See what Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg has done to help the unhoused
Before Mayor Darrell Steinberg took office in January 2017, the City of Sacramento deferred to Sacramento County and its health and human services role when it came to the issue of unsheltered homelessness.
Mayor Steinberg wanted to see more progress, so he pushed the City to do more. Working with the county and Sacramento Steps Forward, the City has helped 5,000 unsheltered people obtain housing just in the past year and a half.
Here is a summary of Mayor Steinberg’s accomplishments during his four years as mayor in partnership with his Council colleague and City staff.
Year 1
Held joint meeting of the City and County specifically on housing for the homeless
Set aside 1,755 Housing Choice vouchers for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness over three years
Secured $64 million Whole Person Care Pilot for outreach and case management. Sacramento was the first city to do this. As of October 2020, Sacramento’s Whole Person Care program, called Pathways, had served more than 2,000 people and placed 857 clients in permanent or transitional housing.
Worked with County to get $44 million for additional mental health services for those experiencing homelessness
Opened a 200-bed Triage Shelter on Railroad Drive. This was the City’s first low-barrier shelter offering people to come with pets, partners and possessions. It was originally approved just for the winter, but at the Mayor’s insistence, it remained open for 16 months, serving a total of 658 people. More than 264 people were placed in longer-term housing.
Opened Warming Centers providing respite to over 700 people 2016-17
Year 2
Extended operations at North Sacramento Shelter on Railroad Drive
Launched Whole Person Care with new outreach teams
Used position as head of California Big City Mayors group to lobby for $500 million in state funds for emergency solutions to homelessness in for California cities and counties. The City of Sacramento directly received $5.6 million. Sacramento Steps Forward received $12.7 million to invest in the City and County
Secured two new positions for the City’s homeless division
Year 3
Appointed by Governor Newsom to lead Statewide Commission on Homelessness and Supportive Housing
Successfully lobbied to nearly double state investments in emergency shelters ($650M Statewide). The City of Sacramento received $13.6 million.
Launched ambitious plan to site 100 shelter beds in each council district
Successfully set aside $16 million for homelessness in City’s mid-year budget
Allocated funding to enhance traditional shelter beds in the River District into low-barrier, service-rich shelters
Opened 180-bed shelter at the Capitol Park Hotel in downtown Sacramento
City opened 40 scattered site housing units for people experiencing homelessness
Published Op-ed in the Los Angeles Times calling for a statewide legal right for people to sleep indoors. Creating such a right would compel local and state governments to provide sufficient shelter — or face legal liability.
Year 4
Secured Council approval for the City to create a $100 million affordable housing fund.
Opened the Meadowview Navigation Center shelter for women (100 beds)
Opened Grove cabin community for transition-age youth in north Sacramento (50 beds)
Secured final state approval to build a shelter along the W/X Freeway at Alhambra and Broadway. Construction is underway (100 beds)
As Co-Chair of Governor’s Council of Regional Homeless Advisors, secured unanimous approval from commissioners to support a legally enforceable mandate on all levels of government to address homelessness. The call for a mandate was incorporated into AB 3269 (Chiu).
In partnership with Sacramento County, the City of Sacramento launched Project Roomkey, which has housed more than 1,000 people in motel rooms and trailers.
Used federal stimulus funds to pay for 56 handwashing stations and portable toilets next to encampments.
City of Sacramento is using a combined $22.4 million in City and state funds to convert a hotel in south Sacramento into permanent supportive housing as part of the State’s Project Homekey.
City Council approved an emergency ordinance that allows for quick permitting of temporary tent encampments, safe parking lots and communities of tiny homes, trailers or sleeping cabins.
Bringing measure to Council on Tuesday, Feb. 2 that will direct the City to procure 63 tiny homes in 50 days — including eight the City already has in inventory — and place them on publicly or privately owned sites around the city identified by Councilmembers representing each district.
Won Council approval for the City to develop a master plan for siting homeless solutions city-wide on a big enough scale to house thousands of people. The plan is expected to go to the Council in June.
Won Council approval to restart the process of issuing the $100-million affordable housing bond, which had been delayed by Covid pandemic.
City allocated $4.7 million in federal stimulus money for rental assistance to families at risk of becoming homeless during the pandemic. (Another $15.3 million from the second federal stimulus bill is being added to that amount.)
Successfully pressed City staff to adopt a winter warming strategy that included more flexible rules for opening warming shelters, hundreds of new motel vouchers and 25 trailers at Cal Expo.
