Homelessness has become a daily discussion in San Jose and Santa Clara County for good reason; the 2019 homeless count reported in May revealed that from 2017 to 2019, homelessness increased by 42% in San Jose, from 4,350 individuals to 6,172 individuals. In Santa Clara County, the homeless population increased by 31%, from 7,394 people...
Bramson: Voucher discrimination is just another closed door
If you’ve ever found yourself in a housing hunt, you’ve probably noticed online or paper ads stating in the fine print (or upfront nowadays): No Section 8. Not accepting Section 8 vouchers at this time. Not a Section 8 building. Those same listings might as well read “very poor people need not apply.” While to...
Khamis: Solve housing crisis by reducing high-rise development fees
As I reflect on our last meeting of the fiscal year, I am concerned about our contradictory actions when it comes to solving our housing crisis. In the same meeting where we talked about ways to reduce fees, regulations and even provide forgivable loans for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) — sometimes called ‘granny’ or ‘mother-in-law’...
Staedler: Let’s keep it simple when it comes to ‘granny units’
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...
Funk: How to ensure students don’t fall behind this summer
I had the extraordinary opportunity to attend six of our East Side Union High School District graduation ceremonies last month. In fact, I also had the opportunity to attend my niece’s high school graduation. It is an amazing time for our graduating seniors, their families and friends. However, for an educator who oversees a large...
Montoya and Patron: A case for transparency, autonomy and community in San Jose
The work of dismantling oppressive structures and dreaming up new, more just futures is crucial on both global and local scales, and San Jose is no exception. What does it take to imagine, nurture, and sustain this kind of work, and who is doing it? What role should institutions and nonprofits play, and where does...
Soriano: Team San Jose CEO should resign over ‘San Jose Song’
Local arts leaders recently crafted an open letter to Team San Jose expressing their dismay at the San Jose song. But an even-toned letter exemplifying seething and undeserved restraint is not enough this time. You cannot resolve yet another modern day example of ingrained institutional racism and ignorance with a few words. The head of...
Vargas: Lessons of Stonewall Riots and LGBTQ struggles 50 years later
On June 28, 1969, officers of the NYPD raided a small dive bar in Greenwich Village, NY. According to the police, they were there as part of a crack down on the mafia crime family that owned the nightclub. But this façade faded quickly as the police forced occupants into the restrooms and searched their...
Roberts: Homeless services must become more inclusive
I was shocked to read that the United States federal government is proposing to institute a policy allowing homeless shelters to ban transgender people from entering their facilities. This is not just bad policy. It’s discrimination and it’s wrong. More than a decade ago, we learned how to design our facilities and how to utilize...
Buchanan: Here’s how Google can develop without displacement
Since Google first announced plans to build a new mega-campus in San Jose, the top concern raised by residents has been how the project will impact rising rents and displacement. Over the past decade, the tech boom has brought nearly 200,000 new workers to Santa Clara County, but fewer than 50,000 new homes have been...
