Homeless campers at San Jose's 'Hope Village' told to vacate

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KTVU) - The California Highway Patrol has told the homeless encampment in San Jose known as “Hope Village” to vacate the property north of downtown by Monday morning. 

Hope Village organizers spent Saturday packing up some belongings and putting them in storage. The group is scrambling to find a place for their homeless campers.

The nonprofit San Jose Hope Village raised $10,000 to create the encampment. CHP initially told the group they had to leave last Thursday. The camp sits on state property so they're technically trespassing. 

“We are really at this point desperate,” said Peter Miran-Conk with San Jose Hope Village. “They told us we need to be out.”

James is one of six homeless campers staying there. He’s lived on the streets for the past five years. While he's been told to leave places countless times, he said this eviction notice is especially painful. He’s gotten used to the comforts of his new home from his carpeted floor to running water in the mobile showers.

CHP said while they're sensitive to the homelessness crisis in San Jose, the group doesn't have the proper permit.

“They never had an indefinite amount of time they were allowed to stay in that location,” said CHP Spokesman Officer Ross Lee. “It was always 72 hours we were giving them.”

The nonprofit said city and county leaders have stepped up to offer support. The group has been meeting with the City of San Jose’s housing director and two county supervisors who are exploring buying the lot. 

“We still are holding out hope that somewhere an angel will come and see that what we are doing is worthwhile,” said Miran-Conk.