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,...
Tired of waiting, San Jose residents dig their own park
After two decades, one San Jose community is still waiting for a vacant lot covered in dried grass and weeds to be transformed into a promised park. A group of Alviso residents is working, without a permit, to improve a small portion of the plot of land, raising eyebrows in the community and at City Hall. Over...
San Jose seeks solutions to ongoing traffic fatalities
San Jose is bracing for a record breaking year in traffic-related deaths, and the city and local officials are looking for ways to reverse course. Despite years of work and millions of dollars in safety infrastructure, San Jose streets remain dangerous. Last year was a record-high for traffic-related deaths with 60 fatalities, and this year...
San Jose’s largest mobile home park gets new name, management
San Jose’s largest mobile home park is under new management and looks secure from development. Evans Management Services took over Silicon Valley Village Mobile Home Park, formerly Westwinds Mobile Home Park, on Sept. 1. The management company entered into a 10-year agreement with the park’s land owners, The Nicholson Family Partnership, and promises to retain...
San Jose dedicates dollars for flea market studies
The vendors at the San Jose Berryessa Flea Market are a step closer to reshaping their future. Last week, the San Jose City Council approved contracts to hire a consultant and adviser to help vendors who may be displaced from development at the Berryessa Flea Market. The consultant, Estolano Advisors, has a $350,000 contract to...
San Jose voting rights study was ‘one-sided,’ some say
After months of anticipation and advocacy, the San Jose City Council discussed extending voting rights to noncitizens. But the three-hour meeting left more questions as to whether there is even a path forward. The study session on Aug. 23 attempted to explore the implementation, feasibility and the legality of allowing noncitizen San Jose residents to vote...
The Biz Beat: International Food Bazaar brings the world to San Jose
When it comes to sourcing what you need to cook the finest of world cuisines, it’s difficult to imagine something the International Food Bazaar in San Jose does not already have in stock. From pink pineapples and halal meats to more than 30 types of canned fava beans, the well-ordered displays are exhaustive in their...
San Jose sweeps homeless to meet federal deadline
With a shopping cart full of his belongings, Jonathan Todd Carlson watched as bulldozers broke down his makeshift home for the last six months—a tarp shelter near Columbus Park. A mechanic by trade and a veteran of 10 years, Carlson has been navigating homelessness in San Jose since 2015, after spending his money on his mother’s...