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San Jose, Calif. – Committed to being a community partner, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is doing its part to assist the homeless.   In partnership with the City of San Jose Housing Department, VTA is supporting a homeless outreach effort on Bus Line 22.  About 30 volunteers will ride Line 22 starting the evening of Friday, March 28, 2008 through early Saturday morning to provide information on housing and community services to homeless riders. 

Due to the seasonal nature of armories and limited capacity of local homeless shelters, some homeless resort to riding Bus Line 22 as a refuge from the elements during the evening and early morning hours.   VTA recognizes this is not a way to address homelessness and is participating in an effort to look for a long-term solution by collaborating with local officials.   Following an onboard survey completed by Santa Clara University students in November 2007, findings indicated homeless nighttime riders needed assistance in obtaining community services. 

The joint outreach effort on Bus Line 22 will include volunteers from Victory Outreach Church and Tzu Chi Foundation.  These outreach members have identification badges and will conduct interviews with homeless nighttime riders in order to offer them an opportunity to get connected with the appropriate agencies, case management, housing and other services.  The outreach group will also be available at the Palo Alto and Eastridge Transit Centers.  As incentives, volunteers will provide small gift bags to interested homeless riders. 

VTA Board Member and Santa Clara County Supervisor Don Gage co-chairs the Blue Ribbon Commission on Ending Homelessness and Solving the Affordable Housing Crisis. 

“This is a proactive way for VTA to address the needs of nighttime homeless riders, while at the same time, offering them a possible long-term solution for shelter and other basic needs,” said Gage.

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About VTA
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is an independent special district responsible for bus, light rail and paratransit operations; congestion management; specific highway improvement projects; and countywide transportation planning. As such, VTA is both an accessible transit provider and multi-modal transportation planning organization involved with transit, highways and roadways, bikeways and pedestrian facilities.

For more information about VTA services, call VTA Customer Service at (408) 321-2300, (408) 321-2330 (TDD only). Or, log on to www.vta.org.