Author: Jana Kadah (Jana Kadah)

Restrictions keep San Jose safe parking site mostly empty

San Jose has spent years and millions of dollars to open its safe parking site at the Santa Teresa VTA light rail station—but it is practically empty. The city’s only safe parking site, which opened in July, has 42 spots, but the city is struggling to fill them despite having hundreds of people living in their...

San Jose council eases transparency rules

San Jose leaders eased key transparency policies hours after a local judge ruled the city and former mayor violated a separate transparency law. The San Jose City Council changed three ethics rules last week that could affect how money is used to influence policy. Officials revised the city’s revolving door protocol for former employees, removed...

San Jose official under fire for alleged ties to anti-LGBTQ group

San Jose Councilmember Bien Doan is facing swift backlash after agreeing to speak with a local anti-LGBTQ+ parent group, despite claiming ignorance of the organization’s controversial roots. An event flier featuring Doan’s headshot circulated online by Informed Parents of Silicon Valley—an organization openly against teaching critical race theory and gender expansive education in schools—triggered shockwaves...

San Jose could extend Post Street closure

For three years, businesses and pedestrians have enjoyed the temporary closure of a downtown San Jose street to cars. City leaders are working to make that permanent. The long-term vision for Post Street, located between First Street and Lightstone Alley, is to permanently close it to traffic so it can stay a place where visitors...

San Jose mayor wants tech giants to moderate sideshow content

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is asking social media companies for help in solving the city’s growing sideshow struggle. Mahan wants big name platforms such as Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok to temporarily suspend accounts that post about local sideshow activities. He said at a news conference today that...

Ex-San Jose mayor and city violated the law, judge rules

Former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo and the city violated state transparency laws by failing to prove they adequately searched his private texts and emails for public records, a judge has ruled. In response to a lawsuit from this news organization and the First Amendment Coalition, Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Thomas Kuhnle wrote...

Which San Jose city employees get a taxpayer-funded ride?

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan has a new ride, courtesy of the city’s taxpayers. Mahan’s SUV—purchased at the start of his term—is part of his security detail, which is typical for the city’s top elected official. But it’s just one of thousands of cars city officials have at their disposal, which include vehicles to maintain...

San Jose business group lacks identity as CEO quits

The San Jose Chamber of Commerce is searching for its third CEO in three years, and business leaders hope the move restores the once premier business advocacy group back to its glory days. The chamber is at an inflection point as it looks for a new top boss. Derrick Seaver, the chamber’s president and CEO...

San Jose’s dilapidated elevators to get much-needed upgrades

San Jose will spend millions to upgrade dirty and dilapidated elevators at three downtown parking garages. The San Jose City Council unanimously approved a $4.5 million contract yesterday to refurbish 11 elevators at three city-owned parking garages. About half are more than 50 years old, with two built in 1965. The typical lifespan for elevator...

San Jose political divide snarls mayor’s plans

The power dynamic between San Jose’s two political factions is shifting. For the first time in years, labor has the upper hand over business interests—and some believe it’ll stay that way. The political fight over raises for city workers ended earlier this month in what was presented as a united victory between the San Jose City...