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 17, 2017
A bank put a northern California couple through what a U.S. bankruptcy judge called a “Kafkaesque nightmare” that caused them to lose their home and suffer medical problems due to the “brazen and heartless” behavior of bank employees after the family sought a loan modification for their house. A San Bernardino health clinic acted with “malice, fraud and oppression” when…
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 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…
Apr 10, 2017
County of Santa Clara Report on RFP respondents for Santa Clara County Fairgrounds property; Brian Bumb proposing Earthquakes soccer / entertainment complex & public market The County is seeking to improve the County Fairgrounds property, one of the larger contiguous sites in Silicon Valley (approximately 150 acres). The Board will be receiving a report about the results – including individuals…
Apr 7, 2017
Earlier this week, the City of Santa Clara moved one step closer to reaching a $15 minimum wage by 2019. Led by Vice Mayor Dominic Caserta, the City Council voted unanimously to spend 90 days conducting outreach to help determine its schedule of increases. The message from the people in the packed Council Chambers was clear: to reach $15 by…