Thanks to the groundbreaking work of new Housing Director Erik Soliván, the SJ Council appears to be (finally) pivoting towards a Shelter First homelessness strategy. But Soliván & team will still have to overcome a lot of false narratives from councilmembers and Housing First advocates alike, as evidenced by CM Pam Foley's comments made while she rejected consideration of congregate shelters at a 2024 Rules Committee meeting. We explore the mistaken assumptions in Foley's anti-shelter statements, below in this Opp Now exclusive.
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D3 candidate Irene Smith and Recovery Education Coalition’s Tom Wolf parse the discouraging data on current local/statewide homelessness approaches—and how they think we can get back on track with interim housing, CARE Court, Prop 36 enforcement, and behavioral codes. All parts consolidated, below, from this Opp Now exclusive.
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Given 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.
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As 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.
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It’s not enough for cities just to privatize their way out of a budget crunch, says Mark Moses, author of The Municipal Financial Crisis. Often “privatization in name only” undercuts any chance for market efficiencies, because heavy regulations persist. And when it comes to public safety, he argues that smarter staffing choices could yield huge savings. An Opp Now exclusive Q&A.
Read MoreCities are not magical entities. They have a limited scope and should move away from services they don’t provide well in the first place. So says Mark Moses, author of The Municipal Financial Crisis, who tells us that recreation, housing, and charitable nonprofits are hindered—not helped—by overambitious city councils. An Opp Now exclusive Q&A.
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CA’n voters made it clear to pols this past November: if you're going to spend our money, first prove you know how to do it. But gov’t doesn’t always follow the logical yellow brick road, as Opp Now contributors analyze below. In this exclusive, hear from CA taxpayer advocates Marc Joffe, Lance Christensen, and Pat Waite—on what they’re watching, expecting, and hoping for in ‘25 (from BART, new taxes, energy costs, and more).
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We gave 14 creative leaders one question: what makes the Valley so distinctive? Turns out, it’s not just the tech, or the cultural diversity—but a shared spirit of optimism, creative innovation, and gettin’ it done. Here’s Part 4. An Opp Now exclusive. Welcome, New Year ‘25.
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There’s a whole lot to love about the Valley of Heart’s Delight: bustling energy, bright discoveries, and the vibrant “buzz” of thinkers working (and failing) and learning together. Hear from more Silicon Valley artists, below. An Opp Now exclusive roundup. Part 3.
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Misleading bond measures. Brazen tax-raising schemes. Nothing new this year as Bay Area voters faced a fusillade of misguided gov't projects targeting our pocketbooks. But this time, we weren't havin' it. Some of the worst offenders (like Prop 5) were rejected outright, suggesting an encouraging local pivot to fiscal conservatism. Here's our first in a series of five Opp Now exclusive takeaways from 2024.
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Historian April Halberstadt whisks us back to Christmas a century ago in her historic San Jose home—when local agriculture was booming, the city rapidly expanding via annexations, and the faith-centered Wright family (living in now-Halberstadt’s home) making their mark on CA politics. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreProperty taxes are uniquely burdensome because they tax homeowners repeatedly for something they already own, says HJTA’s Susan Shelley, who asks why the revenue can’t be limited to property-related services. But as Prop 13 protections are eroded by parcel taxes/bonds, local gov'ts—flush with extra dollars—often spend outside their scope. In this Opp Now exclusive Q&A, Shelley forecasts the next major move to defend Prop 13.
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