Published in the December 10-23, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life

Home for the holidays. That sentimental phrase found on Christmas cards might create in many Morgan Hill people an image of families gathering together in a warm and safe abode to share the festivities of the winter season together. And yet, men, women and children live in the South Valley for whom having a home to go to during the holidays is only a dream.

On the same week that Coldwell Banker released its 2014 home listing annual report finding Morgan Hill as the 17th most expensive market to buy a new home in America, a walk through the Downtown Amphitheater one evening revealed several people sleeping on the stage area concrete in sleeping bags, their worldly possessions close to them.

The Coldwell Banker report compared listing prices for a four-bedroom, two-bathroom house in about 2,000 markets across the country. Its findings showed that Morgan Hill has an average cost of $932,959 for such a home. The high price of real estate in our community makes it difficult for families with low incomes to purchase a home of their own. There are families here who live in their vehicles because they can’t afford the basic rent of a place to live.

The quality of life in the South Valley is severely impacted by the affordability of housing. And that’s why the county, city and nonprofit organizations have been working to ensure people have access to a home here in our section of Silicon Valley, one of the wealthiest regions of the world.

The city of Morgan Hill has an affordable housing program requiring by policy that developers set aside 8 to 11 percent of all home units to sell at below-market rate. This helps ensure Morgan Hill’s population can sustain a diversity in demographics. We don’t want to become a city where only the wealthy dwell.

In January when District 1 Supervisor Mike Wasserman took his seat as the president of the county board for the year, he committed the county to a concerted effort to help local people living on the streets to find shelter.

Looking at the South Valley region specifically, the number of homeless individuals has decreased in the past few years, with a 2013 county homeless census showing about 1,000 homeless people live here. Across the county, more than 7,000 homeless individuals and families struggle to survive. Of that number, about 2,500 are considered “chronically homeless,” Wasserman said. Young people and children are particularly impacted by homeless conditions.

Many factors can contribute to the problem of homelessness including alcohol and drug abuse, job loss and a range of disabling conditions. The vast majority of youth experiencing homelessness were once in foster care programs. They exited that system without the ability to live independently. One quarter of former foster youth will experience homelessness at some point as young adults — a number that equals nearly 1,200 on any given night in Santa Clara County.

The county is working on the challenge of helping the homeless by partnering with community-based organizations such as Community Solutions, EHC Lifebuilders, and the Bill Wilson Center. These groups provide many of the most vulnerable homeless individuals with specialized mental health services as well as transitional housing and rent-based subsidies.

The county is also working with Destination: Home in an effort to house 1,000 chronically homeless people. The Housing 1000 campaign has helped to provide shelter for about 600 people. The county also dedicates $4 million each year toward creating supportive housing through a 10-year Measure A pool of money.

The Gilroy Compassion Center’s main goal is one of providing year-round alternatives to living on the streets. It is working with the county to find land to set up the modular buildings that formerly served as a temporary courthouse in San Martin and convert these into shelter for the homeless.

We at Morgan Hill Life believe that “home for the holidays” must be more than merely a Christmas card sentiment. The quality of life for all people in our region is increased when everyone has a home to go to not just during the holidays but throughout the entire year.