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Eyes welled with tears as people lit candles and spoke the names of Santa Clara County homeless residents who died this year at a Friday memorial -- a reminder of the harsh reality of living on the streets and the urgency to get more people housed.
From Dec. 1, 2023 to Nov. 30, 197 homeless people died in the county, four fewer deaths than the same time last year. Many lived with health conditions, such as cancer or a heart, liver or lung disease. Roughly a quarter of those who died were over the age of 65, pointing to growing homelessness among older adults. Four infants died this year, as well as two adults over the age of 100.
Of the 197 deaths, methamphetamine was either the cause of death or a significant factor leading to death for 70 people. Fifty people had a cardiovascular disease, 68 had high blood pressure and 13 died of pneumonia. Seven died of suicide. Some causes of death are still pending investigation.
Dozens of people, including elected officials and nonprofit leaders, attended the memorial held at the Boccardo Reception Center in San Jose -- the largest emergency homeless shelter in the county.
"This memorial is a grim reminder that we are not addressing the homelessness crisis with the urgency it demands. It's inhumane to allow people to live and die on our streets," San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said. "We cannot just mourn the loss of our homeless neighbors -- we must commit to getting people indoors faster, ending the human suffering on our streets and creating a better quality of life for the entire community."
One key difference between last year's deaths and this year has been the weather, with San Jose logging its hottest week ever recorded in October as temperatures spiked above 100 degrees. There have been 10 documented heat-related deaths countywide this year -- compared to zero last year. Communication about cooling centers often doesn't reach homeless people, and it can be hard for someone without transportation to get to them.
The annual memorial has been held by HomeFirst for nearly two decades. Other regional nonprofits and homeless services organizations hold similar events each year.
"As we honor those we've lost, we remember that each life was more than their circumstances -- they were members of our community, with hopes, dreams and stories that mattered," René Ramirez, CEO of homeless service provider HomeFirst, said. "By reading their names, we not only preserve their memory, but renew our commitment to ensuring no one is left behind in the fight against homelessness."
There are nearly 10,000 homeless people in the county, and a large number of them are unsheltered, according to county data. San Jose has 6,340 unhoused residents, 4,411 of whom live on the street, along rivers or in tents. The county does not have enough shelter beds to accommodate them, and cities such as San Jose are turning to safe sleeping sites to help provide shelter.
Jackie Escobar knows what it's like to be homeless, but she was lucky enough to get help and move into an apartment after four years of crashing on couches or sleeping in a tent.
"The relief, fear and happiness that I felt was so overwhelming," Escobar said. "I made it ... these individuals (who died) are not just 197 names. There are 197 untold stories, 197 people who did not make it out of homelessness."