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Confusion for some after massive San Jose encampment sweep
The City of San Jose recently swept a massive encampment at Columbus Park but some former residents and advocates say there is still confusion over what comes next.
San Jose, CA - Six weeks after San Jose began clearing Columbus Park, the city’s largest homeless encampment, some residents say they are back where they started — living in other camps or in RVs, with little clarity about what comes next.
City officials say some people continue to refuse shelter offers, even as crews hauled away more than 650,000 pounds of trash and counted at least 370 residents and 120 lived-in vehicles.
Lingering questions
Local perspective:
While city leaders report that a majority of residents have been moved indoors, others, like Julie — who lived in a friend’s RV at the site for 10 months — say they were overlooked.
"Most of the people either were put in hotels or went to the tents, and like I said, I was not offered either. It has kind of been hell," she said.
Julie is now staying under Highway 87, where a sweep is planned for next week. Signs on the fence read, "We’re not trash, stop sweeping us."
She said the uncertainty is exhausting.
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"Just every day wondering if we are going to be swept this day —what is going on, just going day by day, wondering what is going to happen," she said.
Advocates say the cycle is familiar.
"This is exactly a remake of when ‘The Jungle’ was swept 10 years ago," said Shaunn Cartwright of the Rapid Encampment Support Team. "There was not enough housing offered, so people just scattered all over the city."
RV dwellers displaced
Dig deeper:
The city also faced challenges with RVs.
Officials said they bought back about 75 vehicles, but roughly 25 RVs moved onto private property after the sweep, only to be forced off again by owners.
Outreach teams offered shelter twice, but residents declined both times, city officials said.
Santa Clara County Supervisor Betty Duong stepped in to help find temporary parking for the displaced group.
"As long as housing affordability continues to be a challenge for many families in Santa Clara County, we will have residents who are living in their RVs or other vehicles," Duong said. "We all know that there is no quick fix … so we need to work collaboratively across the county to create more safe and clean parking spaces."
What’s next?
On Tuesday, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors will consider a proposal to more closely link county mental and physical health services with the city’s interim housing sites.