A long overdue agreement between San Jose and Santa Clara County’s largest water agency to build housing for homeless residents has been greenlit and is slated to break ground next month. The San Jose City Council unanimously voted on Dec. 3 to enter into an agreement with Valley Water to build a new tiny home...
Affordable housing preserved for East San Jose families
An affordable housing group is celebrating its biggest win to date after San Jose officials approved the permanent preservation of 18 homes. The South Bay Community Land Trust has spent nearly two years engaging with residents, city leaders and the landlords at 1718, 1724 and 1730 Virginia Ave. in an effort to purchase the apartments...
Campbell hotel program to support homeless residents
Homeless residents in Campbell will soon find some relief through the city’s new hotel program, adding a resource to the West Valley where little support exists. The Campbell City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to grant nonprofit Silicon Valley Independent Living Center a $147,500 contract to oversee a hotel program for the homeless community. The two-year...
Santa Clara County to convert veterans housing for jail diversion
A former veterans housing site is set to become a Santa Clara County-run pretrial jail diversion facility for homeless residents charged with non-violent crimes. County and city officials began discussing the sale of 1072 & 1082 Vermont Street, known as the Vermont House, last year when they told housing provider Abode Services to start vacating...
San Jose senior apartment tenants take issue with management
An affordable housing development near Willow Glen was supposed to give homeless older adults a safe place to live. Instead, a number of residents are clamoring to leave. Leigh Avenue Senior Apartments, located at Leigh Avenue and Southwest Expressway, provided housing to 63 older adults when it opened in 2021. Seven residents told San José Spotlight...
Major Santa Clara housing project clears development hurdle
Santa Clara has been bulking up housing in its northern neighborhoods and officials just approved plans for thousands more homes. The Santa Clara City Council unanimously approved an environmental impact report, rezoning and a developers agreement for a 48.6-acre mixed-use development in North Santa Clara on Nov. 19. Real estate firm Kylli Inc. has owned...
San Jose developer pays millions to reduce affordable housing
Plans for a San Jose urban village have shifted, after developers agreed to pay millions to offset their decision to build more affordable homes. The San Jose Planning Commission unanimously approved a downscaled plan for hundreds of apartments at the El Paseo de Saratoga shopping center Nov. 20 after developers agreed to pay $13.9 million...
Silicon Valley water district will fine people living on its property
Homeless people are barred from living along regional waterways owned by Santa Clara County’s largest water agency — and could be charged with an infraction or misdemeanor and face up to $500 fines if they’re caught camping there. The Valley Water board of directors voted 6-1 on Tuesday to enact the Water Resource Protection Zones...
Sunnyvale to spruce up downtown pedestrian mall
Sunnyvale is taking steps to make its downtown more inviting for residents and visitors alike by beautifying its most historic block. The Sunnyvale City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved concept plans to turn the historic Murphy Avenue block of downtown into a permanent pedestrian mall, with Councilmember Russ Melton absent. The plans include more bike...
San Jose hits some homelessness goals, misses others
San Jose is inching toward its housing and homelessness goals, but still has a ways to go before it can shelter thousands of unhoused residents. The city released its latest annual homelessness report in early November detailing its progress in cleaning up the streets and waterways, sweeping encampments and building temporary housing. It met some goals,...