When someone living on the street in Sacramento is forcibly moved or arrested for a violation related to their homelessness, many of them will forever part with their belongings — from survival items like camping supplies and personal identification to sentimental items like a loved one’s ashes.
Items that are not deemed trash by officers are processed and placed in the Sacramento Police Department’s evidence and property division, where they remain until they are picked up by their owners or are disposed of after months or years.
The system doesn’t seem to be working for either the city or Sacramento’s homeless population. According to a new report by the Sacramento City Auditor, the city spends around $590,000 per year in staffing costs to manage homeless people’s property. The audit noted that many never recover their belongings, and that incoming items often exceed outgoing items in a given year, placing strain on staff and facilities…