California city rolls out glamping for homeless amid fierce criticism over costs

Sacramento’s latest attempt to tackle homelessness comes with a hefty price tag: roughly $20,000 per bed for a government-run tent camp complete with raised wooden platforms, city-issued tents and around-the-clock security.The new $2.5 million safe camping site in the city’s River District officially opened this week with room for up to 125 people. And the costs don’t stop there.City officials estimate it will cost another $1.2 million annually to operate — about $9,600 per bed each year, according to ABC10.Each resident will receive a city-provided tent set atop a raised platform, along with a cot, two storage bins and a lawn chair. The site also includes shared showers, portable restrooms, behavioral health services and 24-hour security.There is no kitchen or air conditioning, although officials say swamp coolers and fans will be brought in during the summer.The opening comes just days after Sacramento’s independent city auditor released a review of the city’s homelessness response that raised questions about whether taxpayers are getting the best return on their investment.The audit found Sacramento spent $63.2 million operating 14 homeless shelter programs during fiscal years 2024 and 2025.But auditors found Sacramento has no clear standard for determining when its pricier shelter models are worth the cost — and no consistent method for figuring out which homelessness programs deliver the biggest bang for taxpayers’ bucks.“Given limited resources and growing demand,” auditors recommended the city develop a system to evaluate shelter costs, outcomes and efficiencies to improve how homelessness dollars are allocated.The report also found the city could shelter more people at minimal additional cost by increasing occupancy at some existing congregate shelters instead of continuing to pour money into new projects.While outcomes varied depending on the type of shelter and the populations they served, auditors found “no strong link” between t...