SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Homelessness in Sacramento isn't disappearing any time soon. The county's homeless population went from 5,570 in 2019 to nearly 9,278 in 2022, according to the recent Point In Time Count.
Many residents say quality-of-life issues have been brought to their doorstep—literally.
“We’re finding drugs in our yard,” Midtown Sacramento resident Jenny Reiken told ABC10 on Monday. “Most of us have dogs, so in the morning, we have to make sure our yards are clean and safe before we let the dogs out. We find a lot of people passed out along our fence line.”
On Feb. 15, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors declared a shelter crisis, "as an important step towards implementing the Board’s directions to open and operate sanctioned encampments."
These sanctioned encampments were called Safe Stay Communities, and the county has so far approved two locations:
- The Power Inn and Florin Road, set to shelter 125 residents
(Approved on June 8) - 7001 East Parkway, set to shelter 56 residents
(Approved on July 12)
Meanwhile, Sacramento city officials voted on July 26 to open a 24/7 respite center for unhoused residents at the old Powerhouse Science Center—despite protest from nearby residents.
But just as there are community members protesting over unhoused residents possibly moving into the neighborhood, some community members act as advocates.
The injunction on camp clearing
On June 26, the Sacramento Homeless Union filed a lawsuit against the city in their ongoing effort to end the practice of encampment sweeps and increase the number of cooling centers.
Union president Crystal Sanchez told ABC10 at the time the lawsuit was the only option her group saw that could to compel local governments to open more buildings in extreme weather.
They saw success in late July when a federal court injunction prevented the removal of encampments for the rest of August.
The judge overseeing the case attached a note with their injunction that read in part, “The City’s interest in clearing encampments during extreme heat events is far outweighed by the Plaintiffs’ interest in their own health and welfare.”
Breaking down the recent Measure O
Throughout August, Sacramento County and city officials passed and proposed a number of actions regarding the homelessness crisis.
Sacramento City Councilmembers voted Aug. 9 to place the finalized version of Measure O, also known as the Emergency Shelter and Enforcement Act of 2022, on the Nov. 8 ballot.
The ballot measure, if passed, would allow the city to outlaw encampments for unhoused residents—but only if all of the following criteria is met:
- The city has determined there are emergency shelter spaces available
- The city has offered emergency shelter space to the resident
- The resident declined
Unhoused residents refusing to abate the encampment within 14 days could face a misdemeanor charge, and the possibility of civil action from the Sacramento City Attorney.
As stated in the version of Measure O that will be on the Nov. 8 ballot:
"This ordinance shall not be operative ... unless and until the city (acting through the City Council) and the County of Sacramento (acting through the Board of Supervisors) approve a legally-binding memorandum of understanding that, at a minimum, memorializes the respective roles of the city and county to improve the homelessness crisis."
The county's obligations, according to the ballot measure, are to provide unhoused residents in the city with:
- Mental health services
- Substance abuse services
- Clinical outreach and case management
- Child welfare and domestic violence services
Sacramento County, City camping bans
On Aug. 10, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors approved two anti-camping measures. Both were heard again on Tuesday for adoption and passed. They include:
- A camping ban from sunset to sunrise along American River Parkway
- A camping ban near critical infrastructure like schools and government buildings
Sacramento City Councilmembers voted Aug. 23 to approve a proposal to make sidewalk encampments a misdemeanor. It allows for the removal of tents that block sidewalk access and business entrances.
Council also adopted a complementary resolution that helps people avoid fines or jail and instead places a priority for housing and services.
All measures take effect at the end of September. In terms of enforcement, both the city and the county say their strategy will encourage voluntary compliance and relationship building between law enforcement and the homeless community.
