More affordable housing is on its way to the South Bay as Santa Clara County supervisors on Tuesday voted unanimously to use Measure A funds for nine different developments targeting low-income tenants.
The approval means more than a thousand new affordable housing units will be built in the county in the next two to three years.
One of the buildings is a planned eight-story building set to go up on North 21st Street in San Jose. The 80-unit complex will include housing for those with developmental disabilities.
The Measure A affordable housing bond was approved by county voters in 2016.
"We are putting Measure A money to work to provide housing for seniors and those with disabilities and folks who are homeless," said Sheri Burns of the Silicon Valley Independent Living Center.
Another project involves converting a parking lot on Winchester Boulevard into an apartment complex with 165 affordable units.
"We set a target of 4,800 homes, and we are almost a third there," Supervisor Cindy Chavez said.
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Still, the need is great. A 2017 Census study found on any given night in Santa Clara County, more than 7,000 people are living in shelters, along creeks or on the streets.
While neighbors have expressed concerns about the new developments, such as parking, they are still glad to see some 2,000 people may finally have a safe place to call home.