Local progressives have long advocated (sometimes aggressively) for permanent supportive units for our unhoused neighbors, despite an increasing public outcry that they're inefficient, unsustainable, and even dangerous. Meanwhile, SJ's homeless numbers continue shooting through the roof. The WSJ unpacks how the City of Reno took swift and productive action on homelessness, lowering stats by over half (58%) through a cost-effective quick-build tent.
Read MoreIn a letter featured recently in the Mercury News, Santa Clara's William Ortendahl critiques BART's ever-delayed extension boondoggle to downtown SJ and Santa Clara: it's crazy expensive, pragmatically questionable, and—to complete the lineup—abysmally managed. Read Ortendahl's insights below.
Read MoreAmidst concerns that the transit agency is squandering taxpayer funds on BART's mismanaged and long-delayed extension project, VTA's announced it's been sitting on nearly 100 old, retired, depreciating vehicles and will soon auction them off. Board Chair and SCC Supervisor Cindy Chavez shares her concern with NBC Bay Area: that VTA's “critical window” to sell with high returns is likely gone.
Read MoreIn SV Biz Journal, Assemblymember Alex Lee argues that companies should be limited to buying and renting out 1,000 homes, to keep housing affordable for Bay Areans. Howbeit, Reason's associate editor Christian Britschgi recaps two studies showing that corporate involvement actually safeguards low rent options—and when investors can't manage rental homes, neighborhoods start to “exclude” less wealthy residents. Britschgi's article, and Opp Now exclusive comment, below.
Read MoreGilroy, along with Morgan Hill, is considering passing a Gaza ceasefire resolution (an idea rejected by SJ and Santa Cruz in January). In anticipation of tonight's Council meeting, a concerned Gilroyan (anonymized by request) writes to Mayor Blankley and the six other councilmembers, urging them to avoid “virtue signaling” in lieu of thorough, practical protection for victims of local hate crimes. The letter, in its entirety, reads below.
Read MoreBay Area-raised Anne Gray volunteers with For Californians, focused on restoring Prop 58 parent/child transfer rights that were lost when Proposition 19 passed in 2020. In this Opp Now exclusive, Gray walks us through her Top Five observations about Prop 19: how it works, who's impacted, and where she thinks we're headed.
Read MoreThe Metropolitan Planning Commission's proposed bond, which would dump $10–20 bn across the state for nebulous “affordable housing” purposes, has been criticized by finance and policy professionals for being vague and misguided. Silicon Valley Business Journal recently published effusive laudation of the bond, dubbing it a “vital lifeline”—but gov't finance consultant Tom Rubin begs to differ. His Opp Now exclusive breakdown below.
Read MoreIn light of Monday's antisemitic incident at San Jose State—and SJSU's official acknowledgment on 2.20—Opp Now called up three locals well-versed in issues of free speech and ideological discrimination in higher ed. Insightful comments below from Jay Sures (lone regent voice opposing UC faculty council's pro-Hamas letter), Elizabeth Weiss (whom SJSU tried silencing for her bone reburial views), and Tim Rosenberger, Jr. (then-president of a Stanford student group whose speaker was heckled by students/a dean). Also, Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) Bay Area weighs in. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreFile this one under “things we all should have seen coming”: Many of CA's beloved chain restaurants—including McDonald's, Chipotle, and Jack in the Box—are promising to raise consumers' prices in response to a statewide $4 min wage spike (from $16 to $20/hr). WSJ's Heather Haddon serves up the situation, otiously created by State overreach and proving most harmful to the everyday residents it's meant to help.
Read MoreThanks to disproportionately exploding prison labor wages (by 3x inflation rate), California’s shelling out more than $130,000/yr. per prisoner. CalMatters reports that we can shutter underutilized prisons, we can praise restorative justice programs, but the State has yet to put its money where its mouth is and find the most efficient uses of taxpayer contributions.
Read MoreIt is very likely that CA voters will have the choice of repealing the Costa-Hawkins Act (which exempted certain properties from rent control) this November. Local housing provider Dean Hotop takes the 30,000-foot view, and teases out the core legal and civic issues at play. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreThe local Jewish community was appalled this week when CSU Long Beach Jewish Studies professor Jeffrey Blutinger, on campus to deliver a talk about Middle East peace, was met by an angry crowd screaming “intifada.” Some protesters physically confronted police, shut down the speech, and compelled SJSU to seek law enforcement protection for Dr. Blutinger. In a 2.20 statement, SJSU's president Dr. Cynthia Teniente-Matson below condemns threatening behaviors and rebukes those shutting down “alternative voices.” SJSU is investigating the incident and considering administrative action.
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