Sacramento Downtown Businesses Complain Of 'Severe And Worsening Conditions'
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. She signed the letter concerned that her business is in danger of closing down if a change does not happen soon.
"I mean it's a miracle we have lasted this long," Rodriguez said.
Her restaurant is surrounded by shut down and boarded up businesses. Besides the blight, crime is also a big concern.
"It's just getting worse and worse," Rodriguez said. "So yeah, it's scary. You don't want people feeling that way when they can go other places."
The three-page letter asks the mayor for immediate action to clean and clear public right of ways, and address public safety issues "contributing to severe and worsening conditions in Sacramento's downtown core."
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"When the letter was first presented to me, it's like absolutely I will sign it," Rodriguez said. "I'm 100 percent behind it."
Mayor Steinberg responded to the letter with a statement reading in part:
"We take the concerns expressed by our downtown businesses very seriously and are formulating a detailed response emphasizing health and safety."
The Downtown Partnership reports assaults not involving guns are up 150% this year. Rodriguez has an employee who was stabbed downtown two weeks ago.
"He's okay, but obviously it was very scary and now he's not working because he is recovering," Rodriguez said.
A downtown business specializing in sweets, seeking a sense of safety.
"I'm just hoping that somebody comes in and fixes this area," Rodriguez said.
A number of big businesses also signed the letter to the mayor, including the Sacramento Kings.
