A legal obstacle that blocked new housing in North San Jose for almost a decade has now been removed, thanks to an amended settlement between San Jose and Santa Clara. San Jose councilmembers voted unanimously Tuesday to approve an agreement with Santa Clara, which will free the city to pursue housing development in North San...
UPDATE: San Jose officials approve Measure E spending plan
The San Jose City Council signed off on a $65 million spending plan intended for affordable housing and homeless services. On Tuesday, Councilmembers approved allocation of funds raised through Measure E—a 2020 property transfer tax to pay for affordable housing, safe parking and programs to support the homeless. The measure is expected to produce $205...
Path to planned downtown San Jose landmark unclear
An anticipated landmark in downtown San Jose isn’t going to be a breeze to install. The City Council unanimously voted last May to install an iconic landmark, dubbed “The Breeze of Innovation.” The design beat out nearly 1,000 submissions in an international competition launched in 2019 for creating a new landmark at Arena Green, where the...
Los Gatos residents rally against town growth
Los Gatos residents are overall happy with their quaint upper-class town, but when is comes to growth management, sentiment darkens. Los Gatos recently conducted a community survey examining the quality of life and levels of services in town. The survey, conducted by market research company ETC Institute at a cost of $25,000, focused on where...
Google refreshes San Jose residents on downtown plans
For the first time in roughly two years, Google held an in-person community forum for San Jose residents to learn about the tech company’s plans for a campus that will dramatically change downtown. On Saturday, residents browsed colorful poster boards and spoke with Google representatives at an event near the SAP Center. Sheela Jivan, Google’s director of...
San Jose church sees slow process for landmark status
A group of congregants at the nearly century-old Grace Baptist Church in San Jose want to secure its status as a landmark, but the timeline is uncertain. On Wednesday, the city’s Historic Landmark Commission deferred its decision to grant the church historic landmark candidacy until a more thorough assessment is completed. The commission had been set to make...
San Jose officials tighten water restrictions for new developments
San Jose officials are restricting water use for new developments, but conservationists want to see the city take more aggressive steps. San Jose councilmembers voted Tuesday to amend the city’s water efficient landscape ordinance—a 1993 rule which is periodically updated. City officials said there’s an urgent need for new developments to only install drought-tolerant landscapes, citing...
San Jose is not jumping aboard the SB 9 lawsuit train
One San Jose official hoped to join Southern California cities in suing the state over recent housing legislation, but her efforts didn’t go far. On Wednesday, Councilmember and mayoral candidate Dev Davis asked some of her City Council colleagues to support a recent lawsuit against Senate Bill 9, which allows homeowners of single-family lots to divide...
It’s all about sports at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds
Santa Clara County has big plans for its 160-acre piece of land at the fairgrounds, but if it doesn’t include a ball, bat or hurdles, well then—no deal. Since January, county officials have entered into three negotiating agreements with various organizations that envision a new future at the fairgrounds. Supervisor Cindy Chavez announced this week...
San Jose’s St. James Park gets closer to revitalization
San Jose and proponents of a downtown pavilion have been in a battle with a men’s social club over St. James Park. Now it may be coming to an end. On April 4, the Superior Court of Santa Clara County upheld an environmental impact report and historic preservation permit for St. James Park, denying a petition...