West Sacramento City Council Meeting - March 4, 2026
West Sacramento City Council Meeting - March 4, 2026
On March 4, 2026, the West Sacramento City Council, Redevelopment Agency, and Finance Authority met in a regular session. The meeting included a proclamation for Women's History Month, consideration of the consent agenda, and a workshop on the five-year consolidated plan and 2026 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding. Public comments addressed food vendor concerns and proposed alternative housing strategies.
Consent Calendar
- Items 3 through 6 were approved unanimously after a motion by Councilmember Barcala and second by Councilmember Silpizio Hall. Item 5 was pulled for discussion prior to the vote; Councilmember Huerta requested commentary on the affordable housing project (the first affordable housing project in Southport in several years, providing 152 units). Staff clarified that the project had been approved in 2024 but struggled to secure low-income housing tax credits, and the city's additional commitment of funds was expected to help it proceed. No public testimony was received on the consent items.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Guy Stevenson (member of the public) spoke during the public comment period on non-agenda items. He expressed frustration with the city's handling of unlicensed food vendors, alleging health code violations and claiming the city does not listen to residents. He also criticized the city's purchase and sale of the Pheasant Club property, claiming a $2 million loss. He threatened to file a complaint with the state and to publicize his grievances during re-election.
- Robin Davis (member of the public) spoke during the CDBG workshop. She recommended that the city allocate a portion of CDBG funds toward a small unit production initiative (e.g., ADUs, tiny homes) rather than primarily funding motel rehabilitation. She cited the success of similar programs elsewhere (e.g., Goodness Village in Livermore) and argued that permanent supportive housing yields better outcomes than temporary shelters.
Discussion Items
- Women's History Month Proclamation: The council recognized March 2026 as Women's History Month and honored two local artists, Dr. Edis LaFever and Denita (last name not stated), who participated in the Gallery 1075 art show. The proclamation noted that the city has an all-female city council and that 65% of department heads are women. Council members shared personal reflections on the importance of women's leadership and the challenges women continue to face.
- 2026 Consolidated Plan and CDBG Funding Workshop: Isaiah Alfred (Associate Community Investment Planner) presented proposed goals for the 2026-2030 consolidated plan, based on public input (40 survey responses, stakeholder meetings) and data indicating housing cost burden as the top concern. Proposed goals include supportive services for homeless persons, expanding low-barrier housing, reducing housing discrimination, supporting affordable housing, and housing stability for people exiting homelessness. Proposed 2026 CDBG allocations total $576,333, with funds directed toward homeless supportive services, fair housing services, public facility improvements, and administration. Staff also proposed amending the citizen participation plan to raise the threshold for a substantial amendment from $20,000 to $100,000 and to formalize a council workshop before the final public hearing, replacing a prior requirement for a Parks Commission presentation.
- Council feedback: Multiple council members expressed concern that only 40 survey responses were received, which they considered low for a city of West Sacramento's size. They requested increased outreach, including translation into multiple languages (Russian, Farsi were suggested) and collaboration with the Washington Unified School District (WUSD) to distribute surveys to families. Staff clarified that the 30-day public comment period starting March 6 would allow additional input, and they would follow up with WUSD. Councilmember Early asked if the survey could be reopened; staff confirmed comments would be accepted until the final public hearing. Councilmember Alcala asked about the feasibility of using CDBG funds for tiny home or ADU initiatives; staff responded that while some components might be eligible, CDBG funds alone were insufficient for such projects. Councilmember Barcala noted the need for cost comparisons between motel conversion and small-unit development. Councilmember Huerta raised the need to track housing needs of immigrant and refugee populations and offered to assist with outreach to churches.
- City Manager Report: Recognized Andrea Alice, Community Development Director, for being elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners (a lifetime achievement award). Also noted that Mosaic West Sacramento had received approximately $2 million in federal appropriations (from the fiscal year 2026 budget) for its Mosaic Village project, which will build a recovery cafe (total project cost $2.3 million). Staff seating changes at City Hall were announced.
Key Outcomes
- The consent agenda (items 3-6) was approved unanimously (5-0) after Councilmember Huerta's commentary on item 5.
- The Women's History Month proclamation was presented and accepted by the artists.
- No formal vote was taken on the consolidated plan or CDBG allocations. The item will return for a public hearing and formal adoption at a future meeting after a 30-day public comment period beginning March 6, 2026.
- Council directed staff to intensify public outreach for the consolidated plan, particularly through Washington Unified School District and immigrant community organizations, and to provide a cost analysis of small-unit housing options by the next hearing.
Meeting Transcript
Everybody ready? Yes. All right. All right, now that all the council members are present, I call to order the March 4th meeting of the city of West Sacramento City Council, the West Sacramento Redevelopment Agency and Finance Authority. We will begin with the land acknowledgement. We would like to acknowledge that the land on which we live, work, learn, and commune is the original homelands of the indigenous people of West Sacramento who have stewarded this land throughout the generations. We acknowledge and we thank the original inhabitants who have occupied, maintained, and secured this place, and who still exist on this land. We respect and celebrate the many diverse indigenous peoples still connected to this land on which we gather. We would like to invite our guests to join council and staff in the pledge, which will be led by Danita and Anita, if you could just stand up and uh lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance, please. Thank you so much. And to the Republic for which it stands under God, indivisible with liberty and justice. As is noted on our agenda, City Council is prohibited by state law from discussing or taking any action on items that are brought up under item one for public comment. But it provides an important opportunity for a public forum. And in um and provide it to the city clerk. And if we have an agenda item that is up, if you can um upon the conclusion of reading the staff report or on any particular agenda item, you uh please uh that's when you have to submit um submit the request. And once the staff report has been read, we open up the item for public comment. The clerk will announce your name for you to walk up to the podium and speak. Now in front of the clerk, there is a timer, and each one will have about three minutes to speak, and we ask that all comments be limited to that amount of time. Also in front of the clerk is an analog flip chart, which indicates which agenda item the council is currently considering. We also recognize that for some speaking in public can cause anxiety, so we request that there be no applause or booze, cat calls, or other demonstrations. Furthermore, so that we may maintain a civil discourse here in the chambers. We ask that those in attendance and those who address the city council abide by the code of conduct. Now this brings us to item one on presentations by the public on matters not in the agenda within the jurisdiction of the council. Madame Clerk, are there any requests to speak? Yes, ma'am. Guy Stevenson. There we go. Thank you. But there's an issue. An issue is with these food vendors. I know that you people don't, because most Democrats don't care. Uh but the food vendors out here, these restaurants are complaining about them being out there, and I have a problem with it. So I told people to call environmental health and blow up their phone. And let them know, and then they'll send it over here, and I guess old Josh Hurley will uh go out and address it. If he doesn't, then I'm gonna file a form of complaint against the state, because it's his job to go around and make sure these people are licensed and they're also have, you know, the health department. You know, they have to do that. And I, you know, I come in here and I try to have a dialogue with you people, but I really honestly, I don't think you people listen to people. I think you listen to yourselves. And I don't think you believe, you know, if it isn't you, right? Then you're not gonna listen to me. You're gonna, it's your own agenda. Whatever suits your need, but put the public and I'm gonna remember this when people are going up to re-election, I'm gonna blast them on uh YouTube. And I'm gonna say these people promise this and they don't deliver. You know what I mean? There's a lot of things that don't make any sense to me. I just had a conversation with that attorney about why you bought the pheasant club for 3.2 million and sell it for one point. That's two million dollars of tax money that you people wasted. That sounds to me like fraud with a big F. You know what I mean? You know, I know that you guys hold the purse and the money.
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