In its quest to help Santa Clara County quickly distribute COVID-19 vaccines, San Jose will relax land-use rules to get vaccination stations up and running. The San Jose City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to bypass the usual permitting process required for hosting outdoor events so more vaccination clinics can open in vulnerable neighborhoods. “I appreciate...
San Jose leaders to give housing developers a break on park fees
Desperate to see more housing built in San Jose, lawmakers voted unanimously Tuesday to give developers a break on fees at the expense of local parks. Housing developers are required to either add parks and community centers into their project plans or pay a fee to the city that will go toward supporting parks in...
More parks, housing? Google, San Jose to release agreement
In exchange for building a mega campus in downtown San Jose, Google promised to support the community. On March 8, the city will reveal exactly what that means when an agreement months in the making becomes public. But will the agreement live up to its stated objectives—protecting residents, businesses and open space from the impact of 20,000 new Googlers...
San Jose commission mulling ‘strong mayor’ plan stresses equity in outreach
After three meetings, a new San Jose commission tasked with reshaping San Jose’s governance has not yet dug into switching to a strong mayor system — the main reason the commission was formed. The city’s Charter Review Commission is tasked with helping the San Jose City Council decide whether the mayor should have more power...
San Jose police plans to expand new approach to mental health calls
Phil Watkins was 23 when he was shot to death by San Jose police after he called 911 saying he was going to kill himself and was holding children hostage. Sharon Watkins said her son was shot 10 times when he ran toward officers holding a pocket knife. Recalling the confrontation six years ago, she...
San Jose halts plans to put electronic billboards on private property
After being whittled down by fierce community opposition, San Jose lawmakers have officially paused a plan to erect digital billboards on private property. Before lawmakers stopped it, Phase 2 of the city’s signage plan involved placing electronic billboards on public buildings downtown and up to 75 digital signs on private property along freeways. The proposal...
Top county executive rebukes San Jose mayor’s claims about homeless encampments
While Mayor Sam Liccardo was talking about trash in December, it looks like County Executive Jeff Smith was dishing it out. In a Dec. 15 letter from Smith to Liccardo obtained by this news organization, Smith accused the mayor of misrepresenting the county’s stance on clearing homeless encampments. “We are not aware of any such...
San Jose tenants and landlords in limbo as rent relief is delayed
San Jose and Santa Clara County will rely on a coalition of grassroots charity organizations led by Destination: Home and Sacred Heart Community Service to disburse $57 million in federal rent relief to landlords and tenants suffering the financial consequences of COVID-19 in Silicon Valley. But not one penny can move until the U.S. Treasury...
San Jose school district to monetize land to fund educational programs
After years of struggling to stay afloat financially, the Cambrian School District will now be able to monetize its excess land to bring in cash for education. Instead of selling the land outright, the Cambrian School District — long strapped for cash and hampered by budget cuts — opted to exchange 2.7 acres of its vacant...
Some San Jose leaders ready to discuss sanctioned encampments
With homelessness on the rise, some city leaders in San Jose say it’s time to explore new ways to support those living on the streets. In a recent newsletter to his District 10 constituents, Councilmember Matt Mahan announced plans to develop a comprehensive homeless encampment management strategy. “We’ve gone far too long without actively managing...