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The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors is likely to approve a controversial 25,000-resident community housing development in North Natomas on Tuesday, potentially sparking a legal battle over the environmentally protected basin.
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The Upper Westside Project is a proposed development in unincorporated Natomas which would include more than 9,300 housing units, 3.1 million square feet of commercial space and up to four new public schools. The project has faced considerable pushback from community members, environmental groups and local politicians — including both candidates running to represent the area next year.
Opponents of the development argue that the plan has not meaningfully addressed concerns surrounding financing the construction of new schools, delivering safe drinking water and maintaining environmental protections for 22 listed species and their habitats in the Natomas Basin.
One of the project’s most significant adversaries is the city of Sacramento — while the area is not under their governance, city officials argue the development would violate a decades-old habitat conservation agreement with the county. Mayor Kevin McCarty, with broad council support, sent a letter to the county board in August asking them to delay the vote to address various concerns with the project.
After a 10-month delay, the item is back up for a vote with a report including an alternative plan for water supply and updates on talks with Natomas Unified School District. In a public comment sent to the county board, district personnel said they have “significant concerns” about the project due to uncertain construction costs and the project’s development timeline.
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Officials went on to write that though the district has committed to aggressively pursuing state construction funding and other financing opportunities, those sources are “neither guaranteed nor sufficient to fully fund the facilities needed to serve future students.”
Sacramento Councilmember Karina Talamantes, whose district is directly adjacent to the project, has remained steadfast in her opposition to the development, urging the county to further delay the vote until a new supervisor is elected to replace Phil Serna, who is championing the project. Both candidates seeking his seat — Councilmember Eric Guerra and epidemiologist Flo Cofer — have publicly opposed the project.
“I am asking the Board to delay any action until a new Supervisor is in office, someone who will be responsible for overseeing the future of this project and its impacts on our community,” she wrote in a Monday post. “Communication and outreach to Natomas residents have been insufficient, and we need to do better to ensure the public is fully informed and engaged.”
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Source: Sacramento County
This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 3:47 PM.