It’s been quite a year for Santa Clara County.
Local elections dominated much of 2024, bringing new faces into government and long-term officials bidding farewell. Other than a congressional race that began with a historic three-way runoff and recount in the primaries and an onslaught of political accusations throughout the season, the outcomes ended without a hitch.
The same can’t be said about other decisions which have rolled into 2025, leaving officials with formidable challenges.
The carryover includes the big four — homelessness, housing, hunger and health care — and one political scandal. There are no quick-fix solutions, except for a special election to replace disgraced San Jose Councilmember Omar Torres in District 3 come April — unless a June runoff is required.
Even then, the question of how such abhorrent behavior from the former councilman could happen isn’t going to vanish after a new person is sworn in. Such actions are not easily erased.
Nor is tackling homelessness, a problem entangled with insufficient affordable housing, sky-high rents and evictions. The dilemma has been years in the making. The solution — funding affordable housing projects and cutting red tape — must not falter or give way to developer exemptions.
San Jose leaders have to relocate hundreds of individuals being displaced along the waterways. Where are they supposed to go as “no return zones“and buffer zones for encampments and RVs are put in place? There doesn’t appear to be a fully formed plan.
Officials cannot view safe parking and sleeping sites as anything but temporary solutions. The intent is to move individuals into more permanent housing in 30 days. Yet the infrastructure is not there, which brings us back to the housing urgency. Do not turn these sites into refugee camps. This is not a dignified lifestyle.
Hunger is another real problem in our county. Food insecurity exploded during the pandemic and hasn’t let up since. Programs like CalFresh and food providers like Second Harvest of Silicon Valley and Loaves & Fishes Family Kitchen are needed more than ever. This too is intertwined with homelessness and housing.
Health care is the last of the big four priorities. The county rescued Regional Medical Center from being gutted by HCA Healthcare by purchasing it. Good Samaritan Hospital is working on an expansion, as is health care provider Sutter Health. All positive signs of fulfilling need. But officials are still wrestling with a mental health and substance use crisis in the county as the state imposes deadlines for services without funding support.
It doesn’t take much for a sudden turn of events to flip one’s life upside down. A layoff. A health emergency. Medical bills. Missed rent or an eviction. Any one of these things can cause someone to unwillingly find themselves calling their car or the streets home. Their stability lost.
Santa Clara County is one of the wealthiest places in the nation, with the resources to tackle these four problems. Residents expect local leaders to govern smart. To do their research, be accountable for their actions and show sensitivity toward those they represent.
Let’s start 2025 by bringing the number of homeless residents down and the number of affordable homes up.
Moryt Milo is an editor at San José Spotlight. Contact Moryt at [email protected] or follow her at @morytmilo on X, formerly known as Twitter. Catch up on her monthly editorials here.
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