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San Jose is pouring more money into upgrades for a costly wastewater treatment plant, even as evidence emerges that the construction company overseeing the project employed unlicensed and uninsured contractors. In April, the City Council approved $14 million to cover new construction costs for an upgrade to the San Jose-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility, the largest plant...
UPDATE: San Jose still shy of building 25K housing units by 2023
There are some “bright spots” in San Jose’s housing crisis plan, but officials say more needs to be done to reach the city’s ambitious goals to prioritize affordable housing. “The affordable housing pipeline had its best year in 2020 out of the years tracked,” reads a city memo. Despite that outlook, completed units fall far...
Bay Area mayors, advocates urge Congress to invest in housing
Local lawmakers and housing advocates are calling on Congress to invest in more housing to help end homelessness and housing insecurity in the Bay Area. A coalition of more than 20 city officials, nonprofits and philanthropy organizations sent a letter to the region’s congressional delegation Tuesday. It urges federal lawmakers to address the ongoing housing shortage...
Fake San Jose police notice highlights homeless camp tension
A fake police notice distributed at a homeless encampment in South San Jose has amped up tensions between unhoused individuals and nearby homeowners. Notices appeared late Saturday night and indicated the San Jose Police Department would conduct a clean-up in the area the following morning. The letters warned residents to take their things and leave....
Segregation in Santa Clara County: how experts define redlining
It’s tough to talk about housing in Santa Clara County without looking at the region’s history of redlining, a tool that once contributed to racial segregation and discrimination across the U.S. for decades. The term appears in conversations on topics ranging from political representation and community governance to historic districts and land use policy. A recent...
San Jose lawmaker rejects Opportunity Housing, touts smart growth
Supporters of a controversial plan to build denser housing throughout San Jose say it will help the city meet its affordable housing goals. But one councilmember says there’s a better solution: holding the city accountable for a housing plan it already has to implement. Councilmember Matt Mahan, who represents South San Jose, spoke at a news conference...
Housing assistance hard to obtain in Santa Clara County
When the city evicted a group of tenants from a cluster of mobile homes in south San Jose, Santa Clara County put them up in a hotel within a day. Getting this treatment doesn’t come easy, though—you pretty much need to have your house condemned. That’s what happened to several individuals who lost their homes...
How does the eviction ban protect Silicon Valley tenants?
For tenants behind on rent during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, experts advise following the three “S” rules: stay in your home, submit a declaration and seek rental assistance now. “We know that this is a very difficult time for many renters and small property owners,” said Emily Ann Ramos, a preservation and protection associate at...
Owner of troubled San Jose apartments is a lawsuit magnet
After residents at Foxdale Village Apartments complained about their water being shut off without notice, KDF Communities offered tenants a three-day rent credit and reimbursement for hotels. This might be too little, too late. If history is any indicator, KDF and its property manager, VPM Management, may soon have lawsuits on its hands. KDF Communities,...
Residents split on Los Gatos’ plan to densify housing
Los Gatos’ goal to densify its housing is too ambitious, residents say, but they can’t agree on how the town should address the issue. Democracy Tent, a group of Los Gatos residents, invited officials to a virtual meeting Monday to talk about the town’s goal to include more housing in its 2040 General Plan. Los...