The site sits directly under the Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport flight path and the FAA has threatened to withhold millions in federal funding if this isn't done by June 30. Officials want to push the deadline to Sept. 30, with about 130 people still living there.
The homeless encampment is located near the Guadalupe River Park. The city has already swept hundreds of people off the land between Spring and Walnut streets since last fall.
The extension would help the city find more options to house these people, including interim housing at a San Jose police parking lot.
Councilmember Dev Davis, who represents the area near the airport, says she is skeptical changes can be made within two months.
San Jose was asked to clear the encampment in July 2021, when more than 200 individuals were living in tents, RVs and cars at Columbus Park, near the Guadalupe River Trail. Last September and October, the city cleared nearly half of the 40-acre site. Since then, the city said it's had to re-sweep the area six times because unhoused individuals returned and re-established camps. To prevent re-encampment, the city approved the building of a prototype park to fill its space.
