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WEBVTT SHELTERSSTANDING TO BENEFIT FROMTONIGHT'S DECISION.>> JUST THE TIME I HAVE BEENHERE -- REPORTER: SERENE CALVO IS ON THEFORTUNATE SIDE OF A LONG WAITLIST AT THE SALVATION ARMY.>> I HAVE BEEN LUCKY TO KNOW ANDTO HAVE A SAFE HAVEN LIKE THISTO COME TO.REPORTER: MORE PEOPLE INSACRAMENTO ARE FALLING THROUGHTHE CRACKSSLIM HOUSING OPTIONS LEAVINGTHOUSANDS STRUGGLING TO FIND ASAFE PLACE TO SLEEP AT NIGHT.>> WE HAVE A 2% VACANCY RATE, SOAS RENTS ARE GOING UP AND PEOPLEARE LOSING THEIR HOMES THERE'SREALLY NOWHERE TO GO.REPORTER: PRICING OUT THOSELIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK,MANY EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESSFOR THE FIRST TIME.>> THERE WAS A 73-YEAR-OLD LADTHAT CAME IN WHOSE RENT, BASEDON HER FIXED INCOME, IS MUCHHIGHER THAN SHE CAN AFFORD.AND ALL OF A SUDDEN SHE FOUNDHERSELF TO BE HOMELESS.REPORTER: THE MAYOR PROMISING TOFILL DANGEROUS CRACK, HOPEFULTHE COUNCIL WILL APPROVE MOREHOMELESS HOUSING.>> WE ARE GOING TO APPROVE A200 BED EMERGENCY SHELTER TRIAGEFACILITY OFF OF RAILROAD AVENUE.AND SINCE THERE IS NO TIME TOWASTE, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THATSHELTER OPEN IN DECEMBER.REPORTER: TONIGHT, THE CITY ALSODISCUSSING EXPANDING EXISTINGCENTERS LIKE WIND YOUTHSERVICES.>> WHAT WE SEE MOSTLY ARE YOUNGPEOPLE WHO JUST CAN'T FIND ANAFFORDABLE PLACE TO LIVE.REPORTER: THE NONPROFITPROVIDING A HOME FOR MORE THAN1,000 CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTSLAST YEAR, AS YOUNG 12-YEARS-OLD WITH A WAIT LISTFOUR MONTHS LONG.>> ONCE THEY TURN 18, THEIRFAMILY CAN'T AFFORD TO KEEP THEMAT HOME ANYMORE.AND SO THEY HIT THE STREETSTHINKING THAT THEY WILL FINDSOMETHING.REPORTER: THE CITY WORKING TOSOLVE AN IMMEDIATE NEED GROWINGALONG SACRAMENTO STREETS.>> THIS IS THE BEST PLACE TO BEIF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TOGO.REPORTER: THE MAYOR IS HOPING

Advertisement Sacramento's slim housing options push some into first-time homelessness 'Now you have your everyday citizen coming in saying, "I’m homeless"'

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Slim housing margins within Sacramento are pushing out residents living paycheck to paycheck.“Housing is a big issue for us,” District 5 Councilmember Jay Schenirer said. “We have a 2 percent vacancy rate, so as rents are going up and people are losing their homes -- there’s really nowhere to go.”“There was a 73-year-old lady that came in whose rent, based on her fixed income, is much higher than she can afford,” said Capt. Martin Ross with the Salvation Army. “And all of a sudden she found herself to be homeless.”The Sacramento City Council voted on several items Tuesday night that look to solve homelessness in the city.On the agenda, there were five items that looked at homelessness in the city:Fund a temporary winter triage center shelter in north SacramentoCreate a permanent shelter in a Del Paso Heights neighborhoodContinue funding Salvation Army sheltersCreate a framework for Whole Person Care programExpand existing services at Wind Youth ServicesCity leaders approved all of the items except for the permanent shelter, which was withdrawn for now. Here's a closer look at the agenda items:Wind Youth Services:Council members voted to expand existing services at Wind Youth Services. The shelter houses children and young adults between 12 and 24 years old.“What we see mostly are young people who just can’t find an affordable place to live,” said Suzi Dotson with Wind Youth Services. “The need is for young people, especially to have a transition time in their life where they are able to move from youth to adulthood.”With just 12 beds, Wind Youth Services was able to help more than 1,000 children and young adults. With the city's approved funding, Dotson said they will be able to add 20 beds. “We definitely know that people are living on the streets, and are having to hide from predators or other people who might take advantage of them,” she explained. “It’s really no fault of the young person why they became homeless. But maybe once they turn 18, their family can’t afford to keep them at home anymore. And so they hit the streets, thinking that they will find something.”Whole Person Care:City leaders approved creating a framework for the city's federal grant program, Whole Person Care.The $64 million grant will help fund homeless services for the next three years.Salvation Army Shelters:The city council approved to continue funding the Salvation Army's 130-bed emergency shelter, Center of Hope.“There’s always a waiting list. There’s not enough beds out there,” Ross said. “Typically, we get folks that have addiction issues, mental health issues and so forth. But now, you have your everyday citizen coming in and saying ‘I’m homeless.’”Winter Triage Shelter in North Sacramento:City leaders approved funding for a temporary winter triage shelter, which is be headed under Volunteers for America, to move forward.The facility will be off Railroad Drive and have 200 beds. Steinberg said the shelter will open in December.Permanent Shelter in Del Paso Heights:The permanent shelter in the Del Paso Heights neighborhood off Evergreen Street will be tabled for a later time. Residents expressed outrage at last week’s Regional Transit community meeting, feeling they were left in the dark about this project, as well as about a winter triage shelter in the Willow Creek community.RT decided to hold off selling the land to the city due to the residents' complaints and will take up the issue again next month. Steinberg said a decision is expected by winter or early spring.“Many people who are homeless stay in the area that they were formally housed in,” said Amani Sawires-Rapaski with Volunteers of America. “Until we can address some of the root causes of homelessness and band together as a community, I think we are going to see a little bit more until it gets better.”