Community Corner
Homeless Task Force, Shelter Expansion Considered By County Supes
Responding to the ongoing homelessness crisis, Santa Clara County Supervisors may create a new task force and add 2,000 shelter beds.
SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA — Santa Clara County could establish a homeless task force to address housing and homelessness concerns in the region.
The Board of Supervisors at its regular meeting on Tuesday will discuss a resolution detailing the possible establishment of such a task force.
Supervisor Dave Cortese will bring a report and plan to the board, which will decide on the task force's creation.
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County staff will propose a plan to open an additional 2,000 individual shelter beds to unhoused individuals countywide within the next 12 to 18 months. The board will also discuss adding staff to the county's Office of Supportive Housing to deal with transitional housing.
The board also directed staff to begin preparing a report that includes a list of the county's emergency shelters, shelter beds, navigation centers, cold weather shelters, day shelters and transitional housing options, as well as full descriptions of the shelters' operations and staff. Supervisors want the staff to present the report at the March 24 meeting.
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Staff will also prepare a report on how seniors are "uniquely and disproportionately impacted by the homelessness crisis."
Cortese will hold a news conference regarding the potential task force at 9 a.m. Tuesday in front of the board chambers at 70 W. Hedding St. in San Jose ahead of the supervisors' meeting at 9:30 a.m.
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