San Jose mayoral candidates lay out their solutions for the city's homeless
SAN JOSE -- The citizens of San Jose will elect a new mayor this November -- a leader who will be faced with thorny, intractable issues like homelessness, crime, police staffing and misconduct.
There are two candidates vying for the city's top job -- Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez and City Councilman Matt Mahan.
KPIX 5 reporters Devin Fehely and Katie Nielsen sat down with the candidates for a wide-ranging discussion about the issues that they will confront during their first days in office.
Both candidates said tackling the deepening crisis of homelessness will be a priority for their administration.
"We have to look at every available resource and not wait," said Chavez.
Supervisor Chavez says she has a three-part plan to combat homelessness which involves building a combination of permanent housing, emergency shelter and providing funds to people at risk of becoming homeless for the first time.
"What I think we need to keep doing is investing in strategies to get people housed who are living on the street. And some of that is going to be permanent supportive housing where we're attaching services. Some of it, they don't need services. They just need an opportunity to get housed." Chavez said.
Her challenger Mahan said he would prioritize emergency shelter -- small, inexpensive, modular living units -- that he believes could be built quickly and cheaply enough to make a real dent in the crisis.
"I think an alternative approach would be to scale up more cost effective but still safe, dignified, individual shelter. We're talking about pre-fabricated, modular units. They could be deployed on government-owned land at scale," explained Mahan.
But whether it's permanent housing or emergency shelter, the project are almost sure to face intense, outspoken opposition from neighbors. Mahan says he would make a promise to neighborhoods that embraced housing or treatment facilities that they would not become a magnet for the social ills often associated with homelessness.
"There should be a buffer zone around that site for abatements. One of the biggest concerns you hear is that if you build a transitional site or a treatment center, 'Is this going to become a magnet?' And we need to say to people, 'No, you're taking on part of the solution," Mahan said.
Chavez says she would create a community benefit fund -- extra money for parks, libraries and programs -- to entice neighborhoods to greenlight projects that would help the homeless. She says she has a track record at the county of working with developers and neighbors to find solutions that work for everyone involved.
"We were able to work with developers to get the kinds of amenities that communities need. I don't think that's bribery, I think that's partnership," Chavez said.
