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Sunnyvale leaders criticize homeless provider spending

Sunnyvale’s contract with its homeless service provider is on thin ice and officials are demanding more answers. The Sunnyvale City Council voted 4-3 to not renew the city’s $407,430 contract with HomeFirst at last night’s council meeting. The contract under fire, a one-year pilot program approved in 2022, funds five shelter beds in San Jose—since...

San Jose hospital is losing critical workers

The workers charged with keeping critical medical equipment online at a Santa Clara County-owned hospital are about to be out of the job—and hospital staff fear patients could pay the price. The 17 engineers at O’Connor Hospital in San Jose are members of the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 39. But last month,...

Santa Clara County DA’s embattled investigator will retire

A high-ranking official in the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office under fire for alleged discriminatory remarks against coworkers is set to retire in December. Moises Reyes, chief of the DA’s Bureau of Investigations, will retire on Dec. 19, a spokesperson for the DA’s office told San José Spotlight. This follows more than a dozen claims...

UPDATE: Is San Jose spending too much on homeless outreach?

San Jose leaders are questioning if spending millions on homeless outreach is worth the investment, with efforts producing single-digit success rates last year. San Jose spent $24 million in federal grants last year aimed at addressing homelessness. Of the more than 1,000 people experiencing homelessness that two city-funded nonprofits reportedly connected with, less than 10%...

San Jose employees spent millions on travel, entertainment and dinners

From Disney resorts to animal funeral services, San Jose City Hall employees spent millions with city credit cards this past year. About a quarter of San Jose employees have city-funded credit cards, known as purchase cards or P-cards. The cards are typically issued to specific department representatives with intent to streamline small dollar purchases—mostly office...

Another warehouse planned for South San Jose

A freestanding home on a large plot of land in the South San Jose foothills is set to be demolished to make way for a warehouse. Gretchen Kendrick, chief executive officer of Xebec, a Dallas-based real estate development and investment firm, is proposing the project for nearly six acres at 469 Piercy Road near the corner...

Silicon Valley female officials face violence and family threats

A woman who runs for office in today’s political climate can find herself navigating a minefield of hostile, threatening public behavior, and she will face higher levels of harassment and danger than her male counterparts. In a first of its kind survey, the California Women’s List collected more than 100 responses from various gender identities...

Will social housing in Silicon Valley find funding to break ground?

A local assemblyman’s goal of establishing social housing in California is one signature away from fruition, but lingering questions remain about how these projects will be funded. Assembly Bill 309 author Assemblymember Alex Lee said social housing—a method where governments own, manage and maintain homes designed as affordable housing—will help alleviate California’s housing crunch. But...

Full transcript: Sunnyvale mayor’s 2023 State of the City

Editor’s Note: This is a transcript of Sunnyvale Mayor Larry Klein‘s State of the City address.  Good morning everyone! It’s wonderful to be here with you today to share how we’re doing in Sunnyvale – the Heart of Silicon Valley. And I’m delighted to report that our heart is beating strongly, and we are thriving!...