Weekly meal for unhoused in Citrus Heights forced to end, for now

By Sara Beth Williams–
A weekly distribution of a hot meal to unhoused individuals at the Stock Ranch Nature Preserve was forced to end last month, according to event organizers.

Grace House Ministries, along with several other local homeless advocates and representatives from Citrus Heights Homeless Assistance Resource Team (HART), and Community Health Workers met regularly with unhoused individuals to provide food and resources weekly each Tuesday, until Oct. 8.

On Oct. 8, Grace House and Citrus Heights HART both reportedly received trespassing “yellow slips” following the arrest of an unhoused individual prior to the distribution of a hot meal of chicken, rice, and beans.

Unhoused individuals and advocates, including Alfred Sanchez and Margaret Cleek, alleged to The Sentinel that the Sunrise Recreation and Park District, which operates Stock Ranch Nature Preserve, influenced the issuing of trespass warnings or citations to representatives of both Citrus Heights HART and Grace House.

Sunrise Recreation and Park District Administrator Kevin Huntzinger said in a phone call that the district has a “strong partnership” with the Citrus Heights Police Department and has given the Police Department “permission to issue trespassing citations for valid reasons” to individuals engaging in illegal activities at six different locations owned by the park district.

“The main focus is to bolster the partnership with the CHPD to make all of our parks a great place for people to come, where there are not illegal activities occurring, and where it’s a place that people want to be,” Huntzinger said, adding that there have been at least four significant fires at the Stock Ranch Nature Preserve that occurred because of homeless encampments.

Huntzinger shared photos with The Sentinel of the damage caused by fires and reported that four fires occurred, one in April, June, July, and September. The Sentinel reported on a half-acre fire that occurred behind Costco in July and has reported on several other fires in the vicinity in years past.

Huntzinger also said the park district contacted Grace House prior to Oct. 8 and informed the group that organized weekly meals were “no longer permitted,” citing increases in illegal homeless activities, but Grace House “came back the following week anyway,” according to Huntzinger. When asked why Citrus Heights HART, who did not actively engage in serving food, was also reportedly given a trespassing warning, but others who were also regular attendees were not, Huntzinger referred The Sentinel to the Police Department for more information.

The following Tuesday, Oct. 15, the Community Health Workers, who normally attend the meal distribution in order to contact those in their caseload, also did not appear at the Nature Preserve.

The city issued a statement on Oct. 24 that said in part: “Due to an increase in nuisance activities, theft, and fires at the nature preserve and nearby businesses, the property owner has withdrawn permission for the third-party meal provision service to continue in that area and requested trespassing enforcement.”

The city also said that the situation was unrelated to the Community Health Worker Program and that services remain available on Mondays at Living Water Church for client intake, assessment, and support. Health Workers are also available “in the field” on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, the city said, but did not specify where.

Citrus Heights Police confirmed that one female was taken into custody on Oct. 8, but police incident logs for that date do not show any police activity logged in the vicinity of the Stock Ranch Nature Preserve, Walmart, or Costco parking lots.

When asked why the police logs do not show any police activity between 2 and 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 8 at Stock Ranch Nature Preserve, Sgt. Jen Kell with the Citrus Heights Police Department said certain information on incidents, when generated by the computer system for the public information logs, will be redacted automatically. As to why the arrest on Oct. 8 was logged but the incident call that led to the arrest wasn’t logged publicly, Sgt. Kell referred The Sentinel to the records department.

Police Chief Alex Turcotte confirmed via email on Friday that an officer was “in the area” on Oct. 8, following up on a previous complaint related to trespassing, when the officer came into contact with Groves and others. Turcotte said “several others” were contacted related to “trespassing concerns” at the request of the property owner, but no trespass citations were issued.

Turcotte said incident logs and arrest logs are provided to help inform the community but “may not represent a complete list of all activity.” He also said trespassing citations result in a misdemeanor arrest, but trespassing warnings, whether in writing or verbal, are “an advisement that repeated action may result in a criminal arrest.”

History of serving meals to the unhoused
Patrick Miller with Grace House Ministries said in an interview on Oct. 24 that his ministry has served food to those in need for 15 years in various locations. Prior to the pandemic, Miller said Grace House served a meal at Rusch Park in Citrus Heights, but the group was asked to stop serving food during the pandemic. In 2022, Miller said Sunrise Recreation and Park District contacted Grace House again and agreed to allow them to serve meals at the Stock Ranch Nature Preserve once a week.

“Our purpose is two-fold: to provide people with the opportunity to serve and give back and to make a pathway off the street [for unhoused individuals],” Miller said. Grace House is a recovery center for those addicted to drugs and alcohol, and those who join Grace House help cook and serve meals for other unhoused individuals.

Grace House now serves a hot meal to the unhoused at Royer Park in Roseville on Sundays at 2:30 p.m., Miller said, as well as at The Gathering Inn in Roseville. Miller still plans to work with the Sunrise Recreation and Park District to find a suitable location to serve food to those in need in Citrus Heights.

“We’ll be back on the street in Citrus Heights, we’ll find a place, we’re not going to let that go. There’s too many folks that need help,” Miller said.

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