SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Starting next month, people living within the city of Sacramento can start filing complaints to the city if they see encampments on public property. This is all a part of Measure O, which was passed by voters during the November 2022 election.
With a month deadline looming over the city, it's unclear what plans are in place in terms of how the city is planning to address those calls.
It's got people like Christina Qualls concerned. She's been living in a tent next to City Hall for the past month.
"Been through a lot out here," said Qualls. "So it is very difficult for people like us."
Not having a permanent home base has been challenging for Qualls and others in a similar situation.
It will only get more difficult starting next month when residents can start calling the city to ask the city to remove encampments on public property.
"We're considered living as well, just like the people that are living in homes," Qualls said. "So honestly, I would disagree with it."
Measure O, also known as the Emergency Shelter and Enforcement Act, requires the city and county to provide resources like beds, shelter, and treatment for those that are homeless.
On top of that, it will make it illegal for anyone to be living in an encampment without proper power, running water, or a bathroom.
"I really do think that the city is going to be overwhelmed with phone calls," said Bob Erlenbusch with the Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness.
For Erlenbusch, he believes the city doesn't have the proper tools to address everything that needs to be done.
"I would not be surprised to see the start of some lawsuits from not only businesses but neighborhood associations and private citizens suing the city for failure to follow the mandates of Measure O," he said.
ABC10 asked the city what has been done, what still needs to be done, and if the city has the proper infrastructure to manage the number of calls that will start to come in. A city spokesperson would only say that the city is currently in the implementation process and will share more information with the public soon.
