Santa Clara County operates the CA-501 Continuum of Care coordinating encampment response across cities. Major operations including Vallco and Coyote Creek follow phased outreach, sanitation, and rehousing protocols rather than immediate sweeps.
Santa Clara County's Continuum of Care (CoC CA-501) under the SCC Office of Supportive Housing coordinates federal HUD funding and encampment response across all 15 cities. Major encampment operations include the 2014 Story Road Jungle (over 200 residents), the Coyote Creek encampment removal protocols, and ongoing Vallco/Apple Park-area cleanups. Standard protocol requires 72-hour notice, outreach worker offers of shelter, storage of personal belongings under SCC storage policy, and sanitation crews from VTA, Caltrans (state highways), or city public works. The Encampment Resolution Funding Program from CA Interagency Council on Homelessness funds longer-term resolutions including SCC's Felipe McAlister Place and Branham/Monterey Highway sites. Mountain View, Palo Alto, and Sunnyvale operate parallel programs with SCC coordination.
No specific encampment penalties beyond underlying camping rules. Property destroyed during clearance without proper notice exposes jurisdictions to civil rights claims under Lehr v. Sacramento. Sanitation contractors face contract penalties for failing notice and storage protocols.
See how Sunnyvale's encampment sanitation rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.