Homelessness and the issues surrounding it touch every neighborhood in San Jose. A significant cause of homelessness is a shortage of affordable housing, but that is not the only factor that creates housing instability. So many of our neighbors are living paycheck to paycheck, and when an emergency hits, they lack a substantial enough safety net to keep them in a warm, safe and permanent dwelling.

Unhoused residents are all around us — both hidden and in plain sight — and most wish to live as inconspicuously as all of us do. Recently, our city showed it can quickly provide a site where people with housing insecurity living in vehicles could stay legally and safely during a transition.

When the City of San Jose learned that Apple planned to remove the unhoused population from its property on Component Drive in North San Jose, roughly 50 people transitioned into temporary housing. The problem then became how to accommodate a small number of those unhoused residents living in RVs or cars.

The choice was to either let them scatter across San Jose to park wherever they found space or to provide a temporary location where they could park legally and safely and receive some basic services until they found more stable housing options. A city-owned parcel on Vista Montana in North San Jose, slated for future development, was identified as the only feasible location to convert into the transitional site.

I was relieved that we were able provide a safe place for the few unhoused residents from the Apple site who lived in vehicles. The safe parking site became a true home base where residents could stay without fear of being swept out while city staff worked with them to find long-term solutions.

It was disheartening to witness the callous treatment of the safe parking residents by a small group of neighbors. There were reports of neighbors following the unhoused to and from the location while they performed routine chores such as going to the store. The neighbors flew drones over the site and protested weekly against the safe parking residents without attempting to engage in meaningful conversation.

I understand our residents’ frustration with the impacts of unregulated homeless encampments. They are tired of all the garbage that spills onto neighborhood sidewalks and streets. That’s why I support providing sanctioned locations that offer safe parking: sites that are protected by fencing and offer lighting, garbage and sanitation services, as well as 24/7 onsite security. These sites are simply not comparable to uncontrolled encampments.

We can’t magically make homelessness disappear. Compassionate alternative housing options may come closer to our homes or businesses than we expect, but excessively hostile reactions only make it more difficult to find meaningful, lasting solutions.

Despite the unwelcoming treatment, the people we served at Vista Montana were thankful for the availability of a safe place to stay during their transition. Each of them received an opportunity for supportive housing, their cars were fixed, and at least one has landed a job and is now on the way to recovery. When I visited the site, the residents were grateful for the compassion the city showed them.

While I regret that we couldn’t use the site to its full potential, we showed that San Jose can successfully provide a stable, transitional space for the unhoused. I am committed to designating more places for this purpose and hope to have the support of a community that understands the need for compassionate solutions. Until we improve the quality of life for the unhoused, we can’t improve the quality of life for our entire community.

David Cohen represents District 4 on the San Jose City Council.