San Jose may be widely known as a tech hub, but it’s also a city defined by its public art. With a city of nearly 1 million people, San Jose is also home to hundreds of murals. In a multi-year effort to revitalize public spaces, beautify the city and make it more pedestrian-friendly, officials have focused arts...
Rooftop bar and restaurant envisioned for Willow Glen
Willow Glen residents are one step closer to getting a new two-story restaurant and rooftop bar in their neighborhood. A special use permit for the proposed Luke’s Rooftop Beer Garden and Restaurant was approved at a San Jose Planning Director’s hearing on Wednesday, where project representatives thanked city officials for their efforts helping move the project...
Santa Clara County records first Racial Justice Act violation
The Santa Clara County Public Defender’s Office has filed more than a dozen motions over the last four years contesting racist criminal charges against people of color. Only one has been sustained in court. The county recorded its first Racial Justice Act violation last month since the landmark California law passed in 2020. The bill,...
Sunnyvale wants feedback for homeless safe parking sites
Sunnyvale is looking to offer safe parking for homeless residents living in their vehicles, and city officials are working on what that entails. Sunnyvale wants feedback on a policy that would set parameters for potential safe parking programs, which the city has had on its docket since 2020. City employees want to discuss the possibility...
Silicon Valley lawmaker running for Congress doesn’t live in his district
Assemblymember Evan Low is living outside his state legislative district in Campbell, raising questions about whether the lawmaker — and now congressional candidate — has turned his back on the people he was elected to serve. Campaign finance and voter registration records reviewed by San José Spotlight link Low to a condo on Campisi Way...
Silicon Valley evictions increase after pandemic protections expire
Santa Clara County evictions have shot up over the past year, prompting local groups and governments to find ways to support renters. The county recorded 3,180 evictions last year, the highest amount since 2014. Compare that to the less than 2,000 evictions between 2020 and 2022 during the pandemic. Key protections tenants won at the...
San Jose uses AI to streamline government
San Jose is a beehive of artificial intelligence innovation, with the city continuing its integration of the technology into every day services to improve the lives of residents. Now that AI is more accessible than ever, Mayor Matt Mahan along with other city officials are using it to identify problems and strategize solutions. San Jose is already using AI to...
Silicon Valley campaign contributions expose financial loophole
Money pouring into a tight Silicon Valley congressional race is drawing attention to a loophole in campaign finance rules that obscures the influence of special interests. Three political action committees — Equality PAC, Equality California Federal PAC and Voter Protection Project — have spent a combined $221,233 in independent expenses to support Assemblymember Evan Low in...
Silicon Valley nonprofits mismanaged federal dollars
Dozens of uncashed checks. Expenditures that were not allowed. Tardiness in submitting quarterly performance reports. These are some of the issues found in an audit of local nonprofits providing housing assistance during the pandemic. In fiscal year 2021-22, the San Jose Housing Department received $89 million in federal and state dollars for nonprofits to distribute for...
Cupertino approves plan to end traffic deaths
There’s a car crash in Cupertino about every three days, city data shows. Officials and advocates are trying to change that. The Cupertino City Council unanimously passed the city’s Vision Zero plan earlier this month, joining a network of more than 60 cities in a national movement to end traffic-related fatalities and severe injuries. The...