June 4th - One Week Later: What We’ve Accomplished Together
- Jun 4
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 4
Looking back on the past seven days, we are honestly amazed by how much progress has been made in such a short period of time. While there is still a tremendous amount of work ahead, many of the critical pieces needed to support residents and begin the recovery process are already in place. None of that would have been possible without the patience, flexibility, and understanding shown by our residents throughout an incredibly difficult and uncertain week. From housing transitions and reimbursement requests to security deposit returns and ongoing communication, residents have worked alongside us every step of the way. While no one would have chosen these circumstances, the cooperation and resilience shown by this community has allowed recovery efforts to move forward far more quickly than we could have imagined just one week ago.
While we know there are still many questions and challenges ahead, we are grateful for the patience, understanding, and cooperation shown by our residents during this incredibly difficult week.
The emergency phase of this event is beginning to transition into the recovery phase, and we remain committed to helping residents every step of the way.
As we approach one week since the fire, we wanted to provide another update on where things stand, what has been completed, and what residents can expect moving forward.
Important Housing Update
If You Are Still Staying in a Hotel, Please Contact Us Immediately
Over the past week, we have asked residents who are staying in hotels to contact our office so we can help transition them into longer-term housing solutions. We have options to transition from temporary housing.
Emergency hotel accommodations were intended to provide immediate relief following the fire, but they are not a long-term housing solution.
Today will be the final day for reimbursements related to emergency relocation accommodations.
If you wish to remain in a hotel, you are welcome to do so. However, we are no longer able to continue funding long-term hotel stays.
If you are still staying in a hotel and have not yet spoken with our team, please contact us immediately at: info@urgliving.com
We have housing options available through UCR, sister communities, and potentially within the Everton building itself. Our goal is to help every displaced resident transition into stable housing as quickly as possible.
Reimbursements and Rent Credits
In our initial communications following the fire, we indicated that emergency reimbursement assistance would generally be available through Tuesday, June 2 as residents worked through the immediate challenges of displacement and secured longer-term housing arrangements.
Over the past week, we have continued to work with residents beyond that initial timeframe and have now processed a substantial first round of reimbursement requests covering emergency lodging, food, and essential personal items.
As we transition from the emergency response phase into the longer-term recovery phase, we will begin winding down the emergency reimbursement program. While we will continue reviewing requests that have already been submitted and may consider unique circumstances on a case-by-case basis, residents should not expect ongoing reimbursement for day-to-day expenses moving forward.
If you have not yet submitted expenses related to the immediate days following the fire, we encourage you to do so as soon as possible so they can be included in our final review process.
Reimbursement requests may be submitted to: reimbursements@urgliving.com
We appreciate everyone’s understanding as we work to balance immediate assistance efforts with the longer-term recovery needs of the community.
The reimbusement checks that will be delivered in this first batch to our office will include:
Approved emergency relocation expenses
Approved emergency food expenses
Approved emergency personal item expenses
The previously announced rent credit for May 29, May 30, and May 31 for displaced Iowa residents
Checks will be available for pickup beginning tomorrow at 3993 Iowa Ave.
While we will continue reviewing requests as they are received, our next major reimbursement processing cycle is currently anticipated for next Friday for expenses that fall into the eligible time frame.
UCR Residents
For residents currently staying in UCR housing, we will be bringing security deposit checks to tonight’s UCR resident meeting for distribution.
Mailing Checks
If reimbursement checks are not picked up, we plan to begin mailing remaining checks next Wednesday using the forwarding addresses residents have already provided to us when you picked up your security deposits.
Communication Updates
Over the past week, our team has sent daily updates, and in some cases multiple updates per day, as information became available.
As we move from the emergency response phase into the recovery phase, the volume of new information is beginning to slow. While we remain fully committed to communication and transparency, residents should expect updates to be provided as meaningful information becomes available rather than on a daily schedule.
New Recovery Website and FAQ Page
To make information easier to access, we have launched a dedicated recovery section on our website.
There you will find:
Recovery updates
Community announcements
Frequently Asked Questions
Housing information
Reimbursement information
Property status updates
As new questions arise, we will continue updating the FAQ page.
Property Recovery Status
Many residents have asked why cleanup and demolition activities have not yet begun.
At this time, environmental testing and regulatory review remain underway. These are required steps before major demolition and stabilization activities can begin.
Based on information currently available, significant cleanup and demolition activities are expected to begin within the next several weeks.
Although there may not yet be visible activity on site, environmental consultants, engineers, remediation specialists, contractors, insurance representatives, and government agencies are actively working behind the scenes every day to move the project forward.
Everton Building Update
The Everton building remains open and occupied.
While the Riverside Fire Department has already cleared the building for occupancy, ownership has authorized additional third-party environmental testing to provide another layer of verification and peace of mind for residents.
At this time, the only physical damage identified at Everton has been limited to windows facing the Iowa building.
Those windows have now been measured, replacement units have been ordered, and we anticipate replacing them next week.
Office Hours
Our office will remain open seven days a week to support residents.
Upcoming office hours are:
Monday - Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Weekend staffing will be limited as our team takes a much-needed opportunity to rest after an intense week of emergency response efforts. While our ability to process major requests may be limited during those hours, staff will be available to answer questions and assist residents where possible.
Personal Property Recovery Request Form
As recovery efforts continue, we understand many residents are eager to retrieve personal belongings from the Iowa building.
At this time, access to the building remains restricted while environmental testing, safety evaluations, and recovery planning continue. We are not yet able to provide a timeline for when personal property retrieval may occur.
To help us prepare for future recovery efforts, we are asking residents to complete this form and identify any personal belongings they believe may still be located inside their unit.
Again, submitting this form does not guarantee recovery of any item, nor does it create an immediate retrieval appointment. The purpose of this form is to help our team understand what items residents are hoping to recover and assist us in planning future recovery operations if and when access becomes possible.
Please provide as much detail as possible, including:
Item descriptions
Approximate location within the unit
Estimated size of the item
Any identifying characteristics
As additional information becomes available regarding property recovery, residents who complete this form will be contacted with updates.
Thank You
This has been an incredibly difficult week for everyone affected by this fire.
We know many residents are still navigating housing, insurance claims, school obligations, work responsibilities, and the disruption that comes with losing access to their homes.
Please know that our team remains committed to supporting residents throughout the recovery process.
As always, if you have questions, concerns, or need assistance, please contact us at:
Thank you again for your patience and cooperation as we continue moving forward together.
University Riverside Gardens Management
