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City Attorney’s Office
3750 UNIVERSITY AVE. #250
Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 826-5567
ORDINANCE NO._____________ AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING TITLE 9 OF THE RIVERSIDE MUNICIPAL CODE BY ADDING CHAPTER 9.56 REPORTING OF TRANSPORT OF PERSONS WHO LACK A FIXED, REGULAR, AND ADEQUATE NIGHTTIME RESIDENCE.
WHEREAS, homelessness continues to be one of the most pressing social challenges facing our local community; and
WHEREAS, on any given night in 2024, over 187,000 people experienced homelessness in California; and
WHEREAS, data from the State’s Homeless Data Integration System shows over 308,000 people experiencing homelessness in California accessing services over the course of one year.
Despite more than 300,000 people cycling through homelessness statewide, data from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Housing Inventory Count showed that in 2024, California had only 76,000 sheltered beds and 79,000 units of permanent supportive housing; and
WHEREAS, Welfare and Institutions Code § 17000 provides: “Every county and every city and county shall relieve and support all incompetent, poor, indigent persons, and those incapacitated by age, disease, or accident, lawfully resident therein, when such person are not supported and relieved by their relatives or friends, by their own means, or by state hospitals or other state of private institutions”; and
WHEREAS, Government Code § 65580 requires all local governments “…to facilitate the improvement and development of housing to make adequate provision for the housing needs of all economic segments of the community.” Government Code § 65583(7) also requires public entities to conduct an analysis of special housing needs including housing for those who are in need of emergency shelter; and
WHEREAS, homelessness is a regional issue because the geographic distribution of homelessness reveals stark disparities, with a significant portion concentrated in populous communities that have homeless shelters and provide supportive services. In order to fairly address these issues, public agencies need to partner and work together collaboratively to focus on creating
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28 City Attorney’s Office
3750 UNIVERSITY AVE. #250
Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 826-5567
long-term solutions instead of disproportionately burdening the cities that provide more robust homeless services than their neighboring public agencies. As set forth above, every public agency is legally responsible to support their own indigent population; and WHEREAS, the City Council is committed to protecting the life, health, and safety of its residents. As a result, the City of Riverside (“City”) adopted a Homelessness Action Plan, which focuses on reducing homelessness by expanding affordable housing, increasing access to supportive services, and implementing a whole-person care approach to homelessness; and WHEREAS, the City has experienced significant increases in homelessness in recent years.
The City is home to the Robert Presley Detention Center, Path of Life Ministries Homeless Shelter, County mental health and substance abuse programming facilities, and several regional hospitals which contribute to an influx of unhoused individuals who originate from neighboring public agencies and come to the City; and
WHEREAS, the 2025 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count administered by the County of Riverside Continuum of Care reported 614 people were experiencing unsheltered homelessness within the City; and
WHEREAS, when other public agencies and other organizations drop unhoused individuals from other jurisdictions into the City, it ends up creating a nuisance for the City because some unhoused individuals from other jurisdictions end up refusing services, going back onto the streets, and committing crimes. Often the City has to expend public funds to abate homeless encampments.
Because dropping unhoused individuals in the City causes more unhoused individuals from other places of origin to remain in the City, it places a huge financial burden on the City to address the issues the drop-offs create; and
WHEREAS, there are recuperative care service providers in the City that accept unhoused patients from other jurisdictions when they are discharged from hospitals to provide them with additional wound care/medication distribution etc. up to 6 months post-discharge from a hospital.
When unhoused individuals reach their maximum length of stay or voluntarily decide to vacate, the recuperative care service provider is supposed to come up with an exit plan to connect them with other services, but often they do not and the unhoused individuals end up on the streets of Riverside. For
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28 City Attorney’s Office
3750 UNIVERSITY AVE. #250
Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 826-5567
example, in 2022, Helping Hearts Recuperative Care served 134 patients. 76 of those patients were non-Riverside residents. 41 of those non-Riverside resident patients (over half) exited the program and remained in the City after their recuperative care treatment. In 2024, those numbers grew: Helping Hearts Recuperative Care served 173 patients. 72 of those patients were non-Riverside residents. 51 of those non-Riverside resident patients exited the program and remained in the City after their recuperative care treatment; and
WHEREAS, in December 2025, two unhoused individuals were involved in an altercation near the bus stop on University Avenue. One of them was an unhoused individual who was not from the City who was unfortunately fatally stabbed. The victim was later confirmed to have originated from another jurisdiction and had recently been released from Riverside County Jail; and WHEREAS, an influx of homeless individuals from neighboring public agencies and other organizations takes allocated resources away from those unhoused individuals who the City is legally responsible to serve. Individuals transported to and dropped in the City without a safe or stable housing plan increases the City’s need for shelter, street-based services and further contributes to the City’s housing instability; and
WHEREAS, in order to mitigate the financial burden and negative impacts to the City of homeless individuals being dropped within its jurisdiction, it is necessary to establish coordination with service providers and increase access to housing navigation, case management, and behavioral health support, which can significantly reduce the likelihood of individuals suffering chronic homelessness from returning to the streets;
WHEREAS, the estimated fully burdened cost to the City to provide services when one (1) unhoused person is dropped into our community without any coordination and ends up on the streets is approximately $63,376.19 based on the table below:
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28 City Attorney’s Office
3750 UNIVERSITY AVE. #250
Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 826-5567
WHEREAS, the California Constitution grants charter cities the power to make and enforce all ordinances and regulations with respect to municipal affairs. Article XI, Section 7 of the California Constitution provides a city may make and enforce within its limits all police, sanitary and other ordinances and regulations not in conflict with general laws. The City of Riverside, as a charter city, by and through its City Council has and may exercise all powers necessary to ensure the general welfare of its inhabitants; and
WHEREAS, the minimal reporting requirements of this Ordinance will provide information necessary for the City: 1) to coordinate the City’s limited resources available to address the needs of those facing housing instability; 2) to mitigate the health and safety impacts associated with housing instability; 3) to identify the place of origin for unhoused persons being transported into the City to facilitate dialogue between jurisdictions to address the underlying conditions causing the inflow and to request the allocation of funding necessary to not overburden the City; and WHEREAS, this Ordinance does not prohibit any person or organization from directly providing support services to a person who is homeless or from assisting a person who is homeless with acts related to basic survival as outlined in Government Code Section 53069.44, including providing food/water/blankets/pillows/items to protect from the elements and items for immediate personal health and hygiene; and
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28 City Attorney’s Office
3750 UNIVERSITY AVE. #250
Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 826-5567
The City Council of the City of Riverside does ordain as follows:
Section 1: The Table of Contents for Title 9, Peace, Safety and Morals, is amended to add Chapter 9.56:
“Title 9 – Peace, Safety and Morals
Chapter 9.04 – OFFENSES
. . .
Chapter 9.56 – REPORTING OF TRANSPORT OF PERSONS WHO LACK A FIXED,
REGULAR, AND ADEQUATE NIGHTTIME RESIDENCE
. . .”
Section 2: Chapter 9.56 of the Riverside Municipal Code, entitled “Reporting of Transport of Persons who Lack a Fixed, Regular, and Adequate Nighttime Residence,” is added as follows:
“Chapter 9.56 – REPORTING OF TRANSPORT OF PERSONS WHO LACK A FIXED,
REGULAR, AND ADEQUATE NIGHTTIME RESIDENCE
Sections:
9.56.010 Purpose.
9.56.020 Duty to Report Transfer of Persons Who Lack a Fixed, Regular, and Adequate Nighttime Residence.
9.56.030 Enforcement and Severability.
Section 9.56.010 Purpose.
This chapter shall be known as the Reporting of Transport of Persons Who Lack a Fixed, Regular and Adequate Nighttime Residence Ordinance. The purpose of this chapter is to: (1) identify the place of origin for persons who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence in the City; (2) identify any County, City, other governmental entity, or other organization that transports persons who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence in the City; (3) require government agencies and other organizations to aid such persons by providing shelter, care, outreach, and other homelessness-related resources in their own jurisdictions rather than simply just transporting these individuals to the City; (4) manage and prioritize the City’s limited homelessness-related resources (including shelter and outreach) for the benefit of individuals who
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28 City Attorney’s Office
3750 UNIVERSITY AVE. #250
Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 826-5567
reside in or originate from the City; and (5) prevent government agencies and other organizations from engaging in cruel and inhumane treatment of unhoused individuals by merely dumping them in the City without any coordinated plan for services.
Section 9.56.020 Duty to Report Transfer of Persons Who Lack a Fixed, Regular, and Adequate Nighttime Residence.
A. Pre-scheduled drop-offs can only occur during normal business hours 8:00 am to 5:00 p.m. Sunday through Saturday.
B. Before any government entity or other organization, or employee or agent acting on behalf of any governmental entity or other organization can transport and drop off an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence on public property or private property that is accessible to the public in the City, the employee/agent acting on behalf of any governmental entity or other organization shall notify in writing via email the City Manager and the Director of Housing and Human Services for City of the transport and drop-off 24 hours in advance of the occurrence to ensure proper coordination so that the individual goes into supportive services and does not end up living on the streets in the City. When a public entity or other organization notifies the City of an upcoming drop-off, they must provide the following written information (“Initial Notice”) to the City to ensure continuity of services: 1) the name, address, phone number, and email address of the government entity or other organization providing the notice; 2) the date and time of the notification; 3) the staff person submitting the notification; 4) the full name (first name, last name, and middle initial), date of birth, phone number of the individual being transported and/or dropped off; 5) the location where the person named is being transported from; 6) the reason for transport (Shelter placement, Family Reunification, Medical/Behavioral Health, Other: _____); 7) the name, address, phone number and email of the organization to whom the person being transported is being delivered; 8) Whether the organization receiving the person being transported has confirmed the acceptance of the person prior to being transported; 9) a list of any conditions that the organization receiving the person being transported requires prior to their acceptance of that person; 10) the name and title of the staff person who has agreed to receive the person being transported; 11) the expected
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28 City Attorney’s Office
3750 UNIVERSITY AVE. #250
Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 826-5567
date, time, and mode of transportation by which the person is being transported; 12) the names and titles of staff members accompanying the person being transported; 13) whether the person being transported requires any assistance to maintain Activities of Daily Living (Y/N); 14) the criminal justice status of the person being transported (i.e. Probation/Parole (County:_____); 15) whether person being transported is required to be listed on Sex Offender Registry as per PC 290 (Y/N); 16) whether the person being transported has any Arson Related Restrictions (Y/N); C. 24 hours after submitting notice, as per section B above, and/or after any government entity or other organization, or any employee or agent acting on behalf of any governmental entity or other organization transports and/or drops off an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence on public property or private property that is accessible to the public in the City, the employee/agent acting on behalf of any governmental entity or other organization shall send via email a drop-off confirmation notice (“Confirmation Notice”) to: the City Manager and the Director of Housing and Human Services for City of Riverside of the status of the transport/drop-off to ensure proper coordination so that the individual goes into supportive services and does not end up living on the streets in the City. The notice shall include: 1) the name of the individual that was transported and/or the name of the person for whom the notice, as per Section A above, was submitted; 2) the exact drop-off location of the person that was transported; 3) the date and time of the drop-off; 4) whether the person being dropped off was successfully placed into services; 5) the name and title of the staff member that accepted the person being dropped-off into their services; 6) if person was not transported and/or successfully placed into services, an explanation of why the person was not transported and/or successfully placed, including a description of what happened to the person and whether any follow-up contact has been scheduled.
D. A person “lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence” within the meaning of subsection (A) when a person:
1. Has a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not meant for habitation; or
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28 City Attorney’s Office
3750 UNIVERSITY AVE. #250
Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 826-5567
2. Lives in a publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements (including congregate shelters, transitional housing, and hotels and motels paid for by charitable organizations or by federal, state, and local government programs); or
3. Is exiting an institution where he/she has resided for ninety days or less and who resided in an emergency shelter or place not meant for human habitation immediately before entering that institution; or
4. Is exiting a detention center in the City without having a primary nighttime residence in the City to go to after being released.
E. “Place of origin” for purposes of this section shall mean the city/state/jurisdiction in which the individual stayed for the majority of the six months immediately preceeding the pre- scheduled drop-off as evidenced by a driver’s license, identification card, or utility bill and excludes temporary stays at homeless shelters, sobering/recovery centers, medical facilities, or detention centers in the City.
F. Subsection (A) shall not be interpreted to prohibit the following activities:
1. Transporting a person to be booked into a county jail or admitted to a county- designated custody alternative facility (e.g., a county-designated sobering center); or
2. Transporting a person to be treated at a licensed hospital or medical facility;
4. Transporting a person to attend a verified appointment with a governmental or nonprofit social service provider;
5. Transporting a person to attend a verified hearing at the Riverside County Superior Court;
6. Any transportation or drop-off activities undertaken by the City within the City; or
7. The operations of a governmental provider of public transportation, such as the Riverside Transit Agency.
Section 9.56.030 Enforcement and Severability.
A. Any person, governmental entity, agency, or other organization who transports into the City of Riverside a person who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and who
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28 City Attorney’s Office
3750 UNIVERSITY AVE. #250
Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 826-5567
fails to comply with the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to an administrative citation for each day of non-compliance.
B. Unless otherwise specified herein, all administrative citations issued for violations of this chapter shall be subject to the provisions set forth in Chapter 1.17 of this Code, including, but not limited to, the administrative hearing and appeal process and the City's authority to use any civil remedy available to collect any unpaid administrative fines.
C. If any part or provision of this Chapter, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of the Chapter, including the application of that part or provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected thereby and shall continue in full force and effect. To this end, the provisions of this chapter are severable.” Section 3: The City Council has reviewed the matter and, by based upon the facts and information contained in the staff reports, administrative record, and written and oral testimony, hereby finds that this ordinance is not subject to CEQA pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2), 15060(c)(3) and/or 15061(b)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, in that it will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change.
Section 4: The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this ordinance and cause publication once in a newspaper of general circulation in accordance with Section 414 of the Charter of the City of Riverside. This ordinance shall become effective on the 30th day after the date of its adoption.
ADOPTED by the City Council this ____ day of ________________, 2026.
_____________________________________
PATRICIA LOCK DAWSON
Mayor of the City of Riverside
Attest:
______________________________
DONESIA GAUSE
City Clerk of the City of Riverside
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28 City Attorney’s Office
3750 UNIVERSITY AVE. #250
Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 826-5567
I, Donesia Gause, City Clerk of the City of Riverside, California, hereby certify that the foregoing ordinance was duly and regularly introduced at a meeting of the City Council on the _______ day of _______________, 2026, and that thereafter the said ordinance was duly and regularly adopted at a meeting of the City Council on the _________day of _____________, 2026, by the following vote, to wit:
Ayes: Noes: Absent: Abstain:
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City of Riverside, California, this ________ day of _____________, 2026.
_____________________________________ DONESIA GAUSE City Clerk of the City of Riverside
312726 SBM 05/07/26