Sacramento"s Team Tackles Homelessness: One Year of Impact

Sacramento's Incident Management Team (IMT) was established a year ago to address the homelessness crisis by utilizing resources from various city departments, including police and fire services. The team has responded to over 41,000 service calls and achieved compliance with city laws more than 4,800 times, while also removing around 10 million pounds of trash. This approach combines enforcement with social services to create a balanced response to homelessness. Data from the city indicates a notable decrease in police calls related to homelessness, with an 8% reduction overall and a 19% decrease in the central city. This improvement has allowed the police department to respond more efficiently to other community calls. The IMT's strategy is primarily enforcement-based, following a homeless response protocol that escalates actions based on neighbor complaints rather than voluntary requests from unhoused individuals. However, some community advocates, like Nikki Jones from the Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness, express concerns about the IMT's focus on enforcement rather than housing solutions. They argue that the approach has negatively impacted those living outside, leading to feelings of being marginalized and pressured to move without adequate support. The director of the Department of Community Outreach, Brian Pedro, emphasizes the need for a compassionate enforcement approach, suggesting that a combination of services and enforcement is essential to effectively address homelessness. The ongoing debate highlights the complexities of managing homelessness in urban areas and the need for a comprehensive strategy that considers the well-being of all community members.