Relief for Homeless Students on Hold
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Tuesday, Volume 155 Oct. 27, 2020 No. 28 SERVING SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934 WWW.SJSUNEWS.COM/SPARTAN_DAILY A&E Sports Follow @SpartanDaily Winchester Mystery Spartans halt House upholds for live updates Falcons off ense in Halloween traditions football opener Page 2 Page 3 ILLUSTRATION BY NICK YBARRA Relief for homeless students on hold By Joclyn Aguirre emergency housing purposes representatives and Sparky the phone that the team has been SENIOR STAFF WRITER and was set to be implemented Harlon, the CEO of the focused on connecting to the this semester. San Jose Bill Wilson Center met campus and community as much as The 12-bed pilot program, which It is part of a comprehensive Oct. 16 to discuss what possible by volunteering at the food is part of SJSU Cares’ comprehensive housing solution that the SJSU [These students are] resources students have pantry on campus. housing solution to provide rooms administration, the SJSU Cares saying, ‘I may be all needed most throughout Crosdale is in charge of the for San Jose State students seeking office and Alliance members all the pandemic. Alliance’s social media accounts emergency housing, is postponed collaborated on creating. right, for the next two Gomez said these quarterly so they can continue to inform until Fall 2021. Housing insecurity could mean months, but I’m not advisory board meetings have students in need of housing or food Despite the delay, SJSU Cares, a a student sleeps on their friend’s changed because students need help security resources. comprehensive support and referral couch, a family that has been sure if I will still be with food and the sustainability of “We also go to a lot of program that assists students who displaced or a person with long- able to sustain where their personal situation due to a the seminars like the online are facing an unforeseen economic term needs related to job loss, financial toll from the pandemic. conferences just to learn more crisis, and Student Homeless illness, addiction or mental health I’m living or still pay “[SJSU Cares’ partnership with about how homelessness and how Alliance members say students issues, according to an Oct. 1, 2019 my rent.’ Student Homeless Alliance] is [COVID-19] is impacting students facing housing insecurity are not SJSU newsroom post. an important part of how we’re who experience homelessness going unheard. Prior to the pandemic, a Patrick Day moving forward,” Day said. “The to try and gain a better insight,” Lana Gomez, a sociology senior 2018 California State University vice president of Student Aff airs advisory board, the space that we’ve Crosdale said. and Alliance representative, said basic needs study found that more created, a number of those things SJSU Cares is using funds from that the Student Homeless Alliance, than 4,300 SJSU students reported have been done in partnership with the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and a student-run club that advocates being homeless within the past year. “[These students are] saying, ‘I [the Alliance].” Economic Security Act to help for housing insecure SJSU students, Day said that those numbers may be all right, for the next two Gomez said SJSU Cares and students. The coronavirus relief bill approves the postponement of the haven’t changed since the start months, but I’m not sure if I will still Alliance members are more allocated $28.7 million in emergency program because SJSU Cares said of the pandemic as far as the be able to sustain where I’m living informed about the pandemic’s funding to SJSU, according to an that “there will be no unhoused administration and SJSU Cares or still pay my rent,’ ” he said. effects and the current April 25 campuswide email from Spartan,” once the program can tell. More students are also getting needs of students because President Mary Papazian. is implemented. SJSU Cares and the food from the Spartan Food Pantry of their communication Day said as the pandemic Vice President of Student Affairs Alliance members started working this year, Day said, which he said is with administration. continues to affect the campus, it’s Patrick Day said the SJSU Cares is together in January so that they can predictable given the rising demand “We’re fully aware of what’s going important for students to be vocal currently working virtually, so if a continue to help students in need for most SJSU Cares resources. on,” she said. about what resources they need. student reaches out for emergency of housing and food security. The Gomez noted that international Gomez said SJSU Cares plans “We very much want to hear housing or other housing needs student organization fought to bring students are using SJSU Cares to connect with high schools to from the students, it helps [SJSU they will directly help that student a centralized location to campus, so resources the most because since educate students on their financial Cares] make decisions,” Day said. move onto campus or into the that it would be easier for students the pandemic, many of them said future. The program members will “Particularly in moments like this Bill Wilson Center. The center to access housing needs, according their bank accounts were frozen. break down the cost of attendance that you can’t really plan for . originally partnered with to a Jan. 28 Spartan Daily article. “I wasn’t aware but it makes at SJSU so students aren’t put in a you’ve got to be communicating the university in a challenge Day said that students are mainly sense because [some international situation where they apply but can’t and talking.” to house 100 students concerned about the sustainability students] are . stuck here and they afford to attend the school. by Feb. 11. of their home situations because can’t go back home,” Gomez said. Ashley Crosdale, a sociology The pilot program was intended they aren’t sure if they will be able to SJSU Cares, community senior and the Alliance director Follow Joclyn on Twitter to create 12 or more beds for pay for rent in upcoming months. stakeholders, Alliance of community outreach, said over @Aguirre.Joclyn sjsunews.com/spartan_daily 2 TUESDAY, OCT. 27, 2020 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Mansion keeps spooky spirit alive By Olivia Gerber STAFF WRITER Halloween in 2020 is undoubtedly diff erent because of the coronavirus pandemic, but San Jose’s historic Winchester Mystery House is still keeping its haunting traditions alive. To celebrate the spooky season, the mystery house is off ering nighttime, self-guided Hallowe’en Flashlight Tours that allow guests to live out a haunted mansion experience while maintaining social distancing guidelines. I had the opportunity to take the fl ashlight tour this weekend. At times, I was in a room in the mansion entirely alone in the dark, listening to the fl oorboards’ creaking and the hair-raising wind soundtrack. Guests also taking the Halloween tour said they are PHOTO COURTESY OF JACOB GOSPODNETICH making the most out of this year’s The Winchester Mystery House sold out its self-guided, socially-distant Hallowe’en Flashlight Tours that were off ered from October to Nov. 1. unusual circumstances. San Jose resident Natalie Zamudio to maintain social distancing. defi nitely a nice Halloween outing.” the crevices of the home. got married at the Winchester house Th e house is entirely dark with To top off the experience, the Th e fl ashlight tour can easily in 2013 and visits the mansion the exception of a few sporadic haunting tapes tell stories of reported become a popular yearly attraction every year. Th is year she decided black lights, candles and ghoulish With COVID this year, disembodied footsteps, voices and for the Winchester Mystery to celebrate Halloween by going fl ickering lamps. shadow fi gures seen in the mansion. House, continuing even aft er the on the tour with her family who Guests travel through the there’s not a lot of Employees working at the COVID-19 pandemic. were dressed up for the occasion as eerie mansion in the dark while a Halloween celebration fl ashlight tours also added their own Th e tickets went on sale in late Disney villains. soundtrack of an ominous breeze is chilling tales to the evening. September, with tours off ered “We are just trying to make the played throughout the house, setting but this felt even more Susan Delance, who began from October until Nov. 1. best of it, there are still obstacles a chilling tone for the entire tour. special with the added working at the Winchester house as Seemingly popular and with limited but we are out trying to have fun,” At various spots in the mansion, a tour attendant in 1985, recounted availability, all of the remaining she said. a ghostly recorded tape recounts sound eff ects. So many her own experiences of unexplained fl ashlight tour dates are sold out. Th e mansion requires attendees chilling tales about the house’s things got closed down. tugging on her hair and skirt inside Th e tour was informative, to pre-purchase tickets online to history and its previous owner, Sarah the mansion. She said that a tour entertaining and eerie, while ensure a contactless check-in. Once Winchester. in the dark is a special opportunity also providing an enjoyable guests arrive at the mansion, they Th e recordings also point out the Noelle Mills for guests. experience for adults and Hallowe’en Flashlight are asked if they have experienced mysterious quirks that make the Tour attendee “Th e house feels diff erent in the children. Under the extenuating any COVID-19 symptoms and home so intriguing, like the stairs dark, you really do feel more mystery circumstances, the Winchester reminded to keep their face masks that lead to nowhere and a trap thrilling aspect of the tour.