First 5 Riverside Bulletin July 2019
Dear Friends, As summer draws to a close, many families are settling into a backto-school routine. It is important for young children to have a stable and safe environment where they can learn – whether it is in an early learning classroom or at home. Unfortunately, there is a growing number of families with young children in our county and throughout the region that do not have a stable place to call home. Nearly 30 percent of renters in Riverside County spend more than half their annual income on rent only. The costs of housing are outpacing income growth, forcing families to choose between paying for food and childcare.
. For children ages 0-5, housing instability can produce multiple health issues, developmental delays, lower kindergarten readiness, higher incidences of anxiety, depression and aggression and more. The good news is there are several initiatives in Riverside County that aim to address this problem. And, there are opportunities for First 5 Riverside to be part of a countywide solution. Yvonne Suarez and I recently participated in a convening sponsored by Lift to Rise about how public and private partners, including Riverside County Supervisor Manuel Perez, can work together to alleviate housing instability for families with children age 0-5 in the Coachella Valley. Being a key partner in countywide efforts to ensure all families with young children have access to affordable housing with necessary supports in areas of need is at the core of our Resilient Families Goal Area. As stated in a recent report on housing instability by Lift to Rise, “Children are born ready to learn and thrive. The quality of a child’s housing in their first 5 years of life – positively or negatively – impacts the rest of their life. We have a unique opportunity to intervene, in real time, and shape the future for thousands of…children.” To read the full report, go to: Activating Family Stability Through Housing. I look forward to sharing more on this important issue and how First 5 Riverside can be a catalyst in ensuring families with little ones have a safe and stable place to call home.
1