The city of Sacramento may soon clear homeless encampments, and offer an alternative, required housing.
Council members are scheduled to discuss the ordinance in today's meeting. It's called "a right to housing with a parallel obligation to accept it." If passed, the measure's enforcement would be handled by the Department of Community Response, not the Police. For example, if someone is camping under the W-X freeway and is offered a spot in the nearby W-X shelter or at the W-X Safe Ground, and they decline, they would be moved, even if they’re on public property. “Not everyone wants a congregate shelter and not everyone wants the isolation of a hotel room, so different options are key,” Steinberg said.
It would also require the city to have all 20 new proposed sites for housing open by 2023. Tuesday’s review is the beginning of what is expected to be a long process, as the council is only set to review the ordinance. No official vote is expected at this time.
If approved, the proposal would not take effect until 2023.