By Robert J. Hansen | OBSERVER Staff Writer
Sacramento County advanced plans at its Board of Supervisors meeting Oct. 22 for a large-scale facility to support unhoused residents.
The Watt Safe Stay Center project envisions a mixed-use service that would offer a range of services tailored to people at various stages of homelessness. It would include shelter, respite, safe parking, and behavioral health services. Additional on-site amenities will include case management, storage, pet respite, laundry, showers, bathrooms, and job training, county officials said. The facility would serve thousands of individuals over time, with a capacity of 350.
The county in 2022 purchased a 13-acre property on Watt Avenue near Roseville Road for $22 million. While there is no set timeline for completion, construction is expected to cost $42 million, partially funded by the American Recovery Plan Act.
“It is an awful lot of money but I think in the end it’s going to save us money,” said Supervisor Rich Desmond. “I just look forward to doing great things.”
The proposed center provides a venue to bring these plans to life, with the facility planning to provide 225 beds in cabins, a 50-person safe parking area and 75 beds for emergency and weather respite.
Data from other county shelter projects estimate that the center will serve 18,000 people over 15 years, reducing the per-person cost to less than $3,600. With the center expected to operate well beyond 15 years, the long-term impact on county homelessness likely will grow.
A 2017 study by the county revealed that unsheltered individuals cost public systems – including jails, shelters, behavioral health, and fire services – an average of $45,000 annually. Officials concluded it is far more costly to leave people unhoused than to provide stability and address the root issues contributing to homelessness.
Supervisor Patrick Kennedy said the site will be viable for many years and is not intended to warehouse unhoused people, but to “get them to a place where they will no longer be homeless.”
By providing space for these diverse needs, the facility enables co-location of community-based services, such as behavioral health, physical health, employment assistance, and treatment services – all supporting clients on a path to permanent housing.
The center will be Sacramento County’s fourth safe-stay community, joining locations at Florin, East Parkway, and Stockton Boulevard. It also will be the county’s first year-round weather respite center and safe parking program.
Though the county is proud of the existing shelters, Emily Halcon, director of its Department of Homeless Services and Housing, said the Watt Center is intentionally different.
“Watt is envisioned to be a location where folks who are experiencing homelessness can reconnect to find pathways out of poverty,” Halcon told supervisors at the meeting.
Black Infant Death Rate Drops
At the same meeting, several county departments presented the Black Child Legacy Campaign’s annual report. The report highlighted a reduction in African American child deaths from infant sleep-related issues, perinatal conditions, and abuse or neglect. However, third-party homicides increased by 38%.
“Each of these numbers represents a child’s life lost and the pain for families left behind,” said Julie Gallelo, Sacramento County’s First 5 director.
The commission’s Black Mothers United program, operated through Her Health First, provides pregnant individuals with peer support and service navigation. Last fiscal year, Black Mothers United served 149 mothers, resulting in 91% of babies born at a healthy weight, 94% delivered at full term, and no stillbirths. It marked the fourth consecutive year with zero infant deaths.
The Safe Sleep Baby initiative further supports new and expecting parents by teaching safe sleep practices. Safe Sleep Baby recently provided 546 cribs to families in need and trained 832 caregivers, contributing to an 18% decrease in child deaths since 2014 and a 10% reduction in the disparity gap.
Ray Green, My Brother’s Keeper Sacramento community coordinator for The Center at Sierra Health Foundation, said his program has become a national model that helps young Black men because of the county’s commitment to the Black Child Legacy Campaign.
“The improved lives for boys and men of color is evident and it’s happening in these communities,” Green said.
Black Child Legacy Campaign partners also focus on family reunification and child welfare navigation. The county Department of Child, Family, and Adult Services employs trained community liaisons to guide families through the Child Protective Services system.
“I appreciate everything and am grateful. Having my kids back relieved so much stress,” shared one father who was reunified with his children.
The review of Black Child Legacy Campaign’s work allowed county leaders to reflect on the achievements within the community while acknowledging the need for ongoing efforts.
“There is always more work to do, and we can’t rest,” Supervisor Phil Serna said.