Vanguard News Desk Editor
SACRAMENTO, CA – Six people, including unhoused and “struggling renters,” were arrested here late Thursday at State Legislative offices after a Capitol rally urged public officials, lawmakers and the governor to work toward affordable housing instead of homeless encampment sweeps.
The rally began at the West Side of the Capitol and then continued to the State Legislative offices.
The California Highway Patrol said people were arrested for misdemeanors, including unlawful assembly, refusing to obey an order and being on state property after hours. Status of those arrested is not known at this time, but those arrested at the Capitol are normally booked in Sacramento County Jail and released within a few hours with a scheduled court date.
Those rallying and arrested, according to a statement issued by a large coalition of supporting groups, demanded “Governor Newsom fund affordable housing at scale, fulfill his promise of building one million affordable homes by 2030, and stop the encampment sweeps that merely move people from one corner to another while causing trauma and harm.”
The statement began by stating, “We are here today to say to say in no uncertain terms, we need you, Gov. Newsom, to stop the sweeps of people who are finding shelter wherever they can. It is inhumane, cruel and counterproductive to do this to people. First you must make sure that there is safe and stable housing for the people you seek to move out of their temporary shelter.”
The housing coalition told the governor, “Deliver on your promise of creating 1 million new affordable homes,” by securing “revenue needed to fully fund this goal, which is $17.9 billion a year between now and 2030.”
The governor was also urged to “lead an effort to raise taxes on the wealthiest corporations to help meet this funding goal; and establish program guidelines that allow for innovation and flexibility to fund both successful existing models of affordable housing and new approaches that prioritize permanent affordability, climate resiliency, and other goals such as community and resident control as appropriate.
“Home is where dreams and memories are made. Home is where we raise our kids, care for our elders and contribute to our communities. Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home,” the coalition added.
Newsom, according to the housing coalition, released a “plan called ‘A Home for Every Californian,’ that included 1 million new affordable homes by 2030. At least this much is what is needed, and it is needed urgently—now. However, you and the state government as a whole have failed, year to year, to take the steps necessary to deliver on this goal.”
The coalition maintains a $17.9 billion investment is needed for 10 years to achieve the governor’s announced goal, but argues the governor now has only 12 percent of what’s necessary, adding, “Less than 1 percent of the State’s General Fund has been allocated for Affordable Housing and Homelessness Programs for the current fiscal year (and a) proposed $10 billion affordable housing bond was not put on this November’s ballot.
“It is hard for us to believe you, when your actions are so out of sync with your goal. And on this issue, the stakes are very, very high – both for individual people and families, our communities and the state as a whole,” charged the coalition.
The coalition added, “Governor Newsom—we are in a dire state of emergency, and we call on you to start acting like it; not with punitive, inhumane, and counterproductive responses, but with real solutions that will ensure every Californian has a home.”
The Governor’s Office had no comment on the arrests or demands. Earlier this month Newsom said the state has spent more than $40 billion for affordable housing and $27 billion to address homelessness over the past five years.
“As a long-time nursing care worker who has been unhoused, sleeping on couches or in my car for the last year, I’m horrified that we spend a mere 1 percent of our state budget on affordable housing. Affordable housing solves homelessness, not sweeps,” said Jesus Figueroa Cacho, unhoused and arrested. He is a member of the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE); and a board member of SEIU 2015.
Another person arrested was Satearah Murphy, co-founder of Camp Resolution, who said, “I was born into homelessness. As one of the founders of Camp Resolution, I am horrified by the Governor’s approach to sweeping encampments. Since our tight-knit community was bulldozed a month ago, none of us have been given permanent housing, and some of us live across the street from where the camp was. Sweeps don’t solve homelessness. We need real affordable housing.”
Pinky Toney, a formerly unhoused member of ACCE, was also arrested, and said, “I know what it’s like to be homeless. After complaining about black mold in our apartment that was making my daughter severely sick, our landlord evicted us. For an entire year, me, my husband and our two young children moved between hotels, sleeping in tents, abandoned buildings, and friends’ couches. It’s time for Governor Newsom to fulfill his promise of 1 million affordable homes.”
“In a state where rent is climbing faster than our paychecks, we need stronger tenant protections and rent caps. We need greater accountability and regulation of greedy corporate landlords, and comprehensive funding for affordable housing. Criminalizing Californians for being unhoused is not going to help our families nor address the housing crisis. It is just wrong,” said arrestee Jovana Fajardo, Sacramento Director of ACCE.
“I live in Imperial County. I am here today because we need to be able to live up to our promises of one million affordable homes,” added Imari Kariotis, a precariously housed advocate, arrested.
And, Elsa Stevens, also arrested, stated, “I am 71 years old. I live on social security and pay the majority of my income on rent. I am here fighting for affordable housing, not handcuffs. For seniors, and for all of us.”
Among hundreds of sponsors, organizations included The Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE), a grassroots, member-led, statewide community organization working with more than 16,000 members across California; Housing NOW! California, a broad and diverse movement-building power to make housing affordable and to combat the displacement crisis that is disproportionately impacting working-class communities of color; and One Million Homes, a statewide campaign launched in 2024 urging California state leaders to fulfill their promise of building one million affordable homes by 2030.
