Alicia Ramirez | Contributor
The Hemet City Council last month doubled down on its opposition to a proposed wellness village at the southwest corner of East Menlo Avenue and North State Street, voting to send a letter to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors requesting the board reconsider the project’s location. “I feel very deeply about this,” Councilmember Linda Krupa said during the April 11 meeting. “I understand the need for mental health facilities, but not in the middle of my town. It’s harmful, it has the ability to be extremely harmful and have a negative economic impact on our city.”
The 3-1 vote, with Mayor Pro Tem Malcolm Lilienthal voting against, came after more than an hour and a half of public comment in which only five of the roughly 30 speakers spoke out against the project. According to the letter presented to the council for approval, the city is asking the board of supervisors to reconsider the location of the project due to insufficient community engagement, incompatibility with existing community plans, a lack of infrastructure and discrepancies in communication.
Rhyan Miller, deputy director for integrated programs, and Melissa Noone, administrative services manager, attempted to address some of the issues brought up in the letter during their presentation, pointing out that they had already presented the project almost two dozen times since Jan. 4, 2022, including multiple meetings with members of the Hemet City Council, and that the project was created to align with the city’s goals. “We looked at all of your goals and felt that the village aligned with what the city’s community plans and goals are,” Noone said. “And so, you know, to manage the city’s growth by protecting and preserving the environment and maximizing the use of public infrastructure.”
Specifically, the plan seeks to address four of the city’s community plans and goals: to promote economic development that increases citizen access to quality jobs and shopping experiences while increasing the city’s tax base, to support the success of the community by maximizing our resources to provide the greatest possible benefit for the citizens of the City of Hemet, to manage the city’s growth by protecting and preserving the environment and maximizing the use of public infrastructure, and to improve the quality of life by addressing the root causes of crime. “In addition, you know, you had all stated that you want to improve the quality of life by addressing the root cause of crime, and we know that when we provide people with the full array of our services, we see that they don’t commit crime,” Noone said.
“You know, we see that arrests are decreased by 82%, jail days are decreased by 48%, and physical health visits are increased by 24%.” When it came to discrepancies in communication, Miller said that he and his team had the understanding that after meeting with the mayors of San Jacinto and Hemet last November the cities would give RUHS – Behavioral Health direction on when the next presentation would be and with whom. “That was the original plan was for you to share with us where we would do it,” Miller said. “So I just wanted you to know, bottom of my heart, it was nothing to do with not coming back and checking in with you, but the amount of work that it took to be prepared, and then finding direction from both mayors to then come back to you.”
This was the second time in as many months Miller and Noone were in front of the Hemet City Council answering questions about the project. “On Feb. 28, the city council took action to rescind the letter of support for that grant,” City Manager Mark Prestwich said. “Following that meeting, in both the media and also meetings with city staff, public officials representing Riverside University Health System stated publicly that the project would still proceed, and that’s really the reason we’re here tonight and, as a result, we’ve prepared a staff report that seeks direct intervention from the Riverside County Board of Supervisors.”
The wellness village, as currently proposed, would provide primary healthcare, mental health and substance use disorder services (including urgent care) and services for adolescents and children, according to RUHS – Behavioral Health. The campus, as currently designed, would serve children, families, veterans and the community by providing new health services and parks, generating direct spending in Hemet, attracting hundreds of healthcare professionals to the community and contracting with local businesses for programs and services, according to RUHS – Behavioral Health. Following the final public speaker on the item, Councilmember Jackie Peterson made the motion to, “go forth with the letter to the supervisor[s] as we had planned.”
“The outpouring of community support was inspiring and heartfelt. While we were disappointed with the outcome, we remain committed to our mission of improving access to behavioral health resources in the Hemet Community,” Miller said in a statement to The Riverside Record. “We believe that collaboration with the City of Hemet, community organizations and community members, is key to achieving this goal, and we look forward to continuing to work with them as partners.”
“Riverside University Health System – Behavioral Health remains dedicated to finding innovative solutions to meet the needs of our community, and we are confident that we will find a way to move forward and make a positive impact on the lives of those who need it most,” the statement continued. “We appreciate the ongoing support of our supporters and stakeholders, and we remain committed to serving the community with compassion and excellence.”
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I personally live in Anza but I do all my shopping and restauranting in Hemet and San jacinto I shop at and eat at dozens of different venues have for many years. I can tell you of one negative impact it will have and that’s if they keep opposing it I’ll never spend another penny in either town again I can go to Palm desert or Temecula just as easy. Any places that are that short-sighted don’t deserve my business.
We have growing group of homeless that are making frequent excursions throughout Hemet, and East Hemet. Not only do I feel the assistance center is necessary – I feel Hemet should shoulder some of the development costs.
It is long known that Hemet is the center of the universe as far as taking in early releases from other cities and counties. There have been plenty of transients that have victimized the homeowners and other citizens. There is little to no response to what they might call a minor crime, fire, or just trouble.
This new center will be a welcome development to all of us and I look forward to the helping hands offered through the center care facilities. NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) residents are not in for solutions. This area has been plagued by homelessness and mental problems. Isn’t it time we all became part of the solution?
Grasp the opportunity while it’s there. This area needs help and look what happens when someone finally offers a clear integral solution that will help us all here.
Thank you. I agree. Just too many of the homeless are mentally ill and NEED help.
I agree! I have lived here for 40 years. Hemet has been known to bring homelessness and mental people into this town and offer resources for them to stay. Did they give them resources? I asked once at a city resource center and they said they give mothers and children the resources first.And then Hemet wants to help!!! But NOTHING had happened in years and the situation has become worse! And all that has happened is cater with more dollar stores… and run down shopping centers. Maybe this will be the answer to seeing the same people on the street that need help.. get that help! It’s hard to see the same people on a daily basis . It breaks my 💜 they need help.. most are on drugs.. some are psychotic .. them living on the streets is unsanitary, unsafe and frightening. This is America.. we help everyone else but our own 😞
I feel these facilities are a good idea, but should be placed in an area that does not have much population. To put something of this nature in a relatively populated town is a bad idea for the residents that now reside there.
Each city in Riverside County should take responsibility for their own residents who have mental and drug issues by having a smaller Behavior and Drug treatment recovery center. Instead of using Hemet as a County hub with a 400 + bed recovery village facility. Let’s play fair and share this health burden.
This facility needs to be built in the County area not in the City where there is no room for expansion. There are too many senior only living parks in this area who will not feel comfortable with this facility being built so close to their homes. This is a County Facility and itt should be built in the County area where there can be room for expansion if need be. There is no room for expansion in the area they want to build it. What is going to happen when they out grow this area. This is a terrible idea and the planning department is a lot to be desired if they agree with these plans. We have a serious problem with police protection now and they want to add to that problem by having these people hanging around these seniors homes.
Last month the Riverside University Health System publicly humiliated the Hemet city council with their headline on the The Riverside Record webpage:
Hemet Council Vote has “No Impact” on the wellness project.
RHUS are bullies and are trying to force this project in Hemet because so many other cities are saying they don’t want it.
So we’re supposed to trust that this Wellness Recovery will be run by professionals health care staff, even though RUHS are acting like spoiled children if they don’t get their way, how pitiful.
https://riversiderecord.org/ruhs-hemet-council-vote-has-no-impact-on-wellness-village-project/
For those opposed to having a wellness center in town because they don’t want “these people hanging around”, perhaps you haven’t noticed that “these people” are already hanging around all over town, sleeping on sidewalks, storefronts, parks, riverbeds and sometimes even dying on the sidewalk just outside the hospital. They urinate and defecate behind peoples bushes because businesses do not want them using their restrooms. It’s a growing problem and it’s everywhere already. It’s not going to go away just because you build a facility somewhere remote. These people need help. I feel like they’re more likely to get help if it’s easily accessible to them. Otherwise they’ll just wind up right here anyway. A place where they can sleep nearby beats seeing them sprawled out in front of businesses and bus stops and pooping in your bushes.