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Housing in San Jose is racially segregated, and it’s not going to be easy figuring out how to integrate it. “The challenge is how do we integrate these spaces, and not whether or not they should be integrated,” said Mathew Reed, policy manager at housing advocacy nonprofit SV@Home. “We have a moral foundation and a...
Powerful developers, lobbyist helped hire San Jose planning director
San Jose’s new planning director was chosen by powerful developers and lobbyists—many of whom have projects pending at City Hall. San José Spotlight has learned that developers, real estate companies and land use lobbyists comprised a large portion of a committee that interviewed and recommended hiring Chris Burton, the city’s new planning director. The interviews took...
San Jose neighborhood bus stops struggle with upkeep
Spartan-Keyes neighborhood resident Aurelia Sanchez won San Jose’s Litter Volunteer of the Year award in 2012. But despite her best efforts, Sanchez says the neighborhood’s litter has only gotten worse. The latest complaint among locals is dirty bus stops. “As a longtime park volunteer and litter volunteer, it’s overwhelming, it’s very discouraging,” Sanchez told San...
San Jose mayor uses private email to skirt public records law
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo appears to have skirted public records laws by directing a resident to contact him on his private Gmail and deleting their correspondence from his public government account. The email thread, obtained by San José Spotlight, shows the mayor promising to delete the conversation from his official email. None of the messages in question—which...
San Jose fire captain looks to unseat progressive councilmember
San Jose firefighter Bien Doan says his 21 years as a firefighter taught him to never back down from a challenge. Now he’s embarking on his biggest one: knocking Councilmember Maya Esparza off her council seat. Doan, a captain with the department, confirmed he will challenge District 7 incumbent Esparza, who is up for re-election...
San Jose airport receives more federal funding for COVID-19 recovery
After facing one of the highest drops in passenger traffic in the country, San Jose’s airport is getting a big break — nearly $55.5 million from the federal government to help it recover from COVID-19. The grant funding, which comes from the American Rescue Plan, was announced by Silicon Valley Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren. “For more than a...
‘In love with San Jose’: Gary Dillabough’s vision for revitalizing downtown
Baltimore-born venture capitalist Gary Dillabough wasn’t always involved in development—like many people in Silicon Valley, he worked in the tech industry. “I was getting ready to leave (eBay) around six or seven years ago and my boss said, ‘Hey, listen. I know you care about the environment, I know you care about construction and real...
San Jose’s urban forest plan baffles, angers stakeholders
An ambitious plan laying out the future of San Jose’s urban forest is riddled with errors, omissions and a lack of vision, according to stakeholders who say they were left out of the process. In March, the city published a draft of its community forest management plan. The document, which reflects two years of work...
‘We’re losing everything’: The fight to keep San Jose homeless camp
Federal officials are demanding a 40-acre homeless encampment outside San Jose’s airport be dismantled. Protesters fought back at a rally Tuesday, urging the city to keep the encampment open. But the Mineta San Jose International Airport could stand to lose tens of millions of dollars if it doesn’t clear the homeless camp. Residents are pleading with city...
Former San Jose council candidate sentenced to jail
A former candidate for San Jose City Council has been sentenced to six months in county jail for killing Santa Cruz resident, Timothy Starkey. On Tuesday, Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Jose Franco ordered Jennifer Higgins to surrender herself on Sept. 24 for her six-month jail sentence. He also ordered her to serve two years...