AROUND ASBURY ST. — valentino loyola

The photographs above were taken on 3, January 2023; fourteen months; after my first observational walk around Asbury Street.

The actions taken by the city of San Jose to clear an encampment known as the ‘Crash Zone,’ a 40 acre parcel of land which serves as a buffer between the Mineta International Airport and neighboring community are in response to demands made by the FAA in 2020 for the city to clear the makeshift housing/RV encampment. Some of the residents (143)* there have been or are in transition of being sheltered/housed as of November 2022. Though the presence of those who are still in need of more conventional housing is significant (≅90)*.

I did not see Shaun (scroll down to earlier material from 2021).

The photographs below were taken on 6 and 16, October 2021.

On 6, October 2021 I walked around Columbus Park in San Jose near the Mineta International Airport to observe and photograph the area known as the ‘Crash Zone’ which is home to scores of unhoused people, and, or those taking up an unconventional residence.

Ten days later I was returned with the intent on taking a resident’s portrait plus capturing video footage and, on that day, I met a man named Shaun who was fixed on a chair, tinkering with a small object, minding his business. He clearly had been residing on Asbury Street for a substantial amount of time because of the accumulative state of his belongings. I greeted him; after greeting Shaun; a natural course of discussion took place. I learned that he had been living there for a year, approximately, has an MFA from San Jose State University, and had been creating “installment” works right there as a coping mechanism for managing his time and focusing on something positive.

He agreed to have his portrait taken in participatory spirit and mentioned that at least there would be one more of a chance that people would see his condition (that this would/could increase the odds of further assistance from the city/other organizations).