The newly-released Santa Clara County Homeless Census and Survey Reports numbers show there are fewer unhoused people on South Bay streets compared to last year.
County and San Jose leaders celebrated the data Tuesday, showing the overall number of homeless people is down nearly 5% and those who are unsheltered, and living on the streets is down 10%.
“As we’ve scaled up these quick build communities, we’ve been able to get people housing now,” said San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan.
He believes it’s due, in large part, to the rapid interim housing locations in place since 2020 where each resident has their own room and bathroom.
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But he says it’s part of a larger approach that includes more permanent housing as well.
“We can invest in affordable housing for the long run while scaling up immediate, cost-effective, humane and effective solutions to treat homelessness today,” said Mahan.
The annual point-in-time homeless census also shows the number of homeless young people is down almost 20% in San Jose and 33% in Santa Clara County.
But the report also shows a troubling and growing statistic. The number of homeless families, meaning at least one parent and child, shot up 122%.
Mahan suggests it’s because the city did more outreach to find them.
“That was not necessarily families that were living in tents or vehicles, that’s often families with housing instability who may be living with a family member,” said Mahan.
Homeless advocate Shaunn Cartwright, who was part of the survey, questions whether the numbers are truly dropping.
“When we did this count, it was pouring rain,” she said, pointing to the increase in homeless families as a strong reason to push for more permanent housing.
“Families don’t live in tiny homes. Families are waiting for permanent supportive housing, and that’s what families need,” said Cartwright.
But for Juan Bonales, who moved from the streets to interim housing connected to the San Jose police station parking lot, it’s working.
He will be one less person off the street next year.
“Having room to relax and get some sleep, a place to shower, it’s actually helping me a lot to where I can go to work and feel comfortable,” he said.
