San Jose residents near a proposed emergency interim housing site at Branham Lane and Monterey Road want the 176 units to be built elsewhere. The site, which is currently a homeless encampment, has long been a source of tension in the neighborhood. It’s one of several proposed sites awaiting Project Homekey funding. The city-owned housing...
San Jose housing on highway cloverleafs might not be a lucky charm
As San Jose scrambles to find new sites for homeless housing, its latest idea might leave residents scratching their heads—using extra land by highway on-ramps or cloverleaf interchanges. “We have to be very creative,” Mayor Sam Liccardo said at a housing news conference earlier this month. “We’re going to try to find that land in every...
Santa Clara County keeps people out of jail but under supervision
Santa Clara County has witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of people under pretrial supervision in recent years—a trend sparked by COVID-19 and likely to continue after the pandemic has ended. Between early 2019 and 2020, the population of people under pretrial supervision in the county doubled, according to a report from the Office...
California students must take ethnic studies—some in San Jose already do
California high school students will have a better understanding of the state’s history, diversity and culture under a new policy. Some Santa Clara County schools are ahead of the curve, offering ethnic studies as an elective. Local elementary school districts—such as Oak Grove, Alum Rock and Mount Pleasant—already have ethnic studies as part of the curriculum....
Prosecutor officially challenges Santa Clara County DA
Deputy district attorney Daniel Chung has officially announced his candidacy to lead the Santa Clara County DA’s Office. Chung confirmed on Tuesday he filed his papers to run for DA in the 2022 election. He told San José Spotlight the theme of his campaign is restoring justice and that it focuses on three pillars: integrity, competence...
San Jose leaders helpless to stop destruction of celebrated mural
A San Jose mural commemorating Hispanic heritage that deters graffiti is likely going to be painted over, despite community efforts to save it. The mural, which spans the side of a gym on 899 South First Street in San Jose, was created in April 2016. It depicts Dia de los Muertos figures, labor leader César Chavez...
Sheriff’s office is understaffed, but Santa Clara County says the data is old
A new report suggests the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office needs more deputies, but county officials say the findings are outdated and unhelpful. Santa Clara County recently released a draft that analyzes staffing levels at the sheriff’s office and county jails. The 404-page report, which cost $225,000, was authorized in 2019 and finished late this summer. However, now...
Is San Jose’s transit agency prepared for another catastrophe?
Between wildfires, a mass shooting and an unprecedented pandemic, VTA and other Bay Area transit agencies face constant threats to long-term stability. Some transit advocates are concerned agencies aren’t prepared for the next catastrophe. “They’re not ready for when the big 8.0 (earthquake) hits the Hayward Fault and takes out BART,” Silicon Valley Transit Users founder...
San Jose business group floats fee for homeless trash solutions
Fed up with trash and vandalism downtown, one San Jose business group wants to lobby the city and county to help with its cleanup efforts. Scott Knies, executive director of the San Jose Downtown Association, a consortium of businesses located in the heart of the city, floated what he calls a “clean community fee” on...
Food benefits increase as need in San Jose continues to soar
As food insecurity has dramatically increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, CalFresh and local nonprofits have ramped up services to meet this need. Starting Oct. 1, recipients of CalFresh, a federal nutrition program, received about 22% more in benefits compared to pre-pandemic levels—bringing a family of four up to an extra $155 per month. Coincidentally, an...