Murrieta Encampment Residents To Get Housing Help: $12M CA Grant

MURRIETA, CA — Spurred by Gov. Gavin Newsom's order for local governments to "urgently" address homeless encampments, Riverside County has received $12.6 million in state funding to assist those living along the Murrieta Creek Trail, authorities said.

The trail travels through Murrieta, Wildomar and Lake Elsinore.

"We are honored to receive this award from the state," a spokesperson from the County of Riverside Housing Workforce Solutions told Patch.

The funding will provide direct housing assistance for 100 people and cover the cost of interim shelter, security deposits, move-in expenses and rents, the county said.

To ensure that those displaced from encampments get wraparound care such as case management, housing navigation, behavioral health, workforce and more, the funding will also go toward building a new multidisciplinary team of various county departments.

Two other encampment resolution funding awards went toward addressing the Santa Ana and San Jacinto Riverbeds, according to the county.

The county says more than 80% of people served in the past have remained housed for more than three years.

The Inland Empire was collectively awarded some $34 million to help clear encampments on the heels of Newsom's executive order for encampments to be cleared across the state.

Statewide, Newsom awarded $131 million for two dozen cities and counties to address encampments with stricter measures.

"We’re supporting local communities’ efforts to get people out of encampments and connected with care and housing across the state," Newsom said earlier this month. "The state has committed more than $27 billion to help local governments tackle the homelessness crisis — and we want to see $27 billion worth of results."

Here's how the state funding was distributed in the Inland Empire:

• County of Riverside — $12,612,779
• County of San Bernardino — $11,000,000
• City of Victorville — $6,365,070
• City of Palm Springs – $5,106,731
• City of Redlands — $5,341,800

The news comes as the city of Riverside passed a local ordinance on Tuesday, outlawing encampments in most public spaces.

The proposal for the ordinance came after the U.S. Supreme Court decided on June 28 that local governments could arrest people camping or sleeping on public property — even if there weren't enough shelter beds available for them.

But not all were in support of the move.

"We have enough research to know that we cannot criminalize our way out of the crisis. We have enough experience to know what happens when we sweep encampments and tag tents in our city," said Dr. Chris Obert, CEO of Path of Life Ministries.

READ MORE: Riverside Outlaws Homeless Encampments Near Schools, Parks