North A Campus Emergency Shelter for Single Adults

The County of Sacramento Department of Homeless Services and Housing (DHSH) is seeking proposals from qualified providers to manage and operate a comprehensive, year-round homeless services campus. This facility will function 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and will include emergency shelter accommodations, integrated support services, sanitation facilities, and operate a designated weather respite program during periods of inclement weather. The selected provider will be responsible for delivering a safe, accessible, and client-centered environment that promotes stability and pathways to permanent housing for individuals experiencing homelessness. DHSH aims to partner with an organization that demonstrates proven experience, operational capacity, and a commitment to best practices in homeless services delivery. The shelter will be located in the River District at the County-owned facility at 1400 North A Street and will serve individuals age 18 and older experiencing homelessness.

The River District Property and Business Improvement District (River District) is an area of approximately 830 acres located just north of Downtown Sacramento, within the City limits.

While a formal census has not been conducted, data from street outreach and referral-only programs have provided insight into the unique needs of unsheltered residents in the River District. Individual and multi-member encampments are visible along major transportation routes to and from the River District, as well as along roads and in public spaces. While each experience of homelessness is different, there are pronounced commonalities among the population in this area.

In general, individuals living unsheltered in the River District are single adults (with few minor children present), the majority of whom are vulnerable women, and a high percentage of this population are survivors of domestic violence. They may also be:

• Older adults and medically frail and/or disabled;
• Living with a substance use disorder (largely untreated);
• Living with a diagnosed or self-reported mental illness (largely untreated);
• Experiencing long-term homelessness, and/or
• Having little to no income and being disconnected from entitlement benefits or cash assistance.

Because of the physical landscape of the River District, there are two distinct enclaves within the unsheltered population in this area. Areas along the riverbanks tend to have people living in larger, established encampments, often including multi-member households and pets, whereas along urban streets, people more commonly live in single tents and/or vehicles with fewer personal belongings and pets.

At the same time, the River District has a significant number of shelter beds and services that serve individuals experiencing homelessness throughout the County and City of Sacramento. In addition to shelters, several organizations provide direct services to the homeless population, including Sacramento Loaves and Fishes, El Hogar’s Guest House, and Women’s Empowerment. The level of coordination and connection to the broader homeless system of care varies by program, as does the level of services, but coordination among providers has increased over the years both in this area and countywide. There is also a significant presence of individuals and organizations that regularly congregate in the River District, distributing food, clothing, and other personal items.

The County is seeking to partner with an organization to manage and operate a comprehensive, year-round homeless services campus inclusive of emergency shelter, support services, sanitation facilities and weather respite during inclement weather at the County-owned facility located at 1400 North A Street.

In partnership with the selected provider, the County seeks to meet the following objectives:

• Operate an emergency shelter program to serve 80 single adult men and women experiencing homelessness with a focus on stabilization and successful re-housing outcomes, with strong connections to physical and behavioral health services, income supports, and re-housing services;
• Embrace a consumer-centric approach to program engagement and lowering or removing barriers to shelter entry; and
• Continue partnerships with the River District Property Business Improvement District (PBID), local law enforcement, the City of Sacramento, shelter and service providers, and charitable organizations to positively impact both the community and the unhoused population in the River District beyond sheltering and re-housing strategies.

By approaching service delivery as detailed above, and in accordance with the County’s Good Neighbor Policy, the County expects to:

• Reduce impacts on neighboring businesses;
• Continue sanitation services at North A Street for unsheltered persons living nearby;
• Deliver quality 24/7 emergency shelter and stabilization services;
• Permanently house clients and increase the rate of successful housing exits; and
• Strengthen community-wide collaboration.