The city of Riverside was recently awarded a $20.1 million state grant to build housing meant for low-income seniors and the homeless. But last month, the city council voted 4-3 to refuse to accept that funding.
Late Friday afternoon, none of the council members who voted against it stepped forward to signal their intent to change their vote by 5 p.m., which effectively will leave that money on the table. It likely means the end of plans that would have transformed a motel near UC Riverside into low-income housing.
“When we get awarded free state grant funding, that’s free from the state of California to come into our city, it is hard to see that we’re going to say no to $20.1 million,” said Riverside city council member Clarrisa Cervantes, who voted to accept the state grant…