As San Jose starts sweeping Columbus Park encampment, some vehicles get reprieve

AS SAN JOSE BEGINS SWEEPING its largest homeless encampment in Columbus Park, people who have accepted offers of shelter will be safe from having their vehicles towed until space opens up.

City workers on Aug. 18 began clearing Irene Street along Columbus Park, home to a camp of roughly 370 people and 120 lived-in vehicles, per city estimates. Vehicles with signs placed on them that said “Do not tow or abate” were left alone, indicating the vehicles will be purchased by the city through a new buyback program and the owners will move into temporary housing. The city is sweeping the park in phases, with officials expecting to have all homeless people cleared out by the end of October.