Months after homeless advocates and the county came to a head over the fate of the old San Jose City Hall building, county officials are now considering using part of the site for temporary homeless housing. The move comes after a heated debate involving homeless activists and county officials. Advocates pushed to renovate the former City Hall annex...

Five San Jose city lawmakers have now publicly declared their support to help end the student homelessness crisis at San Jose State University. In a letter released today, Vice Mayor Chappie Jones and Councilmembers Raul Peralez, Magdalena Carrasco and Maya Esparza pledged their commitment to work with SJSU President Mary Papazian to help find housing...

Hope Village, the homeless encampment of about 16 people situated off Ruff Drive, will not be moved to Willow Glen anytime soon. The relocation was put on hold Monday by the Santa Clara Valley Water District, following intense scrutiny from residents in the neighborhood. “This problem didn’t go away, it’s not going away. The people who are unhoused are as...

The deadline to relocate homeless residents at Hope Village is approaching — but some of their potential new neighbors in Willow Glen are asking public officials to opt out. Emotions ran high Wednesday at a community meeting as some residents expressed concern that the Hope Village project — a sanctioned homeless encampment currently on Ruff Drive — will bring...

After consulting, teaching and leading child development programs across the country, Frederick Ferrer stepped into the role of CEO at the Child Advocates of Silicon Valley in late February Ferrer said the organization presents him with an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of Silicon Valley’s most vulnerable residents — at-risk kids. But...

Less than four months after a $450 million affordable housing bond measure failed at the hands of San Jose voters, Mayor Sam Liccardo is exploring his options for 2020. At the Silicon Valley Leadership Group’s Regional Economic Forum on Friday, Liccardo alluded that he’s in the process of building a coalition to go back to...

San Jose officials will now give homeless residents 15 minutes to pack up their belongings, avoid cutting their tents and provide ample notice in multiple languages before sweeping encampments, elected leaders decided this week. The San Jose City Council on Tuesday approved revised guidelines for homeless sweeps as part of a new agreement with the...

It started with a single pair of shoes. A student in North Carolina cut holes in his sneakers in an attempt to extend their usefulness after he outgrew them. His school nurse took a picture of the battered footwear and sent it to her husband — sparking an idea. After receiving the text message, John...

Santa Clara County will receive more than $21 million in federal grant funding for homeless housing programs, county officials announced Friday. The funding is part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care (CoC) Competition. The award includes more than $1 million in new federal funding for housing assistance and supportive services...

Scary. Dirty. Drunk. Those are some of the words that a classroom full of children used to describe homelessness, said Andrea Urton, who leads the nonprofit HomeFirst, which runs the largest shelters in Silicon Valley. “One child said ‘AIDS’ once,” Urton said. Urton says it’s critical for communities to change the conversation around homelessness to...