50 publicly assisted housing developments that provide 2,931 affordable housing units. During the 2022-2032 “at-risk” housing analysis period, 13 projects are at risk of conversions.

To help combat displacement of residents and preserve affordable the City may be able to acquire and rehabilitate these units. Apartment projects often need rehabilitation, and the property owner may have insufficient funds to complete periodic repairs and renovations. In these situations, the City may find it advantageous to work with the property owner and offer a flexible number of financial incentives (e.g., low- interest loans, renegotiating current loan packages, cash incentives) in return for extending the length of the affordability covenants on the affordable units.

Rehabilitation and preservation costs depend on numerous factors, most notably the condition of the property, the amount of deferred maintenance, the financial viability of the project, and the length of the affordability term. The City of Riverside, working in conjunction with nonprofit and for-profit partners, has completed several major acquisition and rehabilitation projects that provide a basis for making a magnitude-of-order estimate of the future cost of such activities.

In the latter parts of the 20th Century, regional population growth pressure and the predominant convention of suburban expansion facilitated the development of outlying tract housing developments in the western and southeastern edges of the City. These areas absorbed a substantial amount of white, middle-class homeowners from coastal cities who found themselves priced out of single-family homeownership in suburban Los Angeles and Orange Counties. This helped to establish the latter-20th and early-21st century characterization of Riverside and surrounding Inland Empire cities as “bedroom” communities for a labor force largely tied to the coast, despite their long histories as independent economic centers of the Inland region.

These historical patterns are generally consistent with the distribution of displacement risk in the City, particularly as rapidly escalating housing costs across the Southern California send higher-earning households—and the concomitant speculation in urban re al estate—in search of more afford-able offerings further Inland, thereby increasing displacement risk to the established lower-income communities in Riverside.

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Figure AFFH-25 Riverside Urban Displacement Vulnerability

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SUMMARY OF FAIR HOUSING ISSUES
FINDINGS FROM THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE’S 2020 ANALYSIS OF IMPEDIMENTS The City of Riverside’s 2020 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice concluded that the issues in Table 7 were impediments to Fair Housing.

Choice in the City, and recommended actions to fix these impediments. These recommendations have informed some of the Policies, Programs and Actions contained in Section HE-2 (Housing Policies & Programs) and AP-1 (Action Plan) of this Housing Element.

Table AFFH-7 – Summary of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice – Riverside 2020 Fair Housing
Issue Actions Needed by the City
Location of
Affordable Family
Rental Housing
Developments
Identify vacant and non-vacant sites located in the highest and high resource neighborhoods Re-zone the most appropriate and suitable sites located in the highest and high resource neighborhoods to accommodate multifamily housing developments.

Pursue place-based betterment strategies in the moderate and low resource neighborhoods Demographics of
Publicly Supported
Housing
In FY 2020-2021, the FHCRC will work with the on-site property managers of LIHTC rental housing developments to develop and adopt affirmative marketing procedures If not done in the time frame, will reevaluate the development of the procedures Population
Diversity
In FY 2020-2021, the City will evaluate the contribution that the following actions could make toward reducing minority population concentrations and poverty:

Place-based strategies in the neighborhoods with minority population concentrations and high poverty rates
Development of affordable family apartment housing in high opportunity neighborhoods Development of market rate housing in neighborhoods with minority population concentrations Housing
Discrimination
During the five-year period from FY 2020-2021 through FY 2024-2025, the City will have the FHCRC provide fair housing services which will include the processing of housing discrimination complaints and landlord/tenant counseling services. Often a landlord/tenant issue has as its basis a housing discrimination concern.

In FY 2020-2021, the FHCRC will develop in cooperation with the Community Access Center and Inland Regional Center actions to address the fair housing concerns of disabled persons.

Brokerage Services
In FY 2020-2021 to FY 2024-2025, the FHCRC will:

Participate in the meetings of IVAR’s Housing Committee Offer to teach the 3-hour Fair Housing course that REALTORS and salespersons must complete when they renew their license every four years
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Fair Housing
Issue Actions Needed by the City
Steering
During the five-year period from FY 2020-2021 through FY 2024-2025, the FHCRC will provide at the first-time homebuyer workshops 1) examples of how to detect “steering” when using the internet to conduct a home search process and 2) examples of how to detect loan steering During the five-year period from FY 2020-2021 through FY 2024-2025, the FHCRC will provide information on how to detect steering behavior by resident property managers to renters attending workshops and Town Hall meetings
In FY 2020-2021, the FHCRC will add a “steering” category to the categories of alleged housing discriminatory acts.

Appraisal
Practices
In FY 2020-2021 to FY 2024-2025, the FHCRC will describe the appraisal process and the contents of an appraisal report at the First Time Homebuyer workshops.

Lending Practices
During the five-year period from FY 2020-2021 through FY 2024-2025, the FHCRC will provide at first-time home buyer workshops information on debt-to-income ratios that are acceptable to lenders. Implementation of this recommended action should result in better prepared borrowers and cause an increase in loan approval rates of all loan applicants, regardless of race or ethnicity.

The FHCRC will annually monitor the disparity in loan denial rates between White, Non-Hispanic, and Black borrowers. If the disparity continues, the FHCRC will contact lenders to determine the causes of the loan denial disparities. The FHCRC also will conduct outreach to the Inland Valleys Association of REALTORS (IVAR) and Black REALTORS to craft initiatives to improve Black homeownership and reduce loan denial rates.

Property
Management
Practices
Continue to offer workshops and seminars to property managers and renters.

In FY 2020-2021, the FHCRC will conduct a survey of 10-15 on-site property managers or property management companies to determine their familiarity with fair housing laws and requirements.

In FY 2021-2022, the FHCRC will prepare model written property management policies that it will transmit to property management firms.

Hate Crimes
In FY 2020-2021 to FY 2024-2025, the City staff will review the California Department of Justice annual hate crime reports to ascertain if an action must be taken because of an increase in hate crime events. If an action is needed, it will be included in the Consolidated Plan Annual Action Plan.

Survey of Land Use
And Zoning
Regulations,
Practices And
Procedures
Define transitional and supportive housing by referencing the definitions in Government Code Sections 65582(f) and (g).

Prepare a brochure and additional information promoting the Reasonable Accommodation Procedure.

Conduct a survey of multifamily housing developments owned by the City’s Housing Authority or financially assisted by the City to ensure management policies and practices affirmatively further fair housing.

Amend the Zoning Code to define affordable senior housing as being restricted to residents 62 years of age or older.

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SUMMARY OF ADDITIONAL FAIR HOUSING CONCERNS
According to a report prepared by the FHCRC in 2021, the current environment has brought certain fair housing impediments to new levels. COVID-19 has completely changed the social, economic, and public landscape in Riverside, as is the case around the world. Vulnerable communities are facing the worst repercussions, including the risk of eviction and homelessness as a result of the pandemic. Affordable housing has always been a need in Riverside County, but now the impediments to fair, accessible housing for all have multiplied. The following impediments were identified and connect the scarcity of affordable housing in the City of Riverside to increased tension in landlord-tenant relationships, housing discrimination cases and general impediments to fair housing:
 Tight rental markets lead to little choice for tenants, particularly in low-cost housing, which means landlords and property managers have less incentive to address repair and habitability in their units.  Tenants have little leverage when their rent increases, and if they are forced out due to rising costs, property managers have little trouble filling the units with new tenant s because of high demand.
 Discr
imination in tenant screening is more easily disguised when there are a large number of applicants and potential tenants for the limited pool of available units.  Lack of affordable housing diminishes the number of units available to persons with disabilities and disincentivizes landlords taking reasonable accommodation seriously as disabled tenants that rely on SSDI are less likely to report ADA violations in fear of retaliation and inability to find an-other affordable unit with fixed incomes.
 The City of Riverside has many units set aside for student housing, which can compete for space with affordable housing and leading to month-to-month leases that offer fewer protections against rent increases shortly upon moving into a unit and no guarantee that they will be able to stay in the unit for the duration of their semester.
 Also, COVID-19 Related Impediments identified by the National Fair Housing Association have been identified if they are present in the City of Riverside and include:
 Disproportionate levels of eviction filings against persons in protected classes and the long-term impacts that will have on their rental records and creditworthiness.  In the City of Riverside, discrimination complaints are now subordinate to inquiries about eviction notices, lease/rental terms, and rental assistance.
 Failure to accommodate people with disabilities who are at heightened risk of significant complications if exposed and infected with COVID-19 through showing of occupied units and failures to conduct mainte
nance safely.

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 Discrimination against persons with disabilities are now the number one complaint logged by FHCRC’s counselors. As Baby Boomers are retiring, downsizing, and facing the health issues that come with age, multi-family properties are ill-equipped to comply with reasonable accommodation requirements.

Landlords are also finding themselves short on cash for needed up-grades as their rental income de- creases due to COVID-19.
 Disproportionate impact of severe over-crowding in housing which drives elevated COVID-19 transmissions, infections, and deaths.
 Rental rates are at an all-time high and the housing market continues to boom while those most likely to live in overcrowded conditions are losing their jobs in the service and restaurant industries.  According to data from Redfin, the US Census Bureau and HUD, 46 percent of households in In-land Southern California are rent burdened, meaning they spend more than 30 percent of their in-come on housing. This is second only to the Northern California region in the state.  Conservation of energy resources.

LOCAL DATA AND KNOWLEDGE
The areas of Riverside north of the 91/60/215 freeway corridors have a pattern of residential overcrowding and a prevalence of cost burden and overpayment by renter households. The same areas are shown to have concentrations of Hispanic populations, which make up 52.7 percent of the City’s population. This group tends to have a high-er proportion of lower income, which may account for the disproportionate cost burdens in these areas.

OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS TO FAIR HOUSING
The City has also actively prioritized public infra-structure in low- and moderate-income areas by focusing most of its CDBG funds on creating a suitable living environment by investing funds in infrastructure and public services to improve the physical environment and residents’ lives in the community. These public improvements encourage increased private-market investment in declining or deteriorating neighborhoods.

Some of the goals presented on the City’s website to accomplish with CDBG funds include:
 Improving the safety and livability of neighborhoods;  Increasing access to quality public and private facilities and services;  Reducing the isolation of income groups with-in areas through spatial de-concentration of housing opportunities for lower income per-sons and the revitalization of deteriorating neighborhoods;  Restoring and preserving properties of special historic, architectural, or aesthetic value; and  Conservation of energy resources.

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SITES INVENTORY
AB 686 requires that jurisdictions identify sites throughout the community in a manner that is consistent with its duty to affirmatively further fair housing. The site identification requirement involves not only an analysis of site capacity to accommodate the RHNA (provided in Appendix A), but also whether the identified sites serve the purpose of replacing segregated living patterns with truly integrated and balanced living patterns, transforming racially and ethnically concentrated areas of poverty into areas of opportunity. The following analysis serves to demonstrate how the identified Housing Opportunity Sites address this requirement. The following analysis includes all of the Opportunity Sites included in Appendix A – Sites Inventory. The analysis serves to describe the distribution and placement of the sites in relationship to key factors as outlined in the California Department of Housing and Community Development – Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) Guidance document dated April 2021. Sites were placed based on available vacant and underutilized properties throughout the city placing a high priority to the available sites in high resource areas. The built-out nature of the city along with the number of residential units needed to meet RHNA requirements the city was limited the city’s in its ability to be selective in the placement of sites which resulted in a concentration of sites in low resource areas. To address this placement the city has included policies and programs including those that serve to support fair housing through fair housing enforcement and programs to assist special needs groups.

INTEGRATION AND SEGREGAT ION: RACE AND INCOME
The city of Riverside has a high concentration of population identifying as non-white. Figure AFFH-26- Opportunity Sites shows the proposed Opportunity Sites throughout the City in relation to areas within the City with a high percentage of non-white population. The in-creased housing development are located along the City’s established transportation and commercial corridors, primarily Magnolia, Arlington and University Avenues and the surrounding areas. Due to the historical patterns of urban development in the City discussed previously, these areas also happen to be coincident with majority minority and lower-income populations. By contrast, the areas of the City demonstrating the highest pro-portion of both white and higher-income residents are primarily located in the southeastern portions of the City. These areas are constrained by multiple environmental factors as it relates to additional residential development, including but not limited to lack of access to transportation, exposure to wildfire risk, limitations on development related to proximity to March Air Reserve Base, and other factors described in TBR-3 (Housing Resources). Proposed opportunity sites the city has identified are predominantly in these concentration areas, with 82% of the housing.

Opportunity Sites parcels located in areas where at least 61% percent of the population identifies as non-white.

This is primarily a function of two major factors in Opportunity Site identification: access to services and amenities, and environmental constraints. A majority of the urban services and amenities necessary to support Technical Background Report:

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In the City, 24.7% of households have one or more persons with a disability. Figure AFFH-27- Opportunity Sites/Percentage of Population with Disabilities shows the proposed housing opportunity sites throughout the community in relation to areas of population with disabilities. Of housing opportunity sites parcels identified

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approximately 66% are located in areas where 10%-20% percent of the population identifies as being disabled which is the highest percentile range in the city.

Figure AFFH-26- Opportunity Sites Percent of Total Non-White Technical Background Report:

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Breakdown of RHNA Units by Non-White Population
Most
of the census tract in Riverside are primarily non-white so the city’s RHNA sites strategy does not disproportionately place sites in these areas. Furthermore about 10% of the RHNA units are in the census tract with below average minority populations. Offering low- and moderate-income unit potential in these areas would foster a more inclusive environment.

Percentage Non White
(Block Group)
21-40% 55 0.7% 55 0.4% - - 110 0.5%
41-60% 661 7.9% 1,237 9.9% - - 1,898 9.0% 61-80% 3,957 47.1% 4,443 35.4% - - 8,400 40.0% >81% 3,735 44.4% 6,800 54.2% 56 100.0% 10,591 50.4% Total 8,408 12,535 56 20,999
All RHNA UnitsLower Income Moderate Income Above Moderate Income
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Figure AFFH-27- Opportunity Sites/Percentage of Population with Disabilities

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Breakdown of RHNA Units by Disabled Population
About 10% of the population in Riverside identify with having a least one and no census tract in the city has more than 20% of the population living with a disability. The city’s RHNA strategy disperses the RHNA units fairly equally across these the areas. Furthermore, the city’s RHNA units are located along transportation corridors which facilitates the mobility of disabled people.

Disabled Population
(Block Group)
0-10% 3,118 37.1% 5,878 46.9% 25 44.6% 9,021 43.0% 10-20% 5,290 62.9% 6,657 53.1% 31 55.4% 11,978 57.0% 21-30% - - - - - - - 31-100% - - - - - - - Total 8,408 12,535 56 20,999
All RHNA UnitsLower Income Moderate Income Above Moderate Income
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RACIALLY/ETHNICALLY CONCENTRATED AREAS OF POVERTY
The TCAC/HCD approach to calculating racially/ethnically concentrated areas of poverty (R/ECAPs), uses a location quotient for segregation and a poverty threshold of 30 percent of the population living below the poverty line. In Riverside, there are six areas in the City that are identified as racially/ethnically concentrated areas of poverty. Figure AFFH-28 – Opportunity Sites/TCAC Areas of High Segregation and Poverty shows that 17% of the housing opportunity sites parcels that are within these areas.

ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY
Opportunity Indicators . TCAC and HCD developed the TCAC/HCD Opportunity Maps, a mapping tool that identifies areas of higher and lower resources to evaluate access to opportunity. Figure 26 shows that 3% of the Housing Opportunity Sites are with the Highest Resource areas, 8% are in the High Resource areas, and 49% are in the Moderate Resource areas and 7% are in the Moderate Resource (Rapidly Changing) area. A total of 69% of the housing Opportunity Sites are in the Moderate to Highest Resource areas.

Environmental Factors. The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) identifies California communities disproportionately burdened by multiple sources of pollution. High-scoring census tracts tend to be more burdened by pollution from multiple sources and are most vulnerable to its effects, considering their socioeconomic characteristics and underlying health status. The higher the percentage score, the higher the assumed burden. Figure AFFH-30– Opportunity Sites/CalEnviroScreen shows that 73% of the Housing Opportunity Sites are in the top three most burdened categories with scores between 71-100%.

There are 24% of the sites that are within the 36-70% burden range and 4% that are located in the least burdened are-as of the city with scores in the 31-35% range. Redeveloping the sites in these areas would have a positive impact on these neighborhoods through the introduction of new economic opportunities; the introduction of new affordable housing options; providing new or refurbished infrastructure and public realm improvements; and providing new funding for services and amenities like schools through payment of development impact fees.

Disproportionate Housing Needs. Figure AFFH-31– Opportunity Sites/Low-Moderate Income shows that a majority of the proposed Opportunity Sites fall in the areas with the highest concentration of the population that are Low- and Moderate-income households. Approximately 70% of the Housing Opportunity Sites are in the areas identified as having more than 50% of the population in the low- or moderate-income range.

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Figure AFFH-28 – Opportunity Sites/TCAC Areas of High Segregation and Poverty

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Figure AFFH-29– Opportunity Sites/TCAC Opportunity Areas

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Breakdown of RHNA Units by TCAC Opportunity Areas Composite Score (Tract) Mo
st of the census tract in Riverside are in the low resource and high segregation census tract so logically most of the sites fall into these census tracts. However, the city’s RHNA sites strategy attempts to disperse the sites to offer opportunities in high resource areas. About 13% of the RHNA units are in the highest and high resources census tracts. Furthermore, the city’s RHNA sites strategy also provides a significant number of moderate-income units in the low resource areas this would help to facilitate mixed-income neighborhoods.

TCAC Opp Area 2021 - Composite
Score Tract
Highest Resource - - 970 7.7% - - 970 4.6% High Resource 259 3.1% 1541 12.3% - - 1,800 8.6% Moderate Resource (Rapidly Changing) 143 1.7% 510 4.1% - - 653 3.1% Moderate Resource 3113 37.0% 3550 28.3% 31 55.4% 6,694 31.9% Low Resource 2130 25.3% 4237 33.8% 25 44.6% 6,392 30.4% High Segregation & Poverty 2763 32.9% 1727 13.8% - - 4,490 21.4% Total 8,408 12,535 56 20,999
All RHNA UnitsLower Income Moderate Income Above Moderate Income
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Figure AFFH-30– Opportunity Sites/CalEnviroScreen

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Breakdown of RHNA Units by Environmental Justice Communities CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Percentile The majority of the census tracts within the core of the city are in the higher scoring percentiles and only the undevelopable open space areas are in the lower scoring areas. Due to the need to covert industrial uses and commercial uses to mixed-use or residential use a large number of the RHNA units are in these high scoring areas. By converting industrial uses the city with ensure proper remediation of environmental hazards in these neighborhoods.

Environmental Justics
Communities
CalEnviroScreen 4
(Block Group)
1-10% - - - - - - -
10-20% - - 144 1.1% - - 144 0.7%
20-30% - - 0 0.0% - - -
30-40% - - 826 6.6% - - 826 3.9%
40-50% - - 0 - - - -
50-60% 354 4.2% 1694 13.5% - - 2,048 9.8%
60-70% 494 5.9% 1125 9.0% - - 1,619 7.7%
70-80% 932 11.1% 1721 13.7% - - 2,653 12.6%
80-90% 1065 12.7% 855 6.8% - 1,920 9.1%
90-100& 5563 66.2% 6170 49.2% 56 100.00% 11,789 56.1% Total 8,408 12,535 56 20,999
All RHNA UnitsLower Income Moderate Income Above Moderate Income
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Figure AFFH-31– Opportunity Sites/Low-Moderate Income

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Breakdown of RHNA Units by Low to Moderate Income Population The majority of the city’s census tract are considered Low to Moderate income. The RHNA sites strategy does not disproportionately place RHNA units in low-mod income areas. Furthermore, more moderate-income units are being introduced in these neighborhoods to encourage a mixed-income environment.

Low to Moderate
Income Population
(Block Group)
<25% - - 1162 9.3% - - 1,162 5.5%
25-50% 2242 26.7% 5103 40.7% 25 44.64% 7,370 35.1%
50-75% 5744 68.3% 5113 40.8% 31 55.36% 10,888 51.9%
75-100% 422 5.0% 1157 9.2% - - 1,579 7.5%
Total 8,408 12,535 56 20,999
All RHNA UnitsLower Income Moderate Income Above Moderate Income
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IDENTIFICATION AND PRIORITIZATION

OF CONTRIBUTING FACTORS
The following are contributing factors that have been identified based on the fair housing issues presented in the City’s Analysis of Impediments and the analysis in this document that affect fair housing choice in Riverside.

FAIR HOUSING ENFORCEMENT
Based on City staff experience in conducting community outreach for various planning and community development matters, expanded efforts are needed as it relates to Fair Housing enforcement.

Contributing Factors:
 Lack of a variety of inputs media (e.g., meetings, surveys, interviews)  Lack of accessibility to draft documents
 Lack of digital access
 Lack of resources for fair housing agencies and organizations  Racially and ethnically conce
ntrated areas of poverty
The City has several census tracts that are identified as RE/CAPs.

Contributing Factors:
 Displacement of residents due to
economic pressures
 Lack of communit
y revitalization strategies
 Lack of privat
e investments in specific neighborhoods
 Location and type of affordable housing
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DISPARITIES IN ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY
There are areas in the City that have disparities in access to opportunities.

Contributing Factors:
 Access to equitable childcare
 Access to equitable healthcare
 The availability, type, frequency, and reliability of public transportation  Lack of privat
e investments in specific neighborhoods
 Lack of public investments in specific neighborhoods, including services or amenities  Location and type of affordable housing
 Private discrimination

DISPARITIES IN ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY FOR PERSONS

WITH DISABILITIES
Overall, persons with disabilities have issues accessing resources and opportunities.

Contributing Factors:
 Access to publicly supported housing for per-sons with disabilities (Beyond ADA, or specific housing types?)
 Acce
ss to transportation for persons with disabilities
 Lack of affordable in-
home or community-based supportive services
 Lack of affordable, accessible housing in range of unit sizes  Lack of affordable, int
egrated housing for individuals who need supportive services  Lack of assistance for housing accessibility modifications  Lack of assist
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DISPROPORTIONATE HOUSING NEEDS, INCLUDING

DISPLACEMENT RISKS
There are many census tracts in the City that are defined as being vulnerable to displacement in the event of increased development or drastic shifts in housing cost. These census tracts are located along and north of the 91 freeway throughout the City.

Contributing Factors:
 The availability of affordable units in a range of sizes (such as lack of family housing)  Displacement of residents due to economic pressures
 Land use and zoning laws
 Community opposition
 Lack of public investments in specific neighborhoods, including services or amenities

IMPLEMENTATION ACTIONS
Actions implement goals and consist of concrete steps, timelines and measurable outcomes. Pursuant to Government Code section 8899.50, these actions should be considered a part of the sched-ule of actions or programs required by Housing Element Law and must affirmatively further fair housing. Specifically, Government Code section 8899.50 requires “meaningful actions” well beyond combating discrimination to overcome patterns of segregation and foster inclusive communities. These actions, as a whole, must:
 Address significant disparities in housing needs and in access to opportunity;  R
eplace segregated living patterns with truly integrated and balanced living patterns;  Transform racially and ethnically concentrated areas of poverty into areas of opportunity; and  Fost
er and maintain compliance with civil rights and fair housing laws. Further, local agencies shall not take any action materially inconsistent with the obligation to affirmatively further fair housing. This requirement should apply to all actions in the housing element and the rest of the general plan as well as any actions, policies or practices outside of the general plan.

Affirmatively furthering fair housing means “taking meaningful actions, in addition to combating dis- crimination, that overcome patterns of segregation and foster inclusive communities.” Table AFFH-8– Fair Housing Issues and Contributing Factors lists the Fair Housing Issues and Contributing Factors that existing in the City of Riverside and outlines the Meaningful Actions to be taken. The Meaningful Actions listed in the table relate to the actions identified in the Riverside Action Plan; similarly, Associated KPIs reference the Key Performance Indicators established in the Action Plan that can be used to measure progress.

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Table AFFH-8– Fair Housing Issues and Contributing Factors Fair Housing Issues Contributing Factors
Meaningful
Actions
Associated
KPIs
Fair Housing Services
Outreach and Enforcement
Lack of a variety of inputs media (e.g.,
meetings, surveys, interviews)
Lack of accessibility to draft documents
Lack of digital access
Lack of resources for fair housing agencies and
organizations
HE-3.2
HE- 3.5
HE-1-3
HE-1-8
HE-1-12
HE-3-1
Housing Mobility
The availability of affordable units in a range of
sizes (such as lack of family housing)
Location and type of affordable housing
Private discrimination
HE-2.3
HE-3.3
HE-3.4
HE-5.4
HE-6.4
HE-1-4
HE-1-12
HE-1-11
HE-5-2
HE-EJ-7-2
Place-Based Strategy to
Encourage Community
Revitalization
Lack of public investments in specific
neighborhoods, including services or amenities
Lack of private investments in specific
neighborhoods
HE-1.5
HE-4.1
HE HE-6-.3
HE-EJ 7.1
HE-EJ 7.2
HE-EJ 7.5
HE-EJ 8.1
HE-EJ 8.2
HE-EJ 8.5
HE-1-13
HE-4-1
HE-4-2
HE-5-1
HE-EJ-7-3
HE-EJ-8-2
HE-EJ-8-3
New Housing Choices in Areas
of High Opportunity
Lack of public investments in specific
neighborhoods, including services or amenities
Lack of private investments in specific
neighborhoods
HE-1.1
HE-5.1
HE-5.2
HE-EJ EJ-7.1
HE-EJ-7.2
HE-1-1
HE-1-2
HE-4-5
HE-5-2
HE-5-9
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Fair Housing Issues Contributing Factors
Meaningful
Actions
Associated
KPIs
Housing for Persons with
Disabilities
Access to publicly supported housing for
persons with disabilities (Beyond ADA, or
specific housing types?)
Access to transportation for persons with
disabilities
Lack of affordable in-home or community-
based supportive services
Lack of affordable, accessible housing in range
of unit sizes
Lack of affordable, integrated housing for
individuals who need supportive services
Lack of assistance for housing accessibility
modifications
Lack of assistance for transitioning from
institutional settings to integrated housing
HE-3.3

HE-1-11
HE-3-1
HE-5-3
Protecting Existing Residents
from Displacement
The availability of affordable units in a range of
sizes (such as lack of family housing)
Displacement of residents due to economic
pressures
Land use and zoning laws
Community opposition
HE-3.1
HE-5.3

HE-1-8
HE-1-9
HE-3-1
HE-6-1
HE-EJ-7-3
Community Health Strategies
Access to equitable childcare
Access to equitable healthcare
The availability, type, frequency, and reliability
of public transportation
Lack of private investments in specific
neighborhoods
Lack of public investments in specific
neighborhoods, including services or amenities
Location and type of affordable housing
Private discrimination
Actions:

HE-1.5
HE-4.1
HE-6.3
HE-EJ 7.1
HE-EJ 7.2
HE-EJ 8.1
HE-EJ 8.2

HE-1-7
HE-1-13
HE-4-2
HE-EJ-8-1
HE-EJ-8-2
HE-EJ-8-3
Environmental Equity
Strategies
Lack of public improvements
Concentration of Environmental Hazards due
to Industrial Uses
Lack of basic services and inclusion in food
deserts
Actions:

HE-EJ 8.1
HE-EJ 8.2

HE-4-1
HE-EJ-8-1
HE-EJ-8-2
HE-EJ-8-3

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