Sacramento mayor threatened to put homeless camps in councilmember’s district
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- Mayor Kevin McCarty threatened to put homeless encampments in Councilmember Mai Vang’s district.
- McCarty's remark followed Vang's opposition to a homeless sleeping ban at City Hall.
- Vang called the comment retaliatory and part of a growing pattern of misconduct.
Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty threatened to put homeless encampments in a councilmember’s district last month after she opposed his proposal to ban people from sleeping outside City Hall — a comment he has since apologized for.
The remark, directed at Councilmember Mai Vang, came during a July 1 meeting where the council discussed McCarty’s proposal to prohibit homeless residents from sleeping on City Hall grounds. Vang opposed the measure, which passed in late July and will take effect Thursday.
According to an email exchange between the two elected leaders, Vang said McCarty approached her following the vote on July 1 and said, “Next time, I’m going to make sure there are encampments around the (Sam and Bonnie) Pannell Community Center.” The center, named after two longtime community leaders, is located on Meadowview Road in Vang’s district.
Vang, in her email, said McCarty returned a short time later after his initial comment and added, “Hey, I was only trying to be cute.”
“Your behavior during this interaction left me feeling uncomfortable and crossed the line of professional decorum and mutual respect that should define our work environment as colleagues,” Vang wrote to McCarty in a July 2 email obtained through a public records request. “While we may not always agree, we need to be able to work together, and I will not tolerate threats of retaliation because I voted differently than you did.”
Vang also described the remarks as part of a “growing pattern of behavior that, if unaddressed, creates a workplace culture that is hostile.”
In his email response to Vang on July 2, McCarty apologized, expressed regret and said he looked forward to “clearing the air.”
“I again apologize for the remark made last night at the council meeting,” McCarty wrote to Vang. “I enjoy working with you, and respect and appreciate your views and perspectives. I value our decade long relationship and the mutual respect we’ve built as colleagues.”
McCarty, in a written statement on Tuesday, said he and Vang “clashed over a contentious issue.” The two elected leaders have since “worked through it and are focused on the future,” McCarty added.
“We both recognize the greatest priority is the people of Sacramento,” McCarty wrote. “We look forward to continuing to work together to help District 8 and our entire city flourish.”
In a written statement on Tuesday, Vang called the issue “particularly upsetting” because it occurred while the council was conducting the “city’s business.”
“The mayor and I met afterward, and he apologized,” Vang wrote. “I look forward to working with him to continue serving our Sacramento community, and want to thank city staff and my colleagues for their support.”
The July 1 meeting had continued a weekslong debate on McCarty’s proposal, which reversed an exemption added in 2019 to allow people to sleep overnight at City Hall.
McCarty described the move as a “common sense approach” that would protect city workers, is consistent with other policies and would allow for reallocation of homeless resources. But opponents argued the change would only further criminalize homeless people and eliminate one of the safest places in Sacramento for those without shelter.
Daytime citations at City Hall have increased significantly under the first seven months of McCarty’s tenure.
McCarty’s proposed ban at City Hall was first unveiled in late June at the city’s Law and Legislation Committee.
The council then passed the measure in a procedural vote on July 1 before the final approval later that month. Vang was one of three council members — joined by Lisa Kaplan and Caity Maple — who voted in opposition both times.
Under the new policy, people in violation could be subject to a misdemeanor and civil penalties ranging from $250 to $25,000. McCarty has said he does not expect many citations as a result of the ordinance change.
This story was originally published August 27, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
