Santa Clara County’s homeless math problem — 1 shelter bed for every 3 unhoused people

THE MATH SAYS IT ALL. Santa Clara County can’t build temporary or permanent housing fast enough to address its growing homeless population.

There are 10,711 homeless people in Santa Clara County, according to a point-in-time count conducted in January. But there are only 3,454 beds across 38 temporary shelters and programs countywide to help homeless people move through an uninterrupted path toward permanent housing. San José Spotlight’s exclusive compilation of data reveals there is only one bed for every three unhoused individuals.