Santa Clara County launches five-year plan to combat homelessness

Santa Clara County has approved a five-year Community Plan to End Homelessness, aiming to help 15,000 people obtain permanent housing by 2030. The strategy focuses on homelessness prevention, housing retention, increasing street services, and investing in individuals with lived experience. The plan also seeks to provide rental assistance to 3,000 households annually to prevent evictions.

In San Jose, officials report a 32% reduction in the unsheltered population over the last 18 months, with numbers dropping from approximately 5,400 in February 2025 to 3,700 in August 2026. Mayor Matt Mahan attributed this decline to encampment cleanups and emergency housing alternatives, noting that the city is using a new independently verified model to track data quarterly rather than every two years.

However, the region faces significant challenges, including a record population of roughly 10,700 homeless individuals and budgetary pressures from federal funding shifts. While city leaders highlight progress, advocates have questioned the new metrics and noted concerns regarding an increase in deaths among the unhoused population.