This year was daunting for Silicon Valley leaders and their efforts to confront homelessness. Actions to stem the growing tide of people falling into homelessness were threatened by federal and state funding cuts, on top of a record number of people losing their housing, driven by rising costs. Santa Clara County and San Jose leaders...
Santa Clara County homeless deaths are declining
Homeless deaths have dropped more than 20%, even though homelessness continues to rise in Santa Clara County. Approximately 155 homeless people died between Dec. 1, 2024 to Nov. 30, down from 197 the previous year, according to data provided by nonprofit HomeFirst. A majority of the deaths, 187, were male. The oldest homeless person who...
More South County homeless receive health care
Local officials are reporting a sharp uptick in homeless people seeking health services in South County – a trend they credit to successful outreach. South County patient encounters with the Valley Homeless Healthcare Program — which provides mobile and fixed-site primary care, substance abuse and oral health services — have exceeded last year’s totals. As...
Santa Clara County joint lawsuit halts federal grant guidelines
President Donald Trump’s administration has backed off from upending federal grants to permanent housing programs — for now. A lawsuit filed by Santa Clara County and 10 other governments and nonprofits against the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) last week has pushed the department to revise federal grant guidelines for homeless funding...
Hundreds of Santa Clara County families face displacement
Santa Clara County has helped thousands of families secure permanent housing over the past several years. Yet homelessness continues to rise, and the end of a federal program that houses many families threatens the county’s progress. In 2021, the county launched the “Heading Home” campaign to reach “functional zero” of homeless families by 2025, or...
Homelessness no longer top issue for Bay Area residents
The number of Californians who are “very concerned” about homelessness has plummeted below 30% over the last six years. The percentage of Bay Area residents who are “very concerned” about the presence of homeless people in their community has dropped from 63% in 2019 to 28% in 2025, according to annual surveys conducted by the...
San Jose mayor looking for ‘change agent’ governor
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan hosted several gubernatorial candidates at a tiny home site Friday, in the hopes of showcasing the city’s approach to slash homelessness through building temporary housing — and to get their buy in. During a tour of the city’s newest tiny home village at Cherry Avenue, Mahan said he’s looking for...
Santa Clara County sues over federal housing grant changes
Santa Clara County and a coalition of 10 other local governments and nonprofits are filing a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s administration for upending federal grants for permanent housing. The lawsuit, filed Monday, alleges changes the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has made to federal Continuum of Care grants are unlawful and...
San Jose homeless motel residents must move or face eviction
Homeless residents who moved from San Jose’s largest encampment into shelters earlier this year are being asked to move again — or end up back on the streets. San Jose moved hundreds of people living at Columbus Park into five motels converted to homeless shelters when it swept the park this summer. Now they’re being...
Silicon Valley lawmakers speak out against homeless housing cuts
Santa Clara County leaders have gathered to denounce President Donald Trump’s actions to cut funding for permanent housing programs. Congressmembers Sam Liccardo and Zoe Lofgren and others are calling for a reversal of these cuts, which would cap federal funds for permanent housing at 30% and shift the rest to temporary housing programs. The county...