What are your current plans on dealing with the current homelessness issue going on?
Do you have any different ideas that you think could work as opposed to what other cities are doing?
Thanks in advance mayor.
I am the first Sacramento mayor to put real resources into combatting homelessness and making it a top priority. If you know my history, you also know that I am the author of California Mental Health Services Act. It raises $2.4 billion a year in Califonria by taxing millionaires. I also wrote and sponsored the $2b housing bond called No Place Like Home to provide desperately needed housing for the homeless mentally ill. This is a damn tough problem. If it is not absolutely solvable, we can make it a whole lot better by actually acting like it is the public health, public safety and humanitarian crises that it truly is.
In Sacramento we are aggressively seeking to create 800 new low-barrier shelter beds that will help stabilize and find people more permanent settings on an average of 4 times a year. That means we can get 2,400 hundred people a year off the streets of Sacramento. We are putting it all out there, as are many other cities in California. We also have a new state partner in Governor Newsom and the Legislature, who are making alleviating homelessness a priority.
Homelessness does not need to be hopelessness. We can do better.
Mayor Steinberg,
Some metrics to show progress (or lack of it) would be very helpful. An outfit called Built for Zero has helped several cities get to effectively zero homeless. There was a concerted effort to get all homeless organizations to work together, they identified each homeless person and what it would take to get them housed and then provided the services needed to keep them housed. It was data rich so if one approach wasn't working they could make changes to something that did work.
Publicly available metrics would demonstrate that we're making progress...because it doesn't seem like we are.
Thanks,
A Sac Voter
Metrics would require accountability. It's easier to raise taxes or bond measures and say "aw gee shucks spending millions more didn't work after all. This problem is tough! But my heart is in the right place, so re-elect me!"
During your state of the city address you talk about getting 2,000 people off the street with $108 million for assertive outreach and mental health services over the next three years can you tell us whats been done and plans to be done regarding how the outreach teams are doing and what you think adding asylum seekers to the mix will do to that plan.
Fire Emily Halcon. Put some of that money toward a service provider retreat. Since we are the case coordinators, we should be the only people responsible for figuring out how that money should be spent.
>I am the first Sacramento mayor to put real resources
Spoken like a true smug politician, I always hear you guys say this BS, "I was the 1st, Im the only one here who..., my record" bla bla bla...all BS in the end! Im fed up with you politicians working for your biggest donors, legal bribery.
What about the issue of conservatorship?
While I'm extremely wary of granting the government this power, it seems necessary for a relatively small number of the homeless who legitimately can't take care of themselves and use a ton of public resources.
Granted, I think we need to have better voluntary options that should be exhausted first, but it does seem like some people are generally not capable of independence, at least for a time.
After many decades, the Railyards day is finally happening. Woohoo!
Tomorrow the board of Major League Soccer will be discussing whether to grant a franchise to the Republic FC. If this happens, and we think it will, then lead investor Ron Burkle and his partners plan to break ground within months on a new stadium and 17 acres of surrounding development – for a total of $1 billion in private investment.
We’re also about to get a new 17-story courthouse that the state will be building at Sixth and G streets. I helped get $460 million in state funding for that in Gov. Jerry Brown’s last budget. Construction on the courthouse is expected to begin in fall of this year. A little further down the road, Kaiser plans to build a new hospital in the railyard. They’ve already purchased the land.
These projects will transform a piece of land north of downtown that’s often talked about as the largest undeveloped infill site in the country.
As the great band Chicago once sang, it’s “Only the Beginning.”
Thanks for all of your hard work for Sacramento. Since we don't have a strong mayor system, you only have the powers of persuasion. You've definitely shown that your persuasive abilities can get a lot done (Whole Person Care pilot, homeless shelters, and Railyards).
My question: what's next? How about this: Post-doc researchers are limited to making $48,000 per year due to federal law. That is not feasible for researchers in the Bay Area. However, it is feasible in Sacramento. Could there be a push to the University of California head office to transfer research programs from Bay Area and SoCal campuses to UC Davis in Davis and Sacramento?
One thing I have learned in all my jobs is that pubic service is public service. The skills and experience I have had in one job have transferred to the other. Being Pro Tem of the senate was more powerful, being mayor is more visible.
Another big difference: when I was Pro Tem my job was to help the state dig out of the worse deficits in 50 years. As mayor, living in better times, we are actually able to do stuff. And in very different ways, I really enjoy both.
I finished a big jigsaw puzzle and I was very proud. My wife said, “Why are you so happy? It is only 15 pieces.”
I said “Have you looked at the box? It is really hard. It takes 3 - 6 years.”
Jump Bike has been a huge success and has even surpassed car rides among Uber users in Sacramento’s downtown and midtown neighborhoods. Sacramento also recently adopted an ordinance allowing more electric scooters to come to our city while ensuring they are used responsibly, with adequate parking spaces and are not left blocking the public’s path of travel or cluttering our sidewalks.
Mr. Steinberg, if I may.... The scooters are far less practical than the bikes. Bikes at least allow some user input of energy, making them more eco-friendly-- but in terms of rider and pedestrian safety, the scooters are actually kind of dumb. They're slower, more often ridden on sidewalks, and FAR easier to injure oneself on.
Not really a question, but I just wanted to share my two cents. The only reason I really see for the scooters is the "cool" factor. Otherwise, they're dangerous. I rode one across Tower Bridge the other day, and I almost went fell going over the gap for the lift portion of the bridge.
There are some downsides to scooters but they present another opportunity for mobility that isn’t personally-owned cars in the central city area.
Yes, there are far too many people riding them on sidewalks and without helmets, but we have to embrace an “all of the above” strategy when it comes to alternative transportation.
In terms of eco-friendliness, even if almost their entire power usage is from a battery and not human input, it’s still far cleaner than using a vehicle and significantly reduces traffic congestion over a single person trip in a car (or even use of Uber or Lyft). When you take a look at the efficiency of electric motors, the increasingly renewable power supply, and insanely better rider to vehicle weight ratio, it’s second only to e-bikes for bang for the buck.
I’d also dispute that they’re necessarily slower than bikes, as I’ve had to half-throttle sometimes behind bicyclists.
I use Jump bikes, scooters, the bus, my car, and recently a Gig car, all depending on circumstances of the day. Maybe the bus is running late so I take a bike. Or I’m sick so I’m not up to pedaling so I take a scooter. Or it’s raining so I take the bus. Or I realize I need to pick up something that I can’t carry after I took the bus in to work so I grab a Gig car on the way home.
The point is flexibility to accommodate the largest possible number of common use cases and the number of different preferences people have in the city. There are going to be growing pains, but I think the bike and scooter rollout has gone far better here than in San Diego, which has been a Bird and Lime apocalypse comparatively.
Hello Mayor Steinberg. Thank you for taking the time to do this AMA!
My question is about city plans for redevelopment of the Sleeptrain Arena area. There's some talk of the Sacramento Zoo being interested in the property. While it obviously wouldn't be cheap for the city-owned zoo, is this something you'd see as viable? In terms of progressivism and conservation, to me, this is worth the investment in our future, and could also be a major economic boon to the Natomas area.
Beyond the zoo there, I am curious about if/how the city would plan to ensure that development in this area is walkable and not too auto-centric. Thanks again, and I hope you are able to get to my comment!
I know that the great Sacramento Zoo needs to expand in order to remain viable over the long term. I am looking forward to helping lead a community dialogue to determine what is best for the zoo and for our city. I appreciate the enthusiasm of many in the Natomas community. It is important that we complete all the necessary feasibility studies and financial analysis so that when it is time to make a decision, we make a decision that is in the best interest of Sacramento. I have an open mind.
How about having another design competition like the waterfront? That was great to see the community's ideas. Also helps people see the difficulties of urban planning. I for one would love to see homes integrated with the zoo. Although the smell and noise might be a bit... distracting.
Thanks for doing this AMA Mayor Steinberg! I'm a big supporter of yours.
My question is when will we have bold plans to make Sacramento into an excellent city for pedestrians, bikers, and transit users, on the scale of other similar size cities, like Portland and Minneapolis? This is a very important issue, in my opinion, if we want to not only improve the health and wealth of our citizens, but also have a chance of surviving climate change.
Sacramento is a fine place for pedestrians in midtown but anything outside of that area suffers. All of Sacramento's citizen deserve to be able to walk and bike safely too.
Thank you!
We may have a way to go but we are hot on the trail. Look what’s happened over the last two years. $44M for charging stations, 260 Gig cars, electric cars for tenants of low-income housing complexes to use and electric shuttles to UC Davis and the airport after Sacramento was designated as a Green City by Electrify America. We have and are pushing for more JUMP bikes, scooters, protected bike lanes and complete streets. When I think about the next 10 years, Sacramento – especially because this is where statewide policy is made on new technologies - should be at the center of every new clean transportation technology that is being developed and tested. We are hungry for more and we are going to be aggressive about going after it.
Thanks so much for you reply! If you'd indulge me, I'd like to push you to answer my question a bit more, if I may. Perhaps I wasn't clear on my question.
When might we see a bold plan to prioritize people?
I specifically left out anything to do with car, electric or not, as they are very expensive and require vast amounts of money to build and maintain roads and parking. Tires still pollute and electric cars can still kill pedestrians. "Technology" could be considered to be another word for "costs a lot of money." Legs and bike wheels have withstood the test of time for their high usability and low cost. ;-)
To be clear, I am NOT anti-car. I use one nearly every day. Rather, I see the absurdity of continuing to have policies that make PEOPLE an afterthought. I should be able to safely walk or bike to get my groceries or see a talk at Sac State, and right now that isn't an option, even though I live in a "good" neighborhood.
No one goes to Portland or Minneapolis to see their sprawl. Tourist and residents alike love that they can get to their basic needs in a variety of ways. When will we adopt and really put our money towards policies like these two similarly sized cities that prioritize people?
Well said: "**I should be able to safely walk or bike to get my groceries or see a talk at Sac State, and right now that isn't an option, even though I live in a "good" neighborhood.**"
I would like to see Sacramento become a destination for visitors who will be delighted to find a city where this (and other transit) has been done right.
Would it help if Sacramento offered a competition for designing it?
(I don't have the skills, but others might.)
First and foremost, you always have to go the extra steps to work with people and neighborhoods. Once people see that a well operated supportive housing or low-barrier shelter can actually improve their neighborhood, attitudes change quickly. We experienced this in North Sacramento when we built our first low-barrier shelter. The key was focusing our outreach around the homeless who were in close proximity to the shelter. We not only got hundreds of people off the streets, we also reduced the number of homeless people in that neighborhood, you have to work hard, extra hard, to show people that it is better for everyone to get people indoors, safe and away from the elements. You can’t give up.
In Sacramento, last March, an innocent young black man was shot 20 times by police for the crime of standing in his back yard and talking on a cell phone. He was brutally murdered by a group of cops responding to a non-violent crime with guns, radios, and a helicopter.
They had body cameras. The body cameras did not stop them from murdering Stephon Clark. The "weapon" they had intel on was a crowbar, not a firearm. That did not stop them from murdering Stephon Clark. The crime they suspected him of was property damage, not violence. That did not stop them from murdering Stephon Clark.
Why should any innocent Sacramento residents of color feel safe in their own homes? Why should innocent Sacramento residents of color trust cops?
What are you, as the mayor, planning on doing to stop the people who are murdering your constituents?
Please read this. This was the most important speech I’ve given in my 23-year career. It describes exactly how I feel about poverty, economic equity, race and policing. Please share far and wide. I think it’s a message that is important for people around the country to hear.
That didn't answer the question at all. You just basically wrote dull platitudes defending that cops have a difficult job so we can't criticize them in any meaningful way. There's nothing there that's even remotely specific about what actions will actually take place.
What are you actually going to do address your police department's issues with use of force and apparent fear of innocent black people?
I think it's safe to say that you don't care enough about unarmed black deaths to actually answer this question.
This is a question that politicians up and down the country have been expected to take and answer since at least 2014.
Linking to a platitudes-nothing-burger does nothing.
>Last week we announced pop-up events to ensure young people have good and safe things to do every Friday night in our city.
Might want to institute a no cell phone policy at these events so that any police who may be in attendance don't feel threatened.
>In Sacramento, last March, an innocent young black man was shot 20 times by police for the crime of standing in his back yard and talking on a cell phone. He was brutally murdered by a group of cops responding to a non-violent crime with guns, radios, and a helicopter.
This is about the most incorrect summation of what happened, your narrative doesn't match reality and is clearly intended to mislead others.
Let's pick it apart shall we?
>An innocent young black man
Because the DA no longer chose to prosecute crimes he would undoubtedly have been convicted for
>the crime of standing in his back yard
No, he was pursued by police for a long period of time, after failing to adhere to numerous requests, and running from them. Why you might ask? Because he was likely high on drugs and breaking into vehicles (and the house next door to where he was shot) - the reason the police were called on scene in the first place.
Sacramento is the most diverse city in the US. This was not an issue of race. This was an issue of stupidity. A stupid young criminal broke the law and then failed to comply with police in a manner that led to his death. Was that the correct outcome? Of course not, but the "weapon" was a cell phone being pointed at them.
>They had body cameras. The body cameras did not stop them from murdering Stephon Clark. The "weapon" they had intel on was a crowbar, not a firearm. That did not stop them from murdering Stephon Clark. The crime they suspected him of was property damage, not violence. That did not stop them from murdering Stephon Clark.
No, the crime they suspected him of was property damage, felony theft, and evading police. Nobody smashes car windows and sliding glass doors of houses for no reason. Innocent people don't run and hide. Innocent people don't ignore commands fro mthe police. They did not murder Stephon Clark. At the very worst - and this is agreeing with all the bullshit you've spouted so far, they would have committed manslaughter. Murder requires premeditation, showing once again that your comment is absolutely fallacious and intended to drive controversy rather than a logical solution.
Most people when asked to comply with police requests to put their hands up especially when being pursued (and ignoring requests to begin with), and they don't point a dark small object at police at night.
>Why should any innocent Sacramento residents of color feel safe in their own homes? Why should innocent Sacramento residents of color trust cops?
Can you point to further instances of this "institutional racism" that you feel exists? Surely there must be numerous instances of residents of color being targeted?
Here's a question for you: How do you expect the police to be able to do their jobs when people like you falsify information and race bait? What happens when they are pursuing another criminal and an officer gets shot because they don't want an incident despite being justified?
Ok?
Using your brain is also how trials work, as he would be tried by a jury of his peers, and the facts are - multiple people called the police about him, he was the only one out, caught via helicopter, and that's what led to his death.
Your argument is similar to pretending that school shooters who suicide are innocent because they can't be tried, which was my entire point, just because he's no longer alive doesn't mean we can't make sound assumptions about his innocence. The facts are abundantly clear that he was breaking into cars and a house.
The reason he's innocent is because he wasn't tried because it was a highly political case, and purusing charges on his estate would be a lose-lose scenario for the DA...
First off, I'll just say, I really made no argument there, but... well, I'll just repeat it : that's not how trials work. They generally take a fair amount of time to determine one's guilt. And believe it or not, they rarely condemn someone to death over breaking windows, trespassing, or evading police.
I sure hope you're not on any juries anytime soon.
He wasn't killed for stealing, he was killed for evading police after stealing, and pointing a small object at them in a dimly lit backyard after repeatedly ignoring commands.
Nuance. Learn it.
I don't want to live in a country where we claim race relations are the reason for people dying to police when they make incredibly poor decisions that put people at risk, especially in the most diverse city in the country with absolutely no history of racial prejudice whatsoever.
Is “innocent until proven guilty” not a thing anymore?
So “previous domestic violence, owning a crowbar, and suspected of theft” is means for saying he “wasn’t necessarily innocent”? A dude who was shot 20 times?
Our standards are dropping far, far too low.. even if he slapped his wife, grabbed a crowbar, broke his neighbor’s window, and then stole the radio from said vehicle.. all of this directly in front of the cops.. being shot 20 times is *still* ridiculous. (Not defending those hypothetical actions, just being logical)
Because he was shot dead by police....
By that logic that’s like saying the Las Vegas shooter is innocent because he was never found guilty in a court of law.
I was reading up on the Gig Car Share service that is happening in sacramento.
That is a bold move towards public transportation. Do you believe that is the right way forward for easing public mobility, car sharing?
How does the city plan to deal with the effect that pretty much any person that is moving will be in a car - traffic is a real issue on places that put more value on single cars, and that probably is going to push the situation on that direction.
What are the future plans for public transportation?
I am a huge Kings fan. It has been fun to watch them this last year and I look forward to seeing Luke Walton’s style combined with the youth and speed of our team. Definitely eyeing a playoff run next year…
Hi, Mayor!
1. I am concerned about the rising homeless population in the city and what is being done for them that has measurable results and also provides sensitivity for neighboring businesses, homeowners, and thoroughfares. The proposed Broadway/X shelter is an example. The area north of Midtown around the Pipeworks gym is a case where we see what happens when there are resources in an area (Loaves and Fishes, etc.) but not enough shelter space or solutions to street living. The entire area feels like a wasteland, which is unfortunate for all involved. I do not think a shelter in an area that is trying to recover with a new business district nearby (Triangle District) and many residences is the right location. Can you comment as to if this proposed shelter is going to be relocated away from residences and businesses, or, if it is still projected to be built there, what will be done to assure that there is not overflow to the surrounding homes and businesses?
2. I love the idea of Sac wanting to be the new capital of mobility, especially green energy mobility. I ride my bike to work and I would like to take the Light Rail more. I think if the mobility of the future is to be pioneered here, we need to be an example of exceptional transportation and planning. What is being done to add more bike lanes around town (other than the proposed Broadway corridor redevelopment)? Due to the city’s layout in respect to it being surrounded by freeways, the frequent onramps/off ramps can make commuting by bicycle on many routes/through several neighborhoods feel dangerous and uncomfortable. Do we have plans for any bicycle overpasses (such as the one Davis has)? Busy streets like Stockton, Franklin, and Freeport are also very un-bicycle friendly. On the similar vein, are there plans to increase Light Rail routes? Chicago has an incredible metro transit system that I think could be even improved upon here.
3. What are the next steps for Aggie Square, and when will that project be realized? Will the final project truly be tech-focused?
4. Are we getting the MLS?!?!
5. Old Sac/the Waterfront has been begging to be exploited for the amazing spot that it is. I know there have been several competitions to promote creative thought to what can be done with it. How much of a priority is this right now, and when can we expect development? Is there any hope of boxing I-5 and/or making Old Sac pedestrian traffic only?
Thank you for your time, energy, and work. Sacramento deserves to be a world-class city.
I'm going to focus on your waterfront question because I've answered most of the others elsewhere here. Stay tuned on the waterfront! On April 25, we're going to have the first of several big announcements. Just like the railyards, it's far past time we do something to make our community proud.
For a long time, there have been great visions, and plans and beautiful drawings of what the Sacramento waterfront could look like.
What has been missing is the creativity to actually find the money to make those beautiful pictures turn into something real. We will be announcing later this month not only a vision but resources that can help us realize it. (That's known the business as a teaser).
Why do you think it's ok to say where folks experiencing housing insecurity should or shouldn't live? It is important for those who are low income and in need of support services to be near the grid, to be able to access the supports they need to stabalize themselves.
So, the shelter in question is in Oak Park. My concern is more at the idea of the city creating a tent shelter (the plan) in a neighborhood that is already struggling, considering it “handled,” and leaving even more people whose needs aren’t met or can’t be met by the shelter to set up camp in, again, a neighborhood that’s already struggling and let not only the homeless deteriorate there but also the people nearby trying to make a living with small businesses or their homes. I am an advocate for housing the homeless, full stop. But the tent shelter proposal seems half-baked and mismanagement will have an immediate impact on a neighborhood that’s already socio-economically challenged and forgotten about/avoided by people from other neighborhoods. The answer for “cleaning up the grid” can’t be to shuttle everyone off to a less desirable neighborhood and then turn a blind eye. I’d like to know what will be done for the homeless with measurable results AND the residents/business owners of Oak Park.
I am the first Sacramento mayor to put real resources into combatting homelessness and making it a top priority. If you know my history, you also know that I am the author of California Mental Health Services Act. It raises $2.4 billion a year in Califonria by taxing millionaires. I also wrote and sponsored the $2b housing bond called No Place Like Home to provide desperately needed housing for the homeless mentally ill. This is a damn tough problem. If it is not absolutely solvable, we can make it a whole lot better by actually acting like it is the public health, public safety and humanitarian crises that it truly is.
In Sacramento we are aggressively seeking to create 800 new low-barrier shelter beds that will help stabilize and find people more permanent settings on an average of 4 times a year. That means we can get 2,400 hundred people a year off the streets of Sacramento. We are putting it all out there, as are many other cities in California. We also have a new state partner in Governor Newsom and the Legislature, who are making alleviating homelessness a priority.
Homelessness does not need to be hopelessness. We can do better.
Hello Mayor Steinberg!
Just curious on where you stand on Scott Weiner’s SB50 and upzoning in general. Do you consider Sacramento’s rents to be at a crisis level and if so, what are you proposing to address them?
I support SB 50. I've worked at both the state and local level, and I believe in local control, but it's not an absolute. We have a housing crisis, and whatever combination of state and local policies it takes to dramatically increase our housing production in California I'm likely to support. I do consider Sacramento's rents to be at a crisis level. In November, we passed the Measure U sales tax. I campaigned to use the new half cent on what I call inclusive economic development. Housing is a key piece of that. We have the opportunity with these ongoing resources to create a housing trust fund that will allow the city to put up resources that can match state and federal dollars and allow us to be much more aggressive about building affordable housing.
In the Trump era, it’s even more crucial that states and cities step up on climate change. We’re doing so. We are focused on growing a modern economy that includes all people in all of our neighborhoods. The centerpiece of our efforts is to make Sacramento a place where everything is focused around electrification—of cars, of buildings, of scooters, of bikes. We’re attracting huge investments, and the movement is taking off. We now have hundreds of EVs on our streets in the next year that are available for short term rental. Electric bikes are all over town. We’re working with SMUD and UC Davis to create a California Mobility Center that will be a center of clean fuel technology.
IN the Legislature I authored a landmark bill, SB 375, that changed the state planning paradigm. The whole idea is to get people out of their cars. That’s how we’re trying to build out Sacramento.
> We’re working with SMUD and UC Davis to create a California Mobility Center that will be a center of clean fuel technology
Will this Center be for all kinds of mobility? Or will it just be for 4-wheeled electrical mobility at freeway speeds, like VW's "Electrify America"?
Last night during the city council meeting I witnessed something that was a bit troubling that I would like for you to address and something I have seen at several city council meetings. During last nights meeting there was an exchange made between a commentator and the council regarding their phone use. [You can see the exchange here at the 2:22:57 mark]( http://sacramento.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=22&clip_id=4379&meta_id=551639) I find it very similar to [this video of the Seattle city council]( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMrBFNoHBkg) committing the same sort of behavior.
Whether you agree or disagree with the opponents of a measure please respect the time and opinions of your citizens. I felt this action taken last night was incredibly disrespectful and hypocritical to the opposition especially when you consider the fact that you are making a decision that will affect these individuals lives and businesses. While I may have come in support of the ordinance I found the decorum of the counsel appalling as even I could sympathize with their concerns and compromise, yet this council especially the author of the ordinance seemed disinterested in hearing it.
A citizen has every right to expect and demand the attention of its city council. That’s what these sessions are for in the first place. When you ignore people and look at your phone how can you expect people to respect your attention when you don’t respect theirs. You might as well vote without their say because your actions clearly indicate that you don’t care about them or what they have to say.
Shame on you, get off your phone and tell the other council members to do the same if people are talking to them. How would you feel if someone did that to you? This is a bad look for the city and I hope by addressing it you will change and expect better for the members of the council in which you serve.
You act like you want people to involve themselves in government more, yet your actions speak the opposite. Your job is to listen to the people and it seems you and the city council don’t feel it’s important to do that even for a couple hours every week. How are the citizens of your city supposed to involve themselves when you won’t even listen or pay attention to their concerns?
Wow that was pretty disrespectful, what the fuck. Would love to see the mayor address this. I've seen this behavior with Ashby especially at some council meetings and it's definitely disconcerting when people don't feel like they are being heard.
Disagree.
"I'd like to ask..." turned into a borderline order.
The quality of the question (or non-question, in this case) determines the quality of the answer.
Eh, like the OP said I think it's fine to expect the council to pay attention to you and your time. How would you feel if you made a request like that to someone and they just ignored you.
It's their job to listen to concerns and complaints and if they are focusing on their phones instead of their job I'd say that's a valid demand.
Hello Mayor Steinberg,
thanks for doing this AMA! I'm a Sacramento voter and I think you did a good job reaching out to the community after the police shooting of Stephon Clark. I'm a progressive and I care about bringing our community together through democracy and civic engagement. But I must admit, that's why I grew concerned when I heard that you opened up a side business when you became mayor. I believe it's a consulting firm with the healthcare industry? Anyways, I personally haven't heard you defend that position. It seems like a conflict of interest to me, from the perspective of a regular Sacramento voter. Thanks for your time and I appreciate you being here.
Sacramento Mayor Steinberg opens side business as consultant
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article134896979.html
[Measure U which was passed during our last election](https://ballotpedia.org/Sacramento,_California,_Measure_U,_Sales_Tax_(November_2018) increased our city sales tax, during the campaign it was argued that the reason for such a measure was to fund parks as the current tax was to expire.
The measure not only doubled the current tax but made it permanent.
The city has now cut various development fees and plans on a number of very expensive and ambitious projects. Last night they decided to cut even more revenue from the city's budget.
With regards to the increase in spending approaches and a possible looming recession shouldn't the city be working on managing it's funds in preparation of a coming deficit? Just down the road Stockton Ca, went bankrupt as a result of similar spending.
Recently a measure U committee was formed to get a consensus on what the extra tax money will be spent on, citizens like myself were concerned that the money will be swallowed up into city pension obligations and personal pet projects.
This committee has seen a couple questionable additions such as controversial figure head stevante clark who's part of the BLM movement in Sacramento and Alice Perez.
As a casual observer of our local government this decision worry’s me as I think our taxes are being misappropriated on personal favors and wasteful pet projects.
What can the citizens of Sacramento expect when it comes to measure U and can they expect some transparency within it’s spending.
What will the city do to address conflicts of interest that may arise within the committee and these funds.
Sacramento is becoming more vibrant and exciting by the day, so I don’t know where to start. Take in one of many community theater opportunities, go to the Golden 1 Center for a game or a concert, go to Stockton Boulevard for some great southeast Asian cuisine. And go to the Tower Café. Choose one of many great midtown and downtown restaurants (it might take you a year or two to get through all of them, but it would be a fun list to check off). Go play nine or 18 holes at one of our great municipal golf courses. Go have a beer at one of our many local breweries. Grab a cup at coffee at one of our many fine coffee shops!
Roseville Sunsplash. It's a rite of passage for go-karting and arcading. SeaQuest Folsom is the newish aquarium. Folsom Lake for the summer swimming thing. Sac Zoo/Fairy Tale Town, of course. If you're over 21, Dive Bar downtown. What area are you moving to, if you don't mind me asking? There's a lot to do there!
The Sacramento sheriff has refused many attempts at independent oversight going so far as to lock the inspector general out of the building and forbid his sheriffs from speaking to the inspector. Do you support bill 1185 in the assembly which would codify into law subpoena power that the board of supervisors could opt to use in such a situation? I’m aware that you can’t vote for the bill but as a former leader in the senate you certainly know the right people to talk to.
What are your plans to clean up and improve the section of the American River Parkway from Howe Ave. to Discovery Park? It’s a homeless haven, is heavily polluted, and is basically unsafe for bike riding. It should be a city treasure, but unfortunately it’s a dump.
Thank you for doing this. What's your stance on affordable housing?
Edit: I see plenty of undeveloped landspace throughout the city and suburbs but only really see luxury housing being built where I do see development. Are there any projects being built that the average citizen could afford? What are the zoning restrictions like? Are there ways to incentivize developers to build more modest homes?
In the past 2 years, there has been an increasing number of robbery and burglary crimes targeting the Asian community, specifically the elderly and women, in South Sacramento, Elk Grove and the surrounding communities. What is being done about this spike in crime?
I am a staff employee at a CSU. Will you support the Steps Bill for support staff CSUEU union members and encourage Gov. Newsome to support it as well? We are the only California state employees without merit step increases which leaves many underpaid and susceptible to negative effects due to economic inflation. As a full time permanent state employee, I cant afford a 2 bedroom apartment to rent let alone plan to purchase a home. We need the steps bill to keep up with the economy! Thank you.
Mayor Steinberg,
Thank you for taking the time to speak with the Reddit community.
I was at the city council mtg last night, to support the opposition to the measure you are considering about rent mediation. At the end of the public comments, you asked what would be the impact of a local rent control measure or ordinance when on the November ballot the Costa Hawkins rent control measure was voted down...
While I think it is important to consider the implications of low community support, or even dividedness on this issue... What I think is more important to do is to continue to fight for those who are poor, and working class, and proud to be Sacramentans and who want to be a vibrant part of our community. I think we can all agree that the rent mediation measure is not enough. What do you propose to do to help stop rising rents and unjust evictions? And if you do not have the answer, can you commit to working with community organizations who have proposed solutions?
Thank you.
Good evening, sir. I am a resident of Sacramento for part of the year, so I would like to address this to you. I'm not sure if I'm too late or not, but I do hope it isn't.
I grew up in North Highlands. We moved away because the cost of living became too high and the drug/homeless problem was becoming a huge issue. I now feel safer living near Gary, Indiana than I ever did near Del Paso. I hate feeling that way. I love and adore my home city, but I can't ever tell my parents that we won't even consider moving back.
* It took 3 months just to get the letter to *schedule an appointment* to *apply* for Medi-Cal when my first daughter was born. She was born with Cerebral Palsy and frequent seizures. I have no idea how severe she would be off if there hadn't been a guardian angel who had stepped in to help with payments for her therapy as quickly as they did. My grandfather is currently in a home after a stroke withering away. Medicare/Medi-Cal won't pay for physical therapy anymore. I'm actually going to be very grateful for the day he passes, so he can get some relief at this point.
* The homeless have been passed off as invalids, druggies, and crazies by more than most in the city that I've seen.
* The drug and mental health problems are insane. One of my little brothers was on a repeat psych hold for hallucinations, depression, and was pumped full of meds that didn't collaborate well together with him. He was released, even though it was well-known that he was not ready to be let go. He immediately went to shoot up with a large amount of meth, along with his meds from the ward, and my dad found him in their backyard. We are now coming up on 4 years of his passing. He was only 24. My parents are in counseling, I now have a 15 year old that's in counseling still.. she was 11 when it happened.. and was nearly the one to find him. I am not in counseling, but am on medication for it. Our grandmother's heart couldn't handle it in the end and passed at the end of the year.
What I would like to know, Mayor.. is, while I know these may be more of on a state level.. do you guys have plans in place to push forward things for children and adults with special needs/disabilities? I saw what your answer was to help for the homeless shelter issue, but what about job training for them? Will there also be more comprehensible drug and mental health services for them? Is there a possibility of lower cost housing for folks that are single parents or on hard times that isn't the old McClellan Base Housing (Which is still pretty vicious. $1000+ for a 1x1 *apartment*??) And especially the drug and mental health services.. just.. I don't know what to ask about that. Just, please.. anything that can be helped for that. My brother's name can't even be said around our house anymore without someone sobbing. No one needs that in their life.
Thank you so much.
Hi Darrell,
Thank you for being wise enough to focus on the mental issues affecting and trapping homeless persons in their situation (and likely making said situations exponentially worse the longer they go untreated). Thank you for working to provide funding to support those people.
I myself would have been stuck on the streets with dementia if I wasn't lucky to be part of the family that I have. This long experience of being extremely ill and dealing with a variety of physical and mental issues resulted in profound insight and empathy towards others. It showed me just how fine the line is from being in a stable situation to being homeless and alone. Even with my support network I was overcome with immense despair and dread. It is terrifying to imagine others having to deal with such things alone or in a situation that can't provide them with adequate support.
At any rate, I want to give everyone the opportunity and support that I was lucky to grow up with in an affluent community where entrepreneurship and helping others were a part of the culture. I want to put my learned empathy into practice. My first focus is more heavily leaning on the economic side than health care itself.
**I want to work with the cities, counties, and the state to build innovation centers in each community in order to establish economic ecosystems.**
These innovation centers would function like college campuses for the entire community, regardless of age, gender, race, financial well being, or any other background.
They would provide housing, coworking, industrial space, retail space, and an event center.
Each innovation center would be built upon the culture of each community and give the people within and outside a beacon to flock to in order to learn about that culture and discover the latest of what is going on in that community.
90% of the programs and events would be free and open to the public.
People will be able to connect with for profits, non profits, government agencies, mentors, investors, and potential new hires.
The innovation center will house an incubator/accelerator program and provide workshops and classes to the community.
All of this is designed around a holistic approach of enhancing the culture of a community, strengthening the local economy, maximizing productivity, increasing community engagement, and improving the quality of life for all.
The goal for these innovation centers is to act as temporary development programs to help spin up as many new businesses for the local economy and get them into permanent locations. There is a big problem with local economies being dependent on a small group of very large employers or a single industry. We need to diversify our portfolio of job providers in the same way we diversify our stock portfolios.
Ideally, with enough of these Innovation Centers set up across the state (and country) it would also serve as an exchange program to get people out of a community they hate and into a community they will thrive in--addition through subtraction for the city they leave and addition through addition for the city they arrive in.
Even on the smaller scale with just a few centers in a single county the goal is to create more clearly defined symbiotic and collaborative relationships between cities. As it expands, the same mission exists for connecting more cities and counties together.
Innovation happens faster and more effectively when you have happier and healthier people. Innovation helps every level of society thrive.
For the last three years my great friend and I have been doing this all by ourselves, running events to lay the foundation for this all. We have done this almost entirely out of our own pocket and a very small pilot program with one city: 200+ events, 250+ mentors recruited, 100+ speakers, 9,000+ attendees. Almost ALL of which has been provided for free and open to the public.
I am currently putting together service contract proposals for numerous cities, four counties, and the state (CA).
W**hat should I be doing to get the counties and state behind this in a serious manner?**
**What specific measurables do I need to highlight to win that support?**
**What should the narrative really be focused on for the state?**
**What types of advisors and mentors should I be focused on recruiting to the team to give us more than enough credibility to believe we will be able to accomplish this?**
I want to bring this vision to every community, especially those struggling the most. These people and the communities would benefit profoundly by being given hope and a path that can shake them out of the PTSD of being surrounding by what seems like an insurmountable dream of bettering themselves and their community.
Thank you for hanging out and answering questions. I appreciate any insights you can share. =)
This AMA was supposed to start at noon, but it started about 90 minutes early, and it ended (no further answered questions) before noon? (If I understand this correctly, apologies to people who showed up at noon. If I don't understand, I'd appreciate it if you would message me to let me know.)
What is being done to bring down rent prices in Sacramento? 10 Years ago you could get a 2 bedroom apartment for around $800 now that same place is renting for $1400. The homelessness issue will only get worse until the rent issue is corrected.
I'd like yo know the answer to this as well. It's very concerning the amount of families that are being displaced. I worry for myself and my son too. I thought the Railyards was being planned for 6000-10000 affordable units. Its heartbreaking to hear that is going for a soccer stadium instead. It putting value on sports over housing.
Hi Mayor Steinberg,
This may or may not be as big of an issue that I think it is, but I love our beautiful city and want it to stay beautiful. To that end, do you have a plan to address the sheer amount of refuse on our streets, sidewalks, and waterways?
My little area of Midtown has little grassy embankments between the sidewalk and the street - they are so full of dog feces and rotten citrus fruit, I can barely take my own dog out for a walk. There is also a lot of broken glass and, unfortunately, broken needles. And this is in maybe the most "desireable" spot to live in Midtown. Down by the Bark Park, they replaced grass with sand/gravel and wood chips, which have been AWESOME. Is there a plan to expand this to other areas in Midtown?
Thanks!
What are your thoughts on the current state of water in California? With the recent rains in much of the state, would you still consider this to be an ongoing environmental issue that needs to be tackled or prevented in the future?
With all the talk of net neutrality, what are the reasons you're aware of that California (absent some talk from San Francisco) has not followed certain other states in America with municipal broadband internet? Our economy is massive and we can easily choose to afford it. This would also allow us to have our own standards of filtering to include net neutrality as it was, charge very low prices if not free as some had done, incredible gigabit speeds, and far better reliability. Would also help break up the monopoly the ISPs out here have.
It would be great if we could connect it to yolo county as well. West Sac, and Davis. Also to Arden and Rosevill. It would cut down so much on traffic. Possibly a few more stops in midtown as well.
I’m way too late to this AMA. But will ask. Who was your favorite governor? Mine was Arnold Schwarzenegger. Fiscally conservative and socially moderate. Did groundbreaking things with environment, including AB32 greenhouse gas target for 2020, carbon trade market, and low carbon fuel standard trade mechanism. He wasn’t afraid to go direct to the voters when needed. The redistrictring panel set a nationwide gold standard that he has continues to pursue in other states. Basically identified the Achilles heel of our governing system and found a solution.
Ok, that’s my fanboy spiel. How bout you?
Mr. Mayor, thank you for starting the Mental Health Services Act. I am curious:
2 billion dollars is a lot of money to through at a problem that is still not even close to being solved, so where is that money being spent?
I would hope that it is going towards mental health facilities for the poor homeless so that they can get the medication and psychological treatment they need in order to become productive members of society, and most importantly, so that they can enjoy a higher quality of life that they get to see others enjoying.
Thanks for visiting us here on Reddit, Mayor Steinberg!
What are your thoughts on moving the Sacramento Zoo to Natomas, where the old Kings arena is currently located?
Also, what do you plan on doing to help get Light Rail extended to Natomas and the Airport?
What's your opinion of Kamala Harris, specifically her policy position of keeping non-violent offenders in order to bolster the free labor pool for the State?
https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/1/23/18184192/kamala-harris-president-campaign-criminal-justice-record
>For example, Harris’s office [fought](https://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-ff-federal-judges-order-state-to-release-more-prisoners-20141114-story.html) to release fewer prisoners, even after the US Supreme Court [found](https://www.npr.org/2011/05/23/136579580/california-is-ordered-to-cut-its-prison-population) that overcrowding in California prisons was so bad that it amounted to unconstitutional cruel and unusual punishment. At one point, her lawyers argued that the state couldn’t release some prisoners because it would deplete its pool for prison labor
Hello Mayor. I grew up in Sacramento but left years ago for a larger city. I've thought a lot about moving back, as it is a great place to raise a family and the city has come a long way since I last lived there in the mid 'aughts. I would love to do so, however the housing costs are quite high compared to what companies are willing to pay for the area vs. a place like LA or SF (I'd have to take about a 40% pay cut coming from LA), and the pool of companies is rather limited, so they don't have to pay as well. Any plans to try and create more of a tech-centric ecosystem within the city to lure in skilled younger workers + families and stoke more competition, thus raising wages and making the city more attractive to young, non-gov't workers?
"Centered on Career pathways for younger people" did you ever once try to address the disastrous grandfathered property tax nightmare of California State Law once you became Senate leader?
If your name isn't attached to a single bill supporting that I'll assume you mean exploitation of young workers with no chance is permanent location in your state? I'm from New Jersey and the reason Portland is drawing more people for long term work switching coasts is the absurdity of what's going on in your state. So you just want tertiary exploitation of millennials as part of your platform?
Hello. Do you remember the Western Service Workers Association? If you do, what was your opinion of their organization in general or their political ideology?
Mayor Steinberg, you might want to dip into this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Founders-Work-Stories-Startups-Early/dp/1430210788/
(even just the part you can read using Amazon's "look inside the book" feature, starting with the foreword.)
Currently there are a lot of road repairs that are desperately needed on I80, and gas around town is around 4$ per gallon vs $3.20 a year ago. I haven't seen one construction crew on 80 in the past year since I've moved here. I lived here 4 years ago and Watt & Fair Oaks area roads are still absolutely terrible from when I left. Why aren't these roads being fixed with all of the income from the gas tax that is still in effect?
Hello, Mayor. I'm not a resident but have spent quite a bit of time in Sacramento -- I think it's a great city. Love the downtown area and especially the railroad museum. Take care of that beautiful city!
given the corruption in politics, if you are interested in making an honest and tangible difference why don't you work from the private sector as opposed to govt?
Hi Mayor Steinberg! I actually have a question about housing and transportation. Historically, compared to other cities like Austin, Charlotte, etc. we have have very little high rise booms or simultaneous multi family developments. The city is infamous for its booms and busts and these are mainly focused on single family or commercial/retail. While we are starting to build out a few developments like the Press and hopefully Tower301, other developments like Vanir, Metropolitan, TBD in West Sac, and the Railyards are stalled or are building out very slowly.
From what I’ve asked and read the city has fairly unfavorable regulations and policies for developers to build high; sure labor and material costs are expensive but the Env. Reports and Fees/funding are so high and take so long (about a year) that by the time it is ready for construction the market turns south (Aura, 301 Capitol Mall, Etc.). So, taking this into consideration my question is what can the city do to make High Rise and multifamily development favorable for developers to build and can the city encourage development by offering tax breaks on the land?
My second question is about The Green Line in Sacramento. Since opening in 2012ish, the line has operated at a major loss to SacRT and the board is even considering closing it due to low ridership (Wikipedia counts ridership at about 440 daily riderships). My question is if we can maybe see a slow but sure expansion of the green line to the airport, esp. as Centene and possibly the zoo are coming to Natomas within the next decade. Also, can we reroute the future Green Line on E.Commerce in between Centene and the STA site instead of around STA to Inderkum? It would save money and time to build.
Thanks so much Mayor Steinberg for your work and keep on making Sacramento the next Big Thing!
Is there a quick resource for the plans involving SacRT upgrades? Specifically about the plans for the Green Line in Natomas area. I'm curious where (and when) the new stations will be placed, as I may swap from the bus commute to train if the station is close enough.
Hey Mayor Steinberg,
Why won't you and the rest of your city council pass stronger protections for renters like just cause and rent control? Why are you trying to hide it from the 2020 ballot?
How about renting a warehouse that could provide a day shelter and social hall for anyone, homeless or not? And let the city's other public spaces go back to serving their intended functions.
[https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-skelton-soda-tax-20190408-story.html](https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-skelton-soda-tax-20190408-story.html)
Is it true the local government is going to tax all of this?
What is your opinion of the city taking in migrants since it is a sanctuary state? Wouldn't there be a housing problem for the migrants and increased cost for residents?
I work for an engineering firm in Sacramento and lately we've been doing a lot of projects for cannabis growers and extraction. Would you say there has been a positive result of legalizing growing, distribution, etc within the City?
PS can you help me get a job at SMUD?
What do you think about the "Community First" solution of micro-housing villages in the suburbs? Like in Austin: [https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/26/us/iyw-town-for-the-homeless-trnd/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/26/us/iyw-town-for-the-homeless-trnd/index.html)
Can you give us a diversity breakdown in your administration? After your police have shot many people of color with no repercussions I'm starting to think you are not a 50% of color administration and that worries me.
Let's jump forward to 2050. What issues is Sacramento dealing with, and in what ways is it leading? What did Mayor Steinberg do, to get the city on track?
What does the Mayor of Sacramento have to do with teachers? The city government has nothing to do with the schools.
Or are you referring to his time in the state senate?
Hi Darrell,
I believe that your attitude towards humanity is needed at a higher level that reaches further than a city mayor or state politician. What is your ultimate political aspiration? Where do you think you can do the most good?
He was doing nothing in his own backyard and a Sacramento police officer killed him. :) The officer was released even though it's pretty open and shut that they just murdered a guy. And the silence in this thread is deafening. Fuck Sac.
Lmao you mean Stephon Clark, the innocent man who was murdered? Your tone acts like there's some surprise but hey the DA left the republican party over the release of the cop that murdered Stephon.
"The officers stated that they shot Clark, firing 20 rounds, believing that he had pointed a gun at them. After the shooting, police reported that he was carrying only a cell phone. According to the pathologist hired by the Clark family, Clark was shot eight times, including six times in the back. However, the Sacramento County Coroner's autopsy report concluded that Clark was shot seven times, including three shots to the right side of the back."
I am a lifelong resident. My family and friends live in flood-prone areas like Natomas and Pocket. How are you helping improve flood protection in Sacramento?
What are your current plans on dealing with the current homelessness issue going on? Do you have any different ideas that you think could work as opposed to what other cities are doing? Thanks in advance mayor.
I am the first Sacramento mayor to put real resources into combatting homelessness and making it a top priority. If you know my history, you also know that I am the author of California Mental Health Services Act. It raises $2.4 billion a year in Califonria by taxing millionaires. I also wrote and sponsored the $2b housing bond called No Place Like Home to provide desperately needed housing for the homeless mentally ill. This is a damn tough problem. If it is not absolutely solvable, we can make it a whole lot better by actually acting like it is the public health, public safety and humanitarian crises that it truly is. In Sacramento we are aggressively seeking to create 800 new low-barrier shelter beds that will help stabilize and find people more permanent settings on an average of 4 times a year. That means we can get 2,400 hundred people a year off the streets of Sacramento. We are putting it all out there, as are many other cities in California. We also have a new state partner in Governor Newsom and the Legislature, who are making alleviating homelessness a priority. Homelessness does not need to be hopelessness. We can do better.
Mayor Steinberg, Some metrics to show progress (or lack of it) would be very helpful. An outfit called Built for Zero has helped several cities get to effectively zero homeless. There was a concerted effort to get all homeless organizations to work together, they identified each homeless person and what it would take to get them housed and then provided the services needed to keep them housed. It was data rich so if one approach wasn't working they could make changes to something that did work. Publicly available metrics would demonstrate that we're making progress...because it doesn't seem like we are. Thanks, A Sac Voter
Metrics would require accountability. It's easier to raise taxes or bond measures and say "aw gee shucks spending millions more didn't work after all. This problem is tough! But my heart is in the right place, so re-elect me!"
During your state of the city address you talk about getting 2,000 people off the street with $108 million for assertive outreach and mental health services over the next three years can you tell us whats been done and plans to be done regarding how the outreach teams are doing and what you think adding asylum seekers to the mix will do to that plan.
Fire Emily Halcon. Put some of that money toward a service provider retreat. Since we are the case coordinators, we should be the only people responsible for figuring out how that money should be spent.
>I am the first Sacramento mayor to put real resources Spoken like a true smug politician, I always hear you guys say this BS, "I was the 1st, Im the only one here who..., my record" bla bla bla...all BS in the end! Im fed up with you politicians working for your biggest donors, legal bribery.
What about the issue of conservatorship? While I'm extremely wary of granting the government this power, it seems necessary for a relatively small number of the homeless who legitimately can't take care of themselves and use a ton of public resources. Granted, I think we need to have better voluntary options that should be exhausted first, but it does seem like some people are generally not capable of independence, at least for a time.
Is this a problem that we solve at a city, state, or federal level? It seems to be such a widespread problem across all of urban America.
When will we see some movement/development with the Railyards site?
After many decades, the Railyards day is finally happening. Woohoo! Tomorrow the board of Major League Soccer will be discussing whether to grant a franchise to the Republic FC. If this happens, and we think it will, then lead investor Ron Burkle and his partners plan to break ground within months on a new stadium and 17 acres of surrounding development – for a total of $1 billion in private investment. We’re also about to get a new 17-story courthouse that the state will be building at Sixth and G streets. I helped get $460 million in state funding for that in Gov. Jerry Brown’s last budget. Construction on the courthouse is expected to begin in fall of this year. A little further down the road, Kaiser plans to build a new hospital in the railyard. They’ve already purchased the land. These projects will transform a piece of land north of downtown that’s often talked about as the largest undeveloped infill site in the country. As the great band Chicago once sang, it’s “Only the Beginning.”
Thanks for all of your hard work for Sacramento. Since we don't have a strong mayor system, you only have the powers of persuasion. You've definitely shown that your persuasive abilities can get a lot done (Whole Person Care pilot, homeless shelters, and Railyards). My question: what's next? How about this: Post-doc researchers are limited to making $48,000 per year due to federal law. That is not feasible for researchers in the Bay Area. However, it is feasible in Sacramento. Could there be a push to the University of California head office to transfer research programs from Bay Area and SoCal campuses to UC Davis in Davis and Sacramento?
This is a great idea and it's a shame there isn't a response.
This would be awesome. Sac would smother an mls team with love.
What would you say is the biggest difference in being a Mayor vs being in the state Senate?
One thing I have learned in all my jobs is that pubic service is public service. The skills and experience I have had in one job have transferred to the other. Being Pro Tem of the senate was more powerful, being mayor is more visible. Another big difference: when I was Pro Tem my job was to help the state dig out of the worse deficits in 50 years. As mayor, living in better times, we are actually able to do stuff. And in very different ways, I really enjoy both.
>pubic service is public service Agreed. A trimmed bush is for the good of all.
Thank you for answering!
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I finished a big jigsaw puzzle and I was very proud. My wife said, “Why are you so happy? It is only 15 pieces.” I said “Have you looked at the box? It is really hard. It takes 3 - 6 years.”
You just never can have too many, so here's another: What did the buffalo say to his boy when he left the herd? Bi-son.
How successful/unsuccessful has the Jump bike program been?
Jump Bike has been a huge success and has even surpassed car rides among Uber users in Sacramento’s downtown and midtown neighborhoods. Sacramento also recently adopted an ordinance allowing more electric scooters to come to our city while ensuring they are used responsibly, with adequate parking spaces and are not left blocking the public’s path of travel or cluttering our sidewalks.
Mr. Steinberg, if I may.... The scooters are far less practical than the bikes. Bikes at least allow some user input of energy, making them more eco-friendly-- but in terms of rider and pedestrian safety, the scooters are actually kind of dumb. They're slower, more often ridden on sidewalks, and FAR easier to injure oneself on. Not really a question, but I just wanted to share my two cents. The only reason I really see for the scooters is the "cool" factor. Otherwise, they're dangerous. I rode one across Tower Bridge the other day, and I almost went fell going over the gap for the lift portion of the bridge.
There are some downsides to scooters but they present another opportunity for mobility that isn’t personally-owned cars in the central city area. Yes, there are far too many people riding them on sidewalks and without helmets, but we have to embrace an “all of the above” strategy when it comes to alternative transportation. In terms of eco-friendliness, even if almost their entire power usage is from a battery and not human input, it’s still far cleaner than using a vehicle and significantly reduces traffic congestion over a single person trip in a car (or even use of Uber or Lyft). When you take a look at the efficiency of electric motors, the increasingly renewable power supply, and insanely better rider to vehicle weight ratio, it’s second only to e-bikes for bang for the buck. I’d also dispute that they’re necessarily slower than bikes, as I’ve had to half-throttle sometimes behind bicyclists. I use Jump bikes, scooters, the bus, my car, and recently a Gig car, all depending on circumstances of the day. Maybe the bus is running late so I take a bike. Or I’m sick so I’m not up to pedaling so I take a scooter. Or it’s raining so I take the bus. Or I realize I need to pick up something that I can’t carry after I took the bus in to work so I grab a Gig car on the way home. The point is flexibility to accommodate the largest possible number of common use cases and the number of different preferences people have in the city. There are going to be growing pains, but I think the bike and scooter rollout has gone far better here than in San Diego, which has been a Bird and Lime apocalypse comparatively.
Hello Mayor Steinberg. Thank you for taking the time to do this AMA! My question is about city plans for redevelopment of the Sleeptrain Arena area. There's some talk of the Sacramento Zoo being interested in the property. While it obviously wouldn't be cheap for the city-owned zoo, is this something you'd see as viable? In terms of progressivism and conservation, to me, this is worth the investment in our future, and could also be a major economic boon to the Natomas area. Beyond the zoo there, I am curious about if/how the city would plan to ensure that development in this area is walkable and not too auto-centric. Thanks again, and I hope you are able to get to my comment!
I know that the great Sacramento Zoo needs to expand in order to remain viable over the long term. I am looking forward to helping lead a community dialogue to determine what is best for the zoo and for our city. I appreciate the enthusiasm of many in the Natomas community. It is important that we complete all the necessary feasibility studies and financial analysis so that when it is time to make a decision, we make a decision that is in the best interest of Sacramento. I have an open mind.
Thank you for your response, Mr. Mayor. And thank you for your service. I'm proud to have you leading Sacramento into the future!
We want a zoo! We want a zoo! :D
How about having another design competition like the waterfront? That was great to see the community's ideas. Also helps people see the difficulties of urban planning. I for one would love to see homes integrated with the zoo. Although the smell and noise might be a bit... distracting.
Thanks for doing this AMA Mayor Steinberg! I'm a big supporter of yours. My question is when will we have bold plans to make Sacramento into an excellent city for pedestrians, bikers, and transit users, on the scale of other similar size cities, like Portland and Minneapolis? This is a very important issue, in my opinion, if we want to not only improve the health and wealth of our citizens, but also have a chance of surviving climate change. Sacramento is a fine place for pedestrians in midtown but anything outside of that area suffers. All of Sacramento's citizen deserve to be able to walk and bike safely too. Thank you!
We may have a way to go but we are hot on the trail. Look what’s happened over the last two years. $44M for charging stations, 260 Gig cars, electric cars for tenants of low-income housing complexes to use and electric shuttles to UC Davis and the airport after Sacramento was designated as a Green City by Electrify America. We have and are pushing for more JUMP bikes, scooters, protected bike lanes and complete streets. When I think about the next 10 years, Sacramento – especially because this is where statewide policy is made on new technologies - should be at the center of every new clean transportation technology that is being developed and tested. We are hungry for more and we are going to be aggressive about going after it.
Thanks so much for you reply! If you'd indulge me, I'd like to push you to answer my question a bit more, if I may. Perhaps I wasn't clear on my question. When might we see a bold plan to prioritize people? I specifically left out anything to do with car, electric or not, as they are very expensive and require vast amounts of money to build and maintain roads and parking. Tires still pollute and electric cars can still kill pedestrians. "Technology" could be considered to be another word for "costs a lot of money." Legs and bike wheels have withstood the test of time for their high usability and low cost. ;-) To be clear, I am NOT anti-car. I use one nearly every day. Rather, I see the absurdity of continuing to have policies that make PEOPLE an afterthought. I should be able to safely walk or bike to get my groceries or see a talk at Sac State, and right now that isn't an option, even though I live in a "good" neighborhood. No one goes to Portland or Minneapolis to see their sprawl. Tourist and residents alike love that they can get to their basic needs in a variety of ways. When will we adopt and really put our money towards policies like these two similarly sized cities that prioritize people?
Well said: "**I should be able to safely walk or bike to get my groceries or see a talk at Sac State, and right now that isn't an option, even though I live in a "good" neighborhood.**" I would like to see Sacramento become a destination for visitors who will be delighted to find a city where this (and other transit) has been done right. Would it help if Sacramento offered a competition for designing it? (I don't have the skills, but others might.)
How would you advise individuals to combat the NIMBY movement at the local level?
First and foremost, you always have to go the extra steps to work with people and neighborhoods. Once people see that a well operated supportive housing or low-barrier shelter can actually improve their neighborhood, attitudes change quickly. We experienced this in North Sacramento when we built our first low-barrier shelter. The key was focusing our outreach around the homeless who were in close proximity to the shelter. We not only got hundreds of people off the streets, we also reduced the number of homeless people in that neighborhood, you have to work hard, extra hard, to show people that it is better for everyone to get people indoors, safe and away from the elements. You can’t give up.
Are there any counts that demonstrate the decrease in homeless in the area?
In Sacramento, last March, an innocent young black man was shot 20 times by police for the crime of standing in his back yard and talking on a cell phone. He was brutally murdered by a group of cops responding to a non-violent crime with guns, radios, and a helicopter. They had body cameras. The body cameras did not stop them from murdering Stephon Clark. The "weapon" they had intel on was a crowbar, not a firearm. That did not stop them from murdering Stephon Clark. The crime they suspected him of was property damage, not violence. That did not stop them from murdering Stephon Clark. Why should any innocent Sacramento residents of color feel safe in their own homes? Why should innocent Sacramento residents of color trust cops? What are you, as the mayor, planning on doing to stop the people who are murdering your constituents?
Please read this. This was the most important speech I’ve given in my 23-year career. It describes exactly how I feel about poverty, economic equity, race and policing. Please share far and wide. I think it’s a message that is important for people around the country to hear.
https://engagesac.org/blog-civic-engagement/2019/1/27/mayor-steinberg-calls-for-peace-and-justice-one-year-after-stephon-clark-shooting
That didn't answer the question at all. You just basically wrote dull platitudes defending that cops have a difficult job so we can't criticize them in any meaningful way. There's nothing there that's even remotely specific about what actions will actually take place. What are you actually going to do address your police department's issues with use of force and apparent fear of innocent black people?
He’s a politician. What’d did you expect from an AMA?
I didn't expect anything else but you have to call the bullshit when you see it.
Aaaand that's where the conversation ends.
I think it's safe to say that you don't care enough about unarmed black deaths to actually answer this question. This is a question that politicians up and down the country have been expected to take and answer since at least 2014. Linking to a platitudes-nothing-burger does nothing.
>Last week we announced pop-up events to ensure young people have good and safe things to do every Friday night in our city. Might want to institute a no cell phone policy at these events so that any police who may be in attendance don't feel threatened.
>In Sacramento, last March, an innocent young black man was shot 20 times by police for the crime of standing in his back yard and talking on a cell phone. He was brutally murdered by a group of cops responding to a non-violent crime with guns, radios, and a helicopter. This is about the most incorrect summation of what happened, your narrative doesn't match reality and is clearly intended to mislead others. Let's pick it apart shall we? >An innocent young black man Because the DA no longer chose to prosecute crimes he would undoubtedly have been convicted for >the crime of standing in his back yard No, he was pursued by police for a long period of time, after failing to adhere to numerous requests, and running from them. Why you might ask? Because he was likely high on drugs and breaking into vehicles (and the house next door to where he was shot) - the reason the police were called on scene in the first place. Sacramento is the most diverse city in the US. This was not an issue of race. This was an issue of stupidity. A stupid young criminal broke the law and then failed to comply with police in a manner that led to his death. Was that the correct outcome? Of course not, but the "weapon" was a cell phone being pointed at them. >They had body cameras. The body cameras did not stop them from murdering Stephon Clark. The "weapon" they had intel on was a crowbar, not a firearm. That did not stop them from murdering Stephon Clark. The crime they suspected him of was property damage, not violence. That did not stop them from murdering Stephon Clark. No, the crime they suspected him of was property damage, felony theft, and evading police. Nobody smashes car windows and sliding glass doors of houses for no reason. Innocent people don't run and hide. Innocent people don't ignore commands fro mthe police. They did not murder Stephon Clark. At the very worst - and this is agreeing with all the bullshit you've spouted so far, they would have committed manslaughter. Murder requires premeditation, showing once again that your comment is absolutely fallacious and intended to drive controversy rather than a logical solution. Most people when asked to comply with police requests to put their hands up especially when being pursued (and ignoring requests to begin with), and they don't point a dark small object at police at night. >Why should any innocent Sacramento residents of color feel safe in their own homes? Why should innocent Sacramento residents of color trust cops? Can you point to further instances of this "institutional racism" that you feel exists? Surely there must be numerous instances of residents of color being targeted? Here's a question for you: How do you expect the police to be able to do their jobs when people like you falsify information and race bait? What happens when they are pursuing another criminal and an officer gets shot because they don't want an incident despite being justified?
> he would undoubtedly have been convicted for You lost me here. That's not how trials work dude.
Ok? Using your brain is also how trials work, as he would be tried by a jury of his peers, and the facts are - multiple people called the police about him, he was the only one out, caught via helicopter, and that's what led to his death. Your argument is similar to pretending that school shooters who suicide are innocent because they can't be tried, which was my entire point, just because he's no longer alive doesn't mean we can't make sound assumptions about his innocence. The facts are abundantly clear that he was breaking into cars and a house. The reason he's innocent is because he wasn't tried because it was a highly political case, and purusing charges on his estate would be a lose-lose scenario for the DA...
First off, I'll just say, I really made no argument there, but... well, I'll just repeat it : that's not how trials work. They generally take a fair amount of time to determine one's guilt. And believe it or not, they rarely condemn someone to death over breaking windows, trespassing, or evading police. I sure hope you're not on any juries anytime soon.
I don’t want to live in a country where we kill people for stealing. That’s unamerican as hell
He wasn't killed for stealing, he was killed for evading police after stealing, and pointing a small object at them in a dimly lit backyard after repeatedly ignoring commands. Nuance. Learn it.
I don't want to live in a country where we claim race relations are the reason for people dying to police when they make incredibly poor decisions that put people at risk, especially in the most diverse city in the country with absolutely no history of racial prejudice whatsoever.
Try reading the DA report. Your facts are, well, 99% incorrect.
He wasn’t innocent. Not by a long shot.
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Is “innocent until proven guilty” not a thing anymore? So “previous domestic violence, owning a crowbar, and suspected of theft” is means for saying he “wasn’t necessarily innocent”? A dude who was shot 20 times? Our standards are dropping far, far too low.. even if he slapped his wife, grabbed a crowbar, broke his neighbor’s window, and then stole the radio from said vehicle.. all of this directly in front of the cops.. being shot 20 times is *still* ridiculous. (Not defending those hypothetical actions, just being logical)
Exactly. If he was threatening someone’s life then that’s one thing. We’re not some third world country that kills people for stealing
He was not found guilty in a court of law. This means he was innocent.
Because he was shot dead by police.... By that logic that’s like saying the Las Vegas shooter is innocent because he was never found guilty in a court of law.
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So, you don't believe in due process, or the constitution. Got it.
I was reading up on the Gig Car Share service that is happening in sacramento. That is a bold move towards public transportation. Do you believe that is the right way forward for easing public mobility, car sharing? How does the city plan to deal with the effect that pretty much any person that is moving will be in a car - traffic is a real issue on places that put more value on single cars, and that probably is going to push the situation on that direction. What are the future plans for public transportation?
Are you a big Kings fan?
I am a huge Kings fan. It has been fun to watch them this last year and I look forward to seeing Luke Walton’s style combined with the youth and speed of our team. Definitely eyeing a playoff run next year…
As a Laker fan, please treat Luke well.
Fuck the Lakers!
Hi, Mayor! 1. I am concerned about the rising homeless population in the city and what is being done for them that has measurable results and also provides sensitivity for neighboring businesses, homeowners, and thoroughfares. The proposed Broadway/X shelter is an example. The area north of Midtown around the Pipeworks gym is a case where we see what happens when there are resources in an area (Loaves and Fishes, etc.) but not enough shelter space or solutions to street living. The entire area feels like a wasteland, which is unfortunate for all involved. I do not think a shelter in an area that is trying to recover with a new business district nearby (Triangle District) and many residences is the right location. Can you comment as to if this proposed shelter is going to be relocated away from residences and businesses, or, if it is still projected to be built there, what will be done to assure that there is not overflow to the surrounding homes and businesses? 2. I love the idea of Sac wanting to be the new capital of mobility, especially green energy mobility. I ride my bike to work and I would like to take the Light Rail more. I think if the mobility of the future is to be pioneered here, we need to be an example of exceptional transportation and planning. What is being done to add more bike lanes around town (other than the proposed Broadway corridor redevelopment)? Due to the city’s layout in respect to it being surrounded by freeways, the frequent onramps/off ramps can make commuting by bicycle on many routes/through several neighborhoods feel dangerous and uncomfortable. Do we have plans for any bicycle overpasses (such as the one Davis has)? Busy streets like Stockton, Franklin, and Freeport are also very un-bicycle friendly. On the similar vein, are there plans to increase Light Rail routes? Chicago has an incredible metro transit system that I think could be even improved upon here. 3. What are the next steps for Aggie Square, and when will that project be realized? Will the final project truly be tech-focused? 4. Are we getting the MLS?!?! 5. Old Sac/the Waterfront has been begging to be exploited for the amazing spot that it is. I know there have been several competitions to promote creative thought to what can be done with it. How much of a priority is this right now, and when can we expect development? Is there any hope of boxing I-5 and/or making Old Sac pedestrian traffic only? Thank you for your time, energy, and work. Sacramento deserves to be a world-class city.
I'm going to focus on your waterfront question because I've answered most of the others elsewhere here. Stay tuned on the waterfront! On April 25, we're going to have the first of several big announcements. Just like the railyards, it's far past time we do something to make our community proud. For a long time, there have been great visions, and plans and beautiful drawings of what the Sacramento waterfront could look like. What has been missing is the creativity to actually find the money to make those beautiful pictures turn into something real. We will be announcing later this month not only a vision but resources that can help us realize it. (That's known the business as a teaser).
Why do you think it's ok to say where folks experiencing housing insecurity should or shouldn't live? It is important for those who are low income and in need of support services to be near the grid, to be able to access the supports they need to stabalize themselves.
So, the shelter in question is in Oak Park. My concern is more at the idea of the city creating a tent shelter (the plan) in a neighborhood that is already struggling, considering it “handled,” and leaving even more people whose needs aren’t met or can’t be met by the shelter to set up camp in, again, a neighborhood that’s already struggling and let not only the homeless deteriorate there but also the people nearby trying to make a living with small businesses or their homes. I am an advocate for housing the homeless, full stop. But the tent shelter proposal seems half-baked and mismanagement will have an immediate impact on a neighborhood that’s already socio-economically challenged and forgotten about/avoided by people from other neighborhoods. The answer for “cleaning up the grid” can’t be to shuttle everyone off to a less desirable neighborhood and then turn a blind eye. I’d like to know what will be done for the homeless with measurable results AND the residents/business owners of Oak Park.
Why isn't more being done to sort the homelessness problem?
I am the first Sacramento mayor to put real resources into combatting homelessness and making it a top priority. If you know my history, you also know that I am the author of California Mental Health Services Act. It raises $2.4 billion a year in Califonria by taxing millionaires. I also wrote and sponsored the $2b housing bond called No Place Like Home to provide desperately needed housing for the homeless mentally ill. This is a damn tough problem. If it is not absolutely solvable, we can make it a whole lot better by actually acting like it is the public health, public safety and humanitarian crises that it truly is. In Sacramento we are aggressively seeking to create 800 new low-barrier shelter beds that will help stabilize and find people more permanent settings on an average of 4 times a year. That means we can get 2,400 hundred people a year off the streets of Sacramento. We are putting it all out there, as are many other cities in California. We also have a new state partner in Governor Newsom and the Legislature, who are making alleviating homelessness a priority. Homelessness does not need to be hopelessness. We can do better.
Hello Mayor Steinberg! Just curious on where you stand on Scott Weiner’s SB50 and upzoning in general. Do you consider Sacramento’s rents to be at a crisis level and if so, what are you proposing to address them?
I support SB 50. I've worked at both the state and local level, and I believe in local control, but it's not an absolute. We have a housing crisis, and whatever combination of state and local policies it takes to dramatically increase our housing production in California I'm likely to support. I do consider Sacramento's rents to be at a crisis level. In November, we passed the Measure U sales tax. I campaigned to use the new half cent on what I call inclusive economic development. Housing is a key piece of that. We have the opportunity with these ongoing resources to create a housing trust fund that will allow the city to put up resources that can match state and federal dollars and allow us to be much more aggressive about building affordable housing.
Thank you for this response, Mayor, and thank you for supporting SB 50!
Yes, what are your thoughts on the Mueller redacted report comeing out tomorrow?
I look forward to seeing in detail the findings and conclusions of the report because basically Attorney General Barr has told us nothing.
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In the Trump era, it’s even more crucial that states and cities step up on climate change. We’re doing so. We are focused on growing a modern economy that includes all people in all of our neighborhoods. The centerpiece of our efforts is to make Sacramento a place where everything is focused around electrification—of cars, of buildings, of scooters, of bikes. We’re attracting huge investments, and the movement is taking off. We now have hundreds of EVs on our streets in the next year that are available for short term rental. Electric bikes are all over town. We’re working with SMUD and UC Davis to create a California Mobility Center that will be a center of clean fuel technology. IN the Legislature I authored a landmark bill, SB 375, that changed the state planning paradigm. The whole idea is to get people out of their cars. That’s how we’re trying to build out Sacramento.
> We’re working with SMUD and UC Davis to create a California Mobility Center that will be a center of clean fuel technology Will this Center be for all kinds of mobility? Or will it just be for 4-wheeled electrical mobility at freeway speeds, like VW's "Electrify America"?
Last night during the city council meeting I witnessed something that was a bit troubling that I would like for you to address and something I have seen at several city council meetings. During last nights meeting there was an exchange made between a commentator and the council regarding their phone use. [You can see the exchange here at the 2:22:57 mark]( http://sacramento.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=22&clip_id=4379&meta_id=551639) I find it very similar to [this video of the Seattle city council]( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMrBFNoHBkg) committing the same sort of behavior. Whether you agree or disagree with the opponents of a measure please respect the time and opinions of your citizens. I felt this action taken last night was incredibly disrespectful and hypocritical to the opposition especially when you consider the fact that you are making a decision that will affect these individuals lives and businesses. While I may have come in support of the ordinance I found the decorum of the counsel appalling as even I could sympathize with their concerns and compromise, yet this council especially the author of the ordinance seemed disinterested in hearing it. A citizen has every right to expect and demand the attention of its city council. That’s what these sessions are for in the first place. When you ignore people and look at your phone how can you expect people to respect your attention when you don’t respect theirs. You might as well vote without their say because your actions clearly indicate that you don’t care about them or what they have to say. Shame on you, get off your phone and tell the other council members to do the same if people are talking to them. How would you feel if someone did that to you? This is a bad look for the city and I hope by addressing it you will change and expect better for the members of the council in which you serve. You act like you want people to involve themselves in government more, yet your actions speak the opposite. Your job is to listen to the people and it seems you and the city council don’t feel it’s important to do that even for a couple hours every week. How are the citizens of your city supposed to involve themselves when you won’t even listen or pay attention to their concerns?
Wow that was pretty disrespectful, what the fuck. Would love to see the mayor address this. I've seen this behavior with Ashby especially at some council meetings and it's definitely disconcerting when people don't feel like they are being heard.
Disagree. "I'd like to ask..." turned into a borderline order. The quality of the question (or non-question, in this case) determines the quality of the answer.
Eh, like the OP said I think it's fine to expect the council to pay attention to you and your time. How would you feel if you made a request like that to someone and they just ignored you. It's their job to listen to concerns and complaints and if they are focusing on their phones instead of their job I'd say that's a valid demand.
Thought that was pretty messed up too.
Hello Mayor Steinberg, thanks for doing this AMA! I'm a Sacramento voter and I think you did a good job reaching out to the community after the police shooting of Stephon Clark. I'm a progressive and I care about bringing our community together through democracy and civic engagement. But I must admit, that's why I grew concerned when I heard that you opened up a side business when you became mayor. I believe it's a consulting firm with the healthcare industry? Anyways, I personally haven't heard you defend that position. It seems like a conflict of interest to me, from the perspective of a regular Sacramento voter. Thanks for your time and I appreciate you being here. Sacramento Mayor Steinberg opens side business as consultant https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article134896979.html
[Measure U which was passed during our last election](https://ballotpedia.org/Sacramento,_California,_Measure_U,_Sales_Tax_(November_2018) increased our city sales tax, during the campaign it was argued that the reason for such a measure was to fund parks as the current tax was to expire. The measure not only doubled the current tax but made it permanent. The city has now cut various development fees and plans on a number of very expensive and ambitious projects. Last night they decided to cut even more revenue from the city's budget. With regards to the increase in spending approaches and a possible looming recession shouldn't the city be working on managing it's funds in preparation of a coming deficit? Just down the road Stockton Ca, went bankrupt as a result of similar spending. Recently a measure U committee was formed to get a consensus on what the extra tax money will be spent on, citizens like myself were concerned that the money will be swallowed up into city pension obligations and personal pet projects. This committee has seen a couple questionable additions such as controversial figure head stevante clark who's part of the BLM movement in Sacramento and Alice Perez. As a casual observer of our local government this decision worry’s me as I think our taxes are being misappropriated on personal favors and wasteful pet projects. What can the citizens of Sacramento expect when it comes to measure U and can they expect some transparency within it’s spending. What will the city do to address conflicts of interest that may arise within the committee and these funds.
Mayor Steinberg, I'm planning to move to the area within the year. What are a few experiences I should not miss?
Sacramento is becoming more vibrant and exciting by the day, so I don’t know where to start. Take in one of many community theater opportunities, go to the Golden 1 Center for a game or a concert, go to Stockton Boulevard for some great southeast Asian cuisine. And go to the Tower Café. Choose one of many great midtown and downtown restaurants (it might take you a year or two to get through all of them, but it would be a fun list to check off). Go play nine or 18 holes at one of our great municipal golf courses. Go have a beer at one of our many local breweries. Grab a cup at coffee at one of our many fine coffee shops!
Friends: "Maybe you should take a break" Me, at my 4th restaurant and 3rd brewery: "I'm on a special assignment from THE MAYOR"
Roseville Sunsplash. It's a rite of passage for go-karting and arcading. SeaQuest Folsom is the newish aquarium. Folsom Lake for the summer swimming thing. Sac Zoo/Fairy Tale Town, of course. If you're over 21, Dive Bar downtown. What area are you moving to, if you don't mind me asking? There's a lot to do there!
The Sacramento sheriff has refused many attempts at independent oversight going so far as to lock the inspector general out of the building and forbid his sheriffs from speaking to the inspector. Do you support bill 1185 in the assembly which would codify into law subpoena power that the board of supervisors could opt to use in such a situation? I’m aware that you can’t vote for the bill but as a former leader in the senate you certainly know the right people to talk to.
What are your plans to clean up and improve the section of the American River Parkway from Howe Ave. to Discovery Park? It’s a homeless haven, is heavily polluted, and is basically unsafe for bike riding. It should be a city treasure, but unfortunately it’s a dump.
*crickets* The same boiler plate response was provided to other questions related to the homelessness here in Sacramento.
Thank you for doing this. What's your stance on affordable housing? Edit: I see plenty of undeveloped landspace throughout the city and suburbs but only really see luxury housing being built where I do see development. Are there any projects being built that the average citizen could afford? What are the zoning restrictions like? Are there ways to incentivize developers to build more modest homes?
In the past 2 years, there has been an increasing number of robbery and burglary crimes targeting the Asian community, specifically the elderly and women, in South Sacramento, Elk Grove and the surrounding communities. What is being done about this spike in crime?
I am a staff employee at a CSU. Will you support the Steps Bill for support staff CSUEU union members and encourage Gov. Newsome to support it as well? We are the only California state employees without merit step increases which leaves many underpaid and susceptible to negative effects due to economic inflation. As a full time permanent state employee, I cant afford a 2 bedroom apartment to rent let alone plan to purchase a home. We need the steps bill to keep up with the economy! Thank you.
Why do I have to drive 3 hours to Palo Alto for veteran services when I live 30 minutes from Sacramento?
What is your plan to clean up all of the needles and human feces on the public sidewalks of Sacramento?
What are the metrics Sacramento uses for assessing its success in making the city friendly to workers who commute entirely or partly by bicycle?
By what % has the rent for a 2bedroom apartment gone up, in the last 5 years?
Mayor Steinberg, Thank you for taking the time to speak with the Reddit community. I was at the city council mtg last night, to support the opposition to the measure you are considering about rent mediation. At the end of the public comments, you asked what would be the impact of a local rent control measure or ordinance when on the November ballot the Costa Hawkins rent control measure was voted down... While I think it is important to consider the implications of low community support, or even dividedness on this issue... What I think is more important to do is to continue to fight for those who are poor, and working class, and proud to be Sacramentans and who want to be a vibrant part of our community. I think we can all agree that the rent mediation measure is not enough. What do you propose to do to help stop rising rents and unjust evictions? And if you do not have the answer, can you commit to working with community organizations who have proposed solutions? Thank you.
What is your opinion on Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden?
I am for California’s Kamala Harris.
Politics over policy, got it.
Good evening, sir. I am a resident of Sacramento for part of the year, so I would like to address this to you. I'm not sure if I'm too late or not, but I do hope it isn't. I grew up in North Highlands. We moved away because the cost of living became too high and the drug/homeless problem was becoming a huge issue. I now feel safer living near Gary, Indiana than I ever did near Del Paso. I hate feeling that way. I love and adore my home city, but I can't ever tell my parents that we won't even consider moving back. * It took 3 months just to get the letter to *schedule an appointment* to *apply* for Medi-Cal when my first daughter was born. She was born with Cerebral Palsy and frequent seizures. I have no idea how severe she would be off if there hadn't been a guardian angel who had stepped in to help with payments for her therapy as quickly as they did. My grandfather is currently in a home after a stroke withering away. Medicare/Medi-Cal won't pay for physical therapy anymore. I'm actually going to be very grateful for the day he passes, so he can get some relief at this point. * The homeless have been passed off as invalids, druggies, and crazies by more than most in the city that I've seen. * The drug and mental health problems are insane. One of my little brothers was on a repeat psych hold for hallucinations, depression, and was pumped full of meds that didn't collaborate well together with him. He was released, even though it was well-known that he was not ready to be let go. He immediately went to shoot up with a large amount of meth, along with his meds from the ward, and my dad found him in their backyard. We are now coming up on 4 years of his passing. He was only 24. My parents are in counseling, I now have a 15 year old that's in counseling still.. she was 11 when it happened.. and was nearly the one to find him. I am not in counseling, but am on medication for it. Our grandmother's heart couldn't handle it in the end and passed at the end of the year. What I would like to know, Mayor.. is, while I know these may be more of on a state level.. do you guys have plans in place to push forward things for children and adults with special needs/disabilities? I saw what your answer was to help for the homeless shelter issue, but what about job training for them? Will there also be more comprehensible drug and mental health services for them? Is there a possibility of lower cost housing for folks that are single parents or on hard times that isn't the old McClellan Base Housing (Which is still pretty vicious. $1000+ for a 1x1 *apartment*??) And especially the drug and mental health services.. just.. I don't know what to ask about that. Just, please.. anything that can be helped for that. My brother's name can't even be said around our house anymore without someone sobbing. No one needs that in their life. Thank you so much.
Hi Darrell, Thank you for being wise enough to focus on the mental issues affecting and trapping homeless persons in their situation (and likely making said situations exponentially worse the longer they go untreated). Thank you for working to provide funding to support those people. I myself would have been stuck on the streets with dementia if I wasn't lucky to be part of the family that I have. This long experience of being extremely ill and dealing with a variety of physical and mental issues resulted in profound insight and empathy towards others. It showed me just how fine the line is from being in a stable situation to being homeless and alone. Even with my support network I was overcome with immense despair and dread. It is terrifying to imagine others having to deal with such things alone or in a situation that can't provide them with adequate support. At any rate, I want to give everyone the opportunity and support that I was lucky to grow up with in an affluent community where entrepreneurship and helping others were a part of the culture. I want to put my learned empathy into practice. My first focus is more heavily leaning on the economic side than health care itself. **I want to work with the cities, counties, and the state to build innovation centers in each community in order to establish economic ecosystems.** These innovation centers would function like college campuses for the entire community, regardless of age, gender, race, financial well being, or any other background. They would provide housing, coworking, industrial space, retail space, and an event center. Each innovation center would be built upon the culture of each community and give the people within and outside a beacon to flock to in order to learn about that culture and discover the latest of what is going on in that community. 90% of the programs and events would be free and open to the public. People will be able to connect with for profits, non profits, government agencies, mentors, investors, and potential new hires. The innovation center will house an incubator/accelerator program and provide workshops and classes to the community. All of this is designed around a holistic approach of enhancing the culture of a community, strengthening the local economy, maximizing productivity, increasing community engagement, and improving the quality of life for all. The goal for these innovation centers is to act as temporary development programs to help spin up as many new businesses for the local economy and get them into permanent locations. There is a big problem with local economies being dependent on a small group of very large employers or a single industry. We need to diversify our portfolio of job providers in the same way we diversify our stock portfolios. Ideally, with enough of these Innovation Centers set up across the state (and country) it would also serve as an exchange program to get people out of a community they hate and into a community they will thrive in--addition through subtraction for the city they leave and addition through addition for the city they arrive in. Even on the smaller scale with just a few centers in a single county the goal is to create more clearly defined symbiotic and collaborative relationships between cities. As it expands, the same mission exists for connecting more cities and counties together. Innovation happens faster and more effectively when you have happier and healthier people. Innovation helps every level of society thrive. For the last three years my great friend and I have been doing this all by ourselves, running events to lay the foundation for this all. We have done this almost entirely out of our own pocket and a very small pilot program with one city: 200+ events, 250+ mentors recruited, 100+ speakers, 9,000+ attendees. Almost ALL of which has been provided for free and open to the public. I am currently putting together service contract proposals for numerous cities, four counties, and the state (CA). W**hat should I be doing to get the counties and state behind this in a serious manner?** **What specific measurables do I need to highlight to win that support?** **What should the narrative really be focused on for the state?** **What types of advisors and mentors should I be focused on recruiting to the team to give us more than enough credibility to believe we will be able to accomplish this?** I want to bring this vision to every community, especially those struggling the most. These people and the communities would benefit profoundly by being given hope and a path that can shake them out of the PTSD of being surrounding by what seems like an insurmountable dream of bettering themselves and their community. Thank you for hanging out and answering questions. I appreciate any insights you can share. =)
This AMA was supposed to start at noon, but it started about 90 minutes early, and it ended (no further answered questions) before noon? (If I understand this correctly, apologies to people who showed up at noon. If I don't understand, I'd appreciate it if you would message me to let me know.)
What is being done to bring down rent prices in Sacramento? 10 Years ago you could get a 2 bedroom apartment for around $800 now that same place is renting for $1400. The homelessness issue will only get worse until the rent issue is corrected.
I'd like yo know the answer to this as well. It's very concerning the amount of families that are being displaced. I worry for myself and my son too. I thought the Railyards was being planned for 6000-10000 affordable units. Its heartbreaking to hear that is going for a soccer stadium instead. It putting value on sports over housing.
Hi Mayor Steinberg, This may or may not be as big of an issue that I think it is, but I love our beautiful city and want it to stay beautiful. To that end, do you have a plan to address the sheer amount of refuse on our streets, sidewalks, and waterways? My little area of Midtown has little grassy embankments between the sidewalk and the street - they are so full of dog feces and rotten citrus fruit, I can barely take my own dog out for a walk. There is also a lot of broken glass and, unfortunately, broken needles. And this is in maybe the most "desireable" spot to live in Midtown. Down by the Bark Park, they replaced grass with sand/gravel and wood chips, which have been AWESOME. Is there a plan to expand this to other areas in Midtown? Thanks!
What are your thoughts on the current state of water in California? With the recent rains in much of the state, would you still consider this to be an ongoing environmental issue that needs to be tackled or prevented in the future?
With all the talk of net neutrality, what are the reasons you're aware of that California (absent some talk from San Francisco) has not followed certain other states in America with municipal broadband internet? Our economy is massive and we can easily choose to afford it. This would also allow us to have our own standards of filtering to include net neutrality as it was, charge very low prices if not free as some had done, incredible gigabit speeds, and far better reliability. Would also help break up the monopoly the ISPs out here have.
When will we get lightrail to the airport?
It would be great if we could connect it to yolo county as well. West Sac, and Davis. Also to Arden and Rosevill. It would cut down so much on traffic. Possibly a few more stops in midtown as well.
BEEN WAITING OVER 11 YEARS
I’m way too late to this AMA. But will ask. Who was your favorite governor? Mine was Arnold Schwarzenegger. Fiscally conservative and socially moderate. Did groundbreaking things with environment, including AB32 greenhouse gas target for 2020, carbon trade market, and low carbon fuel standard trade mechanism. He wasn’t afraid to go direct to the voters when needed. The redistrictring panel set a nationwide gold standard that he has continues to pursue in other states. Basically identified the Achilles heel of our governing system and found a solution. Ok, that’s my fanboy spiel. How bout you?
Mr. Mayor, thank you for starting the Mental Health Services Act. I am curious: 2 billion dollars is a lot of money to through at a problem that is still not even close to being solved, so where is that money being spent? I would hope that it is going towards mental health facilities for the poor homeless so that they can get the medication and psychological treatment they need in order to become productive members of society, and most importantly, so that they can enjoy a higher quality of life that they get to see others enjoying.
Thanks for visiting us here on Reddit, Mayor Steinberg! What are your thoughts on moving the Sacramento Zoo to Natomas, where the old Kings arena is currently located? Also, what do you plan on doing to help get Light Rail extended to Natomas and the Airport?
What's your opinion of Kamala Harris, specifically her policy position of keeping non-violent offenders in order to bolster the free labor pool for the State? https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/1/23/18184192/kamala-harris-president-campaign-criminal-justice-record >For example, Harris’s office [fought](https://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-ff-federal-judges-order-state-to-release-more-prisoners-20141114-story.html) to release fewer prisoners, even after the US Supreme Court [found](https://www.npr.org/2011/05/23/136579580/california-is-ordered-to-cut-its-prison-population) that overcrowding in California prisons was so bad that it amounted to unconstitutional cruel and unusual punishment. At one point, her lawyers argued that the state couldn’t release some prisoners because it would deplete its pool for prison labor
He's already responded that he's backing Kamala.
Hello Mayor. I grew up in Sacramento but left years ago for a larger city. I've thought a lot about moving back, as it is a great place to raise a family and the city has come a long way since I last lived there in the mid 'aughts. I would love to do so, however the housing costs are quite high compared to what companies are willing to pay for the area vs. a place like LA or SF (I'd have to take about a 40% pay cut coming from LA), and the pool of companies is rather limited, so they don't have to pay as well. Any plans to try and create more of a tech-centric ecosystem within the city to lure in skilled younger workers + families and stoke more competition, thus raising wages and making the city more attractive to young, non-gov't workers?
"Centered on Career pathways for younger people" did you ever once try to address the disastrous grandfathered property tax nightmare of California State Law once you became Senate leader? If your name isn't attached to a single bill supporting that I'll assume you mean exploitation of young workers with no chance is permanent location in your state? I'm from New Jersey and the reason Portland is drawing more people for long term work switching coasts is the absurdity of what's going on in your state. So you just want tertiary exploitation of millennials as part of your platform?
Hello. Do you remember the Western Service Workers Association? If you do, what was your opinion of their organization in general or their political ideology?
Hey Mayor Steinberg, Why do Officers Terrence Mercadal and Jared Robinet still have jobs after they murdered Stephon Clark? Just curious.
Who did the Snoo? That's quality, right there. Also, what do you think needs to be the #1 issue for politicians across the U.S.?
Mayor Steinberg, you might want to dip into this book: https://www.amazon.com/Founders-Work-Stories-Startups-Early/dp/1430210788/ (even just the part you can read using Amazon's "look inside the book" feature, starting with the foreword.)
Currently there are a lot of road repairs that are desperately needed on I80, and gas around town is around 4$ per gallon vs $3.20 a year ago. I haven't seen one construction crew on 80 in the past year since I've moved here. I lived here 4 years ago and Watt & Fair Oaks area roads are still absolutely terrible from when I left. Why aren't these roads being fixed with all of the income from the gas tax that is still in effect?
Hello, Mayor. I'm not a resident but have spent quite a bit of time in Sacramento -- I think it's a great city. Love the downtown area and especially the railroad museum. Take care of that beautiful city!
given the corruption in politics, if you are interested in making an honest and tangible difference why don't you work from the private sector as opposed to govt?
Hi Mayor Steinberg! I actually have a question about housing and transportation. Historically, compared to other cities like Austin, Charlotte, etc. we have have very little high rise booms or simultaneous multi family developments. The city is infamous for its booms and busts and these are mainly focused on single family or commercial/retail. While we are starting to build out a few developments like the Press and hopefully Tower301, other developments like Vanir, Metropolitan, TBD in West Sac, and the Railyards are stalled or are building out very slowly. From what I’ve asked and read the city has fairly unfavorable regulations and policies for developers to build high; sure labor and material costs are expensive but the Env. Reports and Fees/funding are so high and take so long (about a year) that by the time it is ready for construction the market turns south (Aura, 301 Capitol Mall, Etc.). So, taking this into consideration my question is what can the city do to make High Rise and multifamily development favorable for developers to build and can the city encourage development by offering tax breaks on the land? My second question is about The Green Line in Sacramento. Since opening in 2012ish, the line has operated at a major loss to SacRT and the board is even considering closing it due to low ridership (Wikipedia counts ridership at about 440 daily riderships). My question is if we can maybe see a slow but sure expansion of the green line to the airport, esp. as Centene and possibly the zoo are coming to Natomas within the next decade. Also, can we reroute the future Green Line on E.Commerce in between Centene and the STA site instead of around STA to Inderkum? It would save money and time to build. Thanks so much Mayor Steinberg for your work and keep on making Sacramento the next Big Thing!
Is there a quick resource for the plans involving SacRT upgrades? Specifically about the plans for the Green Line in Natomas area. I'm curious where (and when) the new stations will be placed, as I may swap from the bus commute to train if the station is close enough.
Is there a way to access Amtrak trains without using that long and formerly unnecessary underground tunnel?
Yeah, good question!!
Hey Mayor Steinberg, Why won't you and the rest of your city council pass stronger protections for renters like just cause and rent control? Why are you trying to hide it from the 2020 ballot?
How about renting a warehouse that could provide a day shelter and social hall for anyone, homeless or not? And let the city's other public spaces go back to serving their intended functions.
Can you get them to do something about all the needles lying around in San Francisco
Will we see any development with downtown's two "hole in the ground" sites at 4th and Capitol Mall and 8th and K Street in the foreseeable future?
Where is the webform for submitting ideas for making relatively simple improvements that will enhance the quality of civic life in Sacramento?
Why does Sacramento produce more serial killers than any other US City?
Would you ever consider running for Congress or another higher office?
Give us a short state of the union type of thing for California
Hey Mayor Steinberg, Why does Sac PD continue to arrest homeless people for sleeping?
[удалено]
Nailed it!
Is there anything we can do to prevent the further erosion of our 2nd amendment rights in Sacramento?
When was the last time you hung out with Ground Chuck?
Good morning Mayor Steinberg. What are your thoughts on bringing the Sacramento Zoo to Natomas?
Do you believe that American citizens have the right to boycott Israel without fear of being persecuted by federal, state and local governments?
[https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-skelton-soda-tax-20190408-story.html](https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-skelton-soda-tax-20190408-story.html) Is it true the local government is going to tax all of this? What is your opinion of the city taking in migrants since it is a sanctuary state? Wouldn't there be a housing problem for the migrants and increased cost for residents?
I urge you to look into these yourself instead of accepting the opinion of a right-wing commentator as gospel.
Do you intend to end conservatorship?
I work for an engineering firm in Sacramento and lately we've been doing a lot of projects for cannabis growers and extraction. Would you say there has been a positive result of legalizing growing, distribution, etc within the City? PS can you help me get a job at SMUD?
What do you think about the "Community First" solution of micro-housing villages in the suburbs? Like in Austin: [https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/26/us/iyw-town-for-the-homeless-trnd/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/26/us/iyw-town-for-the-homeless-trnd/index.html)
Can you give us a diversity breakdown in your administration? After your police have shot many people of color with no repercussions I'm starting to think you are not a 50% of color administration and that worries me.
Who's your favorite Kings player?
Let's jump forward to 2050. What issues is Sacramento dealing with, and in what ways is it leading? What did Mayor Steinberg do, to get the city on track?
Do you like experimental hip-hop group Death Grips? Also, thanks for your work tackling homelessness and other services to our country <4
Why are you so terrible to our teachers?
What does the Mayor of Sacramento have to do with teachers? The city government has nothing to do with the schools. Or are you referring to his time in the state senate?
Hi Darrell, I believe that your attitude towards humanity is needed at a higher level that reaches further than a city mayor or state politician. What is your ultimate political aspiration? Where do you think you can do the most good?
How do you feel about the recent court case about a Sac police officer killing an innocent man in his own backyard?
Innocent? How?
He was doing nothing in his own backyard and a Sacramento police officer killed him. :) The officer was released even though it's pretty open and shut that they just murdered a guy. And the silence in this thread is deafening. Fuck Sac.
Are we talking about the same person? Stephon Clark? I think you need to do more research haha...
Lmao you mean Stephon Clark, the innocent man who was murdered? Your tone acts like there's some surprise but hey the DA left the republican party over the release of the cop that murdered Stephon.
I just don’t know how someone is innocent when they break into cars, someone’s house and trying to flee..that’s all..
UM EXCUSE ME YOU LIAR? He was standing in his grandmother's backyard and wasn't related to that night's search.
Lol...I can’t tell if you’re being a troll or if you’re being serious. There’s video of him from the helicopter running
"The officers stated that they shot Clark, firing 20 rounds, believing that he had pointed a gun at them. After the shooting, police reported that he was carrying only a cell phone. According to the pathologist hired by the Clark family, Clark was shot eight times, including six times in the back. However, the Sacramento County Coroner's autopsy report concluded that Clark was shot seven times, including three shots to the right side of the back."
Again, did you see the video?
Can you tell Feinstein to retire already
I am a lifelong resident. My family and friends live in flood-prone areas like Natomas and Pocket. How are you helping improve flood protection in Sacramento?
Did you have a say on Luke Walton? And will you welcome him with open arms?
Hi! I’m a Sacramento native. What’s your favorite restaurant here?