(FOX40.COM) — The Sacramento Homeless Union has been granted a temporary restraining order against the city of Sacramento to halt homeless sweeps during the heatwave.
A federal judge issued the order on Friday, which prevents Sacramento’s “officers, agents, servants, attorneys, and all persons under their direction and control, from clearing encampments belonging to the unhoused,” a news release from the California Homeless Union said.
The restraining order is granted after a judge concluded that the city’s interest in clearing encampments in warm temperatures outweigh the interstate in the health and welfare of unhoused individuals, court documents said.
The court order comes as triple-digit temperatures are expected to come to Sacramento from Saturday to Monday.
Judge Troy L. Nunley is ordering the union and city officials. to meet and discuss how to prioritize exceptions for “critical infrastructure” defined by city.
According to the union, the restraining order is good for 14 days and could be extended by the court after a hearing on Aug. 10.
The restraining order is granted after a judge concluded that the city’s interest in clearing encampments in warm temperatures outweigh the interstate in the health and welfare of unhoused individuals, court documents said.
Court documents said the city offered unhoused people to its safeground site at Miller Park, which is considered a location where individuals are crowded together in tents with no shade.
“We are grateful to the Court for recognizing the increased risk of harm to thousands of unhouse, unsheltered residents by this cruel practice, in violation of the city’s own written protocols regarding sweeps during periods of excessive hear,” said in a statement by Crystal Sanchez, president of the Sacramento Homeless Union.
On July 19, the city cleared out a homeless encampment near Leland Stanford park on 28th and C streets.
The city’s Department of Community Response were accompanied by police during the sweep along with advocates who were on site to help the unhoused population relocate.
People that were living in the encampment near Leland park told FOX40.com they stayed at Miller Park before and don’t want to go back for “various reasons.”
On Tuesday, Sacramento City Council approved several new measures related to the city’s homeless crisis. One of the items approved was one that gives the city manager’s office more power to handle encampment removals and more funds to handle those operations.
The item passed with a 7-2 vote with councilmembers Katie Valenzuela and Mai Vang being the only “no” votes.
