Housing

'It's Heartbreaking.': Sacramento County’s Affordable Housing Shortage Continues To Squeeze Lowest-Income Renters

May 24, 2021 | Chris Nichols

Sacramento County 2021 Affordable Housing Needs Report found residents must earn nearly $27 per hour to afford the region’s average rent of $1,392.

How Much Is Rent Relief Helping Californians?

April 26, 2021

Complex rules and landlord resistance are limiting the success of an unprecedented effort to help tenants. Advocacy groups are concerned what will happen after a statewide eviction moratorium ends June 30.

While Sacramento Housing Construction Was Strong In 2020, Affordable Housing Still Lags

April 23, 2021 | Ed Fletcher

While there was a strong uptick in affordable housing built in Sacramento during 2020, the city fell well below its one-year and eight-year state-issued targets.

Sacramento Opens First City-Sanctioned Camping And Parking Sites For Homeless Residents

April 20, 2021 | Chris Nichols

City officials plan to discuss additional safe ground sites to serve people who live in tents and vehicles in the coming weeks.

State Government

Sacramento County Motels Sheltered Hundreds of Homeless Residents During The Pandemic. But They Could Soon Close.

April 15, 2021 | Chris Nichols

The plans to close the motels, which are part of the state’s relatively successful Project Roomkey, are sparking concern that many of those who benefitted will end up back on the street.

State Government

Nixing Single-Family Zoning: Will It Make Housing More Affordable?

April 5, 2021 | Chris Nichols

Housing experts say options like duplexes and triplexes are less expensive than single-family homes but won’t be affordable for everyone.

Sacramento To Fund ‘Triage Centers’ Year-Round For Homeless Residents

March 11, 2021 | Chris Nichols

The City Council vote sets aside $3 million for the emergency shelters and eliminates criteria that made opening the centers dependent on severe weather conditions.

Sacramento Could Be One Of First Cities To Reform Single-Family Home Zoning. Here’s How It Would Work.

February 25, 2021 | Chris Nichols

The Sacramento City Council recently voted to allow a greater variety of housing, from duplexes to fourplexes, in neighborhoods zoned almost exclusively for single family homes.

‘We Really Want To Figure This Out.’ Sacramento City, County Government Divided In Struggle To Confront Homelessness Crisis

February 12, 2021 | Chris Nichols | Ed Fletcher

Advocates for Sacramento’s homeless residents say city and county officials failed to provide adequate emergency shelter before last month’s powerful storm. Only now are city officials taking more aggressive steps.

Unhoused Residents Died As A Storm Ravaged Sacramento And Officials Debated Homelessness Solutions

January 27, 2021 | Kris Hooks

Thousands of unhoused Sacramento residents slept on the streets or in tents Tuesday night instead of in emergency shelters or warming centers as a storm packed with rain and dangerous winds beared down on the area.