San Jose mayor seeks greater partnership from next governor to solve homelessness

"With California facing a wide-open gubernatorial race to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom, Mayor Matt Mahan is using the moment to showcase San Jose's progress in reducing unsheltered homelessness and sway prospective candidates into restoring crucial funding and ensuring that all cities and counties do their part to solve the crisis. San Jose is on the brink of tripling its"

""We've been able to talk a lot about the resources that we've allocated, but I feel like there's just not been enough, and I feel like there just has not been enough coordination with local governments, local agencies, and mayors like Mayor Mahan, Calderon said. We have to re-evaluate the programs that are working and the ones that are not working and often you just see a disconnect between the state's priorities and what's actually making a difference on the ground."

"But the mayor has become increasingly frustrated with the leadership in Sacramento over budget and policy decisions especially on homelessness that he said could derail or limit local progress. On Friday, Mahan gave a tour of the city's recently opened Cherry Avenue Emergency Interim Housing site to five gubernatorial candidates billionaire investor and philanthropist Tom Steyer, former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter, former state Controller Betty Yee, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and former majority leader of the State Assembly Ian Calderon."

San Jose is expanding interim shelter capacity and is on the brink of tripling shelter capacity this year, reflecting a strategy that departs from the Housing First model and prioritizes removing people from the streets rather than keeping them in place while they await permanent supportive housing. Mayor Matt Mahan showcased newly opened emergency interim housing at Cherry Avenue and pressed gubernatorial candidates to restore state funding and improve coordination with local governments. Mahan expressed frustration with Sacramento budget and policy choices that could limit local progress. Several candidates acknowledged San Jose's approach and the need for more interim housing funding.

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