City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: APRIL 7, 2026 FROM: HOUSING AND HUMAN SERVICES WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: RATIFY A SUBRECIPIENT AGREEMENT FOR THE HOMELESS HOUSING, ASSISTANCE AND PREVENTION ROUND 3 THROUGH 5, WITH PATH OF LIFE MINISTRIES OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, FOR THE SOCIAL WORK INTERNSHIP PROGRAM CALLED THE LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR COLLABORATIVE AT EIGHT RIVERSIDE PUBLIC LIBRARY LOCATIONS TO CONDUCT NEEDS ASSESSMENT, FOR THE TERM OF MARCH 1, 2026 THROUGH FEBRUARY 29, 2028, IN THE AMOUNT OF $500,000 ISSUE:
Ratify a Subrecipient Agreement for the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Round 3 through 5 with Path of Life Ministries of Riverside, California, for the Social Work Internship Program called the Love Your Neighbor Collaborative at eight Riverside Public Library locations to conduct needs assessment, for the term of March 1, 2026, through February 28, 2028, in the amount of $500,000.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Ratify a Subrecipient Agreement for the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Round 3 through 5 with Path of Life Ministries of Riverside, California, for the Social Work Internship Program called the Love Your Neighbor Collaborative at eight Riverside Public Library locations, for the term of March 1, 2026, through February 28, 2028, in the amount of $500,000; and Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the Subrecipient Agreement for the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Round 3 through 5 with Path of Life Ministries, including making minor and non-substantive changes and contract extensions subject to availability of funding.
BACKGROUND:
On January 10, 2023, the City Council approved an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Subrecipient Agreement with Path of Life Ministries (POLM) in the amount of $200,000 to implement a Social Work Internship Program known as the Love Your Neighbor Collaborative (LYNC) at Riverside Public Library locations. The approval authorized minor and non-substantive changes and contract extensions, subject to the availability of funding.
On August 8, 2024, the City Council approved a First Amendment to the ARPA Subrecipient Agreement with POLM in the amount of $241,340 to expand the Social Work Internship Program to eight Riverside Public Library locations for the period of July 1, 2024, through February 28, 2026.
Need for Services
The Riverside Public Library serves a significant number of individuals experiencing homelessness and individuals with mental health and related challenges. Reported incidents related to homelessness at Library facilities are as follows:
Fiscal Year
No. of Incidents
2021/2022
309
2022/2023
319
2023/2024
299
2024/2025
346
While incident levels fluctuated slightly over time, Fiscal Year 2024/2025 reflects an increase, further demonstrating the continued need for on-site supportive services.
Consisted with best practices implemented by public library systems throughout the United States, including the San Francisco Public Library, Riverside Public Library identified the need to embed social work services within library facilities to better assist vulnerable patrons.
Program Overview
To address this need, the Library partnered with POLM to implement the LYNC, a Social Work Internship Program that utilizes undergraduate and graduate level social work students to provide outreach and engagement, intake and needs assessments, case management services, and referrals to housing and supportive resources services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness. The program connects participants to critical resources intended to increase stability and promote long-term independence.
Initially, POLM placed social work interns at three library locations - Main Library, Arlington, and SPC Jesus S. Duran Eastside - on a rotating basis under the supervision of licensed social work professionals. Based on incident data and service demand, interns were prioritized at these sites, with planned expansion to La Sierra and Marcy Library locations as the program grows.
Intern schedules align with academic calendars and library operating hours. Interns conduct outreach, complete intake assessments, provide case management services, and connect individuals to housing resources, employment services, public benefits, healthcare services, mental health treatment, and other supportive services. Interns also participate in structured needs assessments in collaboration with supervisors and partnering academic institutions.
Data Collection and Program Evaluation
The program includes systematic data collection to track participant demographics (age, race, ethnicity, income, and household composition), service utilization, and referral outcomes. Data gathered through needs assessments is used to identify service gaps, inform workshop development, and determine whether underserved or disproportionately impacted populations require targeted interventions. Funding is deployed in phases to ensure program sustainability and continued community benefit.
Program evaluation includes review of measurable performance outcomes, including:
Shelter placement;
Obtaining or retaining permanent housing;
Earnings and employment outcomes; and
Improvements in physical and mental health status.
Partnerships and Staffing
Since its launch in January 2023, POLM partnered with multiple higher education institutions to place interns at Riverside library sites. Participating institutions have included Loma Linda University, La Sierra University, University of Texas at Arlington, Tulane University, Walden University, California State University Fullerton, California Baptist University, and Los Angeles Pacific University. To date, nine (9) interns have served across three library sites for varying durations.
An Advisory Board comprised of educational and civic leaders was established to provide program oversight and academic alignment.
Calendar Year 2025 Activity
During Calendar Year 2025, services were supported by one full-time Social Work Specialist and 15 social work interns.
Collectively, interns contributed 1,546 in-kind service hours. These in-kind contributions represent a significant staffing investment dedicated to outreach, engagement, intake, case management, and referral services for individuals experiencing homelessness and related challenges within Riverside Public Library locations.
The outcomes achieved through these services during Calendar Year 2025 are detailed below.
Services
Main
Arlington
SPC Jesus S. Duran Eastside Library (ended on 4/10/25)
La Sierra (est. 8/12/25)
Contacts
209
75 36
9 Shelter referral
17 7
1 1
Housing navigation support and/or referral
63 16
6 1
Legal assistance referral
2 1
0 0
Transportation (i.e. bus passes, gas cards)
33 14
6 1
Mainstream benefits
25 9
3 1
Application assistance (state ID, SSC, birth certificate) 2 1
0 0
Homeless prevention support and/or referral
28 9
4 1
Life skills education
124
4 20
2 Outreach referral
9 9
0 0
Food and material goods
70 36
14 2
Workforce/Employment referrals
33 8
4 1
Recovery referrals
2 1
1 0
Mental health referrals
6 9
2 0
Medical services referrals
5 4
0 0
DISCUSSION:
The Riverside Public Library has coordinated with the Housing and Human Services Department regarding a funding request of $500,000 in Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) funds to continue implementation of the LYNC Program for a two-year period in partnership with POLM. The funding requested will support one (1) Program Supervisor and one (1) full-time Social Work Specialist, who will oversee a minimum of eight (8) social work interns.
The proposed activities are consistent with HHAP-eligible uses, including street outreach, housing navigation, case management, service coordination, and systems support through participation in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS).
The new Subrecipient Agreement for the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention Round 3, 4, and 5 with POLM for the LYNC Program begin on March 1, 2026, immediately following expiration of the prior agreement on February 28, 2026.
The LYNC Program embeds supervised social work services within public library locations, which serve as trusted and accessible community hubs for individuals experiencing homelessness. Through this model, trained social work interns, under the supervision of a full-time Social Work Specialist, conduct proactive engagement with individuals who may not otherwise access traditional homeless service systems. This approach aligns with HHAP’s emphasis on low-barrier access, early intervention, diversion, and connection to housing-focused services.
Intern schedules will align with academic calendars and library operating hours to ensure consistent service availability. Interns will provide outreach, intake, needs assessment, and ongoing case management services, rotating among eight (8) Riverside Public Library locations. Services will include:
Housing problem-solving and navigation;
Referrals to emergency shelter and interim housing;
Connections to permanent housing resources;
Enrollment in Mainstream benefits;
Employment and income stabilization services;
Referrals to mental health and recovery and recovery services; and Coordination with local homeless service providers.
Participant demographic information including age, race, ethnicity, income, and household composition will continue to be collected to ensure compliance with HHAP data requirements and to identify underserved and disproportionately impacted populations. Needs assessments data will inform targeted interventions and workshop development designed to reduce barriers to housing stability.
All required participant-level data and service encounters will be entered into the Riverside County HMIS, supporting regional coordination, system performance measurement, and compliance with state reporting requirements.
Funding will support phased and sustainable program implementation, ensuring service continuity and long-term integration within the City’s homeless response framework.
By embedding housing-focused outreach and case management services within library facilities, the LYNC Program strengthens the local homeless response system, expands access to coordinated entry, and advances HHAP’s core objective of reducing and preventing homelessness through housing-centered outcome-driven interventions.
The original agreement was approved by City Council in accordance with Purchasing Resolution 23256, Section 702 Exceptions which states, “Competitive Procurement through the Informal Procurement and Formal Procurement process shall not be required in any of the following circumstances: (t) When approved by the Manager, Services not subject to the bidding requirements of Section 1109 of the City Charter, which are of such a nature that suitable technical or performance specifications describing them are not readily available and cannot be developed in a timely manner to meet the needs of the City, in which case the Manager shall be authorized to negotiate with any Person or Persons for the Procurement thereof upon the price, terms and conditions need by the Manager to be in the best interest of the City and in doing so may utilize Informal Procurement or Negotiated Procurement process.” Purchasing Resolution 24101, Section 702 Exceptions states "Competitive Procurement through the Informal Procurement and Formal Procurement process shall not be required in any of the following circumstances: (w) When approved by the Manager, Services not subject to the bidding requirements of Section 1109 of the City Charter, which are of such a nature that suitable technical or performance specifications describing them are not readily available and cannot be developed in a timely manner to meet the needs of the City, in which case the Manager shall be authorized to negotiate with any Person or Persons for the Procurement thereof upon the price, terms and conditions need by the Manager to be in the best interest of the City and in doing so may utilize Informal Procurement or Negotiated Procurement process.” The Purchasing Manager concurs that the recommendation actions are in accordance with Purchasing Resolution 24101, Section 702(w).
The Library Director concurs with this report.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of the action is $500,000. Funding is available in the accounts as shown in the table below.
Fund
Account Name
Account Number
Amount
Development Grants
HHAP3 Street Outreach
9344430-440210
$83,333.33
HHAP4 Street Outreach
9347520-440210
$229,166.67
HHAP5 Service Coordination
9351050-440210
$187,500.00
Total
$500,000.00
Prepared by: Michelle Davis, Housing and Human Services Director Certified as to
availability of funds: Julie Nemes, Interim Finance Director Approved by: Krist Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachments:
Subrecipient Agreement for the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention Round 3, 4, and 5 with Path of Life Ministries for the Love Your Neighbor Collaborative Subrecipient Agreement for HHAP Grant Rounds 3 – 5 with Path of Life Ministries for LYNC ● Page 2