Facility at 6810 Stockton Blvd. to provide shelter and services
Sacramento, Calif.- The City of Sacramento, in partnership with Sacramento County and the State of California, has opened a new Safe Stay Community at 6810 Stockton Blvd. to provide shelter and services to people experiencing homelessness.
Located on property leased by the City, the Safe Stay Community features 155 tiny homes and can accommodate 175 people. The State designed and constructed the site; it also is providing three years of operating costs through a $17.6 million Encampment Resolution Funding (ERF) grant from the Department of Housing and Community Development.
First Step Communities to operate
As part of the City/County partnership to address homelessness, the County is overseeing site management and has selected First Step Communities as the operator. The County Department of Health Services also is contributing approximately $500,000 per year in Behavioral Health Bridge Housing funds to support guests with mental health and substance abuse services.
“The Stockton Boulevard Safe Stay Community represents hope and a fresh start for so many in Sacramento,” said Mayor Kevin McCarty. “It stands as a powerful example of what’s possible when the City, County, and State work together with compassion and determination to address homelessness in our community.”
“I am very excited that we have finally reached this milestone in the tiny-home, safe-stay shelter program,” said Mayor Pro Tem and District 6 Councilmember Eric Guerra, who represents the area. “I am proud of the partnership between the multiple jurisdictions and organizations that came together to make this a reality. This goes to show what is possible with collaboration as we are all working towards the same goal. This is another critical step in the revitalization of Stockton Boulevard.”
Tiny Home Project
Launched as part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s tiny home project, the new Safe Stay Community offers three daily meals, restrooms, showers, laundry facilities, community rooms, computer labs, and more. The tiny homes are equipped with heating and air conditioning, with Sacramento Municipal Utility Department (SMUD) assisting in the process. The site welcomes pets, subject to certain limitations.
Support services include case management, rehousing assistance, job readiness and employment services, as well as connections to community providers offering medical services and additional resources.
Referrals to the Safe Stay Community are managed by outreach teams from the City’s Department of Community Response (DCR). There are no walk-up referrals allowed at the site.
In accordance with the ERF grant, DCR outreach teams are initially focusing on encampments near the W/X corridor and Alhambra Boulevard areas. Over time, intake efforts will expand to areas near the shelter.
Intake
Over the past several weeks, DCR staff have been in the field daily, communicating with unsheltered residents eligible for a spot at the Stockton Boulevard site and preparing them for intake. Intake for the site began Dec. 30. To date, 37 people have been referred into the site.
“I am proud of our outreach teams, who are not only connecting with people experiencing homelessness but also building meaningful pathways to essential support and stable housing,” said DCR Director Brian Pedro, who also leads the City’s Incident Management Team responding to homelessness. “The new Safe Stay Community exemplifies the incredible impact we can achieve when we come together to address homelessness.”
Code of conduct
As the site’s operator, First Step Communities provides a Code of Conduct that guests must sign and adhere to, agreeing that they will conduct themselves appropriately. First Step also maintains a robust Good Neighbor Policy, and the City, in partnership with Guerra’s office and the County, is developing an advisory council for neighborhood residents and businesses to provide input and feedback regarding the facility.
The Stockton Boulevard Safe Stay will be Sacramento County’s third Safe Stay Community, along with the Florin Road and East Parkway sites. The City of Sacramento manages two sleeping-cabin communities in north Sacramento, one serving transition-aged youth and another on Roseville Road for adults, which is also managed by First Step Communities.
With its navigation centers, motel program, and other offerings, the City operates approximately 1,375 emergency beds each night to support people experiencing homelessness. The City recently received additional ERF grants to expand its Roseville Road campus and launch a Street to Housing program. Click here to learn more about the City’s comprehensive response to the homelessness crisis.
Projects like the Stockton Boulevard Safe Stay Community are a key contribution to the Regionally Coordinated Homelessness Action Plan (RCHAP), a comprehensive initiative aimed at reducing homelessness, creating faster pathways to housing, ensuring equitable access to housing and services and increasing transparency and accountability across the entire system.