Sacramento County supervisors send letter to lawmakers opposing homeless bill
Sacramento County supervisors on Tuesday formally opposed a state bill that would change how local officials decide spending on homelessness, warning it could reduce county control over funding.
The Board of Supervisors approved a letter opposing Senate Bill 802, which would redirect state homelessness funds into a regional joint powers authority, or JPA, instead of distributing money separately to the city and county.
Under the proposal by state Sen. Angelique Ashby, D-Sacramento, elected officials from Sacramento County and its cities would jointly decide how to spend the funds. County staff said the change could reduce the county’s share of funding and potentially violate the California Constitution.
“Should SB 802 pass, this Board will lose its current decision-making power and control of funding,” wrote Elisia De Bord, the county’s governmental relations and legislative officer, in the staff report.
“SB 802 also does not provide any new resources to address the housing and homeless crisis. It merely redirects existing funds away from the County and City to the new JPA,” the report said. “The re-direction of these funds undermines local control ... (it) disrupts locally developed collaborative solutions to address homelessness currently underway.”
Ashby, who supported the bill, disputed those concerns about counties receiving less homeless funding from the state.
“There is no truth to idea that the county or region would get fewer dollars,” said Ashby, a former Sacramento City Council member, during an interview Tuesday. “I would argue if they come together, they are going to put themselves in the front of the line because they’d be leading the state in collaboration. Newsom has been calling for more JPAs.”
Ashby said the bill’s primary change would require jurisdictions to make spending decisions together rather than separately. She added the JPA could still allocate some funding directly to individual agencies.
“Right now the public and homeless advocates have no front door to go talk about their concerns because these groups don’t meet together,” Ashby said. “Everyone is rowing in a different direction.”
The proposal would include Sacramento County and its incorporated cities — Folsom, Elk Grove, Citrus Heights and Rancho Cordova. Ashby said most cities were neutral on the latest version of the bill.
The county and city have clashed over homelessness policy in the past, though they have recently collaborated on efforts including the Stockton Boulevard Safe Stay shelter.
Supervisors approved the opposition letter without discussion on the consent calendar. The vote was unanimous, with Supervisor Rich Desmond absent. Tuesday’s letter was sent to the Democratic chairs of key Assembly committees expected to review SB 802, including Assembly members Matt Haney of San Francisco, Alex Lee of San Jose and Juan Carrillo of Palmdale.
Supervisor Rosario Rodriguez said Saturday she believed the bill could help offset Sacramento’s projected $66 million budget deficit for the fiscal year beginning July 1.
Sacramento County faces a projected $101 million deficit in the same period, largely tied to federal policy changes, according to county spokesperson Kim Nava.
The Sacramento City Council was expected to consider steps toward creating a homelessness JPA during its meeting Tuesday evening.
Ashby said SB 802 was expected to be heard in the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee in June.
The Bee’s Ishani Desai contributed to this story.
