The underlying causes of homelessness are complex, but they can be narrowed down to structural inequities and, ultimately, the lack of housing. We see trends of homelessness increasing when the cost of housing increases. Despite a lot of progress being made in the homelessness and housing sectors, we are still seeing more people fall into...
Zimmerman: What’s in a name? Methane vs. ‘natural’ gas
I remember back in the early 90s my father replaced our electric stove with a gas version. It was a big investment for our family, and I remember being proud when my father explained we were doing it because natural gas was better for the environment. At the time, my grasp of environmentalism meant turning...
Dewan: California launches the CalKIDS higher education savings program
The typical college costs including tuition, fees, room and board, transportation and supplies have increased over time. A recent report found the average cost of an undergraduate degree increased 169% between 1980 and 2020. Securing the necessary resources to pay for college and career training programs for children is a barrier for many families. It is...
Op-ed: Behavioral health model thrives with integrated services
Our country has a long history of fragmented health care. People with more than one medical condition often have to get care in different places, with providers who use different recordkeeping systems and who don’t always talk to each other to coordinate care. In California, this has been especially true within the behavioral health care...
Ramirez: Men need to talk about abortion
Men, let’s talk about abortion. For some of us, this may be a difficult and uncomfortable subject, but we do not have the luxury to remain silent. The Supreme Court’s cruel decision to overturn Roe v. Wade affects every woman, girl and person capable of becoming pregnant in this country. Millions will suffer medical and...
Silver Taube: Employers fail to provide lactation accommodations
On July 28, Amazon warehouse worker Fernanda Torres filed a class action lawsuit alleging the company failed to provide lactation accommodations in violation of the law. Torres alleged Amazon’s breastfeeding workers are forced to take unpaid breaks to pump milk and risk discipline for not meeting quotas. She also alleged breastfeeding workers often wait in...
Cortese: Modest reforms to California sentencing law would address extreme injustices
Have you ever wondered why two people who get charged with exactly the same crime get sentenced to completely different prison terms? The answer is something called “judicial discretion.” It means that, in the absence of a fixed rule, and with regard to what is fair and equitable under the circumstances and the law, a...
Wheatley: Cambrian Village is a strong step forward for San Jose
The San Jose City Council on Tuesday will consider approving the Cambrian Village mixed-use project that would bring 428 much-needed new homes to San Jose. Cambrian has a longtime history of being a social hub for the area, but it did not age like a fine wine. Today it stands a largely vacant strip mall...
Bramson: When the numbers don’t add up
Since 2015, over 20,000 people have left the streets to find permanent housing in Santa Clara County. Let that sink in for a second. It’s the population of many small cities in California. How have they found these new homes? It’s a combination of supportive services, rental subsidies, new affordable housing and crisis response. Often,...
Op-ed: Response to critique of empty homes tax
As the original folks who suggested San Jose look at an empty homes tax, we wanted to respond to Bob Staedler’s cursory critique of the idea. To start, Measure E is indeed a crucial means of funding affordable housing in San Jose. We both publicly and passionately supported the measure when it came on the...