November Housing Focus
Background:
The Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA) is a joint powers agency created to eliminate duplicate staffing efforts and to manage and administer federal housing and community development programs. On 11.3.21 the County BOS approved the SHRA’s over $300,000,000 budget.
The relationship between the average homeless person and the government feels very much like David and Goliath. The city stands atop an extremely limited amount of actual affordable houses, a grueling process to try to access it, and a heavily punitive process. The average person loads up their slingshot with community advocates and with difficult-to-enforce court judgements (like Marin V Boise - which makes it illegal for the cities to criminalize homelessness if there isn't housing available) and fights tirelessly for access to housing.
The city swept outdoor communities in order to allow Cal Trans to do construction. In exchange for evicting homeless people out of their covered space, they opened what's called a "safe ground" or an uncovered parking lot surrounded by barbed wire. Residents and advocates across the board agreed this project was under staffed and underfunded. This point was proven when the October storm flooded the so-called "safe-ground" ruining most peoples' shelter, survival supplies, and claiming at least one life. While city officials boldly state they're not a fan of affordable housing (District 2 Sean Loloee) more than 100 unhoused people have died in Sacramento county so far this year.
Let’s be real here. We don’t have enough literally affordable homes to put people in. Yet the city is quick to invest in forcing people to move around.
But let's just talk numbers for a little bit.
In Sacramento it is estimated that there are 5,600 residents on any given night that are homeless - and 10,000 who experience homelessness each year*.
Sacramento has 196,652 homes and 191,911 households. So it’s less of a home shortage problem, and more of an organization of funds problem.
The SHRA, who received almost $100 million in funding last year, hasn't even reached 1,000 affordable units.
For SHRA's $300,000,000 budget they could make a $30,000 down payment on a home for each person who experiences homelessness in a year.
County Board of Supervisors: 11.3.21 Item 39: SHRA Budget Hearing Snapshot
- During 2020/2021 3 new shelters were opened, housing 77 people. - 24 Tiny Home Village for transitional age youth, 62 have moved to permanent housing
While the city keeps lining the pockets of greedy landlords, developers, and poverty pimps, the wealth gap is sending the city into records rates of homelessness which are continuing to rise. At the end of the day, the population isn't going anywhere. In this case Goliath may be fighting to hold on to money, but David has the commitment, courage, and heart to fight for survival.
Got questions for SHRA?
La Shelle Dozier, Executive Director (916) 440-1319
You can also find your local representative here: https://www.cityofsacramento.org/Mayor-Council/Find-Your-District Want to Join the SJPC Crew? Email info@socialjusticesac.org