Santa Clara County Supervisor Don Gage asked staff this week to
research the viability of building two centers that would provide
housing and health care to help the county’s homeless
population.
SAN JOSE
Santa Clara County Supervisor Don Gage asked staff this week to research the viability of building two centers that would provide housing and health care to help the county’s homeless population.
The staff is expected to research the costs associated with building a respite care facility and a one-stop multi-service center at time when the county has drastically slashed its budget and eliminated several positions. The centers would likely be located in San Jose, where 60 percent of the estimated 7,000 homeless people seek food and shelter. Staff would then report in detail back to the board in the near future, Gage said.
Gage’s referral represents the culmination of a series of meetings of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Ending Homelessness and Solving the Affordable Housing Crisis, on which Gage served as chairman since it was convened about a year ago. Its final meeting was Dec. 6. Following his report the full board of supervisors on Tuesday, Gage made his request and it was referred to the county’s executive officer, who will assign staff members to do the research.
“What I did was make a referral to staff to come back with this information, because we have no idea what it will cost,” Gage said.
Gage said the county would look into partnerships and collaborations with the city of San Jose and various area nonprofits serving the homeless to create both centers. Their creation would take in account a different approach and also decrease costs, Gage said.
