We asked District 10 Council finalists Arjun Batra and George Casey for their perspectives on the upcoming Council debate regarding if, and how, Council should reallocate Measure E Housing funds. Their answers below. An Opp Now exclusive.
Opp Now’s 2024 SJ Council elections question:
One of the more controversial issues facing City Council is whether or not to reallocate Measure E funds more towards interim and transitional housing, or to keep it predominantly focused on subsidized, affordable housing. Currently, the Measure E allocation is 75% subsidized housing, 15% homeless shelter and support, 10% prevention and rental assistance. What is your perspective on these allocations? And what would you take into consideration (as a Council member), if you were involved in the budget discussions?
Arjun Batra (current D10 CM):
I do support re-allocating a greater percentage of funding to interim and transitional housing. We have a homelessness crisis right now and we need to move much more quickly to transition unhoused residents off our streets and into shelter. While affordable housing is a worthy and long-term goal, it is clear we cannot create this housing as quickly as it is needed. That is why I have worked closely with Mayor Matt Mahan on a new pilot program to end encampments in District 10 by creating prefabricated quick build communities.
These communities save us $1.1 – $1.3 million per bed while allowing us to move quickly to address street homelessness. Councilmember Bien Doan and I have asked the city staff to evaluate pre-engineered housing, which costs less and can be assembled in different types of configurations quickly in weeks to meet the needs of various shelterless neighbors.
We need cost effective solutions that make a difference right now and that’s what I’m pushing for on Council.
–Councilmember Arjun Batra
George Casey (current SJ Planning Commissioner):
San Jose is facing fines of over $100,000 per day if we don’t comply with the State Water Board’s order to clear homeless encampments from our creeks and waterways. Clearly we have no choice but to invest more in the lower-cost quick-build shelters that will be key to complying with this order in time to avoid ruinous fines.
As a planning commissioner and someone with degrees in, and deep experience in, real estate development and urban planning I know we need both more permanent affordable housing and more safe and decent quick build shelters to end the era of street homelessness. But this isn’t an either/or question. We must shift the balance of Measure E funding in order to build the shelter we need now to bring everyone in-doors and away from our creeks and waterways. It is imperative that we do this now or we face fines that could literally bankrupt San Jose.
–George Casey
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