San Jose’s homeless population has ticked up despite ongoing investments to build temporary housing.
Silicon Valley’s largest city has 6,503 homeless residents, up 237 people from a 2023 point-in-time count, according to data shared by San Jose. About 60% is unsheltered, or 3,959 people, and 2,544 are sheltered. The city’s homeless population peaked in 2022 at 6,650 people, when it had the fourth highest homeless population per capita in the U.S. At that time, only 1,675 people were sheltered and nearly 5,000 were unsheltered.
“San Jose has proven that investing in shelter and interim housing works — now it’s time for every city and county to step up and do their fair share,” Mayor Matt Mahan said in a statement. “Leaving people to suffer in unsafe, unsheltered conditions isn’t compassionate or progressive; it’s neglect. The right thing to do — morally, fiscally and environmentally — is to bring people indoors immediately, connect them to services and end the era of encampments once and for all.”
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However, homelessness in Santa Clara County is higher than ever. There are 10,711 homeless people per preliminary data from a point-in-time count conducted in January — more than 800 people from two years prior. The county has yet to publicly release all data specific to local cities and municipalities…