District attorney threatens to charge officials in California’s capital over homelessness response

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Tensions are rising in California’s capital city as the Sacramento district attorney threatened to file charges against city officials over their handling of the homelessness crisis, saying they are too lenient in their approach and are failing to enforce the rules. District Attorney Thien Ho on Monday threatened to press criminal charges against city officials under state public nuisance laws if they don’t implement a slew of changes within 30 days, including a daytime camping ban where homeless people have to put their belongings in storage between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. Ho was elected in 2022 after vowing on the campaign trail to address the city’s homelessness crisis. Ho said Sacramento city officials are “inconsistent” in enforcing rules, including an ordinance to keep sidewalks clear of encampments, resulting in “an unprecedented public safety crisis.” Ho also wants the city to clear all 16 encampments within city’s limits, open 24-hour shelter beds for thousands of people who sleep on the streets each night, give out citations to those who decline shelter, and hire four more city attorneys to enforce city rules, among other things. In a statement, Steinberg said Ho “deflects responsibility, takes credit for programs the city initiated, lacks basic understanding of existing shelter management system and funding structures, and includes a series of demands that would cripple the city financially.” Ho’s letter didn’t specify which city officials could face charges. Ho’s demands are alarming to some advocates, who said a citywide daytime camping ban and stricter enforcement of city rules would upend the lives of many homeless people.