To ensure safe and unobstructed access to Sacramento City Hall facilities for employees and visitors, the City Council has adopted an amendment to the City Code prohibiting any person from sitting or lying down on City Hall property at any time, except when using City-provided seating.
The updated ordinance, Section 12.74.030 of the City Code, was approved July 29 and will take effect Aug. 28. The new policy replaces a provision from 2019 that allowed people to seek shelter around City Hall facilities between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.
When the 2019 ordinance was adopted, the City had fewer than 100 shelter beds. Today, the City funds and operates 1,375 shelter spaces each night for people experiencing homelessness, with hundreds more expected to come online in the coming months.
Under City Code, individuals will not be permitted to camp, occupy camp facilities, store personal property or use items such as tents, bedrolls or sleeping bags at any time on City Hall grounds or any City public space. This includes Historic City Hall, New City Hall and Sa’Cumn’e Plaza. The ordinance also prohibits the storage of personal items on City-provided seating.
“The City is committed to maintaining a safe, professional and accessible civic environment for employees, elected officials, and members of the public conducting City business,” said Mayor Kevin McCarty.
The ordinance update is intended to ensure safe access to City Hall for employees, visitors and first responders; maintain a professional, obstruction-free work environment; and enable consistent enforcement aligned with the City’s broader homelessness response.
The City’s Department of Community Response (DCR) is leading outreach and education efforts throughout August. Flyers and signage outlining the ordinance are being posted around City Hall, and DCR staff are conducting in-person outreach, including hosting information tables on-site. Security personnel will also assist in distributing informational materials to individuals in the area.
“Our outreach workers are engaging directly with individuals currently sheltering on or near City Hall property to ensure they understand the ordinance and are connected to available shelter and resources,” said Brian Pedro, who leads DCR as well as the City’s Incident Management Team responding to homelessness.
According to City staff, Sacramento incurs approximately $343,000 annually in unbudgeted costs related to security, cleanup and emergency response under the existing code.
Enforcement will follow the August educational period, and City Hall will be treated like all other critical infrastructure.
