A flurry of laws will go into effect in 2023, impacting the daily lives of Silicon Valley residents. Here’s a look at the biggest changes involving housing, transportation, criminal justice and more next year. All laws go into effect Jan. 1 unless otherwise specified. Housing With the passage of AB 2011, also known as the...
Struggling artists squeezed out of San Jose
An exorbitant rent increase is about to break apart a longtime artist enclave in downtown San Jose. Roughly six dozens artists at Citadel Art Studios at the corner of Martha and Fifth streets were sent into a scramble last month when their landlord, R&C Brown, announced rent hikes of 100% or more in some instances, starting...
San Jose is No. 1 metro area for immigrants
San Jose tops the list of U.S. metro areas where immigrants look for a better life. That’s according to a study released this month from the George W. Bush Institute that shows immigrants thrive in technology centers. San Jose is categorized as a fast-growing suburban area within a large metro region that draws immigrants from throughout the country. The...
Santa Clara brings back parking permit enforcement
Santa Clara residents might find an unexpected new year surprise—they’ll need permits again to park in overcrowded areas. Residents on more than 50 streets, including neighborhoods near the Alameda, Levi’s Stadium and Rivermark Plaza, pay for street parking permits to prevent non-residents at nearby businesses from parking in the area. Santa Clara stopped enforcing permit...
Silicon Valley cement plant could shut down for good
An embattled cement plant near Cupertino might lose its permit to operate next year. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously this month to start a process to consider revoking or amending Lehigh Southwest Cement Company’s use permit. The decision comes roughly a month after the company announced it would permanently shut down its cement...
San Jose airport rebrand ticks off commissioners
The San Jose airport’s decision to rebrand has exposed a rift between airport leadership and the commission that advises on changes at the South Bay’s sky hub. In a Dec. 14 informational memo to the San Jose City Council, Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport Director of Aviation John Aitken announced the airport will...
Silicon Valley makes history with trio of South Asian trustees
Three of the seven members on the county’s board of education are South Asian —making history for the most representation on the county’s powerful education board. The Santa Clara County Board of Education swore in its first Pakistani American members, Maimona Afzal Berta and Raeena Lari, this month. Both members won in November’s election: Berta...
Major Silicon Valley stories to watch in 2023
This past year has been highly consequential in South Bay politics, and some decisions are laying the groundwork for future changes. From new policymakers, ongoing homelessness crisis, to decadeslong debates on an East San Jose airport and a BART project, here are some major stories to watch out for 2023: Appointing two San Jose councilmembers The...
San Jose Sikhs lead effort for state recognition
California Sikhs have received statewide recognition, and San Jose’s own Sikh community played a crucial role. The state Assembly approved a resolution earlier this year to recognize and promote understanding of the ethnic and religious group that totals more than 20,000 residents in Santa Clara County and more than 200,000 statewide, according to census data....
Hundreds of San Jose families face eviction
Days before Christmas, Zayna Herring, her 4-year-old son Alex and her roommate sat in the courthouse in downtown San Jose, worried they’d soon be homeless. “It’s a lot of stress,” Herring told San José Spotlight. “Everything takes money, and that’s what we don’t have.” Herring, a single mom working two jobs while attending college full-time,...