SACRAMENTO, CA – A homeless family has filed a lawsuit against Sacramento County and multiple nonprofits, claiming it endured unsafe and unsanitary living conditions at the Greens Motel, a city-run shelter.
The suit, filed Aug. 29 in Sacramento Superior Court, targets the county, the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, the California Department of Housing and Community Development, and private entities including Shree Enterprises, owner of the motel, according to a Sacramento Bee story.
According to the lawsuit, Tanika Williams and her family faced severe challenges after being placed in the motel following evictions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The family alleges its living conditions included black mold, sewer issues, and dangerous electrical hazards, “Despite strict adherence to the City Motel Program Protocol, the Williams family repeatedly encountered abhorrent conditions,” as noted in the court pleading.
The Bee reported after being told it was ineligible for assistance because of an administrative error, the family was locked out of its motel room following a press conference. The family’s belongings were left outside in plastic bags.
Sacramento County officials have not commented on the ongoing lawsuit. The Greens Motel has been removed from the city’s shelter program amid concerns regarding its management and conditions, according to the Bee story.
