IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
More than 60 people who have been living along Massachusetts Avenue in Riverside have been moved to shelters or temporary housing.
That action was part of the first step of an effort by the city to clean up that area, contain possible health risks, and prevent the spread of COVID-19, according to a statement posted on the city’s website.
Sixty-three people were helped, 49 of whom were placed in temporary housing. Fourteen were taken to a shelter or something similar, and one homeless person was reunited with their family.
Temporary bridge housing includes 24-hour treatment and security.
“Getting more than five dozen people off the streets in a relatively short time is a remarkable achievement,” Mayor Rusty Bailey said in the statement. “We know that this work is just beginning, and to claim success, we will need to move these residents from temporary shelter to long-term housing.
The effort is part of A MAP Home, a four-month plan to provide housing and services — including job counseling, substance abuse counseling, and mental health services — to homeless people on Massachusetts Avenue.
Recently, about 100 people have been living on Massachusetts Avenue between Chicago and Kansas avenues, according to the statement.
