An uptick in leasing activity in Silicon Valley’s commercial real estate market has offered a glimmer of hope that a stronger post-pandemic economic recovery may be taking hold. But market watchers caution that high office vacancies are likely to remain for years to come. The rate of commercial lease deals over the first quarter of...
Santa Clara County offers residents tips to avoid scammers
With scams targeting the pocketbooks of older adults on the rise, Santa Clara County is working to educate its residents on how to recognize and avoid financial fraud. The county’s Department of Aging and Adult Services teamed up with AARP for a June 16 “scam jam” forum, where fraud prevention experts talked about current scams...
San Jose’s budget lands with wins, losses, work to do
Budget season in San Jose is over, but the months-long negotiations have set the stage for new political fights that are only beginning to take shape. The City Council on Tuesday put the final seal of approval on the $5.5 billion budget that will see San Jose through the upcoming fiscal year beginning July 1. Facing down a...
Cupertino extends contract with Sheriff’s Office
Cupertino officials are buying themselves more time in a growing dispute over the cost of law enforcement. The City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to extend its contract with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office through Sept. 30, allowing negotiations to continue while an independent review examines whether the county’s proposed cost increase complies with state...
Water and garbage rates increase for San Jose residents
While utility hikes are a regular occurrence for San Jose residents, an especially sharp jump in garbage disposal fees and water rates have led to pushback amid growing concern over rising living costs. Under new fee schedules set to take effect July 1, the start of fiscal year 2026-27, San Jose’s garbage disposal service fee...
Advocates worry San Jose will fast track data centers
San Jose is pushing ahead to create standards for data centers amid community angst around health and environmental impacts — though advocates said it’s too soon to tell whether these standards will protect residents or fast track approvals. At the Rules and Open Government Committee meeting Wednesday, Councilmembers David Cohen, Rosemary Kamei, Bien Doan, Domingo Candelas and Vice...
San Jose passes budget with millions of dollars in service cuts
The San Jose City Council passed a $5.5 billion budget Tuesday, balancing a $50 million deficit by tapping into reserve funds and making wide ranging service cuts — but no layoffs. Over the course of the four-month-long budgeting process, San Jose leaders have warned the city may need to resort to painful fiscal trimming. However, in...
Santa Clara’s special event zone helps businesses, not vendors
Soccer fans from around the world are expected to flood Santa Clara this weekend for the FIFA World Cup, bringing team chants, fan marches and crowds to Levi’s Stadium — but outdoor merchants and food vendors may not benefit from the event at all. Santa Clara has created a “special event zone” to temporarily restrict sidewalk...
Super Bowl 60 pumps $195M into Santa Clara County
South Bay officials are touting a new economic analysis of Super Bowl 60, which found the game drove $720 million in total economic activity throughout the Bay Area, $195 million of which went to Santa Clara County. The report, released Friday by the Bay Area Host Committee, may bolster the case from leaders in San...
The Biz Beat: San Jose’s Sourdough Eatery offers art on the side
Nestled in a 100-year-old former residence, Sourdough Eatery in San Jose feels like a roadside attraction on Route 66. Part delicatessen, part art gallery and part living history museum, it is a tribute to owner Barbara Lenhart. Every visible wall is covered with Lenhart’s oil portraits of celebrities, politicians and glamor girls. Lenhart sits at...