San Jose tiny homes could house jail diversion program for people battling mental illness

Tiny homes may soon house individuals who are in a jail diversion program, but some residents feel blindsided by the news.

SCC is eyeing the purchase of two interim housing sites in San Jose.

They are the tiny homes location off Monterey Road and Bernal and the Vermont House which are two city owned properties.

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The news of how the sites would change caught residents like Issa Ajlouny off guard. Ajlouny is the president of the group S.A.F.E.R San Jose.

“And then we find out they’re talking about a jail diversion program and we’re like shocked,” Ajlouny said.

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Ajlouny said he and some of his neighbors were invited to a virtual “Meet and Greet” by the county on Thursday night.

But when they got on the call, they learned about the county’s intentions to refocus the transitional housing sites into a jail diversion program.

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