San Jose to Clear Notorious Homeless Encampment 'The Jungle' by April

The city will offer social services and interim housing to the roughly 100 residents before demolishing the makeshift camp.

Mar. 3, 2026 at 7:34pm

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The city of San Jose, California has begun the process of clearing out a large homeless encampment known as 'The Jungle' located in the Coyote Meadows area. Officials have given notice to the roughly 100 residents living there and plan to begin the formal clearing and cleaning of the area on April 15, offering social services and interim housing options to those currently living in the encampment.

Why it matters

The Jungle has become one of the last remaining large homeless encampments in the San Jose area, as the city has worked to expand shelter and interim housing options over the past few years. Clearing the encampment is seen as a necessary step to restore the public space, though officials are aiming to balance compassion with responsibility in how they handle the situation.

The details

The city started the dismantling process on Wednesday by conducting outreach to those living at The Jungle, providing written materials in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese explaining the situation. Once the formal clearing begins on April 15, the city will offer social services and relocation to interim housing for the roughly 100 residents. After clearing the encampment, the area will be designated as a permanent 'No Encampment Zone' to prevent it from being reoccupied.

  • The city started the dismantling process on Wednesday, March 3, 2026.
  • The formal clearing and cleaning of The Jungle will begin on April 15, 2026.

The players

Matt Mahan

The mayor of San Jose, California.

Jennifer Maguire

The city manager of San Jose, California.

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What they’re saying

“Over the last three years, we've expanded shelter and interim housing faster than any other city on the West Coast. That work has allowed us to decommission our largest encampments so that we can restore public spaces for community use and connect people to the services they need to return to self-sufficiency.”

— Matt Mahan, Mayor

“Clearing Coyote Meadows is about balancing compassion with responsibility. Together, we are creating a San José for everyone — protecting public spaces and waterways, and strengthening the overall health, safety, and beauty of our city.”

— Jennifer Maguire, City Manager

What’s next

The city will begin the formal clearing and cleaning of The Jungle encampment on April 15, 2026, after providing notice and offering social services and interim housing to the roughly 100 residents currently living there.

The takeaway

San Jose's efforts to clear The Jungle encampment highlight the city's broader strategy to address homelessness by expanding shelter and interim housing options, while also working to restore public spaces and maintain the overall health and safety of the community.