Santa Clara County makes push to end homelessness, create more affordable housing
SAN JOSE -- The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved several measures that they say will create more affordable housing for residents. The supervisors also adopted a resolution declaring the county's commitment to ending homelessness for youth and young adults over the next five years.
The board gave its support for three new projects that will add 1,000 family units of affordable housing. They include 332 units in San Jose, Morgan Hill, and Sunnyvale that will help families with children but also people with special needs, agricultural workers, and other low-income residents, the county said. Funds for the projects will come from $29 million from 2016's Measure A Affordable Housing Bond, as well as No Place Like Home monies.
According to the county, the 2016 bond approval has committed $793 million towards supportive housing efforts so far. 44 projects are either completed, under construction, or will soon break ground, for a total of 4,773 units that can house 10,534 people.
Miguel Marquez, J.D., chief operating officer for the county, said that they have invested "heavily" in expanding housing programs to get families off the streets "but also to prevent them from falling into homelessness in the first place."
The board also formally endorsed the Community Plan to End Youth and Young Adult Homelessness, led by the Youth Action Board.
According to the county, there are approximately 1,100 youth and young adults that need safe housing on any given night. The needs "far exceed the current capacity," officials said.
With the new plan put forth by the supervisors, $10.4 million in federal funding will go to the county's Continuum of Care (CoC) to expand efforts to tackle youth homelessness over the next two years.
"Every decision, from expanding preventative services to approving new housing sites, is focused on long-term investments to make our community livable for everyone," said Consuelo Hernandez, director of the county office of supportive housing. "We need continued resources on every level-- including state and federal-- and the ongoing support of our city partners to end homelessness in the entire county."
