Santa Clara County evictions have shot up over the past year, prompting local groups and governments to find ways to support renters. The county recorded 3,180 evictions last year, the highest amount since 2014. Compare that to the less than 2,000 evictions between 2020 and 2022 during the pandemic. Key protections tenants won at the...
San Jose uses AI to streamline government
San Jose is a beehive of artificial intelligence innovation, with the city continuing its integration of the technology into every day services to improve the lives of residents. Now that AI is more accessible than ever, Mayor Matt Mahan along with other city officials are using it to identify problems and strategize solutions. San Jose is already using AI to...
San Jose water rate hikes could drop
The for-profit company feeding water to six Santa Clara County cities may agree to walk back its plan for a 22% water rate hike over three years. State officials are in the process of developing a settlement with the San Jose Water Company that would adjust its controversial January proposal, after residents during hearings this...
Summer movie screenings return to downtown San Jose
Summer in San Jose has brought back the classics: a scorching heat wave, crowded conventions and an almost decade-long tradition of outdoor movies. In partnership with the city’s Viva Parks program, the San Jose Downtown Association is hosting Starlight Cinema — a seasonal summer event that provides free movie showings on Saturday evenings in St....
San Jose hotel workers want higher wages as industry bounces back
San Jose hotel guests looked on as hundreds of hospitality workers marched and picketed major hotel chains across downtown Tuesday — calling for higher wages, benefits and more staffing after their collective bargaining agreement recently expired. It’s been four years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and many hotels have maintained reduced staffing levels,...
San Jose residents say 7-story apartments too big for Willow Glen
A proposed seven-story apartment and townhome project could bring 126 homes and a new retail space to Willow Glen, but many residents in the neighborhood are not happy about the plan. Almost 200 people called in to a June 3 community meeting hosted by San Jose Planning Department officials. Callers raised concerns about the imposing presence...
San Jose unveils war monument at Vietnamese Heritage Garden
San Jose’s Vietnamese community is celebrating a long-anticipated monument symbolizing its post-war roots in the city after the project faced years of delays. The statue, unveiled Saturday at the Vietnamese Heritage Garden, features a Vietnamese soldier and an American soldier, both armed and standing beside each other atop rocky terrain in front of the flags...
San José Spotlight wins 4 first place state journalism awards
San José Spotlight brought home seven California Journalism Awards in the annual contest sponsored by the California News Publishers Association, including four first-place wins. The yearly competition showcases the best print and digital reporting and photography statewide. News organizations compete in divisions based on size and circulation and, for the first time, the awards combined...
South San Jose tiny homes project long overdue
By next fall, San Jose aims to have a long-awaited temporary housing site on the south side of the city for homeless individuals, though some are questioning why it’s taking so long. The temporary emergency housing site will be built across from the Blossom Hill Hampton Inn on land owned by Valley Water. The 2.5-acre site...
San Jose businessman says he didn’t defame embattled CEO
A feud is heating up between two businessmen with big reputations in San Jose’s Little Saigon, including David Duong — the subject of an FBI probe involving Oakland’s mayor. Duong, CEO of trash and recycling hauler Cal Waste Solutions, has hurled a defamation lawsuit against Hai Huynh, a bail bonds businessman described by some in...