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A local assemblyman’s goal of establishing social housing in California is one signature away from fruition, but lingering questions remain about how these projects will be funded. Assembly Bill 309 author Assemblymember Alex Lee said social housing—a method where governments own, manage and maintain homes designed as affordable housing—will help alleviate California’s housing crunch. But...
Santa Clara County wants alternatives to tear gassing the mentally ill
Santa Clara County Sheriff Bob Jonsen vowed to improve mental health care in the county jail during his campaign last year, yet tear gas and pepper spray are still used on incarcerated individuals with mental health issues. Sheriff deputies in the jail use tear gas and oleoresin capsicum spray, or pepper spray, on mentally ill...
Santa Clara County official scolded for mass mailers
The Santa Clara County assessor has received a warning for violating political rules about mass mailings at the public’s expense. The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) sent a warning letter Sept. 7 to Assessor Larry Stone for violating the Political Reform Act when he mass mailed an annual property assessment report—exceeding the limit of 200 mailers...
‘Now is the time’: Silicon Valley transit leaders discuss future
Local transportation experts say safety and collaboration between agencies in the Bay Area are critical to pushing forward the future of Silicon Valley transit. Transportation leaders gathered on Wednesday to discuss the future of public transportation during a panel hosted by San José Spotlight. Panelist Rod Diridon Sr., a prolific transportation advocate whose namesake marks San Jose’s downtown...
Will Silicon Valley lawmaker’s plan to toss Trump off ballot work?
A local state assemblyman wants to remove former President Donald Trump from the March primary ballot, but the law may not be on his side. Trump’s eligibility to be on the ballot hinges on the outcome of his federal indictment over the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The first trial date in...
Immigrants put billions of dollars into Santa Clara County
Immigrants are one of Santa Clara County’s key economic drivers, bringing billions of dollars into the community. Approximately 765,800 immigrants contributed $255 billion to the county’s gross domestic product in 2021, according to a recent report that reveals the significant role immigrants play in the region’s labor force, businesses and consumer spending. New Americans in...
San Jose seeks collaboration with Indigenous community
San Jose leaders want to dive deeper into the history of the local Indigenous community in an effort understand the past and recommit to more inclusion in the future. San Jose Councilmembers Peter Ortiz, Dev Davis, David Cohen, Domingo Candelas and Bien Doan are proposing a study session to learn more about the relation of...
Why is Santa Clara County still using tear gas in jails?
Santa Clara County is weighing whether to let correctional officers continue to use tear gas to remove those incarcerated from their jail cells, amid pushback on whether this is a humane approach. A new report by the county Office of Correction and Law Enforcement Monitoring acknowledged that incarcerated people involved in tear gas incidents should...
Santa Clara County sheriff endorses Tasers for deputies
Santa Clara County sheriff deputies may soon be re-armed with Tasers from a controversial vendor after a decadeslong hiatus. Sheriff Robert Jonsen plans to present options for arming deputies on the street and in county jail facilities with Tasers to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. Jail guards have been stripped of Tasers for decades after...
Mountain View turns hotel into permanent housing
A converted hotel is creating a home and hope for unhoused foster youth transitioning out of the system, families and individuals. Unlike other hotels that have been redeveloped as short-term supportive housing, the Crestview Hotel in Mountain View will provide permanent, supportive affordable housing to youth aging out of foster care and small families experiencing...