Sacramento City Attorney issues statement about fire and safety inspection at Camp Resolution

Sacramento City Attorney Susana Alcala Wood has issued the following statement about the fire and safety inspection that occurred July 25 at 2225 Colfax St., also known as Camp Resolution.

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“Last week, representatives of the Sacramento Homeless Union (Union) blocked fire and safety inspectors from entering Camp Resolution to conduct a health and safety inspection of the camp which was intended to ensure the well-being of the camp’s residents. Staff from the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Water Board) were also participating in the planned safety inspection.

The Union’s attorney, Anthony Prince, denied inspectors access to the camp despite the fact the inspection was agreed to with the lawyer and lessee of the campsite, Mark Merin. Mr. Merin and City representatives had discussed the need for an inspection by the Fire Department to address potential risks endangering the men and women at the camp, as well as to satisfy the terms of the variance from the Water Board. His actions also prevented any of the residents from being able to consult with fire officials about any of their own concerns over the site’s conditions. This inspection was planned and organized at a meeting to which the Union and its attorney were included, but refused to attend.

Rather than force entry to the camp over the Union’s objections, the City sought, and obtained, an inspection warrant from the Sacramento Superior Court. It was within the authority of that warrant that City staff entered Camp Resolution to perform those same safety inspections this morning. Mr. Prince arrived at Camp Resolution during this inspection, and again attempted to interfere and prevent the safety inspections from proceeding, but the inspection did proceed.

Mr. Prince’s actions are puzzling and distressing. It is difficult to comprehend what benefit the residents of Camp Resolution receive from preventing necessary inspections intended to ensure a safe environment. Whatever Mr. Prince believes he may have accomplished in thwarting the safety inspection – whether it was media attention or something else – it comes at the expense of the well-being, and potentially the safety, of the people at Camp Resolution and the surrounding neighborhood.

It is challenging to meet the very serious needs of the vulnerable population at Camp Resolution. It is infinitely more challenging when one self-appointed representative thwarts every effort to work cooperatively with the well-meaning efforts of the organization that leased the land to provide a safe place and the City and its service providers who have made multiple offers of services and housing. In fact, Safe Ground Sacramento, through its Chairman and attorney Mark Merin, recently terminated its lease of the property upon which Camp Resolution sits, in part because of counter-productive interventions by the Union and its attorney Mr. Prince.

Reports outlining the results of this morning’s inspection will be filed with the Court by or before Aug. 1, 2024, and will be shared with the media upon filing. The initial reports are alarming as the potential for a large-scale fire is immediate and threatens the safety of the residents. Particularly, risks involving the RVs on site which are prone to rapid fire spread that may result in fatalities.”