Sacramento Lawmakers Consider Ban on Overnight Sleeping Outside City Hall

Sacramento city leaders are advancing a proposal to ban homeless individuals from sleeping on City Hall grounds at all times, reversing a 2018 policy that allowed overnight sleeping between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. The move, requested by Mayor Kevin McCarty and approved by the Law and Legislation Committee, aims to maintain a productive environment, ensure emergency access, and reduce city cleanup costs estimated at $355,000 annually. Councilmembers have expressed mixed views, with some emphasizing the need for increased affordable housing and outreach before enforcing the ban. Meanwhile, State Senator Angelique Ashby is advocating for a regional collaborative approach to homelessness, proposing Senate Bill 802 to pool local government resources totaling over $417 million to better address the crisis. This regional strategy underscores the importance of cooperation among local governments to provide shelter and care for unhoused residents. The Sacramento City Council will consider the sleeping ban proposal in a full vote, while the broader regional homelessness efforts continue to develop.