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Drivers plunge down freeway ramps until shooting past the entrance into an endless stream of vehicles, some undoubtedly pushing past speed limits. Freeway ramps were made to be launch pads for cars – but for Joe Martinez they’re a place to sleep when he’s looking for more privacy and security. He lived off Highway 87...
San Jose hotel to expand capacity, housing for homeless young adults
Five years after converting the defunct Plaza Hotel into homeless housing, city leaders unanimously approved a plan to double its capacity. “The investment the facility needs is pretty significant to be able to house as many people as we want and we can,” said Councilmember Raul Peralez. “This is the first step to be able...
‘Nasty as hell’: Affordable housing site in East San Jose has mildew, drugs, tenants say
While the lobby of Renascent Place, a 160-unit affordable housing complex in San Jose is white-glove clean, a few steps inside residents’ living quarters the smell of mildew becomes almost overpowering. “It’s nasty as hell,” said Jina Monarch, a resident at Renascent Place. She’s lived at the complex since it opened in February 2020. By her estimate,...
San Jose responds to wage theft allegations, safety hazards at homeless housing site
San Jose leaders will withhold payment on a homeless housing project after a San José Spotlight article revealed widespread allegations of wage theft and safety violations. The city also launched an investigation. The project, located at Monterey and Bernal Roads in San Jose, is one of three emergency housing sites citywide created for homeless residents...
San Jose to vote on sweeping homeless camps, creating sanctioned encampments
Some San Jose leaders want to clear homeless encampments immediately — despite health regulations cautioning not to do so during a pandemic — and move homeless residents to a government-approved camping site. The San Jose City Council could vote Tuesday to dismantle encampments — against COVID-19 health guidelines. Councilmember Raul Peralez and city officials proposed...
How Santa Clara County is vaccinating homeless people
A group of outreach workers roamed Guadalupe River Park this month, looking to give the park’s houseless residents food, clothing – and COVID-19 vaccine appointments. Along a narrow trail, they found Tony McCann, who lives in the park in a community stashed amongst the trees and surrounding tanbark. He received the vaccine last week at...
San Jose City Council adds encampments, COVID recovery to its priority list
The San Jose City Council picked its new priorities Monday—deciding what topics to focus staff time on from many proposals delayed by the pandemic, including items to regulate the use of surveillance technologies to allowing marijuana dispensaries in retail centers. Two items rose to the top: implementing a plan to help deal with the city’s...
Wage theft, hazardous conditions claimed at San Jose homeless site praised by Newsom, Liccardo
A homeless housing project praised by state and local leaders during the pandemic is the site of wage theft and hazardous conditions, according to interviews and documents obtained by San José Spotlight. “This was by far the worst I’ve ever seen in regards to violations from A to Z,” said Mauricio Velarde, director of compliance...
Santa Clara County should adopt technology to help homeless, audit says
Across the country groups that work with unhoused populations have ditched paper records for new technologies, but not in Silicon Valley. According to a report released last month by State Auditor Elaine Howle, the coalition of groups that work with homeless residents in Santa Clara County rely on outdated methods to track the people they...
Some San Jose leaders ready to discuss sanctioned encampments
With homelessness on the rise, some city leaders in San Jose say it’s time to explore new ways to support those living on the streets. In a recent newsletter to his District 10 constituents, Councilmember Matt Mahan announced plans to develop a comprehensive homeless encampment management strategy. “We’ve gone far too long without actively managing...