A controversial plan allowing for the arrest of unhoused people who repeatedly refuse shelter has passed the San Jose City Council on a 9 - 2 vote, with Councilmembers Peter Ortiz and Pamela Campos opposed. The proposal was part of Mayor Matt Mahan’s broader budget agenda.
“This will help us end the era of encampments,” the Mayor told KQED. “It’s not a silver bullet, but it’s a step in the right direction.”
Mahan, a Democrat, has been an outspoken critic of sprawling homeless encampments. His policy is one of the most stringent anti-camping proposals passed by a city since the Supreme Court’s Grants Pass decision.
San Jose will create new police and outreach units tasked with getting homeless people off the streets. If a person refuses shelter at least three times in an 18-month period, they could be arrested for violating anti-camping laws.
At the same meeting, the council rejected Mahan’s plan to withhold 5% of mayor and council member salaries unless the city reaches a set of determined goals. Mahan found very little support for the idea.
The City Council also approved a $5.5 billion proposed operating budget for fiscal year 2025-26, which includes redirecting Measure E affordable housing funds to short-term housing assistance. In response to the federal immigration crackdown, the city increased its investment in immigration services, allocating $1 million.
The budget will close a $35.6 million projected shortfall, said Mahan. Approximately 30% of the operating budget is allocated to environmental and utility services, while public safety accounts for 27%.