San Jose city workers started clearing a homeless encampment at Columbus Park on Monday morning, but the process took a tragic turn when a man was discovered dead inside his RV. Authorities confirmed that the body was found as crews began moving through the area. The cause of death has not yet been determined, but friends of the man believe the stress of the encampment sweep and the uncertainty of losing his shelter may have played a role.
According to those who knew him, the man, identified by friends only as Octavio, was around 45 years old and had been living in the RV parked at the site. Friends said he was a truck driver by trade and had invested nearly $7,000 into improving his RV. Two women who entered the RV early Monday found him lying unresponsive on his bed. Police later confirmed there were no obvious signs of trauma, though the official cause of death has not yet been released.
Friends of Octavio described him as a hardworking man who had been struggling with illness and stress, particularly in recent weeks when city officials announced that the large encampment would be shut down. One friend explained that once Octavio heard he would be forced to leave the park, his health began to decline quickly. They believe the uncertainty of losing his only shelter added to his stress and may have contributed to his death.
The clearing operation at Columbus Park is part of a larger effort by San Jose city officials to transition hundreds of unhoused residents into new housing and shelter opportunities. Notices had been posted in advance, informing those living at the park that as of 7 a.m. Monday, the site would be closed to residents due to unsafe and unsanitary conditions. Despite the deadline, many individuals were still present at the park several hours later, hesitant to leave without knowing where they could go next.
Mayor Matt Mahan’s office said in a statement that residents living at the encampment would have the chance to transition into hundreds of newly available shelter beds in the coming weeks. The mayor’s plan is to turn Columbus Park into a no encampment zone as part of broader citywide efforts to restore public spaces while offering temporary shelter solutions. Officials emphasized that while beds are being made available, those who refuse shelter will eventually be cleared from the area.
Outreach workers were on site Monday, speaking with encampment residents to assess their needs and determine who could be placed into transitional housing. Some motel rooms have been set aside for individuals in immediate need, though only 42 rooms were available at the time. With more than 300 people estimated to be living in the park, officials acknowledged that many will still be waiting for alternative housing in the short term. The city plans to open nearly 400 housing units in the next four weeks to help address the shortage.
Some residents at the site expressed fear about leaving the park. One man named Frank, who has been living with his dog in a camper for about a year, said he feels safer in his vehicle because he can lock the doors and sleep at night without worrying about being exposed. He said his alternatives would be sleeping in a tent, on the street, or outside of a convenience store. While he expressed willingness to accept a shelter bed if offered, he also shared concerns about leaving behind the only space where he feels some measure of safety and stability.
The city’s efforts highlight the difficult balance between addressing public safety concerns in parks and open spaces and ensuring humane treatment of unhoused residents. While officials push forward with their plans to restore Columbus Park, advocates for the homeless stress that many individuals are left in limbo, unsure of where they will go and whether they will be able to secure permanent housing in the near future. The death of Octavio inside his RV on the very morning the cleanup began underscores the human cost of the city’s homeless crisis and the emotional toll that sweeps and displacements can have on vulnerable individuals.
As San Jose continues to navigate solutions, the city faces the urgent task of expanding its housing options while addressing the concerns of residents both inside and outside the encampments. For now, Columbus Park remains a focal point of the city’s homeless crisis, symbolizing both the challenges and the painful realities faced by those who have nowhere else to go.
