Why San Jose Homeless.org?  Homelessness is a problem.  It seems like that is the only thing about the homeless, about which everyone agrees.  Some people think the homeless are lazy and need to get a job.  Others think they are scary, dangerous, psychopaths.  Still others think they are good, honest people who just need a little boost so that they can be successful in life.

Now think for a moment about any other group of people: college students, people who work at banks, people born in the month of July, car salesmen, Catholics, people who drink Dr. Pepper, Republicans, people who live in Modesto, whatever… just pick a group.  Now apply the theories about the homeless to that group.  Are some of them lazy?  Are some of them scary, dangerous psychopaths? Are some of them good, honest people who need help sometimes?  The fact is, the homeless are a diverse group of people with unique strengths and weaknesses.

I am a doctor who has worked with homeless people in San Jose for the past 5 1/2 years.  The purpose of this blog is to provide a forum for people who frequently interact with the homeless individuals to share what they know about both the microscopic and macroscopic truths about homelessness in Santa Clara County.  My hope is that with a better understanding of the homeless, we as a community can bring greater dignity to our outdoor citizens and possibly prevent some from experiencing homelessness in the first place.