County Awarded $20M In State Funds To Reduce Homelessness

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — More than $20 million in state funding was awarded to Riverside County under a social assistance program aimed at placing chronically homeless people in affordable housing units, it was announced Wednesday.

"We are very pleased with the announcement of this funding and are excited to move forward to provide much-need permanent supportive housing for Riverside County," said Dr. Matthew Chang with the Riverside University Health System. "We look forward to these units becoming available starting in 2020."

The California Department of Housing & Community Development disbursed the $23.7 million as part of an allotment from its No Place Like Home Program.

The funds will be applied to four projects -- three in the city of Riverside, and one in Cathedral City, according to RUHS.

The Riverside projects involve construction of affordable housing complexes, while the Cathedral City project is centered on rehabilitation of a senior living community.

Work on the apartment buildings is slated to get underway next year.

Upon completion, the county will provide placement assistance using a voucher system for homeless individuals, including those with behavioral and substance abuse problems.

In addition to paying for housing, the funds will be used to cover counseling and job assistance services.

According to the most recent survey by the county Department of Public Social Services, there are nearly 3,000 sheltered and unsheltered homeless people in the county. However, officials believe that number falls short of the actual figure because many dispossessed individuals could not be located when the survey was taken in January.

— By City News Service