Santa Clara County Faces Rising Homelessness Despite Record Housing Efforts

Efforts to house homeless individuals in Santa Clara County are overshadowed by a significant increase in homelessness, highlighting the need for more comprehensive solutions.

• Santa Clara County housed over 2,500 homeless households in 2023, setting a new record, yet twice as many fell into homelessness.
• The county's homelessness crisis is exacerbated by rising housing costs, income inequality, and the expiration of pandemic-era supports.
• Nearly 4,300 households became homeless in 2023, a 24% increase from the previous year, reversing a downward trend.
• Officials credit ongoing rental aid and financial assistance programs with preventing some 2,500 households from becoming homeless.
• A proposed $6.4 billion statewide bond measure aims to create mental health treatment beds and homeless housing units, amid calls for more federal investment in housing.

3 Articles

East Bay Times Orange County Register CalMatters