Homeless on Railroad Ave., Milpitas, prepare to have their Vehicles Towed.
Photos by Ann Zeise, GoMilpitas.com, March 12, 2022
Mayor Tran announces that vehicles parked behind library will be towed on March 12
By Eric Shapiro, MilpitasBeat, March 11, 2022
Earlier this week, on Mayor Rich Tran’s Facebook page, the Mayor posted that the “abandoned, inoperable, and unregistered” vehicles parked behind Milpitas Library were being given notice by the Milpitas Police Department (MPD) to move or risk being towed in another 72 hours.
The Mayor’s post and plans come in the midst of an active discussion on homelessness in Milpitas, during which the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley advised the City of Milpitas that its planned sweeps of homeless encampments were unconstitutional and the City’s homelessness task force provided recommendations to the Milpitas City Council. Last week, Councilmember Karina Dominguez headed up a sleep-out outside of Milpitas City Hall to draw attention to the plight of the city’s homeless residents.
In an email exchange with The Beat, when asked what the City would do to help the unhoused residents whose cars will be towed, Assistant City Manager Ashwini Kantak wrote, “The issues that cause homelessness are complex. The City’s role is to balance the rights of those who are homeless with the need to ensure proper safety, hygiene, and impact on the entire community – and strictly enforce City laws.