The Sacramento City Council on Tuesday voted to approve new contracts for the City’s Motel Shelter Program, which shelters hundreds of people experiencing homelessness each night, primarily serving families with children.
Supported by federal and state funding, the City’s Motel Shelter Program currently operates at four sites, providing shelter for an average of 600 people each night across a combined total of 200 rooms.
Step Up on Second Street will continue to provide comprehensive support services for the program, including case management, housing coordination and navigation, program referrals, move-in support, and continued assistance for up to one year to help participants sustain stable housing after leaving the program.
“The City’s Motel Shelter Program is a critical part of our ongoing efforts to provide stability and safety for families experiencing homelessness,” said Brian Pedro, director of the City’s Department of Community Response. “By offering shelter and essential services, we’re ensuring that individuals and families have the support they need as they work toward long-term housing stability.”
Launched in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, the City’s Motel Shelter Program provides motel accommodations alongside wrap-around support services. The majority of the people staying in these motels are families with children, and in some cases, people escaping from domestic violence.
Since its inception, the program has served 3,395 individuals, including 1,545 children. Of the 2,838 individuals that left to known destinations, 840 have exited to positive destinations, including 657 that moved into permanent housing, officials said.
The contracts, awarded through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process totaling $6 million, will fund the program through Feb. 28, 2026. The City is also finalizing an additional contract that, once approved, will bring the total funding to $7.8 million.
With its navigation centers, motel program, and other offerings, the City operates approximately 1,375 emergency beds each night to support people experiencing homelessness. The City has also helped fund hundreds of additional units of permanent supportive housing in the past few years.
Projects like the City’s Motel Shelter Program are a key contribution to the Regionally Coordinated Homelessness Action Plan (RCHAP), a comprehensive initiative aimed at reducing homelessness, creating faster pathways to housing, ensuring equitable access to housing and services and increasing transparency and accountability across the entire system.
Click here to learn more about the City’s comprehensive response to the homelessness crisis.
