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There’s a mental health crisis in Santa Clara County jails. Everyone agrees it’s bad, but Sheriff Laurie Smith isn’t sure people recognize just how bad it’s getting. The sheriff, who oversees the jail system, says what she sees worries her. In an exclusive interview with San José Spotlight, Smith estimates that approximately 25% of the...
How do new state laws affect San Jose’s Opportunity Housing?
San Jose was considering a bold strategy to densify housing when a state law effectively abolished single-family zoning across California. Proponents claim the local vision is far from dead. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bills 9 and 10 into law last week that could dramatically increase housing density in residential neighborhoods by allowing the development of up...
UPDATE: Busy Central San Jose intersection gets safety measures
Seven traffic-related deaths in the past year have finally prompted the city to take action at a busy intersection in Central San Jose. Monterey Road and Curtner Avenue—part of one of the most dangerous thoroughfares in the city—will have barriers installed as part of a safety pilot program. City officials estimate the cost to be...
San Jose Speaks: A conversation with Superintendent of Schools Mary Ann Dewan
San José Spotlight hosted an exclusive conversation with Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools Mary Ann Dewan in the final installment of our San Jose Speaks series, which features interactive conversations with South Bay leaders, influencers and decision makers. Dewan discussed how schools are recovering from COVID-19, bringing children back safely to campuses, policing in...
Neighbors decry safe parking site for San Jose homeless
A coalition of San Jose residents are fuming that their elected leader left them out of discussions about a safe parking site for homeless individuals in their neighborhood. An empty parking lot in North San Jose just south of Highway 237 holds at least four RVs and four unhoused residents after close to 70 people were swept from an encampment...
Peralez and Chavez face off in San Jose mayor forum
Two longtime labor leaders faced the first test in their mayoral aspirations Monday—though only one of them has actually announced a campaign for mayor. Downtown Councilmember Raul Peralez, who announced he’s running for the city’s top political job in April, faced off with Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez during a Democratic mayoral candidate forum....
San Jose councilmember proposes prefab housing for homeless
San Jose Councilmember Matt Mahan has a solution to help end homelessness: Prefabricated homes on public land. That’s the proposal the District 10 councilmember will bring before the city’s Rules Committee on Wednesday. He hopes San Jose and Santa Clara County can identify sites to build prefabricated units, or housing that can be assembled quickly off-site while a foundation is being...
Los Gatos police chief resigned in advance of firing, union says
Los Gatos’ former police chief Peter Decena was ousted by the town manager amid efforts to hire more 911 dispatchers, says the president of the town’s police union. “I can tell you what he told me personally to tell the press… He resigned in lieu of being fired by the town manager,” Bryan Paul, president...
Santa Clara councilmember criticizes neighboring lawmaker over homeless site
Backlash over a safe parking site in San Jose for the homeless has bled into a neighboring city. Santa Clara Councilmember Kathy Watanabe took to Nextdoor earlier this month to share an email she sent to San Jose Councilmember David Cohen. The email blasts a safe parking site at 71 Vista Montana for homeless people...
Why can’t San Jose solve its homelessness crisis?
Despite decades of robust efforts and hundreds of millions of dollars spent, San Jose’s homelessness crisis continues to grow—leaving residents, officials and advocates frustrated. For some unhoused residents in Columbus Park, the largest encampment in San Jose, the solution to their problem is simple: Give them housing. “Everybody out here wants to live in a home,” said...