Tell The Mayor And The City Council: 
It's Time to Find Real Solutions

[Your Name]
[City, State, ZIP Code]
[Email Address]
[Date]

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Mayor Mahan and San Jose City Council Members
200 East Santa Clara Street
San Jose, CA 95113

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Dear Mayor Mahan and San Jose City Council Members,

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I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the strategies being proposed to address the homeless crisis in our city. Specifically, the placement of city tents in neighborhoods without proper oversight, including Meghan's Law checks, criminal background checks, and drug tests, raises significant safety, community welfare and environmental issues. In addition, the city needs to perform an Environmental Impact Report and comply with the California Environmental Quality Act.

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San José has spent more than $300 million in recent years trying to manage the homelessness crisis in our city. Despite this enormous outlay of taxpayer money, the number of homeless living in our streets, waterways, and neighborhoods has only marginally decreased. Mayor Mahan needs to fix the issues internal to San Jose and come up with real solutions instead of attempting to push half-baked experiments onto San Jose neighbors and the San Jose homeless. The city must evaluate if its spending is actually improving lives in San José in a cost-effective manner. The community supports councilmembers Batra and Doan who are asking the city to initiate a formal audit of homeless programs as part of the annual budget approval process. 

 

The Mayor also needs to work with the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors and the City Council to come up with plans that do not require San Jose to take on the burden for all of Santa Clara County.

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Furthermore, the San Diego experiment with sanctioned encampments, which the Mayor is touting in town halls as the example San Jose is emulating, is now being sued by the local district attorney. The attorney labeled the site a public health hazard and sued the city to close it, as  reported in the San Jose Mercury News on June 19, 2024. This example underscores the potential pitfalls of such an approach and raises serious questions about its viability and safety.

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June 18 2024 was a particularly troubling day for San Jose and for democracy. Despite pushback from Councilmembers Batra and Doan, Mayor Mahan rammed through a proposal to bypass community input by ensuring that progress on the city-sanctioned encampment is no longer reviewed at regular city council meetings. With this decision, the Mayor has effectively closed the only avenue the community had for input. The decision as to which San Jose neighborhood will be subject to this experiment is now in the hands of three city employees: Director of Public Works Matt Loesch, Housing Director Erik Solivan, and Deputy City Manager Omar Passons.

The city must be transparent in its approach and openly share  Environmental Impact Reports (EIR) and demonstrate its compliance with CEQA prior to moving forward.

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As Councilmembers Batra and Doan highlighted, the approach to the homelessness crisis requires a comprehensive and thoughtful strategy that ensures the safety and security of all residents. Batra wisely emphasized the need for solutions that provide both immediate relief and long-term stability for the homeless population. This perspective is crucial as we navigate the complexities of this crisis. Doan has also stressed the importance of ensuring that measures taken must not compromise the safety of our communities. 

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The experiment of installing tents without adequate checks undermines the trust and security of our neighborhoods. It is not enough to simply provide temporary shelter; we must ensure that these solutions do not inadvertently create new problems. The absence of background checks and drug tests poses a serious risk to public safety and well-being. It is imperative that we prioritize both compassion and security in our policies. City sanctioned tents in San Jose neighborhoods are not the answer. 

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I urge you to consider the following to address the homeless crisis more effectively:

1.    Expand Permanent Supportive Housing: Invest in long-term housing solutions with integrated support services, including mental health care, substance abuse treatment, and job training programs. This model has proven successful in many cities and can provide sustainable outcomes for the homeless population.

2.    Strengthen Partnerships with Nonprofits: Collaborate with local nonprofit organizations that specialize in homelessness and provide holistic services. These organizations have the expertise and community trust needed to effectively address the issue.

3.    Enhance Mental Health and Addiction Services: Increase funding for mental health and addiction services, which are often at the root of chronic homelessness. Providing accessible and effective treatment can significantly reduce the number of individuals living on the streets.

4.    Coordinate with Santa Clara County: Our elected officials need to work with the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors and the City Council to come up with plans that do not require San Jose to take on the burden for all of Santa Clara County.

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By adopting these strategies, San Jose can address the homelessness crisis in a way that balances compassion with practicality. The goal should be not only to provide immediate relief but also to offer pathways to permanent stability and integration into the community.

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The experiment of placing tents in neighborhoods without appropriate checks is a short-term fix that creates long-term risks. Our homeless funds must be spent wisely to develop solutions that are safe, sustainable, and respectful to all residents. Please do not put city sanctioned tents in San Jose neighborhoods. 

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Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. I look forward to seeing proactive and effective measures implemented to address the homelessness crisis in our city.

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Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Your Contact Information]