County bolsters support for residents experiencing homelessness
SAN JOSE – Increased support is on the way for individuals and families in Santa Clara County’s District Five experiencing homelessness, thanks to a proposal by County Supervisor Joe Simitian that was approved by the Board of Supervisors. Grants to the City of Cupertino, Town of Los Gatos, and the nonprofit Reach SV (in partnership with the Los Altos Mountain View Community Foundation) will help those organizations supplement services and support for local residents experiencing homelessness.
“Santa Clara County has long been a leader in community-wide efforts to address homelessness, from coordinating our homelessness prevention system, to providing emergency shelter and supporting the development of thousands of supportive housing units, to helping individuals and families find a stable place to live,” said Simitian. “These efforts, however, are only possible with the engagement of numerous partners across many different sectors and all levels of government.”
The County grants will allow local jurisdictions and organizations to determine how they’ll use the funding, as each community has varying needs and characteristics. Last year, the County provided a round of grant funding to the same recipients, which allowed them to identify and respond to emerging local needs.
Ultimately, those funds helped provide a range of emergency services to unhoused residents and residents living in vehicles in Mountain View through Reach SV (formerly Reach Potential Movement) and supplemented ongoing local efforts to support unhoused residents in the West Valley. This work included a Rotating Safe Car Park program serving Cupertino and Saratoga, and an emergency hotel program in Los Gatos.
“I’ve been pleased to see our smaller communities step up and ask, ‘how can we help?’ and even invest their own resources,” said Simitian. “Given the magnitude of the challenge, we have to take every opportunity to include and encourage as many folks as possible to partner in this effort. I’m hopeful this County funding continues to bolster partnerships with other local jurisdictions, as well as nonprofit and philanthropic organizations.”
“The Town is deeply grateful for the partnership with the County,” said Mary Badame, Mayor of Los Gatos. “The Town is able to leverage its local taxpayer dollars with those of the County to tailor services to the unique needs of unhoused residents in Los Gatos. Together, we accomplish so much more.”
“The City of Cupertino is grateful for the County of Santa Clara's support in our efforts to serve unhoused residents,” said Sheila Mohan, Mayor of Cupertino. “Collaboration and coordination on a regional level are essential in addressing this complex issue. We look forward to continued engagement and partnership with the County to positively impact the lives of those in need.”
Reach SV helps connect clients to food and other essential needs and has also been assisting unhoused residents, particularly those living in vehicles, with winter kits, power chargers, gas cards, food, and items like car insurance, car registration documentation, and small repairs, among many other needs. The Los Altos Mountain View Community Foundation has been coordinating with Reach SV in this effort, including raising additional funds to support this work.
“Reach SV is grateful to receive funding support from the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to continue its boots on the ground approach to meeting the needs of our most vulnerable community members working towards stabilizing their lives and securing affordable housing,” said Malia Pires, Executive Director of Reach SV.
“Though there is much that unites the many cities and towns that make up our County, each community is unique, and the needs of unhoused residents who call these places home may vary greatly,” said Simitian. “Local communities are often best equipped to identify these needs, and community partners are well-positioned to assist; it can be difficult, though, for smaller cities to find the resources needed to support this work on their own. The County grants help support and encourage these efforts at the local level, reinforcing the understanding that caring for our unhoused neighbors is a shared responsibility.”