Cupertino is falling short in its state-mandated housing goals as developers roll out projects with fewer homes than expected. The upshot is Cupertino will have to add more high-density projects — a move not likely to be popular in a community that frequently resists multifamily housing. Like many California cities, Cupertino is caught between state...
Santa Clara County prioritizes children amid budget issues
Santa Clara County is working to provide safety net programs to children and their families despite budget issues stemming from federal funding cuts. The county’s children’s budget for fiscal year 2025-26 includes $1.3 billion to support the welfare of children and youth, up 2.8% from the previous fiscal year. The budget is targeted at foster care...
Former Palo Alto fire chief sues city
Just two months after he was honored by Palo Alto’s elected leaders for nearly three decades of service, retired Fire Chief Geoffrey Blackshire has filed a lawsuit against the city, claiming the city illegally withheld wages for him for more than five years. The legal dispute revolves around a 3% wage premium Blackshire said he...
Bramson: With federal support in doubt, California must step up
The Worst Case Housing Needs: 2025 Report to Congress confirms what many communities already feel on the ground: housing instability has become entrenched. In 2023, more than 8.4 million renter households nationwide were paying more than half their income for rent or living in severely inadequate housing. That figure has barely changed since the pandemic....
Santa Clara County considers safe parking site for women
Homeless women face exacerbated safety risks on the streets, and Santa Clara County officials are considering a safe parking site for women who become homeless to escape intimate partner violence. Santa Clara University researchers raised the idea in a report to county leaders last year. The study found that women and children fleeing domestic violence face...
Federal child care funding freeze could devastate Silicon Valley
California and four other democratic-led states are challenging the federal government’s abrupt decision to freeze billions of dollars that allow low-income families access to child care and other social services. The freeze could have a major effect on the financial health of child day care centers across Silicon Valley, with the region already struggling with...
Campbell Pruneyard Cinemas sues landlord in rental dispute
Pruneyard Cinemas, the beloved Campbell movie theater, is permanently closing its doors on Jan. 25 after eight years in business at The Pruneyard shopping center. The announcement comes weeks after the theater company filed a lawsuit against its landlord amid a bitter dispute over rental rates, court documents show. The lawsuit, filed on Dec. 19,...
San Jose mayor names new chief of staff
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan has tapped longtime city employee Sarah Zarate to become his new chief of staff. The role recently became vacant after Jim Reed, who held the post for more than a decade under two mayors, announced his departure to lead a statewide policy initiative on behalf of Mahan. Zarate, who has...
Major Mountain View intersection gets new traffic signal
A new traffic signal system and other road safety improvements, including the use of artificial intelligence to detect issues at the intersection, have been installed at Rengstorff Avenue and Latham Street in Mountain View, which has seen frequent collisions. In December, the City Council authorized final construction payments for the roadway improvements, which cost $874,468. The...
East San Jose community development ready to break ground
East San Jose is about to see its multimillion-dollar dream project become reality. La Placita will transform a neglected 28,000-square-foot commercial building across from Mexican Heritage Plaza. The space will be rebuilt into a cultural community hub with a theater, cafe and family wellness center operated by Gardner Health Services. The School of Arts and...