Homeless advocates and city officials agree that San Jose is in dire need of some housing solutions, but a new project planned for downtown drew the ire of residents who worried about a lack of parking. Nonprofit housing developer, The Kelsey, unveiled a proposal that could chip away at the housing shortage, but critics are...
Is banning single-family zoning possible in San Jose?
As more cities across the country are scrapping single-family zoning laws to address a nationwide affordable housing crunch, San Jose says it’s not ready to take the plunge. Owning a home — the legacy that defined American postwar democracy — is an ideal that is being challenged today as many cities opt for alternative solutions...
Google’s housing promise: What we know and what we want to know
When Google last month unveiled its $1 billion commitment to build at least 20,000 new homes in the Bay Area, the news was paired with unanimous fanfare by regional leaders — and a lot of unanswered questions. Google announced on June 18 it would take a three-prong approach to help create 20,000 new residential units....
San Jose is flooded with housing proposals, but where are the shovels?
San Jose is in the midst of a growth spurt that will reinvent the city’s character and reshape its skyline, having grabbed the attention and imagination of major developers and investors zeroing in on the Bay Area’s largest city with visions of big new office buildings. But that attention comes with its own challenges in a...
Community leaders question accuracy of LGBTQ homeless count
The number of people estimated in the latest countywide homeless census to be LGBTQ+ dropped dramatically — from 2,144 in the last survey in 2017 — to 1,262 in January of this year. What should be good news is instead a baffling statistic for people in the community who know they experience homelessness at a...
Amid housing crisis, Silicon Valley landlords say they’re struggling too
In a city that makes daily headlines for its out-of-control housing market and astronomical rents, one group often emerges as the villain — landlords. But landlords and property owners in San Jose say they’re just as much a victim of the extraordinary housing crisis. “Being a first-time investor is on-the-job training and akin to drinking...
Study: San Jose isn’t always the most expensive place to rent
Everyone knows it’s expensive to live in San Jose. But a recent study by Apartment Guide found that size matters, and in some cases, renting a bigger apartment makes San Jose a bit more affordable than its neighbors. The study, which analyzed Apartment Guide listings across the country to rank the 50 most expensive cities...
San Jose: New urban village plans could displace low-income renters
A new development planned for west San Jose is expected to displace a handful of mostly low-income San Jose residents to make way for a new mixed-use 7-story residential and commercial urban village. “I thought this was going to be my forever home,” said Debra Hernandez, 66, who’s retired and has lived in her one-bedroom...
Santa Clara County homeless count shows spike in nearly every city
Santa Clara County published the final report from its 2019 homeless count Friday, showing a significant jump in homelessness in every city across the county, except Campbell, Gilroy and Morgan Hill. The latest report also shows a significant increase in the number of people living in RVs and other vehicles. According to the report released...
San Jose awarded $31.5M for ‘transit-oriented’ housing
A California committee has awarded San Jose $31.5 million to build 155 new affordable apartments downtown and improve public transportation and infrastructure. According to the announcement Thursday, the housing must be “transit oriented,” putting hundreds of residents near public transit, which city planners say will cut down on traffic and vehicles in downtown. The California Strategic Growth...