The City of Sacramento’s Department of Community Response and representatives from Hope Cooperative this past week visited a homeless encampment near the intersection of Howe Avenue and Fair Oaks Boulevard to provide outreach and support.
The encampment sits within City limits but borders the County of Sacramento.
During the site visit, DCR and Hope Cooperative representatives were able to engage, assess and provide available resources to more than 20 people.
Working with individuals in the encampment, the City also was able to assist in trash mitigation, resulting in the voluntary disposal of seven tons of debris.
In response to questions from local media about the City’s outreach efforts at this site, the City issued the following statement from Assistant City Manager Chris Conlin.
For more information about what the City can legally do to address encampments both on public and private property, the City has created this FAQ.
STATEMENT:
The encampment near the intersection of Howe Avenue and Fair Oaks Boulevard has been the focus of significant and ongoing work by various City departments and staff, including the Department of Community Response, which was onsite last week providing outreach and offering available services.
The City has heard from the community about this encampment and understands its impact on neighboring homes and businesses.
We take seriously our obligation to protect the public from nuisance issues. We also take seriously our commitment to assisting unsheltered residents and to making the community stronger and safer for all.
This encampment sits just within the City limits, bordering County jurisdiction. Its impact is felt in both the City and County, and the effort to address it must involve participation across jurisdictional lines.
City and County officials have met about this encampment multiple times and are working together to achieve a positive outcome. As part of the multi-agency approach, the City has welcomed the involvement of the Sacramento District Attorney and Sacramento Sheriff’s Office.
The frustration of those whose homes or businesses are impacted by the issues arising from encampments is real and legitimate. We understand the desire for public agencies to take swift and decisive action to resolve these issues. However, the fact is recent court cases now require cities to follow strict protocols when addressing homeless encampments.
The City of Sacramento is actively following this process in relation to the Howe/Fair Oaks encampment and will continue its work assisting those experiencing homelessness while addressing issues that arise from encampments.