7 hours ago
Santa Clara County homelessness reaches record high
Santa Clara County's homeless population has reached an all-time high, according to the latest point-in-time count released by county officials this week.
The visual count, conducted in January, recorded 10,711 individuals experiencing homelessness across the county—an 8.2% increase from the 2023 total of 9,903.
Among them is Ray Rodriguez, a 61-year-old San Jose native who has been without permanent shelter for the past eight years.
"I don't have any money, I don't have anything. I don't have any help. I don't have a car," said Rodriguez.
A former machinist and truck driver, he attributes his situation to years of alcohol abuse. "I lost my life over drinking. Now I'm here. I've got to pay the consequences," he said.
Rodriguez said he has been sober for three years, but disabilities and a lack of stable housing have made it difficult for him to return to the workforce. His story is just one example of a broader crisis affecting thousands in the region.
County officials say that while they are making strides in expanding shelter capacity and providing services, the high cost of living in Silicon Valley continues to displace residents.
"We have not been able to increase real housing, affordable housing for our residents," said Santa Clara County District 3 Supervisor Otto Lee.
He emphasized the need for smarter urban development.
"We really need to build housing, (high-density housing),10 or 12 stories near transit corridors," Lee said. "That's the smart-growth that we need."
In the current 2024-2025 fiscal year, Santa Clara County allocated $446 million toward homeless housing and prevention programs, including rental assistance. As a result, officials report that the number of people in shelters has increased by approximately 30%.
Still, Lee cautioned that temporary fixes and criminalizing unhoused individuals won't solve the root problem.
"Ultimately, we really just need to build more housing. Just moving people around is a very short-term solution and people might just come right back. And certainly putting people in jail just because they're unhoused doesn't make any sense," he said.
It remains unclear whether San Jose's more aggressive encampment crackdowns have pushed some unhoused residents into surrounding cities. A city-by-city breakdown of the count has not yet been released.
Despite the bleak numbers, county leaders pointed to some successes. Thanks in part to local initiatives such as Measure A, more than 8,000 people have been placed into permanent housing in recent years.
For Rodriguez, the hope for stability remains personal and urgent. He turns 62 next month and dreams of having a place of his own.
"It's just very important to me," he said. "A little house called mine."
