A flagship program that employed homeless people to clean the streets of San Jose and connect them to housing is abruptly ending. Nonprofit Downtown Streets Team is ending operations Oct. 31, citing financial and political pressures that make it difficult to sustain the organization. The nonprofit formed 20 years ago in Palo Alto and expanded to 15...
Mountain View inspires Liccardo to introduce federal housing bill
It’s not often that Mountain View gets the chance to shape housing legislation that could have an impact far beyond its borders. But the city recently inspired the introduction of a bipartisan bill that could make it easier for municipalities to use federal funds for affordable housing. Last week, U.S. Reps. Sam Liccardo (D-California) and Mike Flood...
Silicon Valley tool alerts homeless residents to available housing
One nonprofit has a unique web tool to help homeless people connect to resources, with the goal of becoming the go-to site for that population. MyConnectSV, a web-based portal spearheaded by Destination: Home, allows homeless residents to directly message case managers, receive alerts on available housing and more. The nonprofit wants to hit 2,000 users...
Silicon Valley could see more affordable housing under Trump bill
Amid a tsunami of cuts to the nation’s social safety nets, a golden nugget in the congressional budget bill will allow developers to create more affordable housing. H.R. 1 provides an increase to the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program, the primary source of federal funding for affordable housing. Starting next year, states will be...
Silicon Valley bus honors local LGBTQ+ leaders
VTA’s support for the local LGBTQ+ community is going beyond celebrating Pride. The Silicon Valley public transit agency drove its decorated Pride bus during last weekend’s 50th anniversary parade. The celebration’s theme was “50 years of Love, Legacy & Liberation,” with portraits of LGBTQ+ community leaders from across the nation and San Jose’s own backyard...
She puts the Lord in ‘vanlord.’ Palo Alto wants to ban her business
Kate Bridget Li is not a typical landlord. Instead of apartments or homes, she rents out half a dozen RVs that are parked on the street in the East Meadow neighborhood of Palo Alto. She also says she isn’t in it to make money — at least, not for herself. “When Lord God called me...
Sunnyvale councilmember injured in bike collision
A Sunnyvale official’s recent bicycle accident is reigniting concerns about traffic safety. Sunnyvale Councilmember Richard Mehlinger was hit by a car while riding his bike on California Avenue Aug. 30, breaking his left thumb and right wrist. Mehlinger, a staunch traffic safety advocate, said the incident shows the necessity and urgency of installing safety infrastructure. “There wasn’t a bike...
San Jose police reach tentative pay agreement amid tension
After tense negotiations marked by charges of sabotage and retaliation, San Jose police have reached a tentative agreement with the city for a significant pay raise over the next three years. The deal still needs to be approved by the union and City Council, which could happen later this month. If approved, San Jose Police...
San Jose leaders approve higher limit for gifts
San Jose elected leaders are increasing how much they can accept in gifts from business and labor interests — arguing it will save taxpayers money. The City Council on Tuesday voted 8-2, with Councilmember Peter Ortiz and Mayor Matt Mahan voting no, to raise its gift limits from $50 to $200, which equates to a higher number of...
Report: San Jose is safest large city in the U.S.
San Jose is being recognized as the nation’s safest major city, but officials say there’s still work to be done. A report by financial tech company SmartAsset has ranked San Jose safest out of the 50 largest U.S. cities based on several factors, including violent crimes, traffic fatalities per 100,000 residents, median income and housing...