San Jose's Homeless Brace For Another Round Of Outdoor Encampment Evictions
SAN JOSE (KCBS)— A splinter group of about 50 former residents of San Jose's homeless encampment—"The Jungle", are bracing for yet another eviction by the city. After last week's deadline to vacate the premises along the banks of Coyote Creek; a new encampment called "The Village", surfaced about two-miles away from the original site where they expect a 72-hour eviction notice scheduled by the city.
"We're not waiting to get kicked out we have a plan. We have a real direction and as I said, we're organized. We're trying to build a legal campground," said Robert Aguierre on behalf of the people at the encampment.
Aguirre said that's what the people really want— a legal place where they can camp and not pollute the river.
Ray Bramson, San Jose's homelessness response manager, said that would be a "band-aid" solution and that a tent-city would quickly be overrun by one of the largest unsheltered populations per capita in the country.
"We're not really interested in providing Band-Aid approaches. We want to look at long-term supportive housing providing people stability to get into their own homes," Bramson said.
Meanwhile, the campers are doing some "evicting" of their own this week.
"You can't be over here on this side," Aguirre reminded some of the people at the new encampment.
Camping is only being allowed in designated areas so as not to offend residents of a nearby mobile home park.
Village residents expect they'll be told they have to clear out on or before Friday.
