Higher Power: San Jose Looks To Churches For Housing Homeless Vets
SAN JOSE (KPIX 5) – In the struggle to end homelessness, the City of San Jose is calling on a higher power. Church leaders, along with the mayor and advocacy groups, came together to kick off an initiative called "Housing One Hero."
The idea: recruit all of San Jose's 250 churches, mosques, and synagogues and have each one of them find housing for one homeless veteran who already has a voucher in hand.
"Faith communities have a way of reaching homeless in a way government simply can't," Mayor Sam Liccardo told KPIX 5. "Being able to engage people in a meaningful way, offering community and fellowship, that's a powerful tool as we try to help get folks back on their feet."
San Jose currently has about 700 homeless vets, and a third of them actually have housing vouchers. But in a tight housing market, it is especially difficult for them to find vacancy.
"It's going to take a miracle. But we are in the miracle business, so we think the cause is right," said David Cannistraci, pastor of Gateway City Church.
Cannistraci is helping to lead the charge, and already has commitments from more than a dozen religious organizations who have pledged to help, in part by encouraging their followers to do good.
"When there are landlords in the congregation and their pastor for example would say, 'Hey guys, here's an issue, there's a meeting coming up. We have a chance to make a difference.' I think that's one way that we could do it," Cannistraci said.
