The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) has recently given the green light for the development of a temporary residential community at the Cerone VTA maintenance yard in San Jose. This significant decision comes as the city seeks to address the ongoing homelessness crisis, and has been applauded by many local officials and advocates, including San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan. According to KRON4, the facility will house 200 emergency temporary housing units aimed at getting those without homes off the streets.

San Jose's mayor has called the proposed housing program "far cheaper and more efficient to deploy than the status quo approach," noting that the current situation on the streets of San Jose is a crisis that needs urgent attention. KThe financial backing for the 200 quick-build residential units was secured earlier this year by Governor Gavin Newsom.

Although the Cerone yard site was deemed as ideal for the emergency interim housing by Mayor Matt Mahan, not everyone agreed with the choice of location. As KTVU mentions, some opposition came from VTA employees who believed that the land should be reserved for the expansion of an operations control center for its buses and trains. They cited the damage caused to the old control center by a deadly mass shooting in May 2021 as reason to explore other options for housing the homeless.

However, advocates for the Cerone yard project, including some local residents, highlighted the urgency of providing homeless individuals with a safe and warm place to stay, especially as colder temperatures approach. As a response to workers' concerns, the mayor's office has stated that there will be a negotiation process with VTA staff regarding the terms of a lease agreement to place the 200 housing units at the Cerone yard site. A final decision is scheduled for October 5th, when the VTA board will vote on whether to accept the agreement or explore additional VTA locations for the emergency housing units.