Riverside council backs $1.5M for Sunrise & Bogard and advances motel-to-housing HomeKey applications amid sharp public debate

The Riverside City Council on May 22 approved a staff recommendation to allocate approximately $1,508,234 in Home Investments Partnership funds to support Sunrise & Bogard, a proposed 22-unit permanent supportive housing project, and advanced HomeKey motel-conversion applications that would convert hotel rooms into long-term housing.

Jennifer Lili, director of the city’s Community and Economic Development Department, told the council the Sunrise & Bogard pilot targets 30% area median income units and would rely on layered funding and regulatory agreements to secure long-term affordability. Agripina Newber, a housing program manager, outlined that some subsidy documents must be renegotiated to ensure a consistent 55-year affordability term across agreements.

The vote on the Sunrise & Bogard funding passed unanimously. Council members stressed the need for clear regulatory language and monitoring; staff said the proposed funding would be used for development costs and related subsidies as described in the staff report.

Separately, staff presented an expedited HomeKey motel-conversion application for the Quality Inn at 1590 University Avenue (a proposal to convert roughly 114 rooms), explaining that state HomeKey deadlines and a potential $35 million state funding opportunity required an accelerated timeline. Housing staff reported that the hotel conversion would include supportive services, accessibility adaptations and long-term affordability requirements if the state grant is awarded.

Public comment ran long and sharply divided the audience. Dozens of residents, nonprofit leaders and business owners spoke both for and against the motel conversions. Supporters—service providers and residents experiencing homelessness—said the proposals represent a rare chance to house people quickly and cited veterans and seniors as priority groups. Opponents, including nearby business owners and area residents, raised concerns about community outreach, proximity to the university, possible impacts on local commerce and the speed of the timeline. Paola Bochark, a caller in support, told the council in Spanish: "Queremos ver acción en vez de hablar." ("We want to see action instead of talk.")

Councilmembers pressed for written, enforceable protections for priority groups. Several asked that documents be amended to include priority-referral language for seniors and veterans, and requested additional diligence on case-management staffing, infrastructure (sewer/water) impacts and operating budgets. Council directed staff to seek the HomeKey grant and to return to the council with final agreements and additional information before final acceptance of any state award. One motion the council adopted included a condition that if the state grant is awarded, staff will return with further diligence and enhancements to the operating plan (including increased case-management capacity), an infrastructure assessment and the finalized regulatory documents.

What’s next: Staff will proceed with the HomeKey application and related regulatory work, and will return to the council for final approvals and any grant-acceptance steps if the state awards HomeKey funding. The Sunrise & Bogard Home Investments Partnership allocation will be executed per the approved terms.