A new measure addressing homelessness in Sacramento will officially go into effect on June 21. Measure O requires the city to take detailed action in order to reduce homelessness within the area. 

The measure is set to permit locals to file complaints about homeless encampments near them. The city will then have 20 days to address the complaint.

Currently, about 9,278 people are facing homelessness in Sacramento County, and that number has risen by 67% since the last census. 

The common cause of homelessness in the community is the cost of housing. The median house average for Sacramento County is 496K while the median individual income is 33K. Sacramento is currently the 11th least affordable metropolitan area. 

The lack of housing in Sacramento could have been impacted by the influx of people moving to Sacramento during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was caused by Bay area residents realizing it would be significantly cheaper to live in Sacramento and commute to work rather than paying obscure home prices in the Bay.

The city also recently approved a lease agreement with Safe Ground Sacramento that allows for roughly 60 unhoused individuals to continue living in “Camp Resolution”— one of Sacramento’s largest homeless encampments. The lease is active for 120 days, and the camp is located on Colfax Street and Arden Way.

 “I am incredibly proud that through months of hard work and open communication, we found an innovative solution for this site that benefits our entire community… This agreement, the first of its kind for Sacramento, highlights the City’s flexibility and willingness to explore new ways to address the ongoing homelessness crisis with a variety of partners,” said Sacramento Council Member Sean Loloee.

Measure O will require Sacramento to find housing for 12% of the unhoused population in the county.