May 22, 2017
County of Santa Clara Update & next steps on CSF special hearings on hate crimes, women & girls, and immigration The Committee will hear a verbal status update from the Office of the County Executive on referrals from the special hearings on hate crimes, immigration issues, and women & girls. Where: Santa Clara County Children, Seniors, and Families Committee When:…
May 16, 2017
With San Jose Council Member Don Rocha terming out of his District 9 seat in 2018 and only six months to go before candidates can start fundraising for that seat, the campaign is underway. Kalen Gallagher, a board member in the Campbell Union High School District has already announced, as has neighborhood activist Sabuhi Siddique. Pam Foley, of the San…
Full Power Properties, owners of the luxury Silvery Towers development in downtown San Jose are using a controversial visa program to attract foreign investors. Millionaires who invest at least half a million dollars can get a direct path, for themselves and their families, to U.S. residency. Here is KPIX 5’s coverage of the story: Tweet
May 9, 2017
Today, renters in San Jose won another big fight for basic, fair protections. The San Jose City Council voted to adopt a just cause ordinance and, under an “urgency ordinance,” voted to enact the law immediately, blocking a potential flood of last minute no-cause evictions. The just cause ordinance, which passed by an 8 to 3 vote, prohibits landlords from…
May 8, 2017
County of Santa Clara Report & direction on labor trafficking recommendations The Commission will receive a report from the Labor Trafficking Working Group, with a series of recommendations for improving the County’s ability to prevent, investigate, and prosecute labor trafficking. Recommendations include adding a District Attorney Investigator and Sheriff’s Office Detective Sergeant position, improving trainings (including training union members), and…
Apr 28, 2017
Guess which South Bay city is about to have its workers strike? Sunnyvale. It’s hard to believe given the wealth of the city that the non-public safety employees in Sunnyvale have not received a pay increase in five years, despite the fact that they agreed to generous givebacks during the recession. Negotiations, which have dragged out for almost two years,…
Apr 25, 2017
Santa Clara County Second reading and Cortese amendments to housing voucher non-discrimination policy The Board will vote on a second reading of Ordinance No. NS-507.1, which would ensure that all persons with the ability to pay for housing, whether through their own funds or using a subsidy, are considered for housing. This will prevent landlords in unincorporated areas of Santa…
Apr 19, 2017
Today, in a historic move, the San Jose City Council voted 6-5 to increase renter protections. This critical and hard-fought victory for the City’s tenants is the largest progressive win at San Jose City Hall in decades. The renter protection policies were supported by Vice Mayor Magdalena Carrasco and Council Members Sergio Jimenez, Sylvia Arenas, Raul Peralez, Don Rocha and…
Apr 17, 2017
City of San Jose MEMOs re Ellis Act Ordinance: Khamis rejects staff recs; Davis & Diep seek to remove ‘right to return’ New memo from Council Member Khamis rejects staff recommendations for both items 4.2 Amendment to the Ellis Act Ordinance Implementing Procedures for Removal of Rent Stabilized Units from the Rental Market; and 4.3 Actions Related to Tenant Protection…
Apr 13, 2017
Yesterday, a new research report released by Working Partnerships USA, Cashing In on Renters, found that a family in Silicon Valley now needs to earn $113,040 to afford the average two-bedroom apartment, and that the number of “no cause” evictions has increased by 270 percent in the past five years. In addition, it reveals that large, non-San Jose based landlords…