Good Neighbor Program - Valley Water Addressing Encampments of Unsheltered People

Location

Countywide

Tonnage Removed

1,080 tons (2,380,992 pounds) of encampment-generated trash, debris, and hazardous pollutants in FY 2024

Funding

Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program ($38.7 million over the first 15 years)

The Good Neighbor Program encompasses Valley Water’s efforts to address unsheltered homelessness and the impacts of encampments along creeks, waterways, and water supply facilities on land that Valley Water owns or manages. Valley Water estimates between 200 and 300 unsheltered people live on our property and easements, spanning approximately 333 of the more than 800 miles of creeks and waterways in Santa Clara County.

Encampments along waterways commonly generate large amounts of trash, debris, and hazardous pollutants that degrade water quality, obstruct fish passage, and damage and destroy fish and other wildlife habitats. Environmental impacts to riparian zones include wildfires, streambank erosion, harm to vegetation, and accumulation of human and hazardous waste. Encampments also raise health and safety issues for unsheltered individuals, Valley Water staff, and the broader community.

The Good Neighbor Program supports Valley Water’s independent and collaborative efforts to address the effects of encampments on Valley Water lands. In coordination with local cities, agencies, and nonprofit groups, Valley Water conducts encampment cleanups on property where our agency possesses land rights or has management responsibility. Through ongoing collaboration, local agencies provide law enforcement support to address safety issues arising from encampments, and social services agencies and nonprofit groups provide outreach and support to unsheltered individuals, including services and shelter alternatives.

To learn more about the Good Neighbor Program, read Valley Water’s Good Neighbor Program Fact Sheet.

Good Neighbor Program before after image

How does Valley Water respond to encampments on Valley Water lands?

Valley Water performs encampment management activities only on properties where it possesses land rights or has built flood protection projects. Management of encampments on land owned by other entities is the responsibility of those entities.

This ownership map shows Valley Water-owned lands in green.

In general, Valley Water will prioritize encampment cleanup and removal as necessary to protect employees and/or public safety and to carry out Valley Water’s business.

Read Valley Water’s Encampment Response Protocol FAQ to learn more about how Valley Water responds to encampments and encampment-related issues, including how our agency prioritizes encampment cleanup and/or removal.

How do I report a potential encampment?

You can report encampment-related concerns to Valley Water via our online system at: access.valleywater.org/s/. If you have an immediate safety concern, call 911.

What is Valley Water’s Water Resources Protection Zones Ordinance?

Valley Water’s Water Resources Protection Zones (WRPZ) Ordinance was adopted on Nov. 26, 2024, to address the environmental, health, and safety impacts of encampments. The ordinance establishes regulations prohibiting camping and encampment-related activities on Valley Water lands. It outlines Valley Water’s approach to encampment cleanup, removal, and/or enforcement related to violations of the regulations.

Learn more about Valley Water’s Water Resources Protection Zones (WRPZ) Ordinance:

How is Valley Water contributing to solutions to unsheltered homelessness in Santa Clara County?

UPDATE: Valley Water and the City of San José have finalized a collaborative use agreement that will enable the City to develop an emergency interim housing community on Valley Water property located off Cherry Avenue in San José, near the Almaden Ranch shopping center. This interim housing community will provide units to serve as many as 125 unsheltered individuals. Those living in encampments on Valley Water property within Guadalupe River Reach 12 and on other Valley Water lands will receive first priority for housing opportunities at the new development. The interim housing community is expected to begin operations as early as fall 2025.

Valley Water is committed to helping solve the regional shelter and housing crisis by collaborating with local agencies to provide land for temporary and permanent housing options. Assembly Bill 1469 amended the Santa Clara Valley Water District Act to give Valley Water the authority to assist unsheltered people living along streams, in riparian corridors, or otherwise in its jurisdiction, in consultation with a city or the County of Santa Clara, to provide solutions or improve outcomes for unsheltered individuals.

Valley Water collaborates with local agencies and other service providers to address the challenges posed by encampments and their impacts on waterways and water supply and flood protection facilities, including supporting the provision of outreach and other services by these agencies and service providers.

Valley Water Board of Directors approves ordinance to reduce encampments along creeks, waterways and water supply facilities

Alamitos Creek in San Jose

SAN JOSE — On Nov. 26, 2024, Valley Water’s Board of Directors adopted an ordinance to address the environmental, health, and safety impacts of encampments along waterways, water supply facilities, and other lands where Valley Water holds land rights.

The Water Resources Protection Zones Ordinance establishes new regulations prohibiting camping and encampment-related activities on Valley Water lands. The ordinance will enable Valley Water to manage encampment impacts better while working with local agencies and private partners to implement long-term solutions to address unsheltered homelessness within Santa Clara County.

“The intention of this ordinance is not to result in the criminalization of unsheltered people living along our waterways,” Valley Water Board Chair Nai Hsueh said. “Our agency’s mission is to provide Silicon Valley safe, clean water for a healthy life, environment, and economy. By advancing this ordinance, we aim to enhance our capacity to achieve these goals while fostering collaboration with government entities and private partners to create sustainable housing alternatives for unsheltered individuals. Together, we can make significant strides in addressing homelessness and environmental concerns in our community.”

The primary goals of the ordinance are to:

Protect water resources, endangered species, riparian habitat of creeks and waterways, and other ecological resources
Protect Valley Water investments in flood protection and environmental mitigation projects
Support and improve the safety of Valley Water’s field operations staff

The ordinance prohibits camping within Water Resources Protection Zones, encompassing all lands where Valley Water owns property in fee title, has an easement, or has maintenance obligations. Valley Water owns and manages 333 miles of the more than 800 miles of creeks and rivers in Santa Clara County. The remaining stretches of creeks are owned by Santa Clara County, private entities, cities in which the creeks are located, and other public agencies.

The ordinance includes a provision for an implementation plan that provides a framework and timeline for implementing the ordinance. The Ordinance Implementation Plan focuses on reducing and eliminating the most serious environmental, health, and safety impacts encampments have on the environment, unsheltered individuals, Valley Water employees and the broader community.

Valley Water will conduct widespread education and outreach to the community, including unsheltered individuals residing in encampments, advocates and social services providers who support unsheltered people, and local and law enforcement agencies. The ordinance went into effect on Dec. 26, 2024; enforcement began on Jan. 2, 2025.

For more information on the program please contact:

Mark Bilski: 408-630-2830

Guadalupe encampment cleanup at Willow Street — Before and after photos from Guadalupe River encampment cleanup at Willow Street.

6 sites serviced removing 8.01 tons of encampment generated trash and debris.

Before and after photos from Guadalupe Creek encampment cleanup.

19 sites serviced removing 5.79 tons of encampment generated trash and debris.

Valley Water Board of Directors approves ordinance to reduce encampments along creeks, waterways and water supply facilities

Alamitos Creek in San Jose

The primary goals of the ordinance are to:

Protect water resources, endangered species, riparian habitat of creeks and waterways, and other ecological resources
Protect Valley Water investments in flood protection and environmental mitigation projects
Support and improve the safety of Valley Water’s field operations staff

For more information on the program please contact:

Mark Bilski: 408-630-2830

F5 Fact Sheet

Valley Water watershed ordinance FAQ 2024

Stream Maintenance and Property Management Fact Sheet

Benefits

Reduces the accumulation of trash, debris, and hazardous pollutants in local waterways, including streams, wetlands, and water utility facilities (e.g. groundwater ponds)
Protects Valley Water facilities and reduces flood risk
Improves the aesthetics of creeks in neighborhoods and along trails
Coordinates Valley Water’s efforts with multiple agencies to create lasting solutions to reduce encampments near waterways

External Resources

The Valley Water Board of Directors endorsed the 2020-2025 Community Plan to End Homelessness on May 25, 2021.
BeautifySJ’s

Valley Water’s Contributions to Solutions to Unsheltered Homelessness

Valley Water recognizes the connection between unsheltered homelessness and the lack of available permanent and transitional housing options in Santa Clara County. Encampments of unsheltered people form out of necessity when people have nowhere else to live or store their belongings. Valley Water estimates that approximately 200 to 300 unsheltered individuals have taken refuge on our lands near waterways.

As a water district, Valley Water’s primary responsibility is to carry out our mission in flood risk reduction, water supply, and environmental stewardship. While Valley Water does not provide health and social services, our agency is dedicated to addressing the unsheltered homelessness crisis by partnering with nonprofit organizations and local governmental agencies, as our funding and other resources allow, in accordance with the powers granted by the Santa Clara Valley Water District Act.

Board Leadership and Policy

Valley Water’s Board of Directors is dedicated to the agency’s mission of providing safe, clean water and protecting against activities that negatively impact water quality and ecological resources. In 2017, the Board created the Environmental Creek Cleanup Committee (ECCC), formerly known as the Homeless Encampment Committee, to address homelessness and encampment-related issues. This committee facilitates discussions and makes recommendations for the Board’s consideration.

The Good Neighbor Program was originally established as part of the Clean, Safe Creeks and Natural Flood Protection Plan in 2000. It was later incorporated into the Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program in 2012. The renewed 2020 Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program carried forward the Good Neighbor Program under Priority F: Support Public Health and Public Safety for Our Community. This initiative is identified as Project F5: Good Neighbor Program: Encampment Cleanup. Initially, efforts focused on cleaning up encampments in coordination with local cities and agencies. Over time, the program expanded to include services supporting staff safety.

In 2023, the Board expanded the Good Neighbor Program to address the increasingly negative effects of encampments on Valley Water lands and strengthen support for collaborative, interagency efforts aimed at finding holistic solutions to homelessness. On Sept. 26, 2023, Valley Water’s Board of Directors formalized its commitment to addressing unsheltered homelessness by adopting a new Board Governance Policy. Board Ends Policy No. E-6 – Encampments of Unsheltered People states: Valley Water is committed, through a regional approach, to address the human health, safety, operational and environmental challenges posed by encampments of unsheltered people on Valley Water lands along waterways and at water supply and flood risk reduction facilities.

The ends policy includes two objectives to support solutions for unsheltered homelessness.

6.1.1. Actively participate in a collaborative regional approach with the County, cities, and other service providers to support their efforts in addressing the challenges posed by encampments of unsheltered people.
6.1.3. Identify Valley Water lands for regional partners to use for housing or other services for unsheltered people.

Outreach and Support Services

In line with Board Ends Policy No. E-6, Valley Water collaborates with local agencies, social service providers, and law enforcement officers to address the challenges posed by encampments located on Valley Water property, including supporting outreach and other services provided by these partners. Valley Water has an agreement with the County of Santa Clara to help fund County outreach teams that regularly visit encampments on Valley Water property and offer shelter and housing resources.

Additionally, Valley Water remains open to partnering with other local agencies, through Memoranda of Agreement or other means to manage the impacts of encampments on waterways and to assist in efforts to find solutions to address unsheltered homelessness.

Assembly Bill 1469: Valley Water’s Contribution to Shelter and Housing

As set forth in Board Ends Policy No. EL-6, Valley Water is committed to addressing the regional shelter and housing crisis by collaborating with local agencies to provide land for temporary and permanent housing options. The Valley Water-sponsored Assembly Bill (AB) 1469, which was signed into law on Oct. 10, 2023, amended the Santa Clara Valley Water District Act. This amendment gives Valley Water the authority to assist unsheltered people living along streams, in riparian corridors, or otherwise in its jurisdiction, in consultation with a city or the County of Santa Clara, to provide solutions or improve outcomes for the unsheltered individuals. Specifically, the law allows Valley Water the flexibility to use district land and a part of an existing ad valorem property tax for lasting encampment solutions.

The District Act now enables Valley Water to work with local agencies and private partners to construct low-barrier navigation centers, supportive housing, transitional housing, affordable housing, or other facilities to assist unsheltered people. These facilities would be operated by a city, the County, or a non-profit with the appropriate expertise to provide shelter and services that can improve outcomes for unsheltered people.

Under the authority granted by AB 1469, Valley Water staff is discussing with nonprofit organizations and local government agencies the use of specific Valley Water-owned properties for potential temporary and permanent supportive housing. Valley Water and the City of San José recently finalized an agreement to allow the City’s use of Valley Water’s two-acre property on Cherry Avenue to develop an emergency interim housing site. The City of San José is also evaluating additional Valley Water properties for use as safe sleeping sites. Valley Water continues to meet with other potential partners and seek opportunities to contribute to shelter and housing options.