San Jose’s largest recycling hauler is suing the city, claiming the city profits from contract violations and discriminates against the company because of its owners’ ethnicity. California Waste Solutions (CWS), which provides recycling services to more than 175,000 single-family homes in San Jose, filed a lawsuit in Santa Clara County Superior Court this month. The...
San Jose experiences a ‘Black exodus’
Signs of segregation may not be as brazen as the days of Martin Luther King Jr., but Black leaders in San Jose say racism still rears its head and is why the Black community keeps shrinking. It’s something Silicon Valley Minority Business Consortium CEO Walter Wilson calls the “Black exodus.” Thousands of Black residents have left over time...
Ex-San Jose mayor’s public records reforms spark alarm
In one of his last actions in office, former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo wants to reform how the city complies with transparency laws—a move experts say could limit the public’s access to the inner workings of City Hall. Liccardo, who termed out in December after 16 years in office, is calling for revising the city’s process for responding to...
Here are the 11 finalists for two San Jose council seats
A list of nearly 40 people competing to fill two San Jose City Council seats is down to just 11. The top contenders were named late Friday after current councilmembers voted for their top choices. The two seats are open in Districts 8 and 10 after two former councilmembers won their bids for higher office...
San Jose mayor promised change but hired Liccardo insiders
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan ran a campaign promising a “revolution” at City Hall. But with nearly half his office filled with senior officials from his predecessor, some are questioning whether he can keep that promise. Mahan, who said his staffing and policy priorities would differ from his predecessor, has hired 11 workers from former Mayor Sam...
Alviso resident settles development lawsuit
An Alviso man known for challenging developments proposed in the North San Jose neighborhood has settled a lawsuit with a hotel developer, while ramping up rhetoric against a nonprofit food bank he’s suing. Resident Mark Espinoza dismissed his lawsuit against Milpitas-based Terra Development Partners and San Jose last month after the developer and Espinoza agreed to...
San Jose changes rules to replenish tree canopy
San Jose is changing how it manages its shrinking urban canopy after an audit found the city is ineffectively preventing tree loss. San Jose councilmembers voted unanimously Tuesday to change how the city collects and reviews permits to remove trees, develop procedures to enforce replanting requirements and identify large locations to replant trees. There are roughly...
San Jose renters rally for more rights
A coalition of local groups is calling on the San Jose City Council to prioritize policies preventing displacement of renters amid the ongoing housing crisis. The coalition, which includes Sacred Heart Community Service, SOMOS Mayfair, the South Bay Community Land Trust and others, want city policymakers to bolster renter’s rights, preserve affordable rental housing and stop criminalizing...
A new year, a new San Jose council
The first San Jose City Council meeting of the year feels like the first day of school. New Mayor Matt Mahan and freshman Councilmembers Rosemary Kamei, Omar Torres, Peter Ortiz and Bien Doan took pictures with loved ones in front of the dais before being sworn into office on Tuesday. Councilmember Pam Foley, who ran for reelection...
San Jose recycling service disrupted by brief strike
Local workers reached an agreement Friday afternoon with San Jose’s largest recycling hauler after a brief strike that threatened service for more than 175,000 homes. The strike came after Teamsters Local 350 and California Waste Solutions (CWS) deadlocked over a contract for 10 clerical workers who provide customer service. Union members claimed the company was taking away...