Citrus Heights council moves to neutral on county homeless model and SB 802 after negotiation directives

The Citrus Heights City Council on Jan. 28 voted to remain neutral on Sacramento County’s recommended model to reconstitute the Continuum of Care (COC) board and to change its formal position on Senate Bill 802 (SB 802) to neutral subject to negotiated protections for local funding and governance safeguards.

County Director Emily Halkin described the recommended option to reconstitute the COC board so a majority of seated members would be elected officials and to formalize the body as a Brown Act entity that would set regional homelessness strategy. “We would want to see at least 51% of the seated membership be elected officials from across the community,” Halkin said, summarizing the Board of Supervisors’ December direction.

Staff and council members stressed concerns about representation, voting weight and the protection of locally controlled housing dollars. Nicole Piva, the city’s housing and human services program coordinator, briefed council on SB 802, which would create the Sacramento Area Housing and Homeless Agency (SAHA) and centralize some housing and homelessness funds under an 11‑member elected board. Piva said negotiated amendments preserved CDBG and HOME funds but left uncertainty about other streams such as the permanent local housing allocation (PHLA) and housing incentive funds.

Councilmembers debated whether to oppose, support or remain neutral. Councilmember Schaeffer argued SB 802 represented an overreach: “I think selling out for… an empty promise is not something I'm willing to do,” he said, urging opposition unless protections are guaranteed. Other members favored working toward negotiated language that preserves local control and funding. The council first voted to remain neutral on the county’s recommended option (motion passed; Schaeffer voted no) and then approved a motion to change Citrus Heights’ position on SB 802 from opposition to neutral provided staff secure legislative language and assurances.

City Manager Ash Finney was directed to work with the mayor and county and to draft a letter to Senator Ashby that requests specific protections, including: explicit preservation of all current local housing funds (PHLA and similar allocations), super‑majority or geographic‑equity voting rules to prevent dominance by a single jurisdiction, and funding or reimbursement for any additional staff obligations imposed on member jurisdictions. The council asked staff to seek written commitments where possible and to return with negotiated language.

Councilmembers emphasized the urgency of finding workable regional structures while guarding Citrus Heights’ programs and funding streams. The council’s actions formalize a conditional, negotiating posture: neutral as a default, contingent on securing legal and fiscal protections the city considers essential.