REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
DATE: 03/15/2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: City Manager's Office
SUBJECT:
Title
REQUEST FROM THE CITY OF NORCO AND THE CITY OF BLYTHE TO SUPPORT THE CLOSURE OF THE CALIFORNIA REHABILITATION CENTER IN NORCO AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO CLOSING THE CHUCKAWALLA VALLEY STATE PRISON IN THE CITY OF BLYTHE
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to consider a request from the City of Norco and the City of Blythe to support the closure of the California Rehabilitation Center in the City of Norco as an alternative to closing the Chuckawalla Valley State Prison in the City of Blythe. Both the City of Norco and the City of Blythe are requesting support from the cities in Riverside County on this issue.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council consider a request from the City of Norco and the City of Blythe to support the closure of the California Rehabilitation Center in Norco as an alternative to closing the Chuckawalla Valley State Prison in Blythe.
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BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
The State of California is proposing to close the Chuckawalla Valley State Prison (CSVP) in the City of Blythe, with an anticipated closure date of March 2025. Blythe is a small city of approximately 18,000 residents located in eastern Riverside County on the border of California and Arizona. The closest City within California is the City of Indio, located approximately 100 miles west of Blythe. Due to its isolated location, many families of incarcerated individuals have chosen to live in the City of Blythe, and most of these families live at or below the poverty level and will be the most impacted by this closure. Due to the disproportionate impact the closure of CSVP will have on Blythe and the Palo Verde Valley, which is one of the most economically disadvantaged areas in the state, the City of Blythe is asking the State to reconsider the closure of this prison.
ANALYSIS:
As an a...
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