MSN – A California city is considering arresting unhoused people who refuse their offer of shelter.
San José Mayor Matt Mahan made the admission last month.
Just 48 miles south of San Francisco, where officials are also struggling with how to solve homelessness, Mahan is aiming to fit the proposal into a pending budget plan that would allocate funding for shelter and temporary housing, per KQED.
If enacted, unhoused residents would first be issued a citation or warning. They’d only be subject to arrest if they decline shelter three times.
The city of nearly a million operates tiny homes, converted motels and parking lots as part of its 1,000 shelter spaces. Constructing temporary housing has been a hallmark of the mayor’s agenda.
