San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan knows all too well the challenges homelessness can impose on families.
His own cousin ended up living on the streets after falling into the throes of addiction, “bouncing from high to high” and “caught in a destructive cycle” in the late 80s, Mahan told The Mercury News. And despite a desire from his family to help, it was not always so easy to facilitate.
“My aunt and uncle were out looking for him — they wanted to reconnect, and there were times when he wanted to reconnect — but that did not always happen because they had a hard time finding each other,” Mahan said. “There was a point at which he was pretty burned out on the drugs, exhausted by life on the street and looking for a change, and he ended up eventually accepting treatment and reconnecting with family and ultimately getting to a much better place.”
Now Mahan will be part of uniting other unhoused residents with friends and family willing to provide a supportive environment, after San Jose announced the launch of the “Homeward Bound” pilot program Tuesday.
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