San Jose is launching a program to relocate and reunify homeless people with their families as the city strives to end unsheltered homelessness. Homeward Bound, a pilot program proposed by Mayor Matt Mahan, will send outreach workers to make contact with homeless individuals and pay for transportation costs to bus them out of the city....
San Jose district will close three schools
Another San Jose school district is closing schools due to declining enrollment and a multimillion-dollar budget deficit. After intense debate and a two-week postponement, the Franklin-McKinley School District board of trustees voted 3-2 Tuesday to close three elementary schools. Board President George Sanchez, Vice President Steven Sanchez and Trustee Hong Ha Hoang supported the closures,...
San Jose says mobile home park owner can’t raise rent
A San Jose mobile home park with hundreds of spaces has failed to get city approval for a proposed rent increase. Officials with the San Jose Rent Stabilization Program have denied the Golden Wheel Mobile Home Park owner’s request to raise rents on low-income residents by $60 per month for at least 12 years. Under...
Downtown San Jose street becomes permanent pedestrian mall
San Jose officials have approved the permanent restriction of vehicle traffic at a popular downtown street in an effort to increase fast-growing economic vibrancy in the business district. The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to permanently close Post Street to cars, which began during the pandemic when the Al Fresco dining and shopping pilot programs...
San Jose mayor wants to permanently shift affordable housing funds
Amid a budget shortfall, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan wants to move money allocated to affordable housing toward temporary housing solutions — indefinitely. San Jose is facing a potential $60 million deficit for the upcoming 2025-26 fiscal year, due in large part to a drop in sales tax revenue. At a City Council meeting earlier...
Statewide LGBTQ+ group endorses San Jose council candidate
The race to replace disgraced former San Jose Councilmember Omar Torres has become a fight for the future of downtown on issues like homelessness and crime. But one candidate sees it as something else: A chance to rebuild trust with the LGBTQ+ community. San Jose Planning Commission Chair Anthony Tordillos nabbed the endorsement of Equality...
San Jose mayor says AI driving Spanish speakers’ participation
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan says Spanish-speaking participation at city meetings has increased 300% through the use of artificial intelligence translation software. But critics are finding errors in the tool — and question if it’s really driving the increase. Mahan made the declaration in Miami, Florida Thursday during a discussion about AI in government at...
San Jose rejects development due to ‘ridiculous’ red tape
San Jose planners have rejected a proposed project because it was filed at 1.2 inches instead of 1 inch, leaving the developer stunned. Real estate developer Donovan Adesoro said the planning department denied his housing proposal over incorrect paper sizing, a rejection that can create unnecessary setbacks when city standards are so rigid. To right...
San Jose mayor oversells the value of temporary housing
San Jose’s mayor is touting a plan to end unsheltered homelessness through temporary housing solutions, claiming it’s 95% cheaper than building permanent affordable housing. But he’s leaving out a crucial detail. Mayor Matt Mahan wants to achieve “functional zero” — when the number of people exiting homelessness is greater than the number of people becoming...
San Jose teachers prioritize safety in contract negotiations
A teachers union is joining parents in demanding San Jose’s largest school district makes schools safer. Following increased incidents of weapons on campus and social media threats post-pandemic, the San Jose Teachers Association is calling on the San Jose Unified School District to provide safe and stable schools. This year, the union is including “teaching...