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San Jose saw its homeless population grow 11% during the pandemic despite investments in housing and enhanced safety measures, with some advocates saying the reality on the ground is even bleaker. New data released this week shows the total number of unhoused residents in San Jose is 6,739, an 11% increase from the 2019 Santa...
San Jose council ponders airport improvements amid budget talks
As San Jose leaders consider budgets for transportation services, some are expressing cautious optimism about the recovery of air travel. At a recent budget workshop meeting, San Jose Aviation Director John Aitken said the city is focused on the air transportation industry’s recovery. He said the Mineta San Jose International Airport is still well below its pre-pandemic...
Santa Clara sees Coldplay perform past usual curfew
A crowd of 50,000 Coldplay fans reveled at a Sunday concert at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara—later than usual. In November, the Santa Clara City Council voted to allow an exception of five events to its noise ordinance ban at Levi’s Stadium. The noise ordinance started when the stadium opened in 2016, requiring it to...
San Jose plans to spend millions on public safety, infrastructure
San Jose officials are weighing a work plan for advancing several key infrastructure and public safety projects using voter-approved bond dollars. The City Council will meet Tuesday to discuss recommendations for using funds from Measure T—a $650 million bond measure approved by voters in 2018 to pay for disaster preparedness, public safety and infrastructure projects....
‘We’re going back in time’: San Jose rallies for reproductive rights
Rallies for reproductive rights took place nationwide Saturday, including in front of San Jose City Hall. For some residents, it was their first time protesting. For others, it’s a reminder of a much older battle. “We’re going back in time,” attendee Caitlyn Garsh told San José Spotlight. She attended the protest with her great aunt,...
Silicon Valley residents could face fines for wasting water
Although Valley Water aims to educate the public on conservation, it might start issuing fines for water wasters. Residents could see water enforcers in their neighborhoods this summer, and offenders being slapped with fines up to $500 after repeated warnings. Valley Water board member John Varela said in a statement that if the statewide drought...
How will San Jose mayor candidates improve the police department?
Almost every candidate for San Jose mayor is pledging to rebuild the city’s police department, which is still recovering from staffing losses that happened a decade ago. Their strategies are largely similar, with some differences. In recent forums, mayoral candidates Supervisor Cindy Chavez, San Jose Councilmembers Dev Davis, Matt Mahan and Raul Peralez and former...
Santa Clara County elections office preps for June primary
Although the 2020 election was filled with fears and fallacies, Santa Clara County election officials say there is nothing to worry about here. With less than one month until the June 7 primary, several measures are in place to ensure a safe and accurate election cycle. This week the Registrar of Voters released a security report to...
San Jose citizen committee proposes police reforms
Almost two years after a Minneapolis police officer killed George Floyd and set off protests across the country, San Jose officials received hundreds of recommendations on how to reform the city’s police department. The City Council received a report Tuesday from the Reimagining Public Safety Community Advisory Committee. The committee, composed of representatives from numerous South...
Car cruising could return to San Jose streets
After a decades-long ban, San Jose may ease the brakes on cars cruising city streets. On Wednesday, the Rules and Open Government Committee unanimously approved exploring ending fees and fines associated with cruising—arguing it’s inherently discriminatory. The ban, which prohibits lowriders and other decked-out cars from driving slowly through city streets, was implemented in the 1990s to curb gang violence. David Polanco,...
