Just weeks after NBC Bay Area reported the growing neighborhood worry about open air drug dealing and use in downtown San Jose, neighbors say they’re glad they sounded the alarm.
But they also say a standoff at that same intersection Thursday, shows more needs to be done.
The standoff happened on 3rd and San Fernando where police spent several hours with a man who allegedly threatened officers with a knife.
It’s in the same area where neighbors recently reported rampant drug use and sales.
Less than 24 hours after airing their concerns, the mayor and police chief held an emergency meeting and announced a new effort in downtown.
“I do feel safer,” said Tom Nixon of the Paseo Villa Homeowners Association. “There’s been a lot more police presence, which has been nice.”
On Friday morning, officers were back, telling a man sleeping on the sidewalk of the Paseo Villa Condos to move along.
Next week, the mayor is scheduled to meet with the homeowners associations of two neighboring condos complexes to give them updates, and outline some of the challenges the city faces.
“I’d like to hear from him that there’s a plan to actually doing something,” said Nixon. “That this will actually stop.”
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San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said, “It’s an ongoing challenge. There’ a lot more to discuss here. I’ve been walking by that street corner ever since you first reported, I've been going by every single day and we clearly made progress. But we’re not all the way there. We’ve got a lot of challenges.”
The mayor said one of those ongoing challenges is police staffing, which is critical if the department intends to maintain foot patrols across the city.
He also insists there’s also a need for a secure, temporary drug treatment facility.
“Call it 60 to 90 days, to give them a chance to detox, talk to counselors, and have treatment options and have a shot at turning their lives around,” said Mahan.
The mayor and neighbors agree that Thursday’s standoff shows there is no fast, easy solution. But both say there is a clear goal.
“I don’t want San Jose to turn into San Francisco,” said Nixon.
