Sacramento, CA (Feb. 3, 2023) – The Sacramento City Council will vote Tuesday on a suite of programs designed to prevent people from being displaced from their homes along the Stockton Boulevard corridor when UC Davis opens its Aggie Square innovation campus.

The Council will approve specific spending plans for the first $2 million of $10 million set aside for anti-displacement investments in communities adjacent to Aggie Square. The anti-displacement effort – funded by the city and UC Davis -- is part of the broader Community Benefits Partnership Agreement for Aggie Square negotiated by Mayor Darrell Steinberg, Vice Mayor Eric Guerra and former councilmember Jay Schenirer with the advocacy group Sacramento Investment Without Displacement and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees 3299, which represents employees at UC Davis.

*Mayor Darrell Steinberg with representatives from each of the contractors, SMUD, SacIWD, and CADA.*

“I hope this package of programs becomes a national model for how big economic development projects can bring real opportunities and investment to communities and residents without displacing them,” said Mayor Steinberg.

Four community organizations will receive funding to repair homes, help residents with one-time financial assistance for rent, utilities and other needs and assist first-time home buyers in the zip codes surrounding Aggie Square. Each program takes a different approach. When combined, they will provide a comprehensive, anti-displacement strategy.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento Home Preservation and Electrification Program – ($560,000) – Habitat will be working with residents in owner-occupied properties to address critical health and safety repairs to improve livability, accessibility, and to reduce the threat of displacement. Habitat will also continue to expand its partnership with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) to provide energy efficiency repairs and electrification upgrades for qualified homeowners, including two full-home gas to electric conversions. The program anticipates serving as many as 50 households.
The Salvation Army Homeless Prevention Program ($500,000) – This program will provide one-time assistance with expenses related to an unexpected life occurrence (e.g. medical expenses, car repair, etc.) or rent, mortgage or utility assistance. This program estimates serving 50-90 households, depending upon level of need and will also refer the people it helps to the City of Sacramento’s Financial Empowerment Center.
Step Up Homeless Prevention, Housing Coordination, Stability and Retention Program ($530,000) – This program will help cover one-time costs associated with getting into housing as well as assist with finding available housing. This program estimates serving approximately 100 people.
Unseen Heroes/CLTRE First-time Homebuyer Loan Program ($500,000) – With this 18-month contract, Unseen Heroes will work with a pool of 50 or more households to improve their credit and budgeting skills in preparation for homeownership, including partnering in providing financial literacy classes, homebuyer education, and/or other Financial Empowerment Center referrals. At least 25 households will work towards identifying the path to homeownership and will obtain down payment assistance, closing costs and/or secondary loan gap funding from the program to further opportunities for increased housing stability and inter-generational wealth-building. This program will assist approximately 50 households with financial literacy, budgeting and credit repair, with 25 of those households following a pathway to homeownership.

“I am proud to continue our fight to help families achieve homeownership and stay in their homes through much-needed home repair and assistance. Projects like Aggie Square can lead the way in how we can create more quality job opportunities, build affordable and mixed-income housing, and keep our existing neighbors in their communities,” said Vice Mayor Eric Guerra. “Furthermore, these programs will advance our climate goals by assisting homeowners transition to electric appliances and building additional fully electric homes,” added Guerra, highlighting the cross-sectional impacts these programs will have on the City of Sacramento’s policy goals.

*Tamika L’Ecluse (podium) Vice President of SacIWD and Leah Miller (back) President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity*

Staff from the City of Sacramento and the SIWD Housing team worked together to survey and identify the community needs around housing stabilization, displacement, and gentrification. The survey collected results from 367 individuals within the identified community zip codes surrounding Stockton Boulevard and employees in AFSCME Local 3299.

Results from the survey showed the greatest needs were for home repair (76 percent) and homelessness prevention (73 percent) programs, with programs for first-time homeowners coming in third at 67 percent.

“The SIWD Housing Team helped develop survey questions and advise on the types of programs to best serve communities,” said Cathy Creswell, President of the Sacramento Housing Alliance and a member of SIWD. “We are confident these programs will help residents stay in the communities they love and address historic patterns of disinvestment and discrimination.”

The displacement fund is one piece of the Community Benefits Partnership Agreement, which also included pledges for local hiring and a commitment by the city to invest in affordable housing along the Stockton Boulevard corridor.

*From left to right: Congresswoman Doris Matsui, UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May, and Mayor Darrell Steinberg at the ground breaking for Aggie Square in Feb. 2022.*

“We are proud to stand with the mayor, city and community partners on this major housing effort for Aggie Square,” said UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May. “As we stated early on, we are committed to community engagement, and this is another solid step in that collaboration. Our goal is that everyone should benefit from the economic advances that Aggie Square will bring to Sacramento.”

Since the approval of the agreement, the City of Sacramento has committed $43.5 million in funding for affordable housing in the surrounding community, far more than its $29-million commitment. Two hundred housing units are currently under construction and another 500 will be coming soon.

“I’m thrilled to see such a significant investment being made that will provide stability for working families, keep people in their homes, and grow our housing stock throughout Oak Park. It’s our responsibility that as we grow as a city, we can’t allow our existing residents to be left behind,” said Councilmember Caity Maple, District 5.