Learning Institute for Flight Technology aims to prepare students for high-paying careers as demand for pilots, mechanics, and air traffic controllers soars.
Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson applauds alongside business leaders, educators and community champions at Wednesday's State of the City address, where she declared Riverside is "leveling up." (Bob Sirotnik)
Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson delivered an optimistic vision of Riverside's trajectory in her fifth State of the City address Wednesday evening, declaring the city is "leveling up" across every major metric from public safety to economic development.
Speaking to more than 1,000 business and community leaders at the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce's 49th annual event, Lock Dawson outlined progress across public safety, economic development, healthcare and community services.
"Every metric is going in the right direction," Lock Dawson said. "Crime is down. Revenues are up. Unemployment is down. Jobs are up. Businesses are expanding and opening. This is your State of the City: strong, resilient, rising."
Public Safety Improvements Drive "Leveling Up" Theme
Lock Dawson reported crime reduction statistics, citing overall crime down 35 percent over the past two years, violent crime down 12 percent and property crime down 24 percent. The city solved every homicide case in 2025, she said, with homicides down 38 percent over four years.
The Riverside Police Department reached full staffing for the first time in more than 25 years after adding 88 new officers in 2025. Notably, 15 of the last 20 new officers came from Riverside's Police Explorers Program.
"That's what happens when we invest in our youth—they stay, they serve and they protect the community they love," Lock Dawson said.
The city's Public Works Department paved 51 miles of roads, she said, while the upcoming Third Street Grade Separation Project will eliminate train delays and improve emergency response times.
However, Lock Dawson acknowledged growing demands on the Fire Department, which has seen calls for service increase 33 percent since 2014 to an average of one call every 11 minutes. A two-year master plan and needs assessment identified necessary modernization and expansion.
New state wildfire risk maps designate more Riverside acreage as high-risk. In response, the city joined FireWise USA, cleared 375 acres of defensible space, and mowed more than 400 acres citywide.
Construction on a new police headquarters to replace the 60-year-old Orange Street facility will begin this summer.
International Companies Choose Riverside for Manufacturing
Riverside attracted six international companies in just two years, Lock Dawson said.
The city created 18,000 new jobs in one year and attracted $4.3 billion in new construction, she reported. Riverside's 4.5 percent office vacancy rate ranks among the nation's lowest, while the region has the fourth fastest-growing economy in the country.
Electric vehicle and green technology manufacturers now form a manufacturing cluster, including Ohmio, which sends Riverside-branded electric shuttles to Newark International Airport; Voltu Motors, which expanded into a second location; Hyundai Rotem, which officially opened its hydrogen-powered train manufacturing facility; and GreenPower Motor Company, which consolidated North American facilities here to build electric buses.
New companies include Stored Power Technology and CHAEVI, the second-largest EV charging company in South Korea.
"At global investment events like SelectUSA, I heard the same story: 'Don't bother with California,'" Lock Dawson said. "And then they sit down with Riverside. Suddenly the question changes from 'Why California?' to 'Why not Riverside?'"
The city's entire jurisdiction operates as a Foreign Trade Zone, saving industries millions on tariffs. Riverside Public Utilities offers some of the lowest electricity and water rates in California.
The Riverside Municipal Airport has become the busiest FAA-contracted air traffic control tower in California. The upcoming Learning Institute for Flight Technology, or LIFT, conceived by Councilmember Steven Robillard, will train the aerospace workforce at the airport. A second annual Aerospace Expo will return later this year.
Casa Blanca Elementary School partnered with Collins Aerospace to expose students to aerospace careers.
Healthcare Gap Begins to Close
Lock Dawson addressed the Inland Empire's longstanding healthcare shortage, announcing expansions across multiple facilities.
UC Riverside School of Medicine will construct a teaching hospital with 280 patient beds and residency training programs. Riverside Community Hospital is undertaking a nearly $1 billion expansion adding 770 beds. Lock Dawson credited Councilmember Jim Perry with advocating for expanded healthcare capacity on the westside. Kaiser Permanente's hospital expansion will open in 2027.
The Franklin Residential Care Facility and Behavioral Health Clinic added 84 beds for adult behavioral health and recovery services. More than $300 million in Proposition 1 funding will build a 60-bed county youth wellness center and a 100-bed inpatient psychiatric facility serving adults, teens and children 12 and under.
Medical training programs grew. California Baptist University doubled its physician assistant cohort, UC Riverside School of Medicine graduated its largest class ever and La Sierra University launched an online MBA in Health Care Management. Arlington and Ramona high schools now offer a Fast Track Nursing Program through Riverside City College.
"A city cannot thrive if its people cannot breathe clean air or access quality care," Lock Dawson said.
The mayor serves on the California Air Resources Board, giving Riverside a voice in statewide air quality and environmental regulations. The city now ranks in the top 11 nationally for installed solar capacity per capita and launched the world's only Clean Air Carshare Program with 12 hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles. By 2027, 70 percent of Riverside's energy portfolio will come from renewable sources, she said.
The Northside Agriculture Innovation Center, where construction began recently, represents a first-of-its-kind partnership to grow food using new technology.
Arts District Receives State Recognition
The California Arts Council officially designated Riverside's Arts and Culture District as a California Cultural District, Lock Dawson announced, bringing funding, technical resources, and marketing support.
The designation comes one year after Lock Dawson declared 2025 the "Year of Arts and Culture" during last year's State of the City address. The Artists-in-Residence initiative, championed by Councilmember Clarissa Cervantes, brought six artists into neighborhoods to create community-centered public art.
Riverside's Festival of Lights was named the No. 1 Christmas light show in the nation by Newsweek. The mayor honored the legacy of Mission Inn Hotel owner Duane Roberts, who died in 2025.
Lock Dawson announced a new "Preserving Riverside's Treasures" initiative championed by Councilmember Phillip Falcone to protect and celebrate the city's 153 city landmarks, 24 properties on the National Register of Historic Places and two National Historic Landmarks.
Partnerships, fundraisers and private investment will support improvements to the Fox Theater, Brockton Arcade, the De Anza Theatre and other historic properties, she said.
The city has 6,000 housing units in the pipeline. With state support, Mulberry Gardens will add 59 affordable senior units and 150 affordable family homes.
Lock Dawson launched a Senior Forum to connect seniors to resources. Senior centers served more than 75,000 seniors and delivered over 31,000 meals annually, while community centers welcomed more than 1.5 million visitors.
Upgrades came to parks and playgrounds, including the Orange Terrace Community Center playground renovation secured by Councilmember Chuck Conder.
On the Eastside, $300 million in state investment is funding the future Jesus Duran Library, a renovated Cesar Chavez Community Center, and the new Dell Roberts Bordwell Park Gym opening later this year.
Lock Dawson announced Fairmount Park improvements including dredging Fairmount Lake and returning pedal boats, along with new kayak and bike rentals. Thompson's Brewery will open at the Armory in approximately two years, she said.
Councilmember Steve Hemenway has advocated for Hole Lake, a natural site connected to the Santa Ana River. The city is addressing illegal dumping through master planning and is negotiating development of an 85-acre Riverside Adventure Center combining recreation, housing and economic development.
Lock Dawson highlighted Riverside's status as just the fourth city in the nation where two NCAA Division I teams share a hometown, with UC Riverside and California Baptist University competing in the same athletic division.
Recent athletic achievements include Hillcrest High School's CIF football championship, Riverside City College's ninth state title in track and field and La Sierra University soccer team's historic season.
The city is moving forward with the Riverside Sports Complex and Entertainment District, which will include a stadium, game complex, soccer fields, playgrounds and a dog park, she said.
The Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California will receive the 2026 Riverside Hero Award at tonight's event, continuing an annual tradition recognizing community service.
Lock Dawson concluded her address by framing the city's progress as a collective achievement. "Cities don't rise unless people do," she said. "And the people of Riverside are rising. This is Riverside's moment. This is Riverside's future. This is Riverside—leveling up."
City Council will discuss placing tax measures on the June ballot including a potential 0.25% sales tax generating $21 million annually and consider warehouse development restrictions.
