Elk Grove mayor defends cost of planned homeless shelter after criticism
No mention was made of the city's violation of state fair housing laws
Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen defended the city’s proposed homeless shelter after criticism that the project could cost about $350,000 per bed, publishing an opinion column Monday in The Sacramento Bee.
The response follows a Feb. 25 Bee report questioning the cost of the planned shelter, estimated at $12 million to $14.5 million for land acquisition, design and construction.
The facility, proposed for the corner of Survey Road and East Stockton Boulevard, would house about 20 adults and four families in what city officials describe as a navigation center that connects residents to services and permanent housing.
Critics cited in the Bee report argue the projected per-bed cost approaches the price of building an apartment unit or small home, raising questions about whether public funds should be directed toward permanent housing rather than temporary shelter.
Singh-Allen rejected that comparison, saying shelters serve a different purpose.
“A shelter provides a structured environment where individuals can access case management, employment assistance, behavioral health services and pathways to income,” she wrote. “In short, it is a bridge — not a replacement.”
City officials say the shelter is part of a broader strategy that includes prevention, transitional housing and permanent housing. Singh-Allen noted Elk Grove has invested $84 million over the past 25 years to help build 2,400 affordable housing units, including 770 units added in 2025.
Singjh-Allen failed to mention the $10 millon fiar housing settlement the city had to pay the developer of the proposed Oak Rose supportive affordable housing development in Old Town Elk Grove, that the city illegally denied. As a result of that settlement spurred on by a lawsuit by the State of California, the city is operating under a consent-like decress where all projects are under review.
Supporters of the project say a shelter provides immediate relief for people living outdoors and helps cities move individuals into housing more quickly.
Critics counter that spending roughly $350,000 per bed on temporary shelter space highlights a growing debate in California over whether governments should prioritize a “shelter first” approach or invest more heavily in permanent housing.
City officials also say shelters help municipalities meet legal requirements to offer available beds before enforcing anti-camping ordinances.
The proposed Elk Grove shelter would cost an estimated $1.5 million annually to operate. The city has identified a site for the project near Survey Road and East Stockton Boulevard, though Elk Grove has not yet purchased the property.
