Whether it’s a robbery in progress at a local business, a home with a fire in the kitchen or a resident suffering a heart attack, seconds mean the difference between safety and harm and life and death. We care deeply about everyone we serve. The people who live, work and visit our city deserve the...
Bekele: Preparing San Jose for a future full of electric vehicles
When the San Jose City Council meets on Jan. 30, it will have the opportunity to shape green transportation in our city for decades to come. The council will be voting to update our city’s electric vehicle reach code for multi-family housing developments, which will determine the accessibility and affordability of electric vehicles (EVs) for...
Collins: New housing laws you need to know about
With the new year comes a new set of laws in the housing space that we all need to be aware of as renters, housing providers or homeowners. Several new laws affect both renters and housing providers. Assembly Bill 12 prohibits housing providers from collecting a security deposit that is more than one month’s rent....
Robinson: Niners bring big bucks to Santa Clara despite mayor’s harassment
As the crowd roared, hugged, shouted, cried and exalted the 49ers’ win on Saturday night, I marveled at Levi’s Stadium and the euphoria created inside. Sunday will be just as boisterous as the Niners play for the NFC Championship against the Lions. Despite Mayor Lisa Gillmor, Santa Clara politicians should thank their lucky stars for...
Shoor: We need to upstream public policy
Every week like clockwork, the San Jose City Council needs to study and vote on a new array of policies. Meanwhile, government must quickly respond to a constant fountain of important constituent concerns and events outside its control like natural disasters. It’s no wonder government struggles to get in front of solving problems. Working in...
LaFortune: You will likely never see these ads
These ads were seen digitally more than 145 million times last year. Of those 145 million times, people clicked on the ads to learn more about San Jose 9 million times. For a clear understanding of this scale, 9 million is the populations of Los Angeles, San Diego, Houston and Philadelphia combined. But you probably...
Dewan: FAFSA changes could make it easier for families to get aid for college costs
College costs can be overwhelming, but scholarships, financial aid and grants can help families manage these costs. Each year, many families complete financial aid applications for college to access financial aid. In 2023, 14,937 high school students —more than 62% — in Santa Clara County submitted Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or CA...
Mashburn: Prioritizing rights — Challenging the case for delayed ADA compliance
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...