Sacramento, California – For someone experiencing homelessness, having a safe place to sleep behind a locked door can be the first step toward rebuilding their life. Privacy, security and access to support can make a meaningful difference when trying to find permanent housing.
Sacramento County is now receiving another $1 million to strengthen that effort, with federal funding aimed at helping more people move off the streets and toward stable living conditions.
Congresswoman Doris Matsui presented the $1 million grant to Sacramento County on October 6 during a visit to the Florin Road Safe Stay Community. The funding will support the county’s continuing work to address homelessness through shelter programs and partnerships with nonprofit organizations.
The Florin Road facility opened in August 2023 as Sacramento County’s first tiny home campus. Since then, it has served more than 614 people and recorded a 35% successful outcome rate.
Currently operated by nonprofit partner Five Keys, the community offers a different approach to temporary shelter. Rather than relying on traditional shared accommodations, the county developed individual living spaces designed to provide greater privacy and dignity.
Residents can have a locking door and stay with their partners, pets and personal belongings. The county also prioritized placing shelters near familiar neighborhoods, allowing people to maintain connections with their existing support networks.
The approach followed lessons learned during Project Roomkey, a temporary housing initiative launched during the COVID-19 pandemic.
District 2 Sacramento County Supervisor Patrick Kennedy welcomed the federal investment, particularly as resources for homelessness programs become more limited.
“This infusion of critical funding comes at a pivotal moment in Sacramento County’s mission to continue its success in addressing homelessness in impactful and unique ways,” Kennedy said.
He also thanked Matsui for continuing to advocate for Sacramento’s homelessness response in Washington.
Heather Calomese, President and CEO of Florin Road Safe Stay, emphasized the importance of meeting basic needs before expecting individuals to rebuild their lives.
“It is difficult to build a stable future when your most basic needs aren’t being met. At Florin Safe Stay, we are providing people with something critically important: a safe place to begin again,” Calomese said.
The additional funding is intended to improve outcomes and help more participants move through shelter services into housing.
For Sacramento County, the challenge remains ensuring that temporary shelter becomes a pathway toward lasting stability rather than another uncertain stop in the experience of homelessness.