Communities continue to discuss the Homeless Master Plan with City leaders.
On November 9th from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Curtis Park Neighborhood Association is hosting an informational ZOOM meeting. City is proposing to install 200 tiny homes to house up to 400 people at a time under the W/X freeway between 18th and 24th streets. Land Park residents are invited to attend.
To learn more and register: https://sierra2.org/webinar-nov-9-on-citys-plans-for-tiny-homes/
The plan to place homeless populations under the W/X freeway has been challenged. The City has waived CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) for this project. This act is meant to review the environmental impacts of a project on locations and human beings. To learn more about the CEQA discussion, you can review this blog post on the Hope for Sacramento page at; https://hopeforsacramento.org/blogs%2Fnews/f/wx-ceqa-october-2021.
The plan also appears to violate Sacramento City Ordinance 21-000 Temp-Shelter-FInal-Ordinance which does not allow homeless sites closer than 1/2 mile from each other and within 500 feet of schools, parks, and daycare centers.
Several neighborhoods are concerned the 6+ homeless shelters planned along the W/X corridor are short-sighted and unsustainable. These are low-barrier, temporary shelters without on-site wrap-around services. More sustainable long-term solutions have been suggested by community members. This includes the Haven for Hope model; www.hopeforsacramento.org
To review recent neighborhood meetings on this topic:
Newton Booth Neighborhood Association: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAFHRMLYTe8
River Oaks Neighborhood Association: (Willowcreek area): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiHWKOplirI
City officials claim the Safe Ground site at W/X & 6th is well managed. This may be true inside the facility fence. Unfortunately, since the site opened in March of 2021, crime outside the fence has increased by 300% W&X Safe Ground CFS July 2021. Neighbors nearby have experienced frightening encounters with people experiencing violent, drug-induced episodes. Neighbors have also found biohazards on their property including used needles and human feces. These experiences and crime data indicate something is missing in the discussion around the City’s vision for homeless solutions.
In addition, the City continues to dismiss the behavior of criminals impacting homes and businesses around the W/X corridor and existing shelters. The open-air drug market is dangerous to the neighborhood. It is also hazardous to unhoused people trying to attain sobriety and accept services. The Atlantic recently wrote an article about the “new meth” contributing to the rise in drug-associated homelessness we see on our communities: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/11/the-new-meth/620174/
To review the city’s page on the Homeless Master Plan and the Mayor’s video explaining it: http://homeless.cityofsacramento.org/MasterSitingPlan
People in need deserve safe and sustainable services to help them achieve a better quality of life. Our community is filled with compassionate neighbors who are eager to give their resources, time, and money to support the homeless and those in need. We also believe public safety, for both the housed and unhoused is a key to long-term success. The conversation must include law enforcement and legislation to bring accountability for dangerous criminal behavior.
The LPCA will continue to participate and share these discussions with you. If you are interested in being a part of the solution, feel free to reach out to our board at communcations@landpark.org