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Housing and Homelessness Committee
September 28, 2026
AMARI’S PLACE – PROPOSED STRTP FOR
PREGNANT AND PARENTING TEENS
Housing and Human Services
RiversideCA.gov
2 • Leap for Joy Foundation proposes to acquire 775 Huston Street and establish Amari’s Place, a Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTP)
• Proposed population: pregnant and parenting teens experiencing or at risk of homelessness
• Program model combines housing, treatment, education, health care, parenting support, and transitional services
• 24-hour supervision with a trauma-informed and culturally responsive approach
• City funding request: $1,283,000 in HHAP-4 grant funds
PROPOSAL
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3 • More than 30,000 youth ages 0–21 are in foster care in California; approximately 640 foster youth are currently parenting. • Expectant and parenting foster youth may face trauma, mental health challenges, housing instability, disrupted education, and commercial sexual exploitation. • Riverside teens may also face housing instability, limited health care access, and interruptions to education. • Existing services can be fragmented, making coordinated housing, health, behavioral health, education, and supportive services difficult to access. • Few STRTP beds in California are specifically dedicated to pregnant and parenting youth.
STATEMENT OF NEED
RiversideCA.gov
4 • California-licensed residential programs providing intensive treatment and supportive services for foster youth with significant mental health and therapeutic needs. • Established through California’s Continuum of Care Reform (CCR), enacted in 2015 and implemented beginning in 2017. • Replaced the prior group home model. • Designed to provide short-term, trauma-informed care that stabilizes youth and supports transition to family-based or other appropriate placements. • Amari’s Place is proposed as a specialized residential resource for pregnant and parenting teens.
SHORT-TERM RESIDENTIAL THERAPEUTIC PROGRAMS
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6 • Provide stable housing and supportive services to pregnant and parenting teens experiencing or at risk of homelessness. • Improve maternal and infant health outcomes through coordinated care. • Support educational attainment, career development and employment opportunities. • Reduce the likelihood of repeat teen pregnancies through reproductive health education and supportive services. • Increase long-term housing stability and self-sufficiency.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
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7 • Program expected to operate year-round with structured quarterly evaluations. • Anticipated collaboration with state and county social service agencies, Inland Empire Health Plan, nonprofit organizations, youth advisors and educational institutions. • Program sustainability is anticipated through a direct contract between Leap for Joy Foundation and the California Department of Social Services. • Transition planning would be coordinated with Olive Crest and other transitional housing providers in the Inland Empire. • Performance measures include participants served, education/training completion, employment and career outcomes, health outcomes, housing stability and participant/parent feedback.
PROGRAM OPERATIONS & PARTNERSHIPS
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9 • HHAP-4 funds would support property acquisition, rehabilitation and program start-up costs. • If awarded, the City would place a 20-year covenant on the property. • The covenant would restrict use of the property in accordance with City funding requirements. • City of Riverside residents would receive first priority for available program services. • Using HHAP-4 preserves CDBG resources for capital improvement projects and other eligible activities that cannot be funded with HHAP-4.
CITY FUNDING REQUEST
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11 • 24/7 supervision and compliance with applicable STRTP requirements. • Renovate and maintain the property to contribute positively to neighborhood appearance and stability. • Provide bilingual English/Spanish and culturally responsive support. • Continue community engagement and provide opportunities for resident input. • Attend monthly neighborhood association meetings. • Provide regular project updates and host a community open house after renovations. • Continue engagement with immediate neighbors to build relationships and address questions proactively.
COMMUNITY COMMITTMENTS
RiversideCA.gov
12 RECOMMENDATION
That the Housing and Homelessness Committee conceptually approve a proposal from Leap for Joy Foundation to acquire the residential property located at 775 Huston Street, Riverside, California 92507, and provide $1,283,000 in Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Round 4 grant funds for the property acquisition and program start-up costs to establish a short-term residential treatment program for pregnant teens; and forward the recommendation to the City Council for consideration.