WEEKEND. BRANDI: HEATHER, THINK SO MUCH. -- THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT’S CONSIDERED ONE OF THE FASTEST-GROWING MAJOR CITIES IN CALIFORNIA. WITH THAT GROWTH COMES A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES FOR THE CITY OF SACRAMENTO. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS MORNING. WE WELCOME MAYOR DARRELL STEINBERG. WELCOME TO THE YELLOW COUCH. >> I HAVE BEEN PROUD TO BE ON KCRA I THINK GOING ON ALMOST 30 YEARS NOW. AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO TO INFORM THE PUBLIC. BRANDI: ABSOLUTELY. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE EARLIER ON THE NEWSCAST THE CITY SIDEWALK ORDINANCE REQUIRING FOUR FEET OF SPACE IS NOW BEING ENFORCED. IT CAME AFTER SOME COMPLAINTS. THEN HOMELESS ADVOCATES SAY THERE’S NO WHERE FOR THE UNHOUSED TO GO. WHAT’S THE SOLUTION? >> SO THE SIDEWALK ORDINANCE IS NECESSARY BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE CLEAR THAT THE SIDEWALKS NEED TO BE UNIMPEDED FOR PEOPLE, CHILDREN WALKING TO AND FROM SCHOOL, PEOPLE WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES IN REALTORS, FOR EVERYBODY. I AGREE IN PART WITH THE ADVOCATES THAT THE REAL SOLUTION MUST BE PROVIDING ALTERNATIVES TO PEOPLE. NOW, IN OUR CITY LESS THAN 100 SOUTH -- SHELTER BEDS AND NIGHT WE ARE UP TO 1100 SHELTER BEDS AND SAFE SPACES INCLUDING MOTELS, INCLUDING SAFE GROUND. EVERY SINGLE NIGHT IN THE CITY AND YET THE PROBLEM HAS GROWN. I NEED TO INFORM THE PUBLIC AND WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB INFORMING THE PUBLIC. SINCE 2017 WE HAVE GOTTEN OVER 17,000 PEOPLE FROM UNSHELTERED STATUS TO BEING HOUSED AND YET THE PROBLEM IS UNDENIABLY WORSE. BRANDI: WHY IS IT WORSE AND HOW DO YOU FIX IT? >> BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE ARE BECOMING HOMELESS. SO PREVENTION IS EVERY BIT AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT WE DO TO GET PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS. AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A VERY DELICATE BUT IMPORTANT DISCUSSION WITH THE COUNTY OF SACRAMENTO. FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE MOST CHRONICALLY HOMELESS, THE PEOPLE WITH THE SERIOUS IT’S ISSUES, THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES, THE CITY IS NOT A HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY. THAT IS NOT WHAT WE DO. THAT IS WITH THE COUNTY DOES. SO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY OVER THE WEEKS AHEAD TO FINALIZE AN AGREEMENT THAT WILL PUT US IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY WHERE THEY ARE WORKING WITH US, ACTUALLY INVESTING IN THESE TENT ENCAMPMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO TRY TO INTERVENE TO PROVIDE SOME CLINICAL ASSESSMENTS OF PEOPLE AND IT TOGETHER TO HELP NAVIGATE PEOPLE IN A SAFER SPACE AS WE NEED MORE SHELTER, A BE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND WE NEED MORE MENTAL HEALTH. BRANDI: WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE FROM THE COUNTY BACK TO TALK ABOUT THAT. WHAT ARE THE OTHER THINGS, YOU KNOW THERE ARE OTHER EVENTS HAPPENING HERE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT AFTERSHOCK HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND AND THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND THERE IS ANOTHER HUGE CONCERT WHAT QUESTION -- ONE QUESTION THAT KEEPS COMING UP WE OFTEN HEAR IT WHEN WE ARE OUT, SAFETY. THE QUESTION OF HOW TO PROTECT PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING TO THE CITIES FOR THE FESTIVALS. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO FOLKS WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT BEING IN PLACES LIKE DOWNTOWN AFTER DARK? >> FIRST OF ALL, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT SACRAMENTO CONTINUE ON ITS COURSE TO BUILD A MODERN COSMOPOLITAN CITY THAT INCLUDES MUSIC, ART, SPORTS, THE CREATIVE ECONOMY OF ALL KINDS. WE ARE DOING JUST THAT. SACRAMENTO, SAFETY CONCERNS ARE REAL. WE DON’T HAVE OUR HEAD IN THE SAND ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON OUT THERE BUT LET’S LOOK AT THE FACTS FOR JUST A MOMENT. SHOOTINGS ARE ACTUALLY DOWN IN SACRAMENTO FROM 2021. MOST OF THESE INCIDENCES HAVE OCCURRED AFTER MEANT NIGHT AS PART OF THIS NIGHT-TYPE CLUB SCENE WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO SACRAMENTO AS WELL. DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO IS SAFE. YOU COME DOWNTOWN DURING A FRIDAY NIGHT OR SATURDAY NIGHT, YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN RESTAURANTS, IN THE THEATER, WALKING AROUND IT IS VERY VIBRANT BUT WE TAKE THE SAFETY CONCERN VERY SERIOUSLY. THIS WEEK WE APPOINTED A FULL-TIME NIGHTTIME SAFETY AND ECONOMY MANAGER TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE RESOURCES OF THE CITY ARE COORDINATED, LAW ENFORCEMENT IS IMPORTANT BUT THAT IS NOT THE ONLY PART. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL THE CLUBS FOR EXAMPLE ARE FULLY TRAINED AND ARE HELD TO THE RIGHT KIND OF STANDARD WHEN IT COMES TO SECURITY. AND SO IN ADDITION TO THE VOTE INTO THAT POSITION IS GOING TO HELP US UPGRADE SAFETY. WE CANNOT RETREAT GUN VIOLENCE IS NOT A CITY OF SACRAMENTO PROBLEM ALONE IT’S A STATE AND NATIONAL PROBLEM. SO WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO GROW, CONTINUE TO THRIVE, CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CENTRAL CITY IS OPEN TO ALL FAMILIES AND PEOPLE. OLD SACRAMENTO, THE MUSIC FESTIVALS. BRANDI: TO THAT POINT TALKING ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE THERE IS A CONCERN THAT THIS CONVERSATION THAT HAPPENS SOMETIMES THAT IT’S REALLY A PRODUCT OF OTHER THINGS. SO IT’S A PRODUCT OF POVERTY OR LACK OF ACCESS FOR INSTANCE LIKE OF COMMUNITY GROUPS OR PLACES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE PERHAPS TO GO. THAT CONVERSATION HAS ALSO COME UP AND I KNOW THERE IS A BALLOT MEASURE, IT’S GOING TO BE ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER BUT IS THERE GOING TO BE OVERSIGHT OF THAT, IF IT DOES PASS THAT THE MONEY IS ACTUALLY GOING TO GO TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE? >> IT WILL GENERATE 10-12,000,000 DOLLARS A YEAR FOR YOUNG PEOPLE BUT WE WROTE IT VERY SPECIFICALLY WITH THAT TO SAY CITY COUNCIL GETS THE ULTIMATE DECISION ON HOW THE MONEY IS SPENT AND WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE THE OVERSIGHT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THE RESULTS WE WANT. THE OTHER ONE I WOULD PLUG HIS MEASURE AND --N IT WOULD ALLOW US TO SPEND OUR WHOLE TAX -- HOTEL TAX DOLLARS FOR IT WOULD INCREASE TOURISM ECONOMIC AND JOB CREATION SOME MORE ART OR OPPORTUNITY TO REVITALIZE AND REIMAGINE OLD SACRAMENTO ON THE WATERFRONT. BRANDI: THINK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE WE ARE OUT OF TIME BUT WE ARE GOING TO DEFINITELY HAVE YOU BACK. >> S