See the video of progress being made on a large Sacramento homeless shelter
Construction is underway for a large shelter in Sacramento that is expected to open in late June with a dormitory and a dining hall, housing up to 100 women experiencing homelessness.
The semi-permanent tent-like “Sprung” structures are being built in Sacramento’s Meadowview neighborhood that will serve as a 24-hour navigation center. City officials said the center will offer services to help stabilize the lives of the women who stay there before a transition into permanent housing.
The Trump administration has pulled approval for homeless shelter projects in Sacramento and San Francisco. Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg has said the city must find a way to still open a 100-bed shelter near X Street and Alhambra Boulevard that was set to open in early fall.
The city also has a large shelter at the Capitol Park Hotel downtown. But that shelter’s capacity has been decreased amid the coronavirus pandemic, and it’s set to close in October.
City and county officials approved a plan to open nearly 1,000 beds in motels, trailers and existing shelters for homeless during the COVID-19 outbreak. Since April 8, the county has placed 568 homeless people into one of these shelter options, according to the city.
The Meadowview Sprung structures have been placed east of the Pannell Community Center on Meadowview Road. City officials said the homeless navigation center is off the street and will be protected by fencing.
This is the first time Sprung structures, which stretch a highly durable tension fabric over a secure metal frame, have been used in Sacramento, according to the city.
Emily Halcon, the city’s homeless services manager, says Sprung structures can be constructed faster but still feel like regular buildings with heating, air conditioning and other amenities inside.
One of the structures, which is about 6,300 square feet, will be used as the dormitory. The other structure, which is about 4,470 square feet, will be used as the dining hall and for office spaces.
People can only access the center by referral, which means there will be no lines or loitering outside the structures, city officials said. The navigation center will be managed by the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency.
