By Vanguard Staff
SACRAMENTO, CA — In an ambitious effort to address Sacramento County’s persistent housing and homelessness crisis, Senator Angelique Ashby has introduced legislation that would establish a first-of-its-kind regional agency to coordinate housing and homelessness programs across the county.
Senate Bill 802 seeks to dissolve the current Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA) and replace it with the Sacramento Area Housing and Homelessness Agency—a new Joint Powers Authority (JPA) that would unify fragmented services under a single governing body. The proposed agency would bring together elected officials from the County and City of Sacramento, as well as the cities of Folsom, Elk Grove, Citrus Heights, and Rancho Cordova. Smaller cities and unincorporated areas would be represented through the County Board of Supervisors.
“SB 802 creates a first-in-the-state model where one entity becomes the lead provider of homelessness and housing services regionally,” Senator Ashby said. “Providing resources for the unhoused population doesn’t stop at city or county lines—and our response shouldn’t either. SB 802 gives the Sacramento region a structure to act collectively, share resources, and bring real accountability to the issue.”
Assemblymember Heath Flora, a co-sponsor of the bill, echoed that message, stating, “Until we regionalize our efforts to address homelessness, nothing will change. As elected officials, it is our duty to the public to reevaluate systems that are not working and try something new. That’s exactly what SB 802 seeks to do.”
The legislation responds to long-standing complaints that Sacramento’s homelessness response is too fragmented and inefficient, often characterized by overlapping strategies, inter-agency competition, and a lack of clear accountability. According to a 2023 Sacramento Grand Jury report, five separate government-funded entities are currently involved in homelessness response efforts, each with its own mandate, scope, and priorities. The report cited the disjointed nature of these operations as a key reason the region has struggled to make headway.
“Taking all the organizations together, their sheer number, and the diversity of their make-up, interests and actions in supporting the homeless population represent significant coordination, management, and oversight challenges,” the Grand Jury noted. “In the absence of a working organizational structure it becomes virtually impossible to make the most effective use of the valuable resources they offer.”
The new JPA would be empowered to plan and deliver services in a coordinated manner, apply for and administer state and federal housing funds, and align homelessness programs to better meet the needs of the region’s most vulnerable residents. Under the proposed governance structure, decision-making authority would be shared among local jurisdictions, with representation based on population and jurisdictional responsibilities.
“Senator Ashby’s bold move is common sense,” said former Sacramento Mayor and Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg. “The cities and County of Sacramento should not only work together on homelessness, but they should also govern together. Governing together will lead to better results for everyone in Sacramento County.”
Public sentiment in the region has grown increasingly critical of the existing system’s inability to deliver tangible results, especially as state investment has surged. In the past five years, the State of California has allocated over $400 million to address homelessness in Sacramento through various local channels including the City, County, and Continuum of Care. Critics argue that without a coordinated regional strategy, those funds have failed to translate into long-term progress.
“Homelessness is the most urgent issue facing our community, and people deserve to see us working together,” said Sacramento City Councilmember Caity Maple. “SB 802 gives us the chance to finally build a system that’s coordinated, compassionate, and focused on real results. I truly believe that if we work together, we can turn the tide.”
The bill outlines a detailed framework for the new agency, including board structure, decision-making timelines, and transparency measures. According to Ashby’s office, the aim is to create an accountable, flexible institution capable of evolving with the region’s changing housing needs.
As SB 802 moves through the legislative process, Senator Ashby and her partners say they are committed to collaborating with local stakeholders, community organizations, and the administration to refine and strengthen the proposal. If passed, the bill could serve as a statewide model for how to structure and govern regional housing and homelessness initiatives.
“This is about moving from fragmentation to focus,” Ashby said. “It’s about building a future where we stop managing homelessness and start solving it—together.”
Categories:
Breaking News Homelessness Housing Sacramento Region
Tags:
Assemblymember Heath Flora Caity Maple Darrell Steinberg Grand Jury Sacramento Area Housing and Homelessness Agency Sacramento County Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency Senate Bill 802 Senator Angelique Ashby State of California