In a recent op-ed by San Jose Downtown Association CEO Alex Stettinski, he expressed concerns about the impact of Americans with Disabilities Act-related lawsuits on small businesses. He advocated for a “time to fix” period, as proposed in Senate Bill 585. Recognizing the challenges faced by small businesses, it is vital to check the wisdom...
Silver Taube: California Civil Rights Department files lawsuit alleging violations of Fair Chance Act
On Dec. 21, 2023, the California Civil Rights Department filed a first of its kind lawsuit against Ralphs Grocery Company over alleged violations of the state’s Fair Chance Act, which resulted in the denial of employment opportunities to hundreds of applicants with criminal histories at grocery store locations across Southern California. The Fair Chance Act,...
Ritchie: Cabinet of cooperation
When I first came to downtown San Jose from downtown San Francisco in the cold winter of 1987 to help my eccentric, hyper-charismatic father tend to his sprawling and struggling West Coast eight office commercial real estate (CRE) brokerage chain, I was amazed at how friendly and cooperative the local commercial brokers were. I was...
Op-ed: Judge voids airport billboard contract after San Jose failed to follow its own rules
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...
Bramson: Words matter when talking about homelessness
The power of an adjective on a noun really can’t be understated when it comes to talking about socio-economic issues. For example, the “poor” is a large, undefined class of people who some way or another can’t make ends meet. The “working poor,” however, emerge as a resilient group of people fighting for survival but...
Op-ed: Plaza de Cesar Chavez is the heart of San Jose
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...
Mallon: How public transit benefits everyone
As a transit advocate, writer and daily rider, I often encounter people who question the importance of supporting transit and assert it doesn’t benefit them as non-users. While some transit advocates take a divisive stance and view people who drive vehicles as enemies of the cause, I don’t. The truth is transit benefits everyone, even...
Maffei: San Jose homeowners should prioritize earthquake safety with seismic retrofits
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...
Op-ed: A victory toward reclaiming Santa Clara’s downtown
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...
Editorial: San Jose primary voters could shape city government
The door for filing to run in the March 2024 primary election closed mid-December, and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan has just one little-known challenger. His reelection to a four-year term should be a lock, even though his political sway may not be. That’s because the mayor is only one of 11 votes on the...