FIVE-YEAR PLAN
TO REDUCE
HOMELESSNESS
CITY OF
RIVERSIDE
DRAFT
PLANNING
CONTEXT
DRAFT
In August 2021, the Housing & Homelessness
Committee conceptually approved six objectives
to support the City’s Homeless Initiative (HI)
strategies to prevent and combat homelessness in
the City. The State allocated Homeless Housing,
Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) funding
for
individual cities to develop plans to address
homelessness in their respective cities, in
collaboration with the County and its contractors.
DRAFT
The City of Riverside is the largest city in the County of Riverside with a population of
328,155 Riverside’s population is expected to grow an estimated 17.8% by 2040, to 386,600 residents. Riverside’s population age 65 and over has grown 6% over the last 30 years indicating an increase in aging population. Riverside’s population age
18 and under has declined from 29% to 22% over the same 30 years indicating a declining youth population. The predominant racial group in Riverside is Hispanic/Latino at almost 54%.
In
the 2022 Riverside County Homeless Point of Time Count the unsheltered homeless count in the City of Riverside was 514.
Youth and
adults often come to Riverside and the area seeking safety and self-determination, but lack an adequate support network and end up without housing.
For many years, the City of Riverside has continuously committed funding and staff resources in support of a robust social services program to address the needs of its most vulnerable community members, including outreach, rental assistance, shelter and housing for homeless individuals. The City’s 2021-22 budget included $33.5 million to address homelessness and the creation of affordable housing of which $22.4 million was earmarked to services to address and prevent homelessness. Such funding to
address homelessness includes contracted outreach teams staffed by City Net and Step Up on Second. The City also helps City helps fund Riverside Access Center, the Public Safety and Engagement Team (PSET), Rapid Re-Housing, case management, shelter operations, and homeless outreach services.
DRAFT
OFFICE OF
HOMELESS SOLUTIONS
• Riverside Access Center:
provides multiple resources
and connections for individuals
at risk of homelessness or those
experiencing homelessness.
Some of the services offered
include linkage to emergency
shelter, kennel usage for pets of
individuals accessing services
at Hulen Campus, monthly life
skills classes, access to computer
lab, hygiene kits, snack packs
and outreach workers who
connect folks to bus passes,
trips back to their place of
origin, support to complete
housing documentation and
street nurse assistance.
• Community Emergency Shelter: Owned and
operated by Path of Life Ministries. The program
provides 90 beds (54 male beds and 36 female
beds) to adults for up to 90 days coupled
with case management to assist clients with
obtaining temporary housing, vital documents,
job readiness, counseling, and various other
forms of social, spiritual, and emotional support.
• Helping Hearts Recuperative Care: Specializes
in mental health treatment for those unable to
care for themselves in an independent living
situation. The program includes a high level of
care -- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in a home-
like setting that is an alternative to psychiatric
hospitalization or institutional care. The program
has 28 beds and the duration of stay is 90 days.
The City is a leader in the region with emergency shelters, outreach, case management, resources and multidisciplinary teams addressing homelessness. The City has taken a pro- active approach to addressing homelessness in our community in partnering with a wide- range of non-profit organizations, social service agencies and faith-based institutions.
The City has created a centralized environment to provide short-term emergency shelter coupled with a range of supportive services necessary to assist homeless individuals and families to address their issues and achieve housing stability.
The components of the homeless service campus environment at the Hulen Place Service Campus include:
DRAFT
QUICK FACTS
ABOUT PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
HOMELESS PEOPLE
were counted in the City during
the 2022 by Riverside County
Homeless Point-in-Time Count.
Down from 587 in 2020
514
HOMELESS PEOPLE
were counted throughout the
county in the 2022 Homeless Point-
in-Time Count.
1,980
DIVERSE HOUSING STOCK
with affordability covenants
UNITS
3,141
2021-22 BUDGET
MILLION
in Office of Homeless Solutions
budget to carry out housing
and homeless related activities
$33.5
was allocated to services to
address homelessness.
MILLION
$22
DRAFT
1. Access Center outreach teams consisting of a nurse and outreach workers that are dispatched by the 311 call center and the Office of Homeless Solutions for non-emergency calls to engage people experiencing homelessness and offer shelter options, complete housing applications, offer ID vouchers, and more.
2. Community Behavioral Health Assessment Team (CBAT) consists of police officers and a clinician who support individuals experiencing a mental health crisis; dispatched by 911.
3. Public Safety Engagement Team (PSET) is a multi-departmental team consisting of police officers, code enforcement, and outreach workers dispatched through 311 and the Office of Homeless Solutions for non-emergency calls to engage people experiencing homelessness to offer support services and tag/abate debris throughout the City. Problem Oriented Policing (POP) strives to maintain safe parks and neighborhoods and cultivate relationships with all community members.
4. Urban PSET includes a multidisciplinary team of the Riverside Police Department, Code Enforcement, and City Net Outreach that operates seven days a week during regular business hours. This team provides services to all seven Wards, where they engage individuals experiencing homelessness to offer services and supports. Additionally, encampments are tagged and cleaned, and enforcement is provided as appropriate.
Recently an increase of PSET staffing was approved by City Council to provide encampment clean-up adequately, and outreach services and supports across all Wards, seven days a week including early mornings and late evenings. Increased staffing levels will allow the team to dedicate the necessary time to approach individuals with care and compassion and to collect demographic information, geocode data, complete required documentation and capture other pertinent data.
5. Wildlands PSET will include a multidisciplinary team of the Riverside Police Department, Code Enforcement, and City Net Outreach that will operate seven days a week during the day and evening. The team will focus their efforts within the Santa Ana Riverbottom to engage individuals experiencing homelessness to provide connections to supports, resources, shelter, housing and more. Additionally, encampment clean up and anti-camping enforcement will commence when shelter and housing are available.
Understanding that a one-size-fits-all approach to homelessness is not equitable, the City has collaborated with internal departments and external partners to create teams that address each subpopulation. The following teams are in place:
DRAFT
6. The Parks and Neighborhood Specialist (PANS) team began in April 2022 and will focus their efforts in city parks, wilderness trails, and surrounding neighborhoods to help maintain a safe environment for all. Additionally, the presence of PANS will deter encampments and offer additional opportunities for engagement with individuals experiencing homelessness.
City Outreach – The Access Center includes five outreach workers who concentrate their efforts on engaging folks in areas that are considered “hotspots” and by responding to 311 calls. During January 2022 – April 2022 the Access Center outreach team, collectively, had a success rate of 58% and supported 11% of individuals experiencing homelessness exit the street into shelter or another habitable place.
7. Street Nurse Program – The street nurse is contracted through Riverside University Health Systems – Behavioral Health to provide care in the field to vulnerable individuals experiencing homelessness. Linkage to services by a trusted individuals begins open dialogue about the needs of the individuals. During January 2022 – April 2022 the street nurse had a success rate of 85% in connecting individuals to services. Further, the same street nurse supported 12% of their contacts in street exits.
The social benefit of multidisciplinary partnerships and innovation will positively impact communities by offering a more humane approach to serving and protecting the diverse homeless population in the City of Riverside. We recognize that extenuating circumstances affecting socioeconomically challenged minority groups lead to stigmatization, missed employment opportunities, and disqualification of government aid and housing, potentially hindering progress, but we are committed to removing barriers and working collaboratively to address specific needs.
The City is developing a plan to coordinate the release of individuals experiencing homelessness from the downtown county jail in a responsible way. Our efforts will work toward a warm hand-off during a coordinated release to provide a Trip Home, shelter, and support services, i.e., Riverside University Health Systems – Behavioral Health, ARC and Sobering Center, Adult Protective Services, Veteran Affairs, and other services as appropriate depending on need.
HOME Court is a diversion program for individuals experiencing homelessness and facing low-level criminal prosecution. Partners include Riverside County Superior Court, Riverside University Health Systems – Behavioral Health, District Attorney, Public Defender, Probation Department, Sheriff’s Department, City of Riverside: City Manager’s Office, City Attorney’s Office, Police Department, and Office of Homeless Solutions. This program will provide support and structure to reduce recidivism through rehabilitative programming and dismissal of cases and fines as well as opportunities for expungement.
DRAFT
The Housing and Homelessness Committee heard a presentation and recommendation to add to Municipal Code Chapter 9.04 Section
9.04.610 regarding hospital transport to address “patient dumping” around Hulen Place and throughout the City. With the support of the Committee and Council, it will be a violation for a health facility to discharge a patient and transport said individual to a location that is not their residence without prior written consent from the patient. Additionally, drop off at any other health facility within the City of Riverside without coordination between the discharging hospital and the accepting facility without written consent violates said ordinance and is punishable by a ine and probation.
The
City operates a Rapid Re-Housing and Tenant-Based Rental Assistance Program to provide from 12 to 24 month of rental assistance to homeless individuals coupled with case management. The City contracts the case management services with City Net.
The City is mandated by the State to produce affordable low to middle-income housing that meets the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) requirements of creating 18,457 total housing units. The table below provide a breakdown of these unit requirements.
The City’s Housing Authority has 689 affordable
housing units in the pipeline for
development.
DRAFT
RATIONALE FOR THE
CITY OF RIVERSIDE
HOMELESS PLAN
DRAFT
In order to ensure the 5-Year Plan reflects the needs of Riverside’s residents, the City held three hybrid community meetings (simultaneously in-person and on Zoom) to inform the community about the 5-Year Plan, obtain feedback on the proposed pillars and the activities within the pillars and prioritize activities for HHAP3 and HOME Investment Partnerships Program-ARP funding. These community meetings featured both Spanish and American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation. The City also hosted three Homeless Task Force meetings via Zoom and invited leaders and front-line staff who work with the homeless population and extremely low to low-income residents to provide input on how to craft a feasible and useful 5-Year Plan.
The three major themes of the community meetings and the task force meetings were:
(1) the need to prioritize vulnerable groups experiencing homelessness; (2) supporting creative housing and low barrier shelter options; and (3) getting all hands-on deck to help with the homelessness crisis.
During the months of March – May 2022, a wide
range of stakeholders were engaged in the planning
process, sharing their experiences, their ideas, and their commitment to help shape the goals presented in this plan.
DRAFT
YOUTH & YOUNG ADULTS
Ten percent (10%) of the HHAP-3 grant must be allocated to serve homeless youth that are under the age of 24 who care economically and/or emotionally detached from their families - and are experiencing homelessnesses or living in unstable or inadequate living situations. Such living situations include sleeping on friends' couches, staying in shelters, and living under bridges, in abandoned buildings, and on the streets.
The homeless youth population includes runaway minors who have left home for one or more nights without permission; expelled youth who are told to leave home, are abandoned or deserted, or are prevented from returning home; and systems youth who have aged out of foster care or been released from juvenile justice or other public systems with nowhere to go.
IMMINENT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS
People at imminent risk of homelessness are often encountered by staff mem- bers at the library, parks, and City Hall, and include seniors who have changes to their fixed incomes, people experiencing disruption of their housing, and individuals whose declining health results in a sudden loss of income. The City received Emergency Rental Assistance funds from the US Department of Trea- sury to help people low income households retain their housing.
CHRONICALLY HOMELESS
Chronically homeless individuals are defined as having a disabling condi- tion, and have been homeless for a year or more, or have had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years. These individuals are well known to the City of Riverside Police Department, Sheriff’s personnel, business- es, and other City and County staff members, and often have co-occurring substance use and mental illness. Outreach workers have been successful in engaging many of these individuals, moving 22 people from homelessness to housing during the 2020-2021 social services contract year.
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DRAFT
GOALS &
ACTION ITEMS
DRAFT
DRAFT
Action 1a. Conduct an inventory of underutilized commercial properties and motel conversion opportunities for possible housing developments.
Action 1b. Market Housing Element and City, Successor Agency and Housing Authority sites identified for the development of housing among housing developers.
Action 1c. Complete a feasibility study on Inclusionary Housing and consider an IH Ordinance.
Action 1d. Analyze Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts (EIFDs).
Increase Housing Production
With a Focus on Affordability
GOAL #1
DRAFT
ASSOCIATED POLICY CHANGES • None; all goals are consistent with current City policy
GOAL MEASUREMENT
• Annual report to City Council on housing
production
• Report to City Council on opportunities for
underutilized properties and motel conversion
and other possible housing development sites
• Adoption of an I nclusionary Housing
Ordinance
• Presentation to City Council on E nhanced
Infrastructuree Financing Districts
GOAL OWNERSHIP • Office of Homeless Solutions - Housing Authority • Community & Economic Development -
Planning
• Successor Agency
• Office of Communications
LEVERAGED CITY RESOURCES • City, Successor Agency and Housing Authority real estate inventory
• Permanent Local Housing Allocation
• HOME Investment Partnerships Program
TIMELINE • Annual report each May
• Promotion of available sites ongoing
• Report on housing development opportunities
by 11/2022
Strategic Priority #2 Community Well Being: Ensure safe and inclusive neighborhoods where everyone can thrive.
Goal 2.1: Facilitate the development of a quality and diverse housing supply that is available and affordable to a wide range of income levels.
Applicability to to Envision Riverside 2025 Strategic Plan:
DRAFT
Availability of Services, with a
Focus on Physical and Mental Health
Substance Use Disorder Treatment
Action 2a. Partner with local universities to implement the Social Work Intern Program at the Riverside Access Center and libraries where social worker students will provide homeless individuals and low- income residents with resources to address individual’s needs.
Action 2b. Partner with a qualified organization to provide Trauma Informed Care, Harm Reduction, and Motivational Interviewing training to the Public Safety and Engagement Team (PSET), Parks Area Neighborhood Specialist (PANS), Street Outreach, and contracted partners who work directly with individuals experiencing homelessness to create a space to openly communicate with clients and support them in being active leaders of their own health and wellness journey.
Action 2c. To help understand the gaps in services, the City will receive from the County on a quarterly basis a performance outcome report on ETS/IF, ARC/Sobering Center and the Restorative Transformation Center. Data should include: (1) Client demographic breakdown, (2) Referral type, (3) Referral cities, (4) Average length of stay, (5) Discharge reasons, (6) discharge type.
Action 2d. Advocate for state and federal resources needed to support expansion of mental health and substance abuse treatment programs throughout the Riverside County region.
GOAL #2
DRAFT
GOAL MEASUREMENT • Bi-Annual report to City Council on number of unduplicated individuals assisted and referrals
and resources provided through the Social
Work Intern Program, PSET, PANS and Outreach
programs.
• PSET, PANS and Outreach Workers team
members completed the Trauma Informed
Care, Harm Reduction, and Motivational
Interviewing training
• Reduce homelessness among chronic
homelessness experiencing substance use
disorder by 5%
GOAL OWNERSHIP
• Office of Homeless Solution - Homeless Services
• City of Riverside Libraries
• PSET
• PANS
LEVERAGED CITY RESOURCES • Proposed City’s American Rescue Plan Act • Measure Z
TIMELINE
Strategic Priority #2 Community Well Being: Ensure safe and inclusive neighborhoods where everyone can thrive.
Goal 2.2: Collaborate with partner agencies to improve household resiliency and reduce the incidence and duration of homelessness.
Applicability to Envision Riverside 2025 Strategic Plan:
DRAFT
Action 3a: Create a one point of contact with the County of Riverside Housing and Workforce Solutions for households at-risk of becoming homeless to assist at-risk households with rental assistance and root causes.
Action 3b:
Connect Riverside County Office of Education and Alvord and Riverside Unified School Districts to resources available to families at-risk of becoming homelessness.
Action 3b:
Reduce Previously Justice-Involved Homelessness by applying with Religious Services
to gain access to Robert Presley Detention Center to connect with individuals who self-identify as homeless and assist with developing a release plan to support individuals u
pon release empowering the individual to leverage available resources and shelter options decreasing homelessness among justice-involved individuals.
Action 3c: Connect seniors who are at or over the age of 65, blind and or disabled with the Riverside County In-Home Supportive Services Program IHSS program to age in place.
Action 3d: Assist seniors who are at or over the age of 65, blind and or be disabled with
aging in place by participating in a shared housing program or the Riverside County In- Home Supportive Services Program IHSS program
Action 3e: Create a shared housing program aimed at reducing and preventing homelessness by providing low-income individuals with safe, stable, affordable housing and reduce dependence on public funds.
Prevent Homelessness
GOAL #3
DRAFT
GOAL MEASUREMENT • Bi-Annual report to City Council on number of unduplicated households assisted, referrals
and resources provided, including workforce
development and mainstream benefits and
housing retention rate.
• Gain access to the Robert Presley Detention
Center to connect individuals who self-identify
as homeless with programs and resources upon
release. Provide an Annual report on homeless
individuals released from the Robert Presley
Detention Center, including referrals and
resources provided.
• Bi-annual report on the County’s Riverside
Inmate Destination Endeavor (RIDE) Program,
which provides transportation for individuals
released from the Robert Presley Detention
Center to their place of origin.
GOAL OWNERSHIP
• Office of Homeless Solution - Homeless Services
• Riverside County Housing & Workforce Solutions
• Riverside County Department of Social Services
• United Way
• Riverside County Office of Education
• Riverside Unified School Districts
• Alvord School District
LEVERAGED CITY RESOURCES • Emergency Rental Assistance Grant • Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention
Program
• Measure Z
TIMELINE
Strategic Priority #2 Community Well Being: Ensure safe and inclusive neighborhoods where everyone can thrive.
Goal 2.2: Collaborate with partner agencies to improve household resiliency and reduce the incidence and duration of homelessness.
Applicability to Envision Riverside 2025 Strategic Plan:
DRAFT
Action 4a. Release a Request for Proposals for alternative emergency housing types for a non-congregate emergency shelter to be developed on a City- owned property owed by Public Works to provide wrap-around services specific to unique needs. Present proposals and development costs to the Housing & Homeless Committee.
Action 4b. Identify vacant buildings to acquire and rehabilitate for non- congregate shelter and present potential acquisitions and rehabilitation costs to the Housing & Homeless Committee.
Action 4c. Identify and create adequate storage for emergency shelter program participant’s belongings and include storage needs for addressing encampments
Increase Availability and
Effectiveness of Emergency Shelter
GOAL #4
DRAFT
GOAL MEASUREMENT • Increase non-congregate emergency shelter beds
• Annual report to City Council on number of
unduplicated individuals assisted, resources
and referrals provided, and shelter exit
destination
• Identify and create adequate storage for
emergency storage for emergency shelter
program participant’s belongings and include
storage needs for addressing encampments
GOAL OWNERSHIP
• Office of Homeless Solutions –
Homeless Services
• Community & Economic Development
Department
• Public Works Department
• General Services
• PSET
LEVERAGED CITY RESOURCES • Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program
• Measure Z
TIMELINE
Strategic Priority #2 Community
Well Being: Ensure safe and
inclusive neighborhoods where
everyone can thrive.
Goal 2.2: Collaborate with partner
agencies to improve household
resiliency and reduce the
incidence and duration of
homelessness.
Strategic Priority #2
High Performing Government:
Provide world class public
service
Goal 5.3: Enhance
communication and
collaboration with community
members to improve
transparency, build public trust,
and encourage shared
decision-making.
Applicability to Envision Riverside 2025 Strategic Plan:
DRAFT
Action 5a. Create a new Marketing Campaign to increase awareness and share resources with the community through libraries, schools, hospitals, and other social service entities.
Action 5b. Implement a “Who to Call” flyer for residents and businesses needing assistance with homeless related issues.
Action 5c. Create a reporting dashboard on housing and homeless programs and 311 and Riverside Police Department calls for services related to homelessness to regularly track data and progress.
Action 5d. Continue/increase participation in networking and collaborative meetings with service organizations, churches, businesses, police and other city/county officials.
Action 5e. Update the Office of Homeless Solutions website to list programs and resources for homeless individuals and families, veterans, and low-income households.
Action 5f. Sharing updates and stories to highlight needs, gaps and successes.
Expand Public Awareness
GOAL #5
DRAFT
GOAL MEASUREMENT • Released the new Marketing Campaign to increase awareness of homelessness and
programs and resources available to address
homelessness
• Marketed the “Who to Call” flyer for
residents
and businesses needing assistance
with
homeless related issues.
• Completed a reporting dashboard on housing
and homeless programs and 311 and Riverside
Police Department calls for services related to
homelessness that is updated quarterly
• Bi-annual report to City Council on
collaborative efforts with service organizations,
churches, businesses, police and city/county
officials.
• Updated the Office of Homeless Solutions
website to list housing, homeless and
employment programs and resources and
data dashboard
GOAL OWNERSHIP • Office of Homeless Solutions –
Homeless Services
• Office of Communications
LEVERAGED CITY RESOURCES • City of Riverside Housing Authority • Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention
Program
• Measure Z
TIMELINE
Strategic Priority #2 Community Well Being: Ensure safe and inclusive neighborhoods where everyone can thrive.
Goal 2.2: Collaborate with partner agencies to improve household resiliency and reduce the incidence and duration of homelessness.
Goal 2.3. Strengthen neighborhood identities and improve community health and the physical environment through amenities and programs that foster an increased sense of community and enhanced feelings of pride and belonging citywide.
Applicability to Envision Riverside 2025 Strategic Plan:
DRAFT
Action 6a. Identify programming needs by subregions through the Riverside County Continuum of Care (CoC) by: (1) identifying subregion areas, and (2) creating a subcommittee of the CoC Policy and Advocacy Committee made up of an elected official from each City and a County of Board Supervisor representative. The subcommittee will:
• Analyze shelter bed needs and a plan on how to fund and implement these programs in the subregions
• Analyze housing needs and identify opportunities for the creation of transitional, permanent supportive housing and permanent housing • Identify permanent funding opportunities to address subregion needs for affordable housing and homeless programs
Build a Coordinated
Regional Infrastructure.
GOAL #6
DRAFT
GOAL MEASUREMENT • Identified County subregion areas and created a subcommittee of the CoC
Policy and Advocacy Committee to
address housing and homeless needs
• Completed a shelter bed needs
analysis and how to fund and
implement these programs in the
subregions
• Completed a housing needs analysis
for the subregions and opportunities for
the creation of transitional, permanent
supportive housing and permanent
housing.
• Identified a permanent funding
opportunity to address subregion needs
for affordable housing and homeless
programs
GOAL OWNERSHIP
• Office of Homeless Solutions –
Homeless Services
• CoC Policy and Advocacy Committee
LEVERAGED CITY RESOURCES • Office of Homeless Solutions – Housing Authority & Homeless Services
TIMELINE
Strategic Priority #2 Community Well Being: Ensure safe and inclusive neighborhoods where everyone can thrive.
Goal 2.2: Collaborate with partner agencies to improve household resiliency and reduce the incidence and duration of homelessness.
Applicability to Envision Riverside 2025 Strategic Plan:
DRAFT
RiversideCA.gov/HomelessSolutions
DRAFT