San Jose

San Jose

Where is affordable housing located in San Jose?

San Jose squeezes more than half of its affordable housing in areas with some of the lowest household incomes in the city. About 57% of all below market rate rentals in the city, including some in the development pipeline, are in downtown, central and east San Jose, a San José Spotlight analysis of city data shows. Six districts...

San Jose pushes ahead to convert hotels to housing

San Jose wants to pay $113 million to convert four hotels into housing to help solve its homelessness crisis. Funding is expected to come from the state’s Project Homekey program, which subsidizes emergency housing run by local governments and nonprofits. Applications opened Sept. 30, and individual funding may be awarded as soon as 45 days after...

San Jose building height limits come with price tag

Dan Connolly warned San Jose officials in 2019 that pushing up the height limits on downtown buildings could cost airlines money. They didn’t listen to him. Two years later, his predictions have held true—and he’s not happy about it. “We chose a scenario where the airport and airlines lost and the developers won,” he told...

San Jose school district using counselors as substitute teachers

Facing a substitute teacher shortage, the San Jose Unified School District is calling on its counselors to step in. The unusual move has raised concern for advocates, who worry students will lose out on much-needed mental health services and face anxiety after returning to classes following months of distance learning due to COVID-19. Starting this...

State orders San Jose to halt implementing hotel rent

San Jose’s Housing Department violated a state agreement by setting monthly rents too high for formerly unhoused residents living at the SureStay Hotel. Now the city needs to recalculate. In April 2020, homeless residents vulnerable to COVID-19 received free emergency shelter in hotels across Santa Clara County through Project Homekey—the state program subsidizing emergency housing run by local governments and nonprofits. After...

San Jose extends COVID vaccination deadline for city workers

San Jose made a last-minute change to its COVID-19 vaccination policy that gives reluctant employees more time to get the jab before punishments start. Thursday was the deadline for city employees to be vaccinated, but Mayor Sam Liccardo said workers will be given a one-week grace period to get their first shot before being placed...

The Capital of Silicon Valley struggles with email system

Despite complaints and frustration from the mayor about San Jose’s email platform, the city can’t afford to switch its operating system. “That kind of migration and transition would be a huge project for (roughly) 7,000 city employees,” Chief Information Officer Rob Lloyd told San José Spotlight. San José Spotlight last week revealed that Mayor Sam Liccardo...