ITEM NO. 14.
1 of 2
Resolution 20 - Council Meeting Date
ATTACHMENT 1
RESOLUTION 2026-xx
RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS ADOPTING THE “2026/27 COMPREHENSIVE FEE SCHEDULE” WHICH IMPOSES NEW FEES, AMENDS
EXISTING FEES AND RETAINS UNCHANGED FEES FOR VARIOUS TOWN DEPARTMENTS WHEREAS, for the previous fiscal year 2025/26 (July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026) certain fees were adopted by Resolution No. 2025-022 and were then incorporated into the “Town of Los Gatos Comprehensive Fee Schedule” (“Fee Schedule”); WHEREAS, the Town desires to impose new fees, amend existing fees and retain unchanged certain fees based on the document entitled “Comprehensive Fee Schedule”; WHEREAS, where the fees for service are imposed by the Town to support government services and not for the purpose of providing a market-based fee for services that are also provided by the general public, the proposed fees are hereby determined to be reasonable in that they do not exceed the estimated reasonable costs of providing the public services proposed to be rendered;
WHEREAS, the proposed fees for rentals of Town facilities are consistent with neighboring jurisdictions;
WHEREAS, in adopting the fees and this Resolution, the Town is exercising its power under Article XI, Section 7, and Article XIIIC of the California Constitution, Section 50076 of the California Government Code, its Town Code, and other applicable laws; WHEREAS, for fees that are noted in the fee schedule as new or increasing, relevant information regarding those new or increased fees were made available for public review and comment for ten (10) days prior to the public hearing at which this resolution was considered and adopted;
WHEREAS, on April 7, 2026, the Town Council held a public hearing on the fees and charges set forth in the revised fee schedule;
WHEREAS, on March 27 and April 3, 2026, timely notice of the public hearing was published in a newspaper of general circulation in the manner set forth in Government Code Sections 6062a and 66018; and
WHEREAS, notice of the public hearing was mailed to all persons requesting such notice pursuant to Government Code Section 66016.
ITEM NO. 14.
2 of 2
Resolution 20 - Council Meeting Date
ATTACHMENT 1
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Council of the Town of Los Gatos does hereby declare, determine, and order as follows:
1. That the Town Council hereby finds that the above Recitals are true and correct by this reference makes them a part thereof.
2. Adoption of Fees, Rates and Charges. The fees, rates, and charges (hereinafter collectively, “fees”) contained in the document entitled “Comprehensive Fee Schedule” are hereby adopted and are to be set forth in a document entitled "Comprehensive Fee Schedule.”
3. Effect of Fees Prior to effective Date of Resolution. This Resolution shall not be construed so as to affect any fee or charge payable or paid under any applicable fee schedule operative prior to the effective date of this Resolution.
4. Effective Date. The fees set forth in the “Comprehensive Fee Schedule” shall be effective July 1, 2026.
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Town Council of the Town of Los Gatos, California, held on April 7, 2026, by the following vote:
COUNCIL MEMBERS:
AYES:
NAYS:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
SIGNED:
_______________________________
MAYOR OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS
LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA
ATTEST:
___________________________________
TOWN CLERK OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS
LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA
ITEM NO. 14.
T O W N O F L O S G A T O S
C A L I F O R N I A
COMPREHENSIVE FEE SCHEDULE
(REDLINED)
FISCAL YEAR 2026-27
ATTACHMENT 2
ITEM NO. 14.
Cover Photos: Richard Gaskill and Sophia Constantine
ITEM NO. 14.
TOWN OF LOS GATOS FEE SCHEDULE
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule The following Fee Schedule is effective July 5, 2025 July 1, 2026 unless updated by the Town Council. The Fee Schedule will be adjusted annually by the average Consumer Price Index (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor for the San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose Metropolitan Statistical Area) for the calendar year and/or by the percentage increase in actual operating costs for the current year – whichever is greater. For FY 2025-2026 FY 2026-2027, the fees are adjusted by 2.8% 2.2% CPI. This Fee Schedule also provides for minimum annual adjustments for those fees that are directly related to personnel costs. Other adjustments may be made to maintain consistency with the surrounding municipalities within the Town of Los Gatos region but in no case are fees charged in excess of service delivery costs.
ITEM NO. 14.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule Administrative Services .......................................................................................................... 1 Attorney Services................................................................................................................... 4 Development Services
General Development Fees .............................................................................................................. 5 Building Division Fees ....................................................................................................................... 7 Building Permit Fees ......................................................................................................................... 7 Electrical Permit Fees ..................................................................................................................... 10 Mechanical Permit Fees ................................................................................................................. 12 Plumbing Permit Fees..................................................................................................................... 13 Other Fees ...................................................................................................................................... 14 Planning Division Fees .................................................................................................................... 16 Zoning Approvals ............................................................................................................................ 17 Subdivisions .................................................................................................................................... 20 Miscellaneous Application Fees ..................................................................................................... 21 Environmental Assessment Fees .................................................................................................... 22 Other Fees ...................................................................................................................................... 23 Engineering Division Fees ............................................................................................................... 25 Library Services ..................................................................................................................... 31 Parks and Public Works Services
Parks Division Fees ......................................................................................................................... 32 Turf Maintenance Fee .................................................................................................................... 34 Tree Related Fees ........................................................................................................................... 34 Equipment Hourly Rates ................................................................................................................ 34 Street Division Fees ........................................................................................................................ 35 Police Services ...................................................................................................................... 36 Parking Permit Fees ........................................................................................................................ 37
ITEM NO. 14.
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 1 Copy and Printing Charges
1 Copy of Town Code Actual Cost
2 8 1/2 x 11 and 8 1/2 x 14 $.25 per page
3 11 x 17 $.35 per page
4 Oversized or Large Productions Actual Cost
5 Annual Subscription for Town Code Supplements Actual Cost 6 Copying of Zoning Ordinance Actual Cost
7 Annual Subscription for Zoning Ordinance
Supplements Actual Cost
8 Certification of Town Records $2.00
9 Annual Financial Report Actual Cost
10 Annual Budget Actual Cost
11 Capital Improvement Plan Actual Cost
Special Events
12 Special Event Application Fee, For-Profit New Event $935.00 $956.00 Repeat Event $699.00 $714.00
13 Special Event Application Fee, Not-For Profit New Event $233.00 $238.00 Repeat Event $175.00 $179.00
14 Special Event Road Closure Review and Inspection Fee $228.44 15 Special Event N. Santa Cruz Avenue Road Closure Fee Actual Cost 16 Block Party Permit $57,00 $58.00
Expedited Processing Fee when required
documentation is submitted post deadline $113.73 per day 17 Police Officer $303.45 $336.86 per hour
18 Lead Parks and Public Works Maintenance Worker $142.63 $147.63 per hour 19 Parks and Public Works Maintenance Worker $118.74 $122.91 per hour 20 Anti-Vehicle Barrier, Special Event Road Closure Actual Cost 21 Temporary No Parking Signs $1.00
No Parking Sign Admin Fee 56.87
22 Temporary Alcohol Restricted Signs $1.00
Entertainment Zone Signicades $5.00 per Signicade, per day 23 Temporary Banner Permit $108.00 $110.00
24 Use of the Civic Center lawn, deck and stairs for
approved special events coordinated by a for-profit
organization
$57.00 $58.00 per hour
25 Use of Town Plaza Park for approved special events $57.00 $58.00 per hour
ITEM NO. 14.
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 2 Special Events (continued)
26 Facility Deposit $500
Facilities Maintenance Fee $155
27 Street Pole Banner Program $226.00 $231.00 per banner (includes install and removal)
28 Events with live music (either played by disc jockey, electronic playlist, or performed by musicians in a
public setting)
$65.00 $66.00 per event
Business License
29 Business License Processing Fee - New Out of Town $20.00 In Town $40.00
30 Business License Processing Fee - Renewal Out of Town and In Town $30.00 Other Services
31 Compact Disk or Recording Tape of Council and
Planning Commission Meetings (plus actual mailing
costs, if applicable)
$20.00 per DVD for meetings under 2
hours
$30.00 per DVD for meetings over 3
hours
32 Copy - Digital $10 per copy device
33 Initial Returned Check Fee $25.00
34 Subsequent Return Check Fees [CA Civil Code Section
1719(a) (1)] $35.00
35 Election Filing Fee $25.00
36 Town Credit Card Processing Fee 2.49%
37 Third Party Vendor Business License Electronic
Payment Processing Fees
Credit and Debit Card Processing
2.9% of transaction amount,
minimum of $2.00
ACH/eCheck $1.25 per transaction
Returned Payments/NSF $25.00
38 Third Party Vendor Parking Citations and Permits
Electronic Payment Processing Fee $3.95
39 Request for Service Not Covered by any Other Fee Fully allocated hourly rates for all personnel
40 Initiative/Referendum Petition Filings Fee $200.00
41 Tyler Technologies: Enterprise ERP Credit Card
Payment
3.95% Minimum of $2.50
ITEM NO. 14.
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 3 Other Services (continued)
42 Tyler Technologies: Payer eCheck Cost $1.95
43 Tyler Technologies: eCheck Rejects $5.00
44 Tyler Technologies: Credit Card Chargebacks $15.00
ITEM NO. 14.
ATTORNEY SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 4 1 Conditions, Covenants & Restrictions (CC&R) Review
and Approval
Fully allocated hourly rates for all
personnel
2 Simple Covenant/Deed Restriction Fully allocated hourly rates for all personnel
3 Subdivision Improvement Agreements Fully allocated hourly rates for all personnel
4 Encroachment Agreements Fully allocated hourly rates for all personnel
5 Miscellaneous (Legal Agreements, Real Property, etc.) Fully allocated hourly rates for all personnel
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 5 General Development Fees
1 Reproduction (sent out) plus actual mailing costs, as applicable. Maps, plans, etc. (larger than 11" x 17")
Actual Cost - Sent to ARC
2 Data Duplication service and fee for partial or full
copies of each digital standard Town data file on onetime request basis. (8 1/2" x 11" copy, standard printer.)
$.25 per page
3 Document Storage Fee - Laserfiche Actual Cost
4 Duplicate Plans Set $154.00/hr. (1/2 hr. minimum)
5 Research Records Charge for Staff Research beyond
30 minutes
Fully allocated hourly rate for all
personnel
6 Address Processing Fee - Per address $195.00 $199.00
7 Computer Surcharge on all
Building/Plumbing/Mechanical/Electrical/Grading/En
croachment/Planning Permits/Applications and any
other Permits/ Applications except Park
Permit/Applications
4% of development application fee
8 Request for Service Not Covered by Any Other Fee Actual Cost 9 Pre-application Conference Fee Courtesy meeting
10 Applications for Work Unlawfully Completed Double current application fee 11 BMP Document Processing Fee $987.00 $1,009.00
12 Public Art In-Lieu Fee 1% of building permit valuation *These fees are applied to permits or plan checks that require engineering services.
Reports, Agendas, and Minutes
13 Development Review Committee Agendas $37.00
14 Planning Commission Agendas $25.00
15 Planning Commission Minutes Actual Cost
16 Plan Copies - Laserfiche or other reprints sent to an outside firm
$31.00 plus costs
17 Plan Copies - Blueprint reproduction in house $3.00 per page 18 Copy of Subdivision Ordinance $26.00
19 General Plan (including maps) $26.00
20 Hillside Specific Plan $5.80
21 Hillside Development Standards and Design
Guidelines
$19.45
22 Commercial Design Guidelines $20.50
23 Subdivision Ordinance $26.00
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 6 Reports, Agendas, and Minutes (continued)
24 General Plan/Zoning Maps (24" x 36") - Black & White $9.00 25 General Plan/Zoning Maps (24" x 36") - Color $42.00
26 Blossom Hill Open Space Study $14.00
27 Commercial Specific Plan Report $12.00
28 Residential Design Guidelines $21.50
29 Housing Element Technical Appendix $24.75
30 2023-2031 Housing Element $39.00
31 North Forty Specific Plan (adopted June 2015) $45.25 Landscape
Final occupancy clearance (new construction or remodel) 32 Park Staff Time Spent for Major Development
Applications
$543.00*
Basis:
Development Review Committee Meetings – 1.5 hrs. (estimate) Site Visits – 4.0 hrs. (estimate)
Review Plan – 4.0 hrs. (estimate)
*Note: Time spent over and above the initial application fee will be billed at the current employee billing rate plus equipment hourly rate.
Annexation Fees
33 1 Lot $3,691.00 $3,772.00
34 2 Lots $1,845.00 $1,886.00
35 3 Lots $1,233.00 $1,260.00
36 4 Lots $925.00 $945.00
37 5 Lot or more $735.00 $751.00
*Annexation Advertising Deposit (varies as to size of map) - $1,000.00 to $2,200.00 Any remaining deposit will be refunded to the applicant and amounts exceeding the deposit amount will be paid by applicant.
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 7 Seismic Hazards Mapping Program Fee (SMIP)
For residential construction of three stories and less (Category 1), the permit fee is $13.00 per $100,000. For all other construction (Category 2), the permit fee is $28.00 per $100,000. This fee is required by the State of California to identify and map zones of particular seismic hazards.
Five percent of the fee is retained by the Town to be used solely for earthquake preparedness.
Capital Improvement Tax (Construction)
Based on $0.18 for each square foot of building addition or alteration, which increases floor area of an existing building.
Underground Utility Tax (Utilities)
Based on $0.18 for each square foot of building addition or alteration, which increases floor area of existing building.
Park Fund Tax (Parks)
Based on $0.04 for each square foot of building addition or alteration, which increases floor area of an existing building.
Building Division
Building Permit Fees
38 Fee for issuing/reinstating a Building Permit $67.00 $68.00 39 Additional Building Permit Fee $37.00 $38.00
40 Demolition Permit Residential: $326.00 $333.00
Commercial: $570.00 $583.00
Building Permit Fees for New Construction and Addition
The fee for each building permit shall be based upon the 1997 Uniform Building Code as amended by the 2010 California Building Code.
A building valuation regional modifier of 2.32 shall be used in conjunction with the Building Valuation Data provided in the publication, Building Valuation Data, published by the International Code Council – February 2012. Hillside Homes shall use a modifier of 3.246 and Commercial Office Tenant Improvements shall use a modifier of 1.16. The Building Valuation Data will be increased yearly by the Engineering News Record (ENR) Annual Building Cost Index (BCI) for every year thereafter.
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 8 Building Permit Fees for New Construction and Addition
41 $1.00 to $500.00 $40.00 $41.00
42 $501.00 to $2,000.00 $40.00 $41.00 for the first $500.00 $501.00 plus $5.24 $5.36 for each
additional $100.00 or fraction
thereof, to and including $2,000.00
43 $2,001.00 to $25,000.00 $119.00 $122.00 for the first $2,001.00 plus $24.10 $24.63 for
each additional $1,000.00 or fraction
thereof, to and including $25,000.00
44 $25,001.00 to $50,000.00 $673.00 $688.00 for the first $25,001.00 plus $17.38 $17.76 for
each additional $1,000.00 or fraction
thereof, to and including $50,000.00
45 $50,001.00 to $100,000.00 $1,107.00 $1,131.00 for the first $50,001.00 plus $12.06 $12.33 for
each additional $1,000.00 or fraction
thereof, to and including $100,000.00
46 $100,001.00 to $500,000.00 $1,711.00 $1,749.00 for the first $100,001.00 plus $9.63 $9.84 for
each additional $1,000.00 or fraction
thereof, to and including $500,000.00
47 $500,001.00 to $1,000,000.00 $5,566.00 $5,688.00 for the first $500,001.00 plus $8.17 $8.35 for
each additional $1,000.00 or fraction
thereof, to and including
$1,000,000.00
48 $1,000,001.00 and over $9,654.00 $9,866.00 for the first $1,000,001.00 plus $5.42 $5.54 for
each additional $1,000.00 or fraction
thereof
XX Engineering Fee for Building Permit Review Consultant Cost Building Permit Fees for Remodels, Alterations, and Repairs The Building Official shall establish the valuation of said improvements, and fees will be assessed as per Valuation Schedule above.
Special Services & Inspections
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 9 49 Inspection outside normal business hours (4 hr.
minimum)
$235.00 $240.00/hr.
50 Re-inspection fees $195.00 $199.00/hr.
51 Inspections for which no fee is specifically indicated (2 hr. minimum)
$195.00 $199.00/hr.
52 Additional plan review required by changes, additions or revisions to plans (1 hr. minimum)
$186.00 $190.00/hr.
53 For use of outside consultants for plan checking
and/or inspections Actual Cost
54 Services for which no fee is specifically indicated (1/2 hr. minimum)
$195.00 $199.00/hr.
55 Permit/Plan check time extension (per permit)
(applies to permits that have not expired)
$96.00 $98.00
56 Express plan review or initial review (1 hr. minimum) $195.00 $199.00/hr. 57 Application for Appeals to the Building Board Review $334.00 $341.00 58 Temporary Certificate of Occupancy $1,343.00 $1,373.00 Plan Review Fee
A plan review fee shall be charged at the time of filing application. This fee is separate from and shall be in addition to the building permit fee. This fee is calculated at sixty-five percent (65%) of the building permit fee as per the valuation schedule starting on page 8.
Other Miscellaneous Factors to Determine Construction Valuation 59 Convert Garage to habitable space $144.00 $147.00/sq.ft. 60 Convert unfinished basement or attic to habitable $155.00 $158.00/sq.ft. 61 Pools/Spas (gunite) $93.00 $95.00/sq.ft.
62 Siding - aluminum/vinyl/wood $39.00 $40.00/sq.ft.
63 Antennas & Towers Const.Value as applied under
valuation schedule
64 Commercial Awning or Canopy Aluminum $39.00 $40.00/sq.ft.
Canvas $29.00 $30.00/sq.ft.
65 Fence or Freestanding Wall (over 6 feet tall) Wood or metal $61.00 $62.00/sq.ft.
Masonry $104.00 $106.00/sq.ft.
66 Decks/Balcony $58.00 $59.00/sq.ft.
67 Wood Deck $25.00 $26.00/sq.ft.
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 10 Other Miscellaneous Factors to Determine Construction Valuation (continued) 68 Re-roofs $3.46 $3.54/sq.ft.
69 Retaining Walls $131.00 $134.00/sq.ft.
Special Systems Fees
$186.00
Electrical Permit Fees
73 Fee for issuing/reinstating an Electrical Permit $67.00 $68.00 74 Additional Electrical Permit Fee $30.00 $31.00
75 New Residential Construction (new buildings only,
including garages)
$.12 sq. ft
76 Commercial Construction $.09 sq. ft
Plan Review & Re-inspection Fees
77 Plan review fee 25% of Electrical Permit Fee
78 Additional plan review $186.00 $190.00/hr.
79 Re-inspection fee $195.00 $199.00/hr.
System Fee Schedule
80 Private swimming pools $78.00 $80.00
81 Public swimming pools $141.00 $144.00
82 Temporary power poles $96.00 $98.00
83 Temporary distribution system & temporary lighting $47.00 $48.00 84 Installation of illuminated signs (each) $123.00 $126.00 70 Emergency generation, wind power, special HVAC
systems, etc.
Plan Review (1 hr. minimum)
$190.00/hr.
Field Inspection (2 hr. minimum)
$195.00 $199.00/hr.
71 Photovoltaic - Roof & Ground Mounted - Residential Plan Review (1/4 hr. minimum) $186.00 $190.00/hr.
Field Inspection (1 hr. minimum)
$195.00 $199.00/hr.
72 Photovoltaic - Roof & Ground Mounted - Commercial Plan Review (1 hr. minimum) $186.00 $190.00/hr.
Field Inspection (2 hr. minimum)
$195.00 $199.00/hr.
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 11 For alterations to existing pools, use Unit Fee Schedule fees beginning on page 10.
Unit Fee Schedule
85 Receptacle, switch, and lights $2.32 $2.37
86 Residential appliances/new circuits (cook top, oven, range, disposals, clothes dryers, or other motor
operated appliances not exceeding one horsepower)
$7.45 $7.61
87 Nonresidential appliances/new circuits (medical &
dental devices, food, beverage, drinking fountains,
laundry machines, or other similar equipment) NOTE:
for other types of air conditioners and other motordriven appliances having larger electrical ratings, see Generators/Motors
$9.58 $9.79
88 Photovoltaic system (residential) $90.00 $92.00
89 Solarsystems (including controls) $90.00 $92.00
90 Power apparatus (generators, transformers, A/C, heat pumps, or baking equipment)
Up to 10 KV, each $20.00
Over 10 KV not over 50 KV, each
$39.00 $40.00
Over 50 KV and not over 100 KV, each
$78.00 $80.00
Over 100 KV, each $103.00 $105.00
91 Motors Up to 10 hp $20.00
Up to 25 hp $39.00 $40.00
Up to 55 hp $78.00 $80.00
Over 55 hp $113.00 $115.00
92 Transformers Up to 5 KVA $20.00
Up to 10 KVA $39.00 $40.00
Up to 50 KVA $65.00 $66.00
Over 50 KVA $95.00 $97.00
93 Busways/conduits (per 100 ft) $9.58 $9.79
94 Service equipment 200 amps or less $96.00 $98.00
201 to 999 amps $132.00 $135.00
Sub-panels $47.00 $48.00
95 Installation of spas orsaunas $47.00 $48.00
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 12 Other Electrical Fees
96 Duplicate job card $30.00 $31.00
97 Permit extension (applies to permits that have not
expired)
$96.00 $98.00
Mechanical Permit Fees
98 Fee for issuing/reinstating a Mechanical Permit $67.00 $68.00 99 Additional Mechanical Permit Fee $30.00 $31.00
100 New Residential Construction (new buildings only,
including garages)
$.12 sq. ft
101 Commercial Construction $.09 sq. ft
Plan Review & Re-inspection Fees
102 Plan review fee 25% of Mechanical Permit Fee
103 Additional plan review $186.00 $190.00/hr.
104 Re-inspection fee $195.00 $199.00/hr.
Unit Fee Schedule
105 Installation of each heating system, A/C, boiler,
compressor, or air handler
$47.00 $48.00
106 Each duct repair or alteration $14.00
107 Each fireplace appliance $39.00 $40.00
108 Each ventilating fan $14.00
109 Installation of separate flue or vents not included with the installation of an appliance
$14.00
110 Installation of each hood with mechanical exhaust Residential $39.00 $40.00 Commercial $141.00 $144.00
111 Each new or repair of gas piping system $86.00 $88.00 112 Each additional gas outlet $28.00 $29.00
113 Installation of evaporative cooler $39.00 $40.00
Other Mechanical Fees
114 Duplicate job card $30.00 $31.00
115 Permit extension (applies to permits that have not
expired)
$96.00 $98.00
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 13 Plumbing Permit Fees
116 Fee forissuing/reinstating a Plumbing Permit $67.00 $68.00 117 Additional Plumbing Permit Fee $30.00 $31.00
118 New Residential Construction (new buildings only,
including garages)
$.12 sq. ft
119 Commercial Construction $.09 sq. ft
Plan Review & Re-inspection Fees
120 Plan review fee 25% of Plumbing Permit Fee
121 Additional plan review $186.00 $190.00/hr.
122 Re-inspection fee $195.00 $199.00/hr.
System Fee Schedule
123 Private swimming pools (including heater, water
piping, or gas piping)
$113.00 $115.00
124 Public swimming pools (including heater, water
piping, or gas piping)
$170.00 $174.00
125 Lawn sprinkler system on one meter $47.00 $48.00
126 Each new or repair of gas piping system $86.00 $88.00 127 Each drainage, sewer system $47.00 $48.00
128 Radiant floor heating system $141.00 $144.00
Unit Fee Schedule
129 Each plumbing fixture or trap or set of fixtures on one trap
$14.00
130 Each sewer cleanout, backflow device $14.00
131 Each septic system abatement $141.00 $144.00
132 Rainwater systems - per drain (inside building) $14.00 133 Each water heater, watersoftener $39.00 $40.00
134 Each grease interceptor (750 gallon capacity) $96.00 $98.00 135 Each grease trap (1-4 fixtures) $54.00 $55.00
136 Residential water re-piping $141.00 $144.00
137 Each ejector/sump pump $47.00 $48.00
138 Each vacuum breaker/hose bib $14.00
139 Each water piping system repair or replacement $29.00 $30.00 140 Each additional gas outlet $29.00 $30.00
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 14 Other Plumbing Fees
141 Duplicate job card $30.00 $31.00
142 Permit extension (applies to permits that have not
expired)
$96.00 $98.00
Other Building Fees
143 Duplicate Inspection Card $37.00 $38.00
144 NPDES Inspection Fee (Charged on all building
permits with the potential to generate non-point
source storm water runoff during construction)
$86.00 $88.00
145 SB 1186 Accessibility Fee $4.00
Building Fee Refunds
Request must be received within 1 year of original payment date. Subject to approval by the Chief Building Official.
Building Permit - 80% provided no work or inspections have been completed; 0% if any work or inspections have been completed.
Subtrade Permit - 80% provided no work or inspections have been completed; 0% if any work or inspections have been completed.
PV Permits - 80% provided no work or inspections have been completed; 0% if any work or inspections have been completed.
Building Plan Check - 80% if cancelled or withdrawn before any plan check review has begun; 0% if any plan check review has begun.
Microfilm/Laserfiche - 80% of actual cost minus refund request page. Planning Plan Check - 0%
Computer services (4%) - 0%
Issuance Fee - 0%
Credit Card processing fee - 0%
Title 24 Fee - 0%
Capital Improvement Tax - 100%
Utility Tax - 100%
Park Tax - 100%
Storm Drain (ENG) - 100%
Road Impact Basin - 100%
Seismic Tax (SMIP) 5% - 100%
Seismic Tax (SMIP) 95% - 100%
General Plan Update - 100%
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 15 Building Fee Refunds (continued)
NPDES - 80% provided no work or inspections have been completed; 0% if any work or inspections have been completed.
Building Standards - 0%
Itemized items - 100%
Online permits such as water heaters, furnace, and electrical permits - 100% State of California Title 24 Part 2 Energy and Accessibility Code and Regulation Plan Review and Inspection Fees
A surcharge shall be added to the building permit fee for the cost to plan review and inspect for compliance with State of California Title 24 Regulations. This fee is calculated at fifteen percent (15%) of the building permit fee. This fee is applied whenever a plan review is assessed.
State of California Mandated Building Standards Fee – SB 1473 A surcharge shall be added to all building permits at the rate of four dollars ($4) per one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in valuation, with appropriate fractions thereof, but not less than one dollar ($1). These funds will be available to the California Building Standards Commission, the Department of Housing and Community Development, and the Office of the State Fire Marshall for expenditure in carrying out the provisions of the State Building Standards Law and provisions of State Housing Law that relate to building standards. Up to ten percent (10%) shall be retained for related administrative costs and for code enforcement education.
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 16 Planning Division
The fees listed below constitute all fees imposed by the Planning Division. Certain types of applications must be reviewed / processed by other departments/agencies, which may impose separate fees. Applicants are advised that the fees for those services are not included in the Planning Department's fees. Where the term "actual cost" is used here, it shall mean:
materials, supplies (including any costs of noticing or publication), outside consultants, employee cost will be billed at the top step, plus benefits, plus overhead. The following fee schedule is established for applications filed pursuant to the Town Code. The fees are collected by the Community Development Department at the time the application is filed unless otherwise noted.
Fees for Additional Processing - In the event additional processing services by the Town are required due to changes, modifications, additions, errors, omissions, or discrepancies caused by the applicant or his/her agents or representatives, the applicant shall pay an additional fee as determined by the Director of Community Development to cover the actual cost.
Fees for Lack of Progress - If additional information is required by the Town for an application and the requested information is not submitted within 180 days, the applicant will be required to pay a fee of 10 percent of the current application fee at the time the requested information is submitted. Any re-submittal after one year will be processed as a new application, subject to new fees.
Fees for Major Projects - If it is anticipated that the application processing costs of selected major projects will significantly exceed the following fees, the Director of Community Development may collect a deposit and charge actual time spent to process the applications based upon current hourly rates.
Surcharges - All of the following applications are subject to the surcharge fees as set forth in General Development Services and in the Zoning Research section of Planning Division.
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 17 Zoning Approvals - Architecture and Site Applications – Development Review Committee (DRC) Approval
146 New single family detached (HR and RC zones)
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$17,695.00 $18,084.00
$5,043.00 $5,154.00
147 New non-custom single family detached (HR and RC
zones) per unit/model, as part of a Planned
Development**
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$13,708.00 $14,010.00
$5,426.00 $5,545.00
148 New single family or two-family units
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$15,037.00 $15,368.00
$5,426.00 $5,545.00
149 New single family or two-family (any other zone) per unit/model new nonresidential or multiple family per
building as part of a Planned Development**
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$12,378.00 $12,650.00
$5,426.00 $5,545.00
150 Minor projects (a development proposal that does not significantly change the size, mass, appearance or
neighborhood impact of a structure, property or
parking lot i.e. minor grading permit)
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$9,720.00 $9,934.00
$3,893.00 $3,979.00
Zoning Approvals – Architecture and Site Applications – Planning Commission Approval 151 Supplemental fee for DRC applications or minor
residential development applications, or applications
that are part of a Planned Development that require
Planning Commission approval
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$3,884.00 $3,969.00
$1,840.00 $1,880.00
Supplemental Fee for Minor Residential Development
applications that require Planning Commission
approval
$3,884.00
152 New two-family unit
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$18,921.00 $19,337.00
$5,626.00 $5,750.00
153 New non-residential (includes conceptual Planned
Development elevations and mixed use that includes
two or fewer buildings)
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$18,921.00 $19,337.00
$7,233.00 $7,392.00
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 18 Zoning Approvals – Architecture and Site Applications – Planning Commission Approval (continued)
154 New multiple family (includes conceptual Planned
Development elevations that include two or fewer
buildings)
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$21,313.00 $21,782.00
$12,681.00 $12,960.00
155 New multiple family, mixed use, or non-residential
project with more than two buildings
Planning: Actual Cost and minimum
$20,000 deposit
Engineering: Actual Cost and
minimum $20,000 deposit
*Aside from the fees noted above, no additional Architecture and Site application fees will be assessed for projects that involve a historic structure or site. **Any changes proposed to model homes, nonresidential, or multiple family buildings, a supplemental fee shall be based on a time and materials basis to review the changes.
Conditional Use Permits
156 Conditional Use Permit (PC Approval)
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$8,574.00 $8,763.00
$2,331.00 $2,382.00
157 Conditional Use Permit (when consolidated with
another application for new development)
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$2,259.00 $2,309.00
$949.00 $970.00
158 Conditional Use Permit (DRC Approval)
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$5,609.00 $5,732.00
$1,460.00 $1,492.00
159 Applications that require Town Council Approval
(these fees supplement the above established fees)
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$3,693.00 $3,774.00
$2,506.00 $2,561.00
Transcription of Planning Commission
minutes - Actual cost and minimum
$500.00 deposit
Rezoning (other than Planned Development
160 Without General Plan or Specific Plan Amendment Actual Cost ($5,000.00 minimum) 161 With General Plan or Specific Plan Amendment Actual Cost ($7,000.00 minimum) 162 Transcription fee of Planning Commission minutes Actual Cost and minimum $500.00 deposit
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 19 Planned Development
163 Without General Plan or Specific Plan Amendment Actual Cost 164 Without General Plan or Specific Plan Amendment
(HR or RC Underlying Zone)
Actual Cost
165 With General Plan or Specific Plan Amendment Actual Cost 166 With General Plan or Specific Plan Amendment (HR or RC Underlying Zone)
Actual Cost
167 Town Council Modification to a Planned Development Actual Cost ($5,000.00 minimum) 168 DRC Modification to a Planned Development Actual Cost ($3,000.00 minimum) 169 Publication costs for the planned development ordinance shall be paid by the applicant 170 Transcription fee of Planning Commission minutes Actual Cost and minimum $500.00 deposit
Planning Division Certificates of Use and Occupancy
171 Change of use $282.00 $288.00
172 Change of occupancy (excluding change of proprietor of a continuing business enterprise)
$189.00 $193.00
173 Use/occupancy clearance if Conditional Use Permit is required or occupancy of a new accessory dwelling
unit
No fee
Sign Application
174 New permanentsign $379.00 $387.00
175 Temporary nonresidential sign $190.00 $194.00
176 Change of face only $189.00 $193.00
177 Sign program $2,543.00 $2,599.00
Administrative Land Use Permit
178 Minor telecommunications facility (i.e. microcell, IEEE 8,021 l1b, or similar)
$1,882.00 $1,923.00
179 Major telecommunications facility which do not
require a Conditional Use Permit
$4,542.00 $4,642.00
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 20 Other Zoning Approvals Fees
180 Variance
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$9,720.00 $9,934.00
$1,656.00 $1,692.00
181 Minor Residential Development (see #151)
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$3,334.00 $3,407.00
$4,639.00
182 Agricultural Preserve Withdrawal $4,671.00 $4,774.00 183 Hazardous Materials Storage Facility Application Fully allocated rate of all personnel, plus noticing fees
184 Home Occupation Permit $189.00 $193.00
185 SB 330 Preliminary Application Actual Cost ($500 minimum deposit) 186 SB 35 Preliminary Application Actual Cost ($500 minimum deposit) SB 684 Small Lot Subdivision and Housing
Development
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$1,643.00
$5,960.00
187 Two-Unit Housing Development
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$1,643.00 $1,679.00
$5,960.00
188 Urban Lot Split
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$1,643.00 $1,679.00
$2,155.00
189 Mobile Home Park Conversion Permit Fully allocated rate of all personnel with initial deposit of $5,000.00
190 General Plan/Town Code Amendments Fully allocated rate of all personnel with initial deposit of $5,000.00 plus
additional fees
Subdivisions
191 Lot Line Adjustment (DRC Approval)
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$2,707.00 $2,767.00
$1,419.00 $1,450.00plus initial
deposit of $3,000.00 for surveyor
192 4 Lots or Less (DRC Approval)
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$10,512.00 $10,743.00
$2,343.00 $2,395.00 plus initial
deposit of $3,000.00 for surveyor
193 4 Lots or Less (as part of a Planned Development)
(DRC Approval)
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$6,525.00 $6,669.00
$2,542.00 $2,598.00 plus initial
deposit of $3,000.00 for surveyor
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 21 Subdivisions (continued)
194 5 Lots or More
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$11,843.00 $12,104.00
$6,177.00 $6,313.00 plus initial
deposit of $3,000.00 for surveyor
195 5 Lots or More (as part of a Planned Development)
(DRC Approval)
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$6,525.00 $6,669.00
$6,327.00 $6,466.00 plus initial
deposit of $3,000.00 for surveyor
196 Vesting Tentative Map (VTM) Actual Cost plus $500.00 deposit and additional fees
197 Lot Merger and Reversion to Acreage (DRC Approval)
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$2,176.00 $2,224.00
$1,656.00 + CPI $1,692.00
198 Condominium
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$9,182.00 $9,384.00
$4,682.00 $4,785.00
199 Condominium (as part of a Planned Development)
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$5,198.00 $5,312.00
$4,682.00 $4.785.00
200 Certificate of Compliance (DRC Approval)
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$3,771.00 $3,854.00
$1,656.00 $3,442.00 $1,692.00
201 VTM applications that require Town Council approval, Subdivision and/or DRC applications that require
Planning Commission approval. (These fees
supplement the above-established fees).
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$3,462.00 $3,538.00
$8,022.00 $8,198.00
Miscellaneous Application Fees
$1,643.00
202 Time Extensions to Approved Application 50% of current fee (excluding fees based on actual cost)
203 Modification to Approved Application 75% of current fee (excluding fees based on actual cost)
204 Conceptual Development Advisory Committee Review $2,966.00 Special Noticing - Actual Cost
(minimum $500.00 deposit)
205 Sidewalk Vending Permit $723.00 $739.00
206 Auto Dealer Events Smaller Promotional Events
$1,679.00
Large Promotional Events $1,643.00
$1,679.00
207 Newsrack News-rack Permit Fee $478.00 $489.00
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 22 Miscellaneous Application Fees (continued)
208 Firearms Dealer Permit (Town Ordinance 2217 dated
6/17/2013)
Fully allocated hourly rate of all
personnel plus any necessary outside
costs and initial $2,000.00 deposit
Environmental Assessment Fees
209 Categorical Exemption No fee
210 Initial Study Deposit*** Fully allocated hourly rate of all personnel with initial $5,000.00
deposit
211 Draft Initial Study Review Fee (or actual cost if part of a Planned Development, or General Plan and/or Town
Code Amendment)
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$4,762.00 $4,867.00
$2,367.00 $2,419.00
212 Environmental Impact Report Consultant's fee
213 Draft EIR Review Fee Fully allocated hourly rate of all personnel plus any necessary outside
costs
214 Impact Monitoring Program (AB3180) Fully allocated hourly rate of all personnel plus any necessary outside
costs
***The $5,000 fee is a deposit only. The specific cost of the Initial Study and any required special studies shall be borne by the applicant. The deposit shall be increased before the Town will authorize work exceeding the amount on deposit. Any deposit balance will be refunded.
Surcharges
215 General Plan update surcharge .5% of building valuation for new construction and additions/10% of
zone change and subdivision fee
216 Advanced Planning projects 10% of application fee
217 Administrative Fee - To be applied to all
peer/technical reviews and deposit based application
fees
10% of development application fees
and deposits
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 23 Appeals
218 Fee to appeal Planning Commission decision to Town
Council
Per Residential $538.00 $550.00
Per Commercial, multi-family or
tentative map $2,161.00 $2,209.00
219 Fee to remand applications from Town Council to
Planning Commission
Fully allocated hourly rate for all
personnel plus additional fees
220 Fee to appeal Director of Community Development,
Development Review
Committee, Historic Preservation Committee, or Santa
Clara County Fire Department Exception Request
(PRC 4290) decision to Planning Commission
Per Residential $271.00 $277.00
Per Commercial $1,081.00 $1,105.00
221 Tree appeals $110.00 $112.00
222 Appeal transcription fee of Planning Commission
minutes (only applies to appeals from Planning
Commission to Town Council)
Actual Cost - minimum $500.00
deposit
Zoning Research
223 Basic Zoning Letter $189.00 $193.00
224 Legal non-conforming verification $797.00 $815.00
225 Reconstruction of legal non-conforming structures
(Burndown Letter)
$398.00 $407.00
Other Planning Division Fees
226 Fence Height Exceptions
Engineering Development Review Service Fee
$533.00 $545.00
$1,857.00 $1,898.00
227 Peer/Technical Review - Aany remaining deposit will be refunded to the applicant and amounts exceeding
the deposit amount will be paid by applicant
Fully allocated hourly rate of all
personnel plus any necessary outside
costs and initial $2,000.00 deposit
Outside Legal Counsel Review - Any remaining
deposit will be refunded to the applicant and
amounts exceeding the deposit amount will be paid
by the applicant
Fully allocated hourly rate of legal
review Initial $5,000.00 deposit
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 24 Other Planning Division Fees (continued)
228 Fees For Additional Tech Review and/or DRC Review - DRC beyond three meetings, Planning Commission
hearing beyond two meetings, Town Council hearing
beyond one meeting
Fully allocated hourly rate of all
personnel involved plus additional
fees
229 Consultation Actual cost on an hourly basis
230 Research Services Minimum Charge Fully allocated hourly rate for all personnel with initial $200.00 deposit
231 Building Permit Plan Check Fee 20% of building fee
232 Below Market Price Housing Program In-Lieu Fee 6% of the building permit valuation for the entire project
233 Outdoor Seating Permit Fully allocated hourly rate for all personnel with initial $1,000.00
deposit
234 Valet Parking Permit Fully allocated hourly rate for all personnel with initial $1,000.00
deposit
235 Parklet Program Fully allocated hourly rate for all personnel with initial $1,000.00
deposit
236 Shared Parking Permit Actual Cost ($1,000 deposit)
Payment of Application Fees
All application fees are to be paid at the time the applications are submitted to the Community Development Department. If the applicant withdraws an application, which requires a hearing by the Planning Commission, prior to processing the application for the hearing, 40% of the paid application fee shall be refunded to the applicant at the discretion of the Director of Community Development. All other fees are non-refundable.
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 25 Engineering Division
The following fees constitute a comprehensive listing of the various fees charged by the Engineering Program. Certain types of application/permits must be reviewed and/or processed by other Town departments or public agencies, which may charge separate fees. Applicants are advised that the fees for those services are not included in the Engineering Program's fees.
Where the term "actual cost (s)" is used here it shall mean: materials, supplies (including any costs of noticing or publication), outside consultants and employee cost, (including salary, benefits and overhead).
Engineering Plan Check and Inspection Fee (Public Improvements & Grading Permits) */** 237 Less than 50 CY $653.00
50 to 100 cubic yards
238 For the first 50 CY $4,163.00
239 For each add'l cubic yard or fraction thereof up to 100 CY $48.00
100 to 1,000 cubic yards
240 For the first 100 CY $6,526.00
241 For each add'l 100 cubic yard or fraction thereof up to 1,000 CY $690.00
1,001 to 10,000 cubic yards
242 For the first 1,000 CY $12,737.00
243 For each add'l 1,000 cubic yard or fraction thereof up to 10,000 CY $2,010.00
10,001 to 100,000 cubic yards
244 For the first 10,000 CY $30,824.00
245 For each add'l 1,000 cubic yard or fraction thereof up to 100,000 CY $702.00
100,001 cubic yards or more
246 For the first 100,000 CY $94,040.00
247 For each add'l 1,000 cubic yards $71.00 $702.00
* Work done at night or on weekends shall be charged the actual costs of staff **Work done without permits shall be double-charged
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 26 Work In or Use of Public Right-of-Way */**
248 Encroachment Permit - Residential Work up to $4,000.00 - $789.00 Each additional $2,000.00 - $413.00
249 Encroachment Permit - Collector/Arterial Streets** Work up to $4,000.00 -$2,172.00 Each additional $2,000.00 - $904.00
250 Encroachment Permit - Consultant Plan Review and
Inspection Services for serial applications (10+ per
year) or specialty applications
Consultant fee based on scope, plus
the base encroachment fee in the
Engineering Division Fees 247 and
248, depending on street type.
Annual Utility Blanket Permit As determined by the Town Engineer based on anticipated number of
installations and hours of staff time.
251 Outside contractor underground utility locating
surcharge (actual cost for outside contractor
inspection fee may change)
$234.00
252 Temporary Encroachment Permit $603.00 $616.00
253 Dumpster Permit $486.00 $497.00
254 Storage Permit $486.00 $497.00****
* Work done at night or on weekends shall be charged the actual costs of staff **Work done without permits shall be double-charged
***Single-family residences located along collector and arterial streets to be charged the residential fees above
****$500.00 refundable Storage Unit Removal Deposit, to cover cost of removal, if abandoned NPDES
255 Inspection Fee - Grading Permits Single Family Residential $885.00 $904.00
Commercial or Multi Family
Residential $1,653.00 $1,689.00
256 Inspection Fee - Encroachment Permits and Some
Storage Permits
Single Family Residential $405.00
$414.00
Commercial or Multi Family
Residential $650.00 $664.00
Plus $600.00 $613.00 per LID facility
257 Inspection of Storm Water Treatment Measures $600.00 $613.00 per facility
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 27 NPDES (continued)
258 Annual Stormwater/Limited Impact Development (LID)
Permit Treatment Measures Inspection Once Every 5
Years or Other Frequency as Required by Permit
Per First Visit and 1st facility
inspection $356.00 $614.00
Every additional facility Return
inspection(s) $206.00 $194.00
259 C-3 Permit Hydrologic Calculation Municipal Regional Permit C.3 Compliance Review
Consultant fee deposit of $5,000.00
plus 25% administrative fee
Engineering Subdivision Map Checking
260 1-4 lots $4,196.00 $4,288.00 plus initial
$3,000 surveyor deposit*
Certificate of Correction $1,500.00
deposit plus 25% administrative fee
261 5 or more lots $5,120.00 $5,233.00* plus initial
$5,000 surveyor deposit + CPI
Certificate of Correction $1,500.00
deposit plus 25% administrative fee
Certificate of Correction $1,500 initial surveyor deposit plus 25% admin fee
*Plus, initial $3,000 surveyor deposit. Additional deposit(s) of actual surveyor costs may be required for larger projects than 5 or more lots, additional map check review(s), or overall complexity of the map.
Traffic Impact Analysis or Parking Study
262 Development Review (staff traffic impact analysis or Parking Study)
Actual Cost* *
Consultant Report - Consultant Fee
plus 15% admin fee and Actual
Cost**
263 Staff Consultant Peer Review Fee Actual Cost** Consultant fee plus 15% admin fee
264 Site Distance Analysis $560.00 $572.00
265 Traffic Impact Mitigation Fee $1,104.00 $1,128.00 per new average daily trip generated
**Actual staff cost includes staff time that will be charged to the pass-through deposit.
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 28 Storm Drainage Fees
266 Development Projects Single family lots Section
24.60.035(b) (3): For subdivisions
with lots that exceed one acre, the
fee shall not exceed that of one acre
per lot $5,182.00 $5,296.00/ac.
Multiple family dwelling units - initial
unit $5,182.00 $5,296.00/ac.
Multiple family dwelling units - each
unit after initial (not to exceed
$5,351.00 $5,469.00/ac.) $194.00
$198.00
Commercial, industrial, hospitals,
churches, schools, and others
$6,481.00 $6,621.00/ac.
267 Building/Grading Permits (Building, Structures, &
impervious areas)
New impervious surface area, per sq.
ft. $2.00/sq. ft.
Street Improvement In-Lieu Fee (inclusive of soft costs) 268 Sidewalks $25.00 $35.50/sq.ft.
269 Curb and Gutter $125.00 $162.50/lf.
Other In-Lieu Fee
270 Trail Improvements $18.00/per sq. ft. or determined by Director
Hauling Permits
271 House Moving Fee $4,851.00 $4,958.00*
272 Hauling (Overweight Vehicle) Permit Daily $16.00**
Annual $90.00
*Plus initial deposit of $5,000 for facilities damage
**The current State mandated fee is $16.00 for Hauling Permit. If the State fee changes, the Hauling Permit fee will change to reflect the same.
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 29 Construction Activities Mitigation Fee (Ordinance 2189) 273 New Buildings and Additions Residential (per square foot added) $1.51 $1.54/sq.ft.*
Non-residential (per square foot
added) $1.51/sq.ft.*
*These This two fees are is adjusted based on the Building Cost Index Other Engineering Fees
require an initial deposit of $5,600.00
274 Engineering Reversion to Acreage $3,272.00 $3,344.00 plus initial deposit of $3,000.00 for surveyor
275 Engineering Lot Merger $4,260.00 $4,354.00 plus initial deposit of $3,000.00 surveyor deposit
276 Engineering Lot Line Adjustments $4,260.00 $4,354.00 plus initial deposit of $3,000.00 surveyor deposit
277 Certificate of Compliance $4,260.00 $4,354.00 plus initial deposit of $3,000.00 surveyor deposit
278 Abandon Excess Public Right-of-Way or Public
Easement
$5,695.00 $5,820.00 plus initial
deposit of $3,000.00 surveyor deposit
279 Geotechnical Peer Review Fees Consultant fee deposit of $3,500.00 plus Actual Cost**. Larger projects
plus Actual Cost** to allow for a site
visit by the geotechnical peer review
consultant. 25% admin fee
280 Separate Instrument Dedication Fee (for dedication
via grant deeds and not maps)
$1,050.00 $1,073.00 plus initial
deposit of $2,500 for surveyor
281 Slurry Seal in-lieu fee inclusive of soft costs Fee $214.00 $4.00/sq. yd. ft. 282 Flood Review Fee Consultant Cost plus 25% Admin Fee 283 Miscellaneous Review Fee* Consultant Cost plus Actual Cost** 15% Admin Fee
284 Engineering Development Review Services Fee - Overthe-Counter Building Permit and Building Plan Check 10% of permit or plan check 285 Pass Through to Consultant – Land Development –
Entitlement Process Reviews
Pass Through Deposit and Actual
Staff Cost** plus 15% admin Fee
286 Pass Through to Consultant – Land Development –
Building Permit Process Reviews and inspections
Pass Through Deposit plus 15%
admin Fee and Actual Staff Cost**
ITEM NO. 14.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 30 Other Engineering Fees (continued)
287 Pass Through to Consultant – Encroachment – Job
value less than $10,000.00
Pass Through Deposit and Actual
Staff Cost**
287 License Agreement Application (Town Manager
Approval)
$3,119.00
288 Pass Through to Consultant – Encroachment – Job value greater than $10,000.00
Pass Through Deposit and Actual
Staff Cost**
288 License Agreement Application (Town Council
Approval)
$4,135.00
289 Pass Through to Consultant – Utility Projects – PG&E, San Jose Water Company, West Valley Collection, etc.
Pass Through Deposit and Actual
Staff Cost**
289 License Agreement Recording and Issuance $1,925.00
*This fee will be implemented for services including, but not limited to, wet weather inspections, annual inspections, review of operations and maintenance reports, coordination with property owner(s) and/or homeowner associations, etc. **Actual staff cost includes staff time that will be charged to the pass-through deposit.
ITEM NO. 14.
LIBRARY SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 31 Lost or Damaged Items
1 Replacement of Adult book/AV item Cost of item plus $10.00 processing fee
2 Replacement of Teen/Children’s book/AV item Cost of item plus $5.00 processing fee
3 Replacement of Adult paperback Cost of item plus $5.00 processing fee
4 Replacement of magazine Cost of item plus $5.00 processing fee
In lieu of above, account holder may replace lost/damage item with new identical copy plus $2.00 processing fee.
Internet printing and copies
5 Printing per page - Black and White Copies $0.15
6 Printing per page - Color Copies $0.25
History Project Digital Image
7 Fair Use Fees (for personal use only) Free – Downloaded via History Website
8 Commercial Use Fees $25.00 per high resolution image
ITEM NO. 14.
PARKS AND PUBLIC WORKS
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 32 2 Parks Division
Picnic Area Reservation Fees
Bachman, Belgatos, Blossom Hill, La Rinconada, Live Oak Manor, Oak Meadow (sites 1-9) 1 Picnic Area Reservation Fee Resident $125.00 persite
Non-Resident $175.00 per site
2 Picnic Area Reservation Fee w/Jump House Resident $250.00 per site Non-Resident $350.00 per site
3 Vehicle Escort Fee Resident: $100.00
Non-Resident: $125.00
4 Cancellation Fee $25 per site
Additional Oak Meadow Park Fees
5 Bocce Ball Court Fee Resident $125.00 per day
Non-Resident $175.00 per day
6 Parking Fee Resident $6.00 per vehicle
Non-Resident $6.00 per vehicle
7 Annual Parking Pass $95.00 per vehicle
8 Senior Annual Parking Pass $48.00 per vehicle (60 years or older) Park Special Use Permit Fees
Minimum two-hour reservation required
Park Facilities or Areas Use Permit (Sec. 19.30.010. - Required.) - a permit shall be obtained from the Parks and Public Works Department for the temporary, exclusive or special use of any park facility or area by any organized group.
Special Use Permit Oak Meadow Part – Bandstand
9 Administrative Fee $25 per application
10 Standard Fee Resident $125.00 per hour
Non-Resident $175.00 per hour
11 Non-Profit Fee Resident $75.00 per hour
Non-Resident $130.00 per hour
12 Additional Lawn Fee Resident $75.00 per hour
Non-Resident $130.00 per hour
ITEM NO. 14.
PARKS AND PUBLIC WORKS
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 33 2 Special Use Permit Oak Meadow Part – Bandstand (continued) 13 Deposit (refundable) $600.00
Special Use Permit – Los Gatos Creek Trail, Bachman, Belgatos, Blossom Hill, La Rinconada, Live Oak Manor, Oak Meadow Park (1 through 9)
14 Administrative Fee $25 per application
15 Standard Fee Resident $35.00 per hour
Non-Resident $45.00 per hour
16 Non Profit Fee Resident $25.00 per hour
Non-Resident $35.00 per hour
17 Additional Day (Applicable specifically for
recreational or educational purposes)
Resident $25.00 per hour
Non-Resident $35.00 per hour
18 Damage Deposit (refundable) $200.00 for 0-300 attendees $500.00 for 301+ attendees
Special Use Permit – Creekside Sports Park
19 Administrative Fee $25 per application
20 Standard Fee Resident $45.00 per hour
Non-Resident $55.00 per hour
21 Non Profit Fee Resident $35.00 per hour
Non-Resident $45.00 per hour
22 Additional Day (Applicable specifically for
recreational or educational purposes)
Resident $35.00 per hour
Non-Resident $45.00 per hour
23 Damage Deposit (refundable) $600.00
Other Fees
Adopt A Bench – Initial 10 Year Term (Inclusive of
Bench Cost)*
$9,865.00
Adopt A Bench – Renewal Terms after Initial 10 Years
(assuming bench replacement not required)
$5,911.00 for each 10-year renewal
term
*If existing bench is used deduct cost of bench as
provided by staff at time of adoption
ITEM NO. 14.
PARKS AND PUBLIC WORKS
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 34 2 Turf Maintenance Fee
Additional fee added to any Park Use, when a permit's scheduled activity or event will negatively impact the park turf, (locations including but not limited to Oak Meadow, Town Plaza, and Civic Center lawn areas). The fee amount is to be based upon best estimate of turf repair cost, as determined by the Director of Parks and Public Works and/or Maintenance Superintendent.
Tree Related Fees
24 Tree Removal Permit Application* One Tree $250.00 $256.00 Additional Tree $125.00
$128.00/each
If application is denied 50% refund
25 Illegal Tree Removal Administrative Fee $330.00 $337.00 26 Replacement Trees - Town Forestry Fund Per Tree
Ordinance Section 29.10.0985
Tree cost for each 24”,36", and/or
48" box size will be the Market Price
plus the installation cost, determined
by the Director
*Fee will be waived if tree removal is done to implement or maintain Defensible Space and supporting documentation directing removal is provided.
Equipment Hourly Rates as Follows
27 Pick-up Truck $32.00
28 1 Ton Flatbed Truck $42.00
29 Utility Truck $57.00
30 Dump Truck (10 Wheel) $85.00
31 Dump Truck (Bobtail) $63.00
32 Paint Truck $85.00
33 Line Remover $26.00
34 Tractor Loader $63.00
35 Backhoe $85.00
36 Rubber-tired Loader $85.00
37 Roller $63.00
38 Van $37.00
39 Concrete Saw $32.00
40 Air Compressor $32.00
41 Arrowboard $32.00
ITEM NO. 14.
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 35 2 PARKS AND PUBLIC WORKS
Equipment Hourly Rates (continued)
Streets Division
Hazard and/or Debris Removal
Special Events Fees
Electric Vehicle Charging Fee
42 Generator $26.00
43 Chainsaw $20.00
44 Blower $10.00
45 High Pressure Sewer Cleaner $117.00
46 Brush Chipper $42.00
47 Chipper Truck $63.00
48 Aerial Unit $92.00
49 Forklift $42.00
50 Trailer $42.00
51 Message Board $10.81
52 Barricades $0.23
53 Cones $0.15
54 Portable Generators $28.04
55 Staff time spent to conduct hazard and or debris
removal caused by citizen negligence
Fully allocated hourly rate of all
personnel plus any outside costs
56 Staff and equipment for special event requests Fully allocated hourly rate of all personnel
57 System Connection Fee $1.00
58 Hourly Charge - 1- 4 hours $1.70/hour
59 Hourly Charge - after 4 hours $5.00/hour
ITEM NO. 14.
POLICE SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 36 Printing, Copying, and Report Charges
1 8 1/2" x 11 and 8 1/2" x 14 $.25 per page
2 Copy - Digital $10.00 per device
3 Police Report/CAD Incident $15.00 (up to ten pages) additional $.25 per page
Photographs
4 For the first 3 $42.00
5 Each Additional $13.00
Concealed Weapons
6 Permit Fee, DOJ Fee, and Admin Fee $100.00
7 Renewal Permit $25.00
8 Amended Permit $10.00
Tow Trucks
9 Tow Permit $95.00
10 Driver Permit $290.00
Massage Permit Fees
11 Massage Establishment Permit (initial and
subsequent renewals) (Ord 14.110.075)
$335.00
Fee covers staff time to process application, review pertinent documents and obtain all necessary approvals.
Special Events
12 ABC Application No charge
13 No Parking Signs/Required Event Signage $1.00/each
14 Officer Staffing Fully allocated hourly rate of all
personnel
15 Bingo Permit $50.00
Other Special Police Services – Pursuant to Agreement between Police Chief and Requestor.
ITEM NO. 14.
POLICE SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 37 Motion Picture/Television/Commericalcial Still Photo
16 For-Profit Groups (each) $1,609.00
17 Non-For-profit Groups (each) $579.00
Emergency Response Caused By
18 DUI Emergency Accident Response (Government
Code Section 53150 and 53155)
Actual costs incurred up to
$12,000.00
19 Second Response due to Disturbances At current billing rate Alarm Fees
*Within a six-month period within a calendar year
Citation issued for failure to display appropriate Permit or placard. Dismissal fee in lieu of full Bail Amount
25 Handicap CVC22507.8/22500(1) $37.00
Parking Permit Fees
Residential Parking Permit
26 Annual residential parking permit (Limit 4 per
residence)
Vehicle 1: $52.00
Vehicle 2: $72.00
Vehicle 3: $92.00
Vehicle 4: $112.00
27 Visitor guest passes Two (2) complimentary with the
purchase of the primary permit
28 Special Event Permit -First permit (one day) $10.00
29 Special Event Permit -Each Additional (one day) $2.00 30 Lost permit replacement $37.00
20 Annual Commercial Alarm Permit Registration Fee $95.00 Initial Residential Alarm Registration Fee $95.00
Renewal Residential Alarm Registration Fee $50.00
*Two or more False Alarms $175.00
ITEM NO. 14.
POLICE SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 38 Parking Permit Fees (continued)
31 Damaged permit or vehicle change (within calendar
year)
$18.00
Business Parking Permit
32 Standard Employee annual No charge at this time
33 Lost permit replacement $37.00
34 Damaged permit replacement (with return of permit) $18.00 Construction Parking Permit
35 One day parking permit per construction vehicle $32.00 36 Each additional day per vehicle $5.00
Other Police Fees
37 Subpoena Duces Tecum Per California Evidence Code Section 1563
38 Solicitor/Peddler's Permit (need to obtain
fingerprinting
$215.00
39 Taxicabs Permit $185.00 per business
40 Clearance Letter $25.00
41 Horse Drawn Vehicle Permit $270.00
42 Firearms Storage Fee $245.00 Admin Fee plus $1.00 per firearm per day for storage
43 Vehicle Release $235.00
44 Vehicle Repossession Release Fee (Government
Code Section 26751)
$15.00
45 Citation Sign Off $30.00
Fees Charged by Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority (SVACA) for services provided by SVACA
46 Dogs-Altered 1 Year: $25.00
2 Year: $37.00
3 Year: $50.00
47 Dogs-Unaltered 1 Year: $100.00
2 Year: N/A
3 Year: N/A
ITEM NO. 14.
POLICE SERVICES
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule 39 Fees Charged by Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority (SVACA) for services provided by SVACA (continued)
48 Cats-Altered 1 Year: $15.00
2 Year: $23.00
3 Year: $30.00
49 Cats-Unaltered 1 Year: $50.00
2 Year: N/A
3 Year: N/A
50 Seniors (Over 65) 1 Free License per household
51 Late Penalty $35.00
52 Replacement Tag $5.00
ITEM NO. 14.
ITEM NO. 14.
Fee Name Adopted FY 2025-26 Proposed FY 2026-27
Special Event Application Fee, For-Profit New Event $935.00 New Event $956.00 Repeat Event $699.00 Repeat Event $714.00
Special Event Application Fee, Not For-Profit New Event $233.00 New Event $238.00 Repeat Event $175.00 Repeat Event $179.00
Block Party Permit $57.00 $58.00
Expedited Processing Fee when required documentation
is submitted post deadline
n/a $113.73 per day
Temporary Banner Permit $108.00 $110.00
No Parking Sign Admin Fee n/a 56.87
Entertainment Zone Signicades n/a $5.00 per Signicade, per day Facilities Maintenance Fee n/a $155.00
Use of Civic Center Lawn for approved special events $57 per hour $58 per hour Use of Town Plaza Park for approved special events $57 per hour $58 per hour Street Pole Banner Program $226 per banner (includes install and removal)
$231 per banner (includes install and
removal)
Events with live music (either played by disc jockey,
electronic playlist, or performed by musicians in a public setting)
$65.00 per event $66.00 per event
Address Processing Fee - per address $195.00 $199.00
BMP Document Processing Fee $987.00 $1,009.00
1 Lot $3,691.00 $3,772.00
2 Lots $1,845.00 $1,886.00
3 Lots $1,233.00 $1,260.00
4 Lots $925.00 $945.00
5 Lot or more $735.00 $751.00
Fee for issuing/reinstating a Building Permit $67.00 $68.00 FY 2026-27 Fee Adjustments, Reclassifications, Deletions and Additions Administrative Services
General Development Fees
Annexation Fees
Building Permit Fees
ATTACHMENT 3
ITEM NO. 14.
Fee Name Adopted FY 2025-26 Proposed FY 2026-27
FY 2026-27 Fee Adjustments, Reclassifications, Deletions and Additions Additional Building Permit Fee $37.00 $38.00
Demolition Permit Residential: $326.00 $333.00
Commercial: $570.00 $583.00
$1.00 to $500.00 $40.00 $41.00
$501.00 to $2,000.00 $40.00 for the first $500.00 plus $5.24 for each additional $100.00 or fraction
thereof, to and including $2,000.00
$41.00 for the first $500.00 plus $5.36
for each additional $100.00 or fraction
thereof, to and including $2,000.00
$2,001.00 to $25,000.00 $119.00 for the first $2,000.00 plus $24.10 for each additional $1,000.00 or
fraction thereof, to and including
$25,000.00
$122.00 for the first $2,000.00 plus
$24.63 for each additional $1,000.00 or
fraction thereof, to and including
$25,000.00
$25,001.00 to $50,000.00 $673.00 for the first $25,000.00 plus $17.38 for each additional $1,000.00 or
fraction thereof, to and including
$50,000.00
$688.00 for the first $25,000.00 plus
$17.76 for each additional $1,000.00 or
fraction thereof, to and including
$50,000.00
$50,001.00 to $100,000.00 $1,107.00 for the first $50,000.00 plus $12.06 for each additional $1,000.00 or
fraction thereof, to and including
$100,000.00
$1,131.00 for the first $50,000.00 plus
$12.33 for each additional $1,000.00 or
fraction thereof, to and including
$100,000.00
$100,001.00 to $500,000.00 $1,711.00 for the first $100,000.00 plus $9.63 for each additional $1,000.00 or
fraction thereof, to and including
$500,000.00
$1,749.00 for the first $100,000.00 plus
$9.84 for each additional $1,000.00 or
fraction thereof, to and including
$500,000.00
$500,001.00 to $1,000,000.00 $5,566.00 for the first $500,000.00 plus $8.17 for each additional $1,000.00 or
fraction thereof, to and including
$1,000,000.00
$5,688.00 for the first $500,000.00 plus
$8.35 for each additional $1,000.00 or
fraction thereof, to and including
$1,000,000.00
New Construction and Addition
ITEM NO. 14.
Fee Name Adopted FY 2025-26 Proposed FY 2026-27
FY 2026-27 Fee Adjustments, Reclassifications, Deletions and Additions $1,000,001.00 and over $9,654.00 for the first $1,000,000.00 plus $5.42 for each additional $1,000.00
or fraction thereof
$9,866.00 for the first $1,000,000.00
plus $5.54 for each additional $1,000.00
or fraction thereof
Inspection outside normal business hours (4 hr.
minimum)
$235.00/hr. $240.00/hr.
Re-inspection fees $195.00/hr. $199.00/hr.
Inspections for which no fee is specifically indicated (2 hr. minimum)
$195.00/hr. $199.00/hr.
Additional plan review required by changes, additions or revisions to plans (1 hr. minimum)
$186.00/hr. $190.00/hr.
Services for which no fee is specifically indicated (1/2 hr. minimum)
$195.00/hr. $199.00/hr.
Permit/Plan check time extension (per permit) (applies to permits that have not expired)
$96.00 $98.00
Express plan review or initial review (1 hr. minimum) $195.00/hr. $199.00/hr.
Application for the Appeals Building Board Review $334.00 $341.00 Temporary Certificate of Occupancy $1,343.00 $1,373.00
Special Services & Inspections
ITEM NO. 14.
Fee Name Adopted FY 2025-26 Proposed FY 2026-27
FY 2026-27 Fee Adjustments, Reclassifications, Deletions and Additions Convert Garage to habitable space $144.00/sq.ft. $147.00/sq.ft.
Convert unfinished basement or attic to habitable $155.00/sq.ft. $158.00/sq.ft.
Pools/Spas (gunite) $93.00/sq.ft $95.00/sq.ft
Siding - aluminum/vinyl/wood $39.00/sq.ft. $40.00/sq.ft.
Commercial Awning or Canopy Aluminum $39.00/sq.ft. Aluminum $40.00/sq.ft.
Canvas $29.00/sq.ft. Canvas $30.00/sq.ft.
Fence or Freestanding Wall (over 6" high) Wood or metal $61.00/sq.ft. Wood or metal $62.00/sq.ft.
Masonry $104.00/sq.ft. Masonry $106.00/sq.ft.
Decks/Balcony $58.00/sq.ft. $59.00/sq.ft.
Wood Deck $25.00/sq.ft. $26.00/sq.ft.
Re-roofs $3.46/sq.ft. $3.54/sq.ft.
Retaining Walls $131.00/sq.ft. $134.00/sq.ft.
Emergency generation, wind power, special HVAC
systems, etc.
Plan Review (1 hr. minimum)
$186.00/hr.
Plan Review (1 hr. minimum)
$190.00/hr.
Field Inspection (2 hr. minimum)
$195.00/hr.
Field Inspection (2 hr. minimum)
$199.00/hr.
Photovoltaic - Roof & Ground Mounted - Residential Plan Review (1/4 hr. minimum) $186.00/hr.
Plan Review (1/4 hr. minimum)
$190.00/hr.
Field Inspection (1 hr. minimum)
$195.00/hr.
Field Inspection (1 hr. minimum)
$199.00/hr.
Photovoltaic - Roof & Ground Mounted - Commercial Plan Review (1 hr. minimum) $186.00/hr.
Plan Review (1 hr. minimum)
$190.00/hr.
Field Inspection (2 hr. minimum)
$195.00/hr.
Field Inspection (2 hr. minimum)
$199.00/hr.
Fee for issuing/reinstating an Electrical Permit $67.00 $68.00 Additional Electrical Permit Fee $30.00 $31.00
Additional plan review $186.00/hr. $190.00/hr.
Other Miscellaneous Factors to Determine Construction Valuation Special Systems Fees
Electrical Permit Fees
Plan Review & Re-inspection Fees
ITEM NO. 14.
Fee Name Adopted FY 2025-26 Proposed FY 2026-27
FY 2026-27 Fee Adjustments, Reclassifications, Deletions and Additions Re-inspection fee $195.00/hr. $199.00/hr.
Private swimming pools $78.00 $80.00
Public swimming pools $141.00 $144.00
Temporary power poles $96.00 $98.00
Temporary distribution system & temporary lighting $47.00 $48.00 Installation of illuminated signs (each) $123.00 $126.00 Receptacle, switch and lights $2.32 $2.37
Residential appliances/new circuits (cook top, oven,
range, disposals, clothes dryers, or other motor operated appliances not exceeding one horsepower)
$7.45 $7.61
Nonresidential appliances/new circuits (medical & dental devices, food, beverage, drinking fountains, laundry
machines, or other similar equipment) NOTE: for other
types of air conditioners and other motor-driven
appliances having larger electrical ratings, see
Generators/Motors
$9.58 $9.79
Photovoltaic system (residential) $90.00 $92.00
Solar systems (including controls) $90.00 $92.00
Power apparatus (generators, transformers, A/C, heat
pumps, baking equipment)
Up to 10 KV, each $20.00 Up to 10 KV, each $20.00
Over 10 KV not over 50 KV, each $39.00 Over 10 KV not over 50 KV, each $40.00 Over 50 KV and not over 100 KV, each
$78.00
Over 50 KV and not over 100 KV, each
$80.00
Over 100 KV, each $103.00 Over 100 KV, each $105.00
Motors Up to 10 hp $20.00 Up to 10 hp $20.00
Up to 25 hp $39.00 Up to 25 hp $40.00
Up to 55 hp $78.00 Up to 55 hp $80.00
System Fee Schedule
Unit Fee Schedule
ITEM NO. 14.
Fee Name Adopted FY 2025-26 Proposed FY 2026-27
FY 2026-27 Fee Adjustments, Reclassifications, Deletions and Additions Over 55 hp $113.00 Over 55 hp $115.00
Transformers Up to 5 KVA $20.00 Up to 5 KVA $20.00
Up to 10 KVA $39.00 Up to 10 KVA $40.00
Up to 50 KVA $65.00 Up to 50 KVA $66.00
Over 50 KVA $95.00 Over 50 KVA $97.00
Busways/conduits (per 100 ft) $9.58 $9.79
Service equipment 200 amps or less $96.00 200 amps or less $98.00 201 to 999 amps $132.00 201 to 999 amps $135.00
Sub-panels $47.00 Sub-panels $48.00
Installation of spas or saunas $47.00 $48.00
Duplicate job card $30.00 $31.00
Permit extension (applies to permits that have not
expired)
$96.00 $98.00
Other Electrical Fees
ITEM NO. 14.
Fee Name Adopted FY 2025-26 Proposed FY 2026-27
FY 2026-27 Fee Adjustments, Reclassifications, Deletions and Additions Fee for issuing/reinstating a Mechanical Permit $67.00 $68.00 Additional Mechanical Permit Fee $30.00 $31.00
Additional plan review $186.00/hr. $190.00/hr.
Re-inspection fee $195.00/hr. $199.00/hr.
Installation, of each heating system, A/C, boiler,
compressor or air handler
$47.00 $48.00
Each duct repair or alteration $14.00 $14.00
Each fireplace appliance $39.00 $40.00
Each ventilating fan $14.00 $14.00
Installation of separate flue or vents not included with the installation of an appliance
$14.00 $14.00
Installation of each hood with mechanical exhaust Residential $39.00 Residential $40.00 Commercial $141.00 Commercial $144.00
Each new or repair of gas piping system $86.00 $88.00
Each additional gas outlet $28.00 $29.00
Installation of evaporative cooler $39.00 $40.00
Duplicate job card $30.00 $31.00
Permit extension (applies to permits that have not
expired)
$96.00 $98.00
Fee for issuing/reinstating a Plumbing Permit $67.00 $68.00 Additional Plumbing Permit Fee $30.00 $31.00
Additional plan review $186.00/hr. $190.00/hr.
Re-inspection fee $195.00/hr. $199.00/hr.
Mechanical Permit Fees
Plan Review & Re-inspection Fees
Unit Fee Schedule
Other Mechanical Fees
Plumbing Permit Fees
Plan Review & Re-inspection Fees
System Fee Schedule
ITEM NO. 14.
Fee Name Adopted FY 2025-26 Proposed FY 2026-27
FY 2026-27 Fee Adjustments, Reclassifications, Deletions and Additions Private swimming pools (including heater, water piping, gas piping)
$113.00 $115.00
Public swimming pools (including heater, water piping,
gas piping)
$170.00 $174.00
Lawn sprinkler system on one meter $47.00 $48.00
Each new or repair of gas piping system $86.00 $88.00
Each drainage, sewer system $47.00 $48.00
Radiant floor heating system $141.00 $144.00
Each plumbing fixture or trap or set of fixtures on one trap
$14.00 $14.00
Each sewer cleanout, backflow device $14.00 $14.00
Each septic system abatement $141.00 $144.00
Rainwater systems - per drain (inside building) $14.00 $14.00 Each water heater, water softener $39.00 $40.00
Each grease interceptor (750 gallon capacity) $96.00 $98.00 Each grease trap (1-4 fixtures) $54.00 $55.00
Residential water re-piping $141.00 $144.00
Each ejector/sump pump $47.00 $48.00
Each vacuum breaker/hose bib $14.00 $14.00
Each water piping system repair or replacement $29.00 $30.00 Each additional gas outlet $29.00 $30.00
Duplicate job card $30.00 $31.00
Permit extension (applies to permits that have not
expired)
$96.00 $98.00
Duplicate Inspection Card $37.00 $38.00
NPDES Inspection Fee (Charged on all building permits
with the potential to generate non-point source storm
water runoff during construction)
$86.00 $88.00
Other Fees
Unit Fee Schedule
Other Plumbing Fees
ITEM NO. 14.
Fee Name Adopted FY 2025-26 Proposed FY 2026-27
FY 2026-27 Fee Adjustments, Reclassifications, Deletions and Additions New single family detached (HR and RC zones) $17,695.00 $18,084.00 Engineering Development Review Service Fee $5,043.00 $5,154.00 New non-custom single family detached (HR and RC
zones) per unit/model, as part of a Planned
Development**
$13,708.00 $14,010.00
Engineering Development Review Service Fee $5,426.00 $5,545.00 New single family or two family units $15,037.00 $15,368.00 Engineering Development Review Service Fee $5,426.00 $5,545.00 New single family or two family (any other zone) per
unit/model new nonresidential or multiple family per
building as part of a Planned Development**
$12,378.00 $12,650.00
Engineering Development Review Service Fee $5,426.00 $5,545.00 Minor projects (a development proposal that does not
significantly change the size, mass, appearance or
neighborhood impact of a structure, property or parking lot
$9,720.00 $9,934.00
Engineering Development Review Service Fee $3,893.00 $3,979.00 Supplemental fee for DRC applications or minor
residential development applications, or applications that are part of a Planned Development that require Planning Commission approval
$3,884.00 $3,969.00
Engineering Development Review Service Fee $1,840.00 $1,880.00 Supplemental Fee for Minor Residential Development
applications that require Planning Commission approval
n/a $3,884.00
New two family unit $18,921.00 $19,337.00
Engineering Development Review Service Fee $5,626.00 $5,750.00 Architecture and Site Applications - Development Review Committee (DRC) Approval* Architecture and Site Applications - Planning Commission Approval
ITEM NO. 14.
Fee Name Adopted FY 2025-26 Proposed FY 2026-27
FY 2026-27 Fee Adjustments, Reclassifications, Deletions and Additions New nonresidential (includes conceptual Planned
Development elevations)
$18,921.00 $19,337.00
Engineering Development Review Service Fee $7,233.00 $7,392.00 New multiple family (includes conceptual Planned
Development elevations)
$21,313.00 $21,782.00
Engineering Development Review Service Fee $12,681.00 $12,960.00 Conditional Use Permit (PC Approval) $8,574.00 $8,763.00 Engineering Development Review Service Fee $2,331.00 $2,382.00 Conditional Use Permit (when consolidated with another
application for new development)
$2,259.00 $2,309.00
Engineering Development Review Service Fee $949.00 $970.00 Conditional Use Permit (DRC Approval) $5,609.00 $5,732.00 Engineering Development Review Service Fee $1,460.00 $1,492.00 Applications that require Town Council Approval (these
fees supplement the above established fees)
$3,693.00 $3,774.00
Engineering Development Review Service Fee $2,506.00 $2,561.00 Conditional Use Permits
ITEM NO. 14.
Fee Name Adopted FY 2025-26 Proposed FY 2026-27
FY 2026-27 Fee Adjustments, Reclassifications, Deletions and Additions Change of use $282.00 $288.00
Change of occupancy (excluding change of proprietor of a continuing business enterprise)
$189.00 $193.00
New permanent sign $379.00 $387.00
Temporary nonresidential sign $190.00 $194.00
Change of face only $189.00 $193.00
Sign program $2,543.00 $2,599.00
Minor telecommunications facility (i.e. microcell, 8,021 lb. or equivalent)
$1,882.00 $1,923.00
Major telecommunications facility which do not require a Conditional Use Permit
$4,542.00 $4,642.00
Variance $9,720.00 $9,934.00
Variance Engineering
Development Review Service Fee
$1,656.00 $1,692.00
Minor Residential Development (see #151) $3,334.00 $3,407.00 Engineering Development Review Service Fee $1,656.00 $1,692.00 Agricultural Preserve Withdrawal $4,671.00 $4,774.00
Home Occupation Permit $189.00 $193.00
SB 684 Small Lot Subdivision and Housing Development n/a $1,643.00 Engineering Development Review Service Fee n/a $5,960.00 Two-Unit Housing Development $1,643.00 $1,679.00
Engineering Development Review Service Fee $1,656.00 $1,692.00 Urban Lot Split $1,643.00 $1,679.00
Engineering Development Review Service Fee $1,656.00 $1,692.00 Lot Line Adjustment (DRC Approval) $2,707.00 $2,767.00
Planning Division Certificates of Use and Occupancy
Sign Application
Administrative Land Use Permit
Other Zoning Approvals Fees
Subdivisions
ITEM NO. 14.
Fee Name Adopted FY 2025-26 Proposed FY 2026-27
FY 2026-27 Fee Adjustments, Reclassifications, Deletions and Additions Engineering Development Review Service Fee $1,419.00 $1,450.00 4 Lots or Less (DRC Approval) $10,512.00 $10,743.00
Engineering Development Review Service Fee $2,343.00 $2,395.00 4 Lots or Less (as part of a Planned Development) (DRC
Approval)
$6,525.00 $6,669.00
Engineering Development Review Service Fee $2,542.00 $2,598.00 5 Lots or More $11,843.00 $12,104.00
Engineering Development Review Service Fee $6,177.00 $6,313.00 5 Lots or More (as part of a Planned Development) (DRC
Approval)
$6,525.00 $6,669.00
Engineering Development Review Service Fee $6,327.00 $6,466.00 Lot Merger and Reversion to Acreage (DRC Approval) $2,176.00 $2,224.00 Engineering Development Review Service Fee $1,656.00 $1,692.00 Condominium $9,182.00 $9,384.00
Engineering Development Review Service Fee $4,682.00 $4,785.00 Condominium (as part of a Planned Development) $5,198.00 $5,312.00 Engineering Development Review Service Fee $4,682.00 $4,785.00 Certificate of Compliance (DRC Approval) $3,771.00 $3,854.00 Engineering Development Review Service Fee $1,656.00 $1,692.00 VTM applications that require Town Council approval,
Subdivision and/or DRC applications that require Planning Commission approval. This fee supplements the aboveestablished fees. $3,462.00 $3,538.00
Engineering Development Review Service Fee $8,022.00 $8,198.00 Sidewalk Vending Permit $723.00 $739.00
Auto Dealer Events Smaller Promotional Events $1,643.00 Smaller Promotional Events $1,679.00 Large Promotional Events $1,643.00 Large Promotional Events $1,679.00 News rack Permit Fee $478.00 $489.00
Miscellaneous Application Fees
Environmental Assessment Fees
ITEM NO. 14.
Fee Name Adopted FY 2025-26 Proposed FY 2026-27
FY 2026-27 Fee Adjustments, Reclassifications, Deletions and Additions Draft Initial Study Review Fee (or actual cost if part of a Planned Development, General Plan and/or Town Code
Amendment
$4,762.00 $4,867.00
Engineering Development Review Service Fee $2,367.00 $2,419.00 Fee to appeal Planning Commission decision to Town
Council
Per Residential $538.00 Per Residential $550.00
Per Commercial, multi-family or
tentative map $2,161.00
Per Commercial, multi-family or
tentative map $2,209.00
Fee to appeal Director of Community Development or
Development Review Committee decision to Planning
Commission
Per Residential $271.00 Per Residential $277.00
Per Commercial $1,081.00 Per Commercial $1,105.00
Tree appeals $110.00 $112.00
Basic Zoning Letter $189.00 $193.00
Legal non-conforming verification $797.00 $815.00
Reconstruction of legal non-conforming structures
(Burndown Letter)
$398.00 $407.00
Fence Height Exceptions $533.00 $545.00
Outside Legal Counsel Review - Any remaining deposit
will be refunded to the applicant and amounts exceeding the deposit amount will be paid by the applicant
n/a Fully allocated hourly rate of legal
review Initial $5,000.00 deposit
Engineering Development Review Service Fee $1,857.00 $1,898.00 Outside contractor underground utility locating surcharge (actual cost for outside contractor
$234.00 $239.00
inspection fee may change) $603.00 $616.00
Dumpster Permit $486.00 $497.00
Storage Permit $486.00*** $497.00***
Appeals
Zoning Research
Other Planning Division Fees
ITEM NO. 14.
Fee Name Adopted FY 2025-26 Proposed FY 2026-27
FY 2026-27 Fee Adjustments, Reclassifications, Deletions and Additions Inspection Fee - Grading Permits Single Family Residential $885.00 Single Family Residential $894.00 Commercial or Multi Family Residential
$1,653.00
Commercial or Multi Family Residential
$1,689.00
Inspection Fee - Encroachment Permits and Some Storage
Permits
Single Family Residential $405.00 Single Family Residential $414.00 Commercial or Multi Family Residential
$650.00
Commercial or Multi Family Residential
$664.00
Plus $600.00 per LID facility Plus $613.00 per LID facility Inspection of Storm Water Treatment Measures $600.00 per facility $613.00 per facility 1-4 lots $4,196.00 $4,288.00
5 or more lots $5,120.00* $5,233.00*
Site Distance Analysis $560.00 $572.00
Traffic Impact Mitigation Fee $1,104.00 per new average daily trip generated
$1,128.00 per new average daily trip
generated
Development Projects Single family lots Section 24.60.035(b) (3): For subdivision whose lots exceed
one acre, the fee shall not exceed that
of one acre per lot $5,182.00/ac.
Single family lots Section 24.60.035(b)
(3): For subdivision whose lots exceed
one acre, the fee shall not exceed that
of one acre per lot $5,296.00/ac.
Multiple family dwelling units - initial
unit $5,182.00/ac.
Multiple family dwelling units - initial
unit $5,296/ac.
*** $500.00 refundable Storage Unit Removal Deposit, to cover cost of removal, if abandoned * Work done at night or on weekends shall be charged the actual costs of staff ** Single-family residences located along collector and arterial streets to be charged the residential fees above
NPDES
Engineering Subdivision Map Checking
Traffic Impact Analysis or Parking Study
Storm Drainage Fees
ITEM NO. 14.
Fee Name Adopted FY 2025-26 Proposed FY 2026-27
FY 2026-27 Fee Adjustments, Reclassifications, Deletions and Additions Multiple family dwelling units - each
unit after initial (not to exceed
$5,351.00/ac.) $194
Multiple family dwelling units - each
unit after initial (not to exceed
$5,469.00/ac.) $198
Commercial, industrial, hospitals,
churches, schools, and others
$6,481.00/ac.
Commercial, industrial, hospitals,
churches, schools, and others
$6,624.00/ac.
Building/Grading Permits (Building, Structures, &
impervious areas)
New impervious surface area, per sq. ft.
$2.00/sq. ft.
New impervious surface area, per sq. ft.
$2.00/sq. ft.
Other in-lieu fee
Trail Improvements $18.00/per sq. ft. or determined by
Director
$18.00/per sq. ft. or determined by
Director
House Moving Fee $4,851.00* $4,958.00*
New Buildings and Additions $1.51/sq.ft. $1.54/sq.ft.
Engineering Reversion to Acreage $3,272.00 plus initial deposit of $3,000.00 for surveyor
$3,344.00 plus initial deposit of
$3,000.00 for surveyor
Engineering Lot Merger $4,260.00 plus initial deposit of $3,000.00 surveyor deposit
$4,354.00 plus initial deposit of
$3,000.00 surveyor deposit
Engineering Lot Line Adjustments $4,260.00 plus initial deposit of $3,000.00 surveyor deposit
$4,354.00 plus initial deposit of
$3,000.00 surveyor deposit
Certificate of Compliance $4,260.00 plus initial deposit of $3,000.00 surveyor deposit
$4,354.00 plus initial deposit of
$3,000.00 surveyor deposit
Abandon Excess Public Right-of-Way & Public Easement $5,695.00 plus initial deposit of $3,000.00 surveyor deposit
$5,820.00 plus initial deposit of
$3,000.00 surveyor deposit
Geotechnical Peer Review Fees
Hauling Permits
*Plus initial deposit of $5,000 for facilities damage
Other Engineering Fees
ITEM NO. 14.
Fee Name Adopted FY 2025-26 Proposed FY 2026-27
FY 2026-27 Fee Adjustments, Reclassifications, Deletions and Additions Separate Instrument Dedication Fee (for dedication via
grant deeds and not maps)
$1,050.00 plus initial deposit of $2,500
for surveyor
$1,073.00 plus initial deposit of $2,500
for surveyor
Annual Utility Blanket Permit n/a As determined by the Town Engineer based on anticipated number of
installations and hours of staff time.
Certificate of Correction n/a $1,500 initial surveyor deposit plus 25% admin fee
Pass Through to Consultant – Encroachment – Job value
less than $10,000.00
Pass Through Deposit and Actual Staff
Cost**
Deleted Fee
License Agreement Application (Town Manager Approval) $3,119.00 Pass Through to Consultant – Encroachment – Job value
greater than $10,000.00
Pass Through Deposit and Actual Staff
Cost**
Deleted Fee
License Agreement Application (Town Council Approval) $4,135.00 Pass Through to Consultant – Utility Projects – PG&E, San Jose Water Company, West Valley Collection, etc.
Pass Through Deposit and Actual Staff
Cost**
Deleted Fee
License Agreement Recording and Issuance $1,925.00
Adopt A Bench – Initial 10 Year Term (Inclusive of Bench Cost)*
n/a $9,865.00
Adopt A Bench – Renewal Terms after Initial 10 Years
(assuming bench replacement not required)
n/a $5,911.00 for each 10-year renewal
term
*If existing bench is used deduct cost of bench as
provided by staff at time of adoption
n/a n/a
Tree Removal Permit Application* One Tree $250.00 One Tree $256.00 Other Fees
Tree Related Fees
ITEM NO. 14.
Fee Name Adopted FY 2025-26 Proposed FY 2026-27
FY 2026-27 Fee Adjustments, Reclassifications, Deletions and Additions Additional Tree $125.00/each Additional Tree $128.00/each Initial Residential Alarm Registration Fee n/a $95.00
Renewal Residential Alarm Registration Fee n/a $50.00
Police
* False Alarm two (2) or more n/a $175.00
*Within a six-month period within a calendar year
ITEM NO. 14.
1 of 2
Resolution 2026- April 6, 2026
RESOLUTION 2026-xx
RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS CONTINUING
DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATIVE FINES AND PENALTIES, AND AMENDING CERTAIN ADMINISTRATIVE FINES AND PENALTIES FOR FY 2026/27
WHEREAS, per Resolution 2004-97, fines and penalties for violation of the Los Gatos Town Code shall be set forth in a schedule; and
WHEREAS, the latest update of the Town of Los Gatos Comprehensive Fine Schedule was adopted May 6, 2025; and
WHEREAS, those fines and penalties currently in effect will remain in effect without interruption, certain of these shall be increased to reflect best municipal practices, and new fines and penalties will be added; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with Government Code Section 66018, notice of the public hearing regarding the proposed changes to the Town of Los Gatos Administrative Fine and Penalty Schedule was published in the manner set forth in Government Code Section 6062a; and
WHEREAS, a public hearing was held by the Town Council of the Town of Los Gatos at a regularly scheduled meeting, providing an opportunity for interested members of the public to make oral and/or written presentations to the Town Council regarding the proposed Town of Los Gatos Administrative Fine and Penalty Schedule; and WHEREAS, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), adoption of this fine and penalty schedule is not a project subject to CEQA because it can be seen with certainty that it will not impact the physical environment;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Council of the Town of Los Gatos does hereby declare, determine, and order as follows:
1. Resolution 2025-021, “Resolution of the Town Council of the Town of Los Gatos Continuing Department Administrative Fines and Penalties, and Amending Certain Administrative Fines and Penalties Effective July 1, 2025” is hereby rescinded upon the date that the new Administrative Fine and Penalty Schedule takes effect; and
2. The Town of Los Gatos Administrative Fine and Penalty Schedule, attached hereto as Exhibit A, is adopted and shall become effective July 1, 2026 PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Town Council of the Town of Los Gatos, California, held on the 7
h of April, 2026, by the following vote:
COUNCIL MEMBERS:
ATTACHMENT 4
ITEM NO. 14.
2 of 2
Resolution 2026- April 6, 2026
AYES:
NAYS:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
SIGNED:
_______________________________
MAYOR OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS
LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA
ATTEST:
___________________________________
TOWN CLERK OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS
LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA
ITEM NO. 14.
T O W N O F L O S G A T O S
C A L I F O R N I A
ADMINISTRATIVE FINE AND
PENALTY SCHEDULE (REDLINED)
FISCAL YEAR 2026-27 ATTACHMENT 5
ITEM NO. 14.
Cover Photos: Richard Gaskill and Sophia Constantine
ITEM NO. 14.
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Administrative Fine and Penalty Schedule
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Town Code Violations............................................................................................................ 1 Los Gatos California Fire Code................................................................................................ 5
ITEM NO. 14.
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Administrative Fine and Penalty Schedule 1 ADMINISTRATIVE FINES AND PENALTIES –TOWN CODE VIOLATION Administrative penalties for violation of the Los Gatos Town Code shall be set forth as the below schedule, except:
The administrative penalties for all violations of the Town Code not specifically set forth in the below schedule and do not involve violations of local building and safety codes shall be:
1. one hundred dollars ($100) for first violation;
2. two hundred dollars ($200) for second violation;
3. five hundred dollars ($500) for each additional violation within one year.
The administrative penalties for all violations of the Town Code not specifically set forth in the below schedule and that involve violations of local building and safety codes and are not otherwise designated as misdemeanors shall be:
1. one hundred and thirty dollars ($130) for first violation;
2. seven hundred dollars ($700) for second violation within one year;
3. one thousand and three hundred dollars ($1,300) for each additional violation within one year.
The administrative penalties for all knowing and willful violations of the Town Code shall be:
1. five hundred dollars ($500) for first violation;
2. one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each additional violation within thirty-six month thereafter.
For all California Vehicle Code violations, please contact the Superior Court of California County of Santa Clara.
ITEM NO. 14.
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Administrative Fine and Penalty Schedule 2 ADMINISTRATIVE FINES AND PENALTIES –TOWN CODE VIOLATION
SECTION AMOUNT
1.30.025(c) 100% of fine
4.10.030(a) $150.00
4.10.030(c) $500.00
4.10.075
First offense $100.00
Second offense within 2 years $200.00
Third subsequent offense within 2 years $500.00
4.40.005 $100.00
4.40.015 $250.00
4.40.020 $250.00
4.80.050 $100.00
5.10.030
First Offense $50.00
Second Offense $75.00
Third Offense $100.00
5.10.040
First Offense $50.00
Second Offense $75.00
Third Offense $100.00
5.10.050 Racing
First Offense $50.00
Second Offense $75.00
Third Offense $100.00
5.10.060 Trick riding
First Offense $50.00
Second Offense $75.00
Third Offense $100.00
5.10.070 Riding in playgrounds or school grounds
First Offense $50.00
Second Offense $75.00
Third Offense $100.00
5.10.080 Parking
First Offense $50.00
Second Offense $75.00
Third Offense $100.00
6.30.010 $50.00
6.40.010 $100.00
6.80.010 $100.00
6.100.240 TC
9.30.785 FC
5601.1.3 First Offense $500.00
Second Offense $1000.00
Third Offense $1500.00
11.10.055 $200.00
11.40.030
$100.00
$200.00
$500.00
Quarantine violation
Riding on sidewalks and pedestrian paths
Riding in groups
Order to vacate
Illegal dumping (outside park)
Single use carry-out bags
First violation
Second violation within 1year
For each additional violation within 1 year
Fire works
OFFENSE
Restraint of Dogs
Vaccination of dogs and cats
Registration of dangerous dogs
Penalty, abatement
Building permit requirements
Order to vacate or abate
Late Payment of Fines/Penalties
Animal bites, failure to report
Animals and Vehicles
ITEM NO. 14.
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Administrative Fine and Penalty Schedule 3 ADMINISTRATIVE FINES AND PENALTIES –TOWN CODE VIOLATION
SECTION AMOUNT
13.20.020 $100.00
13.20.305 Permit Required for Storage of Hazardous Material $100.00
14.40.105 $100.00
14.50.225 2 Times annual
permit fee
$175.00
14.100.020(a) $100.00
14.140.085
First offense Warning
Second offense $250.00
Third offense within 12-month period incurs fine and immediate revocation of the short-term rental license
$500.00
15.10.025 Roller skating in street $100.00
15.10.030 Skateboarding or roller skating $100.00
15.10.035 Driving on private property $100.00
15.30.035 Entering intersections, etc., without sufficient space on other side $135.00
15.30.115 Cruising
First offense $100.00
Second offense $200.00
Third or subsequent offense within 2 years $250.00
15.40.015 Overtime Parking $42.00
15.40.060 Sleeping in vehicle after being warned $50.00
15.40.065 Vehicle Storage on Street $67.00
15.40.070 Commercial Vehicles in Residential Zones $67.00
15.40.075 For Sale/Non Emergency Repair $42.00
15.40.080 Preferential Parking $52.00
15.40.080(b) Permit Required Area $52.00
15.40.080(c) Fraudulent use of Permit $107.00
15.40.085 Posted no Parking Special Events $42.00
15.40.090 Parking on Parkway $42.00
15.40.095 Marked Parking Space $42.00
15.40.100 Parking on Grade $42.00
15.40.105 Designated Parking VC22507.8 $292.00
15.40.110 Marked Curb $42.00
15.40.275 Parking in Alleys Restricted to Loading or Unloading $42.00
15.50.025 Standing in roadway $25.00
16.20.010 Curfew noise disturbance/Noise Limits $500.00
16.20.015 Exterior noise levels for residential zones $500.00
16.20.020 Exterior noise levels for multi-family residence $500.00
16.20.025 Noise levels for commercial / industrial zones $500.00
16.20.030 Public property noise limits $500.00
16.20.035 Construction $500.00
16.20.040 Amplified sound $500.00
Improper storage of hazardous material
Peddlers / Solicitors
Special event
False Alarms three (3) or more false alarms occur on the premises within a six-month period within a calendar year Short-term rentals
OFFENSE
False Alarm and No Permit
ITEM NO. 14.
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Administrative Fine and Penalty Schedule 4 ADMINISTRATIVE FINES AND PENALTIES –TOWN CODE VIOLATION
SECTION AMOUNT
16.20.045 Street sales $500.00
16.20.050 Animals and birds
First offense $50.00
Second offense within 2 years $200.00
Third or subsequent offense within 2 years $500.00
16.20.055 Motor vehicles $500.00
16.20.060 Powered equipment $500.00
18.10.015(a) Drinking in public $100.00
18.10.015(b) Open container in public $100.00
18.10.020 Meetings (disturbing) $100.00
18.30.040 Violation of the Social Host Ordinance $1,500.00 Second or subsequent offense $3,000.00
18.60.020(m)
First Offense $1,000.00
Second Offense within a 60-month period $2,500.00
Third Offense within a 60-month period $5,000.00
18.60.020(n)
First Offense $2,500.00
Second Offense within a 60-month period $5,000.00
Third Offense within a 60-month period $10,000.00
18.50.010 Crowds, dispersement $100.00
18.70.010 Discharge of firearm, etc. in Town $200.00
18.70.035080 Sling shot $200.00
19.10.020(1)-(5) Certain acts prohibited within park property $100.00
19.10.025(1)-(5) Behavior of persons within park property $100.00
19.10.025(6) Possess or ignite explosive, fireworks, rockets, etc $200.00
19.10.025(7) Make or kindle a fire except in approved locations $100.00
19.10.025(8)-(17) Behavior of persons within park property $100.00
19.10.027(1) Animals in Parks – Dogs off leash $100.00
19.10.027(2)-(6) Animals in parks – Other provisions $100.00
19.10.030(1)-(2) Sanitation requirements $100.00
19.10.035(1)-(9) Use of vehicles in parks (not subject to CVC or other Town Codes) $100.00
19.10.037(1)-(6) Use of bicycles in parks (not subject to CVC or other Town Codes) $100.00
19.10.038 Use of skateboards, skates, scooters $100.00
19.10.040 Swimming or wadings in parks $100.00
19.10.050(1)-(3) Advertising, sale of merchandise in parks $100.00
19.10.055(1)-(2) Closing hours for parks, overnight activities prohibited $100.00
19.10.060 Closing sections of park $100.00
22.30.040015 Storm water protections $100.00
28.20.030 Non-permit fine Taxicabs $100.00
Penalties for tobacco retailing violation by a retailer with a permit Penalties for tobacco retailing without a permit
OFFENSE
ITEM NO. 14.
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Administrative Fine and Penalty Schedule 5 ADMINISTRATIVE FINES AND PENALTIES –LOS GATOS CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE
SECTION OFFENSE AMOUNT
108.2.2 108.4 Failure to obtain inspection-new installation $200.00 112.3.2 113.3.2 Failure to comply with notice I order $1,000.00 112.3.4 113.3.4 Destruction of signs - Unauthorized Tampering $200.00 301.1 Fire hazard prohibited (citations) $100.00
114 115 Unsafe buildings $200.00
401.8 Interference with Fire Department $200.00
105.1. 1 Unlawful to operate institutions without occupancy permit $200.00 503.2 Plans for access roads $100.00
507.5 Plans for fire hydrant systems $100.00
501.4 Access road and fire hydrant installation timing $100.00 507 Hydrant identification-reflective markers $100.00
505 Premises identification $100.00
503.4 Closure of fire roads; obstruction-access road $200.00 504.2 Posting of signs on exterior doors blocked by storage $100.00 506.1 Key box $100.00
901.7 Notification of Fire Department for fire alarm servicing $100.00 901.8 Tampering with fire equipment $200.00
901.8 Tampering with fire hydrant or fire equipment $200.00 901.8.1 Tampering with barriers, etc. $200.00
507.5.4 Obstructing fire protection equipment $100.00
507.5.5 Clear space around hydrants $100.00
509.2 Fire extinguishing equipment obstruction $100.00
509.2 Fire alarm equipment obstruction $100.00
509.1 Identification of fire protection equipment $100.00 906 Sale of defective fire extinguishers $200.00
907 Fire alarm systems $200.00
307.1 Open burning $100.00
307.4.1 Bonfires $100.00
304.1.1 304.1 Accumulation of waste material $150.00
315.1 Storage and handling of readily combustible materials $100.00 315.3.4 Combustible storage in attics $100.00
807.1 Decorative material $100.00
605.9 605.8 Protection of gas meters $100.00
603 Heating appliances $100.00
308 308.1 Use of open flame restricted $100.00
305.2 Discarding burning objects $100.00
305.2 Hot ashes and other dangerous materials $100.00
311.1 Vacant building (maintenance) $100.00
1003.6 Exit obstruction $200.00
ITEM NO. 14.
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Administrative Fine and Penalty Schedule 6 ADMINISTRATIVE FINES AND PENALTIES –LOS GATOS CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE
SECTION OFFENSE AMOUNT
1010.1 Exit doors $200.00
1013 1013.3 Exit Sign Illumination $200.00
1008.1 Lighting requirements-exit $200.00
3310 3303.5.2.3 Reporting of fires during construction $100.00 907.1.5 False alarms $100.00
1018.1 Aisles $150.00
1024.1 Use of exit passageways $200.00
1013.1 Marking and lighting of exits $150.00
109.6 110.6 Overcrowding $200.00
308.1 Open flame $100.00
2311.2 Storage and use of flammable and combustible liquids in repair garages
$100.00
2311.2.3.1 Liquids drained from vehicles $150.00
2311.3 Source of ignition $100.00
2311.2.3.2 Oily waste materials $100.00
2803.1 Open yard storage $100.00
2803.2 Dust control $100.00
3103.8 3103.7 Location of tents and air-supported structures $100.00 3103.9 3103.8 Anchorage required $100.00
3104.2 3104.3 Flame-retardant certification $200.00
3107.1 3108.9 Fire extinguishers and other fire protection equipment $100.00 3107.11 3108.11 Occupant load $100.00
3103.12 3103.11 Exits / Means of Egress $100.00
3103.12.8 3103.11.8 Maintenance of exit ways $100.00
3103.12.7 3103.11.7 Exit illumination $100.00
3107.3 3108.3 Smoking $100.00
3107.4 3108.4 Open Flame $100.00
3107.12 3108.12 Heating and cooking equipment $100.00
3107.14 3108.13 Storage of flammable or combustible liquid $150.00 3107.16 3108.15 Generators $100.00
2108.1 Fire protection $100.00
2107.3 Solvent storage $100.00
2105.1.5.4 Customer area Shall Be Clean $100.00
2105.1.1 Warning label and signs $100.00
2403.2.6 Smoking prohibited $100.00
2403.2.7 Welding warning signs $100.00
2403.2.1 Electrical wiring and equipment $100.00
2404.2 2404.4 Location of spray-finishing operations $200.00 2404.3.3 2404.5 Spray booths $100.00
2404.6.1.2 2404.8.1.2 Dry filters – Drying Apparatus $100.00 2404.6 2404.8 Sources of ignition $150.00
ITEM NO. 14.
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Administrative Fine and Penalty Schedule 7 ADMINISTRATIVE FINES AND PENALTIES –LOS GATOS CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE
SECTION OFFENSE AMOUNT
2404.7 2404.9 Ventilation of spray booths and spraying areas $100.00 2404.9 2404.11 Limited spraying spaces $100.00
2403.3 2404.5 Design and Construction $100.00
2404.4 2404.6 Fire protection equipment $100.00
2404.5 2404.7 Housekeeping and maintenance $100.00
2405.2 Location of dip tank operations $150.00
2405.7 Ventilation of vapor areas $100.00
2405.6 Sources of ignition $150.00
2405.4.1 Fire extinguishing equipment $100.00
2405.3.4 Dip tank covers $100.00
2405.9 Hardening and tempering tanks $100.00
2405.11 Coating operations $100.00
2407 Electrostatic apparatus $150.00
2408 Organic peroxides and dual-component coatings $100.00 2408.5 Source of ignition $100.00
5906.5.7 Fire extinguishing materials for magnesium fires $100.00 5906.1 Handling of magnesium fines (fine magnesium scrap) $100.00 3503 Hot work general requirements $100.00
3505 Location of cylinders $100.00
2905 Process building $100.00
2909 Storage of raw material and finished products $100.00 2906 Process mills and kettles $100.00
2904.1 Electrical equipment $100.00
2904.3 Protection against static electricity and lighting $100.00 2903.4 Fire protection $100.00
2901.3 Maintenance $100.00
2703.1 Emergency control station and alarms $100.00
2703.2.3 Piping and tubing $100.00
2703.4 Emergency plan $100.00
2703.13 Gas detection $100.00
2703.10 Fire protection $100.00
2703.15.1 Electrical equipment $100.00
2703.15.2 Ventilation requirements $100.00
2704 General storage requirements $100.00
2704.3.1 Inside HPM storage $100.00
2704.3.3 Separation of HPM $100.00
2705.3 Handling HPM in existing buildings $100.00
2705.3.2 Transportation of HPM in service corridors $100.00 2705.3.4 Design of carts and trucks $100.00
ITEM NO. 14.
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Administrative Fine and Penalty Schedule 8 ADMINISTRATIVE FINES AND PENALTIES –LOS GATOS CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE
SECTION OFFENSE AMOUNT
2303.1 Location of dispensing operations $100.00
2303.1 Installation of dispensing devices $100.00
2304.1 Supervision of dispensing operations $100.00
2305.4 Sources of ignition $100.00
2305.6 Signs $100.00
2305.5 Fire extinguishers $100.00
2305.7 Clearance of combustibles $100.00
2305.2 Maintenance $100.00
2306.2 Storage of fuel $100.00
2306.7 Dispensing $100.00
2305.4 Electrical equipment $100.00
2305.4 Heating equipment $100.00
2306.7.9 Vapor recovery $100.00
2307.3 LPG Attendants $100.00
2307.4 LPG dispensing location $100.00
2307.5 LPG dispensing equipment $100.00
2308.3 Location for CNG dispensing operations $100.00
2308.4 CNG Private fueling of vehicles $100.00
2308.6 CNG Manual shut off valve $100.00
2308.8 Discharge of CNG from vehicle fuel containers $100.00 3003.1 Ventilation of industrial ovens $100.00
608.13.4 Ammonia discharge $100.00
608.8 Emergency signs and labels $100.00
5303.1 Compressed gas containers, cylinders and tanks $100.00 5303.4 Marking $100.00
5303.5 Security $100.00
5303.6 Valve protection $100.00
5303.7 Separation from hazardous conditions $100.00
5303.8 Wiring and equipment $100.00
5303.9 Service repair $100.00
5303.10 Unauthorized use $100.00
5303.11 Exposure to fire $100.00
5303.12 Leaks, damage or corrosion $100.00
5303.13 Surface or unprotected storage areas $100.00
5303.15 Lightning $100.00
5304 Storage $100.00
5305 Use and handling $100.00
5306 Medical gas systems $100.00
5503.1 Construction of containers $100.00
5503.1 Containers $100.00
ITEM NO. 14.
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Administrative Fine and Penalty Schedule 9 ADMINISTRATIVE FINES AND PENALTIES –LOS GATOS CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE
SECTION OFFENSE AMOUNT
5503.2 Pressure relief devices $100.00
5503.4 Marking $100.00
5503.6 Electrical equipment $100.00
5505.1.2 Piping materials and construction $100.00
5505.4 Filling and dispensing $100.00
5505.5 Handling $100.00
2203.1 Housekeeping $100.00
2203.4.6 Smoking and open flames $100.00
5701.4 Permit and plans for flammable and combustible liquid storage electrical
$100.00
5703.2 Fire protection $100.00
5703.4 Spill control and secondary containment $100.00
5703.5 Labeling and signs $100.00
5704.2.1 Change of tank contents $100.00
5704.2.3 Labeling and signs $100.00
5704.2.4 Sources of ignition $100.00
5704.2.5 Explosion control $100.00
5704.2.6 Separation from incompatible materials $100.00 5704.2.7 Design of tanks, containers and equipment $100.00 5704.2.8 Below grade vaults $100.00
5704.2.7.6 Inspection, repair, alteration or reconstruction of tanks and piping
$100.00
5704.2.8.2 Vault design and construction $100.00
5704.2.7.3 Tank vents for normal venting $100.00
5704.2.9.6.1 Prohibited locations of above ground tanks $200.00 5704.2.9.6.2 Separation of tanks $100.00
5704.2.7.4 Emergency of relief venting for tanks $100.00 5704.2.7.5 Tank openings other than vents $100.00
5704.2.10 Drainage control and diking $100.00
5704.4 Container and portable tank storage outside of buildings $100.00 5704.2.9.5 Stationary above ground tank storage inside buildings $100.00 5704.3.3 Container and portable tank storage inside buildings $100.00 5704.2.11 Underground tank storage $100.00
5705.2 Liquid transfer $100.00
5705.3.6 Cleaning with Class I or II liquids $150.00
5706.2 Storage and dispensing at construction sites and farms $100.00 5706.2.8 Tank vehicles and vehicle operation $100.00
5001.5 Permits required for hazardous materials $200.00 5001.5.1 Hazardous material management plan $100.00
5003.2.1 Design of containers, cylinders and tanks $100.00 5003.2.2 Piping, tubing, valves and fittings $100.00
ITEM NO. 14.
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Administrative Fine and Penalty Schedule 10 ADMINISTRATIVE FINES AND PENALTIES –LOS GATOS CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE
SECTION OFFENSE AMOUNT
5003.2.3 Suitability of equipment, machinery and alarms $100.00 5003.2.4 Installation of tanks $100.00
5003.2.5 Empty containers and tanks $100.00
5003.2.6 Maintenance $100.00
5003.3 Release of hazardous material $1,000.00
5003.4 Safety data sheets $100.00
5003.5 Identification signs $100.00
5003.6 Signs $100.00
5003.7 Sources of ignition $100.00
5003.8 Construction requirements $100.00
5003.9 General safety precautions $100.00
5003.10 Handling and transportation $100.00
5001.6 Facility closure $100.00
5001.4 Retail and wholesale storage and display $100.00 5001.1 Exempt amounts $100.00
5004 Storage, general $100.00
6004 Toxic and highly toxic compressed gases $100.00
6303 Oxidizers (Gases and Cryogenic Fluids) $100.00
6203 Organic peroxides $100.00
6403 Pyrophoric materials $100.00
6703 Water relative solids and liquids $100.00
6003 Highly toxic and toxic solids and liquids $100.00
6603 Unstable materials $100.00
5403 Corrosives general requirements $100.00
5005.1.1 Separation from hazardous material storage $100.00 5004.2 Spill control $100.00
5005.1.5 Emergency power $100.00
5005.1.6 Supervision $100.00
5005.1.7 Lighting $100.00
5005.1.8 Fire extinguishing systems $100.00
5005.1.9 Ventilation $100.00
5304.1 Container position for gases $100.00
NFPA 55 Bulk oxygen systems - Cryogenic $100.00
NFPA 55 Liquid transfer - Cryogenic $100.00
6405.3 Silane $100.00
5005.2 Indoor dispensing and use $100.00
5005.3 Outdoor dispensing and use $100.00
5005.4 Handling $100.00
3205.3 Ignition sources $100.00
3205.5 Aisle maintenance $100.00
3206.3 Separation of high-piled storage areas $100.00
ITEM NO. 14.
Town of Los Gatos FY 2026-2027 Administrative Fine and Penalty Schedule 11 ADMINISTRATIVE FINES AND PENALTIES –LOS GATOS CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE
SECTION OFFENSE AMOUNT
3206.4 Fire sprinklers $100.00
3206.5 Fire detection $100.00
3206.6 Building access $100.00
3206.8 Smoke and heat removal $100.00
3206.9 Hose stations and hose connections $100.00
3206.10 Aisles $100.00
3206.11 Portable fire extinguishers $100.00
3207.2 Fire protection for solid-piled and shelf storage $100.00 3207.3 Pile dimensions and height limitations $100.00
3208.2 Fire protection for rack storage $100.00
3208.3 Flue spaces $100.00
3208.5 Extra-high rack storage systems $100.00
6103 Installation of equipment $100.00
6104 Location of containers $100.00
6105 Prohibited use of Lp-gas $100.00
6106 Dispensing $100.00
6107 Safety precautions and devices $100.00
6107.2 Smoking and other sources of ignition $100.00
6107.3 Clearance to combustibles $100.00
6107.4 Protecting containers from vehicles $100.00
6108 Fire protection $100.00
6109 Storage of portable containers awaiting use or resale $100.00 6110 Containers not in service $100.00
6111 Parking and garaging tank vehicles $100.00
4811.6 Smoking at motion picture production $100.00
6504 Film storage $100.00
603.8 Use of temporary wiring $100.00
603.2 Abatement of electrical hazards $100.00
603.7 Electrical motors $100.00
603.6 Extension cords $100.00
603.5 Multi plug adaptors $100.00
603.5 Power taps $100.00
603.4 Access to switchboards and panel boards $100.00
3301 Fire safety during construction $100.00
3305 Precautions against fire $100.00
5104 Storage of aerosol products $100.00
5106 Retail display of aerosol products $100.00
ITEM NO. 14.
ITEM NO. 14.
Administrative Fine/Penalty Name FY 2025-26 Adopted FY 2026-27 Proposed Fire works
First Offense N/A $500.00
Second Offense N/A $1,000.00
Third Offense N/A $1,500.00
Curfew noise disturbance/Noise Limits $500.00 Deleted
Exterior noise levels for residential zones $500.00 Deleted Exterior noise levels for multi-family residence $500.00 Deleted Noise levels for commercial / industrial zones $500.00 Deleted Public property noise limits $500.00 Deleted
Construction $500.00 Deleted
Amplified sound $500.00 Deleted
Street sales $500.00 Deleted
Animals and birds
First offense $50.00 Deleted
Second offense within 2 years $200.00 Deleted
Third or subsequent offense within 2 years $500.00 Deleted Powered equipment Deleted
False Alarm and No Permit N/A 2 Times annual permit fee False Alarms three (3) within a six-month period
within a calendar year
N/A
$175.00
FY 2026-27 Administrative Fine and Penalty Adjustments, Reclassifications, Deletions and Additions Los Gatos California Fire Code Violations
ATTACHMENT 6
ITEM NO. 14.
PREPARED BY: Joel Paulson
Community Development Director
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, and Finance Director 110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832 www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 04/07/2026
ITEM NO: 15
DATE: April 7, 2026
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Chris Constantin, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Receive the West Valley Homeless Services Feasibility Study and Adopt a Resolution of Intent to Support Participation in a West Valley Homeless Services Implementation Task Force.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Town Council receive the West Valley Homeless Feasibility Study and adopt a Resolution to support the Town’s participation in a West Valley Homeless Services Implementation Task Force.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There are no direct fiscal impacts associated with this item. Future implementation of recommended programs may require financial commitments from participating jurisdictions.
Any funding proposals will return to the Town Council for review and approval. Cost-sharing structures, if applicable, would be developed collaboratively among the West Valley jurisdictions.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
This task force aligns with the Town’s Civic Engagement priority to continue to engage community service providers to meet the individualized and complex needs of unhoused residents, while pursuing a more coordinated regional approach.
BACKGROUND:
In July 2024, the City of Campbell allocated $100,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to conduct a homeless needs analysis and feasibility study for the West Valley region, which
ITEM NO. 15.
PAGE 2 OF 8
SUBJECT: Discuss and Provide Feedback on the West Valley Homeless Services Feasibility Study and Adopt a Resolution of Intent to Support Participation in a West Valley Homeless Services Implementation Task Force
DATE: April 7, 2026
includes the Town of Los Gatos and the cities of Campbell, Cupertino, Saratoga, and Monte Sereno.
In December 2024, the City of Campbell contracted with Good City Company to conduct a Needs Analysis and Feasibility Study, and in Spring 2025, the City of Campbell developed and entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the other West Valley jurisdictions, recognizing that homelessness is a regional challenge and best addressed collaboratively.
The project consists of two components:
1. Phase 1 - Needs Analysis (Attachment 1)
2. Phase 2 - Feasibility Study (Attachment 2)
In August 2025, the City of Campbell’s City Council held a Study Session to review the Needs Analysis findings and provided feedback. The completed Feasibility Study builds upon that analysis and evaluates collaborative strategies the five jurisdictions could pursue to more effectively address homelessness across the West Valley.
DISCUSSION:
The Feasibility Study evaluates opportunities for shared services, enhanced coordination, and strengthened regional partnerships to better align resources and respond to the specific needs of unhoused residents in the West Valley. In addition, the Feasibility Study evaluates potential programmatic responses informed by the Needs Analysis report.
Needs Analysis Summary
The Needs Analysis, which was the first phase of the project, identified the scale and complexity of homelessness in the West Valley area. In 2024, there were at least 524 individuals experiencing homelessness. The analysis also highlighted that individuals experiencing homelessness are often less visible in the region, including families, unaccompanied youth, and those living in cars.
Key contributing factors include:
High cost of living;
Limited affordable housing supply;
Wage disparities; and
Structural inequities, including poverty and wealth inequality.
The Needs Analysis noted that homelessness affects every member of the community, not just those who are unhoused. Finally, the report underscored that services and permanent housing are effective and save funds in the long run.
ITEM NO. 15.
PAGE 3 OF 8
SUBJECT: Discuss and Provide Feedback on the West Valley Homeless Services Feasibility Study and Adopt a Resolution of Intent to Support Participation in a West Valley Homeless Services Implementation Task Force
DATE: April 7, 2026
Following publication of the Needs Analysis, new Point in Time Count data revealed that the number of people experiencing homelessness in the West Valley area increased by 13%, compared to an 8% increase countywide between 2023 and 2025. Across much of the Bay Area and Santa Clara County, more people continue to enter homelessness each year than exit.
However, other areas in California saw significant decreases in homelessness, including in the Counties of Santa Cruz, Sonoma, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Ventura.
West Valley Unhoused Population Characteristics
The Needs Analysis also identified some key findings about the demographic characteristics of the West Valley Unhoused population, as summarized below. 51 percent of individuals in the West Valley have been homeless for two years or more, roughly double the national average, but lower than the rest of Santa Clara County. A higher rate of individuals in the West Valley are more recently homeless relative to the remainder of the County.
19 percent of the homeless in the West Valley are youth, and 19 percent are families with children.
Hispanic/Latino, Black, and American Indian/Alaska Native/Indigenous individuals are substantially overrepresented relative to their share of the population in the West Valley. The West Valley area saw a higher domestic violence survivor rate and lower mental, physical, and alcohol/substance use rate than the remainder of the County. West Valley individuals were more likely to sleep in their car or couch surf and less likely to utilize a shelter bed than the remainder of the County.
Existing Services and Identified Gaps
A brief overview of existing gaps and services are provided below. Additional information on existing services and needs is provided in the Needs Analysis.
Housing & Shelter
Lack of affordable permanent housing, especially ELI (Extremely Low Income) housing units.
Lack of sufficient shelters. There are no standing temporary or interim shelters in the West Valley of the congregate or non-congregate model.
The three existing safe parking programs located in Saratoga, Cupertino, and Campbell can serve up to approximately one third of the known households living in cars.
ITEM NO. 15.
PAGE 4 OF 8
SUBJECT: Discuss and Provide Feedback on the West Valley Homeless Services Feasibility Study and Adopt a Resolution of Intent to Support Participation in a West Valley Homeless Services Implementation Task Force
DATE: April 7, 2026
Service Delivery
Lack of geographically centralized services
Inadequate access to healthcare, mental health, and substance use treatment Insufficient outreach and case management capacity
Limited transportation options for accessing services Systemic Gaps
Lack of shared knowledge and coordination across service providers, jurisdictions, and city departments
Difficulty in scaling community-based services
Feasibility Study
The West Valley Homeless Services Feasibility Study analyzes potential policy and program responses to address homelessness in the West Valley area. The study notes that while homelessness is a complex problem, investing in proven strategies can have a considerable positive impact on people experiencing homelessness and the community at large.
The Feasibility Study provides an analysis of several homelessness response programs and includes a series of specific recommendations. Please note that percentages in Table 2 on Page 10 of the Feasibility Study (Attachment 2) were incorrect. We have provided a revised Table 2 with the correct percentages in Attachment 3. A revised Feasibility Study with the corrected percentages will be prepared by the consultant.
The Feasibility Study provides a detailed analysis of several programs categorized into six categories:
Homelessness Prevention;
Outreach and Case Management;
Immediate Needs;
Shelter and Parking;
Interim and Transitional Housing; and
Permanent Housing.
Each potential program is ranked with a feasibility score and an impact score as indicated in Table 2 below. The full Study provides additional detailed information on the methodology and potential program approaches for each program, as well as additional ways to visualize the program landscape.
ITEM NO. 15.
PAGE 5 OF 8
SUBJECT: Discuss and Provide Feedback on the West Valley Homeless Services Feasibility Study and Adopt a Resolution of Intent to Support Participation in a West Valley Homeless Services Implementation Task Force
DATE: April 7, 2026
Table 2: Homeless Response Programs and Scores by Program Type Programs by Type Impact Score Feasibility Score
Prevention (Feasibility Study p. 14)
Homelessness Prevention & Rental Assistance Highest Highest Opportunity Fund & Reunification High Highest
Hotlines & Information Moderate Highest
Tenant Protections Moderate High
Outreach & Case Management (p. 17)
Case Management Highest High
Health, Mental Health & Substance Care Highest High
Navigation Center Highest Moderate
Job Training Moderate Highest
Outreach Moderate High
Mobile Navigation Center Moderate High
Law Enforcement Coordination Moderate Moderate
Immediate Needs (p. 22)
Food, Showers & Laundry High Highest
Phone, Internet, & Mail Moderate Highest
Safe Storage Moderate High
Transportation Moderate High
Neighborhood Health & Cleanliness Moderate Moderate
Safe Sleeping & Sanitation Moderate Moderate
Shelter & Parking (p. 26)
Temporary Shelters Highest Moderate
Safe Parking High Moderate
Hotel Vouchers/Rentals Moderate Highest
Interim & Transitional (p. 30)
Rapid Rehousing Highest High
Transitional Housing Highest Moderate
Interim Sites High Moderate
Permanent Housing (p. 32)
Permanent Affordable Housing Highest High
ITEM NO. 15.
PAGE 6 OF 8
SUBJECT: Discuss and Provide Feedback on the West Valley Homeless Services Feasibility Study and Adopt a Resolution of Intent to Support Participation in a West Valley Homeless Services Implementation Task Force
DATE: April 7, 2026
Key Recommendations
The Feasibility Study outlines a comprehensive set of recommendations. An overview of key recommendations are provided below.
1. Adopt a formal implementation plan: Develop and adopt a West Valley area homelessness response implementation plan that includes an aspirational vision, clear goals and objectives, programs tailored to population segments, plans for near- and long-term outcomes, and leverages existing programs. The study provides an example set of goals and objectives that could be used as a reference by a West Valley homelessness response task force.
2. Sustain and strengthen what works: Use the tools available to local governments to ensure the continuation of existing services with a proven track record, including homelessness prevention and expanding affordable housing.
3. Prioritize additional investments in programs with high feasibility and impact: These include homelessness prevention and rental assistance; case management; rapid rehousing; permanent affordable housing; health and mental health care; food, showers, and laundry; opportunity funds; and reunification programs.
4. Cultivate partnerships at all levels: Deploy a “whole of society approach” to engage governments, the private sector, civil society, individuals, and communities. Establish a formal West Valley homelessness response task force to set goals and monitor progress.
5. Engage with people who have experienced homelessness: Identify ways for individuals who have experienced homelessness to meaningfully participate in program design, implementation, and evaluation.
6. Align with the Community Plan to End Homelessness: Demonstrate alignment with the plan’s goals to address the root causes of homelessness, improve the quality of life for unsheltered individuals, create healthy neighborhoods for all, and expand homelessness prevention and housing programs.
7. Identify funding: Explore creative funding approaches to support homelessness response programs.
8. Support neighborhood health, safety, and cleanliness: Address quality-of-life issues for the entire community.
ITEM NO. 15.
PAGE 7 OF 8
SUBJECT: Discuss and Provide Feedback on the West Valley Homeless Services Feasibility Study and Adopt a Resolution of Intent to Support Participation in a West Valley Homeless Services Implementation Task Force
DATE: April 7, 2026
The Feasibility Study discusses actions at the local and sub-regional level that have a high likelihood of making a meaningful and measurable positive impact for community members experiencing homelessness and the community overall. These actions are likely to be particularly important in an environment where federal funding is scarce.
An update to the Santa Clara County Community Plan to End Homelessness, which serves as a roadmap for ending homelessness in Santa Clara County, is also underway. Recommendations from the West Valley Feasibility Study will be shared with the County to promote alignment between the plans.
West Valley Homeless Services Implementation Task Force The Feasibility Study identifies the formation of a regional implementation body as a critical next step.
The proposed Task Force to meet this need would include:
Representatives from the five West Valley jurisdictions; County representatives;
Key institutional stakeholders (e.g., community college district representatives); and Select service providers.
The Task Force would be responsible for developing a formal implementation plan for the West Valley Homeless Services Feasibility Study, establishing measurable goals, defining governance structure, a financing strategy, and monitoring progress.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends that the Town Council receive the West Valley Feasibility Study and adopt the Resolution of Intent supporting participation in the West Valley Homeless Services Implementation Task Force (Attachment 4). The Resolution of Intent is intended to gauge the initial interest among all five West Valley jurisdictions to participate in the Task Force. Following the adoption of the resolution of intent, staff will obtain a scope of services with a consultant to provide technical support to the Task Force and prepare an MOU outlining the role of the Task Force and funding needs. Staff would then return to the five jurisdictions with the MOU for adoption, and subsequently initiate work on the Task Force. Adoption of the Resolution of Intent by itself does not commit each jurisdiction to adopting the subsequent MOU.
ITEM NO. 15.
PAGE 8 OF 8
SUBJECT: Discuss and Provide Feedback on the West Valley Homeless Services Feasibility Study and Adopt a Resolution of Intent to Support Participation in a West Valley Homeless Services Implementation Task Force
DATE: April 7, 2026
COORDINATION:
This project was coordinated with the West Valley Jurisdictions.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
Attachments:
1. West Valley Needs Analysis Report
2. West Valley Feasibility Study
3. Revised PIT Count Table
4. Draft Resolution of Intent to Participate in the West Valley Homeless Services Implementation Task Force
ITEM NO. 15.
West Valley Homeless Services
Needs Analysis Report
Cities of Campbell, Cupertino, Monte Sereno,
and Saratoga, and Town of Los Gatos
July 24, 2025
Prepared by:
ATTACHMENT 1
ITEM NO. 15.
Acknowledgements
West Valley Jurisdictions
City of Campbell: Rob Eastwood, Eloiza Murillo-Garcia, Chris Miranda City of Cupertino: Nicky Vu
Town of Los Gatos: Joel Paulson, Katy Nomura
City of Monte Sereno: Diana Perkins
City of Saratoga: Bryan Swanson, Cindy McCormick
With Special Thanks to
County of Santa Clara, Office of Supportive Housing: Hilary Armstrong, Diana Castillo, Michelle Covert, Laura Urteaga Fuentes, Kathryn (KJ) Kaminski, Tina La Perle, Leila Qureishi Destination: Home: Ray Bramson
Good City Company
Nicholas Hamilton, AICP, Public Policy Lead
Aaron Aknin, AICP, Principal
Vera Gil, Housing Specialist
ITEM NO. 15.
Contents
Executive Summary...................................................................................................................... 1 KEY FINDINGS....................................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.................................................................................................................................. 2 Background................................................................................................................................... 4 UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS TODAY....................................................................................................................4 POLICY CONTEXT..............................................................................................................................................................7 KEY POLICY IMPLICATIONS ..............................................................................................................................................9 METHODOLOGY..............................................................................................................................................................13 Quantitative Needs Analysis ..................................................................................................... 15 Existing Programs, Services, and Systems............................................................................... 20 PROGRAMS IDENTIFIED ..................................................................................................................................................21 SYSTEMS AND SUPPORTS ..............................................................................................................................................26 Interviews and Insights of Homeless Individuals ................................................................... 29 Gap Analysis................................................................................................................................ 30 GAPS IN SERVICES FOR CURRENTLY HOMELESS PEOPLE............................................................................................31 SYSTEMS GAPS................................................................................................................................................................34 Conclusion & Next Steps........................................................................................................... 35 FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS.....................................................................................................................................................35 List of Materials Consulted and Supporting Documents ...................................................... 40
ITEM NO. 15.
NEEDS ANALYSIS REPORT 1
West Valley Homeless Services
Needs Analysis Report
Cities of Campbell, Cupertino, Monte Sereno
Saratoga, and Town of Los Gatos
July 24, 2025
Executive Summary
The West Valley Homeless Services Needs Analysis Report analyzes the state of homelessness and homeless services in 2025 in the five West Valley cities of Santa Clara County: Campbell, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Saratoga and identifies gaps in the services provided.
Key findings
• Homelessness is a Serious Problem: At least 524 individuals across 322 households were counted as homeless in the West Valley area in 2024. About 214 new homeless households sought shelter or services for the first time in 2024 and 51 percent have been homeless for two or more years.
• Homelessness is Not One-Size-Fits-All: While there are many homeless individuals who visibly live on the street, there is also a large population who are more hidden. Matching appropriate services to specific individuals is critical. • Impacts on Children: Nineteen percent of homeless households are unaccompanied youth and 19 percent are families with children. In addition, homelessness is associated with significant negative health and child development outcomes.
• Homelessness Affects Us All: Homelessness impacts all members of the community, not just those who are homeless. The effects on housed residents, the economy, and local government services are substantial. • Services and Housing Work: Permanent housing is critical, even if it is expensive and time-consuming. Immediate services are sometimes as important as housing.
ITEM NO. 15.
2 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JULY 24, 2025
Introduction
The West Valley cities are located in the heart of Silicon Valley, known for innovation and myriad globally recognized companies. While some of the highest median income zip codes in the state and country are in the area, it is also home to many people facing significant economic challenges. In 2023, Santa Clara County ranked sixth in the US for the prevalence of unsheltered individuals among major population centers, with 412 unsheltered people per 100,000 residents. This data is based on a point-in-time count conducted in January 2023. The County saw a 5 percent increase in homelessness in 2023 compared to 20191 and another 8.2 percent increase between 2023 and 20252.
In July 2024, the City of Campbell allocated
$100,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
funds to conduct a homeless needs analysis and
feasibility study. In December 2024, the City
contracted with Good City Company to conduct a
needs assessment and feasibility study. Good City
Company is a local government consulting firm
based in Redwood City. The firm offers support
to local government agencies in the fields of
planning, economic development, housing, and
city manager’s office services.
The first phase of analysis is reflected in this
needs analysis report, which includes an analysis
of available quantitative data, existing
background material and research, and the
results of interviews with key stakeholders,
including service providers and currently homeless individuals in the area. The needs 1 Love, Hanna, and Tracy Hadden Loh. “Homelessness in US Cities and Downtowns: The Perception, the Reality, and How to Address Both.” Brookings Institution. Accessed May 10, 2025. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/homelessness-in-us-citiesand-downtowns/. 2 County of Santa Clara, California. “County of Santa Clara Releases Preliminary Results of 2025 Point‑in‑Time Homeless Count.” County News Center, June 20, 2025. Accessed July 17, 2025. https://news.santaclaracounty.gov/county-santa-clara-releasespreliminary-results-2025-point-time-homeless-count “I care about the homeless
here, but I have young kids
and the quality-of-life
impact on families also
matters. The status quo
doesn’t work, and I know
we can do better than
this.”
Local Community Member
ITEM NO. 15.
NEEDS ANALYSIS REPORT 3
assessment describes existing services and identifies gaps in services impacting homelessness in the West Valley area. This analysis is intended to establish a baseline of existing conditions regarding homelessness in the West Valley and provide a foundation of information for a subsequent feasibility study for improved services.
Following the completion of this needs analysis, the project team will also conduct a feasibility analysis. A list of items likely to be analyzed in the feasibility study are included in the conclusions section of this needs analysis document.
Figure 1. The five West Valley Jurisdictions (Image credit: Santa Clara County LAFCO, Good City Company)
ITEM NO. 15.
4 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JULY 24, 2025
Background
Understanding Homelessness Today
Homelessness is a complex problem, impacting different segments of the community in different ways. Individuals and families at risk of homelessness face constant pressure from forces that ultimately push many into homelessness. These forces are magnified by the housing crisis and felt most acutely where the cost of housing is highest, such as the West Valley.
Addressing homelessness has been an increasing priority in the region, and there are social, public health, economic, and quality of life reasons that motivate this. However, there is also a broadly held moral belief that human beings should live with a level of dignity that is not possible to achieve while being homeless. While the problem can feel nearly impossible to solve, immediate services and long-term housing can substantially reduce homelessness and its negative impacts.
The first image of a homeless person that comes to mind for many is a single male with significant substance abuse and mental health issues. While this characterization represents a visible phenomenon, the data paints a more complex picture. There is also a large hidden population of homeless individuals and families. Across the West Valley cities, 37 percent of homeless households are unaccompanied youth or families with children, and 50 percent are male. Many homeless women and families with children are less visible. A recent study of homeless adults in California showed that a significant portion of homeless people reported not having used drugs regularly in the prior six months 3. Homeless people come from a wide range of backgrounds, and while some come from outside the community, many were raised or were previously housed in the local community.
California’s housing challenges are well-documented and acutely felt across the entire West Valley of Santa Clara County. Statewide, nearly one-third of California renters pay more than 50 3 Baggett, Travis P., James J. O’Connell, Jesse M. Yedinak, and Thomas J. Stopka. “Illicit Substance Use and Treatment Access Among Adults Experiencing Homelessness.” JAMA 331, no. 12 (2024): 987–997. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.27922.
ITEM NO. 15.
NEEDS ANALYSIS REPORT 5
percent of their income toward rent 4. California
is also home to a disproportionate number of
homeless residents. While the state is home to
12 percent of the nation’s population, the
homeless population makes up 22 percent of
the nation’s homeless population5. In 2023,
Santa Clara County had approximately 10,028
people experiencing homelessness 6. This
translates to roughly 2.3 people per 1,000
residents. The West Valley ratio of homeless
people translates to 1.28 people per 1,000.
The high cost of housing is a central cause of
homelessness and is driven not only by demand
but also by the policy decisions and other
factors that have resulted in so few homes being
built relative to jobs. Job growth in the Bay Area
has far exceeded the production of housing for
decades 7.
Homelessness is also a health issue. Health and medical issues are both an effect and cause of homelessness. Living on the street, in a car, RV, shelter, or couch surfing can be extraordinarily difficult and result in tremendous adverse social, medical, economic, and safety consequences8. 4 California Department of Housing & Community Development. Addressing a Variety of Housing Challenges. Accessed May 10, 2025. https://www.hcd.ca.gov/policy-and-research/addressing-variety-housing-challenges. California Department of Housing & Community Development. Addressing a Variety of Housing Challenges. Accessed May 10, 2025. https://www.hcd.ca.gov/policy-and-research/addressing-variety-housing-challenges. 5 Ibid
6 County of Santa Clara and City of San José, "County of Santa Clara and City of San José Release Preliminary Results of 2023 Point-in-Time Homeless Census," County News Center, May 30, 2023, https://news.santaclaracounty.gov/newsrelease/county-santa-clara-and-city-san-jose-release-preliminary-results-2023-point-time. 7 Kober, Eric. “The Bay Area: The Land of Many Jobs and Too Few Homes.” Manhattan Institute. Accessed May 10, 2025. https://manhattan.institute/article/the-bay-area-the-land-of-many-jobs-and-too-few-homes. 8 Community Solutions. “The Costs and Harms of Homelessness: A Learning Brief Examining the Costs Borne by Individuals, Communities, Systems, and Society.” Accessed May 10, 2025. https://community.solutions/research-posts/the-costs-andharms-of-homelessness/. “We want to end
homelessness forever. Even
for people who have a nice
house here now, what
about their kids? What if
life throws their kids a
curveball? Not addressing
homelessness in a serious
way now may come back
to haunt them later.”
Local Homeless Resident
ITEM NO. 15.
6 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JULY 24, 2025
Some studies have shown the average age of death for homeless individuals to be 44 years of age 9. The stigma associated with homelessness can impact all aspects of life for those without a home, and research has shown a correlation between stigma and poorer mental and physical health outcomes 10.
Medical debt and loss of work due to illness are major contributing factors to the economic causes of homelessness. Two-thirds of people who have filed for bankruptcy cite these two factors as the primary reason for their bankruptcy 11. While most people with medical debt do not become homeless, research indicates that medical debt can significantly prolong periods of homelessness. Studies suggest that medical debt, even for relatively small amounts, can extend the length of time a person experiences homelessness by an additional two years on average. For those whose medical debt goes to collections, the impact on overall homelessness duration can be even more significant 12.
While single, homeless men are often the most visible in communities, homeless women, families with children, and youth are also prevalent. Women who are homeless or experiencing housing instability are at significantly higher risk for sexual and physical violence 13.
The impacts of homelessness on children and child development cannot be understated.
Homelessness and housing instability expose children to prolonged activation of stress responses, also known as “toxic stress,” which is in turn associated with greater instances of a 9 National Health Care for the Homeless Council. “Premature Mortality in Homeless Populations.” Accessed May 10, 2025. https://sbdww.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/PrematureMortalityFinal.pdf. 10 Reilly, Johanna, Angela Greenfield, Rebecca Gillam, and Peter L. H. Barrett. “A Systematic Review of the Effect of Stigma on the Health of People Experiencing Homelessness.” Health & Social Care in the Community 30, no. 6 (2022): 2128–2141. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13884.
11 Himmelstein, David U., Robert M. Lawless, Deborah Thorne, Pamela Foohey, and Steffie Woolhandler. “Medical Bankruptcy:
Still Common Despite the Affordable Care Act.” American Journal of Public Health 109, no. 3 (2019): 431–433. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2018.304901
12 Bielenberg, Joseph E., Maren Futrell, Benjamin Stover, and Annette Hagopian. “Presence of Any Medical Debt Associated With Two Additional Years of Homelessness in a Seattle Sample.” INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing 57 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1177/0046958020923535. 13 Riley, Elise D., Jennifer Cohen, Kelly Knight, et al. “Violence and Emergency Department Use among Community-Recruited Women Who Experience Homelessness and Housing Instability.” Journal of Urban Health. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7010900/#CR5.
ITEM NO. 15.
NEEDS ANALYSIS REPORT 7
variety of health, social, and developmental problems 14. Homeless children are two to four times more likely to have a mental health issue requiring clinical evaluation than low-income children15. Homeless infants are known to have poor birth outcomes, and homeless children are more likely to be diagnosed with respiratory infections, fevers, injuries, and nutritional problems than housed children16.
Homelessness impacts the entire community, not just those who are homeless. The impact on public services, particularly emergency room visits, is significant, with studies indicating homeless people use the emergency room significantly more than the general population,17, which are generally much more expensive than preventative care.
Other community and public health concerns include increased spread of communicable diseases due to lack of access to hygiene, healthcare, and shelter, and unsanitary conditions in campsites and improper waste disposal with impacts both to public health and the environment. Economic issues include potential reduction in property values or commercial activity in areas with visible homeless people or campsites. While harder to quantify, impacts on public safety and economic investment are widely perceived by communities at large. In addressing these concerns there is often a conflict between different policy objectives, as discussed below.
Policy Context
Local, State, and Federal housing policies, programs, and funding play a pivotal role in assisting local jurisdictions and service providers in preventing homelessness and addressing the homelessness crisis. Below, we will discuss how the West Valley municipalities, the State of California, and the Federal government all play vital roles in addressing homelessness. 14 Shonkoff, Jack P., Andrew S. Garner, et al. “The Lifelong Effects of Early Childhood Adversity and Toxic Stress.” Pediatrics 129, no. 1 (2012): e232–e246; https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/129/1/e232/31628/The-Lifelong-Effects-of-EarlyChildhood-Adversity 15 Bassuk, Ellen L., M. Beardslee, and J. Bassuk. “The Prevalence of Mental Illness in Homeless Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271536943.
16 Clark, Robin E., Marguerite E. Tracy, William B. Whitmore, et al. “Infants Exposed to Homelessness: Health, Health Care Use, and Health Spending from Birth to Age Six.” Health Affairs 38, no. 5 (2019): 721–728. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2019.00090.
17 Vohra, Neha, et al. “Homelessness and the use of Emergency Department as a source of healthcare” International Journal of Emergency Medicine. https://intjem.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12245-022-00435-3
ITEM NO. 15.
8 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JULY 24, 2025
Each of the West Valley municipalities is mandated by State law to draft a Housing Element and submit the element to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for review and approval. The Housing Element is one of seven mandated elements of each jurisdiction’s General Plan. The Housing Element process is complicated, but it essentially outlines how a city or county will plan for housing needs across different income levels. It is a policy document that identifies current and future housing needs, establishes goals and policies, and provides programs to address those needs, including affordable housing and housing for special needs populations, including homeless people and householders at risk of homelessness.
The State of California plays a role in enforcing State laws relating to housing development and providing resources to municipalities. HCD is responsible for reviewing and monitoring municipalities’ progress in implementing approved housing elements. In addition, State laws, such as Senate Bill 330 (SB 330) and Assembly Bill 1482 (AB 1482), place requirements on cities to streamline the housing development process, uphold renter protections and to comply with no net loss requirements relating to housing redevelopment. AB1482, the California Housing Crisis Act of 2019, provides a form of statewide rent control and just cause eviction protections for residential renters. It limits rent increases to five percent plus the local Consumer Price Index (CPI), or ten percent, whichever is less, and requires landlords to have a valid reason (just cause) to evict a tenant. The law went into effect on January 1, 2020, and is set to expire on January 1, 2030. SB 330, the Housing Crisis Act of 2019, is a California law that aims to address the State's housing shortage by streamlining the housing development process and protecting existing housing. It went into effect in 2020.
The State also provides annual funding allocations for affordable housing and homelessness services. HCD's Super NOFA (Super Notice of Funding Availability) was created to streamline and consolidate funding opportunities for affordable housing by combining previously separate funding streams into a single, streamlined application process for developers, aiming to make funds more accessible and equitable. The Super NOFA is broken down between ownership opportunities and multifamily opportunities. The Multifamily Super NOFA combines affordable development funding and funding opportunities for homeless military veterans. In addition, the State provides HomeKey and Homekey+ funding to provide transitional and permanent supportive housing for the homeless population.
ITEM NO. 15.
NEEDS ANALYSIS REPORT 9
Santa Clara County’s Department of Office of Supportive Housing (OSH) receives Federal McKinney Act funding for homeless and homeless prevention programs. OSH is responsible for the Continuum of Care (COC) by coordinating the County-wide homeless response, allocating funding throughout the County, and coordinating the Point-in-Time (PIT) homeless count.
Key Policy Implications
Several key findings with policy implications can be drawn from an analysis of the literature and practices of surrounding jurisdictions and are listed below. A bibliography is also provided at the end of this report.
Funding
The current unpredictability of federal and state funding negatively impacts the fight against homelessness by making it difficult to plan and implement effective programs. This can potentially lead to increased homelessness and setbacks in progress. This funding instability also undermines the ability of service providers to maintain stable staffing and operations and continue to provide service levels.
Coordination
Coordination across sectors, jurisdictions, and departments within jurisdictions is critical to developing and implementing lasting impact. As described subsequently, the Continuum of Care model, coordinated entry, the facilitation of coordinated responses by Santa Clara County and the West Valley Cities, the work across departments within cities, and public-private partnerships such as Destination: Home are best practices already underway.
Much of this approach is reflected in the 2020-2025 Community Plan to End Homelessness, which is currently being updated and is also described later in this assessment. Its three goals are to: address the root causes of homelessness through system and policy change, improve the quality of life for unsheltered individuals, and create healthy neighborhoods for all, and expand homelessness prevention and housing programs to meet the need.
Conflicting Policy Objectives
In addressing homelessness, there is often a conflict between different policy objectives. Some approaches are tailored toward minimizing immediate negative impacts on the community at large, such as the removal of encampments. These may provide relief from quality-of-life issues in the immediate area but may also exacerbate the difficulties homeless people experience.
ITEM NO. 15.
10 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JULY 24, 2025
While providing long-term housing solutions and preventing homelessness are broadly shared community goals, this approach may do little to address the immediate impacts of homelessness on either homeless people or the broader community. In practice, such policy choices are rarely an either-or choice, and a suite of approaches deployed together generally work best.
Challenges of Congregate Shelter
Many unhoused individuals and families prefer not to stay in congregate shelters for logical reasons. A congregate shelter is defined as a type of temporary housing facility that provides shelter for individuals and families in shared, open spaces with limited privacy. These challenges can result in many choosing to live in a car, RV, couch, or on the street 18. Approximately twice as many homeless people live outside the shelter system as within it 19. These challenges include:
• Concerns about safety and privacy in shelters. Communal living in homeless shelters can be a source of insecurity and unease for some individuals due to factors like the potential for theft, violence, and lack of privacy, especially for those with past traumatic experiences or vulnerable populations. Furthermore, restrictive rules and schedules, limited access to belongings, and the general feeling of being "dormed up" can contribute to a sense of confinement and disconnection.
• Lack of available shelter space, long waiting lists, or shelters are far or difficult to get to relative to where their social, economic, and health networks are located. • Shelters may prohibit pets, visitors, or a large volume of belongings. • While stringent sobriety requirements and the potential for separation of adults or families have been reduced at many facilities, particularly those that are not faith based, these remain concerns among homeless individuals and advocates. 18 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Understanding Encampments of People Experiencing Homelessness and Community Responses: Emerging Evidence as of Late 2018. Accessed May 10, 2025. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/Understanding-Encampments.pdf. 19 Ibid
ITEM NO. 15.
NEEDS ANALYSIS REPORT 11
Alternatives to the congregate model include safe parking programs, sanctioned camping sites, using hotels as temporary, transitional, or permanent non-congregate shelters, and the “tiny home” model of interim housing20.
Demographics and Disparities
The impacts on child development, families with children, and youth aging out of foster care cannot be understated. 21 According to a report from the Terner Institute, stark racial and ethnic disparities in California’s homelessness rates continue to grow22. For instance, despite making up a small percentage of the state's population, Black individuals are disproportionately represented in the homeless population, with a significant increase in their share of the unsheltered population. According to the report, “Black people in California experienced the highest rate of homelessness, about 205 people per 10,000—almost five times higher than the state’s overall homelessness rate of 44 per 10,000. Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, Native American and Indigenous, and multiracial people also experienced disparate homelessness rates compared to the state’s overall population.” Similar disproportionate rate of homelessness of Black, Hispanic, and Native individuals are reflected in Santa Clara County and the West Valley area 23.
Importance of Housing
Affordable housing is crucial to addressing homelessness because it directly tackles the core issue: lack of stable, affordable housing. When people struggle to afford housing, they become vulnerable to losing their homes and falling into homelessness. By increasing the supply of affordable housing, the number of people experiencing homelessness decreases, and those currently experiencing homelessness find stable homes. When rents and property prices 20 Finnigan, Ryan. “Five Recent Trends in Homelessness in California.” Terner Center for Housing Innovation, UC Berkeley.
October 2023. https://ternercenter.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Five-Trends-in-CA-Homelessness_Oct-2023-
5.pdf.
21 Murran, Sarah, and Emma Brady. “How Does Family Homelessness Impact on Children’s Development? A Critical Review of the Literature.” Child & Family Social Work 28, no. 2 (2023): 360–371. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12968. 22 Finnigan, Ryan. “Five Recent Trends in Homelessness in California.” Terner Center for Housing Innovation, UC Berkeley.
October 2023. https://ternercenter.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Five-Trends-in-CA-Homelessness_Oct-2023-
5.pdf.
23 Olivet, Jeff, et al., SPARC/Destination: Home. “Race and Homelessness In Santa Clara County, California.” January 31, 2020. https://destinationhomesv.org/wpcontent/uploads/2020/02/RacialEquityReport0131020.pdf?mc_cid=06a7865957&mc_eid=53a9a53ca3.
ITEM NO. 15.
12 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JULY 24, 2025
increase and wages polarize or don't keep pace, low-income households are at higher risk of losing their housing and becoming homeless.
Short-term and long-term solutions to homelessness are crucial, with short-term interventions providing immediate relief and a path to long-term stability. Short-term solutions, like emergency shelters, offer shelter and access to immediate support services, including mental health and substance abuse programs and assistance. Long-term solutions, such as low barrier, rapid rehousing programs and permanent supportive housing, address many of the underlying dynamics of homelessness and enable individuals to achieve self-sufficiency.
Root Causes and Upstream Issues
Homelessness is a complex issue with certain factors being both a cause and impact of homelessness across economic, social, and personal domains. Some of the upstream causes of homelessness reflect broader dynamics in society, such as income inequality and healthcare access. Addressing them completely may be beyond the scope of local government, however, there are actions local governments can take—alone and in partnership—to make a significant positive impact.
Housing affordability relative to income is a key driver of homelessness 24. The importance of local governments to encourage the production and preservation of housing at all income levels, and especially at the extremely low-income level, is exceedingly important. While local public subsidies for the development of units are important, the local land use regulatory tools of local government, including but not limited to inclusionary housing programs and community benefits agreements, may have even greater potential for impact.
Prevention of homelessness is crucial. Once someone becomes homeless it is significantly more difficult to get them back into permanent housing. The Homelessness Prevention System, piloted by Destination: Home 25 in 2017, is a nationally recognized model for homelessness prevention piloted in Silicon Valley. A six-year randomized control trial showed that immediate financial assistance to at risk families is a proven solution to keeping families from becoming 24 Powell, Alvin. “Why It’s So Hard to End Homelessness in America.” Harvard Gazette. January 2024. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2024/01/why-its-so-hard-to-end-homelessness-in-america/. 25 https://destinationhomesv.org/
ITEM NO. 15.
NEEDS ANALYSIS REPORT 13
homeless 26. Similarly, home sharing programs can be an important part of the homelessness prevention ecosystem as they can unlock lower cost housing options relatively quickly and serve to reduce social isolation. However, providers underscore that they are usually not practical for the rapid rehousing of people who are currently homeless. Although not ideal for every community, home-sharing programs have proven effective for achieving functional zero homelessness in many communities, such as Redondo Beach, California. Home-sharing programs are also an important part of the overall response to housing and homelessness in nearby counties such as San Mateo County, which operates a program in partnership with HIP Housing.
Another key tool of local government is raising awareness and promoting actions to address homelessness that can be made at the state or federal levels. Regional and subregional efforts to raise awareness and advocate for increased funding can often be a more effective approach than individual communities doing so alone.
Methodology
This research triangulates quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and insights from best practices and other research. Quantitative analysis is based on the following core data sources:
2024 Vulnerability Index - Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT): A survey and database used to collect data for the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and additional data that allows municipal staff to categorize and prioritize needs in the community.
2023 Point-in-Time Count (PIT Count): A count of sheltered and unsheltered homeless people on a single night in January.
Qualitative analysis is based on interviews with stakeholders that included local jurisdiction staff, service providers, and homeless individuals. Meetings and interviews with staff from Santa Clara County, and the cities of Campbell, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Saratoga were conducted between February and April 2025.
26 Phillips, David, and James X. Sullivan. “Do Homelessness Prevention Programs Prevent Homelessness? Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial.” The Review of Economics and Statistics (2023). https://doi.org/10.1162/rest_a_01344.
ITEM NO. 15.
14 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JULY 24, 2025
An initial list of service providers was developed in consultation with staff from Campbell, Santa Clara County, Destination: Home, and the four additional West Valley cities. Additional service providers were interviewed at the recommendation of some of the initial interviews. These stakeholders include service providers active in one or more of the five West Valley cities and are listed below. Service provider interviews were conducted between February and April 2025.
Interviews with currently homeless individuals were conducted in March and April 2025.
Interviews were conducted in person in March 2025 and were facilitated by Campbell’s Unhoused Specialist. Additional observational findings were also made in the field, including from individuals who did not wish to be interviewed. An additional interview was conducted via Zoom and email correspondence as a result of outreach made by a homeless advocate and homeless individual to the project team.
The quantitative and qualitative findings are supported by a literature review of relevant research and public documents regarding related topics, best practices understood in the field today. A list of key resources consulted is included as an attachment to this report.
Service Provider Stakeholders Interviewed
Hope's Corner Abode Services
Los Gatos United Methodist Shower Ministry Campbell Unhoused Specialist HomeFirst Catholic Charities
LifeMoves Amigos de Guadalupe
SVILC St Lukes Pantry Program
WVCS St Mary's Catholic Church
Silicon Valley Safe Parking Destination: Home
Saratoga Rotating Safe Car Park
Table 1. Service Provider Stakeholders Interviewed
ITEM NO. 15.
NEEDS ANALYSIS REPORT 15
Quantitative Needs Analysis
Available quantitative data was analyzed across several factors including unduplicated intakes over time, location across each of the five cities, how long they have been homeless, and demographic breakdowns by age, gender, household (family) type, and race and ethnicity.
The number of homeless people by City, with the data from the Point-in-Time count (individuals) in blue and the data extrapolated from the VI-SPDAT entries (households) in green, is shown in Figure 2. While it is not reflected in the data presented, we know from prior VISPDAT data and interviews with service providers that some homeless people have recently been associated with Monte Sereno.
Figure 2. Homeless Counts by City
Each instance reflected in the data was input following a comprehensive methodology. While these numbers are among the best available, they should be understood to be an absolute floor for the instance of homelessness. This data does not attempt to quantify the total number of homeless people in the community. For example, someone would not be counted if they had not completed a VI-SPDAT assessment or were couch surfing or living in an RV on private property and not visible on the night of the Point-in-Time count. The two data sets were also developed using substantially different methodologies; no trend over time can be inferred from 92 81
48 0 0
209
60 95
19 0
50 100
150
200
250
Campbell Los Gatos Cupertino Monte Sereno Saratoga
Homeless Counts by City (2023 PIT Count, Total 221 Individuals) Homeless Counts by City (2024 VI-SPDAT, Total 383 Households)
ITEM NO. 15.
16 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JULY 24, 2025
the VI-SPDAT data collected in 2024 relative to the Point-in-Time data collected in 2023. Pointin-Time data for 2025 is only available County-wide as of publication. The 2025 data indicates homelessness has increased by 8.2 percent since the 2023 count 27.
Figure 3. Homeless Inflow - First Time VI-SPDAT Assessment 2016-2024 (VI-SPDAT) Individuals in the Point-in-Time are included if they are seen on the morning of the count. In the counts, people are associated with a city based on where they are located on a specific night during the count. This involves identifying and counting individuals experiencing homelessness in shelters, transitional housing, or on the streets within the city's designated area. Whereas with the VI-SDAT assessment, the homeless individuals self-identify in which city they last lived, worked, where any children go to school, or where they spend most of their time. While multiple entries were allowed, only six households are counted in more than one West Valley jurisdiction.
27 County of Santa Clara, California. “County of Santa Clara Releases Preliminary Results of 2025 Point‑in‑Time Homeless Count.” County News Center, June 20, 2025. Accessed July 17, 2025. https://news.santaclaracounty.gov/county-santa-clara-releasespreliminary-results-2025-point-time-homeless-count 215
244
255
222
166
139 143
212 214
0 50
100
150
200
250
300
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
ITEM NO. 15.
NEEDS ANALYSIS REPORT 17
Figure 3. Homeless Inflow - First Time VI-SPDAT Assessment 2016-2024, illustrates the number of first-time VI-SPDAT assessments during the corresponding years. It can be noted that the number of assessments was lower during the height of the COVID pandemic but sharply increased in 2023 to above the nine-year average of 201.
During the VI-SPDAT assessment, the homeless individuals or families are asked how long they have been homeless. Figure 8., below, shows the West Valley cities saw a higher percentage of individuals who are more recently experiencing homelessness than the remainder of the County.
It also shows that 51 percent have been homeless for two years or more. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines chronic homelessness as: "An individual who has been experiencing continuous homelessness for a year or more or has experienced at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years, where each episode is at least 30 days in length" 28. While the exact percentage may vary slightly depending on the source, 20 percent of the homeless population in the U.S. is a commonly cited figure for those experiencing chronic homelessness. Also of concern is the high percentage of individuals becoming homeless between one week and three months.
28 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Accessed May 10, 2025. https://www.hud.gov/.
Figure 4. Demographics by Gender in 2024 (VI-SPDAT) Figure 5. Household Type in 2024 (VI-SPDAT) 50% 50%
62%
38%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Man Woman / Other
By Gender
West Valley Cities (n=382)
Non-West Valley Cities (n=7,943)
63%
19% 19%
77%
17%
6%
Single Adult Families with Children Single Youth and
Young Adult
By Household Type (Based on
Type of VI-SPDAT Completed)
West Valley Cities (n=382)
Non-West Valley Cities (n=7,943)
ITEM NO. 15.
18 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JULY 24, 2025
Figure 4. Demographics by Gender in 2024 (VI-SPDAT), indicates a much higher percentage of women clients in the West Valley geography than the remainder of the County (50 percent compared to 38 percent) while Figure 5. Household Type in 2024 (VI-SPDAT), indicates a significantly higher proportion of youth and young adults relative to the remainder of the County (19 percent compared to 6 percent).
Figure 9. Most Frequent Sleeping Location by Household in 2024, indicates West Valley individuals were more likely to sleep in their car or couch surf than the remainder of the County but less likely to utilize a shelter bed. It also shows 31 percent of households sleep outside and 28 percent in a car compared with 11 percent in shelters and 6 percent in transitional housing.
West Valley individuals were also more likely to be White and less likely to be Hispanic/Latino than the remainder of the County. The largest homeless population in the West Valley identifies as White and second largest as Hispanic, however, those who identify as Hispanic or Black are
Figure 6. Demographics by Age in 2024 (VI-SPDAT) Figure 7. Overall and Homeless Population in West Valley by Race and Ethnicity in 2024 (VI-SPDAT, ACS)
20% 19%
21%
16%
15%
10%
9%
21%
25%
19%
18%
8%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
18 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 54 55 to 64 65 or
Above
West Valley Cities (n=382)
Non-West Valley Cities (n=7,943)
0%
46%
1%
8%
5%
0%
39%
8%
6%
15%
52%
0%
3%
23%
7%
6%
14%
35%
1%
3%
42%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
American Indian, Alaska
Native, or Indigenous
Asian or Asian American
Black, African American, or
African
Hispanic/Latina/e/o
Other
Native Hawaiian or Pacific
Islander
White (NonHispanic/Latina/e/o)
WV Homeless Individuals by Race and Ethnicity (2024 VISPDAT) Non-WV Homeless Individuals by Race and Ethnicity
(2024 VI-SPDAT)
Population Estimates (2023 ACS)
ITEM NO. 15.
NEEDS ANALYSIS REPORT 19
Figure 8. Time Since Lived in Permanent Stable Housing for 2024 First Time VI-SPDAT Assessment Households (VI-SPDAT) Figure 9. Most Frequent Sleeping Location by Household in 2024 (VI-SPDAT)
Figure 10. By Self-Reported Disability/Vulnerability (VI-SPDAT) Figure 11. By Level of Housing Intervention (Based on VISPDAT Score) 60%
13%
9%
7%
9%
2%
51%
13%
7%
10%
16%
4%
2 years or more
1 - 2 years
6 months to 1 year
3 - 6 months
1 week - 3 months
Less than a week
West Valley Cities (n=382)
Non-West Valley Cities (n=7,943)
5%
7%
16%
8%
21%
41%
5%
8%
12%
16%
28%
31%
Transitional
Housing
Other
Shelters/
Safe Haven
Couch
Surfing
Car
Outdoors
West Valley Cities (n=382)
Non-West Valley Cities (n=7,943)
45%
27%
24%
19%
43%
34%
30%
26%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Domestic
Violence
Survivor
Mental
Health
Physical Drinking and
Drug Use
West Valley Cities (n=382)
Non-West Valley Cities (n=7,943)
7%
42%
51%
7%
33%
60%
Minimal RRH Range PSH Range
West Valley Cities (n=382)
Non-West Valley Cities (n=7,943)
ITEM NO. 15.
20 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JULY 24, 2025
substantially overrepresented relative to the general population. Overall percentages for each race/ethnicity from the American Community Survey (ACS) 29 are provided for comparison. The race/ethnicity percentage is taken against the overall numbers from the ACS and VI-SPDAT, which rely on different methodologies. The relative percentages should be considered as indicative, but no inferences should be made at a granular level.
Figure 10. By Self-Reported Disability/Vulnerability (VI-SPDAT) indicates a higher domestic violence survivor rate and lower mental, physical, and drinking/drug use rate than the remainder of the County. Figure 11. By Level of Housing Intervention (Based on VI-SPDAT Score) shows a higher share of clients appropriate for Rapid Rehousing and lower for Permanent Supportive Housing than the rest of the County.
The VI-SPDAT data shows the homeless population in the West Valley cities is largely single adults, unaccompanied youth and families with children make up 37 percent of homeless households. An unaccompanied youth is defined as someone under the age of 21 who is living either on the streets, in a youth shelter or “couch surfing” and has no adult relative accompanying them. Also of note is that females make up 48 percent of the population, roughly equivalent to the general population. However, women and families tend to be less visible.
Homeless women may be less visible on the local streets because women may be in domestic abuse shelters and families avoid being seen on the street for fear that their children may be taken away from them. Also, during the days, children attend school, and parents are often working and remain less visible.
Existing Programs, Services, and Systems
Good City Company contacted the five West Valley cities to interview key staff members on services that the cities were funding and providing and services being provided by other community partners. Numerous participants, including service providers, local agencies, data collectors, and strategy and program development support, are striving to address one or more aspects of homelessness. The programs identified through the research to date are described below.
29 United States Census Bureau. “2023 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles, American Community Survey (ACS).” Accessed May 10, 2025. https://data.census.gov/table?q=DP05&g=160XX00US0610345,0617610,0644112,0648956,0670280.
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Programs Identified
Table 2, below, is a brief overview of each of the services. A short narrative on each program being offered is also provided, with information on the number of clients being served. In the feasibility portion of this report, more details on the overall services will be provided, such as hotel vouchers, rotating safe parking, safe parking programs, etc.
Jurisdiction Clients
Served
Annually
(approx.)
Services
Provided
Service
Provider
Description
Los Gatos 14 Hotel Voucher
Program
City of Los
Gatos/Los
Gatos Faith
based
community
The City provides hotel vouchers
during inclement weather
Los Gatos 29 Food Pantry/
Clothing/Laun
dry/Showers
Faith based
community
Faith based community provides
lunches, laundry vouchers, clothing
to homeless people
Campbell TBD Hotel Voucher
Program
Silicon Valley
Independent
Living Center
Provides hotel vouchers during
inclement weather, phase II will
expand to include older adults and
disabilities
Campbell 20 (13/night) Silicon Valley
Safe Parking
Program, car
repair funding
and gas cards
Amigos de
Guadalupe/Fai
th based
community
Provides safe parking along with case
management, workshops,
Community Nights, laundry cards,
showers, car repair funds, and gas
cards
Campbell 133 Unhoused
Specialist
Staffing
Position
Destination:
Home Grant
Campbell received a grant to cover
the salary for an unhoused specialist
for three years.
Monte
Sereno
N/A Funding Unidentified The City has set aside $20,000 in its budget to provide homeless
services in the West Valley region.
The Council has yet to identify a
project to support.
ITEM NO. 15.
22 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JULY 24, 2025
Jurisdiction Clients
Served
Annually
(approx.)
Services
Provided
Service
Provider
Description
Saratoga,
Cupertino
(portions of
San Jose)
20 (up to) Rotating Safe
Car Park
Faith based
community
Safe parking program operates in
Saratoga and West San Jose at local
churches. Wi-Fi and food provided.
Cupertino,
Saratoga,
Campbell,
Los Gatos
75 Cupertino;
25 soft checkins for
Saratoga,
Campbell, Los
Gatos
Ready to eat
meals,
clothing, vet
services, parkit market, Case
management
West Valley
Community
Services
WVCS provides services at its
Cupertino location and with its
mobile food pantry. Services include
case management, ready-to-eat
meals, clothing, veterinary services
for pets, and dental clinics.
Campbell,
Los Gatos,
Saratoga
22 Case
management
Abode
Services
Provides case management in three
of the West Valley cities.
Throughout
Santa Clara
County
TBC Homeless
Healthcare
Programs
Santa Clara
Valley
Healthcare
Mobile clinic and street medicine
team
Throughout
Santa Clara
County
94 Case
management,
transitional
housing, and
shelters in the
County
LifeMoves Tiny Homes and transitional shelters
serve WV residents outside of those
jurisdictions
Throughout
Santa Clara
County
18 Temporary
housing and
support
services for
youth
Bill Wilson
Center
Shelters are not located in the WV
cities, but services are offered to all
WV cities.
Los Gatos Hotel Voucher Program
In June 2023, the Town of Los Gatos Town Council approved $50,000 for unhoused services. Of the $50,000, $10,000 was allocated to a shower ministry program, $20,000 towards a temporary Table 2. Existing Programs and Services Overview
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NEEDS ANALYSIS REPORT 23
restroom and $20,000 for a hotel voucher program.
The program has provided 211 hotel nights booked during emergencies triggered by severe weather conditions like extreme heat (100 degrees Fahrenheit), extreme cold (below 40 degrees Fahrenheit), poor air quality (above 150 on the Air Quality Index), and/or medical situations requiring a short-term stay. The hotel vouchers are only available to known members of the Los Gatos’ homeless community. There are currently nineteen people on this known unhoused list (14 have used the vouchers at places like Los Gatos Lodge, the Garden Inn, and the Best Western). There have also been three qualifying “medical stays.” Los Gatos Food Pantry, Clothing Closet, Laundry Voucher, and Showers Los Gatos Methodist Church conducts a weekly outreach program on Thursdays from 2–3:30 PM at the church gym, offering showers, lunch, toiletries, and new socks and undergarments.
The program is primarily funded by the congregation and community donations, with the Town of Los Gatos contributing funding to cover cleaning services for the showers. The program serves 8–14 mostly senior, male regulars. St. Vincent de Paul provides laundry vouchers, and gift cards to places like Subway and Togo's are also distributed.
Bill Wilson Cetner
The Bill Wilson Center (BWC) offers a range of services to the West Valley Cities, including temporary housing, mental health care, supportive services, and advocacy, with a focus on ending youth and family homelessness. They provide services to runaway and homeless youth, young adults, and families, helping them develop self-confidence and personal assets. The Bill Wilson Center provided services to 18 households affiliated with the West Valley in 2024.
Abode
Abode is a major homeless services provider in the Bay Area and provides a variety of services, including interim housing. Abode provided targeted street outreach services to 22 high vulnerability individuals affiliated with the West Valley in 2024 Campbell Hotel Voucher Program
In December 2024, the City of Campbell City Council allocated $147,500 to the Silicon Valley Independent Living Center (SVILC) to operate a hotel voucher program serving homeless
ITEM NO. 15.
24 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JULY 24, 2025
people. The two-year pilot program offers up to 30 nights a year in the city’s Motel 6 for homeless individuals and families, as well as those on the verge of homelessness. In total, the program could provide up to nine hundred overnight stays over the two-year period. SVILC will provide support services during the stays, including mental health services, job support, case management, referrals to substance abuse programs, and food.
Silicon Valley Safe Parking Program
The Silicon Valley Safe Parking Program (SVSP) partners with Amigos de Guadalupe, the City of Campbell, and the City of San Jose, and operates in Campbell and Willow Glen/West San Jose.
The program provides rotating safe parking sites at local churches. Through a grant from the City of Campbell, Amigos de Guadalupe offers a car repair program and gas cards. In addition, a contract from the Santa Clara County’s OSH funds case management, workshops, community meals, laundry cards, and free shower access. In addition to support services, such as referrals to mental health and substance abuse programs, clients may receive assistance to pay for car registration or minor car repairs.
Campbell Unhoused Specialist
The City of Campbell has a budgeted
Unhoused Specialist position that had been
filled throughout the first half of 2025 but was
recently vacated. The position is funded for the
next three years by a grant from Destination:
Home. The specialist proactively conducts
outreach in the streets and other publicly
accessible areas to connect individuals with
services and support. Key activities include
identifying homeless individuals, engaging in
conversations with them, and conducting a VISPDAT intake survey to determine eligibility for housing programs such as permanent
supportive housing, transitional housing, and
rapid rehousing. The specialist provides
information about available community
resources and services such as food pantries
and the shelter hotline phone number. They Figure 12. Hygiene Kit (Image credit: City of Campbell)
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also distribute hygiene kits (soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, etc.), and has bottles of water and other frequently needed supplies. The specialist also plays an important role in providing feedback to City staff regarding the needs of homeless people in the community.
Rotating Safe Car Park (RSCP)
The Rotating Safe Car Park operates in the West
Valley, mostly in Cupertino, West San Jose, and
Saratoga. The faith-based community commits
to serving up to sixteen vehicles for at least one
month and up to three months per calendar
year. Participants park overnight at the current
RSCP location and receive access to additional
supportive services. Each location offers a
hospitality hour where guests can socialize and
enjoy home-cooked meals or snack foods.
Personal items (e.g., socks, toothbrushes,
sleeping bags) are distributed, as needed.
Amigos de Guadelupe also provides case
management to some of the program
participants.
West Valley Community Services Programs
West Valley Community Services (WVCS) offers
services to Cupertino, Los Gatos, and Saratoga. WVCS has a mobile market which serves clients living in Los Gatos, Saratoga, and West San Jose with barriers to transportation. The homeless people in these communities can also receive ready-to-eat meals and fresh fruit or vegetables from the mobile market. The organization offers pop-up dental and pet clinics at the WVCS site in Cupertino. WVCS’s Haven to Home Program serves the homeless community by providing supportive services and resources. The Haven to Home program offers homeless clients access to food, bus passes, laundry funds, hygiene kits, shelter referrals, safe parking, and employment resources. In addition to the services, the agency also partners with the Rotating Safe Car Park to provide support services.
“It is a difficult and timeconsuming to recruit new
churches and other
community organizations
to host safe parking sites.
Community members have
valid concerns. They can be
overcome, but it can take a
long time.”
Brian Link, Silicon Valley Safe Parking
ITEM NO. 15.
26 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JULY 24, 2025
Santa Clara Valley Healthcare Homeless Healthcare Programs The Valley Homeless Healthcare Program includes fixed location clinics and three mobile health centers 30. This overall program operates at a much larger geography across Santa Clara County that includes the West Valley cities. The Backpack Homeless Healthcare Program utilizes a “street medicine” program to send trained professionals with medical supplies to provide healthcare services to people where they are located31. An after-hours nurse advice hotline is also available.
Other agencies also provided services to households affiliated with the West Valley in 2024, including emergency shelter beds. These include HomeFirst (125 households) LifeMoves (80 households), the Salvation Army (23 households), Family Supportive Housing - San Jose Family Shelter (16 households), People Assisting the Homeless (9 households), and Willow Glen Studios at Pedro Street interim housing (6 households), When available, the vast majority of emergency shelter beds in the County are located within the City of San Jose, with additional shelter locations in Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Gilroy, Santa Clara, and Palo Alto.
Systems and Supports
Santa Clara County Continuum of Care (CoC)
In 1995, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) introduced a new policy requiring communities to submit a single application for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants. This streamlined approach aimed at enhancing coordination among housing and service providers on a local level and promotes the development of Continuums of Care (CoCs). By mandating a single application, HUD sought to encourage a more structured and strategic approach to both housing and service provision for homeless individuals. CoCs, in turn, offered a strategic framework by providing homeless households with housing and services tailored to their diverse needs. HUD distributes funding to Santa Clara County through the Continuum of Care Program, and in turn, the Santa Clara County CoC distributes funding to programs serving Santa Clara County.
30 Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. “Valley Homeless Healthcare Program (VHHP).” Accessed May 10, 2025. https://scvmc.scvh.org/hospitals-clinics/valley-homeless-health-care-program-vhhp. 31 Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. “Backpack Homeless Healthcare Program.” Accessed May 10, 2025. https://scvmc.scvh.org/hospitals-clinics/valley-homeless-health-care-program-vhhp/backpack-homeless-healthcareprogram.
ITEM NO. 15.
NEEDS ANALYSIS REPORT 27
In Santa Clara County, the CoC is made up of a group of stakeholders committed to ending and preventing homelessness in our community. CoC responsibilities include implementing community-wide efforts to end homelessness and ensuring programmatic and systemic effectiveness. Through CoC, the County has implemented a coordinated entry process to match homeless people to community resources. The CoC is also charged with tracking and managing homeless households in its area of coverage. This includes the biannual homeless counts referred to as the Point-in-Time count.
In 2024, the County of Santa Clara received nearly $48 million in Continuum of Care grants to provide rental subsidies and supportive services to vulnerable populations, including people fleeing domestic violence, youth transitioning out of foster care, and to address homelessness and those at risk of homelessness. These grants are the County’s largest source of federal funding to address homelessness, ensuring people are housed and have necessary supportive services. It also helps fund the HMIS system that tracks homelessness data.
Coordinated Entry
The coordinated entry system is designed to help homeless people find housing and support services more efficiently. It creates a standardized, consistent process for accessing services, assessing needs, prioritizing those most in need, and connecting people with appropriate resources. In the County’s coordinated entry system, any homeless individual can complete a standard assessment tool called the Vulnerability Index-Service Prioritization Decision Assessment Tool or VI-SPDAT. This assessment considers a household’s situation and identifies the best type of housing program to serve you.
VI-SPDAT
VI-SPDAT (Vulnerability Index - Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool) is a survey used to assess the needs and vulnerabilities of individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness. It helps prioritize those most in need of available supportive, transitional, or permanent housing.
The VI-SPIDAT assessment is organized into steps. First, trained community partners conduct the VI-SPIDAT assessment at shelters, support service locations, or while conducting outreach.
The gathered information is entered into the HMIS system, and the households/individuals receive a vulnerability score. After receiving the vulnerability score, clients are placed in the community queue, based on the score, for Rapid Rehousing (RR), Transitional Housing (TH), or Public Housing and Supportive Services (PSH). Eligible households who are the most vulnerable and the most in need will be connected to available housing programs first.
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28 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JULY 24, 2025
HMIS
HMIS is an acronym for Homeless Management Information System. It is a database that collects and tracks data on homeless individuals and families or those at risk of becoming homeless. HMIS coordinated entry gathers information on demographics, housing status, service needs, and other relevant data points about individuals and families served by homeless assistance programs. This database helps agencies coordinate services, track outcomes, and improve the overall effectiveness of programs for homeless households. Participation in HMIS is a federal requirement for agencies to access federal funding. 2020-2025 Community Plan to End Homelessness
In 2015, community partners joined forces to create a roadmap for ending homelessness in Santa Clara County. The plan centered around a collaborative response and the Housing First model. The 2020-2025 Community Plan to End Homelessness, which was endorsed by every city in the County, set an ambitious goal to create 6,000 new housing opportunities and identified innovative strategies and programs for reducing homelessness. The 2020–2025 Community Plan to End Homelessness, which serves as a roadmap for ending homelessness in Santa Clara County, is organized around three main strategies:
1) Address the root causes of homelessness through system and policy change. 2) Improve the quality of life for unsheltered individuals and create healthy neighborhoods for all.
3) Expand homelessness prevention and housing programs to meet the need.
An update to the Community Plan is underway, and additional information is expected to be available around the time of publication of this report.
Destination: Home
Destination: Home, a public-private partnership, aims to end homelessness. Founded in 2008, it emerged from a Blue-Ribbon Commission’s recognition of the need for a collaborative approach to achieve collective impact in our community. In 2011, Destination: Home officially became an initiative of the Health Trust and played a pivotal role in launching Housing 1,000, a three-year campaign to house 1,000 of the most vulnerable chronically homeless individuals,
ITEM NO. 15.
NEEDS ANALYSIS REPORT 29
including men, women, and families. The
campaign’s success paved the way for the
adoption of a Housing First approach in Santa
Clara County and laid the foundation for the
2016 voter approval of a historic $950 million
investment in affordable housing in Santa Clara
County, Measure A. In 2017, Destination: Home
transitioned into a Supporting Organization
under the umbrella of the Silicon Valley
Community Foundation.
Destination: Home convenes and collaborates with stakeholders across our community to advance strategies that address the root causes of homelessness and help ensure that all community members have a chance for a stable home. The organization advocates policies, develops ideas and programs, and invests in strategies that reduce and prevent homelessness.
West Valley Jurisdiction Homeless Services Collaboration Since 2023, staff from the West Valley city’s Community Development and Housing Departments have been meeting monthly to collaborate and share resources in addressing homelessness and housing goals. The cities have collectively sponsored a housing fair, including service providers with unhoused services, and have met with affordable housing developers to discuss opportunities for development.
While there is a lack of dedicated homeless shelters in the vicinity of the five West Valley cities, they have all agreed to collaborate on a feasibility study to explore the feasibility of a shelter and other support services and programs that could be offered. A Memorandum of Understanding among the five cities was developed in Fall of 2024. The cities also continue to work with the County of Santa Clara and other organizations to provide resources and support.
Interviews and Insights of Homeless Individuals
Central themes from in-depth interviews with three homeless individuals in the West Valley area are described below. Most of the individuals were raised in the West Valley area, while one had moved to the Bay Area approximately three years prior. Note that these themes were all “Not having housing is life
threatening.”
Local Homeless Resident
ITEM NO. 15.
30 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JULY 24, 2025
consistent with the conversations and interviews separately conducted by the Campbell Unhoused Specialist in their interactions.
General Themes
• All expressed a notably elevated level of concern for others living on the street. • All felt that broader community is not bothered by the existence of homeless people within their own community, but that they are bothered when they must see it.
Needs Identified by Homeless Individuals
A generally consistent set of needs was identified by the homeless individuals we spoke with.
Permanent housing was the top need, followed by several other needs, listed in approximate order of priority:
• Permanent Housing (including permanent
supportive housing)
• Transportation access (specifically free or
discounted transit passes)
• Health care access (including doctors’
offices, pharmacy, and OTC meds)
• Lack of somewhere to safely store
possessions/things are regularly stolen
• Difficulty charging phones
• Difficulty of moving from one camping
site to another camping site
• Difficulty in participating processes to
address homelessness
Gap Analysis
A homeless services gap analysis is a tool used to identify unmet needs within a community's system for addressing homelessness. It helps pinpoint areas where services are lacking or insufficient, allowing for better resource allocation and targeted interventions. It assesses the current system and compares it to what is needed to effectively address homelessness. “It is the government’s job
to overcome the chaos of
homelessness and provide
real solutions.”
Local Homeless Resident
ITEM NO. 15.
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Gaps in Services for Currently Homeless People
The gaps in service described below are informed by service providers and City and County staff and an assessment of research and best practices. Most were also reinforced by conversations held with homeless individuals.
Housing
Affordable housing, whether temporary or permanent, is a high need not just in the West Valley, but throughout Santa Clara County and California. According to Destination:
Home, at least 75 percent of Santa Clara County’s homeless population are unsheltered.
This means they are living on the streets, in vehicles, tents or other places not suitable for habitation. Although jurisdictions in the West Valley offer safe parking sites and hotel stays, none of these are classified as transitional or permanent housing. Housing to serve homeless households specifically includes the following:
Permanent affordable housing includes the construction of 100 percent affordable developments, inclusionary units,, the provision of Section 8 vouchers, and the rehabilitation of existing units to serve the extremely low-income. In addition, extremely low-income (ELI) units can be provided in mixed-income housing developments.
Permanent supportive housing combines longer-term rental assistance with supportive services and case management for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness. In the West Valley area there are presently six units of permanent supportive housing in Cupertino and 23 that have been approved in Campbell. 32 Temporary shelters, both congregate and non-congregate, include warming centers, cold weather shelters, and shelters associated with navigation centers. Santa Clara County has the largest total population of homeless individuals, the highest rate of unsheltered homeless, and lowest shelter beds relative to individuals needing support of any of the nine Bay Area counties. When shelter beds are available in other parts of the County, barriers to connecting West Valley residents to those beds include transportation challenges and the disruption of existing geographically rooted social, health, and economic networks. Currently, the Town of Los Gatos offers hotel stays for inclement 32 County of Santa Clara, Office of Supportive Housing, Supportive Housing Development Update, January 28, 2025, https://files.santaclaracounty.gov/exjcpb1571/2025-01/housing-bond-report-25.pdf.
ITEM NO. 15.
32 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JULY 24, 2025
weather to approximately 29 known unhoused individuals. The program has served 14 individuals over the last year. The City of Campbell recently started a hotel stay program, which will offer up to 30 nights a year for unhoused individuals and families, as well as those on the brink of homelessness. That could amount to as many as 900 overnight stays over the two-year trial period. Silicon Valley Independent Living Center provides support services during the stays, including mental health care, job support, connections to housing programs, case management, substance abuse programs, and food.
Physically Coordinated Services
Service providers believe the homeless community could benefit from multiple service providers being available at one location, whether it is a brick-and-mortar navigation center like the San Mateo County Navigation Center or a mobile navigation center that travels to various locations. Despite outreach workers’ best efforts, it is often more effective for service providers to engage with households in their current living location or encampments. Currently, physically coordinated navigation services are not available in any of the West Valley jurisdictions.
Safety
Some people experiencing homelessness
may choose to sleep on the street instead
of in a shelter due to various factors,
including safety concerns, mental health
issues, and a preference for their routines
and independence. Shelters can feel
overwhelming due to crowded
environments, rules, and a perceived lack
of safety, even though sleeping on the
street may leave them more vulnerable.
Transience
Moving frequently is difficult for homeless people. They try to stay in areas where they are comfortable living but are often asked to move by property owners or law enforcement. This means that they must relocate several times a month or even during a week. Moving can often be additionally destabilizing. This is a problem which will impact “People steal stuff. They
will steal it right out from
under you when you are
asleep.”
Local Homeless Resident
ITEM NO. 15.
NEEDS ANALYSIS REPORT 33
nearly all unhoused individuals and families.
Transportation
Transportation has been mentioned multiple times by service providers as something that is lacking for the West Valley unhoused. Often, major bus lines are only available along the larger corridors. Transportation options are needed for the mobility-challenged to access health care appointments and to access shelter opportunities. Interviews with stakeholders and support service providers indicate that very few of the unhoused are able to secure transit passes.
Healthcare, Mental Health, Substance Use Services
Many homeless people do not have access to sufficient medical, mental health, or substance use services. Many service providers and homeless people who were interviewed have expressed a need for bringing free dental and health care to homeless people in addition to the mental health services and substance abuse programs offered by support service providers.
Outreach and Case Management
Lighter-touch outreach reaching more individuals and more intensive casework were identified as needs. There is a call for more coordinated case management at some rotating safe parking sites and the faith-based service locations. This would mean a case manager who works with the clients to put together comprehensive goals and plans to secure housing and a job. This can be accomplished through a service provider like Abode or Amigos de Guadalupe, a County Office of Supportive Housing (OSH) assigned caseworker or through the mobile/brick and mortar navigation center. The case manager would be able to provide the VI-SPDAT intake, which would not only provide demographics to the County, but may lead to the individual receiving much-needed services, including housing.
Connectivity
Often, homeless individuals need a means of communication to sign up for support services. It can also be exceedingly difficult for homeless individuals to receive or submit paperwork due to lack of access to a mailbox. Technology also plays an important role in improving health and well-being. It can be used to reach out to loved ones, access resources, and a way to access medical assistance. However, technology can often
ITEM NO. 15.
34 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JULY 24, 2025
exclude those at the greatest risk. Even for those with a smart phone, using websites to apply for services can be difficult on a phone and some people who have been homeless for an extended period of time may not have strong skills navigating complex websites.
California LifeLine offers low-cost and free monthly telephone services to eligible, lowincome California residents. Participants can qualify for the program if they receive public benefits or meet household income limits, however, the phones must often be mailed to a mailbox. Phones are also frequently lost, stolen, or broken. Additionally, access to electricity to charge the phone is difficult and there are data limits on the devices.
Funding
The overall lack of funding to support the programs identified in this report is a central challenge. Experts generally agree that homelessness prevention, extremely low-income housing, and other programs and services have been underfunded for decades. The current public funding context makes it even more challenging to sustain current levels or strengthen such services.
Systems Gaps
Some gaps relate more to the system of services, knowledge, and logistics of connecting people with services. These gaps are described below.
Knowledge Gaps
Existing available services provided by others are sometimes not known to other providers. Similar gaps between public agencies and departments within a city can also be an issue, e.g., coordination between housing and police departments instead of a “whole of government” approach.
Scaling Impact
There remain questions regarding how to scale and make existing services more effective and efficient at achieving impact instead of creating something new.
Geography
Location of available services: many services are located where people would be required to travel long (or difficult) distances or to locations they do not want or
ITEM NO. 15.
NEEDS ANALYSIS REPORT 35
would have great difficulty in traveling to. This contrasts with an approach of “meeting people where they are at” and offering services in a location where they are more likely to be matched with those who need them.
Conclusion & Next Steps
Feasibility Analysis
In the next phase of this project, we will analyze the feasibility of programs to prevent homelessness and serve homeless individuals and households. Some services may be appropriate for one segment of the homeless population, but not another segment. Below is a list and a brief explanation of the programs that are likely to be analyzed and discussed in detail in the next phase. Some services respond directly to a need discussed above, while others address multiple needs.
Permanent Affordable Housing
Permanent affordable housing can come in a multitude of varieties. For this report, we are exploring permanent affordable housing that serves extremely low income households by either construction of the units, provision of Section 8 vouchers, rehabilitation of existing units to serve the extremely low income. In addition, Extremely Low Income (ELI) units can be provided in a mixed-income or 100 percent affordable housing development. These developments are highly subsidized through a combination of municipal, Low Income Housing Tax Credits, and commercial loans.
Interim Housing
Interim Housing, exemplified by Project Homekey, was a statewide effort to build on the success of the COVID-era success of Project Roomkey, where the State of California rented vacant rooms at hotels to house homeless people or those at risk of homelessness. Homekey was an opportunity for jurisdictions to develop a broad range of housing types by converting hotels, motels, hostels, single-family homes and multifamily apartments, adult residential facilities, manufactured housing, and commercial properties to permanent or interim housing for homeless households. It should be noted that the program is being replaced by Homekey+ which is focused exclusively on Permanent
ITEM NO. 15.
36 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JULY 24, 2025
Supportive Housing, not interim housing. Tiny home villages are another recognizable form of interim supportive housing to address homelessness, providing a pathway to stable housing and self-sufficiency. They focus on rapid construction of modular units, offering private spaces with support services and case management.
Supportive Housing and Transitional Housing
Supportive housing and transitional housing are both housing options for homeless individuals and families, but they differ in their goals and duration of support. Transitional housing offers temporary housing with support services to help people move to permanent housing within a set timeframe, while supportive housing provides long-term affordable housing with ongoing support to help residents maintain tenancy.
Rapid Rehousing
Rapid rehousing is often part of the low barrier approach which emphasizes providing housing first paired with support services. Rapid rehousing typically provides housing subsidies, heavy case management and support services.
Navigation Center
A Navigation Center for homeless individuals and households is a short-term, low-barrier housing program that provides a safe, temporary place to stay, along with intensive support services, to homeless individuals. It is designed to help people transition to stable, permanent housing by offering resources such as case management, connection to public benefits, health services, and employment opportunities.
Shelters
Homeless shelters offer a range of options, from emergency shelters for immediate needs to more long-term solutions. These include emergency shelters, women's shelters, youth shelters, family shelters, cold weather shelters, and warming centers. There are congregate, non-congregate types of shelters as well.
A congregate shelter is a type of emergency shelter that provides communal spaces where individuals sleep in shared areas, offering minimal privacy. These
ITEM NO. 15.
NEEDS ANALYSIS REPORT 37
shelters are often established in large, open settings like schools, churches, or community centers, designed for emergencies. A non-congregate shelter provides private, individual, or family units for shelter, such as hotel rooms, tiny homes, or apartments, instead of a large, shared space.
Safe Parking
Safe parking sites are sanctioned sites where individuals and families living in their vehicles can register and park overnight. Support services like case management and meals are sometimes offered as well. There are rotating shelters where the location moves every 30 days, and shelters that are more long-term and established.
Day Center
A day center is a facility that provides daytime support services to homeless people, offering a safe space to access resources, receive assistance, and potentially transition out of homelessness. Unlike shelters that offer overnight accommodation, day centers focus on daytime services, such as meals, showers, laundry, counseling, job training, and access to case managers. They serve as drop-in centers and can be tailored to those with additional needs like substance abuse or mental illness, providing a space to connect with services and support.
Showers and Laundry
Homeless households need a convenient location to bathe and do laundry. Often this is a mobile shower and laundry service. Other times a fixed location, or vouchers for laundromats or showers at gyms are provided.
Meals
Warm prepared meals can be provided to serve the unhoused. They are often provided by service providers, community- based organizations, and grassroots initiatives. Food pantries can also provide homeless individuals with packaged food that can be eaten at a later time.
ITEM NO. 15.
38 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JULY 24, 2025
Training for Law Enforcement Agencies
Many jurisdictions in California have programs that train law enforcement personnel to handle situations involving homeless people. These programs often focus on de-escalation tactics, mental health crisis intervention, and understanding the underlying causes of homelessness. Some agencies have designated officers who specialize in working with the homeless population. These officers often receive specialized training, are familiar with local resources, and aim to connect individuals with appropriate support.
Lockers
Some cities offer storage lockers for homeless individuals specifically in public spaces such as libraries and community centers.
Transportation Support
Homeless individuals often need transportation that is convenient to access and affordable. Free transit passes and vouchers for rides to doctor appointments, etc., can also be provided.
Sanctioned Camping Sites
Sanctioned camping sites, also known as safe sleeping sites or safe stay communities, are designated areas where homeless individuals can stay in tents or other temporary shelters without fear of being arrested or cited for camping. These sites often provide basic services like sanitation, food, and access to case management.
Expanded Outreach and Casework
Broader proactive outreach efforts and more intensive casework have been identified as a need. Outreach workers can identify and engage people over time, which can eventually lead to connecting an individual with a caseworker or other services. Expanding casework for homeless individuals could involve increasing access to personalized, consistent support services that address both immediate and long-term needs. This can be achieved by hiring and deploying trained case managers with specialized knowledge in housing navigation, mental health, and
ITEM NO. 15.
NEEDS ANALYSIS REPORT 39
substance use treatment. Effective casework requires establishing and maintaining trust which typically takes time and repeated engagement.
Connectivity
Additional support to help homeless people have access to phones, Wi-Fi, charging, technology skills, and somewhere to receive physical mail could be explored.
ITEM NO. 15.
40 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JULY 24, 2025
List of Materials Consulted and Supporting Documents
Baggett, Travis P., and Stefan G. Kertesz. “Addressing Unsheltered Homelessness—Time for an All-In Approach.” JAMA, vol. 330, no. 18, November 14, 2023, pp. 1723–1724. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2830616.
Baggett, Travis P., James J. O’Connell, Jesse M. Yedinak, and Thomas J. Stopka. “Illicit Substance Use and Treatment Access Among Adults Experiencing Homelessness.” JAMA 331, no. 12 (2024): 987–997. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.27922.
Bassuk, Ellen L., M. Beardslee, and J. Bassuk. “The Prevalence of Mental Illness in Homeless Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271536943.
Bay Area Council Economic Institute. Bay Area Homelessness: A Regional View of a Regional Crisis. San Francisco: Bay Area Council Economic Institute, June 2021. https://www.bayareaeconomy.org/files/pdf/HomelessnessReportJune2021.pdf.
Ben-Moshe, Leah Simon-Weisberg, and Janey Rountree. Five Trends in California Homelessness. Terner Center for Housing Innovation, October 2023. https://ternercenter.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Five-Trends-in-CAHomelessness_Oct-2023-5.pdf.
Bielenberg, Joseph E., Maren Futrell, Benjamin Stover, and Annette Hagopian. “Presence of Any Medical Debt Associated With Two Additional Years of Homelessness in a Seattle Sample.” INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing 57 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1177/0046958020923535.
California Department of Housing & Community Development. Addressing a Variety of Housing Challenges. Accessed May 10, 2025. https://www.hcd.ca.gov/policy-and-research/addressing-variety-housing-challenges.
Clark, Robin E., Marguerite E. Tracy, William B. Whitmore, et al. “Infants Exposed to Homelessness: Health, Health Care Use, and Health Spending from Birth to Age Six.” Health Affairs 38, no. 5 (2019): 721–728. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2019.00090.
Community Solutions. “The Costs and Harms of Homelessness.” Accessed May 1, 2025. https://community.solutions/researchposts/the-costs-and-harms-of-homelessness/.
Community Solutions. “The Costs and Harms of Homelessness: A Learning Brief Examining the Costs Borne by Individuals, Communities, Systems, and Society.” Accessed May 10, 2025. https://community.solutions/research-posts/the-costs-andharms-of-homelessness/.
County of Santa Clara, California. “County of Santa Clara Releases Preliminary Results of 2025 Point‑in‑Time Homeless Count.” County News Center, June 20, 2025. Accessed July 17, 2025. https://news.santaclaracounty.gov/county-santa-clara-releasespreliminary-results-2025-point-time-homeless-count Desmond, Matthew. “Homelessness in US Cities and Downtowns.” Brookings, April 12, 2023. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/homelessness-in-us-cities-and-downtowns/.
Fazel, Seena, et al. “The Prevalence of Mental Illness in Homeless Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” The Lancet, vol. 379, no. 9810, 2012, pp. 220–227.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271536943_The_Prevalence_of_Mental_Illness_in_Homeless_Children_A_Systemati c_Review_and_Meta-Analysis.
Finnigan, Ryan. “Five Recent Trends in Homelessness in California.” Terner Center for Housing Innovation, UC Berkeley. October 2023. https://ternercenter.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Five-Trends-in-CA-Homelessness_Oct-2023-5.pdf.
Freimarck, Annalise. “West Valley Cities Team Up to Consider Homeless Shelter.” San José Spotlight, April 19, 2025. https://sanjosespotlight.com/west-valley-cities-campbell-cupertino-los-gatos-saratoga-monte-sereno-team-up-toconsider-homeless-shelter/.
Fuller, Thomas. “San Jose Considers Arresting Homeless People Who Refuse Housing.” The New York Times, April 20, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/20/us/san-jose-homeless-arrest.html.
Gordon, Sophie. “Talking about homes: What we can learn from homelessness and poverty research” Frame Works UK https://frameworksuk.org/wp-content/uploads/talking_about_homes.pdf
ITEM NO. 15.
NEEDS ANALYSIS REPORT 41
Himmelstein, David U., Robert M. Lawless, Deborah Thorne, Pamela Foohey, and Steffie Woolhandler. “Medical Bankruptcy: Still Common Despite the Affordable Care Act.” American Journal of Public Health 109, no. 3 (2019): 431–433. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2018.304901.
Housing California. “Causes of Homelessness.” Accessed May 1, 2025. https://www.housingca.org/policy/focus/causes/.
Karlinsky, Sarah. Structured for Success: Reforming Housing Governance in California and the Bay Area. SPUR, January 2024. https://www.spur.org/sites/default/files/2024-01/SPUR_Structured_for_Success.pdf.
Kober, Eric. “The Bay Area: The Land of Many Jobs and Too Few Homes.” Manhattan Institute. Accessed May 10, 2025. https://manhattan.institute/article/the-bay-area-the-land-of-many-jobs-and-too-few-homes.
Koseff, Alexei. “Homelessness Study Flips Commonly Held Beliefs About Causes.” The Mercury News, March 7, 2025. https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/03/07/study-california-homeless-drugs/.
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Homeless Mortality in Los Angeles County: CHIE Brief. Accessed May 1, 2025. http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/chie/reports/HomelessMortality_CHIEBrief_Final.pdf.
Love, Hanna, and Tracy Hadden Loh. “Homelessness in US Cities and Downtowns: The Perception, the Reality, and How to Address Both.” Brookings Institution. Accessed May 10, 2025. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/homelessness-in-uscities-and-downtowns/.
Murran, Sarah, and Emma Brady. “How Does Family Homelessness Impact on Children’s Development? A Critical Review of the Literature.” Child & Family Social Work 28, no. 2 (2023): 360–371. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12968.
National Health Care for the Homeless Council. “Premature Mortality in Homeless Populations.” Accessed May 10, 2025. https://sbdww.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/PrematureMortalityFinal.pdf.
National Low Income Housing Coalition. “Unsheltered Homelessness Associated with Increased Emergency Department Visits.” Accessed May 1, 2025. https://nlihc.org/resource/unsheltered-homelessness-associated-increased-emergency-departmentvisits.
Olivet, Jeff, et al., SPARC/Destination: Home. “Race and Homelessness In Santa Clara County, California.” January 31, 2020. https://destinationhomesv.org/wpcontent/uploads/2020/02/RacialEquityReport0131020.pdf?mc_cid=06a7865957&mc_eid=53a9a53ca3 Phillips, David, and James X. Sullivan. “Do Homelessness Prevention Programs Prevent Homelessness? Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial.” The Review of Economics and Statistics (2023). https://doi.org/10.1162/rest_a_01344.
Powell, Alvin. “Why It’s So Hard to End Homelessness in America.” Harvard Gazette. January 2024. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2024/01/why-its-so-hard-to-end-homelessness-in-america/.
Reid, Carolina, Ryan Finnigan, and Shazia Manji. California’s Homekey Program: Unlocking Housing Opportunities for People Experiencing Homelessness. Terner Center for Housing Innovation, March 2022. https://ternercenter.berkeley.edu/wpcontent/uploads/2022/03/Homekey-Lessons-Learned-Final-March-2022.pdf.
Reid, Carolina. “On the Edge of Homelessness: The Vulnerability of Extremely Low-Income Households in the Bay Area.” Terner Center for Housing Innovation, December 2, 2021. https://ternercenter.berkeley.edu/research-and-policy/edge-ofhomelessness-extremely-low-income-bay-area/.
Reilly, Johanna, Angela Greenfield, Rebecca Gillam, and Peter L. H. Barrett. “A Systematic Review of the Effect of Stigma on the Health of People Experiencing Homelessness.” Health & Social Care in the Community 30, no. 6 (2022): 2128–2141. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13884.
Rhoades, Harmony; Wenzel, Suzanne; Rice, Eric; Winetrobe, Hailey; Henwood, Benjamin. “No Digital Divide? Technology Use Among Homeless Adults
Riley, Elise D., Jennifer Cohen, Kelly Knight, et al. “Violence and Emergency Department Use among Community-Recruited Women Who Experience Homelessness and Housing Instability.” Journal of Urban Health. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7010900/#CR5.
Santa Barbara County Public Health Department. Premature Mortality Among the Homeless Population in Santa Barbara County. April 2011. https://sbdww.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/PrematureMortalityFinal.pdf.
ITEM NO. 15.
42 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JULY 24, 2025
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. “Backpack Homeless Healthcare Program.” Accessed May 10, 2025. https://scvmc.scvh.org/hospitals-clinics/valley-homeless-health-care-program-vhhp/backpack-homeless-healthcareprogram.
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. “Valley Homeless Healthcare Program (VHHP).” Accessed May 10, 2025. https://scvmc.scvh.org/hospitals-clinics/valley-homeless-health-care-program-vhhp.
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. “Valley Homeless Healthcare Program (VHHP): Backpack Homeless Healthcare Program.” Accessed May 1, 2025. https://scvmc.scvh.org/hospitals-clinics/valley-homeless-health-care-program-vhhp/backpackhomeless-healthcare-program.
Shonkoff, Jack P., Andrew S. Garner, et al. “The Lifelong Effects of Early Childhood Adversity and Toxic Stress.” Pediatrics 129, no. 1 (2012): e232–e246. https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/129/1/e232/31628/.
State of California, Department of Housing and Community Development; https://www.hcd.ca.gov/grants-andfunding/homekey/program-background; Accessed April 28, 2025 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Accessed May 10, 2025. https://www.hud.gov/.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Understanding Encampments of People Experiencing Homelessness and Community Responses: Emerging Evidence as of Late 2018. Accessed May 10, 2025. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/Understanding-Encampments.pdf.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Understanding Encampments of People Experiencing Homelessness and Community Responses: Emerging Evidence as of Late 2023. Office of Policy Development and Research, 2023. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/Understanding-Encampments.pdf.
United States Census Bureau. “2023 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles, American Community Survey (ACS).” Accessed May 10, 2025. https://data.census.gov/table?q=DP05&g=160XX00US0610345,0617610,0644112,0648956,0670280.
Vohra, Neha, et al. “Homelessness and the Use of Emergency Department as a Source of Healthcare.” International Journal of Emergency Medicine. https://intjem.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12245-022-00435-3.
ITEM NO. 15.
This Page
Intentionally
Left Blank
ITEM NO. 15.
West Valley Homeless Services
Feasibility Study
Cities of Campbell, Cupertino, Monte Sereno,
and Saratoga, and Town of Los Gatos
January 26, 2026
Prepared by:
ATTACHMENT 2 Page 934
ITEM NO. 15.
Acknowledgements
West Valley Jurisdictions
City of Campbell: Rob Eastwood, Eloiza Murillo-Garcia, Chris Miranda City of Cupertino: Nicky Vu, Benjamin Fu
Town of Los Gatos: Joel Paulson, Katy Nomura
City of Monte Sereno: Diana Perkins
City of Saratoga: Bryan Swanson, Cindy McCormick
With Special Thanks to
County of Santa Clara, Office of Supportive Housing: Hilary Armstrong, Diana Castillo, Michelle Covert, Laura Urteaga Fuentes, Kathryn (KJ) Kaminski, Tina La Perle, Leila Qureishi Destination: Home: Ray Bramson
Good City Company
Nicholas Hamilton, AICP, Public Policy Lead
Aaron Aknin, AICP, Principal
Vera Gil, Housing Specialist
Cover image credits: Top left, bottom left: West Valley Community Services; top right, bottom right: South County Community Services.
ITEM NO. 15.
Contents
Executive Summary...................................................................................................................... 4 KEY RECOMMENDATIONS................................................................................................................................................ 4 Homelessness Response Programs Summary........................................................................... 6 Background................................................................................................................................... 7 FEASIBILITY STUDY METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................................... 7 SELECT FINDINGS OF NEEDS ANALYSIS REPORT ........................................................................................................... 7 2025 POINT-IN-TIME HOMELESS COUNT.................................................................................................................... 9 Feasibility Analysis ..................................................................................................................... 11 HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE PROGRAMS OVERVIEW...................................................................................................11 PREVENTION PROGRAMS...............................................................................................................................................14 OUTREACH AND CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS....................................................................................................17 IMMEDIATE NEEDS PROGRAMS.....................................................................................................................................22 SHELTER AND PARKING PROGRAMS.............................................................................................................................26 INTERIM AND TRANSITIONAL PROGRAMS ...................................................................................................................30 PERMANENT HOUSING PROGRAMS .............................................................................................................................32 Recommendations ..................................................................................................................... 33 List of Attachments .................................................................................................................... 42 ATTACHMENT A: HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE PROGRAMS – DETAILED METRICS TABLE ATTACHMENT B: EXAMPLE HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE STRATEGY SUMMARY ATTACHMENT C: EXAMPLE PRINTED RESOURCE HANDOUTS
ATTACHMENT D: NAVIGATION CENTER OF SAN MATEO COUNTY PHOTOS ATTACHMENT E: WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES NEEDS ANALYSIS REPORT (JULY 24, 2025)
ITEM NO. 15.
4 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JANUARY 26, 2026
West Valley Homeless Services
Feasibility Study
Cities of Campbell, Cupertino, Monte Sereno,
and Saratoga, and Town of Los Gatos
January 26, 2026
Executive Summary
The West Valley Homeless Services Feasibility Study analyzes potential policy and program responses to address homelessness in the West Valley area, including the Cities of Campbell, Cupertino, Saratoga, and Monte Sereno and the Town of Los Gatos. While homelessness is a complex problem, investing in proven strategies can have considerable positive impact on people experiencing homelessness and the community at large.
Key Recommendations
1. Adopt a formal implementation plan: Develop and adopt a West Valley Area homelessness response implementation plan that includes an aspirational vision, clear goals and objectives, programs tailored to population segments, plans for near- and long-term outcomes, and leverages existing programs.
2. Sustain and strengthen what works: Use the tools available to local governments to ensure the continuation of existing services with a proven track record, including homelessness prevention and expanding affordable housing.
3. Prioritize additional investments in programs with high feasibility and impact.
These include homelessness prevention and rental assistance; case management; rapid rehousing; permanent affordable housing; health and mental health care; food, showers, and laundry; opportunity funds; and reunification programs.
ITEM NO. 15.
FEASIBILITY STUDY 5
4. Cultivate partnerships at all levels: Deploy a “whole of society approach” to engage governments, the private sector, civil society, individuals, and communities. Establish a formal West Valley homelessness response task force to set goals and monitor progress.
5. Engage with people who have experienced homelessness: Identify ways for individuals who have experienced homelessness to meaningfully participate in program design, implementation, and evaluation.
6. Align with the Community Plan to End Homelessness: Demonstrate alignment with the plan’s goals to address the root causes of homelessness, improve the quality of life for unsheltered individuals, create healthy neighborhoods for all, and expand homelessness prevention and housing programs.
7. Identify funding: Explore creative funding approaches to support homelessness response programs.
8. Support neighborhood health, safety, and cleanliness: Address quality-of-life issues for the entire community.
ITEM NO. 15.
6 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JANUARY 26, 2026
Homelessness Response Programs Summary
The Feasibility Study categorizes the overall program landscape into six categories:
homelessness prevention, outreach and case management, immediate needs, shelter and parking, interim and transitional housing, and permanent housing. When implemented specific programs may span multiple categories or may be more narrowly tailored than the general program typologies presented here. A summary of a potential homelessness response environment for the West Valley area is presented in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Homeless Response Programs Summary
Homeless
Prevention
Homelessness
Prevention &
Rental
Assistance
Tenant
Protections
Opportunity
Fund &
Reunification
Hotlines and
Information
Outreach &
Case
Management
Case
Management
Health, Mental
Health &
Substance Care
Navigation
Centers
Outreach
Mobile
Navigation
Centers
Job Training
Law
Enforcement
Coordination
Immediate
Needs
Food, Showers
& Laundry
Safe Storage
Transportation
Neighborhood
Health &
Cleanliness
Safe Sleeping
and Sanitation
Phone,
Internet, &
Mail
Shelter &
Parking
Temporary
Shelter
Safe Parking
Hotel
Vouchers/
Rentals
Interim &
Transitional
Housing
Rapid
Rehousing
Transitional
Housing
Interim Sites
Permanent
Housing
Affordable
Housing
Development
(Including
Permanant
Supportive
Housing)
ITEM NO. 15.
FEASIBILITY STUDY 7
Background
Following a brief description of the Feasibility Study methodology and an overview of the key findings from the Needs Analysis report, this document provides an analysis of the feasibility of several potential expanded service options and a set of additional strategy and policy recommendations and options.
Feasibility Study Methodology
The Feasibility Study relies upon interviews with key stakeholders, a review of existing homelessness response plans, and is complemented by insights on best practices and other research. More than thirty-five interviews with service providers, public agency representatives, subject matter experts, and currently unhoused individuals were conducted as part of the needs analysis and feasibility study phases of this project. Additional community input was received during the August 4, 2025, Campbell City Council Meeting regarding the needs analysis.
Select Findings of Needs Analysis Report
The West Valley Homeless Services Feasibility Study builds directly upon the needs and gaps identified in the associated Needs Analysis report, which is attached to this study and available on the City of Campbell’s website1. Both phases of the project were developed following the City of Campbell’s allocation of $100,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to conduct a homeless needs analysis and feasibility study for the West Valley area. In December 2024, the City contracted with Good City Company to conduct a needs analysis and feasibility study, and in Spring 2025, the West Valley jurisdictions entered into a memorandum of understanding, recognizing that homelessness is a regional challenge and best addressed collaboratively.
The Needs Analysis report summarized the status of homelessness in the West Valley area using available quantitative data, a literature review, and outcomes of interviews with key stakeholders. Key findings of the needs analysis:
• Homelessness is a serious problem: At least 524 individuals across 322 households were counted as unhoused in the West Valley area in 2024. About 40% of the 1 West Valley Homeless Services Feasibility Study - Needs Analysis Report. City of Campbell, California, July 24, 2025. https://www.campbellca.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08042025-3124#page=228.
ITEM NO. 15.
8 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JANUARY 26, 2026
population (214) sought shelter or services for the first time in 2024 while 51% have been unhoused for two or more years.
• Homelessness is not one size fits all: While there are many unhoused individuals who visibly live on the street, there is also a large population who are living in their cars or in transitory sleeping arrangements that are hidden and not visible. • Families and youth: At least 38% of the unhoused population in the West Valley area consists of unaccompanied youth and families with children. • Homelessness affects us all: Homelessness impacts all members of the community, not just those who are unhoused. The effects on housed residents, the economy, and local government services are substantial.
• Services and housing work: Permanent housing is critical and saves funds in the long run, although expensive and time-consuming up front. Immediate services can be as important as housing.
The Needs Analysis report also provides an overview of the state of homelessness today, analysis of policy context, quantitative needs analysis, description of existing programs, services, a gap analysis, conclusions, and an extensive list of resources and materials consulted.
Key gaps are identified below. The Needs Analysis report provides a detailed assessment of gaps in services and programs.
• Affordable permanent housing
• Shelter capacity and location
• Interim housing and safe parking
• Case management and outreach capacity
• Healthcare, mental health, and substance use
• Other: Safety, Geography, Transportation, Connectivity, Secure Belongings A high-level summary of the existing services in the West Valley area is provided in the table below. Please see the Needs Analysis report for additional information regarding each of the programs noted in the table.
ITEM NO. 15.
FEASIBILITY STUDY 9
Service Type Jurisdiction
People or Clients
Served Annually
(Approx)*
Case Management Cupertino 75
Campbell, Los Gatos, Saratoga 22
Outreach Saratoga, Campbell, Los Gatos 25
Campbell 133
Hotel Vouchers/Rentals Los Gatos 14
Campbell 12 (see notes)
Safe Parking Campbell 20 (13/night)
Saratoga, Cupertino 20
Food & Clothing Distribution,
Laundry, Showers
Los Gatos (29) 29
Countywide Shelters, Transitional
Housing, and Case Management
All WV-affiliated clients 94
Countywide Temporary Housing
and Services for Youth
All WV-affiliated clients 18
Countywide Homeless Healthcare
Programs
All WV-affiliated clients Data not available
Table 1. Existing Homelessness Response Services Summary. Notes: descriptions of the services are included in the Needs Analysis report and summarized in the homelessness response programs descriptions in the following feasibility analysis section.
Campbell’s new inclement weather hotel voucher program was used for a total of 57 individual room nights by approximately 12 clients during its initial six-week operation. *In some cases, a couple or family with dependents are considered a single client in the data available.
2025 Point-in-Time Homeless Count
The 2025 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, conducted by volunteers and coordinated by OSH, was carried out on the mornings of January 22 and 23, 2025, with the countywide PIT numbers being released in June 2025. The count shows that the number of people experiencing homelessness rose by 8.2% when compared to the 2023 PIT count. The number of unhoused individuals in Santa Clara County has risen from 9,903 in 2023 to 10,711 in 2025. This trend of increasing homelessness aligns with the observations made by the County of Santa Clara Office of Supportive Housing and County homelessness experts over the past few years. The Bay Area continues to experience an increase in people entering homelessness compared to those exiting. Factors such as the limited availability of affordable housing, wage disparities, and
ITEM NO. 15.
10 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JANUARY 26, 2026
structural inequalities (poverty, wealth inequality, stigmatization) all contribute to homelessness in the Bay Area, including in Santa Clara County.
The table below compares the 2025 PIT count totals for each of the five West Valley jurisdictions to the 2023 PIT count numbers, along with the corresponding increase or decrease. Only the Town of Los Gatos saw a decrease in the number of unhoused. Other jurisdictions, such as Cupertino and Saratoga, have seen a measurable increase in the number of unhoused individuals, while the City of Campbell has seen a 15% increase.
Jurisdiction 2023 PIT Count 2025 PIT Count % Increase
Campbell 92 108 15%
Cupertino 48 101 52%
Los Gatos 81 27 -200%
Monte Sereno 0 0 0%
Saratoga 0 19 100%
Total 221 255 13%
Table 2. 2025 and 2023 Point-in-Time Counts
Statewide, preliminary data shows that the number of unhoused individuals has decreased by
4.3%, with a 4% decrease in total homelessness and a 9.5% reduction in unsheltered homelessness. Results vary by region; as mentioned earlier, Santa Clara County saw an 8.2% increase from 2023 to 2025, while Sonoma County reported a 22.6% decrease.
ITEM NO. 15.
FEASIBILITY STUDY 11
Feasibility Analysis
Homelessness Response Programs Overview
The overall program landscape is broken into six categories in this study: homelessness prevention, outreach and case management, immediate needs, shelter and safe parking, interim and transitional housing, and permanent housing. The following sections describe the categories, and the potential services provided within each. The following sections describe the categories, and the potential services are provided within each.
Each potential program is ranked with a feasibility score and an impact score as indicated in the table below. The impact score is a composite of three indicators: scale of the current gap, short-term impact, and long-term impact. The feasibility score is a composite of five indicators:
cost savings, cost, external funding likelihood, level of difficulty to implement, and the level of established implementation partnerships. In addition to the composite scores in the table below, a detailed table including each program and indicator is included as an attachment.
ITEM NO. 15.
12 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JANUARY 26, 2026
Programs by Type Impact Score Feasibility Score
Prevention
Homelessness Prevention & Rental Assistance Highest Highest Opportunity Fund & Reunification High Highest
Hotlines & Information Moderate Highest
Tenant Protections Moderate High
Outreach & Case Management
Case Management Highest High
Health, Mental Health & Substance Care Highest High
Navigation Center Highest Moderate
Job Training Moderate Highest
Outreach Moderate High
Mobile Navigation Center Moderate High
Law Enforcement Coordination Moderate Moderate
Immediate Needs
Food, Showers & Laundry High Highest
Phone, Internet, & Mail Moderate Highest
Safe Storage Moderate High
Transportation Moderate High
Neighborhood Health & Cleanliness Moderate Moderate
Safe Sleeping & Sanitation Moderate Moderate
Shelter & Parking
Temporary Shelters Highest Moderate
Safe Parking High Moderate
Hotel Vouchers/Rentals Moderate Highest
Interim & Transitional
Rapid Rehousing Highest High
Transitional Housing Highest Moderate
Interim Sites High Moderate
Permanent Housing
Permanent Affordable Housing Highest High
Table 3. Homeless Response Programs and Scores by Program Type
ITEM NO. 15.
FEASIBILITY STUDY 13
The diagram below provides graphic representation of each of the potential programs organized by its respective impact score and feasibility score. Programs with a higher feasibility score are in the greener shaded columns toward the right-hand side. Programs with a higher impact score are in the greener shaded rows toward the top.
Figure 2. Homelessness Response Programs Matrix by Impact and Feasibility Scores
ITEM NO. 15.
14 WEST VALLEY HOMELESS SERVICES JANUARY 26, 2026
Prevention Programs
Prevention Programs by Impact and Feasibility
Programs Impact Score Feasibility Score
Homelessness Prevention & Rental Assistance Highest Highest Opportunity Fund & Reunification High Highest
Hotlines & Information Moderate Highest
Tenant Protections Moderate High
Figure 3. Prevention Programs by Impact and Feasibility Prevention programs provide financial aid and support services to individuals and families at risk of losing housing to avoid homelessness and its negative impacts. Services often include one-time rent or utility assistance, help with move-in costs such as security deposits, legal assistance for evictions, and referrals to other community resources. These programs provide stability and prevent long-term homelessness.
Homeless Prevention and Rental Assistance
Homeless prevention programs assist those at risk of becoming homeless. This can come in the form of emergency rental assistance to help the tenants meet their rent for a short period of time, help with moving costs and rental payments to move to a more affordable unit , and free legal assistance for evictions The Santa Clara County Homelessness Prevention System (HPS) program assists low-income families or individuals who are at risk of losing their housing in the form of flexible rental assistance, case management, legal services, and other support services through a network of approximately twenty community-based providers.
Free or low-cost tenant legal services are also available throughout Santa Clara County to help with impending or wrongful evictions. Project Sentinel, the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley. Bay Area Legal Aid, and the Santa Clara County Superior Court Self-Help Center offer these services to eligible tenants. However, resources are limited and not sufficient to meet the needs.
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Opportunity Fund and Reunification
An Opportunity fund would allow for “just-in-time” small grants to unhoused individuals or families for rental application fees, bus or airline fare for family reunification, gas money, or a hotel night stay. The ability for a case manager, service provider, or agency to use such funds was raised by several stakeholders as an important resource. It is important that the funding be easily accessible and that there be established rules for the use of the funds and disbursement. The South Bay Cities Council of Governments in Los Angeles County successfully established a similar fund allowing local jurisdictions to help with small costs. Jurisdictions could create their own fund, administered by a nonprofit, or participate in a similar program funded by the County of Santa Clara and administered by the Bill Wilson Center called the Here4You hotline. Interested jurisdictions could provide funding to the Here4You hotline specifically for its residents and specific situations.
Hotlines and Information
Many communities maintain homelessness hotlines and publish online and printed informational resource guides with phone numbers, websites, and physical locations of available services printed. The Here4You hotline matches callers to emergency shelters, including transportation to the shelters. In addition to referrals for openings at emergency shelters, the staff will also help those seeking rental assistance by directing them to additional Homeless Prevention Services in the Santa Clara County region. The Here4You hotline can be accessed at (408) 385-2400. from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, seven days a week. The Santa Clara County Homelessness Prevention System maintains a county-wide website, https://preventhomelessness.org, and flyer, as well as a centralized hotline for accessing services (408) 516-5100. An example of their flyer is included as an attachment to this document.
The United Way of Santa Clara County also offers assistance through its Emergency Assistance Network (EAN), which brings together local nonprofits to deliver coordinated support for those facing urgent needs. The Emergency Assistance Network (EAN) provides a variety of services to prevent homelessness and act as a safety net for residents facing eviction, utility disconnection, and hunger. The EAN helps families and individuals recover from emergencies, often providing case management and financial education along with referrals for food, rent and mortgage assistance, utility assistance, medical, and transportation aid. The network refers people to the closest local agency
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based on zip code, ensuring faster, more personal support. The United Way leads this collaborative network by coordinating fundraising and advertising the program. Four of the West Valley cities use West Valley Community Services (WVCS) as the network coordinator while Campbell’s network coordinator is Sacred Heart Community Services.
Tenant Protections
Tenant protections are tools cities can use to prevent homelessness. Several Bay Area jurisdictions go above and beyond the California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB 1482) and the State Density Bonus Law to provide protections. The California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB 1482) is a statewide law that limits annual rent increases to 5% plus the regional CPI (or 10% maximum) and requires a landlord to have "just cause" to evict tenants after one year of tenancy. The law applies to most properties in California but has several exemptions, including newly built housing (under 15 years old), single-family homes owned by individuals, and owner-occupied duplexes or units.
The Cities of Redwood City, Mountain View, and San Jose all have tenant protection ordinances or programs, which provide displaced tenants with relocation assistance if the tenant is of low or very low income. The programs are all administered by city staff with additional contracts with relocation specialists, who interview the tenants and decide the relocation benefits. The costs for relocation benefits are paid for by the property owner or developers, and the cities usually have housing staff administer the program. These tenant protections have been successful and prevent homelessness in these cities by providing relocation for displaced tenants. The tenants are assisted by relocation specialists who provide them with a list of available units and assist the displaced tenants in securing relocation funds from the property owners displacing them.
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Outreach and Case Management Programs
Outreach & Case Management Programs by Impact and Feasibility Programs Impact Score Feasibility Score
Case Management Highest High
Health, Mental Health & Substance Care Highest High
Navigation Center Highest Moderate
Job Training Moderate Highest
Outreach Moderate High
Mobile Navigation Center Moderate High
Law Enforcement Coordination Moderate Moderate
Figure 4. Outreach and Case Management Programs by Impact and Feasibility Outreach programs connect with individuals experiencing homelessness in the community to assess their needs, while case management provides personalized support, goal planning, and referrals to services like shelter, housing, healthcare, and benefits. Outreach teams engage and build trust with unhoused individuals, often those living in unsheltered locations, to link them to the broader coordinated system and essential resources, while case managers then work with those individuals to develop a plan, set goals for finding employment and housing, and achieving self-sufficiency.
Permanent housing has long been seen as the best way to end homelessness. Methods of providing permanent housing can be found in the permanent housing section of this report.
Case management is a core component of homelessness prevention and is discussed in the outreach and case management programs section below.
Case Management
Case management helps unhoused people and families by providing individualized support and resources to achieve housing stability. The case manager works with the unhoused client to set goals with the ultimate aim of being housed. This means they may work with individual clients on employment opportunities, mental health stability, addiction recovery, etc. Currently, the West Valley cities rely primarily on “soft-touch” case management from West Valley Community Services, services provided by Amigos de Guadalupe (funded by OSH) at safe car parking sites, and some housing focused case management from OSH at certain faith-based locations during the housing screening process. The City of Campbell’s Unhoused Specialist performed outreach to the Campbell unhoused population and was able to perform some additional services that
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bridged into what would typically be considered be case management for approximately twenty individuals, including HMIS data entry for any unhoused person interested. There is no proactive plan to provide case management and support services to unhoused individuals or families living on the streets.
Healthcare, Mental Health, and Substance Care
Access to health and dental care remains a high need for unhoused people and families in the West Valley cities. Santa Clara Valley Healthcare provides health services to unhoused individuals through its Valley Homeless Health Care Program (VHHP). While Santa Clara Valley Healthcare services are available to unhoused people who can travel to physical clinic locations located outside the West Valley area, the VHHP has not recently served any of the West Valley cities through their mobile health care or backpack health care programs. The VHHP program presently serves Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Mountain View, South County, and San Jose. Mobile clinics include custom vehicles that are brought to a designated site according to a fixed schedule, such as the first Saturday of each month, and can be paired with pop-ups of other service providers to form the backbone of a mobile navigation center concept. There may be an opportunity for interested cities to contact the VHHP and OSH to request services for individuals or develop plans for more robust mobile or backpack health care programs to serve the West Valley area. A once-a-week visit to one or two specific sites may provide effective support to the unhoused populations in the West Valley.
Navigation Center
Navigation centers are typically physical locations where trained staff provide case management, centralized services, and transitional housing units or other forms of nonpermanent housing are located. The case management provided is not just for the transitional housing residents living on-site but is also made available for “walk-in” clients. The goal is to provide a location where the unhoused client can receive case management and access other resources and support services in one place. They could receive food, help with applying for benefits, showers, and do laundry. Navigation centers are also sometimes paired with other types of places for people to sleep, such as indoor or outdoor safe sleeping sites, safe parking facilities, etc. Some communities in California have created navigation centers by either purchasing and rehabbing existing buildings, rehabbing underutilized public buildings, or through new construction.
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• The San Mateo County Navigation Center, located in Redwood City is a recent example of a new construction navigation center. The center can house up to 260 people, either families or individuals, and cost about $57M to construct. All rooms are non-congregate, meaning families and individuals have access to private sleeping quarters, most with private bathrooms. Residents can also bring pets to the center and have access to a garden. The County of San Mateo believes this is their first step to achieving “functional zero” homelessness. The County of San Mateo defines functional zero as every unsheltered homeless person in San Mateo County who chooses assistance can be sheltered in an emergency shelter or in temporary or permanent housing. The center offers dental services, medical services, case management and access to laundry.
Outreach Services
Homeless outreach involves skilled teams who meet people living in unsheltered locations to build trust and connect them with essential services like shelter, housing, healthcare, and counseling. Outreach workers assess individual needs, provide survival aid, and guide individuals through the process of obtaining benefits and finding permanent housing. Typically, outreach workers do not provide the level of detailed case work that an assigned case manager provides. For example, the City of San Jose contracts with PATH and HomeFirst for outreach within its borders, OSH contracts with the Bill Wilson Center and Abode for countywide outreach and the City of Campbell Unhoused Coordinator provided outreach services in Campbell.
Mobile Navigation Center
Mobile navigation centers are focused on providing immediate, accessible resources such as hygiene and outreach. They act as a stepping stone to the more comprehensive services available at a brick-and-mortar navigation center, with the specific services offered ranging from limited to more extensive. They can come in the form of a “resource fair” where several service providers gather in a parking lot of a faith-based organization or a community center and provide laundry facilities, showers, food, health, dental, veterinary services, and case managers or a retrofitted vehicle, similar to a food truck, that travels to different sites and provides case management, showers, laundry and food.
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• South County Community Services provides services for unhoused people and families at its Church Street Gilroy location, such as a food pantry and laundry facility. They also provide unhoused people and families with a permanent mailing address at their facility. They do not accept packages and require unhoused people to sign a liability release, but it will provide unhoused clients with a mailing address for benefits and correspondence. In addition, once a month, the facility hosts a
resource fair for unhoused
people and families where they
can access essential services
such as case management, food,
laundry, showers, and health
services. The South County
Community Services program
costs about $925,000 a year to
operate and receives financial
support from the County of
Santa Clara of $725,000 in the
form of grants.
Job Training
Job training programs for people experiencing homelessness provide skills for stable employment and offer wraparound support for success, addressing challenges like gaps in employment and negative employer stereotypes. Programs include vocational training, apprenticeships, and transitional jobs, and are usually offered by government agencies and nonprofits like the Salvation Army, Destination: Work, the State CalFresh Employment Training program, and some local nonprofits. Training covers job readiness, soft skills, resume building, and interview preparation, often alongside life skills such as financial literacy, and is most effective when combined with housing and other support services.
Law Enforcement Coordination
Although many Santa Clara County law enforcement agencies currently receive crisis intervention and de-escalation training, it is important that cities continue to support Figure 5. Popup food distribution (image credit: South County Community Services)
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the partnership among law enforcement, mental health service agencies, and homeless response agencies to handle interactions with individuals experiencing homelessness, including mental health crises. Many cities have found it particularly helpful to form interagency task forces that include law enforcement, public works, parks and recreation, and housing staff to meet quarterly to discuss challenges and successes in the fight to eliminate homelessness. Other jurisdictions assign officers as designated homeless outreach officers to work directly with unhoused people after they have received specialized training.
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Immediate Needs Programs
Immediate Needs Programs by Impact and Feasibility
Programs by Type Impact Score Feasibility Score
Food, Showers & Laundry High Highest
Phone, Internet, & Mail Moderate Highest
Safe Storage Moderate High
Transportation Moderate High
Neighborhood Health & Cleanliness Moderate Moderate
Safe Sleeping & Sanitation Moderate Moderate
Figure 6. Immediate Needs Programs by Impact and Feasibility Immediate needs response programs provide short-term assistance to help individuals and families facing homelessness or a housing crisis overcome a temporary barrier, offering services like temporary shelter, food, storage for belongings, transportation assistance, access to internet service or a cell phone, showers, and laundry services. Emergency warming and cooling centers are discussed in the subsequent shelter and parking section.
Food, Showers, and Laundry
Food distribution is one of the oldest programs provided to people experiencing homelessness and is provided in the area by service providers and volunteer groups, including faith-based community groups. Showers and laundry services for unhoused people are essential for restoring dignity, improving hygiene, and positively impacting mental health. These services are typically provided by non-profits through stationary drop-in centers and mobile units like WeHope's Dignity on Wheels, which travel to different locations. Project WeHope, currently has contracts with the cities of Sunnyvale and Santa Clara to provide not only portable showers and laundry service, but case management, and overnight hotel stays during inclement weather, Overall, the City of Sunnyvale has budgeted about $900 thousand a year for these services, while the City of Santa Clara has budgeted $850 thousand to serve slightly fewer people. Many faithbased communities in the West Valley cities currently offer showers and laundry facilities to unhoused people as part of their homeless services programs, specifically, in the town of Los Gatos. They rely on donations from the congregation and volunteer assistance with minimal cost to the town. Some communities include mobile shower and laundry services with homeless services pop-ups or mobile navigation center schedules. Other communities have also installed temporary or semi-permanent toilet facilities.
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Safe Storage
Safe storage facilities or lockers have been provided in some California communities as a way of offering dignity and compassion to unhoused people. • For example, the City of Burbank uses a combination of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and special measure funding to provide a safe storage location for unhoused people. The program is run by the Salvation Army and uses plastic rolling bins similar to recycling carts to store the belongings for unhoused people. The facility is open daily from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and serves about 40 unhoused individuals at any given time.
• Madison, Wisconsin, provides lockers scattered throughout the city in groups of 4-10 lockers. The City pays the provider $10,000 to purchase the lockers and the provider works with local businesses to place the lockers on their property.
Transportation
Public transportation is underprovided for the West Valley unhoused. Often, major bus lines are only available along the larger corridors. Transportation options are needed for people with mobility-challenges to access health care appointments and to access shelter opportunities. Interviews with stakeholders and support service providers indicate that very few of the unhoused people can secure transit passes on their own. • One potential solution is the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Mobile Assistance Program (MAP). MAP is designed to address transportation gaps and barriers for Santa Clara County’s older adults, individuals with disabilities, and low-income residents. The program aims to enhance access to employment, education, travel training, healthcare, and essential support services while encouraging public transit use and healthy living. The program provides direct transportation resources (through partnerships with local community organizations. These resources include transit and paratransit fares and gas vouchers. Silicon Valley Independent Living Center (SVILC) and Catholic Charities are two of the community organizations that have been working with VTA to provide these transit resources to those in need. If these organizations are working with any of the West Valley cities, the possibility of partnering with these organizations to assist unhoused people with transportation needs exists.
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Neighborhood Health and Cleanliness
In July 2024, the Supreme Court sided with Grants Pass in the case Grants Pass v.
Johnson. Previously, in many western states, including California, cities were unable to remove encampments in many circumstances (e.g., without providing an equal number of shelter beds). Following this case, many cities, including San Jose and San Francisco, are beginning to clear encampments, and other cities along the peninsula are beginning to implement policies on when encampments should be cleared and how much notice should be provided. Typically, at least 72 hours of notice is provided to encampment residents when a site is going to be cleared, unless it is close to a sensitive area, such as a river or creek, in which case less notice may be given. Costs for clearing encampments vary based on the area and items being cleared.
Efforts to clear, prevent, and manage San Jose’s homeless encampments cost the city and partner agencies almost $8.6 million in 2019, according to a report entitled, “Exploring Homelessness Among People Living in Encampments and Associated Costs,” published in February 2020. The report analyzed spending in four cities, including San Jose, and found that clearing encampments is a major undertaking for cities and can be quite costly.
In addition to encampment cleanups,
some cities have hired service providers
that employ unhoused people to
ensure that the city streets are clean
and safe. These service providers make
sure used needles and garbage are
kept off the streets and waterways. The
program services two purposes, it helps
formerly homeless individuals by
providing employment, while making
sure the streets and waterways remain
clean and safe. Other cities have
provided free toilets and trash services
to promote cleanliness, sanitation, and
public health.
Figure 7. Prefabricated free public restroom in Redwood City (image credit: Good City Company)
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Safe Sleeping and Sanitation
Safe sleeping sites are sanctioned tent encampments that provide tents and services for unhoused residents, these are sometimes referred to as safe tent or designated camping sites. These typically have a low barrier for entry and require unhoused individuals or families to agree to be good neighbors and abide by certain rules, such as no alcohol or drugs. Cities, such as San Jose and Santa Cruz, have navigation centers or other jointly located services adjacent to or at safe sleeping sites to assist in transitioning unhoused people into shelters or transitional housing. The navigation centers also assist with helping unhoused people secure services such as Social Security benefits, Veterans benefits, health care, food, and sanitary services. Tents and sanitary facilities are provided onsite at most sites, but there are a few sites nationwide that allow unhoused people to bring their own tent.
• The City of San Jose recently opened its first safe sleeping site. Initial costs are estimated at $2.4 million per year to operate. This includes services such as security, meals, showers, laundry, case management, and garbage collection for its 56 tents. In addition to locations where tents are pitched outdoors, some cities have facilities located in permanent structures, such as an armory or vacant commercial building, or temporary structures, such as a sprung structure (large event-style tent).
Phone, Internet, and Mail
Mobile phones are necessary for people experiencing homelessness as they provide a lifeline for accessing crucial services, staying in contact with support systems, ensuring personal safety, and improving overall well-being. California LifeLine offers low-cost and free monthly telephone services to eligible, low-income California residents. Participants can qualify for the program if they receive public benefits or meet household income limits. However, the phones must often be mailed to a mailbox. Phones are also frequently lost, stolen, or broken. Additionally, access to electricity to charge the phone is difficult, and there are data limits on the devices. A common barrier is the unhoused person must often have a mailing address to receive the phone. Local libraries also offer computer and internet access.
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Shelter and Parking Programs
Shelter & Parking Programs by Impact and Feasibility
Programs by Type Impact Score Feasibility Score
Temporary Shelters Highest Moderate
Safe Parking High Moderate
Hotel Vouchers/Rentals Moderate Highest
Figure 8. Shelter and Parking Programs by Impact and Feasibility Emergency shelters and safe parking programs both provide temporary shelter to unhoused people. An emergency shelter provides a temporary indoor place to sleep, offering beds, bathrooms, and meals, typically for individuals or families facing homelessness due to weather or other reasons. A safe parking program offers a designated, monitored outdoor lot for people living in their vehicles, providing safety from vehicle break-ins and access to basic amenities and supportive services to help them transition to stable housing. While shelters offer more structured spaces, safe parking programs focus on providing a stable and secure place to park overnight and access services.
Temporary Shelters
Temporary shelters can be provided in a range of forms, both congregate and noncongregate. These can also include warming and cooling centers, cold weather shelters, domestic violence shelters, and shelters associated with navigation centers. • Warming and cooling centers are facilities that are temporarily made available to the general public during extreme temperature conditions. Centers are not overnight shelters. They are open for a limited number of hours and for a limited number of days and provide limited services. They can be provided in libraries, community centers, and other public buildings that have heat or air conditioning and are only activated during extreme heat or during extreme winter storms.
There is little cost to activate these shelters except for staffing and food costs. • Cold-weather shelters can be provided in public buildings such as community centers and underutilized public facilities. These are typically for the duration of the winter and provide unhoused people with safe and warm sleeping facilities.
Typically, the unhoused people arrive in the early evening and may be provided with dinner, shower facilities, and warm bedding. The facilities are almost always congregate in nature. In the morning, the unhoused people leave the facility and return to work or find a place to spend the daytime hours. In some cases,
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breakfast and laundry facilities may be provided. HomeFirst, operated through an OSH grant, provides cold weather shelter in Mountain View. The site provides services from November through April, serving women and families and works in conjunction with the Hope’s Corner program which provides meals, showers and laundry to a broader unhoused population. The cold weather shelter is supported by a grant from OSH and costs about $60,000 a year to run out of the Trinity United Methodist Church.
• Overnight warming locations are similar to cold weather shelters. However, they are set up every evening and broken down the following morning, allowing the locations to serve a different purpose during the day. For example, HomeFirst has partnered with the City of San Jose, San Jose Public Libraries, and San Jose Parks and Recreation to offer Overnight Warming Locations (OWLs) across San Jose.
These sites activate in November and close in April. The City has a contract with HomeFirst to provide the overnight staffing, bedding, and clean-up. These services are not currently being provided in the West Valley cities. • Congregate shelters are temporary housing facilities where people sleep in shared or communal spaces, providing little to no individual privacy. All shared spaces are communal as well. These shelters have fallen out of favor with homeless service advocates because many unhoused prefer moderate privacy and protection for their belongings. Examples of congregate shelters in Santa Clara County include the HomeFirst Boccardo Reception Center and HomeFirst Gilroy Shelter, which serve hundreds of adults with a bed, shower, and meals in a shared living environment. These sites offer case management, housing problemsolving, including the exploration of family reunification, and housing search assistance.
• Non-congregate shelters allow for private spaces for sleeping, bathing, and storing of personal possessions while still utilizing communal spaces for gathering and, in some cases, meals. Examples of non-congregate shelters include the LifeMoves Mountain View tiny home facility and the San Jose Family Shelter on King Road in San Jose. New shelters are generally non-congregate in nature and many use modular construction or are hotels leased for sheltering unhoused people.
• Domestic violence agencies operate 24/7 in Santa Clara County and are accessible either online via chat or through a phone hotline. Next Door Solutions
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continues to be the largest provider of services to victims of domestic violence and operates shelters throughout Santa Clara County. Locations for shelters for domestic violence victims are confidential, but they serve the entire County. Many cities fund these types of activities with General Fund or CDBG funding for approximately $10,000/ year.
Safe Parking
Safe parking programs offer temporary, legal places for people living in vehicles to park overnight, providing access to basic needs like restrooms and security and helping them transition into more stable housing. Sites provide a temporary, safe location to park for individuals and families living in vehicles, while also providing access to needed services, helping transition them into stable housing. Site managers connect participants with supportive services, including case management, employment search assistance, housing locator assistance, healthcare referrals, and behavioral health services. Some locations provide two meals a day along with restrooms, water, wash stations, and other basic services.
• As an example of this type of program, the City of Mountain View operates four safe parking sites throughout the city, two on city-owned property which operate 24 hours a day and two at faith-based locations. In total, the program provides 105 safe parking sites and additional parking for commuter vehicles for those living in RVs. The City budgets $700,000 a year in general fund monies to MOVE MV to operate the sites. In addition, MOVE MV receives $2,155,238 in funding through OSH to provide support services at these sites. The program has been successful at helping resolve the on-street RV parking issues in the city and providing a safe living environment.
• Safe parking exists in the West Valley cities in the form of Rotating Safe Parking at faith-based communities and has been effective. Case management and operation of the Rotating Safe Parking is provided by Amigos de Guadalupe through a grant from OSH. The budget for the entire program, including San Jose locations, is approximately $800,000. However, the budget for servicing Cupertino, Campbell, Saratoga, and Santa Clara is closer to $200,000.
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Hotel Vouchers/Rentals
Hotel voucher/rental programs for unhoused people and families are another form of temporary shelter, often provided through local jurisdictions. This program offers immediate housing to unhoused people or individuals and families in crisis, such as those fleeing domestic violence, medically vulnerable unhoused, youth fleeing family conflict, or youth transitioning out of the foster program. Currently, Los Gatos and Campbell offer hotel rooms to vulnerable unhoused people during severe weather.
Interim or temporary housing at hotels is another example of how jurisdictions can provide a safe, stable environment for unhoused people after clearing an encampment or when medically necessary. The City of San Jose has a $7M budget to rent hotel rooms in ten hotels throughout the city to provide interim housing to unhoused people. The hotels have agreed to rent the hotel rooms to the City, and the City refers unhoused people to the various hotels. The hotels are currently being used to house those displaced during encampment clearings. HomeFirst operates the program and provides case management and support services.
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Interim and Transitional Programs
Interim & Transitional Programs by Impact and Feasibility Programs by Type Impact Score Feasibility Score
Rapid Rehousing Highest High
Transitional Housing Highest Moderate
Interim Sites High Moderate
Figure 9. Interim and Transitional Programs by Impact and Feasibility Interim and transitional housing programs provide temporary shelter and supportive services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Both serve as a bridge to permanent housing, but the programs may differ in length of stay, level of services, and target populations.
Rapid Rehousing
Rapid rehousing quickly connects unhoused people to housing and services by providing temporary rental assistance. Generally, rapid rehousing is funded through federal sources like the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP), Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG), and the HOME program, as well as state funds and local initiatives such as the 2016 Measure A Affordable Housing Bond. These programs are available County-wide. Eligibility is determined through the HMIS intake.
Transitional Housing
Transitional housing provides temporary housing with supportive services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness for up to two years. Transitional Housing requires the program participants to pay a portion of their monthly income for rent and usually provides a temporary rent subsidy for the duration of the program. The rental subsidies can be provided through a Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) program funded with Federal HOME funding. In the case of HOME funding, the subsidy is not tied to a rental unit but is provided directly to the household.
Transitional housing programs are also used for youth who have aged out of the foster care program and those fleeing domestic violence. The Bill Wilson Center's Transitional Housing Program provides comprehensive services for homeless youth ages 18-24, including young single parents and their children. Clients live in shared, supervised apartments or houses throughout the County while receiving counseling, independent
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living skills training, parenting classes, and employment services. The goal of the 12-18 month-long program is to help the youth become self-sufficient adults with strong connections to the community.
Some Santa Clara County domestic violence support agencies provide transitional housing at confidential sites throughout the County. An example of this type of program is Maitri, which operates the Anjali Transitional Housing Home for survivors of domestic abuse. The program offers support services and training.
Interim Sites
Interim sites, including “Tiny Home Villages,” are also being used in surrounding communities to quickly provide shelter to unhoused people. Communities will build modular small homes, either pallet or preconstructed structures, to quickly provide shelter. All the tiny homes come with electricity and plumbing. Each tiny home has a small common area that will double as a sleeping area, a small kitchen, and a private bathroom. Some tiny homes are constructed so that they can easily convert from a single unit to a multigenerational unit.
• An example of a tiny home community can be found on Leghorn Drive in Mountain View. The City used prefabricated homes to quickly build 100 units on a recently purchased site. Overall costs for the site purchase and development of the 100 units were $25M, with much of the funding coming in the form of a grant from HomeKey and funding from the City and County of Santa Clara.