Sacramento is set to become one of the few U.S. cities to charge homeless residents monthly fees for shelter, following a contentious 7-2 City Council vote. The new rule will apply to tiny home “micro-communities” designed for unhoused seniors, where residents will pay up to 30% of their income after a 90-day grace period. City officials argue the policy promotes independence and sustainability, while critics condemn it as unfair to vulnerable seniors.
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Council Approves Shelter Fees
In a divided vote Tuesday night, Sacramento’s City Council approved implementing monthly fees for residents of newly built tiny home communities. These interim housing sites, called micro-communities, will be located on vacant city lots and specifically serve homeless seniors. The program marks the city’s first attempt to charge rent for non-permanent housing.
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Self-Reliance and Sustainability
Brian Pedro, director of the Department of Community Response, defended the plan as a pathway toward independence. “They can be permanent,” he said. “They can be interim, and they’re affordable and scalable,” Pedro added that the fees will offset operating costs while ensuring a sustainable housing model. Tenancy rights will also be granted to those who pay…