Homelessness continues to escalate with 187,000 people living on California streets or in shelters in January 2024, a 55% surge since 2016.
Despite $24 billion spent from 2019 to 2023, the state accounts for 24% of U.S. homeless and 45% of unsheltered individuals, far exceeding its 11.6% population share.
Within this crisis sits Sacramento. Dangerous encampments, junk-filled streets, violence and public drug use are daily experiences for people living in desperation.
Gwenna and Dan Howard didn’t plan to move. They lived in a lovely, updated home Gwenna bought more than four decades ago. Dan moved in when they married more than 20 years ago.
The couple made many improvements over the years, even during the pandemic. “Dan owned a family steel company, and he kept his crews busy with the work on our home during the lockdowns,” Gwenna says.
But Gwenna liked to check Zillow for trends. When she saw the listing for a stylish Carmichael home on a bluff overlooking the American River, she was smitten. They went to the open house and realized the place was a hot property.
Midtown is alive with creativity and wonder with Midtown Association’s newest, most ambitious initiative yet, the Urban Dreams Art Experience.
The immersive art installation features 16 remarkable large-scale sculptures and art pieces. They transform rooftops, patios and public spaces into an open-air gallery.
Running through Sept. 14, the exhibition celebrates local talent with an eye toward whimsy and surprise. The project is monumental, with artworks ranging from 6 to 20 feet in height.
As a resident of Livermore, Kathy Nolan liked to visit Sacramento. When her daughter and family settled in North Natomas, Nolan felt the gentle pull to move closer to them.
Widowed and retired, she wasn’t in a rush. “My timeline was maybe five years out,” Nolan says.
But when a midcentury modern house in South Land Park hit the market, urgency struck. “I found it on Zillow and fell in love with it. There were multiple offers and luckily, I was the top bidder,” she says.
I love art openings. But I rarely write a column saying an exhibition can’t be missed.
This one can’t be missed.
It’s a new exhibition at Sacramento State’s Library Gallery, a powerful presentation called “Lost Childhoods.” The collection explores the lives of foster youth in our community.
“Lost Childhoods” features the voices of foster youngsters who share stories of loss, resilience and achievement within the foster care system.
Artifacts, photos and video portraits are displayed. The opening event was sponsored by the Foster Youth Education Fund, which provides financial support to local college students raised in foster care.
