Sacramento company will make close to $10 million for cleaning up homeless encampments
Sacramento has extended its contract with a company used for cleaning homeless encampments, pushing the total spending past $9 million in just over two years.
The City Council unanimously approved a $1.1 million extension Tuesday night with Forensiclean, a private clean service company based in Sacramento. This latest extension ensures that the Forensiclean will work for at least another three months and adds to its growing amount charged to the city.
As of this June, Forensiclean will have earned roughly $9.4 million for picking up trash and decontaminating former homeless encampments. The cleaning company responded to more than 18,700 cases through the city’s 311 system and collected roughly 9 million pounds of trash in 2024, according to a city staff report.
This figure is a slice of the tens of millions that Sacramento spends annually to address the homeless crisis. Sacramento County’s most recent Point-in-Time Count, which has faced criticism, estimated there were 29% fewer total homeless people compared to 2022.
Michael Ault, executive director of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, said such contracts are instrumental to ensuring the downtown area remains “safe and clean.” Ault said that he’s seen “consistent improvements” over the last two years and called for further efforts particularly as state workers return to the office and the A’s beginning its first season in Sacramento.
“From our standpoint, the more the better,” Ault said. “The city making that commitment is not just appreciated, but I think it shows the importance of putting our best foot forward.”
Crystal Sanchez, president of the Sacramento Homeless Union, pushed back against more investments in companies used for enforcement and sweeps that “remove survival gear” and put “individuals in danger.” She said the city should focus on housing and other resources that “tackle homelessness directly.”
“If people were not on the streets, there wouldn’t be trash for Forensiclean to collect,” Sanchez said. “The company has become a multi-million dollar agency largely because of its contract with Sacramento, which seems unsustainable and misplaced under current priorities.”
Forensiclean began a $4 million contract with the city in April 2023, said city spokesperson Julie Hall. Extensions have ensued in the time since.
Tuesday’s decision is due to the city undergoing a “competitive bidding process” taking longer than expected, Hall said. The latest extension will keep Forensiclean on the job until June 30.
After that, the city is expected to award a new one-year contract for homeless cleanup services. Fourteen companies have submitted bids and the company could potentially not be Forensiclean, said Brian Pedro, the director for the Department of Community Response.
Forensiclean did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This story was originally published March 18, 2025 at 6:05 PM.
