Plans for a potential West San Jose Costco are up for final approval next month despite dozens of residents speaking against it because of fears the warehouse will negatively impact traffic safety and increase noise pollution. The San Jose Planning Commission on Wednesday voted unanimously, with Commissioners Chuck Cantrell and Michael Young absent, to certify...
Santa Clara County candidates share plans to tackle homelessness
Candidates vying for two open seats on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors are sharing their plans for the region’s top issues: homelessness and housing. Nonprofits PATH and Destination: Home hosted a candidate forum Wednesday moderated by those with lived experience. The candidates in Districts 2 and 5 discussed a number of topics including...
South San Jose utility project could threaten wildlife
A proposal to strengthen Santa Clara County’s electrical grid could become an environmental hazard and threaten efforts to protect Coyote Valley wildlife from being killed along busy roads south of San Jose. That’s the warning from local environmental advocates, who spoke out at a Wednesday community meeting held by the California Public Utilities Commission to...
San Jose residents dispute outreach on safe sleeping site
A potential sanctioned encampment for homeless individuals near San Jose’s Watson Park has some neighbors upset with what they perceive as a lack of outreach. City officials have zeroed in on the first potential safe sleeping site at 1157 E. Taylor St., which could open as early as the beginning of next year with other sites to follow....
Kaiser to replace old San Jose hospital
Kaiser Permanente plans to rebuild its 50-year old hospital in South San Jose and city officials call it a “win-win” for residents. The San Jose Planning Commission earlier this month unanimously approved Kaiser’s plans to more-than double the size of its Medical Center on 250 Hospital Parkway. The Kaiser-financed project would demolish the existing 250,000-square-foot...
San Jose could restrict use of AI tools to set rent prices
San Jose housing advocates say corporate property owners are taking advantage of the latest artificial intelligence tech to drive up rent prices — and renters are feeling the financial pain. Councilmember Peter Ortiz has proposed a policy to restrict the sale and use of “algorithmic devices” to set rents or manage home occupancy levels in the city....
UPDATE: San Jose scraps plan to sell tiny homes site to county
After angry community protests, San Jose officials are scrapping plans to sell Santa Clara County a tiny homes site to house incarcerated people with mental health issues on the south side of the city. Councilmember Arjun Batra, who has vowed to stop the sale, confirmed to San José Spotlight that the city will put the...
West San Jose development cuts affordable apartments
A proposed West San Jose housing project that would have added more than 100 affordable homes has been scrapped. Sand Hill Property Company had a previously approved redesign for nearly 1,000 apartments across four separate buildings at the El Paseo de Saratoga shopping center, 150 of which would have been affordable housing. But the developer...
Sunnyvale older adults to get living center, convalescent hospital
More than 100 apartments for older adults and a medical facility could be coming to Sunnyvale within the next few years. The Sunnyvale Planning Commission unanimously approved plans for a six-story senior living site and 72,000-square-foot convalescent hospital at 1027-1035 West El Camino Real during its Monday meeting. It will have 36 assisted-living homes and...
Campbell shields affordable housing residents from rent shock
Officials in one West Valley city are taking action to combat a statewide policy gap that leaves residents in affordable housing vulnerable to rent increases that could price them out. The Campbell City Council voted 4-1 last month to cap affordable housing rent increases at 5%, plus cost of living changes or a flat 10%...