Mayor's leadership in Big City Mayors coalition helps deliver $300 million in funding while championing mental health reform and homelessness solutions.
Mayor's leadership in Big City Mayors coalition helps deliver $300 million in funding while championing mental health reform and homelessness solutions.
Riverside faces critical challenges that require persistent, strategic advocacy to secure the resources and policies necessary for progress. Effective advocacy helps position our city and region to secure state and federal funding for local programs and projects. When we do not engage our legislators and support groups in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., we forfeit opportunities to influence legislation that impacts our city. Given the sometimes volatile nature of state and federal funding, it is critical for local leaders to seek broad-based support for achievable and impactful initiatives. The instability of state and federal support creates uncertainty, making local leadership more crucial than ever.
That’s why I’ve worked relentlessly with our partners in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., to help bring over $300 millionto Riverside. But advocacy isn’t just about money—it is about ensuring our policies align with local needs so our community thrives. Recently, I was honored to be selected as Chair of the Big City Mayors, a coalition representing California’s 13 largest cities. In this position, I am amplifying Riverside’s voice to shape the policies that directly impact our residents.
Advocacy for Systemic Change
California has long grappled with the issue of homelessness. This challenge, compounded by an increase in mental health diagnoses, has left many individuals suffering without adequate treatment or support. Alongside my colleagues at Big City Mayors, we successfully fought for the CARE Court program. The first major mental health law reform in 50 years, CARE Court creates a new pathway to care by facilitating outpatient treatment to residents suffering from severe mental health disorders. This effort is also supported by conservatorship reform through Senate Bill 43 (Eggman, 2023) and Proposition 1, the Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond, both of which the Big City Mayors endorsed and worked to pass.
We have also been successful in securing state funding for the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP) program. Through the Big City Mayors coalition, Riverside receives a direct allocation of these funds, totaling $38 million since 2020. However, this funding is not guaranteed. Last year’s state budget proposal omitted the funding, which ignited a fight the Big City Mayors ultimately won when they secured the crucial HHAP funding in the final version of the state budget. And now we are in the ring again, fighting for that funding since the Governor’s 2025-2026 budget proposal has again left out this important program. Without consistent funding, cities cannot plan long-term solutions, leaving vulnerable populations like seniors, children, and the disabled at risk. This is why advocacy is not a one-time effort—it must be continuous, strategic, and realistic.
Measurable Success: Ending Youth Homelessness
In 2023, we launched the Challenge to End Youth Homelessness in Riverside. Thanks to targeted strategies and dedicated funding, Riverside has achieved ‘functional zero’ in youth homelessness—a testament to what advocacy can accomplish. But we cannot stop there. Sustained efforts are needed to continue progress and expand our support to other vulnerable groups.
The Next Fight: Freeway Encampments
Following the City of Grants Pass v. Johnson U.S. Supreme Court decision affirming the rights of local governments to address encampments on public property, Governor Newsom signed an executive order directing state agencies to take urgent action while ensuring the dignity and safety of unhoused individuals. This allowed the City of Riverside to implement an additional anti-camping ordinance prohibiting camping near parks, schools, and shelters.
While the City of Riverside has cleared the few encampments we had, homeless encampments along onramps and under highways largely remain because those spaces are under the jurisdiction of the California Transportation Department (CalTrans). Without structured collaboration, clearing these encampments is difficult, if not impossible. That is why I support Senate Bill 569, the Homeless Encampment Collaboration Act, authored by Senator Blakespear. This bill will mandate coordinated action between CalTrans and local agencies, ensuring that encampments are addressed efficiently and humanely.
Moving Forward: A Call to Action
Advocacy is not only about speaking up. It is ultimately about producing results. Riverside’s future depends on leaders navigating political landscapes, challenging ineffective policies, and securing the necessary resources to improve our community. We have already seen the power of strategic advocacy. Now, let’s build on our momentum and continue to shape a safer, healthier, and more prosperous Riverside.
