In San Jose, the city is facing double deadline pressure. The Bay Area’s largest city has yet to have its housing element certified by the state, though a draft is under review by the housing department.

We strongly encourage the US government to implore Hamas and Israel to do all they can to work toward a cessation of hostilities, protect civilian lives, and facilitate the safe delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza residents. We also expect Hamas and Israel to release hostages and prisoners based on continued negotiations.

The four San Jose City Council candidates invited are:Pamela Campos, Joe Lopez, Lalbabu “Babu” Prasad, Vanessa Sandoval.

The business developer has been actively involved in the revitalization of Willow Glen’s Lincoln Avenue, revamping the Garden Theater and partnering in The Table restaurant, and led the conversion of the former cannery location on Monterey Highway into a shopping center.

The City Manager's Office on Sept. 1 wrote to city council members, saying the new employees contracts will mean minimal service cuts and minimal layoffs, but warned of additional impacts in future years.

Karyn Sinunu-Towery is a former assistant district attorney and victims’ rights advocate with the Northern California Innocence Project.

San Jose will no longer wait for citizen complaints to remove graffiti, junk cars and trash from city streets in downtown and other selected areas.

San Jose Fire Chief Robert Sapien Jr. told City Council members Tuesday that unspecified “appropriate disciplinary action” had been taken and that he considered his investigation of the Oct. 5 incident at The Pink Poodle closed.

The city’s shifting demographics, a continuing affordable housing shortage, endemic homelessness, a looming budget deficit and the reality of five council elections – plus another mayoral ballot – in just two years create additional uncertainties.

Councilmember Kamei was elected to San José City Council last  year with over 60% of the popular vote, representing District 1 in West San José.

When a divided San Jose City Council decided in December to appoint rather than hold an election to fill two vacant seats in 2023, they pledged the process would be 'transparent.' 

Liccardo, a former city councilman, led the Bay Area city through a pandemic, a mass shooting, a homelessness crisis, a horrific flood and more.

Mahan’s new committees including council members, staff and community representatives will center around key issues raised by his mayoral campaign.

Prior to her election to the city council in June, Kamei served as a Morgan Hill planning commissioner, a trustee of the Santa Clara Valley Water district and a member of the Santa Clara County Board of Education.

In a Tuesday interview, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan discussed prioritizing public safety and accelerating housing construction to address the homelessness crisis.

Despite passionate and eloquent pleas from the City Hall audience, the Dec. 5 San Jose City Council decision wasn’t about taxpayers’ money, or voters’ rights. Cash, political power and private conversations not streamed on Zoom won the night.