Mayor Darrell Steinberg offered partnership to the District Attorney. He responded by threatening the city with legal action

Sacramento, CA (Aug. 8, 2023) - Mayor Darrell Steinberg held a media availability Tuesday to discuss the mayor’s July 26 offer of partnership to District Attorney Thien Ho in efforts to address unsheltered homelessness. The District Attorney did not respond directly to the mayor’s substantive proposal.

District Attorney Ho issued a letter to the city this morning that deflects responsibility, takes credit for programs the city initiated, lacks basic understanding of existing shelter management systems and funding structures, and includes a series of demands that would cripple the city financially.

The District Attorney offered no substantive partnership in which the courts would work with the city to increase the ability to prosecute quality of life crimes. Instead, the District Attorney demands that the city shoulder the financial burden for prosecuting criminal offenses.

Read Mayor Steinberg’s proposal, given to the District Attorney in a face-to-face meeting July 26

Proposal for partnership between the District Attorney’s Office, Sacramento Superior Court, City of Sacramento and County of Sacramento

The magnitude of the homelessness crisis in Sacramento and its impacts on the community demand that all branches of government coordinate and work together rather. I propose that we all commit to the following guidelines, requirements and principals so that we can deliver real relief to the people suffering on our streets and to our community members. We need to use all the tools at our disposal to leverage people into mental health and substance abuse treatment. Sacramento County does not plan to implement CARE Court until late 2024, but we can collectively stand up our own version now with the following actions:

1. Strict enforcement of misdemeanor crimes involving encampments, including a commitment by the District Attorney’s Office to prosecute low-level, quality-of-life crimes in cooperation with local law enforcement.

2. A comprehensive strategy for prosecution of individuals alleged to commit quality-of-life crimes who either live with serious mental illness and or are under the influence of a controlled substance. Specifically require prosecution that includes an option for court-supervised diversion. This diversion must include alternatives to criminal incarceration, access to mandatory treatment, shelter and or housing.

3. Expansion of alternative courts through additional staffing and services with a special emphasis on homeless, veterans, mental health and drug court processes. Expand the capacity of alternative courts for offenders to obtain access to services in a timelier manner. Publicly report on metrics from these courts, including the number of offenders served, time to access services, and outcomes.

4. Full implementation of City County partnership agreement. County must provide “whatever it takes” approach to treating the mentally ill and drug addicted, including sufficient full-service partnerships (including housing) and other mental health slots needed to comply with court orders for treatment. Connect the services requirement of the City County Partnership agreement to the diversion process described above.

5. Support alternatives to jail booking sites managed by the county for low-level offenses. More sites would provide more direct access to service for offenders.

6. District Attorney’s Office to provide a community prosecutor for the north, south and east/central parts of the City funded by the District Attorney and provide for vertical prosecution and diversion, including into the CNO program as needed.

7. District attorney to lead effort to improve capacity of Sacramento County probation to supervise parolees and address violations.

8. District Attorney to lead expanded partnership with CDCR to better monitor parolee population.

9. Full support for City Council granting City Manager the authority to establish multiple safe ground sites dispersed throughout the City.

10. District Attorney to report on the number and type of cases received, cases filed for prosecution and diversion, reasons for cases not being filed, and outcome of cases county wide.