Tens of thousands of people left Silicon Valley during the COVID-19 pandemic, but local housing and economics experts aren’t too worried about the mass exodus. The metro area encompassing San Jose, Santa Clara and Sunnyvale lost nearly 43,000 people between April 2020 and July 2021, according to recently released census data. That’s almost eight times more than the year before...
Silicon Valley housing crisis linked to declining school enrollment, study says
Two pernicious problems in Silicon Valley—lack of affordable housing and declining school enrollment—are closely tied, new research suggests. A recent report commissioned by the nonprofit Silicon Valley Community Foundation says building more housing could help reverse long-term declines in student enrollment across Santa Clara County. Enrollment is expected to decline by more than 15% in the...
San Jose flood victims close to settlement, sources say
After four years of litigation, victims of a devastating San Jose flood may be on the verge of compensation for their suffering. Sources told San José Spotlight a consolidated lawsuit against Valley Water brought by more than 200 residents affected by a 2017 flood is on the verge of settling. According to the sources—who have...
Santa Clara County officials call freeway trash ‘a hot mess’
Willow Glen resident De Anna Mizradegan doesn’t understand why the Interstate 280 exit ramp near Meridian Avenue is constantly covered in trash. She’s contacted officials in San Jose and Santa Clara County to urge Caltrans to clean up the area, but claims the state agency has done almost nothing to keep this location clear of trash....
Santa Clara County to subsidize prescription drug costs
Santa Clara County is launching a program to help offset high prescription drug costs for residents with chronic diseases. MedAssist will provide monthly grants to adults who rely on asthma inhalers, insulin or epinephrine auto-injectors (EPI pens) to function on a daily basis. The county has worked on this effort for several years and has already enrolled several dozen...
Silicon Valley unemployment declines but disparities increase
Unemployment is in decline across Silicon Valley, but experts say the region’s recovery reflects social inequities. The South Bay’s unemployment rate dropped to 2.8% last month, 0.1% lower than the unemployment rate in March 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, according to a new report from Joint Venture Silicon Valley’s Institute for Regional Studies. Employers added...
Does Silicon Valley transit’s leadership need an overhaul?
A Silicon Valley legislator wants big changes for the region’s major transit agency, and not everyone is on board. Assemblymember Marc Berman held a panel this week to explore ideas for reforming VTA’s governance structure. Under the current system, elected officials from Santa Clara County and all its cities are appointed members of the 18-person...
Santa Clara County cuts ties with Russia over Ukraine invasion
Santa Clara County has severed its ties with the Russian government in Moscow. In a largely symbolic act, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to terminate its sister county/city relationship between Santa Clara County and Moscow. The vote comes nearly a month after Russia initiated an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine that has killed hundreds...
Santa Clara County water district sets scope of harassment investigation
Valley Water officials have defined the scope of their investigation of board member Gary Kremen, but are leaving out the main issue that sparked the request. The Valley Water board voted 6-0 Tuesday to approve an investigation into whether Kremen violated any district policies in his interactions with workers or members of the public. Kremen...
Santa Clara woman aids Ukrainian refugees at border
While Silicon Valley watches the war in Ukraine unfold, one woman has traveled to the country’s border to help refugees. Santa Clara resident Harbir Kaur Bhatia and her mom Gunwant, a Florida resident, recently made their way to a base camp in the Polish town of Medyka, near the Ukraine border, to help those fleeing the Russian...