SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The City of Sacramento filed a civil lawsuit to ban seven individuals from the area around the Broadway Corridor. This ban would extend from roughly Highway 99 to Ninth Street.
The lawsuit, filed on Friday to the Sacramento Superior Court, complains that an extreme amount of police resources are being used in this specific area. The lawsuit goes on to claim that the defendants are drug users, trespassers and thieves. It claims that the seven individuals possess illegal weapons and ammunition. It also claims that they are violent criminals conducting their affairs in the area.
Some of the seven individuals named in the lawsuit may be homeless. Business owners in the area said they are dealing with the same problem, but they look at the solution differently.
Sue Christensen, who owns the Dandelion Spa located on 21st Street, said she has noticed an increase of homelessness. She said her shop was vandalized by an individual who threw a rock through the window in broad daylight. She said the business community is frustrated and glad the city is doing something about it.
“It’s great that the city is taking any action. People are committing crimes constantly and nothing happens, and they know it. So, [if] there is a way to hold people responsible for something, that would be amazing,” Christensen said.
Steve Sylvester's Antique Company Inc. on X Street has been at the corner location for the past 19 years. He said he's been having the same problems with homelessness as his neighbors but looks at the solutions differently. He doesn’t believe banning certain individuals from the area will make an impact.
"That is not the solution. The city needs a more hands-on approach by helping identify the people here and sorting out the major problem, which is drug-related,” Sylvester said.
We reached out to homeless advocates to get their take on the lawsuit, but no one was available for comment. In the meantime, the seven individuals named in the lawsuit are allowed in the area.