After disgraced San Jose Councilmember Omar Torres admitted to molesting a child and sending lewd texts about minors, there are questions about whether he met some of Silicon Valley’s most vulnerable youth through his romantic partner — a court-appointed child advocate. Torres’ longtime boyfriend, Nicholas Aguilar, has spent more than five years working in Santa...
San Jose plans tiny homes on Cherry Avenue
A long overdue agreement between San Jose and Santa Clara County’s largest water agency to build housing for homeless residents has been greenlit and is slated to break ground next month. The San Jose City Council unanimously voted on Dec. 3 to enter into an agreement with Valley Water to build a new tiny home...
Silicon Valley advocates pledge funds to save historic farmhouse
The Japanese American Museum of San Jose is teaming up with preservation advocates to save a farmhouse once home to a World War II internment camp survivor. A 1,472-apartment development on Seely Avenue threatened the North San Jose farmhouse once owned by Eiichi “Ed” Sakauye with demolition before residents stepped in to lobby for preserving...
San Jose needs plan for protecting renters, audit finds
A city policy aimed at protecting renters from unjust evictions doesn’t have a clear roadmap for taking action against San Jose property owners who break the law. The City Auditor’s Office previously examined the policy, which requires landlords to give valid reasons for evicting tenants — but renters claim the city’s rent control policies don’t always...
San Jose sets special election dates to fill open seat
San Jose officials and residents are gearing up for the race to replace disgraced former Councilmember Omar Torres and lift downtown from a troubled past few years. The San Jose City Council has opted to hold a special election to fill Torres’ seat on April 8, with a June 24 runoff if necessary and results...
San Jose senior apartment tenants take issue with management
An affordable housing development near Willow Glen was supposed to give homeless older adults a safe place to live. Instead, a number of residents are clamoring to leave. Leigh Avenue Senior Apartments, located at Leigh Avenue and Southwest Expressway, provided housing to 63 older adults when it opened in 2021. Seven residents told San José Spotlight...
San Jose report shows ‘inhumane’ conditions at animal shelter
A critical city report highlighting deteriorating conditions at the San Jose animal shelter echoes concerns advocates and former volunteers have raised for years. San Jose’s Animal Care Center is the city-run adoption center that also serves residents in neighboring cities like Cupertino, Milpitas and Saratoga seeking dogs, cats or rabbits. But several residents with firsthand experience...
Historic San Jose trolley brings back holiday charm
Commuters pause and stare when the doors open along downtown San Jose’s light rail train stops. Before them isn’t the sleek white transit car they’re used to — but a time machine. VTA officials are reviving their most unique, 96-year-old holiday trolley car after a yearslong absence to run a brief stretch — free of...
San Jose holiday tradition needs the spirit of giving to stay afloat
Dozens of people crowd around hundreds of trees wearing Santa hats and reindeer antlers, hanging ornaments and laughing. San Jose’s beloved Christmas in the Park is about to enchant Plaza de Cesar Chavez. This year, the nonprofit that brings the holiday joy is asking people to pull out their wallets to fill a six-figure gap...
San Jose developer pays millions to reduce affordable housing
Plans for a San Jose urban village have shifted, after developers agreed to pay millions to offset their decision to build more affordable homes. The San Jose Planning Commission unanimously approved a downscaled plan for hundreds of apartments at the El Paseo de Saratoga shopping center Nov. 20 after developers agreed to pay $13.9 million...