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The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors yesterday (Tuesday) unanimously declared a public health crisis for Latino residents.

San Jose Spotlight reports the board said it is committed to address the disparities following a yearslong county health assessment released in May.

Santa Clara County Supervisor Otto Lee had this to say:

"This work is really important because this is not a Latino issue. This is an American issue. It affects all of us.”

According to the county health assessment, Latinos comprise about a quarter of Santa Clara County's two million residents. And they live in poverty at double the rate of other families.

Also, according to the assessment, Latinos make up about 40 percent of the local homeless population.

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