San Jose

San Jose Extends Deadline for Residents to Clear Homeless Encampment Near SJC

NBC Universal, Inc.

Time is running out for more than a hundred people holding out at the “Field of Dreams” RV camp near San Jose International Airport.

City officials said they need to leave, but they extended the deadline from Friday to Tuesday.

The Friday deadline for people to clear out would’ve been difficult as not many people have left since as they said they have nowhere to go.

On Wednesday, San Jose started buying up immobilized RVs and vehicles that make up a big part of the makeshift RV lot in Columbus Park.

San Jose is paying willing owners, such as Dave Ross $500 to allow the city to tow away RVs that don't run anymore.

Ross, a part time electrician said the money helps for food and toiletries.

“I think it’s fair. I think it can lend assistance. I don’t necessarily believe it can completely help your situation, but it does lend a certain amount of comfortable assistance,” he said.

But some people like Patricia, who owns a 42-foot RV is reluctant because even though it doesn’t run, it's more useful than $500.

“The reason I don’t want to sell it because it’s livable and it’s our home. And it’s something to live in. I mean, it’s huge. It’s a huge thing but I’m just looking for a somewhere to park it,” she said.

Unhoused community advocate Gail Osmer is worried people who take the deal and move into temporary housing are losing their last resort.

“Maybe something will happen and there’s no case management, no follow through. So if they leave, where are they going? They don’t have their RV,” she said.

The city said the clearing out schedule will continue, in stages, until Nov. 18. But they acknowledged they'll start towing away any remaining vehicles that are immobile or deemed by police as junk starting next week.

Ross said that could be difficult.

“There’s at least a couple hundred people here. I don’t know. I’m not sure where they’re going to go. I suppose to the next watering hole,” he said.

City officials said their top priority is to help find temporary, transitional or even permanent housing and keep people off the streets.

Contact Us