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The family home of one of San Jose’s greatest activists will be transformed into a community center, continuing his work for future generations. Nonprofit Amigos de Guadalupe, with the city’s help, purchased the the family home of Cesar Chavez this week. The historical landmark at 53 Scharff Ave. in East San Jose has been in...
San Jose affordable housing policy delayed
Affordable housing is a rare find in Silicon Valley, but one policy could make it more attainable—if it ever makes it back to the City Council. The Community Opportunity to Purchase Act, or COPA, is a policy that would give qualified nonprofits first rights to make an offer on a residential property and keep more...
San Jose has no plans to address vacant homes
Amid an ongoing housing crisis, thousands of San jose homes are sitting empty—but City Hall has no plan to address it. The latest U.S. Census data shows 13,769 San Jose homes were not occupied in 2020. Vacant properties include those for rent, waiting to be sold and those not on the market, which may have been left...
4th Street Pizza in Downtown San Jose closing up shop
An iconic pizza shop favored by San Jose politicos and downtown residents alike is going under. The co-founders of 4th Street Pizza Co. told San José Spotlight they have to close their 16-year-old business by October when their lease expires. The developer who purchased the building before the pandemic, Bayview Development Company, is going to...
San Jose sees rising property values despite economic woes
The value of taxable properties in San Jose skyrocketed last year thanks to demand for luxury homes and new construction. Experts and county officials say the growth won’t last. At the heart of wealthy Silicon Valley, the assessed value of all property grew by $15 billion over the last 12 months—a jump from $215.9 billion to $231...
A $9,000 mortgage in San Jose? That’s ‘reasonable,’ realtors say
For 15 years, Matthew Quevedo and his wife, A’Dreana, moved from apartment-to-apartment in San Jose. They started with a $900 a month one-bedroom in the Seven Trees neighborhood when they were both 18 years old, making $12 an hour at Home Depot. But in October 2020, after years of saving up, they got a piece...
County commission rejects plan to demolish old San Jose City Hall
A proposal to demolish San Jose’s former City Hall has encountered resistance from a county commission and local preservationists. The Santa Clara County Historical Heritage Commission voted unanimously last week against an application to demolish the old City Hall at 801 N. 1st St. The recommendation will be referred to the Board of Supervisors, which will make...
Silicon Valley educators locked out of housing market
To attract and retain teachers and other workers, Silicon Valley school districts need a golden ticket—affordable housing. House buying in the Bay Area has become so prohibitive, educators are either forced to pay expensive rents or live hours away. In response to this crisis, Los Gatos, Palo Alto and Santa Clara have invested in teacher...
San Jose nonprofit makes offer to buy Cesar Chavez’s house
The home of one of San Jose’s greatest activists may become open to the public, depending on a pending purchase. Nonprofit Amigos de Guadalupe, with the city’s help, put in an offer this week to purchase the family home of Cesar Chavez, a historical landmark in East San Jose at 53 Scharff Ave. The city...
Little progress made to protect San Jose mobile homes
After two years of waiting, San Jose mobile homeowners say the city reneged on a promise to give them more protection. The San Jose City Council in March 2020 unanimously approved a plan to put all 58 mobile home properties under the same land use designation—but only two sites have received the new layer of...