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San Jose leaders say homelessness is a crisis, and they intend to jumpstart their stalled progress in meeting ambitious housing goals. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, Vice Mayor Rosemary Kamei and Councilmembers David Cohen and Omar Torres jointly unveiled plans today to declare a shelter crisis and homelessness emergency. They want to bypass the bureaucracy they say is...
San Jose homeless motel changes hands—again
When it comes to caring for San Jose’s most vulnerable homeless residents at a motel-turned-housing site, it seems no one can get it right. The SureStay Motel, which offers temporary housing and services to homeless seniors, is changing service providers for the third time in two years. HomeFirst will start providing food, case management and...
San Jose homeless hotel full on first day
The newly renovated Arena Hotel in San Jose has reopened to help some of the city’s most vulnerable residents, and it’s already turned on the no vacancy sign. The 90-room hotel on The Alameda about two miles from Santa Clara University is one of five Project Homekey sites designed to provide interim housing for homeless...
Sunnyvale leaders criticize homeless provider spending
Sunnyvale’s contract with its homeless service provider is on thin ice and officials are demanding more answers. The Sunnyvale City Council voted 4-3 to not renew the city’s $407,430 contract with HomeFirst at last night’s council meeting. The contract under fire, a one-year pilot program approved in 2022, funds five shelter beds in San Jose—since...
UPDATE: Is San Jose spending too much on homeless outreach?
San Jose leaders are questioning if spending millions on homeless outreach is worth the investment, with efforts producing single-digit success rates last year. San Jose spent $24 million in federal grants last year aimed at addressing homelessness. Of the more than 1,000 people experiencing homelessness that two city-funded nonprofits reportedly connected with, less than 10%...
San Jose grapples with crowded RV street parking
San Jose officials are struggling to solve the growing number of RVs lining city streets—and the road will not be easy. Mayor Matt Mahan and three San Jose councilmembers want to explore ways to manage homeless residents living in vehicles while simultaneously ramping up available safe parking sites. Solutions being discussed include fully banning RVs in certain...
San Jose short-term housing development could fall through
A controversial plan to house homeless people on vacant VTA land in North San Jose could fall flat as officials consider other options. The VTA Board of Directors, composed of 12 officials from across Santa Clara County, voted 10-1-1 Thursday night to bring back a draft agreement for San Jose to build 200 homes with...
Restrictions keep San Jose safe parking site mostly empty
San Jose has spent years and millions of dollars to open its safe parking site at the Santa Teresa VTA light rail station—but it is practically empty. The city’s only safe parking site, which opened in July, has 42 spots, but the city is struggling to fill them despite having hundreds of people living in their...
Silicon Valley water district helps the homeless and environment
Valley Water is introducing two new approaches to combating pollution created by homeless encampments near creeks—portable toilets and debit cards. The water district announced earlier this week that it will place portable toilets and wash stations at 20 key sites near homeless encampments along the creeks through an initiative called the Portable Toilet Facilities Program....
Santa Clara County helps Salvation Army add housing
A long-standing homeless shelter north of downtown San Jose is planning an expansion and Santa Clara County officials are hoping to coordinate support for the project. The Salvation Army’s Emmanuel House shelter at its 359 N. Fourth St. campus is set to grow from 70 beds to 112 during a 10-month renovation project slated for...