River Ranch Lawsuit Over Proposed Custody Campus Advances Toward Possible Settlement

This photo shows the proposed site for the Alternative Custody Center in relation to the River Ranch neighborhood

REDDING — Residents of the River Ranch neighborhood are pushing to preserve city-owned land near Eastside Road as open space and recreational trail connections rather than see it developed into a correctional facility, with attorneys reporting progress toward a potential settlement following a court hearing Monday.

In a status hearing held April 27, 2026, in Department 64 of Shasta County Superior Court, Judge Ryan H. Biras set a follow-up status hearing for June 15 at 9 a.m. Attorneys for the River Ranch Neighborhood Association (plaintiffs), the City of Redding, and Shasta County informed the court that they held a productive meet-and-confer session last Thursday and are actively negotiating a possible resolution.

The lawsuit, River Ranch Neighborhood Association v. City of Redding (Case No. 26CV-0210023), was filed February 27, 2026. It challenges the City of Redding’s decision to lease roughly 90–91 acres at 7251 Eastside Road to Shasta County for $1. The county intends to use the site for a larger Alternative Custody Campus that includes a 100-bed Male Community Reentry Program (MCRP) facility (60 state-supervised and 40 county-supervised beds), expanded Alternative Custody Program facilities, and potential future jail expansion with over 1,200 beds, as outlined in the county’s Requests for Proposals.

Controversy Over Program Effectiveness

County leaders, including Board Chair Kevin Crye, have strongly supported the project, citing MCRP’s potential to reduce recidivism. In a November 2025 letter to Governor Newsom, Crye referenced a 2021 Stanford University study claiming the programs can reduce recidivism by up to 92%. However, the Stanford study actually found more modest results: an 8 percentage-point reduction in rearrest rates for participants staying at least seven months, and an 11–13 percentage-point reduction for those staying nine months or longer. The 92% figure represents a relative reduction calculated in a narrow comparison and has been criticized as overstated by both the study’s authors and independent reviewers.

Residents’ Position

River Ranch homeowners argue the land should remain undeveloped open space. Many residents want it connected to the adjacent Kapusta Open Space to create expanded recreational trails and preserve wildlife habitat along the Sacramento River. The neighborhood has raised concerns about impacts to property values, wildlife, wetlands, flooding, and the character of the quiet riverside community.

The case remains pending, with all parties ordered to continue settlement discussions ahead of the June 15 status hearing. No details of potential compromises have been released.