County Update
With Santa Clara County
Supervisor Mike Wasserman
Supervisor Mike Wasserman was elected to the Santa Clara
County Board of Supervisors in November, 2010, and re-elected
in 2014. He represents District 1, which includes Gilroy, San
Martin, Morgan Hill, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno and portions
of San Jose.(supervisorwasserman.org)
Addressing
Homelessness
in South County
T
Source: Community Plan to End Homelessness in Santa Clara County 2015-2020).
he seemingly intractable issue of
homelessness is a frustration for
some watching it, and a sad, sometimes
desperate reality for those experiencing
it. Homelessness can happen to any-
one: sudden loss of a job, a medical
emergency, divorce or domestic vio-
lence, missing a rent payment or other
unexpected life experiences. And there
is only one way to really solve it:
housing. Homelessness doesn’t end
when an encampment is cleared out or
with handing out blankets. Homeless-
ness ends when people have a home.
In Santa Clara County, 7,500 people
are without a home on any given
night. Of those, 2,500 are considered
chronically homeless. What we need
is permanent, sustainable housing for
all, and resources built to last for the
long term. Along with my colleagues
on the County Board of Supervisors,
Destination:Home and our community
partners, we are moving forward with a
Community Plan to End Homelessness.
We have also adopted the
Housing First approach that provides
homeless families and individuals
with permanent housing as quickly as
possible – and then provides voluntary
supportive services as needed.
These types of “rapid-rehousing”
and prevention services have proven
effective for helping people who have
recently become homeless or who are
at risk of homelessness. A 2015 study
showed that for 100 homeless residents
who were housed through the Housing
1000 program, the estimated average
annual pre-housing public cost was
$62,473. The estimated average post-
housing cost was $19,767, a reduction
of $42,706 annually. Not only is
housing the right thing to do, but it
saves taxpayer money.
In November 2016, 67% of
Santa Clara County voters approved
Measure A – the $950 million afford-
able housing bond. The housing bond
enables the County to partner with
cities, residents, and the affordable
and supportive housing community to
significantly address the housing needs
of the community’s poorest and most
vulnerable residents. It provides 5,100
affordable housing units for vulnerable
populations including veterans, seniors,
the disabled, low and moderate income
individuals or families, foster youth,
victims of abuse, the homeless and
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018
individuals suffering from mental
health. Several housing developments
in Gilroy and Morgan Hill funded by
this bond are already underway.
Share the South County Homeless
Services guide. Hand out the South
County Homeless Services guide to
homeless individuals. The guide helps
to connect them with food, clothing,
showers, and services for substance
use, mental health, suicide crisis,
youth and family crisis, domestic
violence and sexual assault, shelter
and emergency housing. Please email
district1@bos.sccgov.org to have a
copy of the South County Homeless
Services Guide emailed to you to
print out.
See it, report it. If you observe a
homeless encampment or a crime
taking place such as theft or drug use,
residents should contact their local
police department or sheriff. To report
illegal encampments in or illegal
dumping (garbage) in County areas,
use the Santa Clara County Mobile
Citizen app or the form on the
Roads department website at:
sccgov.org/sites/rda
gmhtoday.com
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