Council certifies election results, seats a new member, and weighs an interim city manager; Finance Committee eyes investment policy and fiscal health.
A red-tailed hawk perches on a boulder atop Mt. Rubidoux, with downtown Riverside spread out below. (Dan Torres) Have a photo that captures the spirit of Riverside? Share it with us and help celebrate the beauty of our community!
Monday Gazette: July 6, 2026
Hello Riverside, and Happy Monday! Quick reminder: the newsroom is on a short summer break this week, so there won't be a newsletter Tuesday, July 7 through Saturday, July 11.
Council certifies election results, seats a new member, and weighs an interim city manager; Finance Committee eyes investment policy and fiscal health.
Welcome to our weekly digest of public meetings and agenda items worth your attention for this coming week. This guide is part of our mission to provide everyday Riversiders like you with the information to speak up on the issues you care about.
City Council
City Council will hold a special meeting in closed and open sessions on Tuesday, July 7, in an evening session at 6:15 p.m. (agenda). The agenda includes:
Adopting resolutions certifying the June 2026 election results and calling a runoff election for the Second and Fourth Ward council seats to be held November 3, 2026, since no candidate won a majority in those races. (item 2)
Swearing in Luis Hernandez as the newly elected Ward 6 councilmember. (item 3)
The Finance Committee (Councilmembers Hemenway, Robillard, and Falcone) meets on Wednesday, July 8, at 3:00 p.m. (agenda) to review proposed updates to the city's investment policy that extend allowable holding periods for certain short-term investments (item 2), and reviewing a set of financial health indicators comparing Riverside's fiscal condition, credit ratings, and income levels to similar California cities (item 3).
Opinion: Riverside, State Lawmakers Target Missing Middle Housing to Boost Homeownership
Mayor Lock Dawson points to nearly 3,000 homes in the pipeline and backs AB 1903 as tools to close Riverside's homeownership gap.
(Courtesy of the Office of Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson)
As Mayor of Riverside, I hear from families, working professionals, and recent graduates-(including my own children!) who are asking the same question: Will I ever be able to afford a home in the community I love?
For generations, the California Dream included the opportunity to buy a home, build equity, and put down roots. Today, for too many that dream feels increasingly out of reach with only 55.3% of households in California owning their home and homeownership in Riverside faring slightly better with a 56.3% homeownership rate. That’s far less than the 63.5% national rate.
One of the biggest barriers is that California stopped building enough starter homes. The state's "missing middle" housing: condominiums, townhomes, and other ownership opportunities that bridge the gap between renting and purchasing a single-family home. These have become increasingly difficult to build due to rising costs but also legal uncertainty and regulatory complexity.
Board of Ethics Considers Overhaul of Complaint Process
Board members say the changes, still in early discussion, aim to reduce political influence over ethics investigations.
Board of Ethics Vice Chair Luis Hernandez during the board's July 2 meeting, where members discussed proposed reforms to the city's ethics complaint process. (File photo/Raincross Gazette)
The Board of Ethics is weighing charter changes that would shield preliminary complaints from public view.
Why it matters: If you've filed — or plan to file — an ethics complaint against a council member, early reviews could soon happen behind closed doors before any public hearing.
Driving the news: An ad hoc committee presented the proposals at the board's July 2 meeting, after members reviewed ethics systems in other cities.
Members stressed the ideas remain in the discussion stage; no formal action was taken.
What's new: The committee's plan would place the ethics board in the city charter, expand the future inspector general's investigative role, and let pre-hearing reviews stay private.
Charter placement "would basically cement the Board of Ethics" as part of the city, Vice Chair Luis Hernandez said.
Yes, but: City staff warned the private pre-hearing proposal may conflict with California's Brown Act, which requires open meetings for local governing bodies.
Board member Kathleen Fanning questioned shifting appointment power to the inspector general: "Why wouldn't we be beholden?"
What's next: The Charter Review Committee, expected to be appointed next year, would decide whether to recommend any changes to the City Council for a future ballot.
The discussion was Hernandez's final meeting on the board; he was elected to the City Council's Ward 6 seat, and Chair Newman has resigned.
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