In the Inland Empire, three out of 10 households are considered rent-burdened — spending more than half of their income on rent just to keep a roof over their heads. The finding underscored urgent conversations at the Inland Empire Community Foundation’s Policy & Philanthropy Summit, held Aug. 6–7 at the Riverside Convention Center.
The two-day event drew nearly 500 nonprofit leaders, policymakers, and advocates from across Riverside and San Bernardino counties, and even beyond, under the theme “Common Ground for the Common Good.” Conversations throughout the summit were framed by the “vital conditions” — seven interconnected pillars for building thriving communities: basic needs for health and safety, humane housing, meaningful work and wealth, lifelong learning, reliable transportation, belonging and civic muscle, and a thriving natural world.
During a humane housing panel, California Assemblymembers Dr. Corey Jackson and Robert Garcia tackled the Inland Empire’s affordability crisis head-on. Jackson stressed the need for government, nonprofits, and the private sector to end siloed work and coordinate strategies…