SCU Unhoused Initiative

Winter Newsletter – 2026

Students Inform Local Response to Homelessness

This fall, courses led by UI faculty and partners immersed students in the local response to homelessness. Students in Long Le’s Microfinance for Entrepreneurial Development, Sonja Mackenzie’s Senior Public Health Capstone, and Brie Mendoza’s Unhoused Advocacy Clinic worked directly with our unhoused neighbors and researched opportunities for local change.

A student speaks to a resident of a homeless encampment adjacent to railroad tracks.
Credit: S. Mackenzie

Capstone students took on two projects. Utilizing a “Wellness Audit,” one group examined the impacts of displacement while unhoused, collecting surveys at a variety of community sites. In partnership with the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley and the Gilroy Union of the Homeless, their findings will inform local advocacy addressing encampment sweeps. A second group of Capstone students assisted people with claims for lost, damaged or destroyed property arising out of abatements, supporting the Unhoused Advocacy Clinic’s work. A recorded presentation of each group’s findings is available here.

Logo for the ZiM program. An image of earth with ZIM written across.

Management students developed a “Zero Interest Microfinance” program for people experiencing homelessness which includes microloans and financial literacy training. People experiencing homelessness are also invited to invest in the program. A ZiM pilot is expected to launch this winter.

A law student meets with a client in a room with multiple tables.
Credit: B. Mendoza

Through the Unhoused Advocacy Clinic, law students assisted clients with court fines and fees, property claims and record clearance matters. The students staffed six legal clinics in the community during fall semester, serving nearly 60 people who have been impacted by the criminalization of homelessness.

Of note, the three courses worked collaboratively, increasing their projects’ impact and bolstering community connections. People who needed assistance with a property claim, for example, could also respond to the Wellness Audit and learn about the ZiM program. Students also supported the work of community partners with service hours, research contributions and community education.

Campus education and community partnership are pillars of the Unhoused Initiative’s work. We congratulate the students’ on their commitment and impact this fall!

Join us this winter

Watch for upcoming details about these events and projects …

Credit: S. Mackenzie
  • Mobile Showers – Join us for a monthly service event at the showers on the 4th Thursday of the month. Open to all of the SCU Community. Click here to sign-up or email unhousedinitiative@scu.edu for more info!
  • Winter Supply Drive: Jan. 21 – Jan. 30. Click here for drop-off locations, suggested items, & info for a service event Jan 30! Items will be delivered to guests and clients or local homeless service providers.
  • HEART Talk – SCU Alum, Jose Lujano, ‘14, joins us on February 04 at 4:30pm to discuss his career in advocacy for, and development of, affordable housing in Santa Clara County.

Did you know?

Quick facts about housing & homelessness in Silicon Valley

two people pictured in their encampment adjacent to railroad tracks.
Credit: S. Mackenzie
  • According to the latest count, 10,711 Santa Clara County residents are experiencing homelessness.
  • Economic reasons, such as increasing costs of housing and loss of employment, are the primary causes and drivers of homelessness in Santa Clara County.
  • Participants in Santa Clara County Permanent Supportive Housing programs have a 95% success rate in maintaining housing.

You can learn more on Destination: Home’s website.

Basic Needs on Campus

Nearly one-quarter of SCU students experience housing insecurity according to the annual Basic Needs Survey. If you need support to maintain your housing, access food, obtain health insurance or meet a transportation or technology need, help is available. Use this form to contact SCU’s Basic Needs Office for assistance.

Further reading …

Articles, podcasts and news related to the homelessness crisis publish nearly every day. These are stories we recommend.

  • The Guardian – A welcome pit-stop: the US university using parking lots to help unhoused students
  • SJSU – 2025 Silicon Valley Pain Index
  • NYT – The housing strategy that has California NIMBYs in a corner
  • Mercury News – From NIMBY to YIMBY

More information on January events …

SCU Unhoused Initiative

“Jesuit Values in Action” – UI featured in College of Arts & Sciences News

Dr. Sonja Mackenzie

The online news for SCU’s College of Arts & Sciences recently featured the Unhoused Initiative’s partnership with Senior Public Health Capstone students and their focused research on the local homelessness crisis.

UI Faculty Member, Dr. Sonja Mackenzie, has dedicated her Senior Public Health Capstone class to homelessness in Silicon Valley three years running. Projects have focused on two primary topics: stigma and homelessness, and the impacts of displacement while unhoused.

Senior Public Health Capstone students collecting data at a San Jose encampment.

Community partners are a vital part of the Capstone students’ work. Agape Silicon Valley, Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, the Mobile Showers, the Unhoused Advocacy Clinic, and people with lived experience of homelessness have all been a critical part of the projects, providing guidance, mentorship and insights to the research and work product. With the support of these partnerships, the students’ research will be used to inform advocacy, education and outreach in response to the homelessness crisis in Silicon Valley.

As noted by the CAS article,  courses like Dr. Mackenzie’s Capstone class embody SCU’s Jesuit values: “Students are using their research skills to document the health impacts of displacement and, in the process, learning what it means to live out SCU’s Jesuit mission of serving humanity through education and action.” The UI is proud to support and offer opportunities for SCU students to witness the realities of the homelessness crisis and engage with those most deeply impacted by it. We thank the College of Arts & Sciences for supporting our efforts and sharing this part of our work.

SCU Unhoused Initiative

UI Student Researcher Featured in KQED Article

UI Student Researcher, Kaylee Jensen, ’27

This week, KQED published an article highlighting food insecurity among college students. The article, titled “Food Insecurity on Campus: How SNAP is a ‘Lifeline’ For Many Students,” features Unhoused Initiative Student Researcher, Kaylee Jensen. In the article, Kaylee reflects on her experience accessing and utilizing SNAP benefits (also known as CalFRESH) while attending SCU. Kaylee describes having to balance affording rent, food and other basic needs all while keeping up with her coursework. Staff from SCU’s Basic Needs Office assisted Kaylee with filing for SNAP benefits and, according to Kaylee, the difference was like “‘night and day.'”

Kaylee is not alone. According to the article over 400,000 public college and university students access CalFRESH benefits; however, college students are often overlooked in the discussion of public benefit recipients and those facing deficits in their basic needs. It can also be a hidden issue or source of shame for those needing help. SCU is no different. According to the annual Assessment of Food Security and Basic Needs at Santa Clara University study, SCU students face food insecurity and struggle to meet other basic needs like housing, The most recent survey results found that nearly 30% of respondents faced food insecurity and one-quarter faced housing insecurity.

SCU’s Basic Needs Program is available to help students access resources and help them meet their needs. The Basic Needs Office hosts a food pantry, benefits application assistance, emergency financial assistance, and connection to other resources. Marlene Bennett, Project Director of the Unhoused Initiative is proud to serve on the Basic Needs Committee and support its work, particularly around issues of student housing insecurity. If you are an SCU student and need assistance with food, rent, health insurance, technology access or transportation, please visit the Basic Needs website and complete the linked intake form.

No one should go hungry. Everyone deserves to have their basic needs met. We applaud Kaylee for sharing her experience with KQED and shining a light on an issue that need not remain in the shadows.

SCU Unhoused Initiative

Introducing: H.E.A.R.T. Talks

H – homelessness

E – empathy

A – awareness

R – resilience

T – transformation

We hope you’ll join us for our first in a series of conversations with SCU alums working in response to the housing and homelessness crisis. On November 12th at Noon, Armand Domalewski, ’12, joins us to discuss his work in the YIMBY movement. Attendees are encouraged to listen to episode one of the podcast, “Everyone Gets Pie” prior to the discussion.

Click on the image below to register!

SCU Unhoused Initiative

Fall 2025 Newsletter

UI Launches Unhoused Advocacy Practice

In partnership with the Katharine & George Alexander Community Law Center and Destination: Home SV, the UI is thrilled to announce the official launch of a new legal services practice focused on the criminalization of homelessness in Santa Clara County.

Led by Clinical Supervising Attorney, Brie Frank Mendoza, the Unhoused Advocacy Practice assists clients with legal matters stemming from their experience of homelessness – citations for quality of life crimes, property claims after encampment sweeps, and vehicle tow cases.

A KGACLC Interviewing & Advising course supports the practice. The students and Prof. Mendoza meet with clients in the community to provide advice and information and screen for full representation. Senior Public Health Capstone students will also contribute to the clinic’s work, assisting clients with claims for property lost during encampment sweeps and studying the impact of sweeps on encampment residents’ health and wellbeing.

If you’d like to learn more about the Unhoused Advocacy practice or are interested in volunteering, please email: unhousedinitiative@scu.edu!

UI Leadership Grows – new members & structure

After an overwhelming response to an invitation to join the leadership team, the UI welcomed seven new members this summer!

Joining the cohort are:

  • Anna Yang, Univ. Library
  • Ariana Gebauer, NCIP
  • Deborah Moss-West, KGACLC
  • Keziah Poole, Modern Languages
  • Anne McMahon, Office of the President
  • Amy Wedel, CP&E
  • Long Le, Business School

Along with this exciting growth, the UI leadership structure expanded to include three committees, each with its own focus on one of the UI’s priority areas: campus engagement, community engagement, and overall vision and impact. You can find more information about our new team members on faculty page.

Where to Find us This Fall

Watch for upcoming details about these events and projects …

  • Ongoing – Our stigma reduction project continues on Instagram, YouTube and our Stigma Reduction page of this website.
  • Nov. 12th, Noon– The first in our UI discussion group series featuring SCU alums working in housing & homelessness.
  • Dec. 2nd, 10:30-12:00 – A late fall presentation of the UI’s Works in Progress featuring student and faculty research and projects.

ICYMI: David DeCosse receives Spirit of Ignatius Award

In June, David DeCosse, UI Faculty member and Markkula Center for Applied Ethics Director of Religious & Catholic Ethics, received the Spirit of Ignatius Award. The Award recognizes SCU faculty and staff who make an impact on others through selfless acts of humanitarianism.

The Award celebrates David’s commitment to social justice and generosity with his own time in service. During school breaks, you will often find David volunteering with the Los Angeles Catholic Worker on Skid Row, serving unhoused Angelenos and being in community with them. David also rises early on the weekend to deliver hot meals to encampments in partnership with the non-profit, Bread & Roses. Congratulations, David, on your well-deserved recognition!

Further reading …

Articles, podcasts and news stories related to the homelessness crisis publish nearly every day. Below are recent stories that we recommend.

  • Washington Post – Dallas ended homelessness. White house wants to change the rules.
  • San Jose Spotlight – We’re triaging homelessness but not treating its root causes
  • KQED – In search of home series

SCU Unhoused Initiative

New Unhoused Advocacy Clinic at SCU Law

In partnership with Destination: Home SV and the Katharine & George Alexander Community Law Center, the Unhoused Initiative is excited to announce a new legal services practice at SCU Law – The Unhoused Advocacy Clinic.

Serving clients with legal matters stemming from their experience of homelessness, the Unhoused Advocacy Clinic is responding to the criminalization of homelessness in Silicon Valley through direct client services. Law students staff a biweekly advice and counsel clinic and a Supervising Attorney provides direct representation.

Legal matters addressed by the clinic include: property claims after encampment sweeps, citations or infractions, court fines and fees, record clearance and vehicle tow matters. If you or someone you know may benefit from services, please see the flyer below for more information.