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Despite Santa Clara County’s ban on evictions amid the pandemic, Flights Restaurant founder and CEO Alexander Hult is being sued by his landlord in Mountain View for back-rent payments. The county ordinance allows tenants impacted by COVID-19 to pay back rent payments within a year with no late fees and prevents landlords from evicting residential and...
Haircuts and pedicures on Santa Clara sidewalks raise new challenges
Sean Nguyen finally picked up his electric razor again. “It feels weird to be honest,” Nguyen said Tuesday after finishing his first appointment since March. “But at least I got a client.” A barber with 13 years of experience, Nguyen was in high demand. His shop, Sean’s Barber Shop, always had “a line of people waiting” but...
Santa Clara County proposes ‘regressive’ sales tax hike for COVID-19 costs
Despite admitting that sales tax hikes are “regressive,” Santa Clara County lawmakers want taxpayers to help foot the bill for COVID-19 costs that have drained the county coffers. On Tuesday, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved a referral from Board President Cindy Chavez to explore placing a general five-eighths of one cent retail...
After years of debate, San Jose releases study on commercial development fees
For years advocates have demanded Silicon Valley charge high-tech office developers fees to fund affordable housing. And now San Jose has taken the first step by releasing its first study on commercial linkage fees. A commercial linkage fee is paid by developers of new commercial development to fund affordable housing. The fees, which are based on...
California, Santa Clara County unemployment rates improve, but uncertainty looms
California’s June unemployment rate improved from previous months amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but it remains to be seen how recent statewide closures due to spiking cases and hospitalizations affect jobs across the state. In June, the state’s unemployment rate improved to 14.9%, with the state adding a record 558,200 jobs, according to figures released Friday...
Hours after reopening, Santa Clara County businesses will have to close again
Just hours after reopening Monday under Santa Clara County’s new health order, hair and nail salons, gyms, tattoo parlors and other personal care services have to close yet again. During his noon briefing, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced immediate closures for indoor operations of restaurants, wineries, tasting rooms, movie theaters, card rooms, family entertainment centers, zoos and...
Outdoor dining is back on, but San Jose restaurateurs are confused and frustrated
Struggling restaurants had found a lifeline in San Jose Al Fresco, an outdoor dining initiative, but confusion stemming from the state denying — and then approving — the county’s application to reopen businesses sent many of them reeling. “Having outdoor seating has really helped bring back a little bit of what’s normal for us and...
Property assessments reach $551.5 billion, peak of Santa Clara County economic growth
The valuation of properties on Santa Clara County’s assessment roll topped $551.5 billion – likely a peak of Silicon Valley’s decade of economic growth. The net valuation of all real and business property, which determines property tax rates, increased by $35.5 billion – a 6.87 percent increase from 2019’s $516 billion valuation, with the help...
‘A new stage’: Santa Clara County issues new order asking state to reopen nail, hair salons
After nearly four months of closure, Santa Clara County gyms, spas, hair and nail salons are set to reopen later this month — if the state says yes. But things will look much differently inside those businesses than before the COVID-19 pandemic closed their doors in mid-March. Personal care businesses are among the last to reopen....
Poll: Californians trust public health officials, fear economic impact
A new poll shows that Californians support public health officials’ efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but believe that the virus disproportionately affects people of color and that the worst is still ahead. Released on Thursday and sponsored by The California Endowment, a nonprofit health organization, the poll surveyed 1,240 California voters to gauge...