Santa Clara County is housing 20% extra homeless folks now than it was final yr — a statistic that has specialists feeling optimistic in regards to the area’s progress, regardless of the encampments that stay as a stark visible reminder of the disaster.
The county moved 1,852 folks from homelessness into everlasting housing within the first half of this yr — a 20% improve from the prior six months, in accordance with new knowledge launched Tuesday by Vacation spot: Dwelling, which works with the county and native nonprofits to struggle homelessness. That progress comes at a time when public demand to handle homelessness is excessive, Gov. Gavin Newsom has dedicated to eliminating encampments, and additional funding has poured in — from emergency COVID-19 dollars, to cash from county and metropolis funding measures.
However the homeless inhabitants continues to develop quicker than the area’s housing inventory. There have been simply over 10,000 unhoused folks counted in Santa Clara County on this yr’s census — up 3% from 2019. And there have been greater than 6,700 unhoused folks in San Jose — up 11% from 2019.
“1,852 folks not on our streets I feel is fairly outstanding in six months,” stated Jennifer Loving, CEO of Vacation spot: Dwelling, “and it's as soon as once more an affidavit to the exhausting work of dozens and dozens of organizations.”
However she acknowledged that the work is much from over. “We should always all be completely happy that that’s occurring, whereas acknowledging that we have to hold going,” she stated.
Santa Clara County in 2020 set a aim of housing 20,000 folks by 2025. Thus far, the county has housed 7,853 folks — hitting 39% of its long-term aim. As soon as individuals are positioned in everlasting housing, greater than 96% keep housed for no less than one yr, in accordance with Vacation spot: Dwelling.
That progress is thanks, partially, to Measure A — the $950 million inexpensive housing bond that Santa Clara County voters handed in 2016 — and Measure E — the 2020 San Jose tax measure that funds inexpensive housing, Loving stated. Getting approval for after which constructing inexpensive initiatives is a sluggish course of, and years after these measure have been handed, residents are lastly seeing the outcomes, she stated.
“We’re having extra locations for folks to go,” she stated. “We have now 44 initiatives underway. Many have now opened.”
However that latest surge of funding is ending. Measure A cash seemingly will likely be passed by subsequent yr, and the one-time emergency funds allotted throughout the pandemic are also drying up. Now, the county wants to determine a brand new funding supply or threat dropping the momentum it’s constructed to this point, Loving stated.
“That needs to be one thing we're all nervous about, engaged on,” she stated. “If we simply don’t do something, we aren't going to have any more cash.”
The county additionally has made progress in stopping homelessness by serving to struggling households pay their lease and different payments, and keep away from getting evicted. Its early intervention program is serving 2,161 folks per yr — 65% of the county’s aim of two,500 folks per yr.
“I feel it’s robust when folks see the seen homeless encampments, for folks to know we actually are placing a dent in housing folks,” stated Sparky Harlan, CEO of the Invoice Wilson Middle, which supplies housing, shelter and different companies for homeless younger folks and households. On any given night time, the Invoice Wilson Middle has practically 1,000 folks below its roof — up 30% from two years in the past. The middle operates emergency shelter beds and everlasting housing.
The numbers launched Tuesday are hopeful, Harlan stated, notably the info on homelessness prevention. However the county has to grapple with a rising disaster of dependancy and psychological sickness. Three years in the past, the Invoice Wilson Middle had by no means had a teen die whereas below its roof. Final yr, 5 folks below the age of 25 died of drug overdoses or violence, she stated.
The county additionally has extra to do to attain its aim of doubling its shelter and momentary housing capability. The county has 2,193 beds — solely 17% of its 3,764-bed aim.
Loving credit that to the time it takes to construct shelter. Over the previous three years, San Jose has constructed two tiny dwelling websites and three websites with barely bigger modular items. However regardless of being momentary items marketed as a fast resolution to homelessness, these items typically take many months to get accredited and constructed, she stated. Town lately accredited six new websites, however has been met with pushback from neighbors at some places. And the town has been working since final yr on a web site close to the police division that will home folks camped round Guadalupe River Park — nevertheless it has but to open.
“It nonetheless takes time,” Loving stated. “They don’t open inside days or even weeks or months.”