Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson announced Wednesday that the city has reached what she called "functional zero" for youth homelessness, a milestone that represents a turning point in addressing homelessness in the community.
According to city leaders, this technical designation means the available services and resources now match or exceed demand for individuals aged 18-24 experiencing homelessness.
"For individuals who are 18 to 24 years old who find themselves unhoused, we have the services, housing and resource delivery system to make sure their needs are addressed immediately," Lock Dawson said during a press conference at City Hall.
The achievement comes as part of a focused strategy that recognizes the critical importance of early intervention. Youth homelessness often serves as an entry point to long-term housing instability, with significant implications for the broader homelessness crisis.
"Transitional-aged youth have an 80% chance of becoming homeless and experiencing chronic problems in adulthood without intervention," Lock Dawson said. "If we can get them now, provide them the hope and the resources they need to thrive as adults, we've effectively taken care of that problem."
From vehicle to housing: One youth's journey
Gabriel Castillo, who found permanent housing through the city's program, shared his personal journey during the press conference. At 18, Castillo became homeless, living in a parked vehicle in Riverside's east side neighborhood after family problems and job loss.
"I began to drink heavily as a coping mechanism," Castillo said. "I started visiting the Youth Opportunity Center at Bobby Bonds Recreational Center, hoping to find anything that would help me."
Through the center, Castillo received clothing, job search assistance, transportation to interviews and daily meals. Staff connected him with the Riverside Access Center for housing assessment and identification assistance.
Despite a 90-day incarceration during his journey, support staff continued working with him. Castillo secured housing at the Aspire Apartments on Jan. 24, 2025.
"I finally have a space I can call my own, leaving behind the life of uncertainty and instability," Castillo said. "I'm now learning how to budget and manage my money and have been actively going to court to regain custody of my daughter."
How the system works
The initiative began in 2023 when Lock Dawson launched the Mayor's Challenge to End Youth Homelessness. Housing and Human Services Director Michelle Davis led the development of a coordinated entry system to track and respond to youth homelessness.
"Through collaboration efforts and the lease up of the Aspire community in February 2025, we achieved what is known as functional zero, meaning we have more individuals exiting our coordinated entry system than those entering it," Davis explained.
The system includes a by-name list of unhoused youth, dedicated outreach teams, and weekly case conferencing calls to ensure connections to necessary resources. Critical funding came from state Housing Assistance and Prevention grants, which enabled the city to increase transitional aged youth shelter beds through partners, including Path of Life Ministries and Operation SafeHouse.
The city also employs a full-time housing locator who assists homeless youth in finding rental units and offers a $600 incentive to landlords willing to sign leases for vulnerable youth.
Heidi Marshall with Riverside County Housing and Workforce Solutions emphasized that housing is just one component of the solution: "Employment and education are integral parts of the programs that we offer our youth. Ultimately, we seek to provide not just housing but a pathway to a good job and a good career. Self-sufficiency is the goal."
Work continues
Shawn Johnson, director of youth services at Operation SafeHouse, noted that homeless youth aren't always visible but urgently need support.
"Through this initiative, our outreach offered intensive case management to connect youth with shelter services," Johnson said. "We've also successfully linked youth to comprehensive support, including stabilized housing, mental health services, and aftercare."
"I am proud to share that 94 young adults have been assisted through this effort," said Riverside County Supervisor Jose Medina, who noted that youth often become homeless after "fleeing family conflict or exiting foster care."
Lock Dawson said the city's work will continue, calling on the governor and state legislature to include ongoing funding for California's Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention Program in the state budget.
"Whatever comes next, we'll reach functional zero for the next subpopulation and the next because we've shown that we can do it when we come together," she said.
