The City That Works for Everyone gets a real test when winter comes. If Sacramento can't provide emergency cold-weather shelter for our neediest citizens, we fail our community and ourselves. This winter, we will not fail. I am proud to announce a new program to open 269 temporary beds and motel rooms for homeless women, children and men in the Sacramento community this winter.

The program is a major breakthrough. It comes after weeks of hard work by many people across our city and county, led by the task force that the I created in September.

We will provide about twice the number of beds than the county supplied last winter. And we will do it for less money – many thousands of dollars less.

Moreover, we will help transition more than 200 men, women and children to leave shelters and find permanent or transitional housing.

Given the desperate conditions of state, county and city budgets in California, our ability to create emergency winter housing is a triumph of hard work and cooperation.

In that spirit, I will announce the details of the plan Friday, October 23, at City Hall.

Just a few weeks ago, the situation looked hopeless.

As municipal budgets were slashed and services cut, it looked as if hundreds of homeless residents faced a desperate winter. As a mayor, I found that prospect unacceptable.

Fortunately, the task force was able to help facilitate and mobilize local organizations throughout the city, county and region to create a program of emergency beds, transitional housing, permanent housing and motel vouchers.

City Council and the County Board of Supervisors will vote to approve the final plan next week. This winter, Sacramento can proudly say it's The City That Works for Everyone. And we can mean every word of it. 

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