Sidewalk camping appearing in Elk Grove - Being in the suburbs has its advantages

Even though California counties and cities now have broader authority to address camping in public places, addressing the challenges of easing homelessness persists. Evidence of this appeared in Elk Grove this morning. 

The above picture was taken at 4:30 this morning on a sidewalk in Elk Grove's City Council District 3. It shows a single tent with an unknown number of occupants.

Despite establishing Elk Grove's year-round homeless shelter and the ability of law enforcement agencies to clear encampments, camping persists throughout the region. Taking encampments apart is only a short-term solution, as the unhoused will move to another location for sleep.

Elected officials will point to the recently adopted Proposition 36 as a solution to ease people experiencing homelessness. There is consensus that many of the unhoused suffer from substance abuse problems along with criminal behavior/record, so the new proposition was sold in part to voters as a way to address the situation.

However, many California counties do not have the beds for treatment prescribed by Proposition 36, much less the funding sources to pay for the new law's mandate.  Ultimately, instead of receiving treatment, these individuals will likely end up in the county jail, which is the ultimate goal of many elected officials and law enforcement professionals. 

Furthermore, local governments should not expect support from the incoming Trump administration regarding funding for more treatment beds. It would not be surprising to see federal funds for affordable housing and treatment cut under Trump's Housing and Urban Development or Health and Human Services departments.   

Meanwhile, people experiencing homelessness will camp in areas where they feel safe, even if it is for one night. The photographed tent is positioned under a street light on a road with enough traffic for a passing motorist to witness any possible assaults. 

Because Elk Grove doesn't experience street crime in a place like Sacramento, the worst the tent occupants can expect, short of an arrest for other criminal activity, is an order from the police to move along. Being in the suburbs has its advantages. 

So, as Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen and Councilmembers Kevin Spease and Darren Suen celebrate their reelection, the city's homeless challenges continue seemingly unabated. While encampments have been broken up, our elected officials should not be surprised to hear from constituents when these one-night tents appear in their Elk Grove neighborhoods.