Activists protest planned encampment sweep near San Jose airport

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(KRON) — More than 100 unhoused people living near the San Jose airport are facing eviction in the next few days. The City of San Jose plans to clear out the encampment on Tuesday.

Unhoused advocates protested the sweep this afternoon, claiming the city is kicking people out of their homes without providing them shelter.

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That’s one of the biggest issues the city says that adds to their reasoning in sweeping this encampment of people next week.

Nicole Jackson has been working hard to keep this space clean. She says the City of San Jose has been critical of trash around the encampment in Columbus Park located near the airport.

“I’m trying to throw away garbage, someone made a garbage pile here,” Jackson said.

Despite staying busy, she is one of dozens of people here who may be forced out of the encampment next week.

Another reason is campfire smoke and birds attracted to the encampment pose a danger to planes taking off and landing at the San Jose International Airport, city officials tell KRON4.

City officials have been posting these flyers, saying people need to move from this part of the encampment by Tuesday or they will be forced out.

“It is unfair because the government was put in place to take care of the underdog,” Jackson said.

On Friday afternoon, about a dozen people protested the sweep. Advocates say San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is going back on his word.

ADovcates say he’s long been opposed to sweeping encampments unless the residents have someplace to go. That’s not the case for people in this encampment.

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Unhoused advocate Shaunn Cartwright says more sweeps will push people into suburbs away from downtown. Cartwright is asking the city to reconsider its plans.

“The mayor’s position seems to have changed,” Cartwright said. “They show up in some residential neighborhood people will clutch their pearls and say ‘oh my god how did this happen?’ Talk to the mayor.”

Mayor Matt Mahan’s office sent KRON4 a statement where they say this specific encampment has posed too many safety risks.

“The FAA requires us to keep certain areas around Columbus Park clear because it is in the airport’s flight path… We simply don’t have enough capacity today for the over 4,500 people living outdoors,” Mahan said.

This sweep, if people don’t move, is set to happen early morning on Tuesday. But even so, people may be left without their RVs and their tents. Advocates tell KRON4 they worry this will lead to injury because that day is supposed to be a heatwave with temps in the mid-to-high 90s.

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Jack Molmud

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