Sacramento City Express - Major Progress on New Sprung Structures for People Experiencing Homelessness

Excerpt from Sacramento City Express. See full article here.

Significant progress has been made on assembling two large “Sprung” structures in South Sacramento that soon will house 100 women experiencing homelessness.

The structures are part of a new navigation center set to open in late June. Located east of the Pannell Community Center on Meadowview Road, the navigation center will be managed by Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA), in partnership with the City of Sacramento.

The City has been working with Otto Construction to prepare the site and assemble the structures. It is the first time these structures, which stretch a highly durable tension fabric over a secure metal frame, have been deployed by the City.

“Sprung structures can be built quicker than traditional buildings but feel like an ordinary building inside, with heating, air conditioning  and other amenities,” said Emily Halcon, homeless services manager for the City of Sacramento.

The navigation center will feature two Sprung structures. The first, offering 6,300 square feet of space, will be used as a dormitory. The second, at 4,470 square feet, will be used as a dining hall and office spaces. The center, set off the street, is protected by fencing.

Once in operation, the navigation center will operate 24 hours a day and offer services to help women stabilize their lives and transition into permanent housing. Clients will access the center by referral only, meaning there will be no lines or loitering outside the structures.

Purchase of the Sprung structures was approved by the Sacramento City Council on Feb. 11. Following the COVID-19 outbreak in March, the City and County officials approved a plan to open hundreds of beds in motels, trailers and existing shelters to help vulnerable and at-risk residents during the pandemic.

Since April 8, the County has placed 568 individuals into one of these shelter options. In addition, the COVID-19 Homelessness Response Team has placed 56 hand-washing stations and 49 toilets in 36 locations across the city and county.