SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento City Council voted Tuesday night in favor of a homeless shelter on city-owned property next to the Sam and Bonnie Pannell Community Center in the Meadowview neighborhood.

The site will house only women and children.

“Went out to the community two weeks ago and, of course, we had a broader, different proposal. But I heard the community and I heard some of the concerns, and we listened and we made the right changes,” Mayor Darrell Steinberg said.

Community activist Stevante Clark says the decision may not be in the interest of those living in the Meadowview community.

“We’d like to see resource centers, educational centers,” Clark said.

His family’s home is just a few blocks away from the proposed site.

“They’re going against their own word,” Clark said. “I feel like the general plan, the 2035 General Plan, specifically states 500 feet away from churches, schools and community centers. Ironically, this spot that they’re choosing is near all three.”

Some, like Clark, say other neighborhoods should be considered as the Meadowview project, along with another near Broadway and Alhambra Boulevard, are closer to becoming a reality.

“We certainly had opposition and people are worried,” Councilman Jay Schenirer said. “The unknown is always … there are always fears about that.”

Community members say they’re continuing the fight for other options before the project breaks ground.

“Our community doesn’t want to shut down women and children. We want to help everybody. Everybody loves everybody; we’re for that. Our thing is just that, you know, everybody has a different way that they feel like this can be solved,” Clark said.

The shelter near Alhambra and Broadway is expected to take a couple of months to open. The planned Meadowview shelter is expected to open this winter.