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Julián Castro, a Texas politician gunning to be the country’s next president, stopped Friday morning in East San Jose to share stories of his Mexican American upbringing and political history, and to ask local voters for their support in 2020. “When I think of San Jose, I think of a community that represents the future...
New report: Homelessness in Santa Clara County spikes by 31%
Despite pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into ending homelessness in Silicon Valley, the problem is getting worse — and the 2019 homeless count numbers prove it. According to details released Thursday, the county’s homeless count in 2019 has jumped to 9,706 people countywide. That’s up 31 percent from 7,394 individuals two years ago. And...
Google in San Jose: Dozens of East San Jose residents ask ‘What’s next?’
More than 100 residents gathered at the Mexican Heritage Plaza in East San Jose on Wednesday to ask one burning question: “What’s next?” for Google’s new mega-campus headed for downtown San Jose. The meeting focused on demands for the tech giant and a candid conversation about what’s best for the city as it embarks on...
Los Angeles got a Barack Obama Boulevard. What about San Jose?
Los Angeles just unveiled Barack Obama Boulevard in one of the city’s historic black neighborhoods — nearly two years after San Jose leaders proposed the same idea. Like San Jose, Los Angeles leaders proposed renaming a street after Obama in 2017 and unveiled it a week ago. But San Jose’s petition is stuck — primarily...
Silicon Valley leaders discuss challenges of preventing homelessness
On the same day Gov. Gavin Newsom called the homeless crisis a “stain on the state of California,” San José Spotlight hosted a homeless prevention panel discussion at Forager in downtown San Jose, with prominent local public policy officials and homeless housing advocates featured as panelists. Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese, Erin Stanton, director of...
San Jose’s Camera 12 still dark as development plans stall
Nearly three years after announcing plans to get Downtown San Jose’s Camera 12 Cinemas back up and running, developers are still stuck in limbo. And now the beloved theater remains dark — it’s anyone’s guess for how much longer. Development plans have stalled in part because of the building’s incredibly expensive maintenance needs. “I think...
‘Livid’ downtown San Jose residents slam proposed homeless housing project
Downtown resident Petra Pino describes her reaction to building homeless housing on a shuttered supermarket site near her home with one word. “I’m livid,” Pino said. “I’m not being asked if this disturbs me or not. I’m being told that this is going in my neighborhood. Why us? Why not District 10? Why not District...
San Jose students, cannabis leaders put pressure on DA Jeff Rosen
South Bay college students and cannabis advocates on Wednesday pressured District Attorney Jeff Rosen to comply with a California law that clears the records of incarcerated individuals who have cannabis convictions. Assembly Bill 1793, a law signed by Gov. Jerry Brown last year, requires district attorneys to review all existing marijuana conviction cases by July 1, 2020 with the...
‘We’re not done’: Hope Village homeless residents move out of motels
After a month of living in motels, more than a dozen former homeless residents of Hope Village are being moved again. When the contract for Hope Village — a now-closed sanctioned homeless encampment near the San Jose Mineta International airport — expired on March 30, housing officials with Santa Clara County’s Office of Supportive Housing decided...
East Side lawmakers worry about light rail extension’s future
East San Jose has eagerly awaited a light rail connection to the Eastridge Transit Center since Santa Clara County voters approved Measure A almost 20 years ago. By imposing a 30-year sales tax, county voters in 2000 decided to expand a light rail service into San Jose, but now it appears the long-awaited Capitol Expressway...