Assemblymember Jose Medina leads the effort in 2019-20 state budget
RIVERSIDE, Calif. — June 29, 2020 — The Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California announced today that it has officially received $3.5 million in state funding, secured in the 2019-20 state budget, to build 72 units of new affordable housing and a regional center devoted to children’s programming and educational exhibits on the civil rights movement in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
The 92,000 square foot mixed-use project at 3933 Mission Inn Avenue in Riverside will also provide a new home for the Fair Housing Council of Riverside County.
“In a nation still struggling with racism and discrimination, we’re bringing people together to chart a better future,” says former Riverside Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge, board president of the Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California. “Together, we’re building a welcoming living environment and a new civic destination to learn, grow, and reaffirm our shared humanity.”
Governor Gavin Newsom and the state legislature agreed last year to dedicate $3.5 million to the Mission Heritage Plaza project.
“We are thankful to Assemblymember Jose Medina and policymakers across our region for leading the charge in making this historic project a state budget priority,” says Rose Mayes, executive director of the Fair Housing Council and board vice president of the Civil Rights Institute.
Assemblymember Medina underscores the significance of this regional project.
“I am thrilled that state funding is supporting the development of the Mission Heritage Plaza,” says Medina. “This project is critical to our region and will serve many in need of housing. It will also help ensure the next generation understands the importance of the civil rights movement and its continued relevance today.”
When the Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California opens, it will feature:
- public educational programming focusing on historical figures who have shaped the region’s civil rights movement,
- exhibits and performances that promote dialogue on justice, racial equity and human rights,
- an archive and library of regional civil rights materials,
- a media center to produce oral history projects,
- a meeting space for community groups, and
- advance civil rights and social justice issues through advocacy, education, and intentional engagement with individuals, communities, and policymakers.
The 72 units of affordable housing will be built within the same complex. Twenty-two of those homes will be designated as permanent supportive housing for veterans, including those with disabilities and some who have been homeless.
Construction is expected to start this fall, and doors will open summer 2021.
A mix of state and local funds and community donations is making the project possible.
Sponsorships and donor naming opportunities are limited, but still available. To learn more, visit InlandCivilRights.org.
