Sacramento City Hall

Thank you for giving me a new view of stupidity. It just shows that all the cut back for the education budget just paid off. Well done America!

Like everyone on their way to city hall, I was bracing myself for the worst. I was going to get residential parking stickers for our cars, and I figured that the task, however, commonplace, would require a few hours of waiting around and visits to some other offices. Instead, it took five minutes of waiting, followed by five minutes of friendly, excellent customer service. Seriously, it was a pleasure.

Today was my only week-​day off to go to City Hall. I made sure online it was open, today March 30^th. It took me 45 minutes to get there, and once arrived, there was a written sign posted saying they were taking the day off. It would be very helpful and not so annoying if someone in all of the State could post the ‘holidays’ Sacramento City Hall would be taking. Some courtesy would be nice.

Passport Office hours are limited and you should definitely plan to make an appointment. But the staff will do anything they can to help you even with the limited hours and staff they have available. What more can you ask for.

The actual hours are 8:30am to 4:30pm. Make sure you show up before 4:30, if you show up at 4:31, they won’t help you. Great customer service, not. Glad my tax dollars are going to great use.

This is a review for passport services– I can’t speak to any of the municipal functions except to say the building is really nice, the lobby area is very clean and open, and the security folks that you have to check in with to get an ID badge are friendly and efficient.
Compared to filling out all the paperwork, getting your documents together, paying extortionate rates for passport photos and the prohibitively high cost (for a lot of folks) for getting a passport, dealing with the passport folks at city hall was a breeze. Just be sure to show up with your passport photos, your check/​money order payable to the state department and all your forms and photo of your ID and it’s quick and painless. I was in and out in 8 minutes. The only knock is that I called a couple of times to schedule an appointment and never got a call back– this was easily remedied by dropping in to make an appointment in person. They got me in the next day.

I really like the look and feel of the newer building. I went in here to pay a ticket and was pleasantly surprised. Maybe it was the holiday cheer in the air (or something like it) but the staff was most pleasant. Not the usual snippy,” I don’t care I’m just here for the paycheck” routine from a few years back when I paid my last parking ticket in person. I wonder if back then they realized that this money, I’m about to give them, actually help fund a part of that paycheck? O_​O
I was in and out of there in less than 10 minutes, which lets me know the city meter are on full tilt highway robbery. I put enough money in for 24 minutes. I walked in, didn’t have to take a number, paid my ticket and walked out and the meter was already flashing red. HUH What you say Willis?
That’s right, parking meters and egg beaters — Yep, less than 10 minutes on 24 minute meter and the meter was already blinking red. And I was parked directly across the street on 9^th. Walked a straight line (for the conspiracy theorists, lol) from my truck door to building door (minus a few bushes/​plants and a permanent resident challenged person lying in the grass).

Can we give ZERO stars? Wait is horrible at the revenue area. It was bad before and with the new «number» waiting systems, it’s worse. I’ve waited over an hour once just to get a meter card & since it only fills up to a certain $$$ I HAVE to come back to this horrible place. HORRIBLE. This time i waited almost an hour and when i got my meter card (picture included) i noticed it was dirty. It looked like blood stains. I asked «Are those stains on the card?» Heather says «yep» and continued the transaction without offering a new card. I asked «do those not get cleaned» (i’m being really nice the whole time). She said «no, we just get the batches, feel free to sanitize it» impolitely. And sanitized i did! UGH!

Parking Services is only open half the day, and even if you get there early you will still sit and wait with your number for at least 15 – 20 minutes. Throw some extra quarters in the meter if you’re parking nearby, because you WILL wait.

I’ve been hesitant on writing a review for this place because I work here, but since I am the the Duke I figured it’d be poor form not to.
In any case, new City Hall which backs up to Historic City Hall is a place where quite a bit of magic happens. Inside are a number of departments and the Mayor and his Councilmembers. In 1920, the sacramento voters adopted their City Charter and their City council-​City Manager form of government (which is still used today!). The mayor is elected by all of the residents of the city of sacramento and the Councilmembers are elected by their constituents (roughly about 56K each last time there was a census) in their respective geographical areas. As electeds, the council establish policies, ordinances, and land uses. They approve the annual budget, our contracts, hear appeals of the decisions made by staff or citizen advisory groups; and appoint the City’s 4 charter officers (city manager, city attorney, city treasurer, and city clerk). Almost every Tuesday the councilmembers hold city council meetings (of which the public are welcome to) starting and 6pm.
Though we interact with the public in a variety of ways, the most frequent way the public seem interact with City employees is through the Revenue Division. Now, I’d like to add that this is only one division and one way of interacting with us as a municipal government (there is also 3−1−1 or you can call the Council offices directly using the city of sac website). I know the people in that Division can be less than kind, but try to keep in mind they are dealing with a whole host of people from so many walks of life (and personalities). It’s not an excuse, it’s just a reality.
As a city employee I have also had to deal with this division and let me tell you, I wanted to tell a person or two off, but then that would be to sink to their level. I had an employee roll their eyes at me, and another scoff when I asked a question (mind you I work for their ultimate boss at the top of the pyramid and still they treated me that way). But as a mature person who takes the higher ground, I contacted their manager and let him know about my concerns, most importantly, that his employees are representing us and its important to be as kind and respectful to the people who we ultimately work for (the constituents); not the treat them the exact opposite. Hopefully this will help in some small way.
If you are trying to get a parking permit or pay a ticket, know that you will need to do so from 12:30 — 5:30. Before that (9 – 12) the office is closed to the public and only the phone hours are available.
Also, if you have an appointment with an elected, please go to the front desk to get a temporary badge. Without one you will likely be scolded. It’s very easy, just be sure to have an ID card with you.
Good luck and don’t hesitate to give any of us (the council offices) a call sometime to share you opinion on an issue happening in the city of sacramento! :)

The old city hall, and the new one for that matter, are both handsome buildings that fit well into the architecture of downtown Sacramento. Once you get inside, however, you face the same old bureaucratic nonsense as in any other state or city run department.
I’ve been to the new City Hall building (directly behind the old one) on a couple occasions to get or renew a parking permit. It’s the equivalent of dragging your nails down a chalk board in painfully slow motion. Long lines, piles of paper work, and snotty employees who act like they’d rather eat soap than look in your direction.
Also came down for a meeting recently after losing my drivers license. I couldn’t get past the front counter. Understandably, this is for the safety of the employees, but like anything dealing with state government, you’ll never be prepared enough to deal with all the hidden rules and regulations.

Well as far as a smooth running government offices go, this is ONE! Yes sometimes there is a line, but it usually doesn’t really take that long… shorter, faster than DMV!! They have a nice big flat screen TV to watch the news on while waiting. They are all knowledgeable, you can try to stump them! Ha ha NO don’t do that! They work really hard. And as everyone knows how hard it can be doing customer service… esp for parking tickets! Please, talk about a cranky customer base! But they joyfully get the job done! In fact I even wrote the manager a comment card complimenting ALL the cashiers especially LJ and Claudia! So Mayor Johnson I hope YOU Unilocal!!!

Pretty fast service actually. I had to get a parking permit– the counter is in the new building behind Old City Hall. Get a number, watch some tv in the waiting room, ten minutes later, you’re called!

They now have a new procedure that consists of:
Waiting in line to get a number from the machine attendant. Then waiting in a makeshift lounge for your number to appear on the screen; you wait so long you feel like you’ve won the lottery when they finally call your number. Then you get to see a cashier. But this is where it gets weird, the cashier will disappear (what I’ve experienced twice now) for a minimum of 15 minutes and then will reappear magically to scold you!
Sounds like a fantastic place right? It’s worse than the DMV, and the DMV is horrible! Not once have I ever had a good (3 star) experience at City Hall. The employee’s are downright rude, short with you, and have NO concept of customer service. I cringe at the mere thought of City Hall because a «simple» trip turns out to be a long outdrawn problem. And what is up with the hours!!! Who is open from 12:30pm-5:30pm with Friday’s off? Oh wait… CITY HALL! If you’re lucky enough, you’ll get another parking ticket while paying for you parking ticket because it’s only street parking!
CITY HALL, YOU FAIL! I GIVE YOU AND ALL YOUR EMPLOYEE’S AT THE REVENUE DIVISION A BIG, FAT, F!

Apparently this is a new city hall? At least that’s what all the websites online say…
Anyways, the Revenue Division on the first floor handles parking tickets, utility bills, and permits of many sorts. Hours are from 12:30 to 5:30pm. If you have parking tickets or utility bills to pay, there’s a drop box inside to the left on the wall (it ONLY takes checks and money orders). If you don’t have either, you’ll need to get in line to pay.
Outside of the Revenue Division, I noticed a sign that was posted saying-«Shorter hours, but more windows». When I got to the front of the line, there were 6 windows open. I’m not sure if that’s what they call a lot, but makes me wonder what they had before? Long hours and 3 windows open? My advice to anyone heading over there, get in line super early because the line grows pretty fast.

I really don’t like the whole 12:30 to 5 schedule they are doing but It does seem to make the line go a lot quicker since they do have more staff on. So far most staff I have worked with were knowledgeable and friendlier than I expected.

I haven’t been to more than 5 – 6 City Halls, but this is the finest in my experience. Fancy automatic drapes facilitated the PowerPoint viewing. The ground level windows make a real statement about Sacramento’s attitude toward it’s citizens. It is a very egalitarian design component.

Went for passport service, should have skipped it. The lady in the office gave me a huge ration of attitude from the minute I walked in, and as soon as I returned it in kind – well, not really, all I did was read back the directions she was claiming I didn’t follow – she told me to go somewhere else because she wasn’t going to take my «rudeness.» That’s forty minutes of my life completely down the tubes with a little life-​shortening blood pressure boost thrown in for good measure.

Went in to get a new parking permit for street parking. I am a new resident to downtown Sacramento so I tried my best to do my homework before I arrived. In order to park, you usually have to find street parking (bring quarters or a VISA or MASTERCARD) which you have to purchase parking time at the green machines along the blocks. I believe the maximum time you can park is for an hour (otherwise, you’ll have to get out of line and put more money on your meter).
Anyway, City Hall consists of two buildings (the old building in the front facing I Street and the newer building directly behind the old building). When approaching City Hall you will see a map of the buildings and what departments are located in each building directing you to the appropriate area to which you will go. For parking, revenue services you need to go to the back (the newer building). When you enter, you will notice that it is very clean and as you turn and look directly to the RIGHT as you enter, you will see a long line. Stand it in, bring a book to read or a phone to entertain yourself. Make sure you have all your documents before you get to the window. The line goes pretty fast and the staff are friendly depending on if they’re in a good mood or if the previous person has not bothered them too much.
My only suggestion is to go online prior to arriving so that you have all your paperwork and documentation completed. Good luck!

As far as city halls go, this is a fine one.
The seats are comfortable for those long meetings and unnecessarily drawn out (though often entertaining) public comment sessions. The guards are friendly and quick to boot any troublemakers (silence your cell phones!). They provide a media room with kick-​ass chairs and easy-​to-​use plug-​ins (many city council chambers don’t). The bathrooms are always clean and effective.
My one complaint is those damn doors when you walk into the building… they seem to swing on a strange hinge that doesn’t allow the door to open as wide as it should. What’s the deal?
Haven’t been into the old City Hall building, but the new one is quality.