The number of beds available for the homeless in the Sacramento region during the cold-weather season is lower this Thanksgiving week than it was last year, according to Tim Brown, director of the Ending Homelessness Initiative. In addition, a Rancho Cordova city official expressed skepticism Monday about a plan to provide beds for 105 homeless people in that city. However, a multiagency task force still plans to achieve its goal of providing 269 winter shelter beds, Brown said in an interview.  As of Friday, 52 winter shelter beds were available for the homeless. This week, the task force expects to offer 82 beds because 30 motel vouchers are available, Brown said.    Still, at this tim

Concerns raised earlier this month about a lack of funding for shelter beds have become reality: Budget cuts to the county’s Department of Human Assistance (DHA) mean there will be 154 fewer shelter beds for homeless people during most of the year, according to DHA spokeswoman Lucinda Serynek. The Board of Supervisors on June 17 approved the county’s proposed budget with major cuts that addressed a $180 million shortfall. In September, a final budget will be adopted. The 154 beds were not funded when the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors approved the county’s proposed budget. Serynek confirmed Wednesday that 154 beds won’t receive county funding for all but one month month in the 20

The county department that addresses homelessness hopes federal stimulus dollars will help lessen the blow of proposed cuts to its shelter programs, a county official said Tuesday. Bruce Wagstaff, director of Sacramento County’s Department of Human Assistance, said the department is working with the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA) on plans to alleviate the damage that would be caused if the Board of Supervisors approves proposed cuts. Sacramento County is proposing to slash funding for three county shelters, which means about 300 beds for homeless people would be cut. The county is grappling with a $187 million deficit, while the city faces a $50 million budget gap. “