Author: Bob Staedler (Bob Staedler)

One of the most commonly discussed housing items in the Bay Area involves Accessory Dwelling Units — or ADUs — also called ‘granny units.’ If you talk to someone who’s gone through the process, particularly in San Jose, they will tell you their tales of woe. San Jose has been making piecemeal process improvements on...

The unrealistic hopes and dreams for small and vibrant retail uses in housing projects have become a huge deterrent in the development of tragically-needed new housing. I will continue to use a variation of the word “tragic” when describing our region’s housing situation because we left “crisis” status years ago. We need a massive number of...

As San Jose prepares for its evolution into Downtown 2.0, it has to deal with the growing pains that come from such a transition. One of the biggest challenges the city faces is its ongoing relationship with the San Jose Sharks. For decades, the Sharks have been a major stimulus and economic driver for Downtown...

A lot has been written about the housing tragedy that we are experiencing in Silicon Valley. I say tragedy because the over-used and trite term “housing crisis” is no longer descriptive of what we’re facing. The housing tragedy that we are experiencing has caused displacement, tearing families apart and nothing is changing fast enough to...

“Doesn’t San Jose want to be San Francisco?” That’s the question I’ve been asked repeatedly over the last 20 years from people outside of the Bay Area. This is usually asked in a well meaning and earnest manner. Most people have little knowledge of the area and think of San Francisco as the shining example...

Opportunity Zones are a hot topic in real estate development these days. I often get asked my opinion is on the program and whether it’s a safe place to put capital. Per the California Opportunity Zone Portal website, Opportunity Zones are a new tool for community development. Established in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, Opportunity...

Downtown San Jose for the last decade or so has been an event-driven downtown. A glimpse of its potential came out with events like the Jazz Festival, business and technology conventions and Sharks games. When asked what kind of downtown San Jose needs to have, the word that gets used often is “vibrant.” Urban vibrancy...

As we look for movement in alleviating the housing crisis, Gov. Newsom delivered a solid and thoughtful proposal with a serious amount of cash to back up his resolve. It’s getting a fair amount of press, but in case you missed it, here is a summary of his proposal from Newsom’s website. An unprecedented and historic effort...

The Bay Area has been in the midst of a housing crisis for the last ten years. Regional leaders have spent the last 18 months on a ten-point plan. Basically, it’s a plan to have a plan and it’s being sold as an emergency policy package that could create another government agency along with employer/property...