Riverside County receives $10 million for homeless assistance programs
Multiple projects in Riverside County will receive funds for homeless shelter expansions, outreach and other programs, due to a $10.02 million state allocation, county officials announced Tuesday.
“This new investment from the state is very exciting,” said Natalie Komuro, county Deputy Executive Officer for Homelessness Solutions. “It gives us the opportunity to accelerate the response to homelessness, particularly in areas that have historically had no homeless programs.”
The largest chunk of the disbursal — $9.3 million — comes from the California Homeless Emergency Aid Program, while a smaller sum — $727,119 — is being drawn from the California Emergency Solutions & Housing Program, according to the county Department of Public Social Services.
The funds were authorized based on the county’s ongoing compliance with U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development Continuum of Care standards, under which the county is expected to devote resources to solutions that ultimately reduce or end homelessness countywide.
A total of 18 projects are in line to receive portions of the state disbursal, according to DPSS.
The agency highlighted the following recipients:
— $370,900 for the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission in Indio,
increasing the bed count by 50;
— $489,590 for Operation Safe House in Riverside, for a street youth
outreach program and repairs to roof of a youth shelter;
— $1.79 million for Social Work Action Group of Perris, for the
acquisition of 18 transitional housing units; and
— $588,497 for Martha’s Village & Kitchen in Indio, for recuperative
care and employment assistance programs.
According to DPSS, the funding will be distributed between March 20 and June 21.
The county’s 2019 Point-in-Time Homeless Count was completed in January, and the data should be released in the next two to three months.
The 2018 survey identified an estimated 2,300 chronically homeless adults and children countywide, a 5 percent decline from 2017.
