While most people are huddled indoors because of the novel coronavirus, activist Shaunn Cartwright instead found herself on Friday headed to a San Jose homeless encampment. She’s done it countless times before. But now she’s there to ask a potentially life-saving question. “Has anybody come by to talk to you about the virus?” Cartwright asked....
San Jose approves $2M for coronavirus homeless prevention fund
Following a statewide directive to shelter-in-place, San Jose leaders on Tuesday unanimously approved allocating $2 million to fund homelessness prevention services for low-income families at risk of being pushed into poverty. Santa Clara County’s Board of Supervisors on Tuesday also approved an additional $2 million to the same $11 million fund meant to provide rent assistance...
As coronavirus spreads, Newsom works to secure hospital beds, find rooms for homeless
California Gov. Gavin Newsom in the past 36 hours has announced a slew of measures to combat coronavirus, including placing the state’s National Guard on alert, devoting money to secure hospital beds, trailers and shelters for homeless residents and signing orders to peg $1 billion to slow the spread of the deadly virus. As of...
Sam Liccardo joins California mayors to support tax break reform to tackle homelessness
Mayor Sam Liccardo is among nine mayors across California’s biggest cities to support proposed legislation that would reduce state tax breaks for homeowners, raising funding to tackle the state’s burgeoning homeless crisis. Assembly Bill 1905, introduced by San Francisco Assemblymember David Chiu, would eliminate the mortgage interest deduction (MID) for taxpayers’ second homes. It would...
How is Silicon Valley helping the homeless amid coronavirus pandemic?
As Santa Clara County undergoes expansive measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, questions remain about how people experiencing homelessness will receive information and resources. With an increasing homeless population totaling more than 9,700 countywide, and close to 8,000 unsheltered per the 2019 homeless census, officials say they’re increasing outreach and resources related to COVID-19...