It's not just a matter of missing some data. Or chasing money. James C. Scott writes in Seeing Like a State that rulers excel at naming, organizing, and coercing problems into a mold that gov't programs can address. But—like nature itself—many local issues, including homelessness, resist bureaucratic categorization; and require more nuanced, on-the-ground solutions than "veni, vidi, vici."
Read MoreRecovery Education Coalition's Tom Wolf and SJ D3 Council candidate Irene Smith predict big results from Proposition 36 (reinstating felony charges for certain property crimes and sometimes mandating drug treatment)—if, you know, our DAs decide to enforce it. More below, in part 3 of an Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreCarl DeMaio of Reform California explains how he took on entrenched interests in San Diego to deliver common sense reform of a corrupt, imperious City Hall regime—and won. From an interview on California Insider.
Read MoreValentine's Day, a holiday tradition tracing back to the 1300s, may equally evoke in us feelings of love and heartbreak. Along that same vein, Secret San Jose's Cassie Kifer—writing below—uncovers some fascinating SJ stories about James Lick, Sarah Lockwood Winchester, and more: about love had, and love lost.
Read MoreBay Area homeless policy advocates Irene Smith and Tom Wolf discuss why they believe CA's extreme Housing First approach (barrier-free Permanent Supportive Housing) harms our homeless neighbors and community. What if local pols pursued “middle ground” solutions instead? Part 2 of an Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreAfter CA Community Colleges adopted a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion mandate for profs in 2023, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) filed suit for six faculty. As FIRE explains, below, CCC just changed their tune—saying they actually won't penalize anyone based on DEI viewpoint. (The lawsuit's been dismissed based on that promise.)
Read MoreGiven ongoing concern about the Bay Area’s failure to reduce homelessness, we sat down with two experts—SJ D3 Council candidate Irene Smith and Recovery Education Coalition's Tom Wolf—for a 4-part interview series. In part 1, they focus on the importance of interim housing and the prospects for large-scale shelters. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreAs SJ Council gears up to figure out how to manage an upcoming $60m budget deficit, Planning Commissioner Pierluigi Oliverio explores the benefits of zero-based budgeting and a tighter focus on evolving citizen priorities. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreJoining a growing chorus of municipal officials from all across the political spectrum, Aurora, Colorado mayor Mike Coffman (who's actually spent time living in homeless encampments) reports what many have been saying for too long: Housing First's orthodoxies exacerbate the inhumanity of the homelessness crisis—and has to go. Perhaps Silicon Valley officials will take note. USA Today reports.
Read MoreCitizens for Fiscal Responsibility's chief Pat Waite offers SJ Council some tips on managing its $60m deficit. Spoiler alert: he recommends putting core services first. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreChatting with The Free Press, SF’s president of the Board of Supes (Rafael Mandelman) says progressives have gotta start prioritizing “basic gov’t services” before auxiliary social justice initiatives. Plus, Mandelman wonders if 2020-era changes—defund the police, anyone?—were even helpful.
Read MoreSJ City Council and Housing Dept recently raised eyebrows by gifting a local nonprofit a cool $5m to "preserve" some older affordable housing in ESJ. Turns out, such a strategy may run counter to Best Practices for cities that want to decrease the overall cost of living and housing. From Local Housing Solutions.
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