In early September, the City of San José opened its first-ever safe sleeping site, a pilot program announced by the San José Housing Department, according to NBC Bay Area.
However, its sudden closure highlights the city’s ongoing housing struggles – challenges which many SJSU students also face as rent prices rise.
The site, located at 1157 E. Taylor Street, offered 56 tent spaces, including 8 that were ADA-accessible, along with meals, bathrooms, showers and case management to help people find stable housing within about a month, according to the same source.
The site serves as a navigation center meant to provide unhoused people with resources across San José by offering a short-term, managed place to stay, according to Sept. 17 article from San José Spotlight.
But less than two weeks after opening, the site was shut down according to the same source.
City officials suspended site operations because of a power failure, according to a Sept. 13 ABC7 News article.
A generator that supplied electricity to the site stopped working, cutting off air conditioning and power to its trailers.
Nearly a dozen residents who had already moved in were transferred to other temporary shelter programs, according to the same source.
The city has not provided a date for reopening, according to the same San José Spotlight article.
Thomas Weston, one of the first residents, believes the site is a really great opportunity.
“It’s a really good place…there’s warm showers, meals, even a washer and dryer. I think it’s a great program for the city with the prices being through the roof,” Weston said.
Marylynn Stevens, an unhoused resident, said she hadn’t even heard about the site until after it closed.
“I was not aware of the temporary housing that had become available,” Stevens said. “I think they want us out of here so bad, they should be better at letting us all know of other options…where we have to go and get help from. It sucks that it closed down so fast.”
Although the Taylor Street site was built mainly for people living in encampments, it highlights the broader lack of affordable housing, a struggle many students at San José State University also face.
About 11% of SJSU students experienced homelessness for at least one night, according to a 2021 report by San José Spotlight.
The SJSU Cares website states that the university’s basic needs program provides short-term emergency housing and financial assistance to students in crisis.
However, space is limited and not guaranteed.
According to the SJSU Cares webpage, “We try to accommodate the basic needs of our students at SJSU, but we also recognize our capacity to serve everyone equitably.”
The program encourages students to explore additional community resources if campus services are not enough.
“It’s necessary – housing is necessary…I definitely think it’s something that should be available to students that need it,” Weston said.
Elizabeth Mori, former SJSU student, said she had to move back home because she couldn’t afford to live in San José.
“I was forced to move back home because I couldn’t afford the low-income housing offered by the city,” Mori said. “I made too much money for Section 8 housing, but still couldn’t afford rent.”
According to Zillow, the average rent in San José is $3,098 a month.
“I often found myself having to choose between paying for school or paying for rent,” Mori said. “Even if you get approved for low-income housing, the process takes months. I would’ve been without a home for who knows how long.”
The Taylor Street safe sleeping site was meant to be a step forward for San José’s homeless response.
“I really hope they open it back up soon…everyone deserves to be on their feet” Stevens said.
