This Week in City Hall: January 22, 2024

Welcome to our weekly digest on public meetings and agenda items worthy of your attention in the next 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.

Housing and Homelessness Committee

The Housing and Homelessness Committee meets on Monday, January 22, at 3:30 p.m. (agenda) for a presentation from LifeArk, an LA-based company that reuses single-use plastics to manufacture affordable housing projects as low as $63,000 per unit, and an update on other housing projects in the development pipeline.

Board of Public Utilities

The Board of Public Utilities meets on Monday, January 22, at 6:30 p.m. (agenda) to hold a public hearing before recommending City Council approves the renewal of a water conservation surcharge.

City Council

City Council will meet in closed and open sessions on Tuesday, January 23, 2024, in two afternoon sessions at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. and an evening session at 6:15 p.m. (agenda). The agenda includes:

• A decision on Mayor and Councilmember compensation. A 5% raise was approved last January; Council can leave that alone or convene a Charter Review Committee to explore options for further increases to compensation.
• Considering assigning $1,000,000 of ARPA funds to the Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation toward the 65-unit affordable housing project currently under construction on Chicago Ave at Seventh St.
• Considering numerous amendments to Title 20 of the City's municipal code, one of which would allow properties to be designated as of historic significance without owner consent.
• The appeal of a Board of Ethics pre-conference decision on a Code of Ethics and Conduct complaint filed by Ben Clymer, Jr., against Councilmember Cervantes.