San Jose

San Jose, VTA divided over proposed transitional housing site

A location where the city of San Jose hopes to build 200 of transitional housing units is causing some friction between the city and the owner of the land.

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In San Jose, the push is on the dramatically increase transitional housing to address the city’s homeless crisis.

San Jose says it's about halfway to the goal of 1,000 interim housing units to help get people off the street permanently.

The city and mayor Matt Mahan wants to build interim modular housing called the "quick build communities,” on part of the VTA-owned Cerone Yard near 237 and Zanker Road.

"What we've found is that when we can get people out of encampments, stabilized, in a quick-build modular unit, with on-site services like security, case management, job placement. It works, people stay off the streets," Mahan said.

The units would be similar to these currently going up near San Jose police headquarters. But VTA says it's worried about efforts to build the next wave on this particular plot of land.

VTA says it supports San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan’s goal to build more transitional housing and it will be part of the solution. But the site, they say is problematic since it specifically will be used to move the agency’s bus fleet to EV status.

The housing issue is set to come up on Thursday night during the VTA's monthly board meeting. VTA says during that meeting, they will offer up other VTA-owned sites where they say building transitional housing is a better fit.

They added that public comment is welcome and expected.

Scott Budman has more in the video above.

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