California has extended eviction protections for millions of residents, but advocates fear it’s too little and too late to help thousands of San Jose tenants on the brink of losing their homes. Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis, acting in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s absence, recently signed legislation to temporarily protect Californians from eviction for past due rent if...
Landmark status for San Jose church is not that simple
Downtown San Jose’s nearly century-old Grace Baptist Church may receive historical landmark recognition, but not everyone in the church is onboard. Grace Baptist, located at 484 E. San Fernando St., is one of the few religious centers still standing from the early 1900s—and its claims for landmark status have merit, historical landmark commissioners said at their Wednesday meeting....
Santa Clara residents miss opportunity to make home upgrades
Even though Santa Clara had more than $1 million available for residents to upgrade their homes, only a small number of homeowners took advantage of the opportunity. Now Santa Clara is putting those dollars to other uses. The city planned to spend about $1.2 million in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and...
San Jose council review: Police shooting concerns, CityView Plaza
The San Jose City Council approved land sales to developers, an emerging mobility plan and lifting the city’s COVID-19 mask mandate on Tuesday. During public comment, dozens of residents called to voice their displeasure over a police shooting inside a local taqueria about two weeks ago. Here’s what went down April 4: Police shooting More than 40...
Santa Clara County grant will transform section of East San Jose
With a financial boost from Santa Clara County, a blighted, mostly vacant block of stores in East San Jose will be transformed into a performing arts space, cafe and sorely needed mental health clinic. On Tuesday, the county Board of Supervisors approved a $250,000 grant for the School of Arts and Culture, which wants to expand...
San Jose school district wants to subsidize teacher housing
San Jose residents may be asked to support subsidized housing for Alum Rock Union School District teachers on the November ballot. The East San Jose school district is exploring whether creating below-market housing for its workers is possible. If officials find it is, the district will look to voters to fund the roughly $27 million...
Silicon Valley housing crisis linked to declining school enrollment, study says
Two pernicious problems in Silicon Valley—lack of affordable housing and declining school enrollment—are closely tied, new research suggests. A recent report commissioned by the nonprofit Silicon Valley Community Foundation says building more housing could help reverse long-term declines in student enrollment across Santa Clara County. Enrollment is expected to decline by more than 15% in the...
San Jose sees record in permits for backyard homes
San Jose residents are building mini homes in their backyards and bringing families close together. Despite economic hardships related to COVID-19 and supply chain delays, 2021 broke records for residents who want to add another home on their property. Permit requests for accessory dwelling units (ADU) reached 804, with 464 permits issued last year. The...
San Jose council review: Homeless report, mental health response
Homelessness, mental health response, cost-saving recommendations and fee decreases to incentivize commercial development were the hot topics at Tuesday’s San Jose City Council meeting. Here’s the weekly breakdown: Annual Homeless Report Despite the hardships exacerbated by COVID-19, the city’s housing department said it has made notable progress on San Jose’s 2020-2025 plan to end homelessness....
UPDATE: San Jose gives more fee breaks to commercial developers
Commercial developers in San Jose will see another fee cut—and some advocates say it’s at the expense of affordable housing. On Tuesday, the City Council unanimously approved a 20% reduction in commercial linkage fees citywide if the fees are fully paid before construction. The fee is a cost per square footage. The plan also increases...