City of Riverside to Conduct Homelessness and Public Safety Workshop
Published: 9/28/2021
Riverside residents who are interested in learning what steps the City of Riverside is taking to reduce the incidence of homelessness, as well as options for future action, can attend or watch a homelessness and public safety workshop starting at 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 30.
The meeting will be held in the City Council chambers at City Hall, 3900 Main St. in downtown Riverside. It can be viewed at www.RiversideCA.gov/Meeting or www.WatchRiverside.com.
Anyone wishing to provide an eComment before the meeting, learn how to provide a live comment in person or by phone during the meeting, view the agenda, read a dozen staff reports and presentations, or watch the meeting later can access those options at EngageRiverside.com by clicking on the “Council/Board Meetings” tab.
Who: Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson and members of the Riverside City Council will hear presentations from a dozen entities that work on the homelessness issue, from the City’s Office of Homeless Solutions and the Riverside Police Department to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, Riverside University Health System, and more.
What: The City Council will consider a draft Memorandum of Understanding for the Riverside Homeless Initiative between the City and County of Riverside; discuss ways to reduce unauthorized patient drop-offs within the City of Riverside; and explore options for lobbying the state legislature to invest in state hospitals and correctional facilities to meet the needs of California’s population.
When: Live coverage at 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 30, with video available at EngageRiverside.com.
Where: In person meeting at City Council chambers, Riverside City Hall, 3900 Main St., between 9th and 10th streets. Video that can be viewed live or later will be available at EngageRiverside.com.
Why: Homelessness remains the biggest issue in Riverside, accounting for 4,445 total calls for service in fiscal year 2020/21, the most of any issue reported to the City's 311 service.
The most recent Point-in-Time Count, conducted in January 2020, found 587 unsheltered homeless individuals in Riverside, a 34 percent increase from the previous year. That 587 number also represented 27 percent of individuals experiencing homelessness who were counted across Riverside County. The next PITC is scheduled for January 2022.
Top causes of homelessness include the lack of affordable housing, unemployment, poverty, mental illness, substance abuse, and unplanned events, such as an illness, death of a primary income earner, divorce, or disability.
How: A copy of the agenda, with links to all of the presentations, can be found here.
A copy of the staff report can be found here.
An eComment can be provided here.
The objectives of a five-year plan to end homelessness can be found here.
The draft Memorandum of Understanding between the City and the County can be found here.
