SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Sacramento property owner is taking extreme measures to protect his business from crime and to send a message.
Railroad Drive in North Sacramento used to be filled with campers and other vehicles. Rich Eaton owns properties in the all-industrial area and said this dead-end, remote street has attracted criminal activity, which has cost him. That’s why he said he’s now taking matters into his own hands.
“We’ve been robbed. We’ve been broken into. We’ve been vandalized,” Eaton said. “$100,000+ of damages. Enough is enough.”
He said the situation got bad, including occasional vehicle fires, prostitution, drug deals and more, after the city closed its triage shelter on Railroad Drive three years ago.
“The city packed up, left and have not returned. Won’t help us until we call, beg, plead. Still wouldn’t help us,” Eaton said.
That’s why a week ago, after he said two security cameras were stolen from one of his buildings, Eaton decided to erect orange barriers near the entrance to the road and pay for a 24/7 security guard to block the entrance to this public, dead-end street.
“Not all homeless people are bad. I know that,” he said. “All public is welcome on bicycle and on foot…Railroad Drive is open to all (vehicles) but the nefarious and the RVs that attract that element."
Eaton added that, with it being a dead-end street, “there’s no reason for anyone to come to Railroad Drive unless they work, own or have business here…There’s no gas station, there’s no city services, there’s no CVS.”
Within 48 hours of the barriers going up, he said the city gave him notice of a code violation, “which is the blocking of the street without the required permits,” code enforcement manager Jose Mendez said.
“A permanent or even a temporary barrier is illegal, which I knew, which I did to get the city to respond and speak to me, which they still have not done,” Eaton said. “They sent code enforcement over a minor violation when we have been victims of crime.”
Mendez visited the blockade and spoke with Eaton on Monday. ABC10 was there as Eaton removed the barriers.
“As of right now, the barricades are being removed,” Mendez said. “That is compliance for us, and so depending on what he decides to do from there, then we’ll have to determine appropriate enforcement action from there.”
Eaton said he is determined to keep people from driving in and camping overnight, which signs along the road say isn’t allowed (prohibited from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.). He told ABC10 he’s keeping the security guard in place and using a truck and trailer to narrow the road where the guard is parked.
“I would assume that this would also be impeding traffic or blocking traffic, but I’d have to look at it with our city attorney’s office to determine that,” Mendez said.
“Right or wrong? You tell me. We’re protecting our assets,” Eaton told ABC10. “That’s what the government is supposed to do and why we pay taxes – for protection. And we’re not being protected. We’ll protect it ourselves.”
Controlling the traffic flow on this public street isn’t Eaton’s only action.
“We filed a lawsuit (against the city) for dereliction of duty because they would not help clean this place up, and then they started cleaning shortly after the lawsuit was filed. They came and did what is known as a ‘sweep’ to rid the street of the bad element that was here,” Eaton said.
ABC10 reached out to the city and Mayor’s office for comment. Both cited Eaton’s active lawsuit, and said the city is addressing his allegations as part of the legal process and declined to comment further.
"The City is involved in active litigation regarding Railroad Drive, and the allegations Mr. Eaton made to you are similar to the ones made in the lawsuit, of which he is a part. The City is addressing these allegations as part of the legal process," City of Sacramento spokesperson Tim Swanson told ABC10.
“The lawsuit can quickly go away if they actually do their jobs and help us,” Eaton said.
ABC10 asked Eaton how he would like to see this resolved. He mentioned a variety of options, including having the city commit to enforcing the no-overnight-parking signs; having the city enact and then enforce a 24/7 parking ban along Railroad Drive; allowing the private business owners to pay to erect a gate, hire security and re-pave the road; or privatize the road altogether.
What’s not a solution, in Eaton’s mind, is allowing Railroad Drive to become an unofficial camping ground once again.
“We’re not moving until this street is safe. The street is not safe with no law enforcement, no city enforcement, no code enforcement, no parking enforcement,” he said, adding as he gestured to the security guard he has hired, “We’re safe now.”
WATCH ALSO:
