Overview
- City council passed the ordinance by a 9-2 vote, embedding an expectation of shelter acceptance into the encampment code of conduct.
- The policy allows officers to issue citations for initial refusals and empowers them to detain unsheltered individuals after three shelter declines within an 18-month period.
- San Jose currently offers nearly 1,400 shelter beds and plans to add 800 more by the end of 2025 under Measure E funding.
- A new six-officer quality-of-life unit will lead outreach and enforcement efforts under the plan.
- Homeless advocates and county officials including Santa Clara supervisors warn that the approach risks criminalizing vulnerable people without ensuring sufficient or appropriate housing.