Just outside a San Jose nonprofit’s headquarters on Charles St., heaps of trash are overflowing and hazardous materials and human waste are piling up. Officials at CityTeam, a nonprofit that provides services and transitional housing to homeless residents, say they’ve appealed to the city to clean up the trash and move people who live in RVs...
Evictions in San Jose are down, but many tenants still don’t feel safe
The number of evictions in San Jose decreased in 2020 after pandemic-related protections were adopted, but many tenants lack the resources to protect themselves once eviction bans expire at the end of June. Landlord harassment, months of back rent and a struggling economy are just some of San Jose tenants’ concerns—especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. “So many...
San Jose releases Google’s $200 million community benefits plan
Google is investing $200 million in San Jose as a part of its Downtown West development, dedicated to preventing resident displacement and creating more economic opportunity for locals critics say will be forced out by rising rents. San Jose and Google released their much-anticipated development agreement Tuesday, a nearly 500-page document outlining the legal obligations...
San Jose’s maintenance backlog growing despite major efforts
San Jose is scrambling to keep up with a massive backlog of paving roads, maintaining buildings and other capital improvements, but it’s not fast enough to keep rapidly-rising costs at bay nor to keep frustrated residents appeased. In 2007, the city’s infrastructure and maintenance backlog stood at about $900 million. Since then, the backlog has ballooned to...
Why has building housing in San Jose become increasingly unaffordable?
When Justin Ponzio, assistant principal at Branham High School in San Jose, acquired an $800,000 single-family home with financial help through the county, he said it was a steal. “I got pretty lucky, to be honest, because there was a slight downturn,” Ponzio said. That, plus some friendly negotiations with his realtor landed him with...
San Jose is fixing tens of thousands of curbs after accessibility lawsuit
San Jose has begun the intense work of updating tens of thousands of sidewalk curbs citywide to comply with accessibility laws after the city was sued in 2014 over its curbs. In Lashbrook vs. City of San Jose, San Jose resident Artie Lashbrook sued the city after being thrown from his wheelchair at least three...
San Jose homeless sweeps create a revolving door
Drivers plunge down freeway ramps until shooting past the entrance into an endless stream of vehicles, some undoubtedly pushing past speed limits. Freeway ramps were made to be launch pads for cars – but for Joe Martinez they’re a place to sleep when he’s looking for more privacy and security. He lived off Highway 87...
San Jose artists liven local businesses struggling amid COVID-19
As San Jose businesses struggle during the coronavirus pandemic, artists are finding new ways to help them survive. Safely Social San Jose, a grassroots campaign to empower businesses, is partnering with the School of Visual Philosophy on the Alameda, San Jose Jazz in the SoFA District and San Jose Taiko in Japantown to create economic recovery...
San Jose councilmembers will only have 10 minutes to speak
All night marathon San Jose City Council meetings could soon be a thing of the past. Councilmembers David Cohen and Dev Davis authored a plan to place time limits for lawmakers to speak during council meetings. The proposal, which passed on a 9-2 vote Tuesday, would give each councilmember 10 minutes to speak on an...
How will local groups help build new San Jose landmark project?
San Jose’s new landmark is the brainchild of architects halfway across the world — but local leaders say San Jose artists and designers will still be part of it. The newly-selected landmark, The Breeze of Innovation, was designed by Fernando Jerez, the director of SMAR Architecture Studio, which has offices in Australia and Spain. It...