A lot next to a never-occupied strip mall on Stockton Boulevard could become a “Safe Stay Community,” hosting 175 tiny homes provided by the state, Sacramento city and county leaders announced Wednesday.
The long-vacant site was recently acquired by WellSpace Health, a nonprofit community health system that is creating a “wellness campus” on the remaining property, including a health center, crisis call center, and a number of inpatient and outpatient treatment buildings.
The announcement is the first movement on Governor Gavin Newsom's promise this spring to deliver 350 tiny homes to Sacramento. In March, the governor said his administration would provide 1,200 tiny homes to four cities in California, estimating that they could be open by “this fall.”
A map of the planned tiny home village and wellness campus.WellSpace Health
The Sacramento Bee reported that the administration has still yet to select a builder or award contracts to create the homes.
On Wednesday, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said the county will aim to break ground “within the next couple of months; before the end of the year,” and hopes to get them up by Jan. 1.
Hafsa Kaka, Newsom’s senior advisor on homelessness, said the administration would “follow up” on the details of when the manufacturer would be able to deliver the homes, and declined to address questions about the tiny home allotments for Los Angeles, San Jose or San Diego.
The question of who will be able to live in the tiny homes still remains uncertain. During the spring press conference, Steinberg said the shelters would be offered to people living in encampments along the W/X corridor, which runs parallel to Highway 50 in the central city, and to people camped along the American River Parkway.
A 2022 Point-In-Time count found approximately 9,300 homeless people living in Sacramento County.
During an interview at Wednesday’s event, Vice Mayor Eric Guerra said the city and county are considering prioritizing people living in the area around Stockton Boulevard and Morrison Creek when placing residents in the tiny homes.
“The businesses here on Stockton Boulevard, the communities here on Stockton Boulevard want relief and resources,” he said.
The remaining 175 tiny homes that will be allocated to Sacramento will be placed on the CalExpo grounds, according to Steinberg. He added details are still being worked out with the Newsom administration regarding the site.
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