Historic Joint Meeting of Sacramento County, City Council, and Suburban Cities on Homelessness – October 29, 2025

On October 29, 2025, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, the Sacramento City Council, and mayors or representatives from Elk Grove, Folsom, Rancho Cordova, Citrus Heights, and Galt convened for a historic joint meeting focused entirely on addressing homelessness. The meeting, facilitated by Mosaic Strategies, aimed to foster collaboration, share progress, and discuss a path toward a more coordinated countywide response.

Consent Calendar

• No consent calendar items were presented; the meeting was a single-agenda working session.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Lorena Moya (Office of Assemblymember Maggie Correll) expressed support for local collaboration and noted the passage of AB 348, which provides full-service partnerships to those at risk of homelessness.
• Jesse Bermudez (Office of Assemblymember Stephanie Wynn) thanked the group for the invitation and emphasized that homelessness is both a local and state issue.
• Mike Jasky (SAC Act) warned of looming federal funding cuts, including threats to permanent supportive housing subsidies and public housing vouchers, and urged the group to advocate for a two-year extension of the Continuum of Care program.
• Linda Wheaton (SAC Act) stressed the importance of maintaining existing funding and protecting permanent supportive housing from caps.
• Meg Gunderson (SAC Act/Unitarian Universalist Society) proposed prioritizing prevention of displacement, noting that keeping people housed is more efficient and humane than rescue.
• Andy Kramer (SAC Act) called on the city and county to educate the public on the root causes of homelessness (lack of affordable housing, economic instability) to counter false narratives and NIMBYism.
• Gillian Marks (Community HealthWorks) described the role of community health workers in outreach and housing navigation, supporting greater alignment between government, health systems, and CBOs.
• Michael Milton (self-identified formerly homeless) accused SHRA of mismanaging funds and denied services, citing a personal experience of being denied Section 8 after a missed deadline despite later policy changes.
• Shannon Shaw (One Community Health) pushed back on the generalization that unhoused individuals refuse services, reporting that their street medicine team is on track to exceed 2,300 medical and behavioral health visits this year. She urged intentional long-term funding for CBOs and suggested adapting the Black Child Legacy Campaign model to homelessness.
• Herman Barahona (Sacramento Environmental Justice Coalition/Sacramento Homeless Union) cited six deaths at Camp Resolution after eviction and argued that the city knows how to reach the unhoused (37,000 people enrolled in Medi-Cal) and should use that data for prevention.
• Marjorie Bezer (community member) emphasized the need for a human-centered approach, quoting “nothing about me without me,” and shared her own journey from homelessness to housed.
• Nora Casara (EAH Housing/Sacramento Housing Alliance) advocated for building more permanent affordable housing with wraparound services, citing RAND studies showing a $1.20 return for every dollar invested. She requested that the city and county study cost savings and include people with lived experience in decision-making.
• Leslie Brizuela (Office of Senator Ashby) thanked the group and noted that discussions would inform SB 802, which envisions a regional approach with accountability, resources, and administration by the housing authority.
• Jennifer Swarren (business owner) shared that in her personal conversations, unhoused individuals said services are too rigid and dehumanizing; she suggested offering choice (e.g., a menu of services) and easing rules to build trust.
• Jim Randlett (resident) predicted that without immediate action on the scale of need, current efforts would be judged a failure, and urged piloting small programs quickly.
• Shauna Stone (Encouraged Freedom LLC/formerly homeless) proposed a six-criteria accountability plan leading to a “second chance citizen status” by July 4, 2027, and requested investment for a for-profit model.
• Erin Johansson (Sacramento Steps Forward board member/former COC chair) supported a regular meeting of elected officials and suggested adding elected members to the existing Continuum of Care to address the upcoming loss of resources.
• Tammy Kent (Folsom resident) responded to a comment by Folsom Mayor Aquino, stating that Folsom residents are deeply concerned about homelessness and that a seat at the table should be more than an offer to help; she urged compassionate, proactive participation.
• Sonia Carabelle (UNITE HERE Local 49) highlighted the need for affordable housing in the rail yards development, where only 6% of units are planned as affordable, and called for developer accountability.
• Pam Freeman (formerly homeless, now housed at Wong Center) described her vision of clean streets and no one sleeping on sidewalks, inspired by a trip to Glendale.
• Randy Smith (resident) noted that some individuals refuse services and suggested the city and county provide safe, designated areas for those who do not want a roof.

Discussion Items

• Opening Remarks: Chair Patrick Cerna and Mayor Kevin McCarty emphasized the historic nature of the meeting and the need for a structured partnership, not just a one-time gathering.
• County Executive David Villanueva thanked staff and introduced city managers and agency representatives.
• Presentations on Progress and Possibilities:
  • Emily Halcon (County Homeless Services) reported that the 2024 point-in-time count showed 6,600 unsheltered individuals, but the annual number is 2-3 times higher. 33% are Black (vs. 9% of county population), 45% chronically homeless, 62% identify as Sacramentans. Over $418 million was invested last fiscal year, 66% through the county. Achievements include 10,000 shelter/housing options, 10,000 people moved off streets, and the largest homeless decrease among large California cities.
  • City representatives highlighted local successes: Citrus Heights (Sunrise Point Apartments, 46 units of PSH), Elk Grove (year-round shelter, 70% shelter acceptance rate via navigators), Folsom (Hot team, Bidwell Street Studios – 20 PSH units), Galt (limited resources, rely on partnerships), Rancho Cordova (Veterans Village phases, 100 PSH units, 46 transitional beds), Sacramento (incident management team, microcommunities, rapid rehousing – 2,427 placed into shelters).
• Sacramento Steps Forward (Lisa Bates) reported bringing over $90 million in state and federal funding, including $40 million annual COC funding (up $7 million). They support 120 organizations and propose a regional task force of elected officials, staff, practitioners, and people with lived expertise.
• Metro Fire (Kyle McDonald) noted 8,400 calls/year related to homelessness since 2022, straining emergency response.
• Sheriff Jim Cooper reported 30 dedicated officers, 20,000 citizen complaints, 4 million pounds of trash removed, 2,200 citations, 2,500 arrests (1,100 with violent histories), and data collection revealing 52 sexual predators, 7,000 domestic violence incidents, 2,000 sexual assaults, and 998 individuals flagged for mental health issues. He emphasized law enforcement’s role and the need for better data sharing.
• District Attorney (DA) called for community prosecution expansion, data sharing from the COC, and increased efficiency in programs like the St. Clair Hotel.
• Behavioral Health (Dr. Ryan Quist) outlined voluntary and involuntary treatment pathways (AOT, CARE Court, mental health diversion, conservatorship). Noted that 587 assessments for mental health diversion have been done this year, and 261 LPS conservatorships exist. Key challenge: lack of housing after treatment.
• Federal/State Impacts (Alex Vysotsky, NAEH) warned of 44% proposed federal cuts to rental assistance, pending loss of emergency housing vouchers (15,000 California households at risk), potential caps on COC permanent housing funding (25 million drop for Sacramento), and state HAP funding cut from $1 billion to $500 million. He noted California has performed better than other states but faces a structural deficit.
• Visioning Session (Mosaic Strategies): Facilitators reported survey results showing elected officials want more direct involvement, data-driven decisions, and a structure that is efficient and effective. Discussions centered on shared governance, staff roles, stakeholder inclusion, and the need for a formal forum (JPA, MOU, or coalition). Consensus emerged to continue the process and form a multi-jurisdictional body.

Key Outcomes

• Commitment to Continue Collaboration: All participating jurisdictions expressed willingness to continue meeting and explore a formal multi-jurisdictional structure (whether JPA, MOU, or coalition) to address homelessness.
• Data Sharing: Staff committed to providing links to dashboards with real-time data on CARE Court, mental health diversion, and other metrics to all elected officials.
• Report from Mosaic Strategies: Facilitators will produce a report summarizing the interviews, surveys, and visioning session, with recommendations for next steps.
• Revisit Partnership Agreement: Several speakers (including Chair Cerna and Councilmember Guerra) suggested updating the existing city-county partnership agreement to include suburban cities and reflect new policies (Prop 1, CARE Court, SB 43).
• Legislative Advocacy: The group acknowledged the need for a unified voice to advocate at state and federal levels for stable funding, mental health treatment resources, and affordable housing.
• Public Comment Acknowledged: The board/council heard 23 speakers and noted concerns about funding cuts, trust, human dignity, and the need for prevention and affordable housing.