San Jose has been ranked No. 1 for the least affordable city in the world for first-time homebuyers in a new global study, underscoring how far housing costs have outpaced wages in the heart of Silicon Valley. The study — conducted by financial services company Remitly — analyzed housing affordability in more than 150 cities...
UPDATE: San Jose council delays mobile home rent increase
Some of the last naturally affordable housing in San Jose may be preserved, after officials deferred a proposed rent increase in mobile home parks. The City Council voted 10-1 Tuesday to delay a proposed 10% space rent increase whenever a mobile home is sold and engage in community meetings with residents and park owners to...
Santa Clara County could charge for property value appeals
Santa Clara County homeowners have the power to challenge how much they pay in property taxes every year. But it could start costing hundreds of dollars to appeal. County leaders are considering charging single-family home and condo owners $290 to appeal the county assessor’s determination of their property’s value, which in turn determines the taxes homeowners pay...
San Jose housing commissioners against mobile home rent increase
The San Jose Housing and Community Development Commission is recommending not to raise rents for residents living in the city’s 58 mobile home parks. A majority of commissioners on Thursday didn’t support a proposed 10% increase to space rents once a mobile home is sold. The city Housing Department proposed the increase as a way...
San Jose to study reforming historic preservation rules
San Jose has taken the first step in a likely lengthy process to revamp the city’s approach to historic preservation. Councilmembers have outlined reform proposals for city staff to study in the new year. These include measures to boost outreach to owners of historic properties, as well as reforms intended to make it easier to...
San Jose wants to raise rents in mobile home parks
San Jose mobile home residents say the city blindsided them by proposing changes that will increase rents. The Housing Department is considering an update to its mobile home rent policy that would include a one-time rent increase up to 10% whenever a mobile home is sold, among other changes. Under the existing policy, property owners...
San Jose to study apartments with single staircases
San Jose has taken its first tentative steps to soften longstanding building rules requiring all new apartment buildings — even relatively small ones — to include at least two stairways. Housing advocates have campaigned for years to scrap such requirements for mid-rise residential buildings, arguing they significantly add to the cost of constructing new homes....
Silicon Valley real estate development lowest since 2013
It is the best of times and worst of times for commercial real estate and development in Silicon Valley, according to the newest quarterly report from economic think tank Joint Venture Silicon Valley. The good news is Silicon Valley developers completed 5.6 million square feet of new office and industrial space in the first nine...
Damaged East San Jose youth center demolished
A vacant former youth center in East San Jose has been demolished more than a month after a fire halted plans for its restoration. Excavators knocked down what remained of the Mexican American Community Services Agency (MACSA) building Saturday, breaking the hearts of community advocates who fought to save it. Trustees with the Alum Rock...
Silicon Valley community college district buys workforce housing
Dozens of Santa Clara County professors and administrative staff will be some of the first to move into affordable apartments reserved for community college employees, thanks to one school district’s unique housing approach. The Foothill-De Anza Community College District board unanimously approved a roughly $54.5 million purchase of 50 affordable apartments for staff earlier this month. The...