In San José, Mayor Matt Mahan advocates for stronger measures to disband homeless encampments, citing a moral and political imperative. He argues that if established shelters are available, remaining in unsafe encampments cannot be justified. The city plans to open a 128-unit tiny home village for those homeless along the Guadalupe River, but some current residents, like Butch Larson and David Garcia, express reluctance to accept this option due to perceived restrictions. Santa Clara County officials remain cautious about enforcement strategies to clear encampments despite the mayor's calls for action.
"In addition to our moral responsibility to intervene in cycles of addiction and mental illness and get people indoors into treatment, we have a duty and really a political necessity to bring the whole community along," Mahan told KQED.
"I mean, with no air conditioning and your stuff gets stolen, that's the biggest thing, actually, because I like nice clothes, but it gets stolen. It gets stolen a lot," he said.
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