Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I understand there is a group who is working on ending homeless in Santa Clara Valley by 2020. Is Family Supportive Housing involved in this initiative, and how?
Yes, there is such a group. It is called the Blue Ribbon Commission (BRC). They are working on creating more low-income housing, and we certainly support that effort. In fact, our new San Jose Family Shelter is being developed in conjunction with the San Jose Transit Village Partners, LLC, is launching a multi-million dollar effort to construct a state-of-the-art, green, short-term housing complex exclusively for families with children. The building will be one of a kind, combining the short term housing program with a larger affordable housing development. It will create a seamless program aimed at moving families from temporary housing into permanent, affordable rental housing.

Q: What are the requirements for folks to be admitted to your shelter?
They must be a family-and they must be homeless. And, we have to have space open for them. Our families can stay up to 90 days with us.

Q: How do you handle any problems that may arise while families are with you?
Last year we had 750 people (including children) stay at San Jose Family Shelter. If there are incidences—and there are very few—for the most part we have trained professionals equipped to intervene. If we would need additional assistance, we have a good working relationship with the appropriate authorities so as to cause minimal disturbance to our families.

Q: Why are you building a shelter that will house the same number of families as you can today?
We serve 35 families at any one time. The same will be true in our new facility. While we have programs and services at our current location to move families toward healthy, self-sufficiency, at our new facility we will have space more conducive to family living, and for providing these services. All around, everyone will benefit.

Q: Why has it taken so long to find a suitable location for the new Shelter?
There has been an earnest search for the appropriate location for ten years. There were always hurdles that could not be overcome with other properties we found—too expensive; gone before we could make a bid; not in a ‘neighborhood’—so we finally found the correct match, and we are pleased to be working with Charities Housing and San Jose Transit Village Partners to make this new Shelter happen—in a neighborhood.