Homelessness has spiked significantly in Cupertino, home to tech giant Apple, with a reported 110.4% surge from 48 unhoused individuals in 2023 to 101 in 2025. According to a report by NBC Bay Area, this increase in Cupertino’s homeless population is the highest percentage rise across Santa Clara County.
Valley Community Services executive director Sujatha Venkatraman emphasized the importance of the biennial point-in-time count in capturing the reality of the situation. "I'm glad the count showed the actual need, so now we can collaborate more with the county, with our cities and even our electeds to make sure we bring in some of these services," Venkatraman told NBC Bay Area. The problem, however, extends beyond one city. Santa Clara County as a whole has come to face a pernicious climb in its rates of chronic homelessness, with a disturbing 21% increase in individuals experiencing homelessness for a year or longer, coupled with a disabling condition, as per a detailed analysis by San José Spotlight.
The causes driving this crisis are diverse. Job loss or reduction in income is the main contributor, cited by 27% of surveyed individuals, while 17% attribute it to divorce or breakups, and 12% to evictions or rent hikes. Notably, the overall homeless population in the county has risen to 10,711 in the last two years, marking an 8.1% increase from 2023. This climbing rate is part of a decade-long struggle with a 63.3% bump in total homelessness, mirroring the challenges wrought by Silicon Valley’s steep cost of living and the scarcity of affordable housing.
Efforts to address the needs of these residents have materialized unevenly across the county. Despite its surge in numbers, Cupertino lacks resources and has few nearby shelter options after the North County Shelter in Sunnyvale transitioned from housing single adults to families. The lack of sufficient resources has forced the city to heavily rely upon the county for homeless services, with only one caseworker available for 255 homeless residents in the West Valley. "We have a deficit in the sense of not meeting the needs in the community," Venkatraman commented in an interview with NBC Bay Area.
As the struggle continues, municipalities are exploring collaborative solutions. Five West Valley jurisdictions have seen a combined 15% increase, prompting collaborations to explore service support options due to the region's limited resources and absence of a shelter. Cupertino, caught in the gravity of this collective struggle, is now part of a shelter feasibility study alongside other West Valley cities. Meanwhile, San Jose has plans to introduce 12 new or expanded homeless shelters, indicating a drive to serve better the homeless population that is only growing more acute with time, as reported by San José Spotlight.
