June 3th Recovery Update

University Riverside Gardens Recovery Update. 5:46pm

COMMUNICATION OF THESE UPDATES

Since the day of the fire, our team has been providing residents with detailed daily updates as new information becomes available. However, we have recently learned that some residents may not have received all of our emails due to delivery issues, spam filtering, or other technical limitations beyond our control.

First and foremost, we sincerely apologize to anyone who may have missed important communications during an already stressful and difficult time.

To improve communication moving forward, this Recovery Updates page will serve as the primary source for all official updates regarding the Iowa Building recovery effort. Rather than relying solely on email, we will begin sending text message notifications directing residents to this page whenever new information is posted.

Our goal is to ensure that every resident, parent, family member, and community partner has access to the same information in a single, centralized location. We remain committed to providing timely, transparent updates and will continue posting information here as it becomes available.

Thank you for your patience, understanding, and support as we continue working through the recovery process together.

Security Deposits & Fire Foundation Assistance

We are two days into returning security deposits and have distributed almost nearly all refunds. If you are unable to come to the site, we are able to mail the deposit. , Please email info@urgliving.com with details, and we will send that out ASAP.

We are still handing out the remaining deposit checks at 3993 Iowa Avenue - Sunrise Village Clubhouse

In addition, the Riverside Firefighters Association, on behalf of the California Fire Foundation, has generously donated $250 SAVE gift cards for displaced Iowa residents.

We have one card available for each named tenant on a lease. These cards must be picked up in person, and we cannot hold them indefinitely, nor can they be mailed. We will continue to be available throughout the week to distribute both security deposits and SAVE cards.

We are incredibly grateful to the Firefighters Association and California Fire Foundation for their support of our residents during this difficult time.

Recovery & Remediation Update

Today we met with our remediation team, environmental consultants, and project managers to review the next steps for the Iowa Building.

One of the most common questions we are receiving is why there has not yet been visible demolition or cleanup activity on the building. While we understand that it may appear that little is happening, there is currently a tremendous amount of work occurring behind the scenes.

Environmental testing is underway and is expected to be completed shortly. Once those results are received, environmental consultants will prepare formal remediation procedures that must be reviewed and approved by regulatory agencies before major demolition and cleanup activities can begin.

Based on the information provided to us today, a realistic timeline for the start of significant remediation work is approximately 2–3 weeks. While we know many residents are eager to see visible progress on the building, much of the work occurring right now involves environmental testing, engineering review, permitting, and regulatory approvals that must happen before demolition and reconstruction activities can safely begin.

We will continue providing updates as each phase progresses.

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Everton Building Update

We know many Everton residents continue to have questions regarding safety, air quality, and what to expect moving forward.

Additional environmental testing has been authorized for units closest to the Iowa Building. This testing is being performed by an independent third-party environmental consultant.

The purpose of this testing is to determine whether any additional cleaning Is necessary. If additional work is recommended, those recommendations will come directly from environmental professionals—not from management—and remediation efforts will follow those recommendations.

At this time, all indications continue to support that the Everton Building remains safe for occupancy. Environmental consultants will determine whether any additional cleaning or testing is warranted, and those decisions will be based on data and professional recommendations rather than assumptions or visual observations.

We have also authorized additional cleaning measures where recommended and will continue taking every reasonable step to support Everton residents throughout this process.

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Document Recovery Request Form

We have begun collecting requests for important personal documents and identification items that residents may need recovered from affected units.

Examples include:

* Passports

* Driver’s Licenses

* Birth Certificates

* Social Security Cards

* Immigration Documents

* Other critical identification records

At this time, we are only collecting information and preparing for the possibility of future access.

Please understand that submitting a request does not guarantee access or recovery. Any future entry into affected units will depend on environmental testing results, safety requirements, and regulatory approvals.

If you have not yet submitted a request and need assistance recovering an important document, please complete the recovery request form.

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Fire Investigation Update

We continue to receive questions regarding the cause of the fire.

At this time, the fire remains under active investigation by the appropriate agencies. While there are preliminary findings and ongoing discussions, no final determination has been released.

Once the official fire investigation report is completed and made available to us, we intend to share that information with the community.

We understand residents want answers, and we are committed to providing accurate information rather than speculation. Until the investigation is complete, we will continue to defer to the fire authorities and investigators handling the matter.

Please be cautious of rumors or information circulating on social media. We will provide official updates as verified information becomes available.

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Renters Insurance vs. Liability Coverage

We have received many questions regarding renters insurance and the liability coverage requirement contained in our lease agreements.

To help clarify:

The liability coverage required by the lease is designed to protect against situations where a resident may accidentally cause damage or injury that affects others.

For example, if a kitchen fire, water leak, or other incident originating in a unit causes damage to neighboring units, common areas, or other property, liability coverage may help address those claims.

Liability coverage is different from renters insurance.

Traditional renters insurance typically provides coverage for a resident’s personal belongings, temporary housing expenses, and other personal losses following events such as fire, theft, or water damage, depending on the policy purchased.

The liability coverage requirement is not intended to replace a renters insurance policy and does not provide coverage for personal property losses.

For residents who did not carry a separate renters insurance policy, we strongly encourage checking with your family’s homeowners insurance carrier. We have already spoken with several residents whose parents’ homeowners insurance policies may provide some level of coverage for students living away from home. Coverage varies by carrier and policy, but it may be worth exploring.

Because every insurance policy is different, we recommend contacting your insurance provider directly to discuss your specific situation and available coverage options.

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UCR Community Information Session

Representatives from University Riverside Gardens and UCR Housing will be available to answer questions regarding housing, relocation, recovery efforts, and available resources.

Thursday, June 5

6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

LOCATION: North District 2 – Room D112

Our team will also be available to assist with questions regarding security deposits, reimbursements, housing options, and recovery efforts.

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Community Relief Event

The Farm House Collective and community partners will be hosting a relief event for residents affected by the fire.

Available resources may include:

* Gift cards

* Clothing assistance

* Toiletries

* Blankets and towels

* Technology assistance

* Other donated essentials

Friday, June 5

4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Farm House Collective

We are incredibly grateful to the organizations, volunteers, and community members who continue stepping forward to support our residents during this difficult time. We posted this flyer earlier today, and you can see the full event details HERE

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Mail Update

Mail pickup remains available at our temporary office located at:

3993 Iowa Avenue

Riverside, CA 92507

For Everton residents, USPS mailboxes are currently scheduled to be relocated on Friday. Once installation is complete, we will provide additional instructions regarding mail retrieval from the new location.

UPS, FedEx, Amazon, and other package delivery services continue to have access to the property and should continue delivering packages as normal.

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Housing Update

We have now connected with the vast majority of displaced residents and have made significant progress helping residents transition into temporary and longer-term housing solutions.

We appreciate everyone’s patience and cooperation as we continue working through individual housing needs.

If you have not yet communicated your current housing situation to our team, please contact us as soon as possible so we can ensure we have the most up-to-date information and continue providing assistance where needed.

For UCR students still seeking housing assistance, bed spaces remain available through UCR Housing, and we encourage you to reach out as soon as possible.

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Temporary Office Hours

Our temporary office remains open at:

3993 Iowa Avenue

Riverside, CA 92507

Monday - Friday - 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Saturday and Sunday - 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Our goal is to keep the office open through this weekend so residents have a place to ask questions, receive updates, pick up mail, and obtain assistance as recovery efforts continue.

Weekend hours will be more limited, and staffing will be reduced as many members of our team have been working extended hours since the day of the fire. While we may not be able to accommodate all requests during weekend hours, a team member will be available to answer questions and assist residents with mail and additional security deposits.

We know weekends are often when residents have additional time to address personal matters, and we wanted to ensure there is still a consistent point of contact available throughout the recovery process.

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A Final Note

We know many residents are looking for certainty during a time when there are still many unanswered questions.

Our commitment is simple: we will continue sharing information as soon as we have it, even when the answer is simply, “we don’t know yet.”

There are many organizations involved in this recovery effort, including environmental consultants, engineers, contractors, utility providers, insurance representatives, regulatory agencies, UCR, community organizations, and first responders. While some aspects of the process are outside of our direct control, we remain actively involved every day and are advocating for residents at every step.

Thank you for your patience, your understanding, and the grace many of you have shown our team throughout this incredibly difficult situation. We remain committed to helping our residents navigate the recovery process and will continue providing updates as new information becomes available.