Sacramento's new ordinance banning the unhoused from sleeping outside City Hall has taken effect, despite concerns and calls for more compassionate solutions. Councilman Phil Pluckebaum insists they are not trying to criminalize homelessness. "We're not trying to punish people for, you know, experiencing some sort of tragedy," he said, as reported by KCRA. "What we're trying to do is both create a space that's appropriate for people coming to city hall to do business and whatever their purpose is, but also make spaces for people that are experiencing homelessness so that they have somewhere to be with dignity."
Although city leaders have expressed the desire to move away from congregate shelters, their promises of housing for City Hall sleepers have so far been largely unmet, leaving many unhoused as the policy takes effect. The Sacramento Bee reported that veterans association workers and city staff had been offering housing options to those sleeping near City Hall, yet Douglas Grieve, a Navy veteran, found himself having to accept now that he was being forced to move on with no place to go. As city spokespersons and Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Dan Wiseman indicated, the compliance to the ban seems to be low, with a single citation handed out on the first night of the ordinance. The city is pushing for more tiny homes as a future strategy, but progress appears slow.
The outreach efforts by the city's Department of Community Response have not been entirely successful, with some unhoused like Donna Valentine and Mane Davila declining the shelter aid offered. Valentine expressed her concerns to KCRA, saying, "They did, but unfortunately, I'm not going back to the shelter." Others cite issues such as distance from services, pet restrictions, and a preference to avoid the congregate shelter environment as their reason for not accepting shelter.
As per The Sacramento Bee, the Outreach and Engagement Center’s limited bed availability and restrictive policies have proven to be an inadequate solution for many. For someone like Gary Kelly, who suffers from incontinence, these temporary shelters are not a viable option. "Every time I go to a shelter, they make me leave," Kelly conveyed his frustration. This is indicative of a larger systemic issue where the needs of the very individuals that require assistance are not being fully catered to by the city’s current infrastructure and policies.
The ordinance reflects a shift in city policy, reversing a previous 2019 allowance for individuals to sleep outside of City Hall. The updated decision, according to Mayor Kevin McCarty, is also in part a financial measure aimed at reducing the annual cleanup costs that amount to around $350,000. "Having tents or sleeping bags or anything else set up in front of it is just a symbol of an abject failure in our housing policy," Pluckebaum was quoted emphasizing the council's intention to address both symbolic and practical aspects of the crisis, as noted by KCRA.
