San Jose voters next week will weigh in on a variety of ballot measures designed to help the homeless.
Supporters were out stumping for a trio of measures that will help homeless veterans and students.
An estimated 400 San Jose State students are either living in cars or couch-surfing. Across the CSU system, the number is closer to 52,000, says their on-campus advocate and fellow student Oladotun Hospidales.
“Students cannot and will not succeed in the classroom if they don’t have access to housing and other basic needs,” Hospidales said.
Students joined elected officials and housing advocates on campus Wednesday to call on voters to support state Propositions 1 and 2, along with local Measure V.
Prop 1 authored by state senator and San Jose State alum Jim Beall (D-San Jose).
“Prop 1 will provide about 50,000 housing units including veteran home loans and Prop 2 will provide $2 billion to house homeless people and get mentally ill homeless people off the streets and into housing,” Beall said.
Supporters say Measure v, on the local ballot, will help leverage those state funds to help build more affordable housing for students and veterans like De Anza sophomore Don Tietjen who is already doing what he can to help.
“I have a futon and I have had friends and comrades at my house all the time because we–they can’t afford a place of their own,” Tietjen said.
The mayor handed out leaflets on campus with the message that supporting the three measures would help prevent students from having to choose between rent, food, books, and other necessities.