SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA — A bold, first-of-its-kind plan to address homelessness will be unveiled in Sacramento on Wednesday.
State Senator Angelique Ashby is introducing a new bill aimed at creating a regional approach to building affordable housing and combating homelessness in the area.
Supporters of the plan say it is an aggressive strategy designed to get more people off the streets and into permanent housing.
By consolidating the housing and homelessness efforts of multiple jurisdictions, the proposal seeks to create a coordinated and efficient response to the growing housing crisis.
The Plan: Creating a Joint Powers Authority
The centerpiece of the proposal is the creation of a new government entity called the Sacramento Area Housing and Homelessness Agency.
This joint powers authority (JPA) would allow Sacramento County and its cities to work together more effectively to tackle homelessness and meet the demand for affordable housing.
Mike Jaske, a representative of Sacramento Area Congregations Together, an advocacy group, explained that this approach has been a long-standing goal for many in the homeless advocacy community.
“The grand jury several years ago issued a report criticizing the homeless structure and recommending the JPA be formed,” Jaske said.
Challenges of Coordination and Funding
Currently, Sacramento County and its cities operate separate plans to build affordable housing.
These plans are not coordinated, and they fall significantly short of meeting the housing requirements set by the state. “You’d be hard pressed to find a jurisdiction that’s actually on track to accomplish their numbers,” Jaske added.
The proposed bill would centralize the region’s housing needs into a single, unified target. In addition, it would combine housing tax revenue from both the county and individual cities. This money would then be used to issue bonds and build more affordable housing units.
Dissolving Existing Housing Agency
Under the bill, Sacramento’s Housing and Redevelopment Agency would be disbanded, and its responsibilities would be taken over by the newly formed Sacramento Area Housing and Homelessness Agency.
This change aims to streamline the process of tackling homelessness and affordable housing in the region, with all efforts funneled into one coordinated entity.
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Support for the Plan and Criticism of Insufficient Funding
While Jaske commended Senator Ashby for taking a bold step in proposing a solution, he pointed out that regional cooperation is not the fundamental issue at hand.
“The most fundamental problem is not the absence of coordination,” he said. “The fundamental problem to solving homelessness is insufficient funding. There simply is not enough money.”
Even with regional cooperation, Jaske argues that a lack of sufficient financial resources remains the biggest barrier to solving homelessness in Sacramento.
Next Steps and Local Government Involvement
Senator Ashby is scheduled to meet with local government officials on Wednesday to unveil the details of the new bill. The plan is expected to be a topic of significant discussion as officials consider how best to address the growing homelessness crisis in Sacramento and across the state.
What Do You Think?
Do you believe a regional approach to housing and homelessness is the key to solving the crisis in Sacramento? How should lawmakers address the issue of funding in efforts to tackle homelessness? Share your thoughts in the comments below on RidgecrestPact.org.
