Mayor of San Jose: Homelessness Should Not Be a Choice

Mayor Mahan previews new policy to hold unhoused residents accountable for coming indoors ahead of the release of his March Budget Message

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 6, 2025

Media Contact:

Tasha Dean, Chief Communications Officer, Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; [email protected]  

SAN JOSÉ, CA - Today, San José Mayor Matt Mahan announced his “Responsibility to Shelter” Initiative — a proposal in his upcoming March Budget Message that would hold homeless neighbors accountable for coming indoors. With roughly 200 unhoused residents dying outdoors each year in Santa Clara County, tens of millions spent each year to mitigate the impacts of unsheltered homelessness, and over 1000 new interim housing placements coming online this year, ensuring people accept shelter when offered has never been more critical. Recent city data shows that one in three homeless residents are refusing interim housing – private rooms with bathrooms and doors that lock – when offered. 

“Responsibility is a two-way street,” said Mayor Matt Mahan. “We’re holding ourselves responsible for doubling our supply of safe, dignified places for people to go — it’s time we held our homeless neighbors responsible for coming indoors. Because in San Jose, homelessness should never be a choice.” 

Since Mayor Mahan took office, he has pushed the city to treat homelessness like a crisis, leading the charge for a faster, more cost-effective approach that has elevated San Jose as a model for the rest of the state. This latest initiative focuses on ensuring accountability for behaviors that are harming the rest of the community — including refusing to come indoors. Accountability will escalate the more times that individuals refuse shelter within an 18-month period. If passed by the City Council, after the first two refusals, unhoused residents will be given written warnings. Those refusing for a third time will be subject to arrest for trespassing. 

Mayor Mahan’s approach is predicated by the robust drug and behavioral court system that exists in Santa Clara County. He believes that after three offers of shelter, the City has done what it can to help people turn their lives around and other levels of government need to step in. The Mayor hopes that greater accountability and a brief interaction with the criminal justice system will help people get the treatment they need that only the County can provide.

San Jose FireFighters Local 230 and the San Jose Police Officers Association are supportive of the Mayor’s push for greater accountability. 

“We applaud the Mayor’s leadership and solutions oriented push to provide housing for our most vulnerable that want it and mental health or drug addiction services for those that most desperately need it,” said Steve Slack, President of the San Jose Police Officers Association. “The interventions that the mayor proposes will make San Jose safer.”

The Fire Union noted that with hundreds of unhoused individuals dying outdoors each year and encampment fires endangering lives and property, ensuring people accept shelter when offered is critical.

Jerry May, President of Firefighters Local 230 said, “The City’s expansion of interim housing is a major step forward, but for it to be effective, it must be utilized. Mayor Mahan’s initiative provides a necessary framework to ensure resources are used while addressing the growing safety risks of encampments. We support policies that protect lives, prevent fires, and ensure accountability. We look forward to working with the City to implement solutions that enhance public safety and dignity for all.” 

This Responsibility to Shelter proposal is part of the Mayor’s March Budget Message, a document that outlines budget priorities for the upcoming fiscal year. The full message will be released on March 11th and voted on by the City Council on March 18th. If approved by the Council, the City Manager will use the March Budget Message to create an operating budget that allocates specific dollar amounts to programs and initiatives for the upcoming fiscal year. If passed, the Responsibility to Shelter initiative could be enacted as early as July. 

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About the City of San José

With nearly one million residents, San José is the largest city in the Bay Area and one of the nation's most diverse and creative. San José’s transformation into a global innovation center in the heart of Silicon Valley has resulted in the world's greatest concentration of technology talent and development.