Riverside County Faces Civil Rights Complaint After Transgender Center’s Funding Pulled

The Transgender Health and Wellness Center is taking legal action against several Riverside County agencies after being told it would lose thousands of dollars in critical funding. CEO and founder Thomi Clinton said the nonprofit had been assured it would receive housing-related support earlier this year, only to be informed days later that the money was being revoked. For years, the center has provided members of the transgender community with access to healthcare, mental-health services, and housing assistance—resources Clinton warns are now at risk.

Clinton says the funding reversal came abruptly in March, followed by a request that she appear before the county’s Continuum of Care program to defend the organization’s performance. She explains she had no prior notice she would be on the agenda and was given only three minutes to speak during public comment, leaving her unable to fully respond to concerns raised. Clinton argues the county’s criticism ignored the fact that the nonprofit did not receive required mock files for nearly two years, making compliance difficult. She believes the decision was discriminatory and linked to compliance with a federal executive order, motivating the organization to file complaints with the Attorney General’s Office and the Office for Civil Rights.

Riverside County has responded to our request for comment with a statement saying, “The County of Riverside and the Continuum of Care have partnered with the Transgender Health & Wellness Center for several years. The most recent HUD-funded agreement ended after the County identified areas where contractual requirements were not fully met. The County has not been made aware of the concerns raised, however will fully cooperate with any review requested. The provisions in question were mandated by HUD and incorporated exactly as required into our grant agreements. As an administrative entity, the County must ensure compliance with all federal grant conditions while ensuring services remain accessible and responsive to community needs.” NBC Palm Springs is being told the county now has several days to formally respond to the filing.