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A powerful business organization known to push back against low-income housing policies could change its stance to help solve San Jose’s housing crisis. That was the sentiment this week at the Silicon Valley Organization’s first housing committee meeting of the year. The meeting Wednesday brought developers and housing advocates — two often clashing groups —...
Will cannabis come to retail centers in San Jose after another delay?
If you’re looking for a cannabis dispensary in San Jose, you have 16 to choose from. But you won’t be able to find one next to a CVS or your favorite restaurant: By city ordinance, all dispensaries are located in industrial zones instead of with other retail in places like strip malls. The San Jose City...
More parks, housing? Google, San Jose to release agreement
In exchange for building a mega campus in downtown San Jose, Google promised to support the community. On March 8, the city will reveal exactly what that means when an agreement months in the making becomes public. But will the agreement live up to its stated objectives—protecting residents, businesses and open space from the impact of 20,000 new Googlers...
2020 seen as ‘catalytic moment’ for change at Silicon Valley conference
Economic recovery and redesigned workplaces were the hot topics Wednesday for those attending the second day of Joint Venture’s 17th State of the Valley conference, which brought together business and community leaders to imagine the future for Silicon Valley. While the first day of the conference focused on workplace diversity, climate change and transportation, the...
Santa Clara County approves scaled back hazard pay plan
After intense backlash from business groups, Santa Clara County lawmakers are scaling back a plan to give low-wage workers a pay bump for risking their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposal is called hazard pay and it offers frontline employees a pay bump for working during the pandemic. San Jose approved a plan earlier...
Conference tackles Silicon Valley’s woes post COVID-19, starting with workplace diversity
Community leaders gathered at Joint Venture’s 17th State of the Valley conference Tuesday to discuss strategies for helping Silicon Valley address inequities. Each year Joint Venture Silicon Valley, a local nonprofit, hosts the event to discuss the findings of its Silicon Valley Index report: a 100+ page gold mine of data detailing just how the South...
San Jose mayor: Stop blaming tech companies for our problems
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo says it’s time to stop blaming tech companies for the Bay Area’s problems. In a recent question-and-answer session with Jim Wunderman, president of the Bay Area Council, Liccardo opined that Bay Area companies and workers are leaving because of mistakes made by local policy makers. “(Tech companies) are a little...
New petition calls for opening San Jose businesses
In the year since Santa Clara County issued its first shelter-in-place order to curb the spread of COVID-19, businesses have faced a rollercoaster of directives — open, close, open and close again. But one former lawmaker says it doesn’t have to be that way. Other states have less restrictions and allow businesses to open with...
State task force questions Silicon Valley tech companies about political ads
As politics and big tech increasingly collide, a new state task force is examining whether more regulation is needed to increase accountability for Silicon Valley companies who run digital political advertising. The Digital Transparency Task Force, a division within California’s Fair Political Practices Commission, recently questioned representatives from Google and Facebook about their political advertising...
Grants available to help East San Jose small businesses hurt by COVID-19
A relief fund for businesses impacted by COVID-19 opened its wallet today, offering grants to mom-and-pop shops in East San Jose. It is designed for people like Thu Pham, owner of A-Plus Cleaners, who had to close her storefront for a month after contracting COVID-19 before reopening. Many of her friends who are small business...