San Jose promised homeless people living in RVs a safe parking site by the end of January. Now, it’s unclear when it will open. Infrastructure work is still needed, pushing back the opening of the Santa Teresa VTA light rail site until at least March 31. But even that may not happen, housing department spokesperson Jeff Scott...
End of an era: San Jose antique shops could disappear
Walking past the palm trees that line San Carlos Street, it’s hard to miss the string of antique shops that have survived in an area once known as “Antiques Row.” These nostalgic shops may become a distant memory after the San Jose City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to annex a portion of West San Carlos...
What’s next for the former Fry’s HQ in San Jose?
A plan to build a massive office campus in North San Jose over the next decade is moving forward after winning approval from the San Jose City Council Tuesday evening. Campbell-based Bay West Development plans to build nearly two million square feet of office space across seven buildings on the site of the shuttered Fry’s...
San Jose housed more than 2,500 people — but still falls short
San Jose reportedly had one of its most significant years in housing the homeless, but advocates said the efforts are barely making a dent. In the past year, San Jose helped nearly 2,600 homeless people get off the streets, with 71% of them moving into permanent housing, according to a city report published this month. The...
Future of San Jose theater unclear amid annexation
San Jose is setting the stage to annex the Burbank Theater, but plans for the space are unclear. Last week, the San Jose City Council unanimously voted to move forward with annexing nearly an acre of land that’s home to the 74-year-old theater at the intersection of South Bascom and Parkmoor avenues. The plans listed...
UPDATE: Senior housing tower heads to San Jose City Council
The San Jose Planning Commission has given a stamp of approval to a developer seeking to gut a historic building downtown, and put up a high-rise apartment building for older adults. Despite some concerns about a lack of parking in the project, and the fate of existing businesses who will be pushed out of their...
Silicon Valley youth champion retires after 40 years
A Santa Clara County leader is leaving her role after 40 years of fighting for homeless youth. Sparky Harlan, CEO of the Bill Wilson Center, is retiring after joining the housing nonprofit in 1983. The center opened in 1973. Her legacy involves a yearslong commitment to supporting unhoused youth and the tenacity to back it up,...
Google could delay millions in San Jose community funds
Time is money, and in Silicon Valley, that saying is exceedingly true. So when news got out that Google could postpone construction on its highly-anticipated San Jose megacampus, it raised eyebrows and concerns. At stake is roughly 25,000 jobs and $155 million for a community fund that will be used to pay for education, job...
State law may overshadow San Jose affordable housing policy
A controversial policy that could make affordable housing more attainable is coming back to the San Jose City Council—but it might be a moot point if a similar policy is passed at the state level. The Community Opportunity to Purchase Act, or COPA, is a policy that would give qualified nonprofits first rights to make an offer...
San Jose expands police patrol on walking trails
San Jose police officers will soon routinely patrol an area that once was the city’s largest homeless camp in an effort to help revitalize the region. The San Jose City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to spend $400,000 to expand the successful police bike patrol program to cover the Guadalupe River Trail in addition to the...