Dear Neighbor,
ike every Sunday, I’m spending the morning with my kids—but today is extra special. We’re making breakfast together to surprise Silvia for Mother’s Day. And this morning, I realized something: Nina and Luke are almost old enough to make me the sous chef! I hope all the moms reading this feel loved and appreciated today and every day. You all do so much that often doesn’t get recognized. I was reminded of that yesterday when my team let me know they saw my mom on the RSVP list for our State of the City next weekend (you can join her by clicking here!). She’s going to drive two hours to support me. Even though I’m a husband, father and mayor, my mom still finds ways to show up for me. And we need to do the same for the most vulnerable amongst us. The people who fall through the cracks because we dismantled the mental health system in this state and didn’t rebuild an adequate system in its place. The people too deep in the throes of mental illness and addiction to make a rational decision about their own well-being. That’s why in March I proposed – and the Council voted to move forward, our Responsibility to Shelter initiative. There has been a lot of talk about this proposal because it’s bold. Because it’s a break from the status quo. And because frankly — it’s going to require something long missing in our approach to homelessness: accountability. But with lots of talk, comes lots of misinformation. Let’s separate the myths from the facts. MYTH: This proposal criminalizes poverty and homelessness. FACT: It’s the exact opposite – this proposal holds people accountable for getting out of homelessness. It’s focused on engaging and intervening when people repeatedly show that they are unwilling or unable to accept a hand up and out of homelessness. MYTH: This proposal will put homeless people in jail. FACT: In Santa Clara County, people do not serve jail sentences for trespassing or most other low-level misdemeanors, which our Sheriff recently confirmed. But we can use repeat, non-violent misdemeanor charges to work with the Mental Health and Drug Courts to help compel people to engage in treatment. MYTH: Our shelters are dangerous, chaotic places that have lots of arbitrary rules and are places where no one wants to be. FACT: We’ve specifically designed our interim housing sites to be low-barrier. They are safe and dignified, with mostly private rooms with doors that lock and en-suite bathrooms. We allow people to bring their partner, pets, and possessions. WIt’s focused on engaging and intervening when people repeatedly show that they are unwilling or unable to accept a hand up and out of homelessness. MYTH: This proposal will put homeless people in jail. FACT: In Santa Clara County, people do not serve jail sentences for trespassing or most other low-level misdemeanors, which our Sheriff recently confirmed. But we can use repeat, non-violent misdemeanor charges to work with the Mental Health and Drug Courts to help compel people to engage in treatment. MYTH: Our shelters are dangerous, chaotic places that have lots of arbitrary rules and are places where no one wants to be. FACT: We’ve specifically designed our interim housing sites to be low-barrier. They are safe and dignified, with mostly private rooms with doors that lock and en-suite bathrooms. We allow people to bring their partner, pets, and possessions. We don’t have a curfew and we don’t kick people out after a predetermined number of days or months. We have separate sites for families with children. There’s a reason our sites run at nearly 95% occupancy and are effective at graduating people into more permanent housing solutions. People are much safer when they choose to come indoors than when they decide to stay on the streets. The goal of the Responsibility to Shelter initiative is to get our most vulnerable neighbors – the people who are too deep in the throes of mental illness or addiction to make a rational decision about their own well-being – into treatment. Today, I want to share with you our current thinking. As many of you know, I’m all about outcomes, so when I proposed this reform last month, we asked city staff to come up with the best plan for implementation. They’ll be sharing more on Monday at our budget study session but I wanted to give you an overview of what is currently a four-part plan — the steps aren’t sequential but rather simultaneous: Step one is updating our Code of Conduct to reflect that when shelter is offered, we expect people to accept it. We know there is a portion of our homeless population that is service-resistant. The percentage fluctuates by encampment, but we often find one-fifth to one-third of people who reject offers of shelter. And to these folks, we’re making it clear: if there is a place available, we expect it to be used. This is about compassion paired with accountability — recognizing that a path off the streets is both a right and a responsibility.Step two is about bringing our outreach teams in house. By centralizing these services within our Housing Department, we can improve efficiency, lower costs, and ensure that each person has a detailed case file. This means better data monitoring, more effective follow-up, and a stronger ability to track individual progress. Outreach will be smarter, more connected, and more accountable.Step three is the creation of a Neighborhood Quality of Life Unit within the San José Police Department, which was a proposal in the March Budget Message. This dedicated team will work hand-in-hand with our Housing Department to prioritize enforcement of the muni code based on real-time data. Their role will be to maintain public safety and enforce the updated Code of Conduct and quality of life crimes, whether committed by housed or unhoused residents. Step four is working with the County to find places where our officers can bring people directly to access support services after three refusals of shelter – like the Mission St Recovery Center. We know that many of our homeless neighbors are struggling with addiction or mental health challenges that make it harder for them to make a rational decision about their own well-being. This partnership would allow us to connect them with treatment faster and more effectively. And for those who continue to refuse shelter even after time at the recovery center, we will work with the City Attorney’s Office to petition the Behavioral Courts to mandate treatment. This isn’t about punishment — it’s about getting people the help they need to get back on their feet and off our streets for good. Our Chief, City Attorney and Housing Director will be sharing more about this plan at the Public Safety Budget Study Session on Monday before the City Council votes on the implementation plan in June. We need to step up and try something new. The status quo approach is not serving our most vulnerable neighbors or the broader community. People are dying on our streets and it’s our responsibility to intervene. This is part of our plan to do just that.
Sincerely,
Mayor Matt
an Jose State of the City 2025
Saturday, May 17th at 10:00 AM
Arena Green East, 340 W St John Street, San Jose, CA 95110
This year, for State of the City, we’re going bigger than ever before. There’ll be more service projects, more food, more games, and some exciting announcements! Come celebrate everything that makes our city special at our annual State of the City on May 17th. Tickets are going fast — RSVP today here!
Levitt Pavilion Concert Series: Celebrating Africa Day
Sunday, May 25th at 3:30 PM to 7:00 PM
St. James Park, N 2nd St &, E St James St, San Jose, CA 95112
Levitt Pavilion is turning up the volume this summer with free live music! They’re kicking off their concert series with Riddim Exchange, a collective of vibrant Afrobeats musicians. Enjoy food trucks and drink concessions while discovering your next favorite artist! Learn more here.
San Jose Half Marathon & 8K
Sunday, June 1st at 7:30 AM
Race Start at Stevens Creek
Ready to run San Jose? The Half Marathon & 8K, presented by Kaiser Permanente, is a flat, fast course that takes runners through San Jose’s historic landmarks and neighborhoods. After crossing the finish line at Santana Row, you can keep the celebration going with exclusive post-race specials at the Row’s restaurants and bars! Secure your spot here. You can also get 15% off on registration with code MAYORMATT.
42nd Fountain Blue & Brews Festival
Saturday, June 14th to Sunday, June 15th
Plaza de Cesar Chavez, 1 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, CA 95113 Get ready for a weekend of music, flavor, and fun — right in the heart of San Jose! The 42nd Fountain Blues & Brews Festival, Northern California’s longest-running blues festival, features 16 incredible musical acts (including headliners Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and Walter Trout!), craft beers, great food, and more. Grab your tickets here