2 Homeless People Died During Storm Overnight, Sacramento Mayor Says
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg says two homeless people died on Sacramento streets during Tuesday night's storm.
Katie Valenzuela, who represents the city's 4th district, tweeted late Wednesday morning that she had confirmed one unhoused person died overnight.
"I'm beyond grief-striken... I'm angry. We can and MUST do better for our neighbors," Valenzuela tweeted.
Sacramento police say the homeless person was a woman in her 50s. She was found unresponsive in a tent near 26th and W streets around 6 a.m. Medics pronounced her dead at the scene. No foul play is suspected, but police say the woman's official cause of death will be investigated by the Sacramento County Coroner's office.
During an emergency city council meeting Wednesday afternoon, Steinberg said two people had died.
Sacramento police say an adult male was found dead near Fair Oaks Boulevard and Howe Avenue around 8 a.m. Wednesday. Officers did not see any signs of foul play and say the coroner's office will take over the investigation.
Valenzuela's district includes all of the downtown and midtown core, as well as parts of Land Park and South Natomas.
The deaths come after Steinberg went on a tirade at Tuesday night's city council meeting, calling out the lack of warming centers.
"People are gonna die tonight," Steinberg said.
Steinberg, who was visibly emotional, railed against the county's rules that he said prevent the city from being able to open a warming center for more than one night.
After the homeless woman's death, Steinberg has called for an emergency Sacramento City Council meeting on Wednesday afternoon. He tweeted that at least one warming center will be opened Wednesday night.
Steinberg also said that by declaring a local emergency, the city could be able to open a shelter every night until winter ends.
In a tweet Wednesday afternoon, Mayor Pro Tem Angelique Ashby in addition to opening the warming shelter, the city will increase hotel vouchers, support nonprofits and provide two parking lots with restrooms as part of the proposed emergency resolution.
The Emergency Declaration was passed unanimously Wednesday evening, providing immediate help to get the homeless off the streets.
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A warming shelter was open on Monday night at the Library Galleria in downtown. Temperatures were expected to rise above the level where a warming shelter would be needed, per county rules, on Tuesday night.
