San Jose’s Arena Hotel homeless site to switch operators after ongoing issues

SAN JOSE HOTEL CONVERTED to homeless housing is switching operators, and residents are welcoming the change.

Nonprofit service provider WeHope will take over the Arena Hotel at 817 The Alameda starting Dec. 1 and replace HomeFirst. It will provide case management and temporarily manage the property, security and food until San Jose hires another company to oversee operations across its temporary shelters to centralize services and cut costs. The San Jose City Council last month unanimously approved a $2.7 million contract for WeHope from Oct. 1 through June 30, 2026.