SACRAMENTO, Calif. — There are new demands for city leaders to help people in a South Sacramento homeless encampment. Advocates thought the county was going to evict them Wednesday, but instead deputies showed up to help.
"We are not kicking people off the property today. We've brought resources with our homeless outreach team," said Sgt. Shaun Hampton with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department.
Hampton says they will have to clear the area soon, but he wouldn't say when exactly that will happen. In the meantime, the department is working to connect them to services that will help them find housing and other needs.
"I'm just going to just pack up my stuff and have it ready," said Palmer Overstreet, one of the dozens of people camping at the vacant site on Stockton Blvd.
Activists from various community groups showed up to the encampment to support the homeless while deputies explained the resources available to them.
"These people are going to have to leave. And with that being said, we weren't sure if today was the sweep," said Crystal Sanchez, one of the homeless advocates.
Sanchez says, until shelter is available, the least the county could do is allow them to stay at the encampment.
"We think the people in this camp are valuable members of the community and the county and the city should help them," said Cathleen Williams from the Sacramento Homeless Organizing Committee. "Bring in the sanitation, bring in dumpsters, bring in the high-tech tents, and start serving food."
Hampton added, "We're trying to move them out of homelessness, not move them off the property, but move them forward in life, and help them become contributing members of our community again."
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