Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

listen live donate
listen live donate
listen live
donate
  • News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
    News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
    Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
  • Podcasts & Shows
  • Schedules
  • Events
  • Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
    Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About
  • Close Menu
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 

Debate Over Homeless Shelter In South Sacramento Divides City Officials, Residents

  •  Bob Moffitt 
Wednesday, August 14, 2019 | Sacramento, CA
Bob Moffitt / Capital Public Radio

This vacant lot on Meadowview Road has been identified by the city of Sacramento as one of four viable locations for homeless triage shelters.

Bob Moffitt / Capital Public Radio

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg wants each city council member to find a location for a homeless shelter in their districts. Proposed sites already exist for three, including at Cal Expo and a downtown hotel. But Councilman Larry Carr, who represents Meadowview and parts of South Sacramento, does not want a proposed location in his district to be the fourth.  

The mayor is eyeing a vacant lot next to the Pannell Center softball field on Meadowview Road. It has acreage, is paved, and there’s access to utilities — just some of the requirements the city is looking for in a shelter site. 

The mayor says he understands people may not want a shelter in their neighborhood, but he added that residents regularly ask for help with homelessness issues..

“Between January and August of 2019, there were 962 calls for service relating to homelessness in District 8,” Steinberg said. 

The mayor also made promises to residents about the shelter site. “If we open a re-housing center, a triage shelter, No. 1, it will be quality. No. 2, we will only outreach to people who are homeless in and around the area.”

But Carr says the shelter doesn’t belong at that Meadowview location. “There should be some common sense criteria that has to be applied, mainly that you shouldn't put it near houses, community centers, parks, swimming pools and things like that," he said.

Both Carr and the mayor agree there are few sites in District 8 or in the city that meet this criteria. The councilman has been trying to find sites in Sacramento County, instead.

There are no houses in view of the proposed site, but there are several apartment complexes across Meadowview Road. Shalia Ratliff lives in one, and was not in favor of a homeless shelter.

“We got children here,” she said. “There's a school right up the street. It's really busy with a lot of older people and children. I think [the shelter] might come with a lot of different activity on this side of the street.”

She also worries about garbage and trash that might accumulate. Steinberg says the new shelter would come with neighborhood cleanup crews like the ones that worked at the recently closed winter triage shelter in north Sacramento. 

Joe Johnson, who lives around the corner from the community center, thinks the shelter is needed. “Very badly,” he added. “It might be a little close to the park, but I don't think it will be a problem. There's buses right here, a store, resources. So, I don't see a problem."

The Meadowview Road shelter site would cost an estimated $10 million. 

Steinberg says it is an opportunity to make the area better. “If we do not open these kinds of facilities, the problem will get worse on its own, and then people will be unhappier than they are today,” he said.

A survey in January indicated that 73 percent of the unsheltered homeless population was in the city. 


Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

    Related Stories

  • Bob Moffitt / Capital Public Radio

    Sacramento Approves Two New Homeless Shelters Despite Opposition From Some Council Members

    Wednesday, August 28, 2019
    A divided council green lit the 100-bed shelters in South Sacramento’s Meadowview neighborhood and near Oak Park.
  • Robert Couse-Baker / Flickr

    Sacramento To Consider Allowing Homeless People To Live Out Of Their Cars In Designated Lots

    Tuesday, August 27, 2019
    The city is scheduled to discuss the proposal by Councilman Rick Jennings on Tuesday.
  • Bob Moffitt / Capital Public Radio

    Sacramento Wants To Turn A Low-Income Downtown Hotel Into A Homeless Shelter

    Thursday, April 18, 2019
    City Council will vote on Tuesday whether to make Capitol Park Hotel on L Street into a triage shelter, and eventually a larger low-income housing complex. But the 90 people who currently reside there would be forced to move.
  • Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio

    Three New Sites For Homeless Shelters Under Consideration At Sacramento City Hall

    Tuesday, March 26, 2019
    One is on the border of Midtown near Alhambra Boulevard, another is on Florin Road, and the City Council approved a third, at Cal Expo, this Tuesday.
  • Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio

    Mayor Asks Sacramento Council Members To Identify Locations For Homeless Shelters In Their Districts

    Tuesday, December 4, 2018
    The city of Sacramento's homeless triage shelter will stay open through at least mid-July, and there's a possibility more shelters will open next year throughout the city.

Bob Moffitt

Former Sacramento Region Reporter

Bob reported on all things northern California and Nevada. His coverage of police technology, local athletes, and the environment has won a regional Associated Press and several Edward R. Murrow awards.  Read Full Bio 

Sign up for ReCap and never miss the top stories

Delivered to your inbox every Friday.

 

Check out a sample ReCap newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

Thank you for signing up for the ReCap newsletter! We'll send you an email each Friday with the top stories from CapRadio.

Browse all newsletters

More Stories

Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

Reimbursement lagging to clinics that provided mpox vaccines

February 1, 2023

AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File

Thieves drain millions off CalFresh and CalWORKs recipients’ cards, families wait and taxpayers pay

January 31, 2023

Photo by Fred Greaves, California Department of Water Resources

State water deliveries to surge — highest in 6 years

January 30, 2023

Most Viewed

California coronavirus updates: COVID-19 pandemic has shifted people's finances

California announces plan to convert 3 office buildings in downtown Sacramento into housing

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

California ends plans for kids’ Covid vaccine mandate

Sacramento Council approves armored vehicle for police despite opposition to military equipment purchase

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Most Viewed

California coronavirus updates: COVID-19 pandemic has shifted people's finances

California announces plan to convert 3 office buildings in downtown Sacramento into housing

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

California ends plans for kids’ Covid vaccine mandate

Sacramento Council approves armored vehicle for police despite opposition to military equipment purchase

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    •  
      (916) 278-8900
    •  
      (877) 480-5900
    •  Contact / Feedback
    •  Submit a News Tip
  • About

    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Stations & Coverage Map
    • Careers & Internships
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
    • Press
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile Apps
    • Smart Speakers
    • Podcasts & Shows
    • On-Air Schedules
    • Daily Playlist
    • Signal Status
  • Connect

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen Live

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2023, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.