Calls to defund the police have spread nationwide, as communities grapple with police brutality following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and San Jose’s militarized response to otherwise peaceful protesters in late May. While some support complete abolition of the San Jose Police Department’s proposed $449 million budget, the discussion for many Santa Clara...
Santa Clara County not ready for next stage of reopening, Cody says
Santa Clara County isn’t ready to seek state approval to open more businesses due to an uptick in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations that has attracted the state’s attention, Dr. Sara Cody, the county’s top health official, said Tuesday. “At the moment, we don’t meet all the criteria on the variance application,” Cody told the Santa Clara...
Santa Clara County supports new policies for Sheriff’s Office use of force
In a direct response to curbing police violence and misconduct, Santa Clara County lawmakers Tuesday began “re-envisioning” use of force policies and daily functions of the county’s Sheriff’s Office. The Board of Supervisors unanimously supported the reform measures, introduced by Supervisor Joe Simitian, following the nationwide uproar and calls to defund the police after the...
UPDATE: Santa Clara County declares racism as a public health crisis
Amid a national reckoning over racism and civil unrest that’s swept the country, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously adopted resolutions to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement and declare racism a public health crisis. “A resolution is only as good as the actions that follow it,” said Supervisor...
Santa Clara County suicide helplines see spike in calls amid pandemic
Since the start of the pandemic and orders to stay inside, Santa Clara County has seen a rise in calls to a suicide prevention hotline — a trend that is mirrored nationally. The national Disaster Distress Helpline is receiving a notable uptick in calls during the COVID-19 pandemic with a more than 900% increase in...
The land of inequality: New research highlights Silicon Valley’s wealth gap
San Jose State leaders on Tuesday called on tech companies and other institutions to address white supremacy and inequality, which are seeped into nearly every aspect of Silicon Valley life, according to new research unveiled this week. A new report, called the Silicon Valley Pain Index, is shedding a glaring spotlight on wealth and income...
Bay Area cities must build nearly 450K homes, the state says
Ready or not, the Bay Area’s new state-mandated housing development goals have arrived, and the numbers are bigger than ever before. Bay Area municipalities are expected to be responsible for planning, zoning and approving a combined 441,176 new homes between 2023 and 2030, according to the state’s most recent Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) determination....
Silicon Valley leaders applaud Supreme Court narrowly upholding DACA for now
South Bay leaders on Thursday applauded the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that narrowly upheld the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), providing relief to hundreds of thousands of people brought to the country illegally or lost their legal status as children. With conservative Chief Justice John Roberts providing the majority opinion alongside the liberal minority...
Santa Clara County nonprofits say Meals on Wheels program is at risk
A group of prominent South Bay nonprofit leaders say a meals program that feeds hundreds of thousands of local seniors a year is at risk because of contract changes with nonprofit Sourcewise. But Santa Clara-based Sourcewise, which was accused in 2016 by a county lawmaker of diverting federal funds meant for senior meals, denied accusations that the...
State proposal would drain $145M from Santa Clara County’s general fund
Santa Clara County officials said that a proposed amendment in a state bill would strip the county’s general fund of about $145 million annually, draining its budget for homeless services, supportive housing and child care among many programs if the proposal passes. “It’s the county’s core services that are most in jeopardy so we must...