In the midst of a raging storm, Sacramento City Hall opens its lobby to the homeless population
Earlier on Sunday, the shelter inside City Hall was nearly full.
As the homeless population sought shelter from a significant storm, Sacramento City Hall opened its doors and lobby.
The City Hall foyer reopened on Saturday night and is slated to remain open until 6 a.m. on Monday.
By Sunday afternoon, the shelter had sheltered 50 individuals from the storm and was nearly full. Three additional shelters were available at the Hagginwood Community Center, as well as at 1725 28th Street and 2450 Florin Road.
“City Hall, I know, is the place for the people to be able to access for city business, but City Hall also belongs to the people who are having the hardest of hard times. I’m really proud of the fact that we are opening up the people’s building to bring people indoors. It’s the right thing to do,” Mayor Darrell Steinberg in a video sent to Twitter by the Department of Community Response.
While the effort kept individuals indoors during the storm, it drew criticism from the Sacramento Homeless Union for being a “photo op.”
“This is your job. You don’t get points for opening a (door) the other 10,900 people are flooded in tents. Why are you videoing people without permission. This is unacceptable we already let you know that (sic),” In a retweet on Twitter, the homeless union stated.
Janna Haynes, Public Information Manager for the Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance, told ABC10 earlier on Sunday that those experiencing homelessness in the Sacramento area should try to secure shelter by 2 p.m. A list of shelters is shown below.
Shelters:
- 1725 28th St, Sacramento
- 2450 Florin Road, Sacramento
- Creekside Adult Center — 2641 Kent Drive, Sacramento
- Hagginwood Community Center — Storm Center at 3271 Marysville Blvd, Sacramento
- City of Sacramento City Hall – Storm Center at 915 I St, Sacramento