HomeMy WebLinkAbout01 26 2026 Public Comment - Houseless Community near Costco - Nova MFrom:Nova Mauss
To:All Council Members
Subject:EXTERNAL - Houseless Community near Costco
Date:Saturday, January 24, 2026 9:19:44 PM
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My name is Nova Mauss and I am a resident of Gilroy. I recently found out that a group of people are living in tents
on city property behind Costco and are scheduled to be evicted on February 3rd. If that happens, they have no
definite place to go and will have to scatter throughout the city looking for a safe place. They have been there since
November without incident. It would make it difficult for case managers and non-profits to locate them to provide
much needed services. Several of them are awaiting notices of permanent housing, should it become available and
they can’t be located in time they will lose the opportunity. This would not serve the city of Gilroy in reducing the
number of unhoused people.
Please extend their stay for another three months to allow them to get housed and to continue living in peace and
health. The camp can be reevaluated after three months, if the camp remains low impact, if it continues to be a net
good for the community, then extend it again. Reevaluate every 3 months. Work together with service providers to
make it a model of success.
Displacement is not the answer. We have learned through study and research that providing stable temporary camps
and resources is the faster and more effective way of aiding those effected by houslessness and getting them off the
streets.
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Cheers,
Nova M
(They/She)
novalmauss@gmail.com