Sacramento could soon open a homeless respite center. See what the city is planning
The city of Sacramento is working to open a homeless respite center in North Sacramento.
The facility, called the Outreach and Engagement Center, is planned to open at 3615 Auburn Blvd., at the former Powerhouse Science Center.
But despite nighttime temperatures frequently dipping into the 30s, the City Council last week delayed a vote to approve a contract with nonprofit Hope Cooperative to staff the center, after hearing concerns from the adjacent Children’s Receiving Home of Sacramento.
“We do care about the needs of our homeless population as many foster youths that have been in our care have also experienced homelessness, so we hope you’ll hear our concerns,” Michele Linton, Children’s Receiving Home board president, told the council last week.
Children’s Receiving Home officials want additional security to be provided on their grounds to prevent loitering and vandalism, in addition to the two security guards planned on the grounds of the center, the receiving home said in a statement to The Sacramento Bee on Monday. They are also asking for assurances that the receiving home grounds will be kept secure and free of debris.
It’s now unclear if the center will open and when.
“We are aggressively looking for respite and shelter for our homeless population,” Mayor Darrell Steinberg said in a statement to The Bee on Monday. “The old science center is one good option. We must move quickly while assuring all neighbors, including the Children’s Receiving Home, that the center will be safe, clean and effective. The first priority should be addressing the tent encampments around the science center itself.”
The center would provide space for up to 50 people to spend the night, according to a city staff report. During the day, unhoused people would be able to visit the center to access services, including medical, employment, substance use treatment, and help finding housing and more permanent shelter. The guests would come from an eighth of a mile around the center and would need a referral, the staff report said.
It is not yet determined if pets and possessions would be allowed at the center, said Gregg Fishman, spokesman for the city’s Department of Community Response.
The city owns the building and it is currently vacant, Fishman said. The item will be back on the agenda soon after Jan. 1.
City Councilman Sean Loloee, whose district includes the building, said he would vote in favor of the center moving forward.
“I will support it, absolutely, but we have to make sure the community knows about it and have to address any concerns they have,” Loloee said.
The Children’s Receiving Home is a private residential treatment facility for abused and neglected foster children and for kids who are experiencing severe mental health issues.
This story was originally published December 21, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
