Sacramento opened a new $2.5 million homeless Safe Camping site in the River District this week, expanding temporary shelter capacity while city officials face pressure over the cost and performance of local homelessness programs.
The city announced the site on June 24 at 291 Sequoia Pacific Boulevard. Mayor Kevin McCarty, City Manager Maraskeshia Smith, and homelessness response officials said the project is designed to move people from unmanaged encampments into a controlled outdoor shelter with services.
River District site starts referrals.
The new Safe Camping site is built to serve about 100 people experiencing homelessness. Participants will be referred by city outreach teams working in the River District, where encampments have remained visible near industrial roads, sidewalks, and public spaces.
The camp includes city-issued tents placed on raised platforms beneath covered structures. The setup is intended to give residents basic weather protection while keeping the site organized and supervised.
The city said it opened a new camping site with showers, restrooms, phone-charging areas, dog kennels, community space, and around-the-clock security. Residents will also have access to case managers and behavioral health clinicians. Those workers can help people obtain identification documents, apply for benefits, reach health care providers, search for employment resources, and begin housing navigation.
Project cost draws scrutiny.
The construction cost has become the center of public debate. Sacramento spent about $2.5 million to build the site and expects to spend about $1.2 million each year to operate it. The annual costs include maintenance, security, staffing, and community oversight. Local reporting said the project could serve up to 125 people, putting the construction cost at about $20,000 per space at that capacity…