As I approach a year of experience as the community liaison at Second Street Studios, the city’s first permanent supportive housing project in downtown San Jose, I have been equal parts amazed by the knowledge and creativity our residents display and confounded at the subtle ways in which our elected officials and decision makers continue...
Funk: Employee housing bond is a win-win for the community
Every day, approximately 1.7 million students attend public schools. Families place an enormous amount of trust on teachers, counselors, coaches and administrators to take care of their child for six or more hours per day. Yet, with the cost of living skyrocketing in Santa Clara County, the ability to attract and retain highly qualified school...
Bramson: An open door for those who have served
My stepfather joined the Navy around the time of the Korean War. He enlisted the summer after graduating from high school, serving aboard a minesweeper as a radioman. After four years on the sea, he was honorably discharged and came back to sunny California. He went to Long Beach State on the GI Bill, earned...
Bartl: Center city benefits from San Jose Downtown Association
A recent San José Spotlight column disapproved of San Jose Downtown Association (SJDA) Executive Director Scott Knies and called for SJDA to be replaced as manager of the downtown Property Based Improvement District (PBID). As president of the PBID Board of Directors, I offer these facts about our organization. The PBID originally formed in 2007...
Staedler: A hard look at the San Jose Downtown Association
The deeply troubling comments of the San Jose Downtown Association (SJDA) Director Scott Knies shows the toxic nature of the national political scene has fully infected San Jose. It has never been clearer to me than when I witnessed Knies going off the rails at his yearly member meeting. It is generally a victory lap...
Tonkel: On the Ellis Act vote, we must protect, preserve, produce
Here in Silicon Valley, we are in the midst of an affordable housing and displacement crisis and it’s time we act like it. We host discussions on preventing displacement and talk about the value of preserving affordable homes but behind the scenes, our leaders are moving to gut our most important affordable housing preservation policy,...
Vargas: The attack on Katie Hill is a gay-bashing
The saga of Congresswoman Katie Hill’s resignation provides a stark illustration of how LGBTQ continue to be victimized in public life. On Oct. 18, Red State, a trashy, right wing blog with the journalistic integrity no better than 4Chan, published a trove of revenge porn provided by Hill’s abusive soon-to-be ex-husband. If you expected a...
Celaya: Why I support the Santa Clara County SEIU 521 strike
In addition to being a candidate for Santa Clara County supervisor in District 2, I have been employed with the county for more than 17 years in different capacities. I am also a small business owner and a social justice activist in San Jose. It is very interesting that when it comes to organizing workers’...
Roberts: Cheaper housing: another method or a new paradigm?
All throughout California, everyone is talking about how we need to create cheaper housing for people who are homeless. As homelessness increases throughout the state, and millions and millions of taxpayer dollars have been invested in homeless services and housing, the people who paid those taxes are losing their patience. The media has picked up...
Philbrick: Transportation plays a critical role in emergencies
Thirty years ago the San Andreas Fault ruptured near Loma Prieta Peak, 10 miles northeast of Santa Cruz, creating the largest urban earthquake in more than 80 years. That magnitude 6.9 earthquake took 63 lives and injured another 3,757. In 2018, the Camp Fire tore through Northern California communities becoming the deadliest and most destructive...
