Dear Neighbors, 

This month and every month, I am grateful to serve you. It's special moments like kicking off the 44th annual Mission Inn Run, meeting community members in their neighborhoods, and finding solutions to our biggest issues that make being your City Council representative my dream job. Read on for a legislative update, a briefing on the 2022 4th of July Fireworks show options, a spotlight on award-winning Ward 1 neighbors, and ways to celebrate the holidays in Riverside. While there won't be an official switch-on ceremony for Festival of Lights (look forward to the Festival of Lights' 30th Anniversary in 2022), the Downtown is already looking festive, and the Chanukah Festival is back at the Courthouse this year to celebrate a season of light, community, and miracles. 

In gratitude,

Join us for our office hours at Brandon's Diner (located in the City Hall Lobby) on Tuesday, November 23rd from 12-1 PM. Bring your questions and feel free to grab a bite. We hope to see you there! 

Thank you to those that have attended Mini Office Hours with Paloma. Bring your service requests or quick questions through Zoom from 5:30-6 pm on November 30th. 

In October, TruEvolution celebrated the groundbreaking of Project Legacy, which will support generations of LGBTQ and HIV+ individuals who are in need of housing and other services. As an LGBTQ person raising her family in Riverside, I am thrilled that this project will be in my neighborhood. The State's $10 million investment in this project shows that these are solutions worth investing in. 

A study by the University of Chicago showed that LGBTQ youth are up to 120% more likely to experience homelessness. Overall, LGBTQ individuals are over- represented in homeless populations. This project takes an innovative approach to addressing homelessness, reimagining the corner of Brockton and University into 49-unit housing campus featuring a mental health clinic, a workforce center, a community garden, a fitness center, and 10,000+ square feet of recreational park space.

CM Edwards advocated for $1 Million in American Rescue Plan Act Funding to add to our river bottom efforts. What else is being done to protect our river?

• Thanks to new bollards and boulders along the trail, Riverside Flood Control estimates a 70% reduction in off-road vehicles. 
• 21 park ranger candidates have moved on to the next stage of the interview process. Our first rangers will be out in the parks and on the trails in early 2022. At the December 7th meeting, Council will discuss the purchase of electric bikes for the rangers. 
• The Police Department purchased a new Polaris RZR and has ordered two new helicopters to better patrol the river bottom. The helicopters, approved from Measure Z funding at the November 16th meeting, will each be able to drop 216 gallons of water on fires. 
• Riverside Public Utility is purchasing thermal cameras for the Tequesquite Solar Farm. These cameras will monitor activities and catch fires before they get out of control.
• In October, the Council's Housing & Homelessness Committee discussed the Santa Ana River bottom Outreach Plan. Encampment mapping will finish this week. Next steps: identifying the number of teams and resources needed for outreach that will begin later this month. 
• Erin is engaging in conversations with you about the future of the River through the Riverside Gateway Project. Let your imagination run wild and learn more at the link above. 
• Thanks to Erin's regional focus, our partners at the Riverside County Fire Department are collectively seeking grant money to protect the river bottom from fires. 

Innovating on July 4th 

I heard you! Neighbors would like to return to a 4th of July show off Mount Rubidoux in 2022. To honor this long-time tradition and to keep our community safe from fire, Parks staff introduced ideas ranging from plane flyovers to a drone show, alongside traditional fireworks in Bonaminio Park. Stay tuned for the Public Safety Committee's upcoming review of these options and tell us your ideas. 

• Riverside Downtown Metrolink Station Project update, City Council, December 7th (afternoon)
• Award Request for Proposal 2083 to Parking Concepts Inc., for Parking Management Services of Downtown parking facilities, City Council, December 7th (afternoon)
• Review of Innovation District Master Plan - Triangle District bounded by State Route 91, Interstate 215/SR 60, and Third Street, City Council, December 14th (afternoon)
• Revise annual Purchasing Resolution, City Council, December 14th (afternoon)

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

There is much to be grateful for this year!

Thank you for all the ways you help make Ward 1 the best there is.