San Jose smoke shops will soon be monitored more closely by the city for unregulated drugs due to a new permitting system. The San Jose City Council unanimously voted Tuesday to require an additional permit for smoke shops in the city, in an attempt to reduce the amount of unregulated drugs — including synthetic cannabis...
San Jose District 2 candidate bridges labor-business divide
San Jose’s long-standing divide between business and labor interests might come down to the District 2 race and could bring more collaboration to the City Council. District 2 candidate Pamela Campos announced a slate of endorsements on Friday from both sides of the council’s business and labor divide. She is running against retired sheriff officer...
UPDATE: San Jose residents speak out against diverting affordable housing funds
In the face of the growing housing crisis, San Jose residents are urging elected officials to preserve funds for permanent affordable housing. The San Jose City Council is considering reallocating housing funds from Measure E, a property transfer tax approved by voters in 2020, to instead support and shelter homeless residents in the short term....
San Jose affordable apartments a plus for senior housing crisis
More than 100 Santa Clara County seniors struggling with the cost of living will have a place to call home in downtown San Jose within the next few years. The San Jose City Council unanimously approved a roughly $15.2 million loan Tuesday for Hawthorn Senior Apartments, a 100% affordable housing development with 101 homes for...
San Jose bathrooms may soon have sex trafficking signs
A local official wants to put an end to sex trafficking in San Jose. San Jose Councilmember Bien Doan wants to create a sex trafficking awareness campaign in public restrooms throughout the city. Notices would be posted by bathroom mirrors and in stalls with phone numbers for victims to call or people to report incidents....
San Jose homeless housing planned for Sobrato land
A homeless housing project is coming to South San Jose, and city officials want to clear the area of unsheltered encampments before it’s built. The San Jose City Council this month unanimously approved a 10-year lease for $1 annually from prolific philanthropist John A. Sobrato to construct Via del Oro, a 150-bed temporary housing development....
San Jose officials not reporting lobbyists meetings
San Jose councilmembers are supposed show who they’re meeting with behind closed doors — but their public calendars lack vital details and skirt the spirit of transparency. San José Spotlight has reported on inadequate lobbyist disclosures for years, but a recent review shows the public is still in the dark due to incomplete and delayed documentation...
UPDATE: San Jose sets tougher RV restrictions near schools
San Jose leaders hope a slew of new policies make schools safer by pushing homeless people out of nearby encampments and limiting where they can park. The San Jose City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved three different policies to limit where large vehicles can park, where people living in their RVs can sleep overnight and...
Will San Jose council lose its labor majority?
Progressive and labor-friendly politicians have enjoyed a majority on the San Jose City Council for the past two years, but the November elections may flip the balance. Formidable business-backed candidates advanced in every council race during the March 5 primaries, which could spell trouble for the South Bay Labor Council — the main cultivator of...
San Jose leaders want budget to focus on housing, homelessness
San Jose officials have a daunting task of balancing the budget as they attempt to preserve city services with a $52.1 million shortfall. The San Jose City Council unanimously approved Mayor Matt Mahan’s March budget message on Tuesday, but not before numerous councilmembers added their own amendments around housing, homelessness and other city services. Over the next few months, councilmembers,...