Looking Ahead to the New Year

Last year was one of change for the American River Parkway Foundation. At the request of our supporters, we took a more proactive approach regarding addressing illegal camping on the American River Parkway. Since submission of our Demand Letter in January 2022, we have pushed forward, bringing greater attention to the issue. This has led to media coverage locally and nationally, increased effort by local elected officials and municipal staff to address the issue, and funding locally and from the state focused on mitigating the impact of illegal camping. See the Full Timeline of Our Actions We are proud of what we have achieved, but none of this would have been possible without the support of the community. This includes members of the Voice of the Parkway Coalition – comprised of concerned Parkway users, businesses, corporations and organizations – advocating for the conservation of the Parkway. But our work was not limited to just our public affairs efforts. We have also made great strides in addressing the fire danger on the Parkway. Our Parkway Fire Safe Council has worked together to begin developing plans for mitigation. This includes the creation of a community wildfire protection plan – funded in entirety by the Parkway Foundation – that will identify areas for fire breaks, restoration and mitigation. This will allow all Parkway stakeholders to seek more funding to address fire issues on the Parkway. Our volunteer programs also continued to have a growing impact. Over 4,400 volunteers spent more than 13,600 hours on direct conservation of the Parkway, including clean-ups, invasive plant removal, trail maintenance and more. This is done through work with individuals, groups, families, businesses and others interested in conservation, project ownership, team building, family bonding and community service. (See list of accomplishments below.) With your help, the new year will bring more accomplishments. In 2023, look for the Parkway Foundation to: Replace the mile marker signs on the Parkway with new, more informative directional signage. Continued conservation of the Parkway through our volunteer programs, especially addressing impacts from flooding during this stormy period. Continue development of the community wildfire protection plan. Continue to educate the community about the Parkway. Continue to work with local elected officials and County and City leaders to secure land for shelter spaces and push for wrap-around services. Continue to invest in the Parkway through the TEICHERT-Parkway Fund, which is contributing $100,000 in 2023 to projects that will revitalize the Parkway from Cal Expo to Discovery Park. Thank you for being a part of this vital mission through volunteering, financial support and helping to spread the word about the beauty of the Parkway. Together we can continue in our mission to lead and inspire the community to conserve and nurture the Parkway as a unique, accessible resource for everyone to enjoy. Dianna Poggetto Executive Director, American River Parkway

The American River Parkway Needs Your Voice!

When will enough be enough?That is the question we’ve been asking officials and Supervisors with the County of Sacramento since submitting our Demand Letter in January. Over the past three years, the illegal camping situation has worsened with more than 2,000 campers now living on the Parkway. That has led to a deterioration in environmental, public health and humanitarian conditions, which has a devastating effect on the Parkway and the people living on it. We need your help pressing our leaders for answers and solutions! County Supervisors hold regular public meetings and we encourage you to attend and ask: What is the timeline for establishing more shelter space, especially for those living on the Parkway? How will the $25 million that is coming from the state be allocated to benefit the Parkway? What is the plan for using the federal funding from the America Rescue Plan? We now have ordinances in the County that prevent illegal camping on the Parkway. When will they be enforced? Millions of dollars are being allocated to address homelessness in the County. Where are the results? Where are the shelters? What is the latest on the partnership with the City of Sacramento, including the signing of the MOU? The next opportunity is Sup. Rich Desmond’s community meeting tomorrow night (Oct. 6) at 6 p.m. It’s taking place at the Gibbons Park, Mission Oaks Community Center located at:                4701 Gibbons Drive               Carmichael, CA 95608 Please attend and make your voice heard!

The American River Parkway Foundation Reacts to the Passage of the American River Parkway Ordinance

  SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The American River Parkway Foundation released the below statement regarding the passage of a Sacramento County ordinance focused on illegal camping on the American River Parkway. The ordinance was passed 5-0 by the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors at the August 23rd meeting:   “While we applaud the passage of the ordinance toughening restrictions on illegal camping on the American River Parkway, we urge Sacramento County leaders to continue to make the development of shelter and wrap-around services for the unhoused a priority. Enforcement, while important, doesn’t address the root cause and won’t be effective without these other two key elements.   “There are 2,000-3,000 illegal campers on the Parkway. We’re experiencing environmental and humanitarian crises we’ve never seen before. But focusing only on enforcement will lead to whack-a-mole and never truly address the issue.   “More shelter space and services will help the unhoused get off the streets. The American River Parkway Foundation remains committed to helping the County with this undertaking.”   Dianna Poggetto Executive Director American River Parkway Foundation   About the American River Parkway Foundation The American River Parkway Foundation (Parkway Foundation) is the only nonprofit organization focused on active conservation of all 23 miles of the American River Parkway (Parkway). Through managing programs like volunteer clean-ups, infrastructure improvements, trail maintenance, fire mitigation and education, the Parkway Foundation leads and inspires the community to conserve and nurture the Parkway as a unique, accessible resource for everyone to enjoy. Learn more at www.ARPF.org.   — ### —

Information for Sac County Parkway Ordinance

  The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors will vote on a Parkway Ordinance on August 10 at 2 p.m.   If passed, the ordinance will toughen restrictions and consequences of actions on the Parkway, including illegal camping, open flames, use of generators and combustible liquids, construction and maintenance of structures, and modifications to the land.   Read more about the ordinance.   The Parkway Foundation supports this measure as one part of the solution to addressing the humanitarian and environmental crises on the Parkway. However, this ordinance won’t be effective without the other essential element: ensuring there is shelter and wrap-around services for the unhoused in the County, especially those living on the Parkway.   We urge you to also show your support in at least one of the below ways: Attend the Board meeting at 700 H Street in Downtown Sacramento and participate in public comment. Call into the meeting at (916) 875-2500 and make a public comment. Send an email to and/or call your Supervisor. Templates can be found here.   Even if the ordinance is approved, the Parkway Foundation will continue to work with the County on addressing homelessness.   Thank you for learning more about getting involved. Let us know if you have any questions.   CONTACT INFORMATION FOR SACRAMENTO COUNTY SUPERVISORS Supervisor Don Notolli, Sacramento County District 5 – Chair Supervisor Richard Desmond, Sacramento County District 3 – Vice Chair Supervisor Phil Serna, Sacramento County District 1 Supervisor Patrick Kennedy, Sacramento County District 2 Supervisor Sue Frost, Sacramento County District 4   CC on the email: BoardClerk@saccounty.net  

Letter/Email Template and Call Script for Sac County Budget Ask

  The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors will hold budget hearings on June 8, 9 and 10.   We are asking you to make your voice heard to push for more funding and a comprehensive plan that will help get unhoused individuals off the American River Parkway.   Latest estimates pin the homeless population in the County at more than 16,000, which is the result of inaction from local leaders. A plan with timelines and investment in additional resources will help decrease the number of illegal campers on the Parkway and return our local streets, parks, businesses and the Parkway to the community.   To help with the push, we ask you: Attend the budget hearings either in-person or online and take part in public comment to make your voice heard. Learn more from the Supervisors’ calendar. Or, Contact your Supervisor through email or phone call. Here are templates to help get you started. Feel free to personalize.   Thank you for learning more about getting involved. Let us know if you have any questions.   CONTACT INFORMATION FOR SACRAMENTO COUNTY SUPERVISORS Supervisor Don Notolli, Sacramento County District 5 – Chair Supervisor Richard Desmond, Sacramento County District 3 – Vice Chair Supervisor Phil Serna, Sacramento County District 1 Supervisor Patrick Kennedy, Sacramento County District 2 Supervisor Sue Frost, Sacramento County District 4   CC on the email: BoardClerk@saccounty.net


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