Faced with mounting numbers of homeless, the city of San Jose, California is considering moving the city’s homeless into vacant motels and hotels.

Faced with mounting numbers of homeless residents, the city of San Jose, California is considering a new approach to securing housing for those who have none.

They’re discussing moving the city’s homeless into vacant motels and hotels.

The current situation in the city is such that even individuals with publicly funded subsidized housing vouchers can’t find places that will take them.

Shelters are packed, rents are increasing, and landlords are getting more selective about tenants.

Even if any among the 4700 homeless on the San Jose streets manages to find a short-term room, their prospects of finding a permanent situation are grim.

The hotel/motel plan aims to conquer both problems at once.

Housing given at those locations would be permanent for 5 years while the tenant looks for work or other housing.

Room rentals would be coordinated by a nonprofit. The estimated 40-dollar-a-day room rate would be paid by a combination of city issued coupons and tenant contributions.

Thus far, swankier places have rejected the plan outright, but many independent owners of smaller, often vacant facilities say it could help them as well.

If it passes local legislation, the City Council could be ready to put the plan into action as soon as summer.