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CITY COUNCIL Darrell Steinberg, Mayor Angelique Ashby, Mayor Pro Tem, District 1 Allen Warren, District 2 Jeff Harris, Vice Mayor, District 3 Steve Hansen, District 4 Jay Schenirer, District 5 Eric Guerra, District 6 Rick Jennings, II, District 7 Larry Carr, District 8
CHARTER OFFICERS Mindy Cuppy, City Clerk Susana Alcala Wood, City Attorney Jorge Oseguera, City Auditor Howard Chan, City Manager John Colville, City Treasurer
City Council Financing Authority Housing Authority
Public Financing Authority Redevelopment Agency
Successor Agency City Hall-Council Chamber
915 I Street, 1st Floor Published by the Office of the City Clerk
(916) 808-5163
CORRESPONDENCE Description of Attached: The attached correspondence was received after publishing. For the Meeting of: August 18, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. Agenda Item: Discussion Item 18 18. City Council COVID-19 Response: Amendment to the Sacramento COVID-19
Homelessness Response Plan and CARES Act Framework and Funding Priorities; Establish Emergency Programs and Funding Plan for the Homelessness and Rapid Re-Housing Recovery Program (Two-Thirds Vote Required) File ID: 2020-00663 Location: Citywide Recommendation: 1) Review and consider the Sacramento COVID-19 Homelessness Response Team amended recommendations (a.k.a. “Amended Sacramento COVID-19 Homelessness Response Plan”); and 2) adopt a Resolution, which a) adopts the Amended Sacramento COVID-19 Homelessness Response Plan; b) establishes the COVID-19 Homeless Response Program (G02001700); c) establishes the revenue and expenditure budgets in the COVID-19 Homeless Response Program (G02001700) in the Federal CARES Act Fund (Fund 2704) by transferring $6,616,166 from the COVID-19 CARES Act Grant Program (G02610100); d) increases the revenue and expenditure budgets in the Homeless Housing Program in the Federal CARES Act Fund (Fund 2704) by transferring $5,533,834 from the COVID-19 CARES Act Grant Program (G02610100); e) directs SHRA to take all actions necessary to allocate $4 million in Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funding from the Federal CARES Act to fund re-housing activities noted in the Amended Sacramento COVID-10 Homelessness Response Plan; f) suspends competitive bidding in the best interests in the City of Sacramento for the Homelessness Response
Plan and rehousing activities; g) authorizes the City Manager or the City Manager’s Designee to execute or amend agreements to implement programs identified in the Amended Sacramento COVID-19 Homelessness Response Plan; h) authorizes the City Manager or the City Manager’s Designee to amend or enter into agreements with Sacramento County to transfer funding and implementation responsibility for the provision of services outlined in the Amended Homelessness COVID-19 Response Team Plan; i) authorizes the City Manager or the City Manager’s designee to execute a supplemental agreement with Goodwill Industries of Sacramento Valley & Northern Nevada, Inc. to extend services through September 30, 2020 and increase the not-to-exceed amount by $305,963, with an option to extend services for another term starting October 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020 for an additional not-to-exceed amount of $305,963, making the new total not-to-exceed amount $850,801; and j) directs the City Manager or City Manager’s designee to carry out the necessary procurement processes for the approved activities and execute the necessary agreements to implement the programs identified. Contact: Danielle Foster, Housing Policy Manager, (916) 808-1869; Emily Halcon, Homeless Services Manager, (916) 808-7896, Homeless Services Division, Office of the City Manager
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Nell Hessel
From: Laine Himmelmann <[email protected]>Sent: Thursday, August 13, 2020 5:02 PMTo: clerk; Public Comment; Howard Chan; Susana Alcala Wood; Darrell Steinberg; Jeff S. Harris;
Angelique Ashby; Allen W. Warren; Steve Hansen; Jay Schenirer; Eric Guerra; Rick Jennings; Lawrence R. Carr
Cc: Leah Miller; Danielle Foster; Leslie FritzscheSubject: Revised CRF CARES Letter from Habitat for Humanity of Greater SacramentoAttachments: CARES funding CRF letter from Habitat for Humanity revised 8.13.20.pdf
Importance: High
Dear Office of the City Clerk, Howard Chan, Susana Alcala Wood, and Honorable Sacramento City Council Members, Attached you will find a revised letter of request from our previously submitted letter in early June. On behalf of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento, we ask that you please make record of and include the attached revised letter from Habitat for Humanity for Council in support of an allocation of CARES CRF funding to support stable, affordable housing for low‐income families suffering from COVID‐19 economic impact and rental instability. Our nonprofit organization was able to sell a portfolio of mortgages of existing Habitat homes to pay for the infrastructure costs of our upcoming Mandola Court development which will house 60 low‐income individuals – thus decreasing our previously shared COVID‐19 impacted funding gap from $1.2 million to a gap, though still critical, of an amount nearer to $500,000. As months have passed since our original letter was submitted, we wanted to be sure to send the Council the most up‐to‐date scenario prior to the discussion of CARES around housing and homelessness. As reported on CBS 13 last week ‐ https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2020/08/06/habitat‐for‐humanity‐projects‐sacramento/ ‐ 90% of our staff was previously furloughed due to COVID, but we are working diligently to provide as much support as possible to get low‐income vulnerable families, seniors, and veterans into homes and keep them in their homes during this pandemic. Many projects for vulnerable families do remain on hold until we are able to fill the COVID‐19 impacted funding gap and impact on our volunteer labor force (we are operating with less than 10% of our usual 2,500 volunteers a year labor force as we seek to maintain proper safety and social distancing guidelines). We are also bracing for how the decreased unemployment this month will impact our existing Habitat homeowners in their ability to pay their mortgages to Habitat, which will also impact our revenue. With that being said, we continue to move forward with hope and the resiliency in our hearts as we look to keep building for those in need through this crisis. In the CBS13 link above, as well as in this Good Day Sacramento segment, you can see the 3D rendering of the upcoming “Mandola Court” development mentioned above and in our letter as one of the projects where above ground construction remains on hold due to the COVID‐19 funding gap. If there is anything else needed to ensure that this letter is received for the record and strong consideration from council for support, please let us know. I know this is a challenging time for all and that you are receiving many emails like this. Thank you in advance for your support in whatever capacity that may be. Please note, this letter and request is sent in addition to and to be considered separately from Habitat’s inclusion in a collaborative letter with a number of other nonprofits requesting consideration for CARES support for critical home repairs to keep low‐income homeowners from becoming homeless due to COVID‐19.
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In partnership, Laine Himmelmann Director of Development, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento (916) 440-1215 x1108 Website: habitatgreatersac.org/ Email: [email protected] Facebook/HabitatGreaterSac • Twitter: @SacHabitat • Instagram: @SacHabitat • LinkedIn
We have always believed at Habitat that we will only find our way forward together. It’s true every day – and will be even truer now.
From: Laine Himmelmann Sent: Monday, June 08, 2020 2:55 PM To: '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]' Cc: Leah Miller Subject: Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento: re: CARES CRF: Please support stable, affordable housing for low-income families suffering from COVID-19 economic impact and rental instability Importance: High Dear Office of the City Clerk, Howard Chan, Susana Alcala Wood, and Honorable Sacramento City Council Members, On behalf of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento, we ask that you please make record of and include the attached letter from Habitat for Humanity for Council in support of an allocation of the $89 million in CARES CRF funding to support stable, affordable housing for low‐income families suffering from COVID‐19 economic impact and rental instability. Prior to COVID‐19, the Sacramento Housing Alliance revealed there were over 62,000 Sacramento families in desperate need of affordable housing. That, coupled with Sacramento having the highest rising rents by percentage in the entire country for three years running, created a dire housing crisis like none other this region had ever seen. That crisis has only intensified by the economic devastation of COVID‐19 which has hit low‐income families the hardest (many of whom will be unable to catch‐up on rent when the moratorium has ended and will be in desperate need of safe affordable housing). Additionally, people of color have been disproportionally impacted by COVID‐19 – these are the same communities who through systemic racism have been shut out of opportunities for homeownership and equity building for decades and encounter some of the hardest struggles to attaining affordable housing. These are the families with whom we partner (low‐income families, predominantly non‐white, who are extremely housing insecure ‐ living in garages, living in their cars, living 8 people to a 1‐bedroom apartment, paying over 50% of their income on rent, living in unimaginably squalid rental conditions) and through our program, who build and purchase their affordable, sustainably built electric home and create for themselves a springboard for greater economic opportunity.
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We, at Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento, are requesting the City of Sacramento’s consideration of a humble allocation of the $89 million CARES CRF funding to directly support affordable, sustainable housing for low‐income families suffering from COVID‐19 economic impact and rental instability. As further detailed in the attached letter, this support would be put to work immediately and would help a variety of affordable construction projects (which will house 70 individuals in total) which have been delayed due to COVID‐19 related financial impact on Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento. Please note, this letter and request is sent in addition to and to be considered separately from Habitat’s inclusion in a collaborative letter with a number of other nonprofits requesting consideration for CARES support for critical home repairs to keep low‐income homeowners from becoming homeless due to COVID‐19. If there is anything else needed to ensure that this letter is received for the record and strong consideration from council for support, please let us know. Thank you in advance for your support to a sustainable affordable housing solution that has proven time and time again to not only provide shelter to our most vulnerable low‐income families, but provide a springboard to breaking the cycle of poverty. In partnership, Laine Himmelmann Director of Development, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento Website: habitatgreatersac.org/ Email: [email protected] Facebook/HabitatGreaterSac • Twitter: @SacHabitat • Instagram: @SacHabitat • LinkedIn
We have always believed at Habitat that we will only find our way forward together. It’s true every day – and will be even truer now.
August 13, 2020 *revised request to previously submitted letter on June 5th due to time lapsed and changes in situation The Honorable Mayor and Sacramento City Council Members: RE: CARES Act Framework and Funding Priorities for the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF): Stable, affordable housing for low-income families suffering from COVID-19 impact and rental instability For too many high-risk and housing insecure Sacramento families – sheltering in place and the economic impacts of COVID-19 have exacerbated the conditions for which they’ve struggled for too long. For these families, they’re one check away from not being able to make rent and becoming homeless. Additionally, people of color have been disproportionally impacted by COVID-19 –the same communities who through systemic racism have been shut out of opportunities for homeownership and equity building for decades and encounter some of the hardest struggles to attaining affordable housing. Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento was also hit hard by COVID-19. When shelter in place orders took place, we had to close our retail resale outlet- the ReStore. The ReStore (District 3), brings in 20% of our annual budget in sales to support general operating costs. When closed due to COVID-19, we had to furlough 90% of staff and temporarily shut down our active construction sites. Though thanks to PPP funding we’ve reopened, Habitat is facing $500,000 in revenue loss due to COVID-19 impact:
- $120,000 in ReStore revenue due to COVID closure - $180,000 cancelled in-person Hard Hats & High Heels Gala (COVID-19 gathering regulations) - $200,000 cancelled corporate engagement and build event volunteer opportunities through at
least January 2021 (COVID-19 gathering regulations) - Bracing for a decrease in mortgage payments from 100+ active mortgages of Habitat
homeowners due to COVID-19 impacted job loss following increased unemployment ending. Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento is the only provider of homeownership opportunities in the Sacramento region for low and very low-income families. Through home build, repair, and community projects – in 2019 Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento impacted 3,608 individuals. The following affordable home build projects which will house over 70 low-income individuals are currently delayed due to COVID-19 impacts on our financial support
- 13 home development infrastructure has started and ready to build above ground in November once we have funds. Had to sell mortgages of existing Habitat homes to pay for infrastructure costs. Located at 20 Mandola Court Sacramento, CA 95828 (District 6)
- 3 in-fill homes. 3250 34th Avenue Sacramento, 95824 (District 5); 2419 Maryal Drive Sacramento, CA; 854 Vinci Avenue Sacramento, CA (District 2)
- 1 rehab home; 7901 34th Avenue Sacramento, CA (District 6)
While looking for solutions to address the COVID-19 impact on housing and homelessness, please consider providing support to an organization that is hurting from COVID impact and has proven time and time again to provide proactive, sustainable, and permanent homeless and housing solutions. Sincerely, Leah Miller, President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento [email protected]
August 17, 2020
Mayor Darrell Steinberg
City Clerk Mindy Cuppy
Sacramento City Hall
915 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: Agenda Items #17 - #19 for 5PM Meeting, August 18, 2020
Sacramento Area Congregations Together (SacACT) Homeless and
Housing Committee is pleased to provide comments for the goals
set forth in Agenda Item #17 through #19. We commend the
development of the proposed amendment to the Sacramento
Covid-19 Homelesnesss Response Plan by the combined effort of
the homeless services staff of the City, County, and Sacramento
Steps Forward (SSF). We believe the proposals made are necessary,
but not sufficient, to make significant contribution to eventually
ending homelessness in Sacramento and alleviating some of the
suffering of unsheltered homeless people while our community
works toward that goal.
Attached to this cover letter are SacACT’s detailed comments
pertaining to the aggregate of Agenda Items #17 through #19.
Summary of Recommendations
1. Initiate the process to develop a comprehensive,
collaborative plan to end homelessness in this county
(modest),
2. Adopt an amended Covid-19 Homelessness Response Plan,
but:
a. Increase the rehousing goal and extend the program
endpoint to 12/31/2020 (Cost: additional $1.5 million),
and
b. add an encampment outreach effort administered by
SSF that would de facto sanction most existing
encampment sites and provide supportive services,
sanitation facilities, and trash pickup on an ongoing
basis (Cost: additional $0.5 million each to City and
County),
2324 L St., Suite 405 Sacramento, CA 95816
3. Design and fund a sleeping cabin village program with
manufactured housing at sites throughout the City (Cost:
Additional $5 million),
4. Design and fund a renter relief program that would support
the most vulnerable renters to prevent eviction and
homelessness (Cost: Additional $5 million), and
5. Adopt additional Project Homekey funding applications.
We clearly identify the additional funding requirements of these
recommendations. We cannot profess to know which specific
funding sources are most appropriate.
We strongly urge the City Council to consider our recommended
changes to the Staff proposals posted on August 13, 2020 as
Agenda Items #17 to #19.
Mike Jaske and Shireen Miles, Co-chairs
SacACT Homeless and Housing Committee
CC: Councilmembers
Emily Halcon, City Staff
Christine Weichert, SHRA
2324 L St., Suite 405 Sacramento, CA 95816
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Attachment
Detailed Comments of SacACT Homeless and Housing Committee
Sacramento City Council Meeting, August 18, 2020, Agenda Items #17 - #19
Sacramento Area Congregations Together (SacACT) Homeless and Housing Committee
is pleased to provide comments for the goals set forth in Agenda Item #17 through #19.
We commend the development of the joint proposal by the combined effort of the
homeless services staff of the City, County, and Sacramento Steps Forward (SSF). Like
the original Sacramento Covid-19 Homeless Response Plan, this amendment signals
further collaboration among the staff of the three key agencies leading homeless
initiatives in our community. We believe the proposals made are necessary, but not
sufficient, to make significant contribution to eventually ending homelessness in
Sacramento and alleviating some of the suffering of unsheltered homeless people while
our community works toward that goal.
These comments are organized into five sections that follow a summary of
recommendations:
Section I – The Need for a Comprehensive, Coordinated Plan to End Homelessness
Section II – Amending the Covid-19 Homelessness Response Plan
Section III – Sleeping Cabin/Tiny Home Villages
Section IV – The Need for a Renter Relief Program
Section V – Adding to interim and permanent supportive housing through Homekey
Summary of Recommendations
1. Initiate the process to develop a comprehensive, collaborative plan to end
homelessness in this county (modest),
2. Adopt an amended Covid-19 Homelessness Response Plan, but:
a. Increase the rehousing goal and extend the program endpoint to
12/31/2020 (Cost: additional $1.5 million), and
b. add an encampment outreach effort administered by SSF that would de
facto sanction most existing encampment sites and provide supportive
services, sanitation facilities, and trash pickup on an ongoing basis (Cost:
additional $0.5 million each to City and County),
3. Design and fund a sleeping cabin village program with manufactured housing at
sites throughout the City (Cost: Additional $5 million),
4. Design and fund a renter relief program that would support the most vulnerable
renters to prevent eviction and homelessness (Cost: Additional $5 million), and
5. Support Project Homekey funding applications.
We clearly identify the additional funding requirements of these recommendations. We
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cannot profess to know which specific funding sources are most appropriate.
Section I – The Need for a Comprehensive, Coordinated Plan to End Homelessness
For the past several years, the faith community represented by Sacramento Area
Congregations Together (SacACT) has repeatedly and consistently advocated for a
comprehensive county-wide plan to end homelessness that would promote
collaboration, target resources where they are most effective, and keep a laser focus on a
common goal. Such a plan would provide an essential context for many decisions made
regularly by the Sacramento City Council, Sacramento County Board of Supervisors,
and other entities.
The importance of a plan especially can be seen in the response of public entities and
service providers to the crushing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our community.
The crisis did have the positive effect of improving interagency coordination and
cooperation, albeit mostly at the staff level. But there has been no visible process
toward an overall plan.
A comprehensive plan would provide more effective guidance to local agencies and
organizations in how best to invest relief funds from the state and federal governments,
and how to make a case for additional funds. Moreover, had we been effectively
collaborating across our “silos” and working toward common goals and objectives, we
would have been better positioned from the beginning to deal with a health and
economic catastrophe nobody could predict. Sacramento ACT continues to argue that
some entity must take the lead, and the city could be an excellent initiator of this effort.
We firmly believe this plan is still essential to addressing homelessness, one of the most
challenging social issues of our time, both in the short and long terms.
Using a modest amount of CARES ACT funding, the City Council could at least begin
that process and enlist other players to join you. The investment to actually create a
plan is far smaller than the resources and opportunities that are lost by not having it.
We urge the Council to take the initiative and allocate funds to begin that process,
bringing other entities into the task as quickly as possible. An emergency is precisely
the time to take the initiative and create a plan that would help guide us toward
eliminating homelessness and, in the meantime, addressing both ongoing and crisis
needs as they arise.
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Section II – Amending the Covid-19 Homelessness Response Plan
Background
In Mid-March, 2020 staff of the City, County and Sacramento Steps Forward developed
a Covid-19 Homelessness Response Plan (Plan). It consisted of three elements:
Isolation in FEMA trailers/quarantine housing in leased motels
Covid-19 prevention in existing emergency shelters
Encampment and other unsheltered people support.
The total budget for the Plan, which was to operate through July 30, 2020, was $15.1
million. An amendment to the original Plan was developed by the same inter-agency
staff team and it was scheduled to be heard by the City Council (June 28) and by the
County Board of Supervisors (July 14) for approval. The City would contribute $2.15
million dollars. The Sacramento City Council deferred it until August 18. The
amendment requests additional funds to extend motel/trailer housing for vulnerable
homeless people to September 30, but capping capacity at 600 beds rather than earlier,
higher estimates. The emphasis of the amendment is to rehouse 500 persons using a
mixture of existing housing approaches. The amendment is silent about further funding
for Covid-19 prevention in emergency shelters or about the encampment outreach and
support effort. Discussions with agency staff indicate that despite no mention in the
amendment documents, the encampment effort was intended to be extended to
September 30. According to available information, the amended plan has been placed
into operation on the basis of the County’s approval.
Motel/Trailer Housing for Isolation and Quarantine
The focus of the proposed Amendment to the original Covid-19 Homelessness
Response Plan was rehousing of up to 500 people from trailers and motels using two
strategies: (1) rehousing residents using existing programs, and (2) acquire, rehab, and
operate motels as transitional and permanent supportive housing.
In Strategy #1, multiple entities would be asked to divert existing staff to the effort of
beginning sufficient case management to enable the transition of up to 500 persons from
motels/trailer to shelters, transitional, and permanent supportive housing. This effort is
described as like a “100 Day Challenge,” which is a code phrase for an all-out effort in
which project staff would drop other duties and focus exclusively on achieving the
target of rehousing 500 persons. Dropping other activities has already been occurring
for City, County and SSF staff since March.
Strategy #2 – no specific proposal to acquire motels through purchase or long-term lease
was included within the proposed amendment to the Plan. Due to the passage of time,
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the State’s Homekey Program has been announced and the application date has closed.
The City submitted three applications while the County Board of Supervisors turned
down the proposal brought before it.
SacACT recommendations for Rehousing Trailer/Motel Residents:
1) SacACT suggests increasing the targeted rehousing goal to 600 persons and
generally extending the timeline for some motel/trailer use until the end of the year
to enable a more thorough “case management” effort to place motel or trailer
residents in a facility that best suits their needs. There is no justification to the
“rushed” effort that was originally proposed, and extending the timeframe will cost
relatively little as residents in motels are housed. It is unclear how much this will
cost, but perhaps another $1 million using CARES funding.
2) SacACT suggests increasing the staff proposed funding for the amendment with an
additional $0.5 million using CARES funding for SSF, VA and other community
partners to implement the rehousing referral element as described in the Strategy #1
of the proposed amendment. These organizations are very much smaller than the
City and County and should not be expected to absorb this effort in their own
existing budgets when CARES funding is available.
Encampment Outreach
Encampment and unsheltered support received $1.25 million, mostly from redirection
of FY 2018/19 HEAP funding awarded by the state to the Sacramento CoC, and $250,000
from County DHS for sanitation stations. Later, an aggressive feeding program was
added that used $114,000 in mini-grants from Donate4Sacramento funds collected by
the City from voluntary contributions for citizens, foundations, and other entities that
enabled dozens of volunteer organizations to prepare and distribute meals to
encampments.
Weekly reports about the overall Plan provide some ability to track the nature of the
services provided to encampments. These services addressed the basic human needs of
hundreds of unsheltered homeless people.
Despite a robust effort to install sanitation stations, washing stations, deliver water in
bulk, deliver meals, and deliver bottled water, the weekly reports indicate that meal
funding from Donate4Sacramento funds halted on June 30. Although the tracking of the
details of services provided are sketchy, some portions of the original encampment
effort are continuing beyond June 30, but it is clear from the weekly reports that scale of
activity has been reduced. A few sanitation stations and other physical elements have
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been removed and others repositioned. Water deliveries are apparently still being
provided, although some volunteer groups try to continue feeding efforts using their
own resources. A GoFundMe campaign has been initiated to collect donations from the
general public.
SacACT opposes the ending of the encampment outreach effort on September 30. The
original need for this support to unsheltered homeless people has not changed. Covid-
19 is rampant in the general community, and the absence of support services will
induce homeless people to increase efforts to find daily necessities in the neighborhoods
around encampments and the general community. To do so is directly contradictory to
federal guidance issued by HUD and USICH, which have consistently advised that the
best plan for encampments is to leave them in place and provide supportive services. It
is fundamental to treating unsheltered people as human beings that these services be
continued until there is room for all people in shelters and permanent housing.
SacACT Recommendation for Encampment Outreach:
1. All of the original elements should be continued at the same scale they operated
during May and June. This includes:
Installation and servicing of sanitation stations (funded through County
DHS)
Installation and servicing of hand washing stations
Medical assistance and virus testing
Face mask and hand sanitizer suppliers
Water bottle delivery
In addition to these supplies, it is critical that the City and County provide trash
dumpsters and trash pickup services at all encampments with populations
greater than 20 people. Smaller encampments should receive garbage bags with a
clear direction where they can be disposed of without hassle from local
businesses or residences.
2. It is important that City police, County deputy sheriffs, and Park Rangers not
disrupt any camp that is receiving these services. These encampments have been
recognized and supported for at least four months, and should be considered as
temporarily sanctioned by the City and the County until such time as emergency
shelter capacity or permanent housing is available for all unsheltered residents of
the City or County.
3. The City and County should increase the additional funds proposed in the
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amendment by $0.5 million each to continue the encampment support effort at
least through the balance of FY 2020/21 when a new funding source may be
available. During the period October 1 to December 30, CARES funding can be
used. After that a different funding sources will be needed. These funds should
be contracted to Sacramento Steps Forward to administer this program extension
– the same role they played in the original Covid-19 program.
Section III – Sleeping Cabin/Tiny Home Villages
Sacramento ACT supports the concepts of creating multiple small sleeping cabin
villages located throughout the City as one of a number of elements of a successful,
coordinated plan to address and end homelessness in our region. We urge the City
Council and City Manager to embrace this concept and allocate $5 million in funding to
making it a reality.
We have supported sleeping cabin villages in previous comments to the Council, and
recently provided detailed input on this proposal to City staff. To summarize these
comments, we view this proposal as a relatively quick and low-cost way of provide
safe, secure, albeit temporary housing to at least 500 individuals who are currently
living on our streets, riverbanks, and vacant lots. These individuals will have a stable
place to call home, with a door that can be locked, providing dignity and the ability to
get a good night’s sleep. These individuals will have a known address, making them
available for following up services, and able to take the first steps towards stability,
community connections and employment.
In order for this project to succeed, we believe that the City must provide three critical
elements:
- Infrastructure and operational support in the form of portable toilets, showers
and washing stations, power, trash pickup, and similar services.
- The City must manage (or contract out the management of) the vetting and
qualifying of village operators and locations, as well as the screening and
placement of individuals at specific villages.
- Finally, it is critical that appropriate social services be provided to the residents
so that they can be success in regaining stability and that this housing modality
truly is temporary and transitional.
Two final points are worth making:
- One very important advantage of this model is that it is not a one-size-fits-all
approach. We anticipate that the population profile will vary greatly between
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villages, with some being quite self-governing and requiring few ongoing social
services, with others requiring more.
- It is important that these villages be located in all parts of the City and, because
these villages will be small, there is no reason this commitment to fairness and
equity cannot be achieved.
Section IV – The Need for a Renter Relief Program
A critical place for the city to invest CARES Act funding is renter relief. The failure—
some might say refusal—of the federal government to enact additional relief payments
and unemployment is a ticking time bomb for people needing to stay in their homes.
Before the pandemic, many in our community—especially low-income workers in the
service sector like restaurant workers, hotel housekeepers, hairdressers, gig workers
and others—were already struggling to find and keep housing they could afford.
When the pandemic struck and their income dried up, many had no savings to fall back
on, and some were not even eligible for the relief that was initially provided by the
federal CARES Act. About 200 families were able to secure mini-grants provided by a
Sacramento ACT program that began in March, and most used the funds to pay rent.
SacACT talked to many applicants who had also applied for relief under the eviction
moratorium, and weren’t sure what they would do when that ran out. Many don’t
expect to return to gainful employment anytime soon.
The lack of federal or state action now puts thousands in our community at risk of
eviction and eventual homelessness. It is well understood that eviction is a terrible
stigma that the landlord community holds against renters. Many people who want to
pay the back rent they owe can’t do that with the continuation of the pandemic. To
make things worse, the looming expiration of the eviction moratorium, an event that
has happened already in many other states, adds to their worry about losing their
homes, literally within the coming weeks.
We believe it is urgent for the city to allocate CARES Act funding to create a renter relief
program in the amount of at least $5 million. There should be clear criteria for
eligibility and priorities for assistance: for instance, single parents with children should
be high on a priority list. The funds could help assure they stay in their homes going
forward and might also be available to pay back rent.
Providing assistance to keep more people from falling into homelessness and giving
them stability as they try to return to jobs and self-sufficiency is essential. The cost of
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not doing that is exponentially more—both in community expenditures and the human
suffering of many of our neighbors.
Section V – Support for Project Homekey Applications
On August 11, 2020, SacACT strongly supported the City/Jamboree Application for
Project Homekey funding to the State Department of Housing and Community
Development. Councilmember Harris spoke at length about the deplorable state of the
River district where the motel is located. Earlier in these comments we recommend
creating a permanent encampment outreach program that would build off of the initial
effort included in the Covid-19 Homelessness Response Plan. Such a program could, to
some degree, mitigate the conditions that Councilmember Harris described. As a
consequence of the regional setaside feature of Project Homekey and the unwillingness
of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors to approve a motel application adjacent
to McClellan Business Park there may be additional Project Homekey funds available.
Thus there is a scramble to submit two additional applications.
The Weave and St. John’s Program for Real Change applications for Project Homekey
differ markedly from the City’s other project Homekey application. Both organizations
focus on women and women with children suffering from domestic violence, financial
abuse by former partners, drug abuse, or lack of marketable job skills, who need
support to rise up out of homelessness, or who are at risk of it occurring. Both
organizations would purchase and install small numbers of small manufactured
housing units rather than purchase existing motels.
SacACT supports the Weave and St. John’s Program for Real Change applications.