Riverside Municipal Code Ch. 9.56 Reporting of Transport of Persons Who Lack a Fixed, Regular, And…

This chapter shall be known as the Reporting of Transport of Persons Who Lack a Fixed, Regular and Adequate Nighttime Residence Ordinance. The purpose of this chapter is to: (1) identify the place of origin for persons who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence in the City; (2) identify any County, City, other governmental entity, or other organization that transports persons who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence in the City; (3) require government agencies and other organizations to aid such persons by providing shelter, care, outreach, and other homelessness-related resources in their own jurisdictions rather than simply just transporting these individuals to the City; (4) manage and prioritize the City's limited homelessness-related resources (including shelter and outreach) for the benefit of individuals who reside in or originate from the City; and (5) prevent government agencies and other organizations from engaging in cruel and inhumane treatment of unhoused individuals by merely dumping them in the City without any coordinated plan for services.

(Ord. No. 7774, § 1, 2, 2026)

A. Pre-scheduled drop-offs can only occur during normal business hours 8:00 am to 5:00 p.m. Sunday through Saturday.

B. Before any government entity or other organization, or employee or agent acting on behalf of any governmental entity or other organization can transport and drop off an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence on public property or private property that is accessible to the public in the City, the employee/agent acting on behalf of any governmental entity or other organization shall notify in writing via email the City Manager and the Director of Housing and Human Services for City of the transport and drop-off 24 hours in advance of the occurrence to ensure proper coordination so that the individual goes into supportive services and does not end up living on the streets in the City. When a public entity or other organization notifies the City of an upcoming drop-off, they must provide the following written information ("Initial Notice") to the City to ensure continuity of services: 1) the name, address, phone number, and email address of the government entity or other organization providing the notice; 2) the date and time of the notification; 3) the staff person submitting the notification; 4) the full name (first name, last name, and middle initial), date of birth, phone number of the individual being transported and/or dropped off; 5) the location where the person named is being transported from; 6) the reason for transport (Shelter placement, Family Reunification, Medical/Behavioral Health, Other: _______); 7) the name, address, phone number and email of the organization to whom the person being transported is being delivered; 8) Whether the organization receiving the person being transported has confirmed the acceptance of the person prior to being transported; 9) a list of any conditions that the organization receiving the person being transported requires prior to their acceptance of that person; 10) the name and title of the staff person who has agreed to receive the person being transported; 11) the expected date, time, and mode of transportation by which the person is being transported; 12) the names and titles of staff members accompanying the person being transported; 13) whether the person being transported requires any assistance to maintain Activities of Daily Living (Y/N); 14) the criminal justice status of the person being transported (i.e. Probation/Parole (County:_______); 15) whether person being transported is required to be listed on Sex Offender Registry as per PC 290 (Y/N); 16) whether the person being transported has any Arson Related Restrictions (Y/N);

C. 24 hours after submitting notice, as per section B above, and/or after any government entity or other organization, or any employee or agent acting on behalf of any governmental entity or other organization transports and/or drops off an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence on public property or private property that is accessible to the public in the City, the employee/agent acting on behalf of any governmental entity or other organization shall send via email a drop-off confirmation notice ("Confirmation Notice") to: the City Manager and the Director of Housing and Human Services for City of Riverside of the status of the transport/drop-off to ensure proper coordination so that the individual goes into supportive services and does not end up living on the streets in the City. The notice shall include: 1) the name of the individual that was transported and/or the name of the person for whom the notice, as per Section A above, was submitted; 2) the exact drop-off location of the person that was transported; 3) the date and time of the drop-off; 4) whether the person being dropped off was successfully placed into services; 5) the name and title of the staff member that accepted the person being dropped-off into their services; 6) if person was not transported and/or successfully placed into services, an explanation of why the person was not transported and/or successfully placed, including a description of what happened to the person and whether any follow-up contact has been scheduled.

D. A person "lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence" within the meaning of subsection (A) when a person:

1. Has a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not meant for habitation; or

2. Lives in a publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements (including congregate shelters, transitional housing, and hotels and motels paid for by charitable organizations or by federal, state, and local government programs); or

3. Is exiting an institution where he/she has resided for 90 days or less and who resided in an emergency shelter or place not meant for human habitation immediately before entering that institution; or

4. Is exiting a detention center in the City without having a primary nighttime residence in the City to go to after being released.

E. "Place of origin" for purposes of this section shall mean the city/state/jurisdiction in which the individual stayed for the majority of the six months immediately preceding the pre-scheduled drop-off as evidenced by a driver's license, identification card, or utility bill and excludes temporary stays at homeless shelters, sobering/recovery centers, medical facilities, or detention centers in the City.

F. Subsection (A) shall not be interpreted to prohibit the following activities:

1. Transporting a person to be booked into a county jail or admitted to a county-designated custody alternative facility (e.g., a county-designated sobering center); or

2. Transporting a person to be treated at a licensed hospital or medical facility;

3. Transporting a person to attend a verified appointment with a governmental or nonprofit social service provider;

4. Transporting a person to attend a verified hearing at the Riverside County Superior Court;

5. Any transportation or drop-off activities undertaken by the City within the City; or

6. The operations of a governmental provider of public transportation, such as the Riverside Transit Agency.

(Ord. No. 7774, § 1, 2, 2026)

A. Any person, governmental entity, agency, or other organization who transports into the City of Riverside a person who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and who fails to comply with the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to an administrative citation for each day of non-compliance.

B. Unless otherwise specified herein, all administrative citations issued for violations of this chapter shall be subject to the provisions set forth in Chapter 1.17 of this Code, including, but not limited to, the administrative hearing and appeal process and the City's authority to use any civil remedy available to collect any unpaid administrative fines.

C. If any part or provision of this Chapter, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of the Chapter, including the application of that part or provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected thereby and shall continue in full force and effect. To this end, the provisions of this chapter are severable.

(Ord. No. 7774, § 1, 2, 2026)