Business, Economy & Jobs Image

Santa Clara County Business, Economy & Jobs Articles



San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
San Jose Plummets in Economic Rankings

A recent report shows Silicon Valley’s economic growth faltered in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, though local experts say business has been recovering.
The Milken Institute, a global think tank, has ranked the San Jose metropolitan area 108th out …

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
Santa Clara County’s Highest Paid Service Nonprofit Executives

Silicon Valley is one of the nation's most expensive locales and home to dozens of nonprofit organizations, which need to keep up with costs of living.

Related Stories

Morgan Hill Times logo LOCAL NEWS
Lang Tabbed for Morgan Hill Mobility

The City of Morgan Hill appointed John Lang—a former economic development official for the city—as its new Housing and Economic Mobility Director. Lang started his new position Jan. 21.

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
‘It’s Getting Worse’: Silicon Valley Wages Lag Behind Cost of Living

Santa Clara County's ballooning cost of living has exploded.
Cost of living in the county is increasing at a faster rate than wages across all income levels. While its median income has gone up nearly 75% over the past 10 …

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
VTA BART Expansion Work to Include Minority-Owned Businesses

VTA has pledged to increase contracting opportunities for minority-owned businesses in its ongoing BART expansion into San Jose.
Sergio Lopez, mayor of Campbell and chair of VTA's board of directors, signed the Equity in Infrastructure Project pledge on behalf of …

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
Santa Clara County Agritourism Threatened by Development

Santa Clara County officials remain out of compliance with state housing laws, which could put their agricultural tourism efforts in a race against developments proposing to pave over the Valley of Heart's Delight remaining farmland — with or without their …

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
Silicon Valley Commercial Vacancy Rates Pass 20%

Silicon Valley companies are adjusting their needs for in-person work spaces as employees refuse to go back to the office.
Commercial vacancy rates continue to climb, even though development is making a comeback, according to a December report from Joint …

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
New Palo Alto Rules Would Curb Parklet Extensions

Facing criticism from downtown merchants, Palo Alto is preparing to drop a policy that allows restaurants to extend their dining areas into adjacent properties, even without consent from neighbors.
The change, which the City Council will consider at its Jan. …

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
California Law Sparks VTA Workplace Violence Prevention Plan

Tragedy and a lack of workplace safety measures led one Silicon Valley lawmaker to call for tighter regulations to protect employees.
State Sen. Dave Cortese’s bill, SB 553, occupational safety: workplace violence took effect this summer. The bill focuses on …

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
San Jose Allows Housing Development in Business Districts

The dynamic in three San Jose neighborhoods is about to shift, with a greater focus on residential development.
The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to change the neighborhood business districts of Japantown, Willow Glen and 13th Street to allow for …

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
Google Gives San Jose $5M for Community Benefits

San Jose has received another infusion of cash from Google, adding to the community benefits pot.
The San Jose City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a $5 million payment from the tech company as part of its community benefits agreement …

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
Palo Alto Eyes Upgrades for Car-Free California Avenue

California Avenue will finally get some love next month, when Palo Alto’s contractors start painting two-way bike lanes, implementing colored paving and installing planters at the entrance points of the eclectic retail district that expelled cars and welcomed dining tents …

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
East San Jose Business District Gets Grant to Beautify Area

Alum Rock business advocates are getting a $100,000 grant to not just beautify the neighborhood, but also solidify the East San Jose district’s cultural identity.
Councilmember Peter Ortiz said he secured the grant during the city’s recent budgeting process to …

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
How Much Are Silicon Valley’s Top Service Nonprofit Leaders Paid?

In Silicon Valley, top executives at the helm of multimillion-dollar nonprofits are paid well — not unusual in a region where competition is steep and the cost of living is one of the highest in the nation.
Experts say compensating …

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
Santa Clara County Wants Tourism to Save Iconic Farmlands

Fruit picking, wine tasting and weddings — Silicon Valley leaders want to preserve the romance of their farmlands through tourism as the “Valley of Heart’s Delight” gives way to strip malls and tech campuses.
The Santa Clara County Board of …

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
Silicon Valley Water District Maintains Hiring Freeze

Silicon Valley’s main water supplier will maintain a hiring freeze in order to offset hundreds of millions of dollars in a budget shortfall.
Valley Water officials instituted a hiring freeze in February for 72 job vacancies amid a $222 million …

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
San Jose Is No. 1 U.S. City for Manufacturing Jobs

In Silicon Valley where innovation, artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship reign, a recent study puts San Jose as a leader in the nation’s manufacturing market.
The study by equipment supplier company ABM ranks San Jose as No. 1 for cities with …

Image caption: Founded as a business organization in 1915, the Kiwanis Club now serves millions of children worldwide.
Doing Good: Kiwanis International

Founded as a business organization in 1915, the Kiwanis Club now serves millions of children worldwide.

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
Sunnyvale to Spruce Up Downtown Pedestrian Mall

Sunnyvale is taking steps to make its downtown more inviting for residents and visitors alike by beautifying its most historic block.
The Sunnyvale City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved concept plans to turn the historic Murphy Avenue block of downtown …

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
Cupertino Has Millions to Spend From Apple Settlement

With Cupertino absolved from paying California millions of sales tax dollars it collected from Apple, city officials are strategizing how to use it.
Cupertino was allowed to keep the roughly $74.5 million in Apple sales tax revenue it set aside …

Featured

Water is a human right under California law, but it doesn’t always work out that way.
Agriculture and Water Shortages in the State’s Breadbasket, Explained
There are many causes contributing to this crisis. And as you may already know, this situation really is nuts.
The cycle of crime and homelessness is escalating, but it doesn't have to be that way.
Homelessness and Crime in California: Even More Complex Than You Think
What causes the cycle of homelessness and crime, and how to stop it.
Thousands of homeowners have been kicked off their fire insurance policies.
California Fire Insurance Crisis: How the State Helps Homeowners
The state tries persuading insurance companies to cover homes in fire zones.
Moss Landing in Monterey Bay is the world’s largest battery storage facility for solar and other renewable energy.
Solar Power and California’s Clean Energy Goals
How the sun is helping push the state toward 100 percent renewable energy.
Owning homes is the primary way the middle class builds wealth, and an option no longer available to most Californians.
Is California’s Housing Crisis Making Inequality Worse?
California has some of the worst economic inequality in the United States. Is housing a cause? Could it be a cure?
Though life expectancy has declined in recent years, Californians still live longer than most Americans.
Want to Live a Long, Healthy Life? Move to California
Californians live longer than people in all but three states, but not all counties are equal.
They help feed the whole country, but life for California’s farm workers remains a struggle.
How California Feeds the Country
California, a state known for high-tech and show business glitz, is also America’s farming powerhouse.
Zoning laws tell you what you can and can't build on the property you own. How does government get away with that?
How Zoning Laws Shape California and Society
Zoning is everywhere, but is it a way to regulate development or a tool for social engineering?
How California reclamation districts turned millions of acres of wetlands into fertile agricultural land, starting in the earliest days of the Gold Rush.
Reclamation Districts: Turning ‘Swamps’ Into Farmland
From its earliest days as a state, California has been trying to turn marshes into productive land.
Long-duration energy storage, such as this thermal energy storage facility, allows renewable energy sources to operate at full capacity without overloading the power grid.
How California Leads the Race For Long Duration Energy Storage
For renewable energy sources such as solar and wind to be viable, ways to store the power they create are essential.