City of Riverside Has Stemmed Growth in Homelessness, New Data Shows

Published: 5/15/2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

May 15, 2025

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Phil Pitchford

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City of Riverside Has Stemmed Growth in Homelessness, New Data Shows

City also has helped more people into shelter than ever before

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - The City of Riverside has largely stopped the growth of homelessness in the city and has helped more people into shelter than ever before, according to data in the recent Point in Time Count, which documents the number of individuals experiencing homelessness on a given day around Riverside County.

"These data clearly show that our efforts are having a real impact, and we're moving in the right direction," Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said. "In recent years, with every new homeless count, we saw significant increases, but this year's numbers show that the population of unsheltered individuals in Riverside has stabilized. That's progress, and with last year's Supreme Court decision providing us more tools to address homelessness, the passage of Proposition 36 expanding law enforcement's ability to respond, and the state's investment in a new 100-bed psychiatric facility in Moreno Valley, we are better equipped than ever to tackle homelessness head-on and build lasting solutions."

The 2025 count found 614 unsheltered individuals within the city limits, roughly akin to the 605 found in 2023. The most recent data illustrates the City's success in stemming the growth of unsheltered individuals that was reflected in prior counts, when the number of unsheltered people rose to 605 in 2023 from 307 in 2022.

The count also revealed that in the city, 473 people were in a shelter, an improvement over previous years when fewer individuals were in a shelter during the count. For example, in 2023, 372 individuals were in shelter and 398 individuals were in shelter in 2022. There was no count in 2024.

The biggest factor in the Point in Time Count remaining roughly the same in Riverside is the success in housing 1,687 homeless individuals during fiscal year 2023/2024. The City continues to focus on a multitude of solutions to homelessness that include homelessness prevention, rapid re-housing, permanent supportive housing and affordable housing.

"No single approach is going to reduce homelessness," Mayor Pro Tem Sean Mill said. "Our city is a model for others around Riverside County to follow in terms of attacking the problem from multiple angles, regardless of whether a person is in danger of slipping into homelessness for the first time or has been homeless for an extended period."

The count will inform future efforts to prevent homelessness. The data showed that 21% of unsheltered homeless individuals had been homeless for less than one year and that the principal reasons for falling into homelessness were disruptions in the home, inadequate income, or loss of a job. The largest group of those recently falling into homelessness were seniors over the age of 55.

"This data showed us that one year ago these people experiencing homelessness had a home, a roof over their heads," City Manager Mike Futrell said. "We must focus on keeping people from falling into homelessness just as we now focus on those living on the streets, a strategy which will reduce homelessness more effectively in Riverside."

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