Dear Neighbors,

Fall is in full swing with community meetings, service days, and policy updates.

On World Rivers Day, we honored the Santa Ana River by hosting California's Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday and 300 California Climate Action Corps members in Martha McLean Anza Narrows Park. (Here we are planting a brand-new ginkgo tree in the park.) Last weekend, Love Riverside held two clean up events in Fairmont Park, as well as several events around the city. The City is looking especially beautiful thanks to all the volunteers who have rolled up their sleeves this month. 

And we still need your help! This Thursday, October 19, the City Manager will host a meeting about the upcoming City budget (see below for the graphic.) This is your chance to tell us your priorities and hear an overview of the process. Don't miss this important opportunity to have your voice heard. 

Keep reading for an update on the launch of CARE Court in Riverside County, the latest on Ohmio, a driverless shuttle company that may open its headquarters in Riverside, and a spotlight of housing in Ward 1. 

Finally, I hope to see you at the many events around the city, including Reid Park Spooktacular on October 21st and Dia De Los Muertos on November 4th. We honor the ancestors who have come before us and the community members with us today who keep our family and neighborhood traditions alive. 

Launched on October 3rd, CARE Court is California's newest program directly targeting those suffering with severe mental health and substance abuse issues. Councilmember Edwards sat down with Greg Rodriguez, Deputy Director of Government Affairs & Community Engagement for Housing and Workforce Solutions, to give you the full scoop. 

Councilmember Edwards: What is CARE Court? Why is it exciting that Riverside County is in the first cohort?

Greg: "CARE Court is a civil tool and, really, a behavioral health tool to get housed and unhoused people more help with behavioral and mental health and substance abuse challenges. What we've noticed is that individuals that enter into a system really need that structure, and that's what's good about the care plan: it creates a system of structure that prioritizes behavioral health. We really want to look at our constituency as the center and effectively wrap county services around individuals suffering from substance abuse and mental health crises and their extended family, as well. I think CARE Court plays a big role in getting help for family members, whether they’re housed or unhoused."

Where does someone stay when they’re going through the CARE Court?

"In Riverside, we're creating a center on Franklin Avenue. It's meant to be similar to the Palm Springs homeless navigation center. We'll continue to take a housing-first approach on behavioral health and offer patients a full array of wrap-around services. Ideally, we help get them on a path to transition into their own living situation, whether that's a Section 8 voucher or even a market rate apartment. A lot of the case management plans not only include access to behavioral health but also workforce development as well."

What numbers are we expecting for the first year and how will we be measuring success?

"We've estimated for the first year we think we'll get about 100 and 250 petitions that will qualify and go through the process. If we see a larger number that qualify, we are comfortable and ready to accommodate that. One good thing about this County is that we're pretty nimble and proactive."

What else should people know about CARE Court? 

"This is just one other tool. It's not end-all solution to mental health or  homelessness, but it's certainly something we can use. In Riverside County we have some very successful models such as drug court, veterans court, and home court. CARE Court is meant to imitate that model."

Councilmember Edwards has been a fierce champion for Council's most recent actions to prevent and address homelessness: creating the Homelessness Action Plan in 2022, and establishing the Housing and Human Services Department in September of 2023. There is still much work to do. Riverside still celebrates this win that will help families in our community address some of the most severe cases of mental health crises in our County and on our streets. Read more about CARE Court here. 

Riversiders might soon be able to catch a ride on an autonomous shuttle in our city. The recent City Council decision to pursue an agreement with Ohmio, an autonomous shuttle company, would bring the Ohmio shuttles and global headquarters to our very own Hunter Park neighborhood.

The first and last mile of travel can be the hardest--that's where Ohmio's innovation thrives. Their test run at JFK Airport has been a proven success, and we are excited about the opportunity for more connectivity and green jobs right here in Riverside. 

Our best policies are informed by robust community engagement. On the evening of October 17th, City Council will review the Community Engagement Policy which will inform the following questions: why we do community engagement, who we’re engaging, when we engage the community, and how we can best engage our community on topics. Check out the policy itself, the community engagement toolkit and join us at 6:15 on 10/17 to get the full scoop. 

When Riverside's small businesses community thrives, so does the rest of our community. To support local businesses, Councilmember Edwards has worked with City staff to ensure that businesses owned by local women, people of color, veterans, and other marginalized groups will have ample opportunities to submit proposals for goods and services needed by the City. Tune into the Economic Development Committee on October 19th at 3 PM to learn more about the Local Preference and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise policy expansion. 

• Discussion on retail commercial cannabis fees and charges, City Council, October 17th 
• Community Engagement Policy, City Council, October 17th
• Local Preference and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise procurement policy
  expansion overview, Economic Development Committee, October 19th (3PM)
• Inclusionary Housing update, Housing and Homelessness Committee, October 23rd (3:30PM)
• Storefront Retail Commercial Cannabis Permit fee and charges,  City Council, October 24th (3PM)
• RTRP Funding Workgroup Update, City Council, October 24th (evening)

*For meeting information, videos, agendas, and e-comment submissions, visit us here. send e-comment submissions, visit us here.

Yoli's Mexican Grill (pictured left with the City Council) is a family dreamt, built, owned and ran Mexican Restaurant in Downtown Riverside. Their mission is to showcase complex yet subtle flavors through their homemade tortillas, salsas, aguas frescas and desserts. Pro-tip: some of their most popular dishes include their mole and cochinita pibil. Stop by for  lunch, dinner, or Sunday brunch at their location at 3225 Market St suite 102.