Los Gatos resident Shelly never thought she would struggle to make rent. But following a series of family tragedies and the loss of her job, she’s unsure how to keep a roof over herself and her dog Buddy. “Having a nervous breakdown, it messes with your mind. When you have things happening like this, not having anybody to...
Housing development could loom over Los Gatos backyards
A quiet neighborhood just off bustling Los Gatos Boulevard could be forever changed if a massive housing project comes to fruition. Benedict Lane residents voiced concerns at a Los Gatos Town Council meeting earlier this month about the height of a proposed seven-story housing development that would abut against their backyards. The project is in the early...
Los Gatos eases pole requirement for developments
Los Gatos’ famous poles with orange netting and flags are a thing of the past on some development projects in town. The Los Gatos Town Council on Tuesday voted 3-2 to formalize revisions to its height pole and netting policy for developments. This follows state feedback saying the town must loosen constraints on housing developments...
How to participate in Los Gatos Town Council meetings
Watching your city’s public government meetings is a simple way to stay informed. In a 2022 reader survey, San José Spotlight readers told us they wanted to be more civically engaged and involved in local policymaking. Earlier this year, we compiled a guide on how to engage with public meetings in San Jose. As we...
Los Gatos inches toward more affordable housing
Los Gatos is one step closer to securing state approval for its housing plan, more than a year after the deadline and months of contention among town officials. The town submitted the latest draft of its housing element — a detailed planning document laying out how Los Gatos will accommodate more affordable and market-rate housing...
‘A step in the right direction’: Los Gatos places homeless residents in hotels
Ron Hilla has been homeless for about 11 years, and has seen so many of his friends die on the streets, he can’t count them all on his hands. The 65-year-old’s life fell apart when his health forced him to quit his more than 40-year career in construction, landing him on the Los Gatos Creek...
Los Gatos to build bike path over highway
Los Gatos is carving a new path along Blossom Hill Road in the name of public safety. The Highway 17 Bicycle & Pedestrian Overcrossing project, located between the east and west sections of Roberts Road, will be constructed next to the Blossom Hill Road bridge sitting over the highway. The roughly 20-foot-wide bridge will be...
Los Gatos struggles to get its housing plan approved
Los Gatos is expected to submit the fourth revision of its housing plan in the next few weeks outlining how it will accommodate 1,993 new homes by 2031. The town is one of many Bay Area municipalities that’s out of compliance with state goals for affordable housing. Los Gatos missed the Jan. 31, 2023 deadline...
Los Gatos commission wants to create a more inclusive town
A new Los Gatos commission is taking a look into how the town treats people who live and work there, and how it welcomes visitors. The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission held its first meeting on Jan. 11, and its purpose is to advise the Los Gatos Town Council on inclusion needs and how to...
Silicon Valley town may be tied up in building rules
Hundreds of new apartments could soon spring up in Los Gatos, as town officials continue revising plans to increase housing. Regulators still haven’t approved Los Gatos’ “housing element”—the state-mandated plan that lays out how towns and cities will help accommodate the state’s affordable housing goals. But builders are still pushing ahead. The town’s initial housing...