San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is proposing a "neighborhood quality of life unit" within the police department to respond to a variety of municipal code violations and prioritize enforcement of no-encampment zones.
Mahan said the move is not about criminalizing homelessness, but instead getting people the help they need. Homeless advocates have since come out disagreeing with the move.
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WATCH HERE"If people refuse, at some point, that could be grounds for us to say we are going to abate this site, or if there are other quality of life crimes, we may choose to charge misdemeanor crimes," he said.
Under the plan, if unhoused people refuse shelter repeatedly, they could be arrested.
Mahan said the city is adding more than 1,400 beds for the unhoused and that there's an expectation they will be used.
Mahan said outreach teams will be going to encampments to build relationships with those who live there and offer shelter.
The neighborhood quality of life unit would be made up of a sergeant and several officers. Mahan said he hopes that instead of jail time, people will simply get the help they need.
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"Our hope, and this is where we need help from the county, we may be able to instruct our officers for nonviolent misdemeanors to bring the person not to be booked in the county jail but to go to a place that is focused on rehabilitation," Mahan said.
The San Jose Police Officers Association said residents and businesses are tired of the lack of progress in solving homelessness locally.
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SIGN UP "It’s time to do everything possible to require chronic homeless individuals to accept shelter or get mental health and/or addiction treatment to get off our streets. And if that requires arresting them, then so be it," the statement read.
Gail Osmer, a homeless advocate, said the approach by the mayor will not work.
"They do want to go into housing, maybe not everybody, but I truly believe it's your approach, and having police come into their camps, that's going to be horrible," Osmer said. "I'm scared that police are going to be doing something they shouldn't."
