Last month, the mayor of San Jose made a sweeping declaration online about his city’s safety record. Mayor Matt Mahan’s office calculated that San Jose boasted the lowest homicides per capita compared to Oakland and San Francisco in 2023. His office used state population data and reporting by NBC Bay Area, which attributed its crime...
San Jose creates ‘no return zone’ for homeless residents along river trail
San Jose officials are doubling down on efforts to revitalize the Guadalupe River Trail and prevent homeless residents from seeking shelter there. The San Jose City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved allocating $200,000 to remove roughly 20 people living by the river and work with community partners to encourage residents to frequent the trail. Mayor Matt Mahan...
‘Infuriating’: How a Silicon Valley insider got away with eBay scandal
For the first time since eBay faced a national scandal involving a horrific stalking campaign, the tech giant is formally admitting the involvement of company executives including a Silicon Valley insider — Steve Wymer. The San Jose-based company last month entered into a deferred prosecution agreement — a deal granting eBay amnesty if it agrees...
San Jose spurns developers, sparking possible legal fight
San Jose is throwing down the gauntlet to developers, pushing back on applications for housing projects that attempt to get around city development standards and goals. The city last week rejected 14 different housing proposals filed in the latter half of 2023 by developers asserting rights to build what they want where they want, under...
Want to speak at a San Jose meeting? Show up in person
San Jose is nixing virtual public comment at all meetings, sparking concerns around free speech and access to city government. Starting Tuesday, only residents attending city meetings in person will be able to provide public comment. People watching remotely via Zoom can no longer call in to voice their opinions. Officials say the decision is because a handful...
Once a booming industry, San Jose cannabis shops face closure
Two San Jose cannabis dispensaries have temporarily closed — and the city stands to lose millions in revenue if they go out of business. MedMen and Herbs both closed their doors in the last few weeks, raising alarm across Silicon Valley’s cannabis industry. While they closed for different reasons, local cannabis lobbyists and retailers say...
San Jose residents say no to Costco
For three years West San Jose residents have been fighting the city over construction of a Costco in their neighborhood, especially when there are four others just minutes away. The dustup over Westgate West Costco has been ongoing since 2021, when residents began rebelling over the idea. The issues remain unchanged, with concerns about increased...
San Jose housing plan certified by state a year past deadline
Tardy by one year, San Jose’s housing plan for the coming years gained a stamp of approval from state officials this week. After the city failed to get certification on an initial version of the housing element in June 2023 — already six months past a state deadline — San Jose officials sent a revised version...
Two U.S. Senate candidates stump in San Jose
Two of the three leading Democratic candidates for one of California’s U.S. Senate seats made a campaign stop in San Jose. Congressmembers Barbara Lee and Adam Schiff visited The Villages Golf and Country Club in South San Jose for an event hosted by its Democratic Club. Lee represents District 12, which includes parts of Alameda...
UPDATE: San Jose protesters interrupt Kamala Harris’ reproductive rights talk
Vice President Kamala Harris visited San Jose today, marking the second stop on her nationwide “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms” tour, where she contended with protesters calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. During a talk at the Mexican Heritage Plaza in East San Jose, Harris called for continued action to ensure reproductive freedoms are...