A sweep to clear out homeless camps in a Midtown Sacramento neighborhood did not go as planned.
Hours after Caltrans crews cleared out the camp under the Business 80 Bridge, many of the people living there simply set up camp on the other side of the freeway. City leaders continue to work on a bold new plan to house the homeless, which has been met with opposition by neighbors. Caltrans has been increasing the number of camp clearings near freeways in Sacramento in recent weeks. That’s partly due to a new policy that allows the state agency to clear camps for safety issues, in conjunction with the governor’s office, said Patrick Bishop, Caltrans’ deputy director of maintenance and traffic operations, according to The Sacramento Bee.
City Councilwoman Katie Valenzuela, who represents the area, criticized Caltrans for not opening alternative spaces where the homeless could go. The city’s $100 million Comprehensive Siting Plan to Address Homelessness includes five Caltrans sites under the W-X freeway from 18th to 24th streets for 200 tiny homes. They have yet to open.