Temecula's Efforts To Combat Community Homelessness Lead To 'Helen Putnam Award For Excellence'

TEMECULA, CA — The city of Temecula has won a statewide 2026 Helen Putnam Award for Excellence in recognition of its efforts to prevent and reduce homelessness among local families.

Presented by the League of California Cities, the annual award honors outstanding achievements by municipalities that improve community services and quality of life.

Temecula was chosen out of 161 submissions across the state, earning top honors in the Housing Programs and Innovations category.

Other Riverside County cities that received 2026 Helen Putnam awards were:

• Cathedral City in the Enhancing Public Trust, Ethics, and Community Involvement category.
• Moreno Valley in the Intergovernmental Collaboration category.

"This recognition is a testament to Temecula’s commitment to finding thoughtful, compassionate solutions that truly meet people where they are," said Temecula Mayor Jessica Alexander. "Our goal is not simply to address homelessness, but to help people move toward stability while treating every individual and family with dignity and respect."

Temecula secured the Housing Programs and Innovations honor for its Flexible Family Assistance Program, which addresses gaps in traditional shelter models by utilizing a "shelter-in-place" approach. Partnering with organizations such as the Social Work Action Group, the Riverside University Health System Crisis Team, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department and Mission Hope, the city connects vulnerable residents with localized resources.

The model allows families to stabilize within their communities while working toward permanent housing, preventing the disruption of children's schooling and preserving employment connections. In 2025, the program served 42 households totaling about 162 individuals, including 102 children.