Council directs program fees for senior micro‑communities and adopts voucher model for motel program after lengthy homelessness workshop

The Sacramento City Council held an extended workshop on Sept. 16 to review staff proposals for expanding shelter options and interim housing, including safe camping, safe parking, micro communities (interim supportive tiny‑home sites), voucher changes to the city motel program and Homekey Plus applications.

Staff presentation and scope: Bridal Pedro, director of the Department of Community Response (DCR), described a multi‑lane strategy to expand interim and transitional options while continuing prevention and permanent housing work. Pedro said the meeting’s votes would focus on (1) a program fee for micro communities and (2) a voucher model for the motel program; he explicitly said site selection was not before council that night.

Safe camping and safe parking: Staff outlined a proposed safe camping site in the River District with up to 100 sleeping spaces, tent platforms, restroom trailers, phone charging, lighting, cameras, security and an entry control point. The site would be monitored, have a curfew (10 p.m.–6 a.m.), a good‑neighbor policy, rules limiting belongings and no‑tolerance for criminal activity. Safe parking would use underutilized lots (example: a Sacramento Regional Transit lot) to allow people to sleep in operable, registered vehicles; staff proposed a structured intake, security and rotation to avoid long‑term single‑spot residence.

Micro communities (interim supportive housing): Staff proposed modular micro communities targeted primarily to…