Housing and Homelessness Committee Memorandum
TO: HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS DATE: APRIL 27, 2026
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
FROM: HOUSING AND HUMAN SERVICES WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: HOMELESSNESS ACTION PLAN UPDATE
ISSUE:
Receive a presentation on the Homelessness Action Plan update.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Committee receive and file the presentation on the Homelessness Action Plan update and provide any feedback on recommended changes including the following:
Replace any reference of Office of Homeless Solutions with Housing and Human Services; Change the reporting period to July 1st to June 30th;
Provide the Committee with annual updates in September; and Remove 7382 and 7384 Garden Street from the Housing First Plan sites.
BACKGROUND:
On October 11, 2022, the City Council approved the Homelessness Action Plan developed by the City of Riverside’s Office of Homeless Solutions in collaboration with the Housing and Homelessness Committee. The Plan builds on the Envision Riverside 2025 Strategic Plan, prior committee goals, and the City’s Housing First Policy, and establishes a comprehensive framework to address homelessness.
The Plan focuses on the following six key goals:
Development of the Plan included extensive stakeholder engagement, such as community meetings, Task Force discussions, partner input, and feedback from individuals experiencing homelessness. Input emphasized prioritizing vulnerable populations, expanding low-barrier and creative housing solutions, and fostering collective regional action.
The Plan aligns with state funding requirements, including the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) grants and HOME Investment Partnerships-American Rescue Plan, and incorporates data from the 2022 Point-in-Time Count and stakeholder feedback to identify service gaps and target subpopulations. The Plan also reflects City Council direction on regional coordination, public safety considerations, and program evaluation.
Designed as a living document, the Homelessness Action Plan includes defined actions, timelines, partnerships, and performance measures, and will be updated as needed to respond to evolving community needs.
DISCUSSION:
Progress on the Homelessness Action Plan continues to align with the six adopted strategic goals, with varying levels of advancement across each focus area. Updates on each goal are summarized in the attached presentation.
Efforts to increase housing production with a focus on affordability have resulted in measurable progress, particularly through new development initiatives and partnerships aimed at expanding affordable housing stock. However, ongoing challenges related to funding, land availability, and regulatory timelines continue to impact the pace of delivery.
On March 13, 2018, the City Council approved a Housing First Plan identifying 21 sites, three in each Ward, for potential supportive housing development following an extensive community engagement process. To date, four of these sites have been developed, resulting in 131 permanent supportive housing (PSH) units, with an additional 22 PSH units currently under construction. Staff recommends removing 7382 and 7384 Garden Street from the Housing First Plan sites, as the site is being developed by Habitat for Humanity for homeownership units.
To expand service availability, the City has increased access to supportive programs, including outreach, case management, and behavioral health services. While these efforts have improved service reach, demand continues to exceed capacity, highlighting the need for sustained investment and enhanced coordination among service providers.
Homelessness prevention strategies have gained traction through rental assistance programs, eviction prevention efforts, and early intervention initiatives. These programs have demonstrated effectiveness in stabilizing at-risk households; however, rising housing costs and broader economic pressures remain significant risk factors.
The provision of emergency shelter has seen incremental improvements, including increased bed capacity. Despite this progress, shelter demand remains high, particularly during peak periods, underscoring the importance of both short-term capacity solutions and long-term housing pathways.
Staff is collaborating with the Office of Communications to develop a targeted outreach campaign highlighting the City’s efforts to address homelessness and identifying meaningful opportunities for community involvement. Continued education and outreach will be critical to building public support, reducing stigma, and encouraging sustained community engagement in solutions.
Staff has also advanced efforts to strengthen regional coordination by developing a more integrated system of collaboration among neighboring jurisdictions and partner agencies. A subcommittee of interested cities is being formed to explore opportunities to expand shelter capacity and affordable housing across the region. While these efforts are expected to improve system efficiency, continued alignment of policies, data systems, and funding strategies will be essential to achieving a seamless and effective regional response.
To enhance performance tracking and accountability across all six goals, staff will incorporate standardized data metrics into ArcGIS and Microsoft Lists to ensure consistent data collection, monitoring, and reporting. This approach will improve transparency, support data-driven decision-making, and strengthen the City’s ability to evaluate progress over time.
Additionally, staff is requesting the Homelessness Action Plan reporting period to align with the City’s fiscal year, spanning July 1 through June 30. Aligning performance reporting with the fiscal year will improve consistency with budgeting, resource allocation, and annual reporting processes. Staff will present an annual report each September to the Committee summarizing the Plan’s performance outcomes and identifying any recommended adjustments.
Overall, while meaningful progress has been made across all six goals, variations in outcomes highlights the need for continued focus on resource allocation, interagency coordination, and performance monitoring to ensure sustained and equitable progress in addressing homelessness.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact related to this staff report.
Prepared by: Michelle Davis, Housing and Human Services Director Certified as to
availability of funds: Julie Nemes, Interim Finance Director Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachments:
Homelessness Action Plan
Housing First Plan Sites
Presentation
Homelessness Action Plan ● Page 9