Bramson: Counting wins amid a crisis

November is National Homelessness Awareness Month — a time when we confront the uncomfortable truth that in the richest place on earth, too many people still live without a home.

More than 770,000 Americans are unhoused nationwide, the highest number ever recorded. But here’s the part we often miss: homelessness is not inevitable. It’s not some unsolvable riddle written into our DNA as a society. It’s a reflection of choices — and the good news is, we’re making better ones here at home.

Just last week, voters in Santa Clara County made history again by passing Measure A — a local sales tax initiative designed to protect vital services from devastating federal cuts. In a time of polarization and pessimism, that vote was an act of hope. It reaffirmed what makes this community so extraordinary: when Washington turns its back, we turn toward one another.

The measure is expected to raise more than $300 million annually to sustain and expand programs that keep people housed, provide behavioral health care and connect our neighbors to the stability everyone deserves. It’s not flashy. It’s not a quick fix. But it’s real progress — funded and fueled by us.

The passage of Measure A said loud and clear that Santa Clara County believes in community over cynicism. When we invest in our stability, we’re not just helping the unhoused — we’re protecting the health, safety and humanity of everyone who lives here. High quality services reduce emergency room visits, lower public-safety costs, improve educational outcomes and create safer, healthier neighborhoods. Every dollar spent keeping someone housed saves many more down the line.

Amid the statistics, we can’t forget this: People exit homelessness every single day. They sign leases, reconnect with family, find work and rebuild lives once thought lost. Their stories rarely go viral, but they’re the heartbeat of this work. One woman I met recently described her new apartment key as something that helps her hold onto hope. That’s what we’re fighting for — not numbers, but moments like that.

This is the power of choosing action over despair. Homelessness is not a mystery, it’s a math problem. The gap between what people earn and what housing costs has grown too wide. The answer lies in closing that gap — with prevention programs, affordable housing, high quality shelter investments and political courage. Santa Clara County’s new measure gives us a chance to keep doing just that, at a time when it’s needed most.

But this isn’t the time for a victory lap. Critical community organizations are still facing massive cuts, federal funding remains frozen with an uncertain future and thousands of our residents still don’t have a safe place to sleep each night. As we enter the holiday season, I hope we all keep that in mind. Vote for leaders who prioritize housing and equity. Support local nonprofits doing the hard, unglamorous work of keeping people safe. Volunteer, donate, speak up when misinformation spreads. Progress won’t happen overnight — but it’s already happening here.

In the end, the test of a community isn’t how it treats its most successful — it’s how it treats its most vulnerable. The people of Santa Clara County have just shown what side of that test they intend to be on. Let’s make sure we keep proving them right.

San José Spotlight columnist Ray Bramson is the chief operating officer at Destination: Home, a nonprofit that works to end homelessness in Silicon Valley. His columns appear every second Monday of the month. Contact Ray at [email protected] follow @rbramson on X.