San Jose city leaders approved a citywide rent freeze after an hours-long debate that ended in a 7-4 vote Tuesday night. The vote comes after last week’s attempt to implement a rent suspension for San Jose families financially affected by COVID-19 was quickly struck down over concerns the proposal violated the Constitution. Councilmembers Raul Peralez...
Developer KT Urban submits plans for 20-story towers in downtown San Jose
Development in the Bay Area has slowed or halted entirely in recent weeks, but that hasn’t stopped developers from forging ahead. KT Urban on Monday unveiled plans for a nearly 3-acre site at 280 Woz Way that could bring 1.8 million square feet of office and retail space across a pair of 20-story towers near...
‘There’s no escape’: Domestic violence fears in San Jose escalated by COVID-19
A San Jose mother of four was 41 years old when she was sure she would die. Pinned up against the wall, Rose Martinez laid motionless as her husband repeatedly kicked her all over her body after knocking her to the floor from a swift punch to the head. “I remember thinking, ‘Oh my God,...
San Jose ranks in top 25 cities for women in tech, but the gaps remain wide
Being a woman working in tech in Silicon Valley is still not as lucrative as being a man doing the same work, but the gaps are shrinking, new data show. A report by New York-based personal finance technology company, SmartAsset, which asks which cities are best for women in tech, looks at four factors to...
San Jose fire academy trains recruits to respond to COVID-19 outbreak
Despite the deadly coronavirus infecting more than a dozen fire officials, the San Jose Fire Department has filled its latest training academy with nearly twice as many firefighter recruits to help the COVID-19 response — albeit with face masks and physical distancing. The fire training academy, which began in late March, has 24 fire recruits...
San Jose strikes down proposal to suspend rent, citing constitutional concerns
A contentious proposal to suspend rent for three months for families who are struggling to make rent due to coronavirus was struck down by San Jose’s attorney at a virtual City Council meeting Tuesday, concerned the policy violated the Constitution. City Attorney Rick Doyle said the city would be on the hook for the forgiven rent...
San Jose struggles to clean up illegal dumpsites in wake of coronavirus
Despite a years-long effort to reduce blight, graffiti and trash, San Jose has been forced to scale back on its resources to clean the city’s streets, spurred by the COVID-19 quarantine. The city in recent years has beefed up its efforts to reduce blight, aided by a new app that allows residents to report where trash...
San Jose looks to increase emergency housing, discuss budget cuts due to COVID-19
With more than 1,200 COVID-19 positive cases countywide and counting, San Jose leaders are scrambling to stop the spread to homeless people and vulnerable residents living in shelters, encampments and overcrowded homes by building emergency housing. The City Council on Tuesday will discuss a proposal to allocate more than $17 million to build modular homes...
Coronavirus: San Jose lawmakers propose suspending rent
Cities across California are passing a slew of laws delaying rent and banning evictions for families who cannot pay during the COVID-19 shelter-in-place order, but some lawmakers say the patchwork of bills don’t go far enough to protect renters. As unemployment rates across the country surge to all-time highs, San Jose Councilmembers Magdalena Carrasco and Raul...
San José Spotlight wins four California Journalism Awards
San José Spotlight has won four California Journalism Awards in an annual competition sponsored by the California News Publishers Association. “I’m very proud of our talented team and the fact that we placed in the top five in four categories in our first year of operation,” said Ramona Giwargis, San José Spotlight’s co-founder and editor....