County of Riverside awarded $11 million to help homeless persons living in encampments to enter housing
October 27, 2022
The State of California awarded $11 million to The Riverside County Department of Housing and Workforce Solutions-Continuum of Care Division to fund comprehensive, compassionate, and innovative efforts that will serve more than 200 residents living in the Santa Ana River Bottom (SAR).
This critical funding will cover costs towards a SAR multidisciplinary team made up of the following Riverside County Departments: Housing & Workforce Solutions, Riverside University Health System-Behavioral Health, Department of Animal Services, RivCo Parks, as well as the cities Corona, Norco, Riverside, Eastvale and Jurupa Valley. In addition, local homeless service providers, including the Path of Life Ministries and City Net will participate in the team.
Led by Second District Supervisor Karen Spiegel, the collaborative SAR multidisciplinary team has convened since April 2021 to provide a compassionate and humane response. The team coordinates responses to rehouse those living in the SAR area, remove and mitigate physical encampments, as well as conduct clean-up, maintenance and habitat restoration.
Since this collaborative was formed, 332 encampment individuals have been engaged in services, shelter, and housing by integrating county and city funding resources.
“We are excited to continue these efforts. This funding will allow us to build on the momentum to serve and house additional homeless persons remaining in the Santa Ana River Bottom,” says Tanya Torno, Deputy Director for the Housing and Workforce Solutions Continuum of Care Division.
