South Bay medical clinic for homeless people expands to provide thousands of health care visits

A medical clinic in one of the South Bay’s largest homeless shelters has expanded to provide thousands of health care visits for local unhoused residents.

Santa Clara Valley Healthcare recently doubled the size of its shelter clinic at 2011 Little Orchard St. in San Jose to almost 4,000 square feet, local officials announced this week. The added space will allow staff to offer additional medical, mental health and social work services and accommodate around 3,000 appointments annually.

Patients do not have to be staying at the shelter to receive care.

“This allows the county to provide the proper medical and support services to those most in need,” County Supervisor Cindy Chavez said in a statement. “No matter what their current situation, everyone deserves access to critical health care needs.”

According to the latest “point-in-time” count taken early last year, Santa Clara County has an estimated 9,903 homeless residents. About three-quarters live outdoors, in vehicles or other places not meant for habitation, while the rest stay in shelters.

The San Jose shelter, which has around 250 beds, is operated by Milpitas-based nonprofit HomeFirst.

After the South Bay chapter of the NAACP accused HomeFirst of discriminating against Black staff and shelter residents, county officials are weighing whether to extend the service provider’s contract to operate a homeless shelter in Sunnyvale. The county could also decide whether to stop sending money to HomeFirst to help run the San Jose site, nonprofit officials said.

HomeFirst has repeatedly and forcefully denied the allegations.

The county Board of Supervisors has asked county staff to review and respond to the discrimination allegations before a likely vote on the soon-expiring shelter contract next month.