Downtown San Jose residents and business owners are growing frustrated and concerned at what they see as an increase of homeless people who need immediate crisis intervention and mental health help. The issue came to a boiling point this week after an unhoused person assaulted a San Jose Downtown Association worker while cleaning graffiti. “Our groundwork staff...
State law offers little help to struggling San Jose renters
California has extended eviction protections for millions of residents, but advocates fear it’s too little and too late to help thousands of San Jose tenants on the brink of losing their homes. Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis, acting in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s absence, recently signed legislation to temporarily protect Californians from eviction for past due rent if...
San Jose council review: Homeless report, mental health response
Homelessness, mental health response, cost-saving recommendations and fee decreases to incentivize commercial development were the hot topics at Tuesday’s San Jose City Council meeting. Here’s the weekly breakdown: Annual Homeless Report Despite the hardships exacerbated by COVID-19, the city’s housing department said it has made notable progress on San Jose’s 2020-2025 plan to end homelessness....
San Jose to lease VTA lot for safe parking program
Unhoused people living in their RVs will soon be able to sleep safely at a sanctioned location in South San Jose. City officials told homeless advocates this week that San Jose is almost ready to sign a 5-year lease with VTA to start a new safe parking program at the Santa Teresa station’s parking lot. The...
San Jose escalates efforts to clear homeless encampment
With the deadline to clear one of the Bay Area’s largest homeless camps looming, San Jose has started towing cars and RVs near Columbus Park this week—a move that has prompted concern from advocates and homeless residents. With no advance notice, the city put up towing signs throughout the 18 acres area near Columbus Park...
Homeless advocates claim Milpitas mayor stonewalls solutions
The homeless crisis in Milpitas might be headed for a dead end. Some officials and advocates blame the mayor for exacerbating the problem. Milpitas, a city of roughly 80,000 people, started to see its homeless population balloon during the COVID-19 pandemic. An encampment behind the city’s library, one of the largest camps in Milpitas, has grown to...
Santa Clara starts task force to study homelessness
Santa Clara is assembling a task force aimed at tackling homelessness within the city and needs recruits. The city is working with San Francisco nonprofit Homebase to examine the needs and service gaps for the unhoused by creating a task force and strategic plan. The task force will be comprised of four to eight members, including...
Law group probes complaints at San Jose affordable housing site
Complaints are emerging at a San Jose affordable housing complex—and housing lawyers are taking notice. Attorneys with the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley said several clients face eviction from Renascent Place, a housing site for chronically homeless and disabled people. The law group has heard complaints about property management firm John Stewart Company deactivating room keycards, maintenance workers entering...
California CARE Court could help get homeless, mentally ill off the streets
Gov. Gavin Newsom could change how the state handles its severe mentally ill—if he can persuade legislators to fund a proposal in the upcoming fiscal year budget. A Thursday morning event at Crossroads Village, a Momentum for Health mental health campus, brought together Silicon Valley advocates and politicians alike to learn about the new CARE...
Homeless advocates pitch tents at Milpitas City Hall
Pitched tents surrounded Milpitas City Hall Monday night, where advocates for the unhoused staged a campout to address the city’s ongoing homeless crisis. At tonight’s City Council meeting, recommendations will be heard from the Milpitas homeless task force over an issue riling up the community on both sides. While some elected officials such as Councilmembers...