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Campaign funding flooded into San Jose elections in 2022, making that cycle the most expensive in city history. A report compiled by transparency watchdog Maplight found mayoral candidates and individuals vying for five San Joes City Council seats raised more than $7 million collectively in 2022, an all-time high. That amount omits independent expenditures, which...
Lawmakers pass the buck on San Jose transparency bill
A state bill to increase public access to the communication of government officials died on the desks of lawmakers without consideration — a sign of the uphill battle transparency measures face in Sacramento. Senate Bill 908 — introduced in January by State Sen. Dave Cortese — would have required public officials to forward messages about government business...
San Jose program to build backyard homes is thriving
Hundreds of granny units are popping up everywhere in San Jose due to a successful city program implemented five years ago. The city has issued nearly 3,000 permits and seen 1,451 granny units, also known as backyard homes or accessory dwelling units (ADUs), completed since launching its preapproved contractors program in 2019. In the first...
San Jose adopts landmark policy to stop displacement
A long-awaited landmark policy will preserve housing specifically for residents at risk of displacement in hopes of keeping them in San Jose. The San Jose City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved the first policy in the city to give tenant preference based on geography. New or acquired affordable housing projects that are city funded or...
San Jose not diverting 911 calls to mental crisis hotline
San Jose is struggling to divert 911 calls related to mental and emotional distress away from police, despite the county adopting the 988 mental crisis hotline two years ago to handle those situations. A recent report shows county mental health teams in 2023 responded to just 2% of nearly 60,000 San Jose 911 calls that...
San Jose officials say large homeless shelters are obsolete
Two San Jose councilmembers have an ambitious plan to house thousands of the city’s homeless residents — but some of their colleagues say it will move the city backwards. Councilmembers Bien Doan and Arjun Batra have proposed a pilot program to build massive assembly room-style homeless shelters, with the option for private rooms. While their...
San Jose leaders want budget to focus on housing, homelessness
San Jose officials have a daunting task of balancing the budget as they attempt to preserve city services with a $52.1 million shortfall. The San Jose City Council unanimously approved Mayor Matt Mahan’s March budget message on Tuesday, but not before numerous councilmembers added their own amendments around housing, homelessness and other city services. Over the next few months, councilmembers,...
San Jose fast-food workers grill city leaders for better rights
Dozens of fast-food workers flooded the San Jose City Council chambers on Tuesday, demanding their representatives pass a policy to expand workers rights. Workers asked councilmembers to include a rule that enables fast-food workers in the city to accrue paid time off and get a paid day for an annual training that educates workers on...
San Jose pushes to expand police alternative for mental health crises
Weeks before the San Jose City Council sat down to discuss this year’s budget, advocates and residents sounded the alarm about gaps in mental health services and asked officials to expand access to a non-police response program. Councilmembers on Tuesday unanimously voted to explore adding another mobile field team, known as TRUST, in the budget...
NBC Bay Area: Homeless San Jose artist creates and wears elaborate suits of armor
Jared Clark displays his life-size creations, based on characters from a game called Warhammer 40K, atop a bridge on Curtner Avenue. Underneath that same bridge is where Jared has called home for the past three years. Garvin Thomas reports.