The effort continues to reach more of the region's un-housed, as the virus continues to spread.
RELATED: Santa Clara County opens fairground, trailers for homeless to social distance amid COVID-19 crisis
[Ads /]
Santa Clara County is not only the Bay Area's most populous county, but it remains the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, leaders and county-wide agencies are expanding resources for the region's homeless population. Specifically, all known un-housed people who have tested positive for the virus.
"We owe them the same dignity, the same healthcare, the same respect," Supervisor Dave Cortese told ABC7 News. "And I think that's what you're seeing in today's announcement that we're going to put a full-court press on, and make sure that they're getting the education, the information they need immediately."
According to a release, the Director of the County's Office of Supportive Housing, Ky Le, is leading this work as part of the County's Emergency Operations Center.
Also announced: "The County is working in close partnership with the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Destination: Home, and the City of San Jose, and other partners to provide assistance to the neediest members of our community during this challenging time."
"Just to tell them to shelter-in-place doesn't provide them the kind of support system they need," Sup. Cortese said. "It doesn't help up with testing and screening and so forth. So, a lot more needs to be done. I think what you're seeing today is the beginning of a response from the county that continues to increase, we'll continue to mobilize with respect to the homeless community."
Sup. Cortese said the county is launching a massive education effort to reach more of the un-housed.
RELATED: Coronavirus: San Francisco's battle to house the homeless continues amid pandemic
He's also spoken with the County Executive to discuss other ways to make an impact.
[Ads /]
"I reemphasized the need to have mobile testing stations outside of every encampment, so we can screen people. We can divert people and quarantine people as needed. That should be happening soon," he said.
Other conversations considered different ways the county could mobilize some of its ambulance services to help with that effort.
On Friday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced help for the homeless is a top priority.
"What we want to do is relieve the stress in our shelter system, so that we could separate individuals and ultimately relieve the impact on our medical care delivery system," Gov. Newsom said. "If left unaddressed, we allow our most vulnerable residents in the state of California to be exposed to this virus."
Already, Santa Clara County has opened a temporary site at the fairgrounds for 60 people.
RELATED: COVID-19 could be deadly to Bay Area's homeless population
The City of San Jose confirms 75 beds were set up at Parkside Hall, which opened Wednesday. Additionally, South Hall is expected to open Monday.
More than 100 trailers from the state were delivered to the South Bay, and will be used to temporarily shelter homeless and unstably housed residents in the coming weeks.
All existing and seasonal shelters remain operational.
[Ads /]
The City of San Jose's safe parking programs are also operating 24/7, and Overnight Warming Locations will soon follow.
According to San Jose officials, plans will add 818 beds to the region's shelter capacity.
RELATED: San Francisco's The Liberties Bar makes it easy to give a meal to someone in need
Supervisor Cortese says residents in the county should be commended.
"By and large, here in the South Bay, people are doing the right thing," he said. "And I think we're seeing the results of that in lower mortality rates per capita than you see anywhere else in the nation right now."
He continued, "We were first in the nation to downsize events, and then we were first in the nation to gradually implement a shelter in place order. This is the second version of that, you know we're into essentially the second month of shelter-in-place."
Next, the county and various agencies will work to continue to expand shelter and motel capacity, increase education and screening for individuals without shelter.
"We generally are taking groups of 20 to 25 homeless at a time, booking them into hotel rooms with hotel vouchers- prepaid hotel rooms- especially if they need to be quarantined," Cortese added.
Gov. Newsom said Friday, "We've identified roughly 7,000 hotel rooms that are now in our possession- where we have occupancy agreements- and we are now building partnerships throughout the State of California to begin to get this folks into these sites."
If you have a question or comment about the coronavirus crisis, submit yours via the form below or here.
Get the latest news, information and videos about the novel coronavirus pandemic here
RELATED STORIES & VIDEOS:
- Live updates about coronavirus outbreak in US, around the world
- WATCH: ABC7's interactive town hall 'Race and Coronavirus: A Bay Area Conversation'
- Everything you need to know about the Bay Area's shelter-in-place order
- Stimulus calculator: How much money should you expect from coronavirus relief bill
- What Bay Area tenants need to know about rent payments, eviction amid COVID-19 outbreak
- Live updates about coronavirus outbreak in US, around the world
- Here's how shelter in place, stay at home orders can slow spread of COVID-19
- Coronavirus Timeline: Tracking major moments of COVID-19 pandemic in San Francisco Bay Area/
- Coronavirus and the new normal of living in the San Francisco-Bay Area -- COVID-19 Diaries
- Happy hour goes virtual as people try to be sociable while social distancing during COVID-19 crisis
- Coronavirus Outbreak: Here's why you should practice 'social distancing'
- DRONEVIEW7: What the Bay Area looks like during the coronavirus shelter-in-place
- ABC7's drive around San Francisco shows empty streets, businesses shuttered
- Symptoms, prevention, and how to prepare for a COVID-19 outbreak in the US
- List of stores, companies closing due to coronavirus pandemic
- Canceled late fees, free services available amid COVID-19 crisis
- Here's how you can help during COVID-19 pandemic
- How to maintain learning during school closures
- No masks but here are 100+ products that may help protect you against novel coronavirus germs
- Here's a look at some of history's worst pandemics that have killed millions
- Asian community fighting racism, xenophobia, bigotry as world fights COVID-19