Gilroy sits at the southern edge of the Bay Area, surrounded by orchards and farms, with about 60,000 residents and a strong agricultural identity marked by garlic production and seasonal festivals. The city faces a disproportionately large unhoused population — more than 17 unhoused residents per thousand — higher than Oakland, nearly double San Francisco and more than twice San Jose. Local nonprofits run weekly popup markets to provide food, services and support to people experiencing homelessness. Local leaders report the city has one of the worst homelessness situations in the county while receiving the least financial support and operating with limited municipal resources.
But behind that agrarian beauty lies a sobering statistic: Gilroy has one of the largest homeless populations in the entire region. While it trails cities many times its size, when measured proportionally, the direness of Gilroy's homelessness plight becomes clear. It has more than 17 unhoused residents per thousand residents, according to a Mercury News analysis of available California Department of Finance and county data.
Tim Davis, the executive director of the Gilroy nonprofit South County Community Services, during one of their weekly Unhoused Popup Markets where those in need can receive food, services and support in Gilroy on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) We've got the worst situation in the county and the least amount of financial support for it, said Tim Davis, the executive director of the Gilroy nonprofit South County Community Services. That's the biggest problem.
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