Huge Juvenile Crime Problem

No constructive activities for youth in Natomas

– No bowling allies, after school programs, community
center in North area, incomplete regional park
Problem with minors loitering in parks after
dark unsupervised
Success of recent curfew checks
See daily crime reports, many perpetrators are
ages 15-19
 What about homeownership
opportunities ??
State housing finance agency has been defunded
Many local homeownership agencies have shut
down their programs
Creating stigmatized housing, us vs. them
mentality
Strong presence of race and class issues in
Natomas-definite stratification-not “inclusionary”
Sacramento housing has regional draw
 Economic Impact
Disproportionate amount of
inclusionary housing in North
Natomas vs. city wide
Growing amount of empty
storefronts
– Difficulty drawing
businesses to Natomas
– Un-finished TGI Fridays,
Sonic, etc
– Encroaching competition
from Woodland
Crime at local businesses
(robberies at Oshima sushi,
Target & Wal-mart parking
lots)
Plummeting desirability as a
place to live
Drop in home values effecting
schools and property taxes
Natomas community is highly
stressed and significantly
under-funded
 Economic Impact
Number of Vacant store fronts in Natomas
Residents shopping outside of our
community-do not feel safe
Natomas notorious for failing businesses
Borders exchanged for Goodwill store
– Community moving in the wrong direction?
Funds from Natomas in growing economy
were diverted to other projects
– Now we are missing critical infrastructure?
 What about our schools?
SHRA has NEVER Gangs, drugs, guns, &
approached schools to see violence in our schools
what impact this has had Many homeowners
on students & district choosing to remove
No additional resources children from district
for having so many low Rio Linda vs. NUSD-no
income students in our megaplexes, same % of
schools under-privileged
Even students are aware School scores critical in
of stigma attached to deciding where to live
living in these complexes
 Neighboring communities
Citrus Heights choosing to eliminate ANY
housing ordinance in favor of
revitalization and neighborhood
improvement
Many cities allow in lieu fees
Every area of Sacramento is unique-no
blanket ordinance
Creating mass exodus to neighboring
communities for living & shopping
 The situation in Antioch
is Natomas headed here?
Thousands of tract homes, newer community, bubble
burst, rush to live in great area that was now affordable
ACLU files suit against police Dept for racial
discrimination against section 8 tenants
Section 8 rose 50% in 5 years, majority of which are black
Team created due to staggering increase in crime and
juvenile offenses
Team responds to complaints, reacting professionally
despite race or class
Utopian goal is to not know which residents are and are
not low income
 Flood Control
Building moratorium in Natomas
Low income & flood zone do not mix
– Case of New Orleans
We do not meet even the most minimal
safety requirements
Once again, overgrown and under-funded
 Age of Natomas
Natomas is a relatively new community
– Majority of growth occurred from 2002 and on,
relying on census from 2000?
Hit hard by rapid growth and rapid decline in
current economic climate
Amount of inclusionary housing especially
disturbing when considering how young this
community is-makes future look bleak
Building a “ghetto”
 Summary
Our suggestions:

1. First and foremost-make Natomas exempt

from the ordinance until next review in 5 years
– In need of counter-action to mitigate the damage
already done
– Need for additional public resources-public transit,
police, fire, schools
– Lack of flood control, not good with large low
income population-New Orleans
– Under building moratorium
– Need new census information
 Suggestions cont’d
1. Create maximum low income
requirement for each complex
– Not to exceed %30-%50, no more %80-%100
low income complexes
– Spread more evenly throughout community
– Reduce stigma of living in “low income
housing”
– Offer more options for low income residents
to live throughout Sacramento
 Suggestions cont’d
3. Do not allow low income to be built before market rate
housing
– Case of Pardee homes
4. Do not just build quantity, build quality
– Require owners to provide additional programs to low income
residents
– Make SHRA inspections unannounced to get a “real” feel for
complex
– More over-sight, housing dollars should build more than just
structures
– Stricter penalties for problem complexes, with eventual loss of
benefits
– Youth programs, job training
 Suggestions cont’d
1. Communities with higher percentage of
low income should receive subsidies
from communities that have lesser
amounts
– To provide extra resources for schools with
low income students
– To provide additional public resources &
infrastructure
– For youth activities & crime prevention
 Suggestions cont’d
6. More homeownership opportunities
– Creates long term investment in community
– Low income housing should be a stepping stone, not
the destination
– Help reduce vacant foreclosed homes
7. Create a residency requirement
– Reduce regional draw to Sacramento just to take
advantage of housing resources
– Problem should create benefit, not benefit creating
problem?
 Suggestions cont’d
8. Background checks required for all
residents, regardless of whether on lease
– Including juveniles
9. All low income units to be counted in any
inclusionary requirement
– 420 Arena Senior apts that do not count
towards inclusionary requirement
 Suggestions cont’d
10. Monitor and track impact on surrounding
community
– Track school test scores before and after new housing
addition
– Track crime stats in and around housing additions
11. Create a plan for new growth areas…
and stick to it!!
– Case of early S. Natomas where apts undermined
community
– Better public notice to promote public involvement
and suggestions
– we know our community better than anyone
 Suggestions cont’d
12. Appoint a member of Natomas
community, active in housing issues to
advise on new ordinance
– Need for increased community involvement
– We are an educated and informed community
with excellent community leaders
– Natomas has unique experience with housing
having been one of sole recipients for the last
5 years-invaluable real world experience
– SHRA admits mistakes in Natomas