RCEDA 8.5x11 Report d3

ANNUALREPORT 2018 The mission of the Economic Development Agency (EDA) is to: Enhance the economic position of the county | Enhance the economic position of county residents | Maintain the environment | Improve our quality of life | Encourage business growth | Build a positive business climate | Develop a trained workforce | Improve existing communities | Offer a variety of housing opportunities | Provide cultural and entertainment activities

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CEO MESSAGE

A few standout accomplishments that I wish to highlight this year include: the successful attraction of the CARB facility to Riverside; a significant drop in unemployment fueled by business growth; and the launch of Innovation Month, which brought together entrepreneurs and venture capitalists with the goal of financing promising new ideas. EDA is one of the largest agencies in the County with over 700 employees working together as a diverse and committed team that brings a great deal of value to the communities we serve. • our Community and Cultural Services Division, whose team members showcased their dedication to the public by coordinating and overseeing the activities of 22 County-owned parks as well as maintaining over 8million square feet of public landscaping • the opening of our first Business Center located in downtown Riverside, whose goal is to help the small business community with access to capital and other technical assistance, as well as the launch of our first Small Business Development Center in the Coachella Valley in partnership with theWorkforce Development Center • and last but not least, our Custodial, Maintenance, Aviation, Parking Services, Energy, Project Management, Administrative Services and Real Estate divisions, whose work ensures that all of our county partners enjoy a great environment while providing excellent customer service in support of improved quality of life for our residents

Robert Field Assistant CEO/EDA

• our Housing Authority team, which reached a functional zero in homelessness amongst veterans, making Riverside county the first large county in the US to reach that milestone • our Workforce Development unit, who helped over 2,000 job seekers obtain a job this year; and helped 489 businesses with their recruitment and training needs • our Marketing group, who led the way to coordinate and celebrate events such as the Jacqueline Cochran Air Show and Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival both of which enjoy a great deal of public support • our FilmCommission, whose efforts to bring filmproduction to Riverside County far surpassed all goals by providing professional, expedited, concierge level service to the film industry • our Riverside County Library System, which is a network of 35 public libraries, 1 reference library, 2 bookmobiles and a city museum for the benefit and enrichment of our communities

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Contents THE INDEX

04 – 09

Economic Development

10 – 13

Office of Foreign Trade

14 - 26

Housing

26 - 65

Workforce Development

66 - 69

Film

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

What We Do. Economic Development for Riverside County is a collaborative partnership between the County’s Economic Development Agency (EDA), its 28 cities, and several regional Economic Development Corporations for the purposes of implementing business attraction and retention programs. The partnership is called Team Riverside County (TRC). Collaboration and leveraging financial and human resources are the cornerstone principles guiding the program. TRC’s main objectives are to promote Riverside County’s business opportunities to national and international markets, develop effective networks within industry sectors, and lead generation. Successful project highlights for 2017 18 include: l i l l i .

• Over 13 active projects completed or in process with more than 882 jobs and $216 million in capital infusion • Riverside County’s 2nd Annual Innovation Month brought together entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, UCR, school districts and government partners. Innovation Month included 50 events and a countywide Fast Pitch Competition • Small Barn on Front beganworkingwith the Inland Empire SBDC in August of 2017 with an existing green house that supplies local nurseries with flowers and herbs and own a commercial building in Old Town Temecula that wanted to convert into a restaurant/wine bar. SBDC helped them understand the various lending options, organizational structures, the various practices of potential lenders, etc. Small Barn was able to secure a $1,089,600 loan from SBA lender. • Saratoga Foods, a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods, workedwith EDA and theCity of Eastvale to select a location and hire aworkforce for their new facilitywhichwill open in summer of 2018. The facilitywill ultimately employ 50 newpeople. • Delta Electronics, an international power device manufacturing company, worked with EDA, the City of Riverside and UCR to identify locations in the region for their company expansion. Currently located in the City of Industry, Delta selected a new location in the city of Eastvale and will move in by the end of 2018. One of Delta’s executives is a UCR alumni and the relationship and proximity to UCR’s engineering programs was of particular importance to Delta. Initially 50 people will work at the new facility with plans to grow to 125 over time.

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• Sarcix, Inc provides a transformative new software platform that greatly eases the pain of professional school accreditation and enhances curriculumassessment while saving both time andmoney. Sarcix, an ExCITE resident and EPICSBDC client, has secured three Pharmaceutical School sales, Loma Linda University, University of Arizona and Duquesne University. In June, they attended the IAMSE (Medical Science Ed.) conference in Las Vegas and have two commitments to purchase their product and twowith strong interest pending approval and a thirdwith a presentation scheduled for August. They expect to exceed $100,000 in sales in the third quarter. • Facilitated $60.5million in tax-exempt bond financing for three projects - Rancho Christian School, Temecula Valley Charter School and DesertArc in order to construct improvements and refinance debt whichwill result in lower operating costs and allow for growth for these businesses.

Riverside County Innovation Month The 2nd Annual Riverside County Innovation Month was held in April and featured 50 innovative and entrepreneurial activities and events designed to showcase Riverside County’s Innovation assets. This month-long showcase was coordinated by the County of Riverside Economic Development Agency, several cities, University of California, Riverside, Riverside Community College District and related organizations to bring awareness to the many areas of innovation and entrepreneurship in the County. Highlights include: • Riverside County Fast Pitch competition culminating with the finale at the UCR Culver Center for the Arts in Riverside. eight entrepreneurs competed for $10,000 in cash prizes. At the finale, there were over 200 people in attendance to watch four angel investor and venture capitalist judges award 1st place to ServiceMob, 2nd place to Project TechXploration and 3rd place to Double-Lock Healthcare Systems. The region’s focus on diversity and inclusion was in full effect with five of the eight teams being represented by either a female or minority founder. • Partneredwith the Coachella Valley Small Business Development Center, the East Valley Coalition, UCR Forecasting&Development and Dr. John Husing to host the 2nd Annual Coachella Valley Business Summit featuring Dr. Christopher Thornberg and Dr. John Husing who presented the economic forecast. Over 425 attendees heard riveting information about the federal, state and the Coachella Valley economy.

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Business Financing The Economic Development Agency can help facilitate financing for bu sinesses through a variety of programs including: Riverside County Small Business Financial Assistance Program Small Business Administration Loans

Industrial Development Bond Financing for Manufacturers EB-5 Foreign Direct Investment Venture Capital Recycling Market Development Zone Loans

During the 2017-18 fiscal year, the first two loans were made from the Riverside County Small Business Financial Assistance loan fund. • Grand Central PalmSprings provides a completely sophisticated, yet casual dining and coffeehouse experience for many Palm Springs residents and visitors to the Coachella Valley. This start-up restaurant received a $70,000 loan for working capital. • The French Rotisserie Café is a farm to table casual restaurant concept focused on rotisserie chicken in a modern French country atmosphere and décor. The Café start-up restaurant received a $50,000 loan through Riverside County’s Revolving Loan Fund for working capital and equipment purchases.

Fast Track As part of its ongoing effort to become the most business-friendly county in the state, the County of Riverside instituted a strike force of development-related departments to begin a process improvement program designed to assist businesses engaged in the County’s land use and permitting processes. In fiscal year 2017-18, EDA launched 4 new industrial and commercial Fast Track projects delivering the following economic impacts:

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RiversideCounty BusinessCenters –Network of Innovation The Riverside County Business Center network serves as a hub for EDA to coordinate economic development and small business service delivery. The Centers are strategically located in downtown Riverside, the Coachella Valley and French Valley. Highlights for 2017/18 include: • The French Valley Business Center opened at the French Valley Airport where economic and workforce development staff work together to serve the business community. • The Riverside Business Center hosts business assistance seminars and one-on-one consulting in partnership withmany organizations. During this fiscal year, Riverside County EDA and the University of California, Riverside established the EPIC Small Business Development Center which calls the Riverside Business Center home. The Center is also used by technology meet-up groups who need an after-hours location for their meetings.

California Competes Tax Incentive During this fiscal year, the State of California implemented the California Competes Tax Credit which offers an income tax credit for companies that are growing and expanding in California. The Economic Development division has actively promoted the tax credit to the business community which this fiscal year has resulted in:

7 companies receiving $11,250,000 million in tax credits 1,847 jobs will be created Over $457 million capital investment in Riverside County

Business Seminar Series Assisting business access themyriad of services available to them is a key principle of the division’s goals and objectives. Economic Development continued its business seminar series by partnering with the EPIC Small Business Development Center, Inland Empire Small Business Development Center and the Coachella Valley Small Business Development Center to deliver topical seminars on topics such as: How to Start a Business Emprendedores ( How to Start a Business in Spanish) Small Business Financing Quickbooks for Small Businesses Cocineros (Spanish Language Food Entrepreneurship Program in Coachella) Payroll Taxes and Unemployment Insurance for Businesses Seminars were held in Riverside and Indio and attracted several hundred business owners who learned about important resources and tools that help businesses.

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Coachella Valley Small Business Development Center In 2016, EDA applied to be the operator of the Coachella Valley Small Business Development Center (SBDC) on behalf of the U.S. Small Business Administration and SBDC Lead Center, Cal State Fullerton. As the successful applicant, EDAwill receive over $200,000 in annual funding to provide in-depth, high-quality assistance to small business owners and prospective small business owners in complex areas that require specialized expertise. These areas may include, but are not limited to: management, marketing, financing, accounting, strategic planning, regulation and taxation, capital formation, venture capital, procurement, human resource management, production, operations, economic and business data analysis, engineering, technology transfer, innovation and research, new product development, product analysis, plant layout and design, computer application, business law and referral, exporting, office automation, site selection, or any other areas of assistance required to promote small business growth, expansion and productivity in the State. SBDC Statistics:

22 Business Start-Ups 31 Jobs 277 Entrepreneurs Trained $1.5 Million Capital Infusion In Process 164 Clients Counseled

Small Business Assistance Services The Economic Development division partners with the Inland Empire and EPIC Small Business Development Centers and the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership to offer numerous services to the County’s business community. These organizations had the following economic impact: 74 Business Start-ups

186 Jobs Created 94 Jobs Retained $12.7 million Total Economic Impact

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22 SBIR/STTR Funding Proposals Submitted (EPIC) Strategic Partnerships &Organizational Leadership

Riverside County’s involvement has forged critical partnerships with internal and external partners that allow it to be on the forefront of economic development activity at the state and local level. Involvement in these organizations yields tremendous benefit to the C ounty in the form of lead generation, policy formulation and capacity building. Because of its expertise in Economic Development, EDA is frequently sought to participate in strategy development and planning with a number of statewide and local organizations. Partners include:

Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development California Association for Local Economic Development Inland Empire Economic Partnership California Association for Local Economic Development

Economic Development Corporation of Southwest California Coachella Valley Economic Partnership Inland Empire Economic Partnership Riverside County Economic Development Alliance

Economic Development Capacity Building The Division contributed over $200,000 to the following regional and specialized agencies to provide additional programs and services that reinforce EDA’s economic development objectives: Inland Empire Small Business Development Center Temecula Valley Wine Growers Association Temecula Valley Balloon &Wine Festival Association

Coachella Valley Economic Partnership EPIC Small Business Development Center Cal State San Bernardino Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awards Cal State San Bernardino Report on Business Inland Empire Economic Partnership University of California, Riverside Center for Economic Development and Innovation

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OFFICE OF FOREIGN TRADE

What We Do. The County of Riverside Office of Foreign Trade (OFT), which was created in 2009, connects businesses in the nation’s 10 th largest County tomarketers around the globe and provides export and import assistance. The Office has executed bilateral trade agreements with multiple cities, provinces, states and countries and works to attract foreign direct investment to our County. EB-5 Projects in FY17/18 The Riverside County Office of Foreign Trade supported 14 EB-5 projects in FY17/18 with an expected job creation of 13,589. The investment for these projects is expected to exceed $942 million. The projects range fromwineries in southwest Riverside County, residential development in Moreno Valley and Riverside and a senior living center in Calimesa. We continue to track dozens more projects, with a combined total estimated investment of more than $2 billion and an expected job creation of nearly 20,000.

14 EB-5 projects 13,589 projected job creation $942 Million projected investment

Foreign Delegations in FY17/18

259 delegates

20 international delegations

The Office of Foreign Trade welcomed 20 delegations in FY17/18 with a total of 259 delegates from India, Vietnam and China. The Office of Foreign Trade also hosted a diplomatic roundtable discussion with a delegation fromNinh Binh Province in Vietnam.

The delegation representing the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce, as well as public and private entities in Ninh Binh Province, met with Riverside County representatives, including Riverside County Board Chairman ChuckWashington and CEOGeorge Johnson, to discuss potential trade opportunities between our two governments.

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3rd annual Southern California Procurement, Trade andManufacturing Summit

600 attendees 84 exhibitors 100 buyers 889 matchmaking appointments 20 seminars

The 3 rd annual Southern California Procurement, Trade and Manufacturing Summit attracted attendees from throughout California and beyond, pairing small businesses and buyers in a record 889 matchmaking appointments. More than 600 people traveled to the Riverside Convention Center for the daylong event organized by the County of Riverside Office of Foreign Trade and County of Riverside Purchasing and Fleet Services with support from partners such as the U.S. Small Business Administration. Registrants could attend 20 seminars on a wide variety of subjects including foreign trade andmanufacturing, participate inmatchmaking appointments, listen to a series of high-level speakers or visit 84 different exhibits.

Feedback from attendees and survey results following the event indicate attendees were thrilledwith the connections they made and knowledge they gained at the event. Andmany, like this business owner whomet with 15 buyers as part of the summit matchmaking, said they were eager to attend future events. “I flew down to attend from Northern California and was really pleased,” emailed David Hans, co-founder of AmEnglish. “Your event was well organized and ran efficiently. The effort and time invested in planning and execution was evident. On a scale of 1 to 10 – I would rate you as 11! My compliments to the entire team. As a small business I have to carefully decide where to place my time, my single most important commodity.”

VIDEO LINK

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Ag Expo 2018

300 attendees 38 exhibitors 6 panel discussions

The Office of Foreign Trade had the pleasure of holding the annual Ag Expo, drawing inmultiple agricultural equipment companies for a day full of discussions and networking. The EDAMarketing and Workforce teams came together with the Office of Foreign Trade to promote the event to create more opportunities for businesses. With more than 300 attendees, businesses had the opportunity to present their products, ranging fromdrones, tractors and other high-tech devices. Supervisor V. Manual Perez provided opening remarks and welcomed the keynote speakers. Bestselling author Michele Payne was the keynote speaker, who has been an advocate for agriculture across the nation.

The Ag Expo had six panel discussions with featured experts such as Henry L. Giclas, senior vice president at Western Growers. Information about advancement in water and technology were discussed within these panels, as well as how to export more in the agricultural field. Giclas was joined by representatives from Farmwise (known for its weeding robot product) and Ganaz, a company that uses an app to connect farmers straight to workers. Students fromLa Quinta High School Culinary Academy served hors d’oeuvres and students from Indio High School gave attendees a tour of the school’s Technical Education, Animal Science Horticulture Pathways. Indio High school and Coachella Valley High School students also discussed their agricultural programs with guest s.

VIDEO LINK

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Phenix Fire wins President’s E-Award The Office of Foreign Trade has had the pleasure of working with Phenix Technology Inc. for several years. This close partnership has helped the company grow into an international success. Phenix has been producing fire helmets for 45 years but focused mainly on the domestic market until 2013. Through our College of Foreign Trade program, we trained Phenix staff in exports and introduced the company to other resources offered by state and federal agencies to help them sell overseas. Ranging from Mexico to Thailand, the company now has been able to go beyond and out of the ordinary with its exports and new opportunities to grow. That growth was recognized this summer when Phenix won the prestigious President’s E Award. Presented by the U.S Department of Commerce, this award recognizes the company’s significant contribution to the growing field of exports and trade of the country. Representatives from the offices of Supervisors John Tavaglione and Kevin Jeffries presented the company with a proclamation in honor of this recognition. Export TradeAssistance Partnership (ETAP) Office of Foreign Trade partnered with the Small Business Administration and California Centers for International Trade development to present the Export Trade Assistance partnership (ETAP) program. The ETAP program is a series of workshops designed to give businesses exclusive strategies, insights and a ready network of contacts necessary to successfully expand sales globally. The five-week program provided companies with information on global business opportunities for small businesses, international trade finance andmethods or payment, international shipping and legal issues and how to use e-commerce for exporting .

Here is what Angel Sanchez, Director of Global Operations with Phenix had to say about our College of Foreign Trade program and how it helped his company: “ The College of Foreign trade was a catalyst that put us on the right path towards an effective exporting program. In a very short period of time, we have been able to grow internationally as a company and the results have been tremendous. It was one of the tools that helped lead us to the growth that resulted in Phenix being recognized with the Presidential E-Award for excellence in exporting.”

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HOUSING

What We Do. The Housing Choice Voucher program (HCV) is the federal government’s major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly and the disabled to afford decent, safe and sanitary housing in the private market. Since housing assistance is provided on behalf of the family or individual, participants are able to find their own housing, including single-family homes, townhouses and apartments. The participant is free to choose any housing that meets the requirements of the program and is not limited to units located in subsidized housing projects. Housing choice vouchers are administered locally by the Housing Authority of the County of Riverside (HACR). The HACR receives

federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to administer the voucher program. A family that is issued a housing voucher is responsible for finding a suitable housing unit of the family’s choice where the owner agrees to rent under the program. Rental units must meet minimum standards of health and safety. A housing subsidy is paid to the landlord directly by the HACR on behalf of the participating family. The family then pays the difference between the actual rent charged by the landlord and the amount subsidized by the program.

In fiscal year 2017-2018 the HACR:

• Added 770 new voucher participants to the HCV Program during FY 17/18 • 183 new VASH Participants, 45 new FUP families/foster care youths • Provided $73,882,503 in payments to 3,028 landlords in Riverside County • Housed 19,427 people in the HCV Program during FY 17/18

• Assisted 3600 senior and/or disabled individuals in the HCV Program during FY 17/18. • 12 families graduated from the Family Self-Sufficiency Program. (All families no longer require rental assistance. Two graduates purchased homes of their own) • Earned the HUD Rating of “High Performer for the 16 th consecutive year through the Section Eight Management Assessment Program (SEMAP).

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Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) Program FSS is a program that enables HUD-assisted families to increase their earned income and reduce their dependency on welfare assistance and rental subsidies. The HACR work in collaboration with a Program Coordinating Committee (PCC) to secure commitments of public and private resources for the operation of the FSS program, to develop the Public Housing Agency FSS Action Plan (the FSS policy framework) and to implement the program. Once an eligible family is selected to participate in the program, the HACR and the head of each participating family execute a FSS Contract of Participation that specifies the rights and responsibilities of both parties. The termof the FSS contract is generally 5 years, but it may be extended for another two years by the HACR for good cause. The FSS contract also incorporates the family’s Individual Training and Services Plan (ITSP). The ITSP is the document that records the plan for the family. The ITSP will specify the series of intermediate and long-term goals and the steps the family needs to take – and the services and resources they may need to access – to achieve those goals.”

Some of the services coordinated through the program include: child care, transportation, education, job training, employment counseling, financial literacy and homeownership counseling. An interest-bearing escrow account is established by the PHA for each participating family. Any increases in the family’s rent as a result of increased earned income during the family’s participation in the program result in a credit to the family’s escrow account. Once a family graduates from the program, they may access the escrow and use it for any purpose.

Family Self-Sufficiency ProgramGraduates: Ms. Shirley Smith starting receiving rental assistance in August 2003. Ms. Smith joined the FSS Program on October 1, 2011. Over the years, Ms. Smith’s earned income from her employment at Walgreens began increasing and she worked her way up the Walgreens’ corporate ladder. In 2011 her annual earned income was $21,428. At the time of her graduation from the FSS Program, her earned income was more than $59,000/year and she has maintained 14 years of continuous employment. She is now the Human Resource Generalist. Through her increase in earned income since 2011, Ms. Smith graduated with an escrow savings account totaling $30,502.49. She plans on purchasing a home of her own.

Riverside Veteran Rewarded for Self-Sufficiency,Inspires Others to Achieve the Same Veteran Robert Lees Jr successfully earned his way off of the Section 8 rental assistance program by increasing his income from employment. He worked with the Housing Authority’s Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) and Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) programs to earn enough money to be able to afford to pay all of his rent without public assistance. Along the way, his increases in income saved the Housing Authority $21,132 through decreased payments of rental assistance to his landlord. Upon his successful completion of self-sufficiency, he was presented with a check for the full $21,132. Mr. Lees got onto the VASH and FSS programs in 2011 as a single father and veteran, just a few years out of jail. As part of his continuing recovery from addiction, Mr. Lees landed a job at the VA medical center, working in the cafeteria. After some time there, he shifted to the hospital as a housekeeper.

Seeing the need for further advancement, he returned to school and earned two associates degrees fromCalifornia State University. This set him up for promotion and his annual salary from the VAMedical Center has progressed from $24,000 per year…to $35,000 per year and now $45,000 per year. At this higher income level, Mr. Lees is now able to afford all of his rent and no longer needs any form of public assistance. In preparation for home ownership, Mr. Lees has increased his credit score from 520 to 680. He has been paying off his outstanding debts, as well. Mr. Lees plans to use his escrow funds towards his first home purchase. He delivered an inspirational speech at the 2017 all-staff meeting, encouraging the Economic Development Agency to continue helping people like him to get back on their feet and achieve independence.

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David Macias was admitted to the Section 8 Program effective December 1, 2011 and joined the FSS Program one month later on January 1, 2012.When Mr. Macias first starting receiving rental assistance through Section 8, he and his daughter were both working part-time and his household was on welfare receiving cash aid, food stamps and social security benefits with no clear direction. At that time, their annual income was $27,200. During their participation in the FSS program, the family had the opportunity to receive referrals for job listings and finish some trade/technical college which allowed them to eventually secure full-time employment. In addition David’s spouse Adolfa secured and maintained full-time employment as well which lead to their ability to become self-sufficient and pay the full amount of their contract rent of $1,434.00 on their

own effective April 1, 2018. Their annual income by April 1, 2018 was $85,019.00. After 180 days with zero housing assistance payments made on their behalf the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract automatically terminated effective 9/27/18. The Household’s annual income increased from $27,000 per year to $85,019.00, an increase of $58,019 per year. Mr. Macias plans on using his escrow account funds of $6,541.69 to pay off debt to get closer to homeownership. He has expressed that he and his family are very grateful for HACR and their worker, Therese Vetrino (retired), for her encouraging words along the way.

Lisa Lisardo and Angel Aguilar began receiving rental assistance through the Housing Choice Voucher Program in 2010, as a family of three. When Lisa enrolled in FSS in October 2011, she and Angel were both unemployed and had an annual income of $6,396 from cash aid. In 2012, Angel started working at a series of jobs, many of which were with staffing agencies. He progressively established a solid work history, which led to his hiring at the Home Depot’s distribution center. With her son entering high school, Lisa re-entered the workforce in 2016. Earlier this year, Lisa was hired at Home Depot’s distribution center as a forklift driver. As of June 1, 2018, based on the household’s income, the housing assistance payment went to $0 and they began to pay 100% of their rent. As their earned income increased and the HAP decreased, a portion was placed in an interest bearing FSS escrow account. She qualified to graduate from the FSS Program because 30% of adjusted monthly income, exceeded the Fair Market Rent (FMR) of $1,156 for the voucher size for which her family qualified. At the time she graduated from FSS, the household’s annual income had increased to $64,153, an increase of

$57,757 fromwhen she first enrolled in FSS. Upon graduation, Lisa and Angel received their accumulated escrow account funds in the amount of $26,481.47. They plan on using the funds to replace a dying car and set the rest aside in a savings account for homeownership.

Yvette Cornelius was first admitted to the Housing Authority of the County of Riverside’s HCV program on July 1, 2007. As a struggling parent, Ms. Cornelius enrolled in the Family Self Sufficiency Program in September 2011 with an annual income of $15,024 fromunemployment, welfare and food stamps (excluded income). During her participation in the FSS program, she became employed and worked for Aetna Life Insurance Company, UPS andmost recently 1st Class Staffing. She also received State Disability Insurance (SDI) for a portion of that time. In August 2017, Yvette began working for 1st Class Staffing on assignment at United Facilities earning $45,750 per year. Within her first six months, she learned to operate a forklift and her annual income increased. Through her hard work, determination and participation in the FSS program, Yvette was able to increase her annual income from $15,024 to $61,577, a $46,553 difference. Two of her three children are now independent self-sufficient adults, and the third lives with her father.

Yvette was eligible to graduate from the FSS program because 30% of the family’s monthly adjusted income, $1,539, exceeded the Fair Market Rent for a one bedroom apartment, which was $926. Her plans for her FSS escrow account funds is to purchase a home in the Moreno Valley area.

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Teresa Carr began receiving rental assistance through the Housing Choice Voucher Program in 1996, as a single working mother of one. She enrolled in the FSS program in August 2010 with an annual income of $14,222 and with the goal of becoming self-sufficient. In September 2013, Teresa began her truck driving career at Swift Trucking Company as an Over the Road Driver. With hard work and determination, she became a local driver for Swift Trucking Company boosting her salary to $20.00 dollars an hour. As her earned income increased, a portion was placed into an interest-bearing escrow account. Teresa Carr’s hard work resulted in her ability to pay 100%of her rent. She qualified to graduate from the FSS Program in two ways: by completing all of her goals and meeting regulatory requirements of all household members being free from cash aid for the 12 month period preceding Beatriz and Luis Honesto successfully earned their way out of the Section 8 rental assistance programby increasing their employment income. The family worked for years with the Housing Authority’s FSS program to earn enoughmoney to be able to afford their rent without any public help. Along the way, their increase in income saved the Housing Authority $16,731 through decreased rental assistance payments to their landlord. Once they became self-sufficient, they were presented with a check for the full $16,731. Mrs. Honesto got onto Section 8 in 2008 with an annual income of just $6,600. In 2014, she went through theMDRC random selection process and was assigned to the FSS participant groupenrolling in the FSS program effective May 1, 2014.Her annual income at that time totaled $7,500 from child support and unemployment. She was also receiving food stamps. Later in 2014, Beatriz’s daughter, Danielle, got a job at Bank of America and the family started earning an income and depositing into an FSS escrow account. Soon after, Beatriz got her own job as a substitute bus driver, and the family’s income increased again. The family attended our FSS awards dinner in 2014 and received the Clean Slate Award for Beatriz’s expunged record and Danielle’s new job. Yecenia Hernandez and her family successfully earned their way off of the Section 8 rental assistance programby increasing their employment income.. The family worked with the Housing Authority’s Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) program to earn enough money to be able to afford their own home. Along the way, their increases in income saved the Housing Authority $13,301 through decreased payments of rental assistance to their landlord. Upon their successful completion of self sufficiency, they were presented with a check for the full $13,301. Ms. Hernandez got onto the Section 8 program in 2011 as a singlemother on cash aid and food stamps. She enrolled in the FSS program that same year. Due to their increasing income, the household’s cash aid assistance ended in 2016 and their receipt of food stamps ended in 2015. A few years later, Alejandro Aguilar—Yecenia’s boyfriend--movedinto the household. His employment at the Stretch Forming Corporation in Redlands has progressed steadily over the years, with his annual income increasing from $23,000 to $30,000.

graduation; and by increasing her adjusted monthly income to where 30% of itexceeded the Fair Market FMR for the voucher size for which her family was qualified for. At the time she

graduated her annual income had increased to $62,055, an increase of $47,833 fromwhen she first enrolled in FSS.

Upon graduation, she received her escrow account funds with accumulated interest in the amount of $7,711.87. These funds will increase Teresa’s chances of homeownership.

In 2015, Beatriz married Luis Honesto, who moved into the household already working with Terrace Water Company in Colton. The family received the Movin’ On Up Award for becoming

a two-income family. Their daughter Danielle has sincemoved out, but her daughter Angel is now contributing to the family income with her job at California Drug Consultants

The family attended their final FSS awards dinner and received the Home Stretch award for getting the Housing Authority’s share of the rent down to $209, achieving$0 assistance just a fewmonths later. Mrs. andMr. Honesto used their escrow funds to clear remaining credit issues and move closer to home ownership.

In 2016, three nieces moved into the household as foster children. This maxed out the family with six people in their two-bedroomapartment. The exclusion of the foster income helped the family save up a down payment on a house. On July 5 th 2017, the family closed escrow on a 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom house in San

Jacinto. They moved out of their Section 8 assisted apartment and Ms. Hernandez used her remaining FSS escrow funds to pay off debt and buy a family car. The family lives in their San Jacinto home to this day, and they even have a white picket fence to help complete their American dream. Ms. Hernandez used her FSS escrow funds to pay off debt and buy a family car.

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Overview of Special Programs Team At the heart of the Housing Authority of the County of Riverside (HACR), is its mission to reignite hope and restore human dignity through the acquisition, development and operation of high quality housing. Although households experiencing homelessness are serviced by HACR’s mainstream programs such as the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, the agency has made a concerted effort to create a specialized team to help develop, coordinate and deliver housing assistance programs exclusively for this population. The HACR has established partnerships with the VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Riverside University Health System (RUHS) – Behavioral Health, Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) and other public and private partners to coordinate the county’s task of ending homelessness. The HACR’s Special Programs Team has developed the following programs in accordance with evidenced-based practices such as Housing First, HarmReduction, Peer Support, Progressive Engagement and Permanent Supportive Housing which have proven successful in removing barriers faced by high-risk and high-needs individuals who are often at a loss to access services. During year 2017-2018 the HACR’s Special Programs Team has assisted 1,640 households and furthered the county’s efforts to prevent and end homelessness in Riverside County. These successes include:

• Assisting 554 formerly homeless veterans and their families with permanent housing through the Housing & Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD VASH) Housing Choice Voucher Program . In partnership with the VA Loma Linda Healthcare system, the HUD-VASH program combines rental assistance administered by the Housing Authority with VA supported services to eligible veterans. • Providing 20 veterans with homeless prevention and temporary financial assistance to resolve their homelessness through the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program. The SSVF program is designed to augment housing assistance provided through the HUD-VASH program and provide homeless prevention and rapid re-housing assistance to veterans and their families who require short-term supports to sustain permanent housing. • Providing permanent housing to 108 of the county’s hardest to reac” individuals including chronically homeless and disabled youth and adults through its Continuumof Care programs. The program provides permanent supportive housing to chronically homeless and disabled youth and adults. Partnerships with the Riverside University Health System – Behavioral Health, Foothill AIDS Project, Desert AIDS Project, and Operation Safehouse ensure households assisted through the program are provided with ongoing supportive services. • Provided 37 households with Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) to prevent and end homelessness through its TBRA project HOME II (Home Investment Partnership). The program provides Housing Authority administered rental assistance and supportive services to individuals and families who are homeless or in imminent danger of becoming homeless for up to 12months. • Ended homelessness for 253 families and their children by connecting them to a private landlords and providing temporary financial assistance to resolve their homelessness through the CalWORKs Housing Support Program (HSP). The program is a collaboration between the Department of Public Social Services, Housing Authority of the County of Riverside and Riverside University Health System – Behavioral Health which provides housing navigation services, financial assistance towards housing and supportive services to families with children who are eligible for CalWORKs and are experiencing homelessness.

• Provided 14 households with direct assistance to end their homelessness and relocate to a permanent home through the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Housing First Program . Services provide temporary financial assistance and ongoing case management to both individuals and families. • Assisted 74 youth, individuals and families with obtaining and sustaining permanent housing through its Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Project HOME Program, Emergency Assistance and Homeless Prevention Programs . The program provides individuals families who are experiencing homelessness with short-term supports to successfully sustain and relocate into permanent housing. • Provided 188 families with move-in assistance towards their security deposit through the CDBG Security Deposit and HOME Security Deposit Assistance program . • Assisting more than 392 individuals living with HIV/AIDS and their families with financial assistance to sustain and/or obtain access to affordable and permanent housing in Riverside County through the Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) program. The City of Riverside (CoR) receives the HOPWA allocations for both Riverside and San Bernardino Counties and has partnered with the Housing Authority to serve as the HOPWA Sponsor in Riverside County for over 15 years. The Housing Authority has partnered with Foothill AIDS Project, Desert AIDS Project, Catholic Charities, and TruEvolution to help carry out HOPWA activities.

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Success Stories Housing Authority Awarded Additional Funding to House Homeless Veterans Robert Lee served in the U.S. Marines in 1990’s and is proud of his service. After his military service, life got messier, scarier. A downward spiral led to a long battle with addiction, homelessness and finally, incarceration. However, the Veteran Assisted Supportive Housing program (VASH) – a program specifically tied to assisting homeless veterans—got Mr. Lee back on track. Now he’s living in a Riverside residence and working in a full-time job. And recently, Riverside County officials learned that they can now apply for additional housing vouchers that will help dozens more follow in Mr. Lee’s footsteps. The Riverside County Economic Development Agency’s Housing Authority has been invited by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to apply for an additional 68 housing vouchers to assist homeless veterans in Riverside County. The vouchers are funded through VASH), which is run jointly by HUD and the Veterans Administration (VA). VASH provides housing and stabilization services, and has been instrumental in dramatically reducing homelessness among veterans. The County of Riverside has been a pioneer in the national effort to end veteran homelessness. In November 2013, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors approved a new program known as Veterans Assistance Legislation of Riverside County (VALOR), which committed County resources to addressing the needs of homeless and at-risk veterans. The VALOR initiative included the ambitious goal of housing all of the county’s homeless veterans, a multi-departmental effort led by EDA’s Housing Authority in conjunction with the County’s Department of Veterans Services, Department of Public Social Services, and Behavioral Health Department, as well as the VA’s Loma Linda Healthcare system. By 2017, the County had accomplished VALOR’s goal and became the first large county in the United States to achieve Functional Zero for veteran homelessness. A designation awarded by HUD, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness and the VA, Functional Zero is considered the highest achievement in overcoming homelessness within a community. The designation is awarded to communities that have identified and housed all known homeless veterans, and that have established a coordinated system to rapidly house any veterans who are at risk of becoming homeless. Robert Lee entered the VASH program with help from a VA Loma Linda social worker assigned to assist him. He also illustrated a strong commitment to his own recovery. Now with a stable housing arrangement, Lee was able to secure a job at the VA medical center, return to school and earn two associates degrees. He is now preparing to become a self-sufficient homeowner and turn his VASH voucher over to another veteran in need.

“The VASH program gave me the ability to be the dad I needed to be and provided security for my daughter to be more successful in life,” Mr. Lee said. “After the program helped me obtain housing, I found purpose. I wanted to be a productive member of society, and through the educational and career opportunities that the Housing Authority’s self-sufficiency program gave me, I’ve been able to do that.” Since VALOR’s kickoff in 2013, the County of Riverside has housedmore than 1,600 homeless veterans, including 938 veterans directly housed by the Housing Authority’s in-house homeless outreach team. EDA’s Housing Authority has also worked to develop new affordable housing earmarked for veterans. This effort has led to several new housing developments, including March Veterans Village at March Air Reserve Base, Camp Anza in the City of Riverside, and several new projects still in the development phase. “The County of Riverside is proud to be a national model and leader in ending homelessness amongst our large veteran population,” said Assistant County Executive Officer Robert Field, who oversees the County’s Economic and Community Development programs. “It is critical that we remember that behind the numbers are very personal stories of veterans overcoming homelessness and other obstacles.” The additional 68 VASH vouchers will ensure that EDA’s Housing Authority has additional resources to continue its fight against veteran homelessness, a fight it intends to expand to all homeless people in Riverside County. “It is now time to turn our knowledge and experience in housing homeless veterans to tackling homelessness for non-veterans,” noted EDAManaging Director Heidi Marshall. “That is our next goal, and we look forward to achieving the same success.”

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MainstreamVoucher Program Ronnie Boss was part of his high school’s football team and aspired to be a professional athlete and maybe even join the service after senior year. That all changed on May 10, 1971 when he became a victim from a gunshot wound which would leave him paralyzed from the waist down at only 17 years old. Since then, has had multiple injuries resulting in an amputated right leg and countless hospital visits. Ronnie often wondered if he would survive because of his disability and he fell deeper into despair after he found himself living on the streets for two weeks. Everything changed after a local store manager offered him a job, giving him the hope he needed to regain his confidence. He would later be connected to the Economic Development Agency’s (EDA) Housing AuthorityMainstreamVoucher Program which provides individuals with disabilities with Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance. Ronnie is one of thirty-eight individuals currently receiving assistance through the Mainstream Voucher Program and this past year, the Riverside County Economic Development Agency’s Housing Authority was awarded $609,801 in federal funding aimed at helping an additional 79 individuals with disabilities. The vouchers are funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Section 811 MainstreamHousing Choice Voucher Program to assist non-elderly persons with disabilities who are transitioning out of institutional housing or who may be at risk of institutionalization, experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless. Permanent housing serves as a platform from which persons with disabilities can pursue personal goals and improve their quality of life. “This program allowed me to see first-hand that there is community support for [people] like me who are on a fixed income and living with a disability,” says Robert Bass, another participant of the voucher program. “My hope is that this program continues forever so it can provide assistance to individuals who might otherwise be living on the streets.”

The Mainstream Voucher Program supports the Americans with Disabilities Act by helping people with disabilities live in the most integrated setting. Locally, the EDA Housing Authority’s programwill provide a comprehensive model of care which combines affordable housing with an array of supportive services. Partnerships with the Riverside University Health System – Behavioral Health (RUHS-BH), Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) and the Inland Regional Center (IRC) will provide supportive services to encompass a holistic care of client-centered services to bridge the gap between housing and healthcare systems. Additional partnerships with the county’s Continuum of Care, Workforce Development Center and Fair Housing Council of Riverside County will broaden referrals, provide necessary anti-discrimination advocacy and other support and workforce development training. The vouchers will further the EDA Housing Authority’s mission to reignite hope and restore human dignity, so it can continue its fight to prevent and end homelessness in Riverside County. “Our agency looks forward to connecting these vouchers to individuals in our community who will be able to choose their housing and receive the support they need to sustain housing and improve their quality of life,” said EDA Managing Director Heidi Marshall. According to RUHS-BH, during the 2016-2017 fiscal year, 2,212 of the individuals discharged from the Inpatient Treatment Facilities and Psychiatric Emergency Treatment Services were identified as homeless. Many are released only to continue cycling through public institutions at costs greater than the cost of providing rental assistance and support. Research demonstrates that housing stability is a cost effective approach to reducing avoidable health care utilization and preventing and ending homelessness.

This program allowed me to see first-hand that there is community support [people] likemewho are on a fixed income and living with a disability.” - Robert Bass, Voucher Program Participant

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