This has been something of a surreal summer for me. Late this June, I saw some comments from Cupertino Commission Chair R. “Ray” Wang about the Vallco redevelopment, calling on his readers to “Save the suburbs from an onslaught of anarchists and YIMBY Neo Liberal fascists.” Now I’m a resident of Sunnyvale, not Cupertino. But...

Between toxic politics and partisan dysfunction, we now have something I believe is important to all Americans: safety and freedom. Guns have become an evil topic in just about any public setting. Many think if you talk to a “Democrat,” you might hear the only way to protect our children and communities is to implement...

More. Bigger. Higher. These are the words crammed into the press releases of Silicon Valley’s largest employers. The pace of development is startling. It all sounds so exciting, but we should temper that excitement and realistically examine the impacts of development. There’s an old adage, “failing to plan, is planning to fail.” It’s sage advice...

My office has fielded numerous complaints of vehicles stored or abandoned on city streets, plus occupied motor homes settling into neighborhoods for stays that exceed the 72-hour limit. It’s not just an issue in District 10, but throughout the City of San Jose. Our Department of Transportation personnel responded to 55,000 vehicle abatement requests in...

For most of us, the purchase of O’Connor Hospital and St. Louise Hospital is a fabulous benefit for Santa Clara County. The $235 million package has already proven its worth, given the quick response and treatment of 13 victims from Gilroy’s July 28 mass shooting. Moreover, the county is investing heavily in bringing the hospitals...

I read Dean Hotop’s op-ed (“Where is the accountability over Silicon Valley’s housing crisis?”) with great interest. There are few issues of more significance in our region than housing. Unfortunately, the piece included factual inaccuracies that may misinform rather inform your readers. Mr. Hotop misinterpreted the City’s budget book. The Housing Department’s FY 2018-19 personnel...

“Rents at all time highs!” “Homeless population growing” “Incomes not keeping up with rents” We’ve all seen these headlines the last few years and understand there’s a problem. However, there’s a bigger underlying problem that hasn’t been adequately addressed. These headlines go all the way back to the 1970’s. In 2003, San Jose’s Housing Department...

For the community that the School of Arts and Culture at MHP (SOAC) serves, it is no surprise that the 2019 Santa Clara County Homeless Count shows a significant increase in homelessness. Over the years, many of our Arts Education Program families have expressed to us the difficulty of remaining in this community.  A year...

As I reflect on our last meeting of the fiscal year, I am concerned about our contradictory actions when it comes to solving our housing crisis. In the same meeting where we talked about ways to reduce fees, regulations and even provide forgivable loans for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) — sometimes called ‘granny’ or ‘mother-in-law’...

The work of dismantling oppressive structures and dreaming up new, more just futures is crucial on both global and local scales, and San Jose is no exception. What does it take to imagine, nurture, and sustain this kind of work, and who is doing it? What role should institutions and nonprofits play, and where does...