City devotes nearly $2 million to scattered site housing for the homeless

A homeless camp along the W/X Freeway

This is the second installment of our series, “More than Shelter,” describing the city’s efforts to address homelessness.

The City of Sacramento pushed ahead Tuesday with another significant prong of its strategy to address homelessness, allocating $1.8-million for scattered single-family homes that each accommodate five people and a house manager.

Sacramento Self Help Housing won the contract to lease and operate the housing for two years. The money will pay for about 40 beds, plus some subsidies to help people transition into permanent housing. Specific neighborhoods have not been identified.

Funding will come from money previously allocated from Measure U, plus $400,000 just contributed by Anthem Blue Cross and $390,000 from Dignity Health.

Mayor Darrell Steinberg noted that the supply of scattered site homes could expand further through a $3 million state Whole Person Care grant just awarded to the city by the State of California for rehousing the homeless. This money is for permanent housing, however, unlike the money just awarded to Sacramento Self Help Housing.

“There is new money, significant new money, up to about $5 million, to potentially invest in the scattered site approach,” Mayor Steinberg said.

Scattered site housing is one component of the city’s ongoing effort to address homelessness under the leadership of Mayor Steinberg.