☆ Advice to Mahan: Metrics, metrics, metrics

Image by Anna Nekrashevich

Ahead of SJ’s State of the City address this Saturday, Opp Now contributors Ron Kirkish and Jim Zito praise Mayor Mahan’s attentiveness to the homelessness epidemic—and ask how we’re measuring success. Ongoing costs. And our target date for “functional zero.” An exclusive.

Ron Kirkish, Gilroy political activist: San Jose Mayor Mahan should address his efforts to solve the homelessness problem: how much of our taxpayer money is he willing to use (especially if we don't start seeing results)? Is there a cap on how much he thinks is worth spending on this issue? It's important that our elected officials use city funds wisely and to improve residents' quality of life.

So I would like to see a series of success metrics the mayor is managing to regarding homelessness amelioration. Specifically, what should our target costs be regarding:

• Cost/bed for homeless shelters

• Cost/unit for tiny homes

• Cost/unit for permanent supportive housing

• Annual support costs/client

• Target percentage of spend/year for shelter, interim communities, permanent housing

• Percentage of subsidy for "affordable housing"

• Target date for "functional zero"

Go Deeper:

• Fremont's more aggressive ban on homeless encampments could spell trouble for neighboring cities
• Inspecting the black hole of SJ's homeless spending
• Analysis: CA gov't isn't letting the private housing sector address homelessness

Jim Zito, Evergreen Elementary School District board member: We appreciate the Mayor's attention to the unhoused and mentally ill. However, several times a year, the residents of San Jose are being notified of increased service costs and taxes. In his State of the City speech, I’d like the Mayor to address the high costs of living in our city, and how he’s planning to put the breaks on new and increased upcoming taxes.

Follow Opportunity Now on Twitter @svopportunity

Sign up to receive updates on Opp Now articles

Email Address:

First Name:

Last Name:

We prize letters from our thoughtful readers. Typed on a Smith Corona. Written in longhand on fine stationery. Scribbled on a napkin. Hey, even composed on email. Feel free to send your comments to us at opportunitynowsv@gmail.com or (snail mail) 1590 Calaveras Ave., SJ, CA 95126. Remember to be thoughtful and polite. We will post letters on an irregular basis on the main Opp Now site.