City of San Jose Government News Digest

Officials are struggling to solve the growing number of RVs lining city streets. Mayor Matt Mahan and three San Jose councilmembers want to explore ways to manage homeless residents living in vehicles while simultaneously ramping up available safe parking sites.

Twenty years after East San Jose residents began advocating for more open spaces in their community, city leaders have completed a key step in expanding the neighborhood’s celebrated Five Wounds Trail.

Councilmembers Peter Ortiz, Dev Davis, David Cohen, Domingo Candelas and Bien Doan are proposing a study session to learn more about the relation of the Muwekma Ohlone people—an Indigenous tribe from Santa Clara County—to wider San Jose.

San Jose’s assistant independent police watchdog quit months after the top police auditor stepped down, according to a letter obtained by San José Spotlight. Eva Roa, the city’s assistant independent police auditor since 2020, sent a scathing letter to city officials sharing her frustrations with city management.

San Jose has spent years and millions of dollars to open its safe parking site at the Santa Teresa VTA light rail station—but it is practically empty.

San Jose Planning Commissioner George Casey, who views himself as an independent moderate, is jumping into the District 10 City Council race. Casey, 52, is the third candidate to enter the South San Jose race in an effort to unseat incumbent Arjun Batra, who plans to run next year.

The San Jose City Council changed three ethics rules that could affect how money is used to influence policy. Officials revised the city’s revolving door protocol for former employees, removed fees for late lobbying disclosures and uncapped reimbursement amounts for personal loans candidates made to their campaigns.

For three years, businesses and pedestrians have enjoyed the temporary closure of a downtown San Jose street to cars. City leaders are working to make that permanent.

The First Church of Christ Scientist building is at risk of further deterioration after the tarps and scaffolding that have surrounded it for years were suddenly removed.

San Jose Councilmember Bien Doan is facing swift backlash after agreeing to speak with a local anti-LGBTQ+ parent group, despite claiming ignorance of the organization’s controversial roots.

San Jose City Hall was inundated with music and fanfare as residents and visitors celebrated lowriding, a subculture centered around the customization of cars.

Former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo and the city violated state transparency laws by failing to prove they adequately searched his private texts and emails for public records, a judge has ruled.

The continued neglect of a San Jose landmark is pushing politicians into action. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, Councilmember Omar Torres and several residents spoke outside the dilapidated First Church of Christ Scientist building about a proposal to raise maximum fines levied against defiant property owners from $100,000 to $500,000.

The power dynamic between San Jose’s two political factions is shifting. For the first time in years, labor has the upper hand over business interests—and some believe it'll stay that way.

As San Jose braces for budget deficits in the coming year, the city broke its record in employee compensation last year with 63 employees earning an annual salary of more than $400,000. Of the top 100 highest-paid city employees, 93 work in public safety.

Councilmember Peter Ortiz is rallying support from colleagues to form an intergovernmental committee to create a timeline for removing the contamination from a fuel spill eight years ago at an abandoned East San Jose building.

The largest planned strike in decades by San Jose city workers is over before it starts. The city’s two largest unions, representing 4,500 workers—IFPTE Local 21 and AFSCME Local 101—avoided what could have been a shutdown of several critical services.

New data obtained by San Jose Spotlight show how much San Jose’s historic flea market has contributed annually to city coffers and how it has faltered over time.

The San Jose Planning Commission is considering a plan to build 14 condominiums in West San Jose, including the reconstruction of the Graves House, lost to a fire.

In San Jose, when you leave a city job you are barred from lobbying anyone at City Hall for at least two years—but a handful of ex-employees are exceptions.

San Jose city zookeeper Amanda Maulding never thought securing her dream job would lead to her being homeless, but within two years of starting her job it became clear she was never going to make enough to pay rent.

A North San Jose parcel previously planned for a hotel is being eyed for a large manufacturing space. The San Jose City Council will consider approving a plan on Aug. 8 to build a manufacturing and light assembly facility.

Pamela Campos grew up in a home shared by four families until hers could afford their own house. Now, Campos is entering the District 2 San Jose City Council race to tackle that same problem of overcrowding head on.

The powerful San Jose Planning Commission, which in recent years faced criticism over its lack of diversity, is beginning to look more like the city it serves. But one member is bemoaning the choice of another man to lead it.

As more people integrate artificial intelligence into their everyday lives—from students using ChatGPT to adults using AI for art—San Jose leaders are adapting it into their daily work.

San Jose has funneled more than $26 million to First Community Housing, one of the city’s largest developers and managers of affordable housing, in an effort to shore up its finances, even as local officials raised concern about its “long-term sustainability.”

A San Jose City Hall denizen is running to replace her boss for the southside council seat. Vanessa Sandoval, chief of staff for Councilmember Sergio Jimenez, has joined the race to represent District 2.

San Jose consistently breaks state law by “perpetually extending its own deadline” for responding to public records requests, a complaint filed against the city alleges.

Tensions are rising as former California lawmaker Kansen Chu seeks his old San Jose City Council seat, a position held by close political ally David Cohen.

Councilmembers Omar Torres and Peter Ortiz are facing criticism from three local groups over comments they made related to city housing policy and unions. The groups include the Santa Clara County Association of Realtors, Premier Recycling, and Opportunity Now, a local conservative blog.