riversideca.gov

CARES

Riverside CARES Act Funding

Rental assistance, services for individuals experiencing homelessness, help for small businesses, and aid for people struggling with food insecurity are among the efforts that will be funded by nearly $28 million designed to help with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.


10.5 million dollars to Housing and Homeless. 13 million dollars to Community and Business Support. And 14.4 million dollars to Organizational Needs for COVID-19 compliance.  

Housing & Homelessness

With roughly $10.5M in CARES Act funding, the City of Riverside is dedicated to make available much-needed resources to assist vulnerable populations when it comes to housing and homelessness. Some of the expenditures include the following:

 

Apartment Building Rehabilitation

Plans are underway to rehabilitate a six-unit apartment building make available quickly to homeless individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. In partnership with Illumination Foundation and Inland Empire Health Plan, additional shelter beds will be established, providing emergency respite to individuals experiencing homelessness who have been discharged from hospitals with chronic medical conditions.

 

Trailer Relocation

A trailer relocation project will transition the City's emergency quarantine trailers that were provided by the State to house the most vulnerable homeless individuals during COVID-19 into functional shelters for the homeless operated by local faith-based organization. The Office of Homeless Solutions will increase outreach services to connect homeless individuals living on the streets to shelter and resources based on their individualized needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The City will provide tenant-based rental assistance by providing security deposits and rental assistance coupled with case management to help homeless individuals move into housing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Riverside Residential Rental Assistance Program

Provide up to three months of rent for low income renters that are on the brink of homelessness due to the loss of income during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Massachusetts Action Plan

The Massachusetts Action Plan (MAP) is a comprehensive multidisciplinary plan to address one of the City's largest encampments by providing outreach, housing, safety and supportive services to over 50 individuals experiencing homelessness.

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Community & Business Support

The City has allocated roughly $13M in CARES Act funding to support business and non-profits through a City-issued grant program. In addition, dollars will be allocated to support families with children through childcare and food resources.

 

The Little Free Pantry Program

The Little Free Pantry is helping neighbors feed neighbors. They provide a resource to community members who are experiencing food insecurity as well as provide an opportunity for neighbors to help neighbors by way of donating non-perishable food and personal items. The Little Free Pantry is a solution to immediate and local need for food and is most often for those who are not easily able to meet everyday food and personal needs. Installation of a Little Free Pantry in your neighborhood would expand access to food and would impact the community in a positive way.

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Temporary Outdoor Flex Space Program

The City’s Temporary Outdoor Flex Space Program allows for the temporary closure of streets, alleyways and traffic lanes following review by the Public Works Department. On a first-come first-serve basis using CARES Act funding; the Public Works Department will support these closures by contracting a traffic control company at no cost to the applicant. Additionally, the Public Works Department will be supplying no-cost signage for participants in the Temporary Curbside Pickup Program. For more information about both programs, please visit: https://www.riversideca.gov/press/covid-19-business-resources to inquire about a street, alleyway, or traffic lane closure please reach out to pwtraffic@riversideca.gov

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Riverside CARES Act Business Grant

The City of Riverside, in partnership with the United Way of the Inland Valleys, provided a one-time grant of up to $10,000 to support Riverside small businesses with between 1 and 50 employees that have been negatively impacted by COVID-19. The overwhelming response to this grant opportunity clearly underscores the great need in Riverside’s business community. Over 1,240 applications were received, far exceeding the amount of funding available. Eligibility was based on demonstrated need, and applications were awarded on a first come, first reviewed basis. Through CARES Act funding, the City of Riverside granted more than $3.4 million to over 350 local businesses in less than three months.

Application Closed

 

Riverside CARES Act Non-Profit Grant

Roughly $1.5 million in funding for nonprofits and $320k for Food Pantry programs has been allocated to assist food pantry and nonprofit organizations with COVID-19 related expenditures.

Application Closed

 

Microenterprise Business Grant Program

The Microenterprise Business Grant Program is a United Way Inland Valleys project in partnership with the City of Riverside Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, that offers a one-time grant up to $7,500 to help assist Riverside small businesses with their needs during the local emergency.

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Food Box Distribution

The food box distribution program will fund over 50,000 boxes for Riversiders. These boxes will be distributed through local pantries, Parks and Rec facilities and local schools.

Learn More

Distribution Events

 

Organizational (City of Riverside) Needs for COVID-19 Compliance

To ensure continuity of government while employees work remotely, the City will spend more than $1.1 million on laptops, field devices and other technology needs. Additional funding has been allocated to ensure the safety and security of City employees, facilities and expenses related to the response of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

 

For more information regarding the $28M CARES Act funding allocation, please visit:
https://www.riversideca.gov/press/city-riverside-approves-plan-28-million-cares-act-funding

8/4 City Council Meeting (Item 38) outlining the draft recommendation:
https://riversideca.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=794661&GUID=57E3EA61-A2AC-4B06-BEF2-05BFAAD391B8

In addition to the $28M direction allocation from the Federal government, the following departments have also received CARES Act funding from alternative sources such as the FAA, etc.

General Services, Airport
Parks, Recreation & Community Services
Office of Homeless Solutions