Breaking news! See press release below. More stories to follow…
”LAWSUIT FILED BY HOMEOWNERS AND CONCERNED CITIZENS AGAINST THE CITY OF SACRAMENTO FOR FAILING TO ENFORCE MEASURE O”
Homeless Shelter Located at 3615 Auburn Boulevard in Direct Violation of City Ordinance Prohibiting Shelters within 1,000 feet of Schools, Playgrounds, and other Key Places
August 17, 2023
SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, Garner & Associates LLP, who represent a group of homeowners and concerned citizens in the Del Paso Park neighborhood of Sacramento, filed a lawsuit against the City of Sacramento for failing to enforce Measure O – a measure put on the ballot by the City Council and passed by voters in 2022 – that prohibits the city from establishing and maintaining a homeless shelter within 1,000 feet of schools, playgrounds, and other key places.
The city is in clear violation of its own ordinance by permitting a homeless shelter to operate at 3615 Auburn Boulevard in Sacramento, which is located next to the Children’s Receiving Home of Sacramento, which operates a preschool for young children, less than 500 feet from Arcade Creek, and less than 1,000 feet east of a children’s playground.
“The placement of a homeless shelter at this location is a blatant violation of the provisions of Measure O. We have made every effort to work with the City of Sacramento to relocate this homeless shelter and have, unfortunately, made no progress. Our ask is simple – we would like the city to abide by its own voter-approved ordinance,” said Ron Jellison, a retired schoolteacher and Del Paso Park homeowner.
On November 8, 2022, voters in the City of Sacramento passed Measure O (officially, the Emergency Shelter and Enforcement Act of 2022) by a margin of more than 5,000 votes.
Measure O requires the City of Sacramento to identify and authorize emergency shelter spaces to house currently homeless persons. Before Measure O, the city had no such requirement.
“The city has shown no interest or desire in correcting its ongoing violations and are simply choosing to ignore the provisions of Measure O,” said Juliette Porro, a concerned Del Paso Park homeowner. “What was once an enjoyable park has now turned into a dangerous nuisance. We are hopeful for immediate action to resolve these violations and restore security to the neighboring community.”
The plaintiffs in this action consist entirely of individuals living in and around Del Paso Park.
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See links below for more details
California Globe story broke the news first this morning, see article New Lawsuit Against City of Sacramento Over Ongoing Homeless Policy Violations