The City of Sacramento has secured nearly $31.9 million in state Homekey+ funding to construct a 100-unit permanent supportive housing community for seniors and veterans along Rio Linda Boulevard.
Known as the Rio Linda Senior Housing Project, the development will be built at the corner of Rio Linda Boulevard and Las Palmas Avenue in Sacramento’s South Hagginwood neighborhood. Despite its name, the project is not located in the unincorporated Rio Linda-Elverta community, a distinction that has become a point of frustration for many local residents.
The project will provide permanent supportive housing for adults age 55 and older, including 49 homes reserved for veterans experiencing homelessness who also have behavioral health needs. Residents will sign leases and pay no more than 30 percent of their income toward rent.
via City of Sacramento
Developed through a partnership between the City of Sacramento and Urban Capital LLC, the community will consist of modular tiny homes featuring living space, a bathroom and kitchenette. Plans also include community gathering areas, laundry facilities, a community garden, storage buildings and offices for on-site property management and supportive services. Construction is expected to begin in February 2027, pending Sacramento City Council acceptance of the grant.
A Familiar Frustration for Rio Linda Residents
While few have questioned the need for additional housing for seniors and veterans, many Rio Linda residents have questioned why the development carries the community’s name when it is located entirely within the City of Sacramento.
For decades, residents have dealt with confusion created by Rio Linda Boulevard extending several miles into Sacramento. Crimes, fires, traffic collisions and other incidents occurring in North Sacramento and Del Paso Heights are routinely reported by television stations, websites and even government agencies as occurring “in Rio Linda” simply because they happened on Rio Linda Boulevard.
Many residents believe the latest project name will only add to that confusion.
Local resident Susan Davis expressed a concern shared by many in the community.
“Why is it called the Rio Linda Senior Housing Project when it’s in North Sacramento, not in Rio Linda?” Davis said. “Rio Linda is not part of the City of Sacramento. The name of the project should accurately reflect the actual location.”
The issue has generated renewed discussion among residents who have long advocated for renaming the portion of Rio Linda Boulevard within Sacramento city limits. Supporters argue that doing so would help distinguish the city neighborhoods from the unincorporated Rio Linda-Elverta community and reduce the persistent misidentification of incidents occurring outside the community.
Those efforts, however, have gained little traction. Because the roadway lies within the City of Sacramento, any renaming would be the city’s decision, and Rio Linda residents—who live in unincorporated Sacramento County—have little influence over that process. Community members point to other long-standing requests, including reopening East Levee Road to reconnect Rio Linda with Northgate Boulevard and Del Paso Road, that have received little attention from city officials.
For Rio Linda residents, the concern extends beyond the name of a single housing development. They say it is another example of how their community’s identity is frequently blurred with neighborhoods miles away, creating confusion that affects public perception of Rio Linda itself.
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