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Articles by Darrell Steinberg
CARE Court should refocus on mentally ill homeless people, the hardest to help Original
Welcome to CalMatters, the only nonprofit newsroom devoted solely to covering statewide issues that affect all Californians. Sign up for WeeklyMatters for a Saturday morning digest of the latest news and commentary from the Golden State. This story is part of California Voices, a commentary forum aiming to broaden our understanding of the state and spotlight Californians directly impacted by policy or its absence. Learn more here.
How California can continue to make strides on behavioral health | Opinion
California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks to reporters on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in San Francisco at the site of a future substance use and mental health treatment facility. California has made historic behavioral health gains but still faces fragmented care, workforce shortfalls and gaps in housing and access that demand urgent policy action.
Helping California’s most needy homeless may soon involve less paperwork | Opinion Original
When Californians see someone who is living on the street and suffering from severe mental illness or substance abuse, the most obvious reaction is, “Why isn’t that person getting help”? The old excuse that people don’t want help is no longer true – over the last five years, California has passed new laws that allow families and law enforcement to require that people accept help when offered. So why are we still seeing people languishing on our streets? The answer is both simple and confounding.
Darrell Steinberg: Sen. Ashby’s courageous homelessness bill is overdue | Opinion
Sacramento Sen. Angelique Ashby’s new bill, Senate Bill 802, would require Sacramento, its neighboring cities and Sacramento County to form a joint powers governance authority to make collective decisions about homeless policies, the siting of facilities, funding and the right balance between providing services and compassionate enforcement.
Don’t Silence the States on AI
Former Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD) is the founder of The Daschle Group. Darrell Steinberg is a former California State Senator and is now a principal of Steinberg Mediation and Consulting. David Beier is a venture capitalist and former chief domestic policy advisor to Vice President Al Gore. Buried in the recent House budget bill is a sweeping provision that would prohibit any new state or local laws regulating artificial intelligence for the next ten years.
Former Sacramento mayor: Harvard set a brave example that all universities must follow | Opinion Original
The response by Harvard University to President Donald Trump’s threats to withhold federal funds unless it eliminates diversity, equity and inclusion is a courageous example of how every institution — public and private — should respond to this dangerous administration. Last week, the Trump administration sent the university a list of demands, including a stipulation that Harvard “immediately shutter all diversity, equity and inclusion ...
Commentary: Can California fix the disconnect between public education, modern workforce?
If Democrats want to change their fortunes in future national elections, acknowledging that our public education system is disconnected from the modern workforce would be a good place to start. President-elect Donald Trump won 56% of voters without college degrees, a reversal of historical trends in which Democrats have been the clear choice of the working class. Those who choose not to attend, or cannot afford, four-year universities have fewer opportunities.
Can California fix the disconnect between public education and the modern workforce?
If Democrats want to change their fortunes in future national elections, acknowledging that our public education system is disconnected from the modern workforce would be a good place to start.
Opinion: Can California fix the disconnect between public education and the modern workforce?
If Democrats want to change their fortunes in future national elections, acknowledging that our public education system is disconnected from the modern workforce would be a good place to start. President-elect Donald Trump won 56% of voters without college degrees, a reversal of historical trends in which Democrats have been the clear choice of the working class. Those who choose not to attend, or cannot afford, four-year universities have fewer opportunities.
Sacramento mayor: Prop. 5 gives communities more say in building affordable housing | Opinion Original
Sacramento has been designated California’s first “pro-housing” city. We achieved that designation by reducing fees for affordable housing, eliminating regulatory barriers and producing more affordable housing these last few years than ever before. Sacramento has long been a place where people put down roots, build their families and invest in a better future.
Steinberg: Requiring treatment will only worsen California’s drug problems
Proposition 36 taps into the public’s rightful frustration with homelessness, the prevalence of deadly fentanyl and the rise of organized retail crime. But, like some other poorly written initiatives, it presents solutions that are flawed, outdated and expensive. Proposition 36 might actually make these problems worse. Voters deserve real solutions to these problems. False hope will further anger the public and make it harder for those suffering from substance abuse issues to get the help they need.
State must more closely monitor how criminal justice realignment dollars are spent - Capitol Weekly
Opinion by DARRELL STEINBERG and TINISCH HOLLINS posted 08.12.2024 For several years, there has been a steady drumbeat of deaths and mental health crises in local jails across the state, and an increase in media reports about the chaos and violence that results from a system that remains over-reliant on incarceration to address society’s most pressing challenges.
CalMatters Commentary: Grants Pass ruling gives us a shot at a better homeless law
This month’s U.S. Supreme Court decision in the Grants Pass case provides needed clarity to American cities dealing with homelessness. But it should not be the end of the willingness of our courts to decide the fundamental balance between individual rights and collective responsibilities when it comes to people living on the street. The Grants Pass decision is limited because it focused on the wrong constitutional amendment.
California Voice: Supreme Court gives us a chance to create a better homeless camp law
The Grants Pass decision is limited because it focused on the wrong constitutional amendment. Whether the Eighth Amendment’s protection against cruel and unusual punishment prevents unsheltered people from being removed from encampments on public property was a far too limited legal question for a issue of this magnitude and complexity.
Commentary: Homeless ruling gives California a shot at a better law
The Grants Pass decision is limited because it focused on the wrong constitutional amendment. Whether the Eighth Amendment’s protection against cruel and unusual punishment prevents unsheltered people from being removed from encampments on public property was a far too limited legal question for an issue of this magnitude and complexity.
State can create better homeless camp law
Last Friday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision in the Grants Pass case provides needed clarity to American cities dealing with homelessness. But it should not be the end of the willingness of our courts to decide the fundamental balance between individual rights and collective responsibilities when it comes to people living on the street. The Grants Pass decision is limited because it focused on the wrong constitutional amendment.
The Supreme Court has given California a chance to create a better homeless camp law Original
This story is part of California Voices, a commentary forum aiming to broaden our understanding of the state and spotlight Californians directly impacted by policy or its absence. Learn more here. Today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision in the Grants Pass case provides needed clarity to American cities dealing with homelessness.
Sacramento mayor: Fewer people living in homelessness is cause for hope | Opinion Original
Today’s news that Sacramento’s unsheltered homeless count has dropped 41 percent since 2022 is not an occasion to declare victory. There is still a long way to go before homelessness is rare and brief. But maybe homelessness is not so intractable after all. The dramatic reduction in Sacramento’s biennial Point in Time count — one of the largest in the state — undeniably affirms that the steady course we set seven years ago to address this state and national crisis is working.
Sacramento Mayor: My resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza seeks to unite our community | Opinion Original
On Tuesday, I plan to bring a bilateral ceasefire resolution to the Sacramento City Council. The resolution condemns Hamas’ horrific atrocity on October 7, calls for the immediate release of innocent hostages, acknowledges the thousands of civilian deaths and injuries as a result of Israel’s military response and calls for immediate humanitarian aid to the suffering people of Gaza.
The return of state workers helps, but Sacramento's transformation is well underway Original
Downtown Sacramento faces many challenges, but the growing number of small businesses, hotels, homes and other major developments signal its transformation, says Mayor Darrell Steinberg.
Sacramento mayor: I oppose a Gaza ceasefire resolution supported by two council members | Opinion
As mayor of Sacramento, I will not use my authority to refer a Gaza ceasefire resolution proposed by Councilmembers Katie Valenzuela and Mai Vang for a hearing before the City Council or any of its committees. Given the controversy and strong feelings about the issues, I want to take a moment to explain my motivations and why I am making this decision. I oppose the current resolution because it is far too one-sided and will further inflame the already high tensions in our community.
Sacramento mayor: I oppose a Gaza ceasefire resolution supported by two council members | Opinion
As mayor of Sacramento, I will not use my authority to refer a Gaza ceasefire resolution proposed by Councilmembers Katie Valenzuela and Mai Vang for a hearing before the City Council or any of its committees. Given the controversy and strong feelings about the issues, I want to take a moment to explain my motivations and why I am making this decision. I oppose the current resolution because it is far too one-sided and will further inflame the already high tensions in our community.
Sacramento mayor: I oppose a Gaza ceasefire resolution supported by two council members | Opinion
As mayor of Sacramento, I will not use my authority to refer a Gaza ceasefire resolution proposed by Councilmembers Katie Valenzuela and Mai Vang for a hearing before the City Council or any of its committees. Given the controversy and strong feelings about the issues, I want to take a moment to explain my motivations and why I am making this decision. I oppose the current resolution because it is far too one-sided and will further inflame the already high tensions in our community.
Sacramento Jewish and Muslim leaders: All Palestinian and all Jewish lives matter | Opinion Original
Nothing we say or do in Sacramento may change the course of the war for Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. But there are other compelling reasons for our Muslim and Jewish communities to speak out together. Many things make Sacramento such a special place to live, but none are more important than the way we treat each other.
Columna: Urgen cambios al financiamiento de programas de salud mental en California
¿Qué pasaría si pudiéramos llegar a cada persona que sufre de enfermedades mentales o adicciones en las calles de California y rodearlas de manera asertiva con los recursos que necesitan para recuperarse y conseguir una vivienda? ¿Qué pasaría si pudiéramos conseguirles un terapeuta de salud mental y una cama en un centro de tratamiento de adicciones? ¿Alguien que les ayude a encontrar un apartamento y pagar el alquiler? Este no es un sueño imposible.
Shifting how California funds its mental health system is critical to getting more people off the streets
The homelessness conversation by California Voices features authors involved with the issue to help Californians grasp the solutions and areas of consensus. Read more voices on homelessness. What if we could reach each person suffering from mental illness or addiction on California’s streets and assertively surround them with the resources they need to get well and to get housed? What if we could get them a mental health therapist, a bed in an addiction treatment facility?
Investments in mental health care will help alleviate California’s homelessness crisis | Opinion Original
The encampment on 28th and C in Downtown Sacramento was no different than other homeless encampments throughout California: Around 30 people, most living in tents, having been on the streets for months or years. Every day for nearly three months, local outreach teams helped get people off the street. At a city council meeting, I asked: How many were enrolled in comprehensive, “wraparound” mental health and substance abuse treatment services? The stunning answer: Only one.
CARE Court plan rightly targets government’s responsibilities on homelessness
Darrell Steinberg Special to CalMatters While the attention surrounding Gov. Gavin Newsom’s CARE Court proposal focuses on the decades-long debate over involuntary care, the more profound part of the legislation largely has been ignored. What’s dramatically different about CARE Court is its requirement that government actually help the people who are living in inhumane and unhealthy conditions on our streets.
CARE Court plan rightly targets government’s responsibilities on homelessness
While the attention surrounding Gov. Gavin Newsom’s CARE Court proposal focuses on the decades-long debate over involuntary care, the more profound part of the legislation largely has been ignored. What’s dramatically different about CARE Court is its requirement that government actually help the people who are living in inhumane and unhealthy conditions on our streets.
The Sacramento homeless ballot measure gets us closer to housing everyone. Here’s how
A homeless person living underneath a freeway interchange in Sacramento. Renée C. Byer rbyer@sacbee.com For three years, I have been the solo voice saying that effectively reducing homelessness requires a fundamental change in law — namely, a legal requirement on all levels of government to get more unsheltered people off our streets. Sacramento is poised to become the first city in the country to voluntarily hold itself to that legal standard.
Mayor Steinberg: Aggie Square community benefits deal proves political unity is possible
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg congratulates famed chef Alice Waters at a January 2020 event touting Aggie Square, a development project partnership between UC Davis and the city of Sacramento. Gary May, chancellor of UC Davis, smiles in the background.. Jason Pierce jpierce@sacbee.com The great political divide between progressives and moderates is not confined to Capitol Hill. It’s also the dominant political divide in our city.
Sacramento Mayor Steinberg was vaccinated and still got COVID. Here’s what he learned
I was thrilled to get my Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine on April 1. Like everyone, I was sick of having to settle for seeing people on Zoom. I missed the gatherings with friends, the celebrations and the performances that define Sacramento as a great place to live. I was vaccinated as soon as I became eligible, and last month, I still caught COVID. I ran a fever, my chest was congested and I lost my sense of taste and smell. If the flu is a five, this was a seven.
Mayor Steinberg: I do not recognize the Israel I love. I feel compelled to speak up
Mayor Darrell Steinberg stands in the city council chambers during a press conference, Saturday, March 2, 2019. Daniel Kim dkim@sacbee.com If my Jewish community expects me to speak out when Israel is in peril, as I always do, then my entire community expects me to speak the whole truth about the tragedy occurring today in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. Hamas deserves our condemnation, and Israel has a right to defend itself against rockets and external attacks.
Sacramento Mayor Steinberg: Let’s keep ‘triage’ homeless shelters open year-round
Next Tuesday night might represent the most important vote the Sacramento City Council will take on homelessness over the next four years. I am asking the council to commit to keeping overnight shelters open year-round, regardless of the weather. This decision may seem small compared with some of our votes on multi-million dollar shelters, service programs and housing projects. It is not.
Op-Ed: Learning from the pandemic about what works against homelessness
© Provided by The LA Times Genia Hope enters her room at a Whittier hotel, provided by Project Roomkey, in July. She had been living in an encampment near the 710 and 105 freeways for the last two years. (Los Angeles Times) Sometimes the answer to a complex problem lies right in front of our eyes. Faced with the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring, California was forced to find a way to get people living on the street into shelter as quickly as possible.
Sacramento Downtown Business Backlash: ‘Severe And Worsening Conditions’
By Steve LargeOctober 27, 2020 at 10:11 pm SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Dozens of downtown Sacramento business and property owners signed a letter addressed to Mayor Darrell Steinberg demanding attention to what they are calling ‘severe and worsening’ conditions downtown. The letter was created by The Downtown Sacramento Partnership and signed by 58 business and property owners and civic leaders. Anna Rodriguez owns ‘Odd Cookie Bakery Cafe and Bar’ on 9th Street.
Aggie Square project will create opportunity and jobs for Sacramento’s communities
An artist rendering shows a view of the planned Aggie Square development project on the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. UC Davis Vulnerable communities are shouldering the worst impacts of the economic downturn and will struggle to recover lost ground. To build resilience, these communities need job opportunities and the training necessary to fill them. They need stable institutions that listen first and invest in local neighborhoods.
California legislators should pass bill to compel cities to end homelessness
Opinion // Open Forum As mayors of big cities in California, we cannot ignore an unacceptable fact which the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated. Alongside one of the greatest concentrations of wealth and innovation in the world, thousands of people sleep outdoors on sheets of cardboard or in flimsy tents. The problem shocks the conscience and worsens by the day.
Mayor Steinberg: Sacramento must eradicate racial and gender bias from budget process
To the residents of Sacramento: Last week, I received a city flyer advertising STEAM science and engineering summer camps to be held in Natomas, East Sacramento, the Pocket and Land Park. The STEAM offering is well-intended. The people leading the effort are excellent public servants who care about all our communities. There are undoubtedly a dozen logistical and practical reasons why only these pristine parks and neighborhoods were chosen to host its summer programs.
Commentary: How to prepare for the second pandemic - of mental health issues
When she was in her late 70s, my late grandmother Henrietta became an unofficial mental health provider. Often housebound because of physical ailments, Grandma needed a volunteer effort she could do from her living room, so she became involved with the Jewish Family Services agency, calling half a dozen seniors every week. The people she was assigned needed a sympathetic ear, and she'd talk for hours with them - about family, memories and the things that mattered in their lives.
Commentary: How to prepare for the second pandemic - of mental health issues
When she was in her late 70s, my late grandmother Henrietta became an unofficial mental health provider. Often housebound because of physical ailments, Grandma needed a volunteer effort she could do from her living room, so she became involved with the Jewish Family Services agency, calling half a dozen seniors every week. The people she was assigned needed a sympathetic ear, and she'd talk for hours with them - about family, memories and the things that mattered in their lives.
Commentary: How to prepare for the second pandemic - of mental health issues
When she was in her late 70s, my late grandmother Henrietta became an unofficial mental health provider. Often housebound because of physical ailments, Grandma needed a volunteer effort she could do from her living room, so she became involved with the Jewish Family Services agency, calling half a dozen seniors every week. The people she was assigned needed a sympathetic ear, and she'd talk for hours with them - about family, memories and the things that mattered in their lives.
Commentary: How to prepare for the second pandemic - of mental health issues
When she was in her late 70s, my late grandmother Henrietta became an unofficial mental health provider. Often housebound because of physical ailments, Grandma needed a volunteer effort she could do from her living room, so she became involved with the Jewish Family Services agency, calling half a dozen seniors every week. The people she was assigned needed a sympathetic ear, and she'd talk for hours with them - about family, memories and the things that mattered in their lives.
Steinberg to judge: The Bee needs to ‘be bolstered and rebuilt, not milked’
Note to readers: Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg filed this letter on May 12 with the bankruptcy judge who is adjudicating McClatchy’s case in New York City. Steinberg then submitted it to The Bee as an Op-Ed. For nearly as long as there has been a city of Sacramento, journalists from The Sacramento Bee have been keeping a watchful eye on what we do inside City Hall.
Commentary: How to prepare for the second pandemic - of mental health issues
Commentary: How to prepare for the second pandemic — of mental health issues × You have run out of free articles. You can support our newsroom by joining at our lowest rate! Already a subscriber? Log in or Activate your account. Loading&hellp; {{html}} Thanks for being a subscriber. Sorry, your subscription does not include this content. Please call 866-839-6397 to upgrade your subscription.
Commentary: How to prepare for the second pandemic - of mental health issues
When she was in her late 70s, my late grandmother Henrietta became an unofficial mental health provider. Often housebound because of physical ailments, Grandma needed a volunteer effort she could do from her living room, so she became involved with the Jewish Family Services agency, calling half a dozen seniors every week. The people she was assigned needed a sympathetic ear, and she’d talk for hours with them — about family, memories and the things that mattered in their lives.
Op-Ed: How to prepare for the second pandemic - of mental health issues
Calls to suicide prevention lines have skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Edward Bock / Corbis) When she was in her late 70s, my late grandmother Henrietta became an unofficial mental health provider. Often housebound because of physical ailments, Grandma needed a volunteer effort she could do from her living room, so she became involved with the Jewish Family Services agency, calling half a dozen seniors every week.
More treatment, but also more shelter - Feature Story - Local Stories - March 5, 2020
Darrell Steinberg is mayor of Sacramento and co-chairman of the Statewide Commission on Homelessness and Supportive Housing. Related stories this week: Newsom’s to-do list on mental health California’s governor is proposing sweeping changes to mental health treatment. Will more involuntary treatment lead to less homelessness? After accident they warned about, sisters of mentally ill man blame the state and beg governor to act.
Steinberg: Vote no on Measure G. There’s a better way to fund youth programs
We recently celebrated a happy milestone in Sacramento: two years without the homicide of a single person under the age of 18. Luck and the focused efforts of our police department have undoubtedly played a role in this long run of relative peace among our youth.
SCUSD, teachers union have waged war for two years. It’s time to make peace
In my decades of public service, I have nearly always been able to see a pathway to success or compromise on difficult public policy challenges. Even when we faced unprecedented state budget deficits during the recession, there was always a chance to save California from bankruptcy so long as all sides continued to talk to each other, reason together and commit to an absolute avoidance of the state defaulting on its commitments and obligations.
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