SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In the span of just a few weeks, both Jamba Juice and Starbucks closed their doors at the shopping center off Broadway and 15th Street. Employees say the company cited safety concerns.
“Our community is just under siege, and the fact that companies like Starbucks and Jamba Juice (closed) - and I’m fully expecting Walgreens to follow suit- that’s a huge situation," said Stephanie Duncan, a Land Park advocate. "It’s bad enough for the mom-and-pop stores, but for these national corporations to not feel that it is safe to operate here is really concerning.”
Duncan says illicit drug use is a rampant problem in the area, and that it has been worsening for the past few years.
“I’ve been seeing people in the shopping center, either just passed out with drug needle caps around them or actively melting heroin in aluminum foil to smoke," she said, while providing photos taken Tuesday morning and last week.
When Starbucks shut down the location last week, ABC10 reached out to councilmember Katie Valenzuela, who expressed frustration with the challenges at the shopping plaza.
Valenzuela said her office is doing what it can and urged constituents to make detailed police reports for illegal activity. She also said animosity towards the city was misdirected since the county manages substance abuse treatment and mental health services.
“What I really want to say to people who are frustrated about what’s happening on this intersection is I really hope they’ll also call county supervisors," she told ABC10 Friday.
However, Duncan and the Land Park Community Association say they’re fed up.
“There’s a lot of finger-pointing, especially by Councilmember Valenzuela," Duncan said. "It’s just really sad to see people’s lives being destroyed by addiction, by untreated mental illness and we just need more help. Our businesses are suffering. Our community is suffering, and it’s just not okay. “
The group is speaking up to bring wider attention to the growing dangers along the corridor. They're urging local and state lawmakers to help stop illegal drug activity and help those suffering from addiction in the area who may also be experiencing homelessness.
The Sacramento Police Department said it encourages the community to report any criminal or suspicious activity to the department.
“We need everything documented so we can show, or the police can show that it is a huge problem in this area because unless it’s reported, it’s as if it never happened," Duncan said.
Meanwhile, city and county leaders say they are working on an agreement to scale up services. Valenzuela said her message remains unchanged - meaningful change can't come without strong partnerships between of both city, county and state agencies.
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