Apartment-dwellers and mobile home residents struggling to pay rent in San Jose because of the pandemic are getting some relief. The San Jose City Council voted unanimously Feb. 2 to immediately halt rent increases for residents living in rent-controlled mobile homes and apartments through June 30. Neither the state nor Santa Clara County have taken...
‘Do something!’ — San Jose business owners say they are fed up with homeless
They’ve reported gun violence, had cars stolen and watched in outrage for months as trash piles up and homeless encampments grow around them. Business and property owners in downtown San Jose are demanding the city take action to end vandalism, theft and increasing illegal camping they say is destroying their livelihood. And they are not...
Collins: How COVID-19 has influenced South Bay real estate trends
COVID-19 has affected our everyday life in almost every aspect. Homebuying is no exception. The pandemic did not necessarily create new trends but rather accelerated them. Prior to COVID-19, online shopping already had been on a considerable upward swing. The pandemic just boosted it. The same can be said about remote working or working from...
Tenants mount courthouse protest to end evictions in Santa Clara County
Dozens of tenants and their advocates blocked the entrance to the Santa Clara County Superior Court in downtown San Jose this morning to protest ongoing evictions during the pandemic. Nine protesters were arrested after sheriff’s deputies declared the demonstration unlawful. The demonstrators successfully shut down the courts in the morning but judges resumed hearing cases...
South Bay tenants, landlords anxious as evictions loom, debt piles up
Silicon Valley residents who have struggled to pay rent during the pandemic are up against a wall, hoping Sacramento lawmakers will extend an eviction ban for those hit with financial hardship. At the same time, South Bay landlords waiting on months of overdue payments are looking to state and local governments to quickly distribute $2.6...
UPDATE: San Jose approves extending eviction ban to protect renters
San Jose leaders aren’t waiting for California to make a move this week to protect renters and acted quickly Tuesday to halt local evictions during the COVID-19 crisis. Since the state’s eviction ban is set to expire Jan. 31, the San Jose City Council voted unanimously to enact an eviction ban until March. In the...
San Jose man with heart failure, diabetes, HIV denied room under state COVID-19 program
Anthony Domondon has congestive heart failure, diabetes and HIV – but that wasn’t enough for a hotel room under the state’s program for COVID-19 vulnerable homeless people. “Basically they want me in a body bag before they give me a hotel room,” Domondon told San José Spotlight. Sitting on a curb outside a now-closed Office...
San Jose cuts water in park with large homeless population, blames needles
A San Jose park that’s home to nearly 200 homeless residents was suddenly left without water — and city leaders initially suggested needles were to blame for clogging the drain. The water has since been restored by reopening one of the park’s two restrooms. It’s a critical need, advocates say, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic....
Bay Area living out of reach for some VTA transit workers who sleep in their cars
After a long day of driving a transit bus all over Silicon Valley, Bernard Glinton curls up for a night of rest — in his SUV. The longtime bus driver has slept in his SUV for the last two years to save costs and give himself some much-needed rest. “There’s tons of people who are commuting because...
UPDATE: San Jose expands services for homeless amid COVID-19
Faced with an uptick in homeless deaths amid the pandemic, city leaders expanded shelter services for San Jose’s unhoused residents. The San Jose City Council on Jan. 12 unanimously adopted a $11.3 million expenditure plan for its Homeless, Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program, which provides homeless outreach and shelter services citywide. The budget approval allows the city...