SACRAMENTO, Calif. — With another round of wet weather headed to Sacramento, there’s an urgent need to get the unhoused community off the streets and into shelter.
Instead of tents, many people – including families – are moving into trailers at the Miller Park safe site, but it is just a temporary solution.
Charles Williams moved his entire life near Miller park in Sacramento in hopes that he and his husband can move into one of the trailers.
“It would mean everything to us. It’s cold out here, it’s wet out here and resources are just slim,” said Williams.
However, he was told the trailers were for the residents that were previously at Miller Park before the January storms closed the safe site.
“Living on the street is just not key, we are used to a roof over our head, and it was just unfortunate we lost our home right before the COVID no-eviction clause,” said Williams.
The 17 trailers will eventually offer a home to 51 people. Inside, there is a queen-size bed that can accommodate up to three people in a family, a couch or another bed, and dry food storage.
It also provides a sink, stove, microwave and television but those won’t be functional, according to Nick Golling, who runs the Department of Community Response for the City of Sacramento.
“Vast improvement from what we’ve had at Miller Park in the past. Previously, we’ve had vehicles where people were already residing as well as the safe camp area with the tents, where we had so many issues with the inclement weather, so with this, we are really excited that is something that will be much safer,” said Golling.
The trailers are a result of a partnership between the city and county of Sacramento. Up until a few weeks ago, the “Miller Park Safe Ground Site” was filled with around 80 tents, several bathrooms and even electricity.
The site was deemed unsafe during the January storms and was ultimately shut down.
“The way we address it is, this is short term. We are going to have this here for a maximum of 60 days, going to create as much of an impact as we can with the space we have. And we are chewing gum at the same time we are working on this site to provide services up to 200 people in an area where it is able to have all the comprehensive services,” said Golling, addressing balancing the challenges of quality and quantity.
The goal is to provide services that help the unhoused find permanent housing and care while they stay at Miller Park.
But not everyone is happy, Garth, who recently returned to Miller Park, says this new resource wasn’t created with him in mind.
“For single males, they get cut out of the mix big time. Females, they are always in families, they are always in couples mostly. Single male, you are axed out on a lot of stuff,” said Garth.
The city is working to find what they call a shovel ready site where they can locate these trailers to hook up to water and power. The county will also return to the site and continue to offer mental health and rehabilitation services weekly.
$3 million in grant funding is going towards the project.
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