City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND DATE: AUGUST 5, 2025
CITY COUNCIL
FROM: PUBLIC WORKS AND WARDS: 1,2,3,5,6,7
HOUSING AND HUMAN SERVICES
SUBJECT: ENCAMPMENT DELEGATED MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE AND THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION REGARDING ENCAMPENTS ON STATE RIGHT OF WAY – SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION ISSUE:
Approve an Encampment Delegated Maintenance Agreement between the City of Riverside and the State of California (State) to remove unpermitted encampments from State Right of Way.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Approve an Encampment Delegated Maintenance Agreement between the City of Riverside and the State of California to remove unpermitted encampments in the State Right of Way, including highway and freeway areas situated within the State’s jurisdictional limits as authorized under Streets and Highways Code Section 114 and 116; By at least five affirmative votes, authorize the Chief Financial Officer, or designee, to record an increase in revenue and appropriate expenditures of $400,000 in the Grants & Restricted Programs Fund, Homeless Encampment Clean-Up revenue and expenditure accounts ; and Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the Encampment Delegated Maintenance Agreement, including making minor and non-substantive changes, and to extend the Agreement in cooperation with the State.
BACKGROUND:
In accordance with Caltrans Maintenance Policy Directive (MPD) 1001-R1, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) does not permit encampments on its right of way. Caltrans’ goal is to maintain the integrity of the transportation network. Encampments degrade highway infrastructure and impact the maintenance and operation of the highway facilities. Removal of encampments mitigates health, safety, access and concealment issues for persons experiencing homelessness, the traveling public, adjacent neighborhoods, Caltrans staff and first responders.
DISCUSSION:
The Housing and Human Services Department Outreach Services Division is responsible for managing the Public Safety Engagement Team (PSET). The team provides outreach services for individuals experiencing homelessness and removes debris and materials that are in the public right of way.
Currently, the PSET team and Public Works Department routinely collaborate to report encampment concerns observed by residents or City forces in Caltrans right of way.
The City of Riverside is within Caltrans District 8, which covers both Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, with a total of 49 incorporated cities. District 8 is the largest of the 12 Caltrans districts statewide, with approximately 28,650 square miles of land, four interstates, and 32 state routes totaling 7,200 lane miles.
The City and Caltrans District 8 identified that it would be to our organizations’ mutual benefit to find ways to leverage the City’s proximity and ability to respond within its jurisdictional boundaries against the State’s financial resources.
To effectively meet Caltrans’ maintenance goals and to quickly respond to encampments on Caltrans right of way located in the City of Riverside, a Delegated Maintenance Agreement allowing the City to address encampments and remove associated debris has been developed. This is considered a pilot program by Caltrans. The Public Works Department maintains a close working relationship with Caltrans, often partnering in implementing traffic operational improvements, drainage system enhancements, responses to service requests, and major capital projects. Public Works is additionally accustomed to the Caltrans permitting process. As such, Public Works partnered with Housing and Human Services in developing the agreement.
A map of the planned service area is shown below, covering a total of 18.4 miles of freeway system:
The pass-through agreement will allow PSET team members and vendors an opportunity to directly attend to encampments reported by Riverside residents, in close coordination with Caltrans through June 30, 2027. The Housing and Human Services Outreach Services Division will bill Caltrans quarterly for maintenance costs. Total compensation associated with the Delegated Maintenance Agreement is a not to exceed $400,000. The PSET team holds contract agreements with four vendors to remove debris and materials from the public right of way and can accommodate service requests as outlined in the Delegated Maintenance Agreement.
Caltrans will continue to service the area in question; however, this agreement provides additional response capacity to help ensure timely and effective service.
The Housing and Human Services Director concurs with this report.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of the action is an increase in revenue and expenditures of up to $400,000 which are fully reimbursable by the State. Costs will be billed and payable by the State as incurred. Upon Council approval, an increase in revenue of $400,000 and an equal amount appropriated in the Grants and Restricted Programs Fund, Homeless Encampment Clean Up revenue account 9932100-339000 and expenditure account 9932100-440309. The total maximum expenditures per quarter are $50,000 unless approved in writing by Caltrans.
Prepared by: Nathan Mustafa, Deputy Public Works Director Approved by: Gilbert Hernandez, Public Works Director Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachments:
Agreement
Exhibits
Presentation
Caltrans Delegated Maintenance Agreement ● Page 2