A San Jose pastor who helps struggling families put food on the table now faces a city shutdown order and threatened fines of up to $20,000 a day.
Pastor Ralph Olmos’ Lighthouse Food Rescue and Distribution received a Sept. 25 citation requiring it to remove its sidewalk distribution setup within 10 days and cease operations within 60 days, according to San Jose Spotlight. City officials cite zoning violations and blocked sidewalk access.
“I’m up against the wall,” Olmos told San José Spotlight.
Behind the dispute are families who count on Lighthouse for groceries. The organization reports serving 963,022 meals and rescuing more than 1.25 million pounds of food in 2024. Its website lists 8,000 people served monthly that year.
Andrea Wiley, who was once homeless, relies on the pantry to help feed her family. For her, Lighthouse offers both groceries and a place to belong.
“They treat you like a person,” Wiley told KRON4. “I guess you could say it’s friendly. It’s a home.”
Olmos says keeping that community fed has become increasingly tangled in bureaucracy.
“From double parking to line control to traffic control. I mean, we’re becoming more than just a food distribution, but it’s just sad that all the red tape is here,” he told KRON4.
@sanjosespotlight A popular neighborhood food pantry is at risk of closing down again after it was cited by San Jose for hosting its food distribution on the sidewalk and not following zoning rules. Homelessness & Equity Reporter Joyce Chu takes a look. Story 🔗 in our bio.
♬ original sound – San José Spotlight
The city previously intervened to help Lighthouse continue operating. In 2022, officials proposed waiving or covering roughly $15,000 in permit fees after a complaint about traffic and pedestrian impacts led to a temporary closure. That proposal included temporary relief from land-use regulations during the local emergency.
Now, a city planning spokesperson says zoning has changed and a special use permit is no longer available. Olmos told Spotlight he received no advance communication about the change.
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Mayor Matt Mahan and Councilmember Anthony Tordillos said no fines have been assessed and the city has offered relocation assistance. They cited sidewalk access for elderly residents and people with disabilities.
For Olmos, relocation depends on finding affordable space that remains accessible to the people Lighthouse serves. Walking away would mean leaving neighbors who depend on its food.
“But my conviction says, ‘How can I leave the people?’” he told San José Spotlight.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
