San Jose hasn’t hesitated to implement a wave of policies and programs aimed at tamping down homelessness since a U.S. Supreme Court ruling opened the floodgates to ban homeless people in public spaces. Since the Johnson v. Grants Pass ruling two years ago, San Jose has wasted no time extending its ban on the hours...
Immersive art experience opens in downtown San Jose
A new venue is elevating FIFA World Cup watch parties and uplifting downtown San Jose economically. The Domes, located at 171 Post St. near San Pedro Square, will showcase the U.S. men’s national soccer team watch party and other sporting events. In addition, the immersive entertainment venue with space for 300 people, can host concerts,...
Six San Jose council candidates advance to November
The runoff matchups are now set in San Jose’s three competitive City Council races, after county election officials on Tuesday certified the vote tally from the June 2 primary. With none of the contenders winning an outright majority of the vote, six candidates — two each for District 5, District 7 and District 9 —...
San José Spotlight wins 5 state journalism awards
San José Spotlight is taking home five wins in a statewide journalism contest. The five awards are from the 2025 California Journalism Awards, an annual competition held by the California News Publishers Association. The contest highlights the best print and digital reporting and photography statewide. Print and digital news organizations compete in divisions based on...
RV bans in San Jose reduce vehicles on streets by 60%
RVs that used to be ubiquitous on San Jose’s streets have dropped by more than half since the city began upping the pressure on people living in vehicles. While officials say this has created cleaner and safer neighborhoods, those vulnerable say these policies are pushing them over the edge. Since last January when San Jose...
San Jose residents to help rename Plaza de César Chávez
As San Jose considers a new identity for one of its oldest public spaces, residents are beginning to weigh what — and who — the city’s downtown plaza should represent for generations to come. Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services officials held a Wednesday meeting to kick off plans to rename Plaza de César Chávez, inviting residents...
Downtown parking fee hike riles local businesses
San Jose has delayed a decision on whether to increase downtown parking prices after widespread pushback from local businesses and workers. The measure would have increased rates for hundreds of parking meters in the downtown core from $2 an hour to a maximum of $4 an hour, and also extended the machine’s operating hours further...
San Jose kicks ranked choice voting down the road
The San Jose City Council has punted on a proposal that could have introduced ranked choice voting to certain city elections. Councilmembers on Tuesday voted 8-2 — with Vice Mayor Pam Foley and District 10 Councilmember George Casey voting against, and District 5 Councilmember Peter Ortiz absent — to advance a ballot measure that would...
A San Jose artist who chose to serve artists
When Erin Salazar walked into a Knight Foundation networking event back in 2012 wearing paint-covered work coveralls, she wasn’t expecting to launch a nonprofit. At the time, Salazar was a working artist in San Jose with a simple idea: The city had plenty of talented artists and plenty of blank walls. What it lacked were...
San Jose’s budget lands with wins, losses, work to do
Budget season in San Jose is over, but the months-long negotiations have set the stage for new political fights that are only beginning to take shape. The City Council on Tuesday put the final seal of approval on the $5.5 billion budget that will see San Jose through the upcoming fiscal year beginning July 1. Facing down a...