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San Jose leaders are questioning if spending millions on homeless outreach is worth the investment, with efforts producing single-digit success rates last year. San Jose spent $24 million in federal grants last year aimed at addressing homelessness. Of the more than 1,000 people experiencing homelessness that two city-funded nonprofits reportedly connected with, less than 10%...
San Jose grapples with crowded RV street parking
San Jose officials are struggling to solve the growing number of RVs lining city streets—and the road will not be easy. Mayor Matt Mahan and three San Jose councilmembers want to explore ways to manage homeless residents living in vehicles while simultaneously ramping up available safe parking sites. Solutions being discussed include fully banning RVs in certain...
San Jose short-term housing development could fall through
A controversial plan to house homeless people on vacant VTA land in North San Jose could fall flat as officials consider other options. The VTA Board of Directors, composed of 12 officials from across Santa Clara County, voted 10-1-1 Thursday night to bring back a draft agreement for San Jose to build 200 homes with...
Restrictions keep San Jose safe parking site mostly empty
San Jose has spent years and millions of dollars to open its safe parking site at the Santa Teresa VTA light rail station—but it is practically empty. The city’s only safe parking site, which opened in July, has 42 spots, but the city is struggling to fill them despite having hundreds of people living in their...
Silicon Valley water district helps the homeless and environment
Valley Water is introducing two new approaches to combating pollution created by homeless encampments near creeks—portable toilets and debit cards. The water district announced earlier this week that it will place portable toilets and wash stations at 20 key sites near homeless encampments along the creeks through an initiative called the Portable Toilet Facilities Program....
Santa Clara County helps Salvation Army add housing
A long-standing homeless shelter north of downtown San Jose is planning an expansion and Santa Clara County officials are hoping to coordinate support for the project. The Salvation Army’s Emmanuel House shelter at its 359 N. Fourth St. campus is set to grow from 70 beds to 112 during a 10-month renovation project slated for...
Advocates say San Jose homeless ban at schools doesn’t solve problem
San Jose officials are considering banning homeless encampments and RVs around schools even as homeless advocates decry the move, saying it further criminalizes an already marginalized group of people. A proposal to prohibit homeless people and their vehicle dwellings within 150 feet of most city preschools, day cares and K-12 schools will go before the San Jose City Council in coming weeks after it...
San Jose mayor targets homeless living near schools
San Jose may soon enforce banning homeless dwelling near schools if a proposed ordinance is passed. The issue was in plain sight with roughly a dozen RVs and vehicles lined on Educational Park Drive in East San Jose where Mayor Matt Mahan, Councilmember Peter Ortiz and two students spoke today about their plans to ban...
San Jose opens safe parking site for homeless RV dwellers
After months of delay, a safe parking site for homeless residents has opened at the Santa Teresa VTA light rail station in San Jose. The parking lot opened Monday and provides 42 spaces for homeless people living in their vehicles, a slight decrease from the originally planned 45 spaces to allow for commuter cars. Four...
San Jose homeless hotel tenants protest deplorable conditions
Christina Correa was homeless for 11 years before finding temporary housing. She moved into SureStay Hotel in North San Jose one year ago, an environment she said is cockroach infested, peppered with mold and has faucets that spew dirty tap water. She never imagined getting off the streets would put her health at risk. The...