Neighbors raise concern over plan to convert SJ hotel to homeless shelter for women and children
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Plans are moving forward to convert a boutique hotel into a homeless shelter for women and children.
The Bristol Hotel is in San Jose, but directly behind it is considered Campbell.
Lynne Ferguson and her neighbors are Campbell residents.
"The problem being is that none of us knew until a week ago - nobody. They say they sent out letters, we didn't receive them," Ferguson said.
Last week, San Jose Vice Mayor Pam Foley held a community meeting where residents learned about the plans that appear to have been in the pipeline for a while.
"Nobody would answer the direct question: is it a done deal?" Ferguson said.
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The Bristol Hotel is one of five motel properties the city's housing department has secured to convert into temporary housing.
On Tuesday, the city council will approve two items: the extension of the homeless shelter crisis declaration, which is on their consent agenda, and a third-party provider for these shelters.
"There will be 24/7 security, there's going to be a security guard at the entrance, each family will have their own private room and bathroom," Foley said.
The Bristol Hotel has 47 units with 66 beds. Homeless women and children will be able to live there for up to a year with no rent, meals provided, and services on site.
"It's transitional, it's not permanent, but it's the right step," Foley said.
However, residents like Arlene Zumsteg say safety is their biggest concern.
"There's going to be husbands, and the boyfriends, and they're going to try to get in," Zumsteg said. "They're not supposed to be allowed in but I don't think the security will be there. I think they will come in - I think there will be too many cars on the street."
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Marina Segal has lived in the neighborhood for 20 years.
"If you want to solve a problem, you don't want to create another problem," Segal said.
Foley said the city has to come up with different types of housing to address what she says is a humanitarian crisis.
"There's a lot of fear, but after about six months, after they move in, they're not even going to know they're there," Foley said.
Ferguson, along with some of her neighbors, plans to attend Tuesday's city council meeting. They want to address a list of criteria the city appears to be streamlining.
"Let's help them, but let's do it in your own criteria that you established for a reason instead of arbitrarily saying 'Oh let's slide it in over here and nobody will know,'" Ferguson said.
The motels could be operational as early as the end of July to early August.
