San Jose city leaders on Tuesday are expected to hear a number of options surrounding a proposed ordinance co-written by students that would address homeless encampments near schools.
In August, students and city staff, with the support of some councilmembers, proposed an ordinance that would prohibit any encampments and vehicle dwellings within 150 feet of licensed preschools, day care facilities or K-12 schools.
On Tuesday, the San Jose City Council was presented with a number of potential next steps, including a draft ordinance, a pilot program, further study of the issue or tabling the proposal until March budget meetings for the next fiscal year, according to the council agenda.
Mayor Matt Mahan fully supports an ordinance, as it falls in line with his push to clean up the homeless issue in the Bay Area's largest city.
"[The students] spoke out because homeless neighbors were sleeping on school grounds and in school bathrooms," Mahan said in August. "They spoke out because they were finding needles on their lunch tables."
After crafting a memo with students, councilmembers and the mayor introduced a pilot program around three schools: KIPP, Shirakawa, and Challenger.
The ordinance creates a 150-foot buffer zone between schools and tents or RVs for the unhoused.
"Students should not suffer for governments inability to act with urgency in ending street homelessness," Mahan said.
The ordinance as it is written would allow the city to tow RVs and it would beef up enforcement of an existing policy banning encampments in school zones rather than creating a new, redundant city code.
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Student activists said they do not want to criminalize homelessness, but insist walking to school in fear has to stop.
There have been reports of cat calls coming from RVs parked in front of Kipp and Independence High Schools. Needles have also been found on school picnic tables. One student also resorted to arming herself on her walk to school.
"That's how bad the conditions have gotten," said Alfredo Hernandez, a senior at KIPP San Jose Collegiate. "And the students need to resort to something that makes them feel safe. They shouldn't resort to mace or pepper spray to come to school."
The ordinance would take effect in the spring and would also look to find solutions to homelessness, like housing and other services.
Mahan last week also called for more funds to help clear encampments along the Guadalupe River and its creek trail.
"It's hard for us to build public trust and get taxpayers and other government agencies in California to trust us with our limited public dollars if we can't keep these areas clean and clear and accessible to the public," he said.
No vote was expected on the school issue Tuesday.
