As San Jose develops plans for sanctioned homeless encampments, Mayor Matt Mahan traveled to San Diego to see what he could glean. San Diego, at the forefront of safe sleeping sites for unhoused people in California, has two sanctioned locations that support a total of 533 insulated tents. The locations provide on-site case management and resource referrals, restrooms,...
Ireland trip almost costs San Jose its ability to govern
The San Jose City Council has avoided voting against its own travel policy with two of six elected officials suddenly backing out of a trip to Ireland. The city clamped down on how many councilmembers can travel during council sessions back in 2018 when more than half of the city council took a trip to...
UPDATE: San Jose drops parks maintenance tax measure
San Jose city officials have delayed plans to put a measure to fund parks maintenance on the November ballot after multiple surveys showed it would likely fail to gain support from residents. The San Jose City Council unanimously voted on Tuesday to reconsider the idea for the 2026 election, or possibly later. The proposed ballot...
Heat wave highlights Silicon Valley homeless response problems
Los Gatos’ temperature hit 107 degrees as Mason, wearing a black coat and backpack, walked from his camp in the brush toward Highway 17. He started having heat-related symptoms and laid down, heaving. He didn’t want to die on the streets. Mason, who asked to only use his first name, made it back to the...
San Jose ramps up funding to enforce ‘no return zones’
San Jose is set to pay for more employees and police patrols to enforce “no return zones” for homeless camps along the Guadalupe River and those surrounding temporary shelter sites citywide. An initial plan to expel more than a dozen homeless residents off the trail between Julian Street and Woz Way earlier this year has expanded to...
San Jose spruces up downtown signs ahead of Super Bowl
San Jose is revisiting a plan to make the heart of the city more walkable and easy to navigate ahead of two major sports events. The city is working to replace outdated signs in the downtown area to highlight local landmarks, businesses and public transportation options before Super Bowl 60 and the FIFA World Cup come...
San Jose funds affordable housing for low-income families
San Jose leaders have approved $7.3 million in Measure E funds for a very low-income affordable housing development in South San Jose. The $45.4-million multi-family development is the latest affordable housing project to be approved under Measure E since city officials announced $50 million in funding for four projects last October. The 48-apartment project will...
San Jose wage theft policy compromises with developers
San Jose could withhold certifications from big developers who use contractors with unpaid wage theft judgments in California under a new construction policy. The San Jose City Council unanimously approved the “responsible construction” policy on Tuesday after first reviewing it last year. Companies found to have unpaid wage theft settlements must address those before the...
UPDATE: San Jose to study potential cost of safe sleeping sites
San Jose officials came through on their promise to add safe sleeping sites throughout the city as they come closer to getting homeless residents off the streets and the waterways cleaned up. In order to reach the city’s goal of moving people living along the waterways, the San Jose City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously...
San Jose parks lose millions as developers get tax break
San Jose is cutting taxes and fees for at least 14 high-rise development projects or more than 4,000 homes in downtown. The San Jose City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to extend the existing Downtown Residential High-Rise Program to reduce developer costs in an effort to spark more incentives for housing construction. Under the new...