When our organization, No Digital Billboards in San Jose, called out the city for not following its own rules in approving new digital billboards along the Guadalupe River Trail on San Jose Mineta International Airport property, no one at City Hall listened. When the San Jose Airport Commission studied the plan and issued a detailed...

At the heart of San Jose sits Plaza de Cesar Chavez, a site that for more than two centuries has  come to shape the city that grew around it. But with the explosive growth downtown experienced over the past 20 years, and with new residential and commercial towers continually reshaping its skyline, we must move...

California’s towering peaks and deep valleys are a part of its remarkable scenery and help define the Golden State’s identity. These same geological features, created over millennia of seismic activity, are a prominent reminder the ground can and will abruptly shift, resulting in small tremors and immense earthquakes. Much of the Bay Area is at...

On Sept. 29, 1960, the most infamous Santa Clara City Council vote in the history of the city took place. One month before, the San Jose Mercury News reported that, “Illegal closed door Council meetings were occurring without Santa Clara citizens present.” Surveys of Santa Clara business owners showed 82.7% wanted the downtown saved. Citizens...

In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law with the intention of eliminating discrimination against people with disabilities. This law is critical to provide access to those with disabilities, a law that the San Jose Downtown Association fully supports. We also support actions taken to ensure spaces currently not compliant are made...

Cities across the country are currently investing in parks and outdoor public gathering spaces as part of economic recovery strategies for their pandemic hammered downtowns. In San Jose, we have a similar opportunity that should not be wasted. The centenary birthday of Cesar Chavez, March 31, 2027, should serve as a call to action to...

Affordable housing has made local headlines in recent months—and for good reason. The statewide moratorium on evictions during the pandemic expired in June 2022, and other protectants phased out earlier this year. Despite the spike in evictions already documented, reports suggest more renters are still on the brink of losing their homes. California already has...

Earlier this week, San Jose, the mayor, City Council and city administrators breached core democratic values of open government and freedom of speech for all people by engaging in the racist and shameful act of tarping council chamber seats to prevent people of conscience from attending a council meeting and speaking out in support of...

Recently, the idea of consolidating Caltrain and BART has been floated as an easy way to fix Bay Area transit. In short, it’s a bad idea: the benefits, if any, are small and can be achieved in other ways while the problems are large and very real. I’ve spent a long career analyzing rail agencies...

Here’s the truth: we cannot fully build back and enhance our regional economy without expanding high-quality child care for all who need it. In the ever-evolving landscape of our Bay Area economy, child care has emerged as a critical factor in shaping the workforce and overall strength of our economy. As CEOs of business associations...