Though homelessness is not a new problem, the number of homeless people in Sacramento has increased over the last few years because of the state's budget crisis and cuts to federal programs. On June 30, hundreds of county shelter beds became unavailable, forcing more homeless onto Sacramento streets.

In answer to the shortfall, Safe Ground Sacramento was inaugurated on July 1. Organized by community members, nonprofits and businesses, Safe Ground seeks to provide the homeless with a safe place to be. Hundreds gathered that day for a rally and march to kick off the movement. Among them was Jacoby Shaddix, the formerly homeless lead singer of local band Papa Roach.

The city of Sacramento enforces a "camping ordinance" that makes it illegal for anyone to use or store camping equipment on public property for more than 24 hours. The police enforce the ordinance by confiscating camping equipment, such as tents and sleeping bags.

By July 14, homeless had been forced to leave four camping locations. They were at 420 Richards Blvd.; 100 Bercut Drive; between the Volunteers of America shelter and the Union Gospel shelter on Bannon St.; and on the corner of North D and North 11th streets.

A fifth location was provided by lawyer and Safe Ground partner Mark Merin on his property near 13th and C streets. Though neighbors have been critical of the location, which is allegedly related to a boundary dispute between Merin and the Pedro Hernandez family, Merin explained his rule that campers must remain drug and alcohol free on and off his property.

"There is no 'safe ground' in Sacramento," Merin said. "The attempt of the whole movement is to get the city and county to designate places where they will allow homeless people to be without threatening them with arrest and siezure of their property.

"My property is obviously not 'safe ground,' " he added. "Homeless people have been arrested three times on the property and [the city and the Hernandez family] are suing me to try to force me to move them out of there."

The issue affects law enforcement, officials say.

"We've always enforced the ordinance, but the number of campers has extended resources and it does cost the department both manpower and [money] to be able to address it," said Sgt. Norm Leong of the Sacramento Police Department.

"A couple of Sundays ago, I was working and I received no fewer than three calls for service from residents in the area. Not just the one person who lives directly next to the camp," Leong continued. "Other neighbors are affected by people coming and going from [the camp]."

Mayor Kevin Johnson said Tuesday that in October he will propose three to five sites to the City Council on which a long-term campground could be established. The site would be exempt from the camping ordinance, he said.

The Safe Ground organization has proposed the 3-acre site on Bannon Street as a long-term camping site. The land, owned by the county's housing authority, has running water and shade, and HomeAid has agreed to provide architects to build shelters. However, a Sacramento Bee editorial noted the location was used as a shelter and was shut down in the 1990s because of drug use.

"There is an overconcentration of social services in this neighborhood and the downtown area," said Sean Wright of the Alkali and Mansion Flats Historic Neighborhood Association. "I was on the mayor's committee that looked at an outside facility in the city or county [for homeless shelters]. In the study, the recommendation was if any site was placed in the city or county, it should not be in the downtown area."

"[The homeless should] be able to sleep at night without fear of harassment, or arrest, or confiscation of their meager goods," said Greg Bunker, executive director of Francis House, one of Safe Ground's partners. "It's just common sense that every human being deserves to sleep outside where they are safe."

Tina Reynolds, a Safe Ground board member agreed.

"They are not criminals, they are looking for a place to stay." she said. "How can they raise up if the whole day is spent lugging around your stuff, or finding food, and finding a place on the street to sleep?"

Timothy Richard Boley Jr. described being homeless: "I was in overflow (the Volunteers of America-operated Winter Shelter at Cal Expo), and overflow is nothing but a jail without bars. Getting a bed for a night involves your whole day, so you can't get a job."

Safe Ground is a step in the right direction, according to Boley. "I would like to see people to be able to put a tent up, or someplace they could shower. The system they have right now just doesn't work at all."

Kassandra Perlongo contributed to this article.

Photographs courtesy Anthony Bento.

Map: