County, city set to receive $20 million in funds for homeless relief

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) - Just over $20 million in state funding earmarked for homeless relief programs will be allocated to Riverside County and the city of Riverside for ongoing mitigation efforts, it was announced today.   

The county and city were included in the latest round of distributions from the California Homelessness Housing, Assistance & Prevention -- HHAP -- program, according to the governor's office.  

The total HHAP disbursal across the state is $145.4 million. Of that, the county and city are slated to receive a combined $20.4 million, officials said.

"HHAP grants are a testament to California's commitment to driving real results through responsible, outcome-focused leadership in partnership with local regions,'' Business, Consumer Services & Housing Agency Secretary Tomiquia Moss said Wednesday. ``By investing in proven, collaborative solutions that prevent and address homelessness, we are strengthening local systems, expanding access to stable housing and ensuring our communities can deliver meaningful support to the Californians who need it most.''   

Moss said another round of program grant distributions is set for the 2026-27 fiscal year, totaling $500 million.   

The latest grants come following confirmation that, statewide, there's been a documented 9% drop in unsheltered homelessness, according to the governor's office.

The funds bound for Riverside County and the county seat will be used ``to support shelter operations, fund hotel and motel vouchers and provide financial assistance for move-in costs to prevent homelessness and relocate homeless individuals and families into housing,'' according to the governor's office.   

The county's last point-in-time homeless survey, completed in the winter of 2025, showed that the number of people without a fixed place to live increased 7%, compared to two years earlier, rising from 3,725 to 3,990 individuals documented as dispossessed.