Sacramento County Board of Supervisors Meeting – May 13, 2026

Note: The raw transcript records the meeting date as Tuesday, May 12, but the system indicated the meeting occurred on May 13, 2026. This summary uses the system date as instructed.

The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors held a full-day meeting covering recognitions, public comments, consent calendar approvals, public hearings, a major presentation on development process improvements, an annual update on the Public Safety and Justice Agency, board nominations, and supervisor comments.

Consent Calendar

• Items 7 through 48 were approved unanimously (5-0), with two supervisors (Kennedy and Cerna) voting no on item 37 (see below).
• Several items required introduction of ordinances: item 14 (building codes), item 18 (fire code), item 19 (park regulations), item 27 (water agency impact fee offsets for affordable housing), and item 30 (county code amendments) – all continued from previous meetings and waived full reading.
• Item 13 (parking guidance system at Sacramento International Airport) was pulled for discussion before consent calendar adoption.
• Item 37 (Homeland Security Task Force MOU) was also pulled; after a failed motion to continue, it was approved as part of the consent calendar with two no votes.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Off-Agenda (Item 6): Barb Bram criticized the lack of affordable housing in a recently approved development, called for better data from the Sheriff and Inspector General, and questioned the county’s handling of jail complaints and mental health treatment.
• On Item 37 (Homeland Security Task Force): Multiple speakers opposed the agreement. Barb Bram, Christopher Carvajal (whose father was deported), Kim Schuster (local therapist), and Chantico Aylmen all expressed concerns about collaboration with ICE, citing past violations of SB 54 and civil liberties risks. They urged the board to vote no.
• On Item 53 (Development Review Process): Parker Evans (Acquisitions Manager, Mutual Housing California) thanked staff for culture changes and commitment to affordable housing.
• On Item 54 (PSJA Update): Christopher Carvajal and AJ Albano (Decarcerate Sacramento) accused the Sheriff of lying about late-night releases and argued that jail population reduction must be central, not jail expansion. They presented data from their own audits and referenced the California Supreme Court’s Kowalchik decision on excessive pretrial detention.

Presentations & Recognitions

• Item 1 – Fergus Award: A $359,823.44 donation from the estate of Robert W. Steger was presented to the Bradshaw Animal Shelter. Annette (shelter representative) highlighted use for spay/neuter initiatives.
• Item 2 – Affordable Housing Month: Supervisor Kennedy noted that most homeless survey respondents cited lack of affordable housing. Julio Lamas (Sacramento Housing Alliance) accepted the resolution, emphasizing need for production and preservation.
• Item 3 – 50th Anniversary of Yumean in America: Speakers Teresa Chow, Sensei Tur, and Tan Tang celebrated the 50,000-strong Yumean community in Sacramento. The community will hold a gathering May 23, 2026 at Hiram Johnson High School.
• Item 4 – National Small Business Week: The Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce was recognized for 131 years of service. Chair Rodriguez praised chamber leadership and its 2,000+ member businesses.
• Item 5 – Mental Health Awareness Month: Behavioral Health Director Ryan Quist noted one in five adults experience mental health conditions. Levante Hill shared his personal recovery story and lauded the Stop Stigma program.

Discussion Items

• Item 13 – Parking Guidance System (Airport): Supervisor Cerna asked about real-time parking availability and future reservation capability. Airport Director Cindy responded that the current app and new system will provide better data, and a reservation system will be proposed in August with parking rate adjustments.
• Item 37 – Homeland Security Task Force MOU: The retroactive MOU (up to $500,000) for participation in the Sacramento/San Francisco HSTF raised questions about ICE involvement. Lieutenant Grassman stated there is no immigration enforcement component in the Sacramento HSTF, and the MOU’s mention of ICE is from a national template. Supervisors Kennedy and Cerna moved to continue for further clarification; the motion failed 2-3. The item then passed as part of the consent calendar, with Kennedy and Cerna voting no.
• Item 49 – Benefit Category Change (Warehouse Project): For CSA 1, a parcel on Missile Way changed from safety-light-only to enhanced street/safety light non-residential, increasing the annual charge from $2.56 to $2,160.06. No public testimony; approved 5-0.
• Item 50 – CSA 1 Service Charges (FY 2026-27): Staff presented a 3.03% CPI-based increase for enhanced/decorative street lights. No public comments; approved 5-0.
• Item 51 – Zoning Code Amendment (State Law Updates): Planners Emma James and Matthew Jumamoy outlined changes to comply with several state bills (SB 450, SB 684, SB 1123, AB 2387, AB 2243, SB 4, AB 1490, AB 3116, AB 2694, AB 323, AB 1287, SB 713, SB 1395, AB 2085, AB 2371, AB 894, AB 2632, AB 2729, AB 2904). Supervisor Hume voted no, expressing frustration with state preemption of local land use. Passed 4-1.
• Item 53 – Development Review Process & Cultural Improvements: Deputy County Executive Dave DeFonte presented a comprehensive update on the county’s “best place to build” initiative. Highlights included: completion of over 90% of 150+ process improvements; launching customer service pillars (empathy, responsive service, clear communication, empowerment); new land-use regulation library using AI; staff org chart; Acela system upgrades; and upcoming focus on commercial corridors, zoning code updates, fee deferrals, and external agency coordination. Supervisors praised the culture change and increased efficiency. No board action required; presentation received.
• Item 54 – Public Safety & Justice Agency Annual Update: Eric Jones reported on consent decree compliance (55% of 382 provisions in substantial compliance, 60 on self-monitoring), jail population reduction strategies, and the ROAR program (Prop 47 grant: $8 million, 1,200 assessments, 500 enrolled). Barriers included Prop 36 impacts and underutilized CSUs. The jail master planning process (HMA consulting) projects future needs and acknowledges hundreds of millions needed for deferred maintenance. Community engagement includes a survey open through May 31. Supervisors questioned late-night releases and service linkages.

Key Outcomes

• Item 13: Approved as part of consent calendar (5-0).
• Item 37: Motion to continue failed (2-3; Cerna and Kennedy for, Desmond, Rodriguez, Hume against). Item then approved on consent calendar with Kennedy and Cerna voting no.
• Item 49: Resolution adopted 5-0.
• Item 50: Resolution adopted 5-0.
• Item 51: Ordinance approved 4-1 (Hume no).
• Item 55 – Board Nominations: Several appointments made (Thomas McNairn to Carmichael CPAC, Michael Feliciano to Foothill Farms CPAC, reappointments to Disability Advisory Commission, Maternal Child Health Board, Orangevale CPAC, etc.); numerous continuances to May 19, June 9, or June 16.
• Supervisor Comments: Chair Rodriguez proposed a review of all boards, commissions, and joint powers authorities for potential consolidation or impact assessment – to be addressed at the board retreat in October or via a future item.