Overview

• CDCR says the Norco facility will shut in fall 2026 due to a declining prison population, marking the fifth closure under Gov. Newsom and potentially saving about $150 million.
• The institution currently lists roughly 1,191 employees and about 2,766 incarcerated people on site.
• Norco leaders, including councilmember Kevin Bash, want to restore the original Norconian as an upscale resort and are seeking an inventory to safeguard historic fixtures.
• Redevelopment faces significant obstacles such as asbestos-containing cemesto in WWII-era structures and widespread deterioration, and the agency has not detailed post-closure plans.
• Labor groups have denounced the shutdown over career and community impacts, while local officials warn the vacant complex could slip into vandalism and squatting without protections.