San José mayor proposes jailing homeless people who repeatedly refuse shelter

San José Mayor Matt Mahan unveiled an initiative to pressure homeless people into accepting shelter or facing jail time, following a U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing local bans on camping. Bay Area cities like Berkeley and Oakland have adopted aggressive tactics to clear out homeless camps, with Mahan focusing on increasing short-term shelter beds in San José instead of permanent housing options, leading to a proposal that would escalate punishment for rejecting shelter offers. Despite opposition from homeless advocates, Mahan believes helping people with mental health and addiction issues break destructive cycles is key to addressing homelessness in the city.

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