County to Keep North County Cold Weather Shelter Open an Additional Month
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SAN JOSE – Santa Clara County announced today that the North County Cold Weather Shelter will stay open an additional month. The Cold Weather shelter is a temporary shelter located in Sunnyvale that offers a safe and warm place for the homeless during the wet season. The shelter, which was scheduled to be open November 28, 2016—March 31, 2017, will now continue to provide services until April 30 this year.
Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian, who represents much of the North County and West Valley, spearheaded the effort to increase homeless services in those areas in 2014. Simitian applauded the County’s decision to extend shelter services, noting that, “People need a place to go when the weather is cold and wet. The end of the drought has made this an especially harsh winter for the homeless. Adding to the challenge, the recent flooding in San Jose displaced a lot of folks, and has increased demand for already scarce affordable housing.”
The Cold Weather shelter is the result of a collaboration between Santa Clara County and the non-profit organization HomeFirst, which runs daily operations at the shelter. It provides beds, twice daily meals, and a variety of supportive services. As a result of the extension, 125 people, including several families with children, will continue to have a roof over their heads for another month.
Kelcy Fleming, Shelter Manager for HomeFirst, called the news about the shelter extension, “Absolutely amazing!” She added that, “The lack of affordable housing in the area continues to put a damper on efforts to move our clients out of the shelter and into a permanent home. An extra month gives us 30 more days to keep on trying.”
County staff are also pursuing opportunities for extending services at the Gilroy Armory shelter by about two weeks.
Efforts by local governments in Santa Clara County to end homelessness permanently are paying off. Between 2013 and 2015, the total number of homeless in the County fell from around 7600 to around 6600, according to counts conducted in January every other year. And in November 2016 County voters approved a $950 million affordable housing bond to help provide permanent relief.
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