San Jose plans $24M Columbus Park overhaul, displaces homeless residents

The San Jose City Council unanimously approved a $24 million overhaul of Columbus Park, which has long served as the city's largest homeless encampment. The planned renovations will add recreational amenities like soccer fields, pickleball, and horseshoe courts, aiming to restore the park as a hub for families and youth sports. However, the project requires displacing hundreds of unhoused residents currently living in the park, many of whom express concern about where they will go given limited alternative housing options. Homeless advocates criticize the city for prioritizing park revitalization over providing permanent solutions for the unhoused, arguing that the move may be more about image ahead of major events than addressing root causes. City officials, including Mayor Matt Mahan, acknowledge the challenges but maintain that public parkland must be accessible to all residents. Construction is slated to begin in early 2026, but the fate of displaced residents remains uncertain.