While local public leadership appears happy about the homeless situation, the folks long suffering from illegal camping in the North Sacramento Parkway area, are not.
They report a major illegal encampment (20-25 tents) under Highway 160 at the Northgate exit into North Sacramento, continuing the long history of illegal camping in the area, a situation magnified by the destructiveness being caused to the Parkway and the increased burden on an already poor community.
City, county laud homeless program start
Published 12:00 am PST Friday, February 29, 2008
SACRAMENTO – City and county officials spoke glowingly Thursday about progress made in the first year of a regionwide effort to end chronic homelessness.
Mayor Heather Fargo, county Supervisor Roger Dickinson and Bruce Wagstaff, director of the county Department of Human Assistance, announced at a news conference in front of City Hall that 171 people were placed in permanent housing during the first year of the 10 Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness program.
The plan was adopted by the City Council and county supervisors in 2006. A formal report will be presented to those agencies Tuesday.
"We are not done but we've had a great start," Fargo said, to applause.
William Schield, a formerly homeless man now residing in permanent housing, told those gathered: "Today I'm being my own person again."
