124 results for author: sf-admin

CBS Local: San Jose Leaders Look to Build ‘Pods,’ ‘Microhouses’ To Shelter the Homeless

By Len Ramirez, KPIX 5 A new idea is taking shape in San Jose to help the down and out get out of tents and doorways and into more sturdy shelters. The idea involves building new neighborhoods for the homeless with shed-sized buildings. The high-end sheds at The Shed Shop in Fremont were never designed to house the homeless. “The most common use is a home office,” said Paul Johnston of The Shed Shop. But with sturdy doors and windows, two-by-four construction, insulation and built-in electrical wiring they could be very livable. “These are made just like a little house would be made,” Johnston said. And that’s the idea ...

Santa Clara County League of Conservation Voters Endorses Sam Liccardo for Mayor

Santa Clara County League of Conservation Voters Endorses Sam Liccardo for Mayor Liccardo Has Led Initiatives to Bring BART to San José, Improve Public Spaces and Promote the Green Economy San José, CA - City Councilman and mayoral candidate Sam Liccardo has been endorsed by the Santa Clara County League of Conservation Voters (SCCLCV) for his leadership on environmental issues. Liccardo has a long history of working to make San José more environmentally-friendly and a better place for families to live and work. “Sam Liccardo has worked hard to bring BART to San José, to improve parks and public spaces and make San José a center of the ...

San José’s Pivotal Moment

By Sam Liccardo Published in the Silicon Valley Business Journal on March 28. For three decades, the Redevelopment Agency invested more than a billion dollars in highways, hotels, high-rises, and headquarters in Downtown San José. In 2011, the California Legislature shut off the spigot, eliminating redevelopment agencies statewide. Dire predictions of doom and gloom emerged about downtown’s future. I publicly predicted the opposite – that Downtown San José could rise from Redevelopment’s ashes. City Hall had to learn to pivot, though – to spur job growth resourcefully, without throwing public money at it. Rather than cut deals, ...

NBC Bay Area: San Jose Examines Placing Homeless Into Vacant Hotels

By Jeane Elle San Jose is one step closer to using unused and vacant hotels and motels as long-term housing for the city's large homeless population. Council members voted Tuesday night to take a closer look at the plan that would help find a solution to helping get the more than 4,500 homeless people off the streets and into shelter. "The idea is to bring in another party who can provide the case management and other services who can be sure we've got a path to success," Councilman Sam Liccardo said. Liccardo is hoping to add kitchettes to about 100 hotel rooms. The plan calls for working with non-profit organizations to lease rooms ...

KTVU: City leaders look to motels to help homeless

By Ann Rubin A persistent shortage of permanent housing in the South Bay has some city leaders looking at a new approach to this old problem. There's an effort underway to tap an underutilized resource: hotels and motels. For the homeless, like Michael Wright, finding a place to stay is nearly impossible. He says there aren't enough shelter beds or apartments willing to take people in. "Right now I'm afraid, afraid to go. I don't know what to do," says Wright. Now the city of San Jose is trying to address the problem. On Tuesday night they voted unanimously to approve a pilot program which would help the homeless find temporary ...

NBC Bay Area: San Jose Adds Downtown Police Officers

By Marianne Favro San Jose police this month started a new program aimed at beefing up its presence in the downtown area. The new downtown foot patrol program places four officers and a sergeant in the area to walk the streets. "Drug dealing, graffiti, prostitution, gang violence, street-level robberies, all things of that nature," San Jose police spokesman Albert Morales said of what officers will be looking out for on patrol. The city council recently voted to allocate $200,000 from the general fund to pay the overtime for officers to patrol the downtown area. "We've been hearing over and over about the difficulty for the thinly-str...

Community policing key to making city safe once again

Printed in The Resident March 14, 2014 What makes a good city great? We can all identify a few favorite ingredients: excellent schools, vibrant neighborhoods, high-wage job opportunities, attractive parks and public spaces, and inviting cultural amenities. In the hierarchy of priorities, though, our residents first need to feel safe in their homes and in their neighborhoods. If we cannot meet this basic need, every other goal falls to a distant second place. As a former criminal prosecutor, I know all too well the ripple effect of a single crime on a community. When we talk about fighting crime, we are also fighting for a stronger economy, ...

La Oferta: Councilmember Sam Liccardo launches candidacy for Mayor of San Jose

Interview by Sharon McElhone Councilmember and mayoral candidate, Sam Liccardo’s roots to Santa Clara County run deep as a third generation member of an immigrant family that settled in the Bay Area. His mother’s side can be traced back to Clara Ortega and John Gilroy and his grandparents owned and operated a grocery store in downtown San Jose. Councilmember Sam Liccardo went on to attend Bellarmine College Prep and Georgetown University before graduating from Harvard Law School with degrees in law and public policy. Before becoming councilmember of District 3, Sam served in the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office as a prosecutor ...

Proud to Receive Endorsement from D10 Democrats

I just got word that I’ve been endorsed by the District 10 (D10) Democrats. I’m proud and honored to receive their support in this campaign. I sat down with them in January and enjoyed the frank conversation we had about the challenges facing San José. I’m committed to working with all residents of this City to improve safety by adding 200 cops to the beat and restoring community policing, while promoting economic development by cutting red tape and filling vacant storefronts. Thank you to the D10 Democrats for this endorsement! Together, we can move San José forward!

Another Step Forward

I filed my paperwork and ballot statement today. Thank you to all of the volunteers, contributors and hosts who have supported the campaign thus far - we’re moving forward together!...