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Homeless residents urge Roseville council to pilot low-barrier managed camping and cite Auburn mobile shelter as model
Summary
Multiple public commenters who identified as experiencing homelessness urged the City Council to pursue a low-barrier, managed camping pilot, citing Placer County's mobile shelter in Auburn as a working model, and urged steps to reduce environmental and public-health impacts of informal encampments.
Several members of the public addressed the council during the Sept. 3 public-comment period urging the city to pursue a low-barrier managed camping pilot and other approaches to reduce harms associated with unsheltered homelessness.
Leah, who spoke both as a person experiencing homelessness and an advocate, asked the council to "consider a low barrier tent city, a safe managed space where people can rest, access services and begin their journey to stable housing." She cited Placer County's mobile shelter in Auburn as a model that "serves about 45 people consistently with positive feedback from the community here in Roseville." Leah also quoted the January point-in-time count numbers presented to the council, saying the count showed 260 people experiencing homelessness in the city, with roughly 73% unsheltered (about 190 people), and cited countywide counts used in her remarks.
Steven (Steve), who also said he is homeless, described personal experiences with encampment clearances and enforcement, saying a park restriction led to an officer giving a 24-hour park restriction and that officers had refused requests to return to collect personal items, leaving belongings behind. He argued that managed, centralized temporary shelter reduces environmental impacts by providing centralized waste management and sanitary facilities, reduces pressure on emergency rooms and courts, and can save public funds related to cleanup and enforcement. He referenced the Auburn mobile-shelter program and a 2022 settlement agreement related to property loss during encampment clearings as background for Placer County's approach.
No council action on these items was taken during the meeting; the comments were made during the general public-comment period. Speakers asked the council to explore partnerships with community organizations to fund and operate a pilot managed site and to consider the health, safety and fiscal arguments they described.
