The debate between the San Jose mayoral candidates is more than just business versus labor. Voters in November will decide if they want a freshman councilmember looking to shake things up or a longtime politician with institutional knowledge. San Jose Councilmember Matt Mahan and Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez are battling it out for the...
How San Jose City Hall transitions of power happen
This story is part of a project called Democracy Day, in which newsrooms across the country are shining a light on threats to democracy and what action is needed to protect it. Even though the San Jose mayoral election is nearly two months away, preparations are already well underway inside City Hall to ensure a smooth...
Election 2022: How to find the money trail in San Jose campaigns
This story is part of a project called Democracy Day, in which newsrooms across the country are shining a light on threats to democracy and what action is needed to protect it. As San Jose inches closer to picking a new mayor this November, the race between two candidates to replace outgoing Mayor Sam Liccardo is...
San Jose drops controversial tiny homes plan
After months of opposition, a controversial plan to build tiny homes in North San Jose has been dropped, but residents are still skeptical. The city is not moving forward with a plan to build 100 tiny homes at the Dr. Robert Gross Groundwater Recharge Park on Noble Avenue, according to a memo issued last week from Deputy City Manager Omar...
UPDATE: Dozens of condos proposed in West San Jose
A potentially historic West San Jose barn and cottage built near the turn of the 20th century should be demolished to make way for condominiums and ground floor businesses, the city’s Planning Commission recommended Wednesday. The vote was 8-1, with Commissioner Sylvia Ornelas-Wise dissenting, saying she thought the decision should be deferred until a plan...
UPDATE: San Jose annexes Cambrian Park Plaza for redevelopment
Major plans for revamping the iconic Cambrian Park Plaza in San Jose are one step closer to fruition. On Tuesday, the San Jose City Council unanimously voted to annex a nearly 20-acre parcel of Santa Clara County land that encompasses the plaza into the city. The procedural step will advance long-brewing plans to transform the...
UPDATE: San Jose police to further scrutinize use of body cams
The San Jose Police Department is updating how it reviews its use of body cameras, but changes are not as extensive as some hoped. The San Jose City Council unanimously approved a new audit policy on Tuesday, which calls for the hiring of a senior analyst to monitor if police officers are correctly using body...
Tuition is free at these San Jose community colleges—for now
The COVID-19 pandemic and decreasing enrollment enabled San Jose community colleges to stretch free tuition to part-time students, but all that may be in jeopardy by next summer. The federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund gave Evergreen Valley and San Jose City colleges millions in funding to help students stay enrolled. Evergreen Valley College received...
31% of San Jose police officers faced complaints, report says
Nearly a third of San Jose police officers received complaints in 2021, concerning advocates who say the numbers show the wide swath of reform efforts happening in the city aren’t working. The number of complaints increased nearly 25% over 2020, when San Jose saw significant upheaval in response to the police killing of George Floyd,...
Homeless resident sues San Jose over sweep
A homeless person living at the sprawling camp near Columbus Park is suing San Jose over the monthlong sweep. Rudy Ortega filed a federal complaint this week against San Jose alleging city officials and the city’s partners breached their contracts and violated his constitutional rights—the city is sweeping where Ortega has been staying. The lawsuit,...