Sacramento, CA — The City of Sacramento’s Planning and Design Commission voted on Thursday, Feb. 12, to approve the highly contested Alhambra Redevelopment Project (P24-00007), a six-story, mixed-use development slated for the corner of Alhambra Boulevard and D Street. The decision came after hours of heated testimony from residents, neighborhood associations, and advocacy groups, underscoring a deep divide between state housing mandates and local preservation concerns.
Despite overwhelming public opposition citing height, scale, traffic congestion, parking overflow, and environmental hazards, commissioners emphasized that state housing laws—particularly the Housing Accountability Act (HAA) and AB130—left them with little discretion to deny the project. Vice Chair Kaden noted, “There are some rules in place at the state level now… that really do effectively limit the discretion of this commission to say no to housing projects that otherwise comply with objective standards.”
The approved plan includes 332 residential units, 2,400-foot ground-floor commercial space, and a six-level parking garage that can hold 322 total parking spaces. OpGov.ai reports a contentious issue—the presence of an unregistered underground storage tank—was addressed by conditioning the project to require remediation prior to occupancy.
Opponents argued the project would irreparably harm the character of East Sacramento’s historic neighborhoods:
(Picture of Mary Coronado provided by Metro 14 YouTube video.)
Mary Coronado, a resident on Alhambra and C Street, pleaded for the developers to be a good neighbor and hear the concerns of the neighbors who live there: “Please ask the developers to meet with real neighbors… and to keep the building within the 35-foot height limit and not approve the conditional use permit. Growth is inevitable and desirable, but destruction of a community character is not.”
Addie Sackler warned the developers do not know the neighborhood: “It’s obvious all developers are worried about is money. They don’t care about the impact. I moved into my neighborhood because I like the quality of life, and I don’t need some big monstrous structure overlooking other people and bothering my neighbors who don’t want it that high. We should be considered before this goes forward.”
(Picture of Carl Seymour provided by Metro 14 YouTube video.)
Carl Seymour, president of the Casa Loma Terrace Neighborhood Association, declared: “This is massively out of scale with the neighborhood… This is a one- and two-story neighborhood… There will be 870 people in one square block. That’s higher density than San Francisco or New York City. This is crazy density!”
Supporters countered that Sacramento’s housing crisis demands bold action:
Kate Rogers, speaking for House Sacramento, said: “The Alhambra project is exactly the type of development we need in Sacramento… By adding new rental units, it will help us reach our affordability goals… Building more housing near schools, parks, and businesses is the best way to keep Sacramento Sacramento.”
Xander, an East Sacramento resident, shared: “We need dense housing in central Sacramento to account for our growing population and to tame the price of rent that is skyrocketing throughout Sacramento.”
Andrew Coddle, who commutes from the county’s outskirts, shared a personal plea: “I had to move back in with my parents after a private equity firm bought out my apartment complex… I still can’t afford a studio on my own. Seeing this, that’s why I support this project.”
Commissioners acknowledged community concerns but cited legal constraints and housing imperatives. “We are in a housing crisis that is fundamentally about a shortage of homes,” Vice Chair Kaden said, adding that denying the project could expose the city to litigation under state law.
The vote passed overwhelmingly, with conditions requiring environmental remediation and infrastructure upgrades, including sewer capacity improvements.
(A proposed six-story mixed-use development by Demas Enterprises near McKinley Park faced a decisive vote Thursday before Sacramento’s Planning and Design Commission. Photo credit sfyimpy.com.)
OpGov.ai reports the meeting highlighted a growing tension between local neighborhood preservation and California’s mandate for increased housing density. For many residents, the fight is far from over. For others, the decision represents progress toward a more inclusive, sustainable Sacramento.
“Time can’t stand still,” said supporter Alex Bank, resident of Marshall School. “We need to look at what the actual alternative is—and is this making the city better than the alternative? I think the answer is clearly yes.”
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