SACRAMENTO, California — The city of Sacramento's Motel Voucher program has helped some unhoused people find temporary shelter amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Now, the Sacramento City Council may extend that program through September 30, 2021. Councilmembers will discuss the options at a meeting on Tuesday, while reviewing some of the city's continued response to homelessness. The meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. and will be available to watch here.
Tuesday's City Council meeting comes on the heels of Library Galleria reopening as a warming shelter after a COVID-19 outbreak forced the facility to close for 10 days. The Library Galleria, located at 828 I Street, and another warming center at the Southside Pool House, located at 2107 6th Street, were both shut down on Feb. 18 after a staff member who worked at both facilities received a positive test.
The items up for discussion do not cover all of Sacramento's homeless population, potentially leaving some in need behind. The funds would target those "most at-risk," meaning individual people or households with at least one person who:
- Has been diagnosed with COVID-19
- Has been exposed to COVID 19 and/or is symptomatic, as confirmed by a local health official.
- Is 65 years or older
- Is pregnant
- Has a pre-existing health condition, including: cancer, COPD, heart conditions, obesity, type 1 or 2 diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, liver disease, immunocompromised state, pulmonary fibrosis, etc.
Funding for the extension would come from a variety of sources. Under President Joe Biden, 100% of funds used for non-congregate shelters serving at-risk people in Sacramento could be reimbursed through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
However, initial talks of using these funds to further set up warming centers, provide safe parking options and expand the Motel Voucher program only looked ahead until March 31, 2021. With the pandemic stretching on, city staff are hoping to revisit ways that Sacramento can help its unhoused population.
At Tuesday's meeting, the City Council will look at using those FEMA funds, as well as allocating $323,801 from the $1 million of General Funds for overnight warming shelters and using $300,000 in Sacramento Steps Forward grant funds to continue to provide motel vouchers to unsheltered folks. Councilmembers will also discuss using $734,498 in existing funds for outreach, wrap-around and rehousing coordination services.
