The future of a Santa Clara shopping center that’s a mainstay of the city’s Asian American community may be in jeopardy as a national developer pushes for housing to replace it. Georgia-based PulteGroup wants to transform the Homestead Shopping Center into a 147-townhome development, complete with about 20 affordable homes and 341 parking spaces. The...
State bill could displace Sunnyvale mobile home residents
Sunnyvale resident Gail Rubino first moved into the El Dorado Mobile Home Park 15 years ago because it was the only way she could afford home ownership in Silicon Valley. She settled into the park and formed a community she could call her own. Now, she’s fighting to change a statewide bill that would make...
San Jose affordable apartment tower nears construction
After more than a decade of planning and delays, a 15-story, 100% affordable apartment building known as The Gateway Tower is set to break ground in downtown San Jose’s SoFA District early next year. The breakthrough comes after developer The Core Companies announced it had secured all necessary funding to move forward with the $197-million construction...
San Jose homeless hotel gets new management
A San Jose hotel converted to homeless housing is switching operators, and residents are welcoming the change. Nonprofit service provider WeHope will take over the Arena Hotel at 817 The Alameda starting Dec. 1 and replace HomeFirst. It will provide case management and temporarily manage the property, security and food until San Jose hires another...
Santa Clara high-rise housing project would displace businesses
Affordable high-rise housing is closer to sprouting along El Camino Real in Santa Clara, but it would displace numerous local businesses. Pennsylvania-based developer Toll Brothers wants to replace more than a dozen stores in Santa Clara’s longstanding Moonlite Shopping Center with 601 homes at 2610 El Camino Real. The development proposal includes a trio of...
San Jose homeless audit highlights failed accountability
San Jose’s homeless outreach efforts have been more concerned about volume than outcomes, and there is little accountability when homeless support nonprofits did not provide adequate services. A city audit of San Jose’s homelessness services released in October found some nonprofits did not meet performance targets or reporting requirements, and the Housing Department failed to...
San Jose homeless housing site doubles capacity
One San Jose tiny home site has added more than 100 beds to house homeless residents, becoming the 10th temporary housing location to open or expand this year. Rue Ferrari has become the city’s largest tiny home site, housing up to 266 formerly homeless individuals. The expansion has more than doubled its capacity, adding 108 tiny...
San Jose homeless motel parking overflow could close eatery
San Jose’s zealous efforts to move homeless people out of Columbus Park and into motels over the summer has inadvertently impacted one business owner who might have to close. Bernadette Garcia, owner of a longstanding Mexican restaurant, Los Garcias, said the city never informed her of its plans to convert the neighboring Alura Inn into...
San Jose youth hub and apartments open
A project for young adults in Santa Clara County has finally put out the welcome mat. The Hub and Parkmoor Community Apartments, a 17,000-square-foot youth facility with 81 apartments, opened Monday. Half of the apartments have been set aside for young people transitioning out of foster care, with the rest going to low-income, very-low income...
Santa Clara County expected to lose millions in housing grants
Federal funds for permanent supportive housing programs are expected to be substantially parred down, putting hundreds of Santa Clara County residents at risk of becoming homeless. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) plans to cap the amount of Continuum of Care grants that can be used for permanent housing to 30% for...