A Look Back on an Accomplished 2023 in Moreno Valley

The City of Moreno Valley had another busy and exciting year in 2023.  Improving the lives of Moreno Valley residents was the top priority of the Moreno Valley City Council and Staff this year. The City has invested tens of millions of dollars into road repairs, public safety, parks, libraries, services for seniors, and innovative community programs. Moreno Valley's exciting annual events continued to unite the community throughout the year, including new additions such as the Fun Color Run, the Adult Flashlight Egg Scramble, and the Festival of Arts. "I am immensely proud of everything we accomplished together throughout 2023," said Mayor Ulises Cabrera. "Our City Staff went above and beyond in providing exemplary public service to the community, and I can't thank them enough for their hard work. Great things are heading Moreno Valley's way, and I am thrilled for what is in store for 2024." The following is a partial list of the City's many achievements this year:  COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT  ·    The State of California awarded Moreno Valley with the prestigious Pro-Housing Designation.   ·    Over 7,000 building permits were issued this year, and over 24,000 building & safety construction inspections were conducted.   ·    The Animal Shelter logged over 17,000 visits and over 10,000 field service calls, celebrating nearly 3,000 positive outcomes for sheltered pets. The Animal Shelter also launched its partnership with DocuPet to expand Moreno Valley's pet licensing program.   ·    The City's Code Enforcement team conducted nearly 16,000 neighborhood service inspections and assisted over 10,000 customers this year.    ·    The City's Homeless to Work and Rapid Rehousing programs continued to assist people in need, bolstered by $2 million in federal funds secured by Congressman Mark Takano.   ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ·    The Business and Employment Resource Center (BERC) served nearly 23,000 customers and hosted 176 workforce training workshops and 214 small business workshops. Hundreds of job seekers attended our quarterly job fairs at the Conference & Recreation Center, connecting with the finest local employers and tradespeople.   ·    More businesses opened in the City, including Habit Burger, Kids Empire, Charmers Fresh Burgers, Texas Roadhouse, Sportsman's Warehouse, Woodspring Suites, Momma Mondragon's Macarons, and many more.   ·    The BERC announced a partnership with UC Riverside to offer entrepreneurial workshops and services to the Moreno Valley community.   PUBLIC SAFETY ·    Our Moreno Valley Firefighters responded to over 20,000 calls for service, including nearly 16,000 emergency medical calls and over 500 fire calls. Moreno Valley police officers responded to over 113,000 calls for service throughout 2023.   ·    The City added eight additional sworn police officers and a third Fire Medic Squad as part of the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 budget.   ·    The City of Moreno Valley launched the Catalytic Converter Theft Tipline, which helped curb catalytic converter theft across the City.   ·    The City's Fire Prevention Team inspected over 2,000 businesses and nearly 700 apartments, ensuring Moreno Valley remains safe from fire.   ·    Our police officers made illegal fireworks a top non-emergency priority and issued thousands of dollars in tickets throughout 2023.   ·    Thousands of residents got to know their Moreno Valley first responders during the annual Public Safety Expo and National Night Out.   PUBLIC WORKS ·    The first two phases of the Pavement Rehabilitation Program, a historic $50 million pavement project, were completed, rehabilitating 190 miles of road across Moreno Valley.   ·    The City Council announced an additional $20 million in additional road repair throughout 2024 and 2025.   ·    Over 2,000 potholes were filled throughout Moreno Valley in 2023.   ·    Graffiti abatement crews responded to nearly 11,000 locations across Moreno Valley.   ·    Nearly 300 miles of roadway were striped throughout 2023, and nearly 20,000 miles of curbs were swept throughout the year.   ·    The City secured over $570,000 in federal Safe Streets for All funds from Congressman Mark Takano.   FINANCIAL & MANAGEMENT SERVICES ·    The City established WiFi Gardens in three additional City parks and the Towngate Community Center, expanding to 29 locations throughout Moreno Valley.   ·    The City Council adopted the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 two-year budget, the City's 12th consecutive balanced budget.   PARKS & COMMUNITY SERVICES ·    The first steps of the My MoVal Mural Project began, which will commission local artists to design and install murals at four locations throughout the City.   ·    The Parks team conducted nearly 1,200 classes throughout 2023.   ·    Scores of residents of all ages attended the quarterly Beautify MoVal Community Days of Service, which furthered the beautification of parks throughout the City.   ·    The Moreno Valley City Council continued work on the $6 million Parks Rehabilitation and Refurbishment Program, the largest park investment in the City's history. Under the plan, all 34 of Moreno Valley's parks will receive upgrades.   ·    The $4.4 million expansion of the Moreno Valley Senior Center began, with completion expected in the Spring of 2025.   ·    The City Council adopted the Parks, Community Services, & Trails Master Plan, which charts the course for parks and community services in Moreno Valley for decades to come.   AWARDS   City Manager's Office ·    National Association of Telecommunications Officers & Advisors (NATOA) Awards for Overall Excellence in Government Programming, Public Service Announcement, Public Meeting Coverage, Promotional Videos, Visual Effects, Videos on Social Media, Intern Video, Environmental Issue Related Video and Live Event Coverage.   ·    State of California and Nevada Chapter of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers & Advisors (SCAN NATOA) STAR Awards for Public Service Announcement, Use of Animation of Motion Graphics, Environment Video.   ·    California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO) Awards for Excellence in Public Information & Communications for Video Production and Video Production of a Series.   Community Development  ·    Inland Empire Economic Partnership (IEEP) Turning Red Tape into Red Carpet Award for Public-Private Partnership for the high-profile expansion of the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center.   ·    Ultimate Resident Experience Award for the City of Moreno Valley's innovative SimpliCITY Digital Plan Room at the Accelarate 2023 Conference.   ·    American Planning Association (APA) Best Practices in Economic Development Award for Kaiser Permanente Expansion Project.   Economic Development ·    The League of California Cities' Helen Putnam Award for Excellence for the City's consortium of programs providing financial assistance, engagement opportunities, and work experience for high school and college students throughout Moreno Valley.   ·    Inland Empire Economic Partnership (IEEP) Turning Red Tape into Red Carpet Award for Business Retention & Expansion for Moreno Valley's Business & Employment Resource Center (BERC).   ·    The California Association of Local Economic Development (CALED) Gamechanger Award for continued dedication and innovation in economic development.   Financial & Management Services ·    The California Society of Municipal Finance Officers (CSMFO) Innovation Award for pioneering record-keeping practices during the COVID-19 pandemic.   ·    Municipal Information Systems Association of California (MISAC) award for Excellence in Information Technology Practices for the 21st consecutive year.   Public Works ·    2023 BEST Project of the Year Award from the Southern California Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA) for the third and final segment of the ongoing Juan Bautista de Anza Multi-Use Trail Project.   ·    Inland Empire Economic Partnership (IEEP) Turning Red Tape into Red Carpet Award for Sustainability & Green Development for its innovative Streetlight Retrofit Program.