Residents press council over proposed micro‑community site and demand return of seized teepee

Dozens of residents used the city council’s public‑comment period to press officials about a proposed micro‑community (tiny‑home) site in North Natomas and to demand the return of a seized ceremonial teepee, raising cultural, safety and service concerns.

Lena Shay, a District One resident, told the council she and neighbors were alarmed that the proposed micro‑community site near Elk Central Road and Arena Boulevard sits close to established neighborhoods and multiple schools and said the location “raises serious safety and community‑impact concerns.” She and other speakers questioned whether the city was following its own placement rules, pointed to a lack of bathrooms and running water in the proposed units, and asked what would happen if wraparound services and contract funding dried up.

Other commenters echoed those concerns. One speaker said the site could be within 500 feet of a city park and stressed the lack of transit and nearby services. Gary Fleischman, a resident who said he had discussed the proposal with staff, urged the council to place Councilmember Kaplan’s alternative proposal on a future agenda, noting an alternative site already has infrastructure and might save money.

Separately, several speakers representing Indigenous and allied groups demanded the immediate return of a seized ceremonial teepee, calling the item a sacred artifact used in religious ceremony. Rosa (last name provided in the transcript as Valdez) said the teepee “provided…an important educational and cultural tool” and said its confiscation by Sacramento Police showed a lack of regard for sacred rights. Speakers called for the city to contact the Native American Heritage Commission and to return the teepee to the community.

Speakers also raised related community‑safety concerns including recent break‑ins at small businesses, threats to elderly residents, and the need for ADA access and background checks for residents of any proposed small‑home community. Several speakers noted the city’s looming budget issues and asked how long contracted services could be sustained.

Councilmembers did not take immediate action on the site during this meeting. Several speakers asked that alternative proposals and Kaplan’s recommended changes to procurement authority be placed on a council agenda so the issues could be publicly evaluated. Members of the public also asked for clarification and better coordination between departments handling housing, parks and finance so service plans match site selection.

What’s next: The public comment record will be entered and councilmembers and staff may return the item for further study; residents requested that the Kaplan alternative be publicly evaluated and placed on a future agenda.