Community weighs in as Elk Grove plans permanent homeless shelter by 2028
Community members came together on Wednesday to help design a new homeless shelter in Elk Grove.
Elk Grove has some of the lowest numbers of homeless people in the region, but city officials said the need is growing. Sarah Bontrager, the city's housing and public services manager, said there may be between 80 and 100 homeless people across the city "at any given time."
The city held the first of several community meetings, getting input on what kind of permanent homeless shelter should be built and where it should be located.
"Using a city-owned property, purchasing a vacant property, purchasing a property with a building on it — those are all options that are on the table," Bontrager said.
The city currently leases space at a local church for a temporary year-round shelter, which is used by about 20 people a night. That contract runs out in 2028.
"So we will need to find a permanent home for the shelter," Bontrager said.
The new facility could accommodate about 30 people and feature things like private bedroom areas, mental health counseling, and even job training. It would be staffed 24 hours a day.
But some people have concerns about what kind of impact it will have on the neighborhood where it's built.
"I know it's a rough life, I get it," resident Ray Immoos said. "But I don't want to jeopardize the safety of my community."
Others in Elk Grove say this type of support is desperately needed.
"I'm fine with building a shelter for the homeless, that way we get them off the streets and you're not driving around and seeing people with shopping carts, things like that," resident Kevin Jones said.
The city says it will cost about $1.5 million a year to operate the shelter, with most of the money coming from a sales tax increase passed by voters in 2022.
"We're hoping to get to the point where when someone enters homelessness, we're quickly able to get them into the shelter and work on getting them rehoused," Bontrager said.
Elk Grove officials will begin the site selection process in October and construction is expected to begin in 2027, with the grand opening happening about a year later.