Ben Leech, Executive Director of Preservation Action Council San Jose explains how the current historic preservation process works, and advocates for including a broad discussion of a building's past when considering historic status. An Opportunity Now exclusive interview.
Read MoreIn surprising comments at the March 24 San Jose City Rules meeting, SJ councilmember Sylvia Arenas equated neighborhood efforts to preserve 100-year-old homes on Schiele Avenue in San Jose with racism. Planning Commissioner Pierluigi Oliverio disagrees. {Editors' note: more than 70 years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that race-based property covenants (which had been applied to the Schiele Avenue properties 1920s through 1940s) were unconstitutional and unenforcable.}
Read MoreAs California's tax rate goes ever skyward, and the state's quality of life goes ever downward, guess what happens? People leave. David Bahnsen in National Review parses the grim data about the state's decline and offers a prophecy.
Read MoreA main topic of discussion surrounding education during the pandemic has been the superior performance of charter schools in comparison with district schools. Linda Jacobson explores the data for Los Angeles School Report.
Read MoreMatthew Kah is a leading American educator in the field of environmental economics and the Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Economics and Business at Johns Hopkins University. He recently spoke at a Saurman Provocative Lecture at San Jose State and explored the question of whether or not we are ‘passive victims’ to climate change.
Read MoreWhen only certain viewpoints and heuristic devices are allowed, how can any real diversity be achieved? How can those who risk being cancelled for their thoughts be included? Rozali Telbis explores the inherent problems with Woke Diversity efforts in growingupalienated.com on Medium.
Read MoreMany SJ residents have been surprised at how city staff appears to be publicly advocating for mass upzoning even before the Council votes on the concept. Tobin Gilman of Families and Homes recently wrote the following email to city leaders with his concerns about city staffers failing to stay in the.neutral corner.
Read MoreMichael Brilliot of the SJ Planning Dept recently chided Planning Commissioner Pierluigi Oliverio for saying that San Jose's proposed Opportunity Housing initiative would eliminate single family zoning in the city, even though the initiative would allow up to six units on lots currently zoned for single families. Brilliot publicly said PLO was "inaccurate." Below is the email exchange between Brilliot, Oliverio, and Christopher Escher, Opportunity Now's cofounder, discussing the issue and the definition of single family zoning. The email thread is presented in reverse chronological order (most recent first) for clarity's sake.
Read MoreSolutions San Jose, a new local non profit focused on common sense solutions to local political isues, recently sponsored an online panel of experts exploring why it is safe to reopen local schools, and how to make them ever safer. Dr. Yvonne Maldonado of Stanford University discussed why the most up-to-date science says school reopenings are safe.
Read MoreUnlike other municipalities (see nearby), Oakland is sticking by its decision to dramatically reduce ("defund") police expenditures, and people of color and people of constrained means are bearing the brunt of the decision. Phil Matier reports for the San Francisco Chronicle.
Read MoreWhite families are excluded from the recently announced pilot program because the "Oakland Equity Index" suggests that white households, on average, make more money than black households annually. The 30,000+ white residents of Alameda County living below the federal poverty line could not be reached for comment. Matt Margolis reports for PJ Media.
Read MoreMany California counties and cities rushed to defund their police department after the George Floyd death in Minnesota. As crime and violence soared, many of those municipalities have come to regret those decisions. L.A. County is the latest volte face, as reported by Jarryd Yeager for the PostMillenial.
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