Peering into the tent-lined streets of Sacramento, California, you might never guess that behind these heartbreaking scenes, a fresh wave of hope is taking shape. Even though more than 6,600 people in the area are experiencing homelessness, new data suggests a 29% decline in this population since 2023, according to the most recent Point in Time counts. Still, local leaders and advocates know there’s much more to be done—and they believe a 13-acre service center could be the key to accelerating this momentum.
This expansive project, backed by Sacramento County, is poised to redefine how the city approaches the unhoused crisis. The property, purchased in 2022, will soon become the Watt Service Center and Safe Stay campus. With plans for on-site shelter, emergency respite, health services, job training, and even safe parking, county officials are betting big on a strategy that prioritizes both compassion and cost-effectiveness.
More Than Just a Shelter
“We wanted to do something that is not only larger, but a large-scale campus to provide more than just the shelter.”
—Janna Haynes, Sacramento County’s Department of Homeless Services and Housing (per KCRA3)
The concept is simple yet profound: assemble all crucial services under one roof—well, in this case, across 13 acres. The new Watt Service Center promises bathrooms, showers, laundry facilities, and daily meal access, wrapped in professional support for mental health care, addiction treatment, and employment pathways. According to Haynes, this approach aims to fill critical gaps in Sacramento’s current system, which can leave people languishing on waitlists or traveling long distances just to meet their basic needs.
Rather than turning a blind eye to the systemic factors behind homelessness—like inadequate affordable housing, job scarcity, and mental health issues—this campus is designed to confront them head-on. As Haynes puts it, the priority is to “end your homelessness” rather than merely providing a temporary bed. The range of services offered reflects that ambition:
Case Management: Trained professionals will help individuals navigate housing applications, treatment referrals, and job searches.
Behavioral Health Services: By providing on-site counseling and substance use support, people can address underlying mental health concerns right where they stay.
Rehousing Assistance: The campus helps residents transition to stable, long-term housing, ensuring they don’t end up back on the streets.
And yes, they even thought of pets: a dedicated space for companion animals recognizes the emotional and practical role pets often play in the lives of those without housing.
Why Prevention Saves Money
The sticker price for this massive endeavor might sound daunting—$22 million for the land and an estimated $42 million more to build out the center. Funded largely by the American Rescue Plan Act, the project has sparked debate among residents and officials. However, supporters argue these upfront expenses pale in comparison to the ballooning cost of letting homelessness continue unabated.
A Sacramento County press release points to a 2017 city study that found the average “unsheltered individual” costs around $45,000 per year when you account for services like emergency room visits, county jail, shelters, and behavioral health interventions. By consolidating resources and getting people into stable conditions, officials project that those costs could drop to less than $3,600 per person. County Supervisor Rich Desmond put it bluntly:
“It’s a heck of a lot cheaper than letting someone stay out in the community, unsheltered … where they are extremely expensive in terms of the emergency response from fire, our emergency rooms, our law enforcement response.”
In effect, doing nothing about homelessness means society covers the cost in spades—through higher healthcare bills, added strain on public safety, and property damage or cleanup fees. With the Watt Service Center, Sacramento is flipping that script. By front-loading the investment in comprehensive solutions, the county expects to save money and spare communities from a host of downstream problems.
Safe Stay Cabins, Safe Parking—and Safe Dignity
When it comes to addressing homelessness, lack of space is often a community’s first hurdle. Sacramento has tackled that head-on with an impressive capacity: 225 beds within newly designed “Safe Stay cabins,” plus 50-person capacity in a “Safe Parking” zone, and an additional 75 emergency/weather respite beds.
- Safe Stay Cabins:
These small, individual units offer a more private, stable environment than traditional dorm-like shelters. They feature basic amenities—climate control, a bed, and storage—plus immediate access to bathrooms and showers. This helps create a sense of dignity and personal space, which many unsheltered individuals point to as critical in regaining their footing. - Safe Parking:
For individuals or families living in their cars, the campus will offer a secure lot monitored by security. People can sleep without fear of theft or displacement—vital for those who rely on their vehicles for work or to transport kids to school. County Supervisor Desmond highlights that many newly homeless families still have jobs or children in school, so keeping their vehicle is crucial to maintaining some stability. - Emergency/Weather Respite Beds:
For those in immediate crisis—such as extreme cold snaps or stormy weather—this area offers short-term refuge. No one should risk hypothermia or heat-related illness on the streets when a bed is available indoors.
Even if the campus reaches its 350-person capacity, the county projects it will serve around 18,000 people over 15 years. That’s thousands of lives potentially redirected from chaos on the streets to a more stable future.
A Proven Method
The term “wraparound services” has gained traction nationwide as a comprehensive approach that unites housing, mental health care, addiction treatment, and employment assistance under one coordinated framework. Sacramento County is hardly alone in embracing this model: in a recent piece on Denver, local authorities adopted wraparound services to effectively eliminate street homelessness among veterans.
By focusing not just on shelter but also on underlying conditions—like joblessness or health concerns—wraparound programs offer a more permanent route out of homelessness. Early data from cities like Houston, Denver, and Salt Lake City has shown notable success in reducing chronic homelessness when a robust network of service providers is made available in one location.
Emily Halcon, director of the county’s Department of Homeless Services and Housing, told ABC10 that the sheer size of the Watt Service Center is a game-changer. Unlike smaller facilities scattered around the city, this one-stop shop aims to minimize the friction that often prevents people from accessing multiple services. Halcon believes it will especially help those newly homeless, who might slip through the cracks in the existing shelter system.
Breaking Ground for a Better Tomorrow
County officials broke ground on the site recently, marking the start of a 2-year construction phase. January 2026 is the target date to begin moving people into the facility.
“Our staff is putting in extra time and attention to this campus, ensuring that it houses everything we need to end homelessness for people,” Desmond said in a statement.
In an added twist of hope and practicality, the center plans to hire formerly unhoused individuals as staff. As Janna Haynes told KCRA3, having employees who’ve “been there” can foster trust and inspiration among residents. Some who step onto the campus might see possibility and empathy in the faces of those welcoming them—people who truly understand the struggle.
How You Can Get Involved
- Spread the Word
Let friends, neighbors, and local organizations know about Sacramento’s Watt Service Center. Sometimes awareness is the first step to building public support for similar initiatives. - Volunteer or Donate
Watch for calls to volunteer once the center opens. Whether it’s donating clothes, offering career mentorship, or teaching a skill, community engagement can help new residents transition more smoothly. - Advocate for Similar Approaches
If you live outside Sacramento, research whether your city has a “wraparound” or “safe parking” program. If not, share Sacramento’s model with local leaders and nonprofits. - Address Root Causes
Homelessness rarely has a single cause. Speak up for affordable housing policies, mental health funding, and robust safety nets to prevent residents from falling into homelessness in the first place.
Why This Matters
So, why should we celebrate a single service campus? Because its potential goes far beyond these 13 acres. Each mind changed, each life rebuilt, each public cost saved is evidence that homelessness isn’t an unsolvable social ill. It can be reduced—and potentially ended—through bold innovation, strategic investment, and unified community support.
“When you have a conversation with someone who understands where you’ve been, and you see the success they’re having now,” Haynes said, “it really does give you hope something could be different.”
The Watt Service Center symbolizes more than an ambitious construction project. It’s a blueprint for empathy, a bet on the idea that if we meet people’s needs in one place—safely, respectfully, and comprehensively—fewer of our neighbors will have to call the streets “home.” And as the project’s champions point out, it might just be a model for cities across the nation facing the same daunting question: How do we lift people out of homelessness for good?