As San Jose prepares to consider new framework for where to build affordable housing, questions remain about how to increase opportunities for low-income residents and people of color. “Certain residents aren’t afforded the opportunity to live in higher-resource areas,” said Huascar Castro, associate director of housing and transportation policy at Working Partnerships USA. “The intent of the...
Real Estate
Real Estate
Poll shows majority of San Jose residents support Opportunity Housing
Building higher and denser in San Jose has divided residents, affordable housing advocates and single-family homeowners. But a new poll shows a majority of residents support adding more housing units to suburban neighborhoods. A new poll released by affordable housing advocacy group Silicon Valley at Home finds that 56% of residents support changing zoning laws...
San Jose delays evictions by two months
San Jose tenants won’t be pushed off an eviction cliff this summer, but they’re still uncomfortably close to the edge. The City Council on Tuesday unanimously agreed to extend the local eviction moratorium that was set to expire June 30 through Aug. 31, ensuring two more months of protection for tenants who have fallen behind...
Real estate audit reveals holes in San Jose’s property management
San Jose owns more than 1,250 properties including City Hall, parks and revenue generators like the San Jose International Airport. But there’s no consolidated inventory which makes management and maintenance difficult, a recent city audit revealed. Whenever a question about a city-owned property comes up, officials have to do extensive research across departments and use...
The cost of building affordable housing in San Jose
The high costs of building in San Jose, among the highest in the state, imperil the supply of a crucial source of financing for affordable housing: state tax credits. “Each year, these programs change their funding requirements,” Michael Lane, state policy director at urban planning think tank SPUR, told San José Spotlight. “It takes multiple years to put...
San Jose nonprofit faces accusations of bedbugs, mildew in apartments
Zack Anderson only pays about $350 a month in rent thanks to housing subsidies from a local nonprofit—but not for the past eight months. He said he’s been holding off on payments because his South San Jose apartment is infested with bedbugs, mildew and needs urgent maintenance. The apartment is managed by Downtown Streets Team,...
Google, San Jose work out affordable housing goals
Google is coming to downtown San Jose and it’s bringing 4,000 housing units with it. But making sure that a quarter of those units are affordable will be difficult. The biggest obstacle to building affordable housing, city leaders say, is the high cost of land. “The great thing about the Google model is that they’re not...
Developers propose high-rise at historic San Jose restaurant
In the 1950s, youngsters bopped to doo-wop, folks dined at drive-in burger joints and architects dreamed of homes in outer space. It was in this decade that the “Googie” style of architecture flourished, eventually bearing the construction of what would become Bo Town restaurant in downtown San Jose. Now developers aim to erect a 29-story residential tower at...
San Jose to receive boost from sale of debt-ridden Hayes Mansion
Two years after the sale of Hayes Mansion, San Jose has finally rid itself of the property’s massive debt—and it’s actually getting some money back. San Jose bought the historic mansion in 1985 for $2.5 million and turned it into a conference center with a dining room, 214 guest rooms, a pool and a fitness...
Exclusive: New poll finds most San Joseans support massive Google campus
Days before San Jose lawmakers are expected to approve Google’s plan to build a massive campus downtown, a new poll shows a majority of San Joseans support it. A poll sponsored by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, a prominent tech-driven trade association, shows 70% of voters surveyed support the project overall. When asked about specific...