Hundreds set out to clean up San Jose trails and former encampment park

"The no encampment zones started in January of 2024 and encompass over 9 miles of trails. On Friday, we spoke with Mayor Mahan on enforcement. And how they plan to prevent re-encampments. "We do have bike patrols on overtime, we have a new unit that I basically promoted in my budget message that the council adopted, that's our neighborhood quality of life unit which is pulled out of patrol to just focus on enforcing quality of life crime," Mahan said."

"Theo Martinez is an avid cyclist. He's a member of San Jose Bike Party - a meetup of colorfully lit bikers who head out on a ride every third Friday night of the month. Martinez also bikes off the Guadalupe River Trail every week. "There's no question it's cleaner, I mean it's night and day," Martinez said. This week, San Jose city leaders announced that usage of the trail has more than doubled in some areas since they established zones where camping was banned."

"Sonja Stryker says she's homeless and that she used to live along the river. "Oh I've noticed, it's put hardships on me myself and those that live around me," Stryker said. On Saturday, Mahan will be joined by hundreds of volunteers and organizations who will clean up Columbus Park, which had been a popular camping site for the last six years."

San Jose cleared encampments along the Guadalupe River Trail and Columbus Park and established no-encampment zones. No-encampment zones began in January 2024 and cover over nine miles of trails. Trail usage has more than doubled in some areas since the camping bans were implemented. Tents along parts of the river reportedly dropped from roughly 200 to about two. The city is expanding cleanup efforts along a roughly 16-mile stretch between highways 880 and 101. The city added bike patrols on overtime and created a neighborhood quality of life unit to focus on enforcing quality-of-life crimes. Hundreds of volunteers and organizations will join a cleanup at Columbus Park, which had been a popular camping site for six years. Some unhoused residents said the clearances have imposed hardships on them.

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