San Jose officials say they are working with Lighthouse Food Rescue & Distribution to find a new location for its food pantry after the nonprofit received a citation requiring it to stop distributing food from a sidewalk and leave its longtime 17th Street site.
The September citation gave Lighthouse 10 days to remove its sidewalk operation and canopies and 60 days to cease activity at the location. It warned of potential fines of up to $20,000 per day, according to reporting by San Jose Spotlight. City officials told Fox News Digital that no fines have been assessed and that the city has offered help with relocation costs.
Mayor Matt Mahan and Councilmember Anthony Tordillos said the city is seeking a solution that allows the pantry to continue serving residents while addressing sidewalk access for neighbors, including elderly and disabled people. The officials described Lighthouse’s community work as valuable while also citing residents’ need to use the sidewalk.
Pastor Ralph Olmos, the nonprofit’s president and CEO, said he sees little chance of remaining at the current site. Lighthouse distributes groceries five days a week to families, seniors, homeless residents and people with disabilities. The source reports that it serves more than 1,000 people daily.
Mahan also said on Instagram that city staff had been in contact with Olmos to help identify a location that works for the organization, its clients and nearby residents. The source does not identify a finalized relocation site or confirm whether the 60-day order has been withdrawn.
The dispute follows an earlier permitting issue in 2022, when Lighthouse faced a special-use permit requirement that could cost up to $15,500. San Jose Spotlight reported that the City Council later voted unanimously to support relief for food pantries. A city planning spokesperson said zoning rules have since changed and that a special-use permit is no longer available for the pantry’s current operations.
