The county is attempting to chip away at this problem by offering funds for operators to create a more habitable living environment. The $2 million grant will go toward improving roofing and plumbing, replacing appliances, remodeling bathrooms and kitchens and more.<\/p>\n
\u201cIndependent living homes play a critical role in housing residents with behavioral health and other life challenges, yet many operate without licensing or oversight,\u201d District 4 Supervisor Susan Ellenberg told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cThat gap has allowed substandard conditions to persist, and it\u2019s simply unacceptable. The county\u2019s one-time, $2 million investment in Behavioral Health Bridge Housing is an important step toward ensuring that every resident in these homes lives in a safe, stable and dignified environment.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The bathroom of an unlicensed independent living home in San Jose. Photo by Joyce Chu.<\/p>\n
The county plans to provide grants between $10,000 to $450,000 per property, with applications<\/a> being accepted on a rolling basis until June 30, 2027, or until funds are depleted. As part of the grant award process, the county will conduct inspections on the properties before and after the award is given. Staff will also evaluate how funds are used and benefits to residents, among other things.<\/p>\n Lorraine Zeller, coalition lead with the Community Living Coalition, said more safeguards are necessary to ensure the right operators receive the funds due to many of them having questionable histories. She said that could happen by conducting research into the properties or background checks on those who apply before a decision is made.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s important because we need to protect the residents,\u201d Zeller told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cWe need to make sure that if they\u2019re receiving the money, they have to have their place up to a certain standard, maybe even a higher standard than others who don\u2019t get the money.\u201d<\/p>\n In one instance, an operator illegally converted<\/a> the property on 659 N. 13th St. in San Jose into an independent living home and rented out rooms. They packed people into a living room converted into a bedroom, installed a makeshift canopy in the backyard for a renter and crowded people in the basement. They pocketed money from the renters and stopped paying the landlord rent.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Services said they do not plan on conducting background checks.<\/p>\n \u201cThe county will determine which operators receive funding through the competitive solicitation process,\u201d the spokesperson told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight.<\/p>\n However, Ellenberg said including background research as part of the grant application process is an appropriate and necessary safeguard.<\/p>\n Communication and oversight<\/p>\n Matt Jacobsen, an operator of independent living homes with UPL Enterprises LLC, said having a $25,000 grant would go a long way to help with improvements. That money could go into fixing leaking roofs, upgrading bathrooms and installing air conditioning.<\/p>\n \u201cAnytime you have money to put new flooring in or new countertops or anything \u2026 it just improves the overall quality of the house,\u201d Jacobsen told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cImproving the quality of the home itself definitely improves the quality of living for the tenants.\u201d<\/p>\n Jacobsen said there needs to be a more concerted effort from the county to let operators know this money is available, including more contacts through word of mouth.\u00a0So far, six operators have applied for funds, according to the county.<\/p>\n While repairing properties can provide some relief for residents, advocates said the issues cannot merely be solved by fixing habitability alone. The problems run much deeper, requiring a level of accountability from local governments which doesn\u2019t exist as independent living homes go unregulated and unchecked<\/a>.<\/p>\n Unlike licensed residential care homes which are monitored by the state Department of Social Services to ensure cleanliness and a standard of care, independent living homes are not required to be licensed and not monitored by the state.<\/p>\n With licensed residential care homes shuttering, the county is also facing a dearth of beds<\/a>, leading residents to be placed in substandard housing and unlicensed independent living homes.<\/p>\n A county audit in 2020<\/a> revealed more than 30 licensed residential care facilities in the county closed from 2014 to 2018 because they\u2019re too expensive to operate, resulting in 262 lost beds. The decline of licensed homes means people with mental illness have meager options after being discharged from hospitals or residential care. The outcome often results in homelessness, jail or re-hospitalization, the audit found.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_6555-1024x768.jpg\")
An operator illegally converted a property he was leasing into an independent living home, and put a woman in the backyard under a makeshift canopy. Photo by Joyce Chu.<\/p>\n
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