An at-times icy relationship between San Jose and Santa Clara County seems to have thawed as the county works to bring mental health services to the city’s temporary housing sites for homeless residents.
Last year, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan claimed the county wasn’t doing enough to address homelessness, and called for more county investments. The county responded, and began a pilot program this year to bring community health care workers and medical services to two of San Jose’s tiny homes, Rue Ferrari and Bernal.
These health care workers make referrals to behavioral health services and train site staff to help residents engage in services. So far, health care workers have connected or made referrals with 40 individuals across both sites. The county intends to expand services to other tiny home sites later this year.
“I’m glad the county is stepping up — this is the level of engagement every city and county should bring to addressing homelessness,” Mahan told San José Spotlight. “What matters now is rigor: tracking the impact of every dollar spent and being willing to shift quickly when something isn’t delivering results. Our shared responsibility is to focus relentlessly on what works and scale it.”
The county will spend nearly $470 million on homeless solutions this fiscal year, including on temporary shelter, supportive services in permanent housing sites, rental assistance for those facing evictions and rental subsidies for those receiving mental health treatment, according to County Executive James Williams. The county already helps fund operations for 15 shelter sites in San Jose—and is going to be absorbing costs for two more shelters from the city this year.
“I’ve always felt like the county was doing a much better job than the city,” Todd Langton, founder of homeless nonprofit Agape Silicon Valley, told San José Spotlight. “I think they are doing a lot more than (Mahan) says they’re doing.”
San Jose and the county have had different approaches when it came to tackling homelessness. The county historically has been the one to make major investments in permanent supportive housing and the city has zeroed in on expanding temporary housing.
San Jose moved nearly all Measure E money this year into funding temporary housing to support its expanded portfolio of shelters. The city operates nearly 2,000 shelter units and spaces, almost triple the amount it had in 2024, according to city data.
Over the past decade, the county has built more than 5,700 affordable apartments through Measure A, a $950 million housing bond passed in 2016 by voters. The majority of these affordable housing projects are in San Jose. These developments provide formerly homeless and low-income families with a safe and permanent place to live.
“Addressing homelessness remains a top priority for the county of Santa Clara, and we continue to act with urgency by investing nearly half a billion dollars this year in prevention, expanded shelter and permanent supportive housing, with more than 70% of those resources benefiting San Jose, where the need is greatest,” Williams told San José Spotlight. “Our data shows this comprehensive approach delivers results, with 95% of people in supportive housing remaining housed.”
The county invests $45 million annually to support 20 shelter and safe parking sites countywide, totaling more than 2,000 beds or parking spaces. These shelter sites include the Boccardo Reception Center and Julian Street Inn.
“While shelters are a critical entry point, and the county has rapidly added more than 1,000 temporary housing beds since 2020, long-term stability comes from permanent housing and the services that help people get there,” Williams said. “We continue to work in close collaboration with cities, service providers, and community partners on coordinated, evidence-based solutions that prevent homelessness and help people transition from the streets into stable, secure housing.”
Langton says that the partnership to bring mental health services to San Jose’s tiny homes should have happened long ago. He’s seen too many people cycling in and out of shelters, and many who deal with addiction or mental illness end up back on the street, he said.
“It’s common sense, other cities and counties already have this in place,” Langton said. “It’s not just about putting those services in place, it’s about the results they get from these services.”
Contact Joyce Chu at [email protected] or @joyce_speaks on X.