Riverside's New Transitional Housing Community
Every day in Riverside County, hundreds of foster teens, young adults, and families in crisis struggle to find affordable transitional housing and the program support services necessary to move beyond the trauma and adversity they experience daily. Foster teens endure untold challenges before reaching adulthood and are trying to pick up the pieces from challenging childhoods. More must be done to help them find stable housing and get on track for productive and rewarding futures.
Every month, dozens of foster teens turn eighteen years old and emancipate or leave the child welfare system. History tells us that within six-months of being “independent,” more than 60 percent of these teens become homeless and experience severe housing instability (couch surfing is not a stable home). When homeless and living on the streets, these teens experience even more traumatic mental health issues, and often experience substance abuse and other negative life-style issues. In addition to these young adults needing stable housing and supportive, holistic services, local families with young children experience similar housing challenges.
Every month, dozens of foster teens turn eighteen years old and emancipate or leave the child welfare system. History tells us that within six-months of being “independent,” more than 60 percent of these teens become homeless and experience severe housing instability (couch surfing is not a stable home). When homeless and living on the streets, these teens experience even more traumatic mental health issues, and often experience substance abuse and other negative life-style issues. In addition to these young adults needing stable housing and supportive, holistic services, local families with young children experience similar housing challenges.
OUR $2.8 MILLION SOLUTION
AN INNOVATIVE CHURCH-COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP
From our partners at OLIVE CREST:
Through our proven service model, we have seen first- hand the transformative effects of foster teens and struggling families living within a positive support system and stable housing. With safe housing and hope of a better future that includes independent living skills and stable positive relationships, individuals will begin to heal and continue these positive experiences into adulthood.
As we plan for the next 50 years, and the desire to help even more teens and young adults, we are raising $2.8 million to invest in these new transitional homes. To meet foster teens, young adults, and vulnerable single parent families needs, we will build the new Crest Cottages.
We realize that strategic partnerships are crucial to helping make this dream a reality. Therefore, we have joined together with the compassionate Riverside-based Crest Community Church whose mission is to be a “house of mercy” that loves their neighbors unconditionally. To address this tragic problem, Olive Crest, partnering with Crest Community Church in Riverside, is planning to build eleven transitional homes for young adults aging out of foster care, and young families experiencing temporary crisis to divert them from homelessness, domestic violence, medical, or other challenges that lead to child welfare intervention.
The church sits on a 1.75-acre campus it owns, which includes excess land to accommodate this new transitional housing complex. Through this capital campaign, our plan is to build and manage this new community called Crest Cottages in partnership with our visionary land-owning church partner, Crest Community Church. The goal is to provide young adults and struggling families with transitional housing and comprehensive support services by the Olive Crest staff as well as Crest Community Church staff. Simultaneously, church volunteers will provide basic and spiritual support, and build community that creates a lifelong safety net for these kids and families.
We envision a Crest Cottage village that will include:
Through our proven service model, we have seen first- hand the transformative effects of foster teens and struggling families living within a positive support system and stable housing. With safe housing and hope of a better future that includes independent living skills and stable positive relationships, individuals will begin to heal and continue these positive experiences into adulthood.
As we plan for the next 50 years, and the desire to help even more teens and young adults, we are raising $2.8 million to invest in these new transitional homes. To meet foster teens, young adults, and vulnerable single parent families needs, we will build the new Crest Cottages.
We realize that strategic partnerships are crucial to helping make this dream a reality. Therefore, we have joined together with the compassionate Riverside-based Crest Community Church whose mission is to be a “house of mercy” that loves their neighbors unconditionally. To address this tragic problem, Olive Crest, partnering with Crest Community Church in Riverside, is planning to build eleven transitional homes for young adults aging out of foster care, and young families experiencing temporary crisis to divert them from homelessness, domestic violence, medical, or other challenges that lead to child welfare intervention.
The church sits on a 1.75-acre campus it owns, which includes excess land to accommodate this new transitional housing complex. Through this capital campaign, our plan is to build and manage this new community called Crest Cottages in partnership with our visionary land-owning church partner, Crest Community Church. The goal is to provide young adults and struggling families with transitional housing and comprehensive support services by the Olive Crest staff as well as Crest Community Church staff. Simultaneously, church volunteers will provide basic and spiritual support, and build community that creates a lifelong safety net for these kids and families.
We envision a Crest Cottage village that will include:
- 11 separate small homes
- transitional housing for 16-24 young adults and families
- interactive play spaces
- a shared park area
- classrooms for learning
- offices for counseling and essential support services and coordination
- a full-time manager living on-site to oversee operations, ensure safety, and build relationships
BUILDING UPON SUCCESS
The viability of this partnership model has already been proven effective by way of a similar project called “Grove Village” through The Grove Community Church in Riverside. Four homes were built for multi-family use, spearheaded by former Mayor Rusty Bailey, and local Pastor Tom Lance. Today, the program continues to see success, with the average participant staying at the transitional housing 12-18 months before transitioning into their own independent housing.
Serving children and families has been at the heart of Olive Crest’s mission for 50 years. We have learned the greatest common factor among children, young adults, and families in the child welfare system are social isolation, low socioeconomic status, and housing instability. Crest Cottages exists to bridge this gap. Together, we can help them move from isolation to a healthy level of interdependence, self-determination, and resilient success.
“By God’s design, true transformation comes from the healing power of family. We provide highly skilled professionals and a proven model to facilitate healing — but church, community, and neighbors provide the life-long relational connections necessary to sustain that. Crest Cottages offers both.”
Tracy Fitzsimmons
Executive Director Olive Crest, Inland Empire
Serving children and families has been at the heart of Olive Crest’s mission for 50 years. We have learned the greatest common factor among children, young adults, and families in the child welfare system are social isolation, low socioeconomic status, and housing instability. Crest Cottages exists to bridge this gap. Together, we can help them move from isolation to a healthy level of interdependence, self-determination, and resilient success.
“By God’s design, true transformation comes from the healing power of family. We provide highly skilled professionals and a proven model to facilitate healing — but church, community, and neighbors provide the life-long relational connections necessary to sustain that. Crest Cottages offers both.”
Tracy Fitzsimmons
Executive Director Olive Crest, Inland Empire
