Sunnyvale is going back to the market for homeless service providers as officials press the existing partner for results. The Sunnyvale City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a six-month contract extension to nonprofit homeless provider HomeFirst, totaling $206,710. During that time, the city plans to open submissions for other providers and have a partner picked...
‘A step in the right direction’: Los Gatos places homeless residents in hotels
Ron Hilla has been homeless for about 11 years, and has seen so many of his friends die on the streets, he can’t count them all on his hands. The 65-year-old’s life fell apart when his health forced him to quit his more than 40-year career in construction, landing him on the Los Gatos Creek...
State gives San Jose money instead of tiny homes
Gov. Gavin Newsom has cut a multimillion-dollar check to San Jose as part of the state’s promise to build 200 tiny homes for the city’s homeless residents. Newsom made a $30-million promise in March 2023 to deploy the California National Guard to build 1,200 tiny homes across the state to combat growing homelessness. San Jose...
Santa Clara County homeless families left out in the cold
Homeless families in Santa Clara County are calling for immediate help after recent storms forced them from their temporary shelters onto the streets. It can take months to obtain shelter and supportive services in the region, and with existing facilities across the county at or near capacity, a coalition of advocates and unhoused families say San Jose...
San Jose creates ‘no return zone’ for homeless residents along river trail
San Jose officials are doubling down on efforts to revitalize the Guadalupe River Trail and prevent homeless residents from seeking shelter there. The San Jose City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved allocating $200,000 to remove roughly 20 people living by the river and work with community partners to encourage residents to frequent the trail. Mayor Matt Mahan...
San Jose helps evacuate homeless residents amid storm
Heavy rain and powerful wind raged through San Jose over the weekend, affecting the most vulnerable communities. Luckily, the worst of the weather is behind us, officials say. The recent atmospheric river storm resulted in broken trees that blocked roads, fell on homes and damaged cars. Approximately 700,000 people lost power throughout the Bay Area,...
UPDATE: San Jose one step closer to banning homeless RVs near schools
Policymakers in the Bay Area’s largest city on Tuesday agreed to ban homeless people from camping near schools, despite pleas from advocates and concerns from City Hall about how to carry it out. City councilmembers voted unanimously to draft a policy allowing police to tow vehicles parked within 150 feet of K-12 campuses, despite city...
Sunnyvale homeless resource fair draws a crowd
Sirina Paras was temporarily evicted from her home last year, and a Sunnyvale nonprofit put her up in a motel room and helped her navigate the eviction. Paras said she is grateful for the help of Sunnyvale Community Services (SCS). The 73-year-old Sunnyvale resident said she was initially evicted because a neighbor claimed she had...
Downtown San Jose hotel turning into mixed-income apartments
Downtown San Jose’s Pacific Motor Inn is transforming from a hotel that once used to shelter people from COVID into a massive mixed-income apartment complex. Mayor Matt Mahan announced the final plans for the project last week alongside other city and nonprofit leaders. Once completed, the development will bring nearly 500 apartments into the downtown...
San Jose revisits old goals to solve homelessness
New year, new goals — and San Jose officials are trying again to resolve the city’s homeless crisis. This week, the San Jose City Council unanimously approved its annual update of a five-year plan to end homelessness following a lengthy two- hour debate. The city will spend $50 million to subsidize affordable housing construction to bring 400...