'Hope Village' in San Jose has new home, city looks for long-term solution

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ByMatt Keller KGO logo
Monday, September 17, 2018
'Hope Village' in San Jose has new home, city looks for long-term solution
The residents of a tent city in San Jose have been given at least a week in a new location until a more permanent spot can be found.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- "Hope Village" in San Jose has moved. The CHP gave the six residents of Hope Village until noon to get off of state property. All the tents are now set up about 200 feet down Ruff Drive on SEIU property.

"You just can't have anyone cutting through gates and setting up encampments on state property during the weekend and then expect it to stay there long term," said CHP Captain Ceto Ortiz.

The SEIU is giving the residents at least a week until a more permanent location can be found.

RELATED: San Jose's homeless tent village hoping for new site after being removed from parking lot

Hope Village was put up on September 8 by homeless advocates for about $10,000. It has a fence, tents, a common area, bathrooms, garbage collection and showers. Even though Hope Village didn't have government backing, it ended up impressing local politicians.

Santa Clara County Board of Supervisor Dave Cortese said, "Congratulations to them, to be on a nice hard top surface like this. To have an area fenced in, to have sanitary conditions, to have self-governance, people following rules. In some parts of the country this is a successful model."

City and county leaders are now fast tracking their search for a spot they already own or lease.

The seven residents selected to live in Hope Village are drug free and are not seriously mentally ill. Their main issue, they don't make enough money to rent a place.

RELATED: Unauthorized tent village hopes to provide solution to San Jose homeless housing

Charles Nelson has been on the streets for five years.

"We're little more optimistic now that there are people out there who do care," said Nelson.

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