Here's a look at controversial San Jose shelter plan for unhoused ahead of next week's budget vote
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- San Jose is just days away from voting on a controversial proposal from Mayor Matt Mahan.
South Bay leaders and business owners say they support San Jose's shelter initiative that would encourage unhoused people to accept shelter, if offered.
But not everyone thinks it's the best way to solve the homelessness crisis.
San Jose's mayor was joined by other officials at a press conference on Wednesday including the vice mayor, advocates for unhoused people and the president of the firefighters and police officers' unions.
The mayor's June budget message was released and he says that "Responsibility to Shelter Initiative" is a core piece of it.
The budget is going to be voted next Tuesday, and the mayor rallied together his supporters for the initiative.
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The proposal would allow for the arrest or hospitalization of unhoused people who refuse offers of shelter three times in an 18-month period.
As part of the plan, the city would expand outreach efforts and create a new police unit with six officers and a sergeant to enforce the policy.
It faced a lot of pushback, but Mahan said it's necessary.
"We have a chance to use a brief, targeted interaction with our justice system to intervene before people fall into chronic homelessness and give them the opportunity to find appropriate services and turn their lives around. We have a chance to stop giving up on people," said Mayor Mahan.
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Advocates to the unhoused say that the proposal is criminalizing homelessness.
ABC7's Zach Fuentes spoke with one who said the options the city is offering the unhoused don't accommodate everyone's needs.
"People need more help on prevention rather than policing, and policing doesn't get anybody any help. Prevention does," said Shaunn Cartwright with the Unhoused Response Group.
Mahan acknowledged that there has to be flexibility in the policy based on people's circumstances.
That advocate said the proposal will also make people living on the streets hesitant to interact with city outreach teams out of fear that the city workers will report them as refusing shelter.
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Mahan has said the city isn't using every available bed yet and will be adding 1,400 more this year.
This proposal is just one piece of the mayor's budget proposal.
His office said it also includes investments in interim housing.
Also a push to tie the salary raises of elected officials to how well they perform.
His budget is voted on this Tuesday.
