Santa Clara County District 3 Supervisor Otto Lee claimed victory in November following an ugly contest with candidates exchanging barbs over campaign finance and racial comments. On the campaign trail, Lee promised broader rent relief for tenants, a more aggressive plan to combat homelessness and labor-related proposals, including hazard pay. Since taking office, Lee introduced a grant...
Illegal dumping in San Jose could soon cost $10,000
Throwing a mattress by the side of the freeway or a bag of trash on a city sidewalk could soon cost $10,000. A pair of San Jose officials want to crack down on illegal dumping by quadrupling fines residents would face if they’re caught. Right now, fines begin at $2,500 but they could start at...
What stocks do San Jose lawmakers own?
San Jose elected officials can hold stocks, but at what point does it interfere with their work? Stock ownership became an issue for the San Jose City Council in February when two members abruptly recused themselves from a vote on hazard pay for grocery workers due to a potential conflict of interest. “That was a learning lesson for me,”...
Understanding emergency rent relief in Santa Clara County
California’s COVID-19 eviction moratorium ends June 30, but rent relief is on the horizon for Santa Clara County residents. Local housing experts explained emergency rent relief programs and eviction protections serving Santa Clara County at a Wednesday panel hosted by San José Spotlight. Rent assistance includes a state and local program, with the local program...
San Jose RV dwellers find more leniency as tow companies find less profit
As Debbie Guzman got out of the hospital, she received a call from her only neighbor—police officers were trying to get into Guzman’s RV. By the time she got back to her vehicle on Will Wool Drive in San Jose, she said officers told her the vehicle would be impounded for unpaid registration, forcing Guzman...
San Jose names new park in honor of Filipino farmworkers
The thousands of Filipinos who have lived and worked in San Jose for generations will get a park named after their ancestors—the first such park in the city. A soon-to-be-completed park in East San Jose on Gimelli Way will be named after a Filipino-American group following a unanimous City Council vote Tuesday. The approved name, Delano Manongs...
How to watch and participate in Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors meetings
In our 2021 survey, San José Spotlight readers told us they want to be more civically engaged and involved in local policymaking. Many readers said our coverage of local government has motivated them to get more involved in the decision-making process, but some don’t quite know where to start. One of the simplest ways to make...
The Podlight: How Carl Guardino helped Bloom Energy skirt a natural gas ban
The Podlight is a podcast collaboration by San José Spotlight and Silicon Valley Synergy. The Podlight features a weekly look at the top headlines and in-depth conversations with San José Spotlight reporters about South Bay policy, politics and government, delving into critical issues such as housing, technology, business, homelessness, land use and development. In this...
How to help San Jose students return to the classroom
After a year of distance learning, students returning to the classroom may experience anxiety and insecurity. What can parents do to help? According to Dane Caldwell-Holden, director of student services for San Jose Unified School District, being back at school is going to look and feel different during the coronavirus pandemic. “This is not typical...
San Jose’s micro-retail center could shape future public spaces
A downtown San Jose business incubator and shopping center could be a blueprint for local lawmakers to develop future successful public spaces. A recent Knight Foundation study found widely applicable lessons learned from Moment, a micro-retail space in San Pedro Square, including how to build community engagement around public spaces, reimagining old and neglected spaces...