As efforts to clean up trash and clear homeless residents from local waterways continue, officials are working to make sure people don’t just move from one location to the next due to lack of housing.
Valley Water has removed 462 homeless encampments from its land since implementing a no camping policy at the end of last year, according to spokesperson Matt Keller. The policy is meant to protect the 333 miles of waterways managed by Santa Clara County’s largest water supplier. Prior to the policy, more than 450 people lived along the waterways, predominantly concentrated in San Jose and sections of Coyote, Upper Penitencia and Lower Silver creeks and Guadalupe River. Based on Valley Water’s latest count, conducted in February, there are 224 people on the agency’s property.
Keller said the agency has seen some successes since the policy took effect…