We commend Johnny Khamis, and the supportive council members, for the challenging and sensible question as to the true cost of affordable housing when developed by public vs. private means. What no one, to my knowledge, has ever asked is to take into account the huge costs of salaries, overhead, grants and other infrastructure needs...
Greenlee: Decision on height limits will impact SJC for decades
I am an airline transport pilot with over 37 years of military and commercial experience and I want to make sure that all stakeholders of Mineta San Jose International Airport, including airlines, local businesses, citizens of San Jose and passengers who travel through the airport are aware of upcoming decisions that will impact operations at...
Bramson: Evans Lane homeless housing is a model for others
On a Tuesday evening in January, San Jose City Council sat in chambers considering a rezoning application and planned development permit for a piece of property on Evans Lane. The site, a city-owned parcel purchased for the purpose of affordable housing over a decade ago, had sat vacant for years, with the grass growing high...
Gutiérrez: Immigrants hold the power with our vote
SIREN started the 2019 year in the immigrant and refugees rights movement with the federal government in a partial shutdown, where more than 800,000 federal workers were working without pay due to a failure between President Donald Trump and Congress to compromise over a useless and unnecessary border wall. And on January 25, after 35...
Staedler: The world is watching downtown San Jose
Downtown San Jose for the last decade or so has been an event-driven downtown. A glimpse of its potential came out with events like the Jazz Festival, business and technology conventions and Sharks games. When asked what kind of downtown San Jose needs to have, the word that gets used often is “vibrant.” Urban vibrancy...
Staedler: Newsom’s proposal is bold. Let’s get even bolder.
As we look for movement in alleviating the housing crisis, Gov. Newsom delivered a solid and thoughtful proposal with a serious amount of cash to back up his resolve. It’s getting a fair amount of press, but in case you missed it, here is a summary of his proposal from Newsom’s website. An unprecedented and historic effort...
Funk: Will Newsom fix California’s broken public education funding model?
As Gov. Gavin Newsom begins his first term, early indication shows that he will focus on universal preschool, two years of free community college and increased funding for higher education. But K-12 public education advocates will be anxious to hear how he addresses K-12 funding with enormous pressure facing school districts across California with budget...
San Jose flood victims: Time’s up. From Paradise to Coyote Creek, we need action
Breathing the hazardous air from the Paradise fire has put a spotlight on the fact that climate change is impacting our daily lives and the effects must be proactively addressed now. It has also brought back the trauma we experienced during the Coyote Creek flood in our neighborhoods (Rock Springs, Olinder and mobile home...
Diridon: God, forgive us for squandering your gifts
Please forgive us God, Jehovah, Allah, Yahweh, or whatever we each respectfully choose to call the Universe’s guiding spirit. We’ve ignored the multiple warnings that you’ve shared and are destroying our wonderful blue haven for warm blooded creatures. You created the nurturing environment in which we evolved and thrived. You’ve tried to guide us during...
Bramson: Where do we go from here?
When I was a boy, my mom took me to a homeless shelter to serve a meal during the holidays. The first time we went I was probably 10 and I remember being pretty scared when we arrived. Everyone was nice, there were decorations and lights up, even some Christmas music playing. But I could...