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# This Week in City Hall: August 31, 2026
- URL: https://www.raincrossgazette.com/this-week-in-city-hall-august-31-2026/
- Published: 2026-08-31T12:00:38.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-31T12:00:39.000Z
- Description: Council eyes a purchasing threshold hike, a Motel 6 conversion for senior housing, and a state grant for Anza Narrows Park, while the Board of Ethics reviews prohibited endorsements.
- Author: Micaela Ricaforte
- Tags: City Hall

City Council will meet in closed and open sessions on Tuesday, September 1, in afternoon sessions at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. ([agenda](https://riversideca.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=1432333&GUID=48003040-ABEA-42EE-921C-A189608D376A&ref=raincrossgazette.com)). The agenda includes:

- Receiving a [presentation](https://riversideca.legistar1.com/daystar.legistar6.sdk.ws/View.ashx?M=F&GovernmentGUID=RIVE&LogicalFileName=e6d61e3a-c00d-426b-b5c2-a8784ef77a59.pdf&From=Granicus&Format=pdf&ref=raincrossgazette.com) on the Housing and Human Services Department's performance data — which includes a jump in code enforcement notices, debris removed from homeless encampments and a drop in residents accepting outreach services — plus updates on the City's affordable housing pipeline ([item 5](https://riversideca.granicusideas.com/meetings/5449-revised-city-council-successor-agency-slash-housing-authority-art-pick-council-chamber/agenda%5Fitems/6a87ada2f395e7adaf001ce2-5-housing-and-human-services-department-overview?ref=raincrossgazette.com)).
- Considering an [update to City purchasing rules](https://riversideca.legistar1.com/daystar.legistar6.sdk.ws/View.ashx?M=F&GovernmentGUID=RIVE&LogicalFileName=d28b2cc0-1b14-4da6-ae68-4e8cade9c8a5.docx&From=Granicus&Format=docx&ref=raincrossgazette.com) that would raise the dollar amount staff can approve without a Council vote from $100,000 to $220,000 and raise the threshold requiring competitive bidding — a change intended to reduce the number of routine contracts brought before Council ([item 30b](https://riversideca.granicusideas.com/meetings/5449-revised-city-council-successor-agency-slash-housing-authority-art-pick-council-chamber/agenda%5Fitems/6a920bc07d7965876f000db3-30b-adopt-a-resolution-establishing-rules-and-reg?ref=raincrossgazette.com)).
- Considering [acceptance](https://riversideca.legistar1.com/daystar.legistar6.sdk.ws/View.ashx?M=F&GovernmentGUID=RIVE&LogicalFileName=3ae9ec3a-997f-410b-9c83-ed2e61f76b13.docx&From=Granicus&Format=docx&ref=raincrossgazette.com) of a $6 million state grant to fund design and partial construction of new amenities — including a playground, restrooms, and river-overlook features — at Martha McLean Anza Narrows Park, with the full project estimated at $12 million ([item 27](https://riversideca.granicusideas.com/meetings/5449-city-council-successor-agency-slash-housing-authority-art-pick-council-chamber/agenda%5Fitems/6a87ada3f395e7adaf001d01-27-adopt-a-resolution-approving-the-acceptance-of?ref=raincrossgazette.com)).
- Considering a [$2.5 million agreement](https://riversideca.legistar1.com/daystar.legistar6.sdk.ws/View.ashx?M=F&GovernmentGUID=RIVE&LogicalFileName=3f35f0dd-c9fc-4cff-bd3c-9b0a2deaefe9.docx&From=Granicus&Format=docx&ref=raincrossgazette.com) with the Western Riverside Council of Governments to upgrade traffic signal communications along University Avenue and the Alessandro Boulevard-Central Avenue corridor, funded through developer mitigation fees rather than City tax dollars ([item 29](https://riversideca.granicusideas.com/meetings/5449-city-council-successor-agency-slash-housing-authority-art-pick-council-chamber/agenda%5Fitems/6a87ada3f395e7adaf001d04-29-approve-transportation-uniform-mitigation-fee?ref=raincrossgazette.com)).
- Considering the [appointment](https://riversideca.legistar1.com/daystar.legistar6.sdk.ws/View.ashx?M=F&GovernmentGUID=RIVE&LogicalFileName=461a4d9f-ced0-4e72-821b-738aa69f047a.docx&From=Granicus&Format=docx&ref=raincrossgazette.com) of Bill Gallardo and Steven A. Mendoza as interim CEDD deputy directors at $128.43 an hour — a move pulled from the consent calendar for a standalone vote and 5-minute presentation ([item 30a](https://riversideca.granicusideas.com/meetings/5449-revised-city-council-successor-agency-slash-housing-authority-art-pick-council-chamber/agenda%5Fitems/6a920bc07d7965876f000db1-discussion-calendar?ref=raincrossgazette.com)).
- Considering a [public hearing and agreement](https://riversideca.legistar1.com/daystar.legistar6.sdk.ws/View.ashx?M=F&GovernmentGUID=RIVE&LogicalFileName=b93e9147-b9ff-49dd-836f-73b65f7a2d6f.docx&From=Granicus&Format=docx&ref=raincrossgazette.com) to sell Housing Authority property at 2882 Mission Inn Avenue to Grapevine Development, LLC for $1, enabling construction of 10 affordable housing units within a larger 64-unit mixed-use project, with the City's land contribution valued at about $245,861 ([item 40](https://riversideca.granicusideas.com/meetings/5449-city-council-successor-agency-slash-housing-authority-art-pick-council-chamber/agenda%5Fitems/6a87ada3f395e7adaf001d11-40-joint-item-with-housing-authority-and-successo?ref=raincrossgazette.com)).

### Housing and Homelessness Committee

The Housing and Homelessness Committee has a special meeting on Monday, August 31, at 3:30 p.m. ([agenda](https://riversideca.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=1436316&GUID=19217630-3EE9-4C02-9C79-E3A23AC0E867&ref=raincrossgazette.com)) to consider the acquisition and conversion of the Motel 6 and Days Inn into about 148 [affordable senior housing units](https://riversideca.legistar1.com/daystar.legistar6.sdk.ws/View.ashx?M=F&GovernmentGUID=RIVE&LogicalFileName=9d6eeb91-ea98-4264-9b96-cfa89fe129be.docx&From=Granicus&Format=docx&ref=raincrossgazette.com) ([item 2](https://riversideca.granicusideas.com/meetings/5451-housing-and-homelessness-committee-special-meeting-art-pick-council-chamber/agenda%5Fitems/6a88cacc442538aa49006cdb-2-proposed-acquisition-and-conversion-of-motel-6?ref=raincrossgazette.com)) and reviewing the City's [reapplication](https://riversideca.legistar1.com/daystar.legistar6.sdk.ws/View.ashx?M=F&GovernmentGUID=RIVE&LogicalFileName=5894ecf6-5129-4cd0-9ec2-7c79367e887c.docx&From=Granicus&Format=docx&ref=raincrossgazette.com) for California's Prohousing Designation Program ([item 4](https://riversideca.granicusideas.com/meetings/5451-housing-and-homelessness-committee-special-meeting-art-pick-council-chamber/agenda%5Fitems/6a88cacc442538aa49006cdd-4-california-prohousing-designation-program-reapp?ref=raincrossgazette.com)).

### Board of Ethics

The Board of Ethics meets on Thursday, September 3, at 6 p.m. ([agenda](https://riversideca.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=1432910&GUID=A927C1CA-4AC3-4244-A073-BBC8B1082815&ref=raincrossgazette.com)) to conduct its annual review of the Code of Ethics and Conduct for its effectiveness ([item 5](https://riversideca.granicusideas.com/meetings/5448-board-of-ethics-art-pick-council-chamber/agenda%5Fitems/6a8610787d79658191000b80-5-annual-review-of-the-code-of-ethics-and-conduct?ref=raincrossgazette.com)), and to hear a presentation overview of Municipal Code 2.78.060.E, regarding prohibited endorsements for compensation. ([item 3](https://riversideca.granicusideas.com/meetings/5448-board-of-ethics-art-pick-council-chamber/agenda%5Fitems/6a8610787d79658191000b7c-3-overview-of-riverside-municipal-code-2-dot-78-dot-060-dot-e?ref=raincrossgazette.com))

### Other notes:

City staff have confirmed a discrepancy between two RHNA (Regional Housing Needs Assessment) permit presentations was the result of a data correction, not a rescinded permit or cancelled project. The [March 10 presentation](https://riversideca.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=15280168&GUID=C92B59A5-4AC1-4FE9-ACF5-F053DADC5AD6&ref=raincrossgazette.com) to Council reported 542 above-moderate-income permits issued in 2025, for a 2025 total of 564 units. The [Aug. 20 presentation](https://riversideca.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=15753971&GUID=06790E30-0EC5-44D8-B1A3-4AB781F25815&ref=raincrossgazette.com) to the Economic Development Committee showed lower figures for the same category and year — 393 above-moderate-income permits and a 415 total — a difference of 149 units in each case.

According to Community & Economic Development Director Miranda Evans, the 149-unit gap stemmed from a project that was inadvertently double-counted in the March presentation.

The error was caught after that meeting, and staff say they have since submitted a corrected count to the state Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and notified City leadership. Evans confirmed the August figures are the accurate ones.