Senator Ashby's regional homelessness faces headwinds; Elk Grove, County Supervisor Pat Hume oppose legislation

Assemblymember Heath Flora (left), Senator Angelique Ashby, and former Sacramento  
Mayor Darrell Steinberg at the news conference announcing legislation that would  
establish a regional joint powers authority to address homelessness. | 

California State Senator Angelique Ashby (D-Sacramento) has introduced Senate Bill 802, a sweeping piece of legislation aimed at creating a new regional agency to tackle Sacramento County's persistent housing and homelessness challenges. However, the bill is meeting significant resistance from local politicians, with Sacramento District Attorney Thien Ho the lone Sacramento County elected official supporter.  

SB 802 proposes restructuring the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA) into a new Joint Powers Authority (JPA) to be known as the Sacramento Area Housing and Homelessness Agency. This new entity would centralize the coordination, funding, and implementation of all housing and homelessness programs across Sacramento County, an effort Senator Ashby describes as a "first-in-the-state model" to combat a fragmented system.

Despite Ashby's vision for regional collaboration, municipalities are expressing opposition. Sacramento County Supervisor Pat Hume explicitly stated his opposition to the bill in his July 10 newsletter. 

Hume joined several critics, including the mayors of Folsom, Elk Grove, Citrus Heights, and Rancho Cordova, who have all signed a letter of opposition to SB 802. These mayors, including Folsom Mayor Sarah Aquino, have voiced concerns about local control and the potential loss of individual city resources and autonomy under the proposed regional agency.

Ninth District Republican Assemblymember Heath Flora is a co-sponsor of the bill, aligning with Ashby's argument that regionalizing efforts are crucial for any meaningful change in addressing homelessness. Sacramento City Councilmember Caity Maple has also publicly supported SB 802, emphasizing the need for a coordinated, compassionate, and results-focused system. 

Former Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg. longtime advocate for regional governance approaches, has also lent his support, arguing that cities and the county must "govern together" on this issue. Read about Steinberg's regional effort in 2002 (AB 680) and more recently The Climate, Clean Transportation, and Affordable Housing Act of 2024.

Conversely, Sacramento County officials, including the Board of Supervisors, have raised issues with the concept of further consolidation, citing that the majority of the homeless population resides within the City of Sacramento. They argue that existing partnerships between the city and county already address the vast majority of the situation. 

Critics from unincorporated communities also fear that the bill could lead to the City of Sacramento dominating regional efforts, potentially neglecting the unique needs and interests of their areas.

The bill is scheduled for a hearing in the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee on July 16, 2025. The bill was passed on the State Senate's Consent Calendar. 

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