Santa Clara County adds 602 temporary shelter spaces to slow COVID-19 spread

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KTVU) - Santa Clara County is working to protect the health and wellbeing of its unsheltered population, one that is highly vulnerable to COVID-19 infection, officials said. 

Authorities said on Monday at a virtual news conference, that for the last five years addressing the county's homeless crisis has been a priority, however, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic does pose a unique threat. 

In Santa Clara County, 8,000 people are experiencing homelessness and so far 174 of them have tested positive for the virus and have been put into quarantine. 

Supervisor Dave Cortese said measures established over the years, such as supportive housing and health services designated for the homeless, have been beneficial in terms of outreach. 

Cortese said people who test positive for COVID-19 or exhibit symptoms will be moved out of encampments and relocated to safe places for proper care. 

"We have the human infrastructure to go in and screen and test and make sure the unhoused population, which is about 8,000, gets the same kind of attention, care, resources, treatment, and compassion that the rest of the population is getting," the supervisor said. 

People who are homeless usually live in close proximity to others or in congregate settings, which makes transmission of COVID-19 is much easier. 

Counties around the Bay Area are challenged with making sure mandatory social distancing guidelines are being followed in shelters. 

Santa Clara County has had to reduce it's 2,100 shelter bed county by 300 beds to meet social distancing requirements, but it has been able to increase shelter bed capacity. 

The county added 602 temporary shelter spaces for homeless people and families which include hotels and motels. The count also makes up for the 300-bed reduction.