- San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo announced that the city would spend $17 million on prefabricated tiny homes for the homeless.
- San Jose has about 6,000 residents without reliable shelter and only 850 shelter beds for them.
- Experts warned that the coronavirus could hit homeless populations especially hard, as they may be unable to practice social distancing and self-isolate.
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San Jose city leaders voted to spend $17 million tiny homes for the homeless, Maggie Angst at Mercury News reported.
Over half a million people are homeless on any night in the US, and San Jose alone has a homeless population of about 6,000. Right now, the city has 850 beds available in its shelters, enough for fewer than 15% of residents. Since the coronavirus outbreak, San Jose has compensated by leasing motel rooms, setting up temporary trailers, and converting two downtown convention centers into additional shelters.
San Jose has committed to spending $17 million on the prefab tiny homes despite a projected budget shortfall of $110 million over the next two years. To make up the difference, the city plans to tap into Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP), a state grant to address homelessness. San Jose originally planned to use the money for a homeless navigation center to help people transition to permanent housing, but the plan fell through as the city couldn’t find a place for it.
Medical experts and homeless advocates have stated unsheltered residents are particularly at risk as social distancing is difficult in shelters, and people who have exposed or diagnosed with COVID-19 lack the ability to isolate themselves. A new study estimates that 3,400 homeless people across the country will die from COVID-19, and more than 21,000 will be hospitalized.
Here's what the tiny home plan looks like.
The city plans to build 500 new tiny homes within a few weeks rather than months or years, thanks to Governor Gavin Newsom relaxing environmental regulations.
"We can't know for sure what's going to happen in the weeks ahead — particularly if there is a second wave of infections — so the need for housing that would be necessary for people who are COVID positive — or exposed or the highly vulnerable who need to self-isolate or quarantine — will be critical" Mayor Sam Liccardo said.
The city council estimates that $17 million will allow it to construct 500 homes, at about $25,000 each.
San Jose opened its first tiny home community in February, with only 40 homes.
This initiative is aimed at housing people as quickly as possible, and it's a much larger undertaking.
As people without shelter are moved from homeless encampments to temporary housing, the city is also considering repurposing units from past emergencies.
So far, the city has located four sites that could serve as locations for the homes.
The homes are specifically intended for people who are diagnosed with COVID-19 or exposed and have no place to self-quarantine.
Liccardo said that he hopes the units could last up to ten or 15 years.
California has taken some other public health measures, like deploying mobile hand-washing stations across the state.
California has been under a statewide stay at home order since March 19.
As of Thursday, Santa Clara County, where San Jose is located, has had 1,380 confirmed cases and 46 deaths.
Source: Mercury News