San Jose

San Jose

Why do San Jose residents avoid banks?

The number of Silicon Valley households without bank accounts has skyrocketed, a recent federal survey has found. According to a biennial survey conducted by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the rate of unbanked households, or homes that do not have at least one bank account, jumped from 1.9% to 13.2% between 2019 and 2021...

Storm puts San Jose on flood watch

As the South Bay braces for a storm being fueled by an atmospheric river this weekend, San Jose residents are on alert for potential flooding. San Jose should expect up to half of an inch of rain overnight Friday and up to one inch Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. The weather service has issued a...

San Jose airport travelers caught in holiday nightmare

For thousands of travelers, holiday cheer turned into a sack of coal due to massive flight cancellations caused by a “once in a generation” weather event and ill-prepared airlines. Flight cancellations started on Christmas Eve and continued to increase throughout the week, Mineta San Jose International Airport officials said. Southwest Airlines, one of the airport’s...

Struggling artists squeezed out of San Jose

An exorbitant rent increase is about to break apart a longtime artist enclave in downtown San Jose. Roughly six dozens artists at Citadel Art Studios at the corner of Martha and Fifth streets were sent into a scramble last month when their landlord, R&C Brown, announced rent hikes of 100% or more in some instances, starting...

San Jose is No. 1 metro area for immigrants

San Jose tops the list of U.S. metro areas where immigrants look for a better life. That’s according to a study released this month from the George W. Bush Institute that shows immigrants thrive in technology centers. San Jose is categorized as a fast-growing suburban area within a large metro region that draws immigrants from throughout the country. The...

San Jose airport rebrand ticks off commissioners

The San Jose airport’s decision to rebrand has exposed a rift between airport leadership and the commission that advises on changes at the South Bay’s sky hub. In a Dec. 14 informational memo to the San Jose City Council, Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport Director of Aviation John Aitken announced the airport will...

Major Silicon Valley stories to watch in 2023

This past year has been highly consequential in South Bay politics, and some decisions are laying the groundwork for future changes. From new policymakers, ongoing homelessness crisis, to decadeslong debates on an East San Jose airport and a BART project, here are some major stories to watch out for 2023: Appointing two San Jose councilmembers The...

San Jose Sikhs lead effort for state recognition

California Sikhs have received statewide recognition, and San Jose’s own Sikh community played a crucial role. The state Assembly approved a resolution earlier this year to recognize and promote understanding of the ethnic and religious group that totals more than 20,000 residents in Santa Clara County and more than 200,000 statewide, according to census data....

Hundreds of San Jose families face eviction

Days before Christmas, Zayna Herring, her 4-year-old son Alex and her roommate sat in the courthouse in downtown San Jose, worried they’d soon be homeless. “It’s a lot of stress,” Herring told San José Spotlight. “Everything takes money, and that’s what we don’t have.” Herring, a single mom working two jobs while attending college full-time,...