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3D Printed Housing Units For Homeless Discussed At Silicon Valley Innovation Forum

SAN JOSE (KCBS)— San Jose City Hall was bursting with big ideas Friday as dozens gathered for a social innovation forum. The goal was to come up with creative ways to tackle major social issues like homelessness.

Ray Bramson, San Jose's Homelessness Response Manager, said one innovative idea catching on at the Silicon Valley 3rd Annual Social Innovation Leadership Forum involved creating tiny 3D-printed homes for the homeless.

"It's the idea of modular, inexpensive, small micro-units that you can put up throughout the community that maybe could be more affordable for people who don't have the means to make them," Bramson said.

3D Printed Homes For Homeless Discussed At Silicon Valley Innovation Forum

Daniel Lue lives in San Francisco, but goes to school at San Jose State, and he says the homeless problem is worse in San Jose.

"Just by driving around on the streets I see a lot of people hanging around on the corner asking for donations or help," he said. In his estimation the problem isn't as bad in San Francisco.

It doesn't surprise Jennifer Loving, executive director of Destination: Home, which runs a housing campaign in the South Bay.

"Santa Clara County is the fifth highest homeless population in the country and the number one highest unsheltered population. We do know that what we've been doing doesn't work very well," she said.

Loving was one of dozens of leaders who attended the forum to brainstorm ways to tackle major social problems.

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