Sacramento Area Local News

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) ― Sacramento's homeless rate is rising quickly as people lose their homes and their jobs. Mayor Kevin Johnson is considering "regulating" a "Tent City." When CBS13 started investigating that idea, we quickly found out that "if you build it, they will come."

The sea of tents along Sacramento's American River is growing by the day. But here, there are no rules and no regulations. Here, at Tent City, you are on your own.

Just pick a spot and prop up a tent.

"Anywhere from 20 to 50 people a week are showing up out here that just became homeless," says Steve.

Mayor Kevin Johnson says he knows the crisis is growing.

"They're along the American River Parkway camped out in ways we don't feel comfortable, and there's hazards because of waste and fire and police can't get in as readily as they would like," says Mayor Johnson.

That's why he says the area should consider regulating an official "Tent City" site.

"Phoenix has a tent city," says Mayor Johnson." Seeing it in Phoenix and other cities, are things we need to look at."

So that's what CBS13 did, we went looking for that Phoenix homeless tent city that the Mayor is talking about.

CBS13 called the county, the city and outreach organizations. They all say it doesn't exist anymore. The only "Tent City" in Phoenix houses inmates for the county jail.

But, CBS13 did find a regulated "Tent City" for the homeless in Ontario, California.

90 men and women live there and taxpayers are footing the bill.

"We're spending two to three thousand dollars a month to rent the portable showers, the port-a-potties. We have mulch down, and we have trash pickup," says Schultz.

There is even security. But, when it opened in 2007, the city was not prepared for what would happen.

The minute "Tent City" opened up in Ontario 400 people moved there from out of town in a matter of months.

"I don't belong nowehere, that's what I feel like," says Linda Parker.

59-year-old Linda Parker heard about Ontario's tent city and traveled there from Riverside, California.

"There were about 20 kids there, and the police came along and told them they couldn't have any kids there," says Linda.

That's because the city says things got out of control.

"We started getting problems with fighting, dog bite situations and we started getting people who were on parole there and we had to step in," says Schultz.

Stepping in meant kicking out anyone who didn't have a connection to Ontario. Even paying for their travel out of the city.

Mayor Johnson says effectively dealing with the homeless population will make Sacramento a magnet, but he says something needs to be done.

"I can't tell you how we'd regulate it... we'd have to study it... we'd have to study Ontario... we'd have to study Phoenix... and some other cities have done it around the country... we have to learn from them -- what worked what didn't work... what advice would they have... and do our best to come up with a plan that serves hopefully the people who are on the streets here first," say Mayor Johnson.

The homeless in Sacramento already say they want the city to step in.

"If we just had the supplies to do it. Let us have some clean facilities... some running water.. A clean bathroom... and let us regulate ourselves to a point... but let the police and everyone oversee it," says Steve, who is homeless.

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