St. Michael's Apartments Faces Ongoing Community Concerns Over Parking, Safety Issues

The Housing and Homelessness Committee received an update on St. Michael's Apartments during its July 28 meeting, addressing persistent community concerns about parking problems, safety issues, and quality of life impacts in the surrounding Ward 5 neighborhood.

The 50-unit affordable housing complex at 4074 Jackson Street, which opened in June 2023, includes 24 permanent supportive housing units for individuals experiencing homelessness. The $17.9 million project was developed by Community Development Partners on land leased from St. Michael's Episcopal Church.

Michelle Davis, Housing and Human Services Director, presented data showing police calls for service have increased since the apartments opened. Between August 2023 and May 2025, the Police Department received 353 calls averaging 16 per month from the apartment addresses, compared to 159 calls averaging seven per month from the broader surrounding area.

"Many incidents involved sleeping individuals, sleeping in vehicles and using nearby addresses as reference points, suggesting that not all reported activities is directly connected to the St. Michael's Apartments," Davis said.

Rosa Vasquez, who lives on nearby Stott Street, told the committee her neighborhood has deteriorated since the apartments opened. She described dealing with homeless individuals knocking on doors, peeking through windows and stealing packages.

"We fought very long and hard to stop when it was presented to us. We were lied to," Vasquez said. "What was presented to us is not what we currently have. They promised it would bring up our property value and it was going to enhance the community. Totally not the case."

Parking has emerged as the primary complaint from residents. The apartment complex's construction eliminated most of St. Michael's Church's parking spaces, leaving only eight spots for a church that seats over 200 people. When the church holds services or events, cars overflow into the surrounding residential streets.

Vice Chair Sean Mill, who represents Ward 5, said parking was the top concern in multiple emails the committee received from residents. He noted many unregistered vehicles park along neighborhood streets, an issue that didn't exist before the apartments were built.

"I was on the Planning Commission when this came, and I told them at the time that parking was going to be the number one issue," Mill said. "And sure enough, here we go."

City housing inspections have revealed compliance issues at the property. During an August 2024 monitoring visit, staff found no physical deficiencies but discovered discrepancies in five of 10 lease files reviewed, including missing income recertifications, bank statements, and tax returns.

A follow-up inspection in July found four units with maintenance issues including poor housekeeping, a missing doorknob, and damaged blinds. The property manager reported one permanent supportive housing unit was in the eviction process.

Charles Chapman, Riverside County Regional Director for Mercy House, which provides supportive services at the complex, defended the project's track record. He said 80% of original residents remain housed and consistently pay rent while participating in programming.

"These are people who are making positive steps towards maintaining their housing," Chapman said. "We have evictions going on right now simply because of those reasons. If you're found not to be following the protocols and the rules of the community, it's not a tolerance. We take action immediately."

The property manager has implemented stricter lease enforcement policies, reducing the number of violations allowed before potential eviction from three or four to one or two, according to Davis.

Riverside University Health System's Behavioral Health provides specialized services to tenants through California's No Place Like Home program. The services include housing stabilization plans, connections to healthcare, substance abuse treatment, and life skills training.

Rev. Canon Mary Crist, the Episcopal priest at St. Michael's Church, called into the meeting to address criticism about ongoing services that attract people to the area. She said Narcotics Anonymous meetings occur five days a week at the church, predating the apartments by about 15 years.

"I would like to summarize it by saying the managers are trying to do the best they can to run a good show in those apartments," Crist said. "They are constrained by a number of legalities that I certainly didn't know about. It's very hard to evict someone."

The Police Department has obtained "No Trespassing or Loitering" authorization forms for both the church and apartment property, enabling enforcement under California Penal Code 602. However, recent state law changes now require these forms to be notarized.

Committee Chair Clarissa Cervantes suggested exploring solutions including parking permits for surrounding streets and using nearby Hunt Park for church overflow parking. She also proposed investigating whether some unregistered vehicles belong to apartment residents who cannot afford registration fees.

"Recovery is not a straight line," Cervantes said. "It is a journey. It is what many people describe as a circle. Sometimes people have to come back to start over again."

Staff plans to schedule safety meetings with apartment residents and explore forming a neighborhood watch group involving residents, the church, and community members. However, some neighbors expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of such measures given past unfulfilled promises.

The Housing Authority recorded a 55-year affordability covenant on the property, ensuring 25 units remain affordable to low-income households earning no more than $62,650 annually for one person, and 24 units for extremely low-income households earning no more than $23,500 annually.