Behind the Scenes Interview: Riverside Shelter Community
October 2, 2020
Earlier this year, the City of Riverside, CA, faced an urgent crisis – as of January 2020, more than 400 people were living unsheltered in the city. Elected leaders were working on plans to expand its shelter capacity beyond the 180 beds they had at that point in time, but were also seeking a rapid and emergency shelter solution for its residents facing homelessness.
Handling the situation like a crisis, Riverside leaders moved quickly to build an emergency shelter community with Pallet’s personal shelters. In just four days, the Riverside community transformed a parking lot into an emergency shelter community with 30 shelters, providing a stepping stone out of homelessness and into stability.
Our team followed up with the Hafsa Kaka from the City of Riverside, Matt Bates from the nonprofit services provider City Net, and Charly Ligety from the Housing Innovation Collaborative to discuss how the shelter community came together behind the scenes.
Riverside Shelter Community Features:
The shelter site offers residents amenities from personal, secure shelter to 24-hour on site security and site management.
30 personal shelters with heat and air conditioning
Electricity and LED lighting
Mattresses and bedding
Storage space
Pet-friendly
Toilets and showers
24-hour management
Security on site
Learn more about this shelter community →
