Street-cleaning program for homeless in Silicon Valley swept away after two decades

A FLAGSHIP PROGRAM that employed homeless people to clean the streets of San Jose and connect them to housing is abruptly ending.

Nonprofit Downtown Streets Team is ending operations Oct. 31, citing financial and political pressures that make it difficult to sustain the organization. The nonprofit formed 20 years ago in Palo Alto and expanded to 15 other cities in Northern California, including Sunnyvale and San Jose in 2011. Workers wearing bright yellow shirts help beautify neighborhoods affected by trash, waste and graffiti. Participants also attend peer groups and work with case managers to find housing.