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"content": "\n\u003cp>Joshua Carroll entered the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/technology\">tech world\u003c/a> as a “bright-eyed and bushy-tailed” product manager at Microsoft. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I was really excited about the mission of the company,” Carroll said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Now in his late 30s and working as a product manager at Google, the self-identified cat dad said that he kept politics out of the office until 2023 — when Israel launched a full-scale military campaign in Gaza, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11971467/protesting-project-nimbus-what-rights-do-silicon-valley-employees-have\">using Google technology\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There were “things in the industry I wasn’t totally stoked about, but I hadn’t really been super engaged around them as a worker,” Carroll said. After seeing “what Google and Amazon were doing to support the genocide in Gaza,” Carroll said he started trying “to improve the industry and how my work was being used.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1980\" height=\"1374\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2259952730.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12079890\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2259952730.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2259952730-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2259952730-1536x1066.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1980px) 100vw, 1980px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A sign is posted at Google headquarters in Mountain View, California, on Feb. 4, 2026. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He decided to join the Tech Workers Coalition, a group fighting for “better working conditions and a real say in how the technology [they] build impacts our communities and the world,” according to their \u003ca href=\"https://techworkerscoalition.org/bay-area/\">website\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since joining, Carroll said the Bay Area chapter has focused on building “worker consciousness” among tech workers and connecting them to advocacy campaigns around issues that the industry has an impact on — from Flock cameras to artificial intelligence. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For decades, high compensation, strong upward mobility and a culture of individual achievement have helped keep Silicon Valley’s white-collar workers largely detached from organized labor. But as artificial intelligence rapidly changes the nature of technical work, organizers say more tech employees are reconsidering their position in the industry, and following in the footsteps of labor organizers past.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">AI anxieties \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While some tech workers are wondering how they’ll spend their IPO windfalls, others are experiencing all too familiar AI anxieties: Will AI change our jobs? Will it eliminate them? Will it eliminate us all?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Last month, employees at frontier AI labs Anthropic and Google drew widespread attention to AI safety issues by \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/two-ai-researchers-leave-anthropic-google-safety-concerns-rcna597086\">quitting\u003c/a> over concerns that their companies cannot control the technology. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Carroll said he does not discount AI’s existential risk, but he remains more concerned by its “immediate and material harms in terms of labor displacement and social impacts and environmental impacts and surveillance and weaponization — all the things that are happening now.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GavinNewsomGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102341\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GavinNewsomGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GavinNewsomGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GavinNewsomGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at Google’s San Francisco office about “Creating an AI-Ready Workforce,” a new joint effort with some of the world’s leading tech companies to help better prepare California’s students and workers for the next generation of technology, in San Francisco on Aug. 7, 2025. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jeremy Bernick, an Arizona-based attorney and member of the Communications Workers of America, a national union that represents workers at Alphabet and Wikimedia, said they are worried about senior management pushing AI onto junior employees. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“A lot of us are thinking, no, it actually degrades or slows down our work processes,” Bernick said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bernick said there’s some fear that companies will use “token tracking,” a method to see how often each employee uses AI, and other forms of surveillance as part of performance reviews.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As these concerns grew, Bernick said that CWA formed an AI advisory committee and has released an AI bargaining toolkit for workers. In September, white-collar workers at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12092335/staff-of-san-francisco-based-wikipedia-demand-union-recognition-raise-concerns-over-ai\">Wikimedia\u003c/a> voted to form a union, and \u003ca href=\"https://cwa-union.org/news/releases/blizzard-entertainment-workers-ratify-historic-video-game-contracts-cwa\">Blizzard Entertainment\u003c/a> ratified their union contract — both drives have mentioned AI usage. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While many engineers have adopted AI into their workflow, others said that AI makes their previously creative and intellectually stimulating job more rote and less impactful. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1390\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261004_SILICONVALLEYUNION_GC-3-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102878\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261004_SILICONVALLEYUNION_GC-3-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261004_SILICONVALLEYUNION_GC-3-KQED-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261004_SILICONVALLEYUNION_GC-3-KQED-1536x1068.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Joshua Carroll, a tech worker at Google and core organizer of Tech Workers Coalition, poses for a portrait at his home in Oakland on Oct. 4, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We can see how our control and influence over actual product decisions — and the impact on society — is likely to degrade and is degrading,” Carroll said. He described a shift from making decisions to “shoveling data” — where workers are asked to put information into AI systems and let the machines do the rest. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This change in the nature of their work and the rapid advancement of AI models has coincided with massive \u003ca href=\"https://siepr.stanford.edu/publications/policy-brief/what-really-happening-jobs-separating-ai-hype-reality\">restructuring\u003c/a> in the industry. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Already, software companies have laid off tens of thousands of employees, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084655/after-meta-layoffs-newsom-signs-ai-order-to-protect-workers-and-jobs\">citing\u003c/a> a desire to shift spending towards “AI-focused employees and data center construction.” While more employees were laid off in 2023 than 2026, this year saw a rise in layoffs directly attributed to AI, according to \u003ca href=\"https://layoffs.fyi/\">layoffs.fyi\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A 2026 AI Index report from \u003ca href=\"https://hai.stanford.edu/ai-index/2026-ai-index-report\">Stanford University\u003c/a> found that one-third of organizations surveyed anticipate there will be more job reductions in the near future and that employment for entry-level software developers fell 20% from 2024. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think this is the first era in recent memory outside of maybe the ‘70s and ‘80s where there’s been a real, legitimate fear of actual labor displacement,” Bernick said. “Unions are a really good way to combat that.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Political problems\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While some tech workers are organizing to protect their jobs, others are turning to collective bargaining as a way to challenge their company’s political decisions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Alex Samburov, a member of the Alphabet Workers Union, has been organizing the \u003ca href=\"https://www.googlers-against-ice.com/\">Googlers Against ICE Campaign,\u003c/a> which opposes their employer’s partnerships with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The campaign specifically calls out the use of AI by federal agencies for “workforce enablement” and “improving operational efficiency,” among other tools, according to the petition. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Samburov, a Russian immigrant, said he joined Google in 2019 right after the tech giant canceled a contract with the Department of Defense for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11668872/google-employees-quit-in-protest-over-military-artificial-intelligence-program\">Project Maven\u003c/a> — a U.S. program that uses AI to help drones distinguish between people and objects — following pressure from employees. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SILICONVALLEYUNION-05-BL-KQED-42cdf772.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103634\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SILICONVALLEYUNION-05-BL-KQED-42cdf772.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SILICONVALLEYUNION-05-BL-KQED-42cdf772-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SILICONVALLEYUNION-05-BL-KQED-42cdf772-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Alex Samburov, a software engineer at Google, stands at the Google offices in San Francisco on Oct. 8, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That’s the company culture that attracted me to Google,” Samburov said. “Every day I meet more people who care about these issues, meet people who are willing to risk their employment. Some of them are willing to take a risk despite being immigrants like myself.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Samburov said that workers within Google have the most leverage to change the company. He said that creates an obligation to check how the company uses his labor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have seen Google demonstrate that the organization doesn’t care about much else. Users don’t really have leverage in this relationship and American voters don’t seem to have much leverage either,” Samburov said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The campaign reached 1,700 signatures last month and has since been formally endorsed by the union. Google declined to make anyone available to comment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But organizing around these political and ethical questions has become more difficult as layoffs make workers feel more vulnerable, Carroll said. Unions can be helpful here, he said, because they can provide the structure, protections and democratic processes to help workers advocate. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The workers are the ones building and maintaining the internet, AI, social media and everything in-between, Carroll said, but a lot of decisions are being put on them from the top down. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If we can come together to see a different direction … there’s a lot of power there,” Carroll said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Silicon Valley’s long history of resistance to unions \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The idea of tech workers organizing collectively is still unusual in Silicon Valley. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Alphabet Workers Union, one of the most prominent tech unions, represents \u003ca href=\"https://www.alphabetworkersunion.org/faqs\">“over a thousand”\u003c/a> employees out of roughly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091358/4500-google-employees-demand-job-security-amid-big-tech-layoffs\">190,000\u003c/a> employees and is not yet registered with the National Labor Relations Board. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nationally, just 3.7% of workers in “computer and mathematical occupations” are unionized, compared to 10% of workers across other industries according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat42.htm\">Bureau of Labor Statistics\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/GoogleWorkers201207121920.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10638229\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/GoogleWorkers201207121920.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/GoogleWorkers201207121920-400x225.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/GoogleWorkers201207121920-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/GoogleWorkers201207121920-1440x810.jpg 1440w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/GoogleWorkers201207121920-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/GoogleWorkers201207121920-960x540.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Google employees walk around campus on Aug. 10, 2015. (David Paul Morris/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Margaret O’Mara, a historian and author of \u003cem>The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America\u003c/em>, said that disparity has deep roots. Silicon Valley companies gave their white-collar workers incentives to negotiate with management directly, rather than at the bargaining table. And at the same time, Silicon Valley companies developed aggressive strategies for keeping their workplaces union-free. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While U.S. union membership \u003ca href=\"https://home.treasury.gov/news/featured-stories/labor-unions-and-the-us-economy\">peaked\u003c/a> around 1950 — with over 30% of the American workforce carrying a union card at the time — O’Mara said that the management in the Valley was “pretty strongly anti-union.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“From Hewlett-Packard forward, there was an idea that if you had a union in your company, that was a sign that management was doing it wrong,” O’Mara said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Founded in 1939, Hewlett-Packard pioneered some of the systems that keep tech employees aligned with their management even today, O’Mara said, such as stock options. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While stock options, the ability to buy shares of the company at a reduced price, had long been an option for management, HP opened them up and turned them into “a way to deliver employee benefits that was kind of different from the way a standardized, unionized shop would work,” O’Mara said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The relationship between employers and workers was different on the factory floor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>David Bacon, a former engineering technician and union organizer at National Semiconductor, said that the companies were “laboratories for keeping themselves union-free.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They did this by a number of means,” Bacon said, “for instance, ensuring that the production workforce in the semiconductor plants [was] made up of immigrants and a huge majority of women,” who managers could intimidate because they were more “vulnerable.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bacon also said he and other union organizers were fired and blacklisted.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The result was a workplace culture in which unionization could seem unnecessary, or even antithetical to the work, for some and dangerous for others. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Carroll said that talking to his coworkers about unionizing today often involves a lot of education. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He often has to explain to them, he said, that “it would be illegal for the companies to retaliate or discriminate against us for [organizing around working conditions].”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The future of AI workers?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As organizers like Carroll, Bernick and Samburov push for unionization, some experts question whether the current wave of AI and political anxiety will translate into meaningful union drives.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lenny Siegel, former mayor of Mountain View and a longtime activist, said that he does not believe AI alone will push tech workers to unionize. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Unless the AI bubble pops, Siegel said he is “not expecting people [in Silicon Valley] to have trouble negotiating individually for bread and butter issues.” Without the need to collectively bargain, unionization is unlikely — especially given the \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/trump-says-skilled-foreign-workers-take-jobs-away-from-americans-its-not-that-simple-experts-say\">high concentration\u003c/a> of tech employees on H1B visas who risk losing everything if their company decides to retaliate. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1379\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/DonaldTrumpGetty1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066914\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/DonaldTrumpGetty1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/DonaldTrumpGetty1-160x110.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/DonaldTrumpGetty1-1536x1059.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. President Donald Trump displays a signed executive order in the Oval Office of the White House on Dec. 11, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The executive order curbs states’ ability to regulate artificial intelligence, something for which the tech industry has been lobbying. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Siegel does not believe he’ll see software engineers on the picket line anytime soon, he agrees that organizing around political issues will continue.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There have always been progressive tech workers in the Valley,” Siegel said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the ’90s, Siegel belonged to a group called Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, which he described as a “collection of tech professionals who got together and effectively, because of their expertise, had an impact on policy.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The group formed in \u003ca href=\"http://cpsr.org/about/history/\">1981\u003c/a> and opposed the use of computing technology for military applications, including the \u003ca href=\"http://cpsr.org/prevsite/publications/newsletters/old/1980s/Fall1986.txt/\">Strategic Computing Initiative,\u003c/a> an early artificial intelligence project funded by the Department of Defense. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While political engagement among techies may not be new, Carroll said building power within the workplace helps give workers the security they need to speak out. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We need to feel like our jobs are safe in order to feel comfortable working on and talking about some of these other issues,” Carroll said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Carroll, the effort to build solidarity with his coworkers and colleagues across the industry has been worth it, even if it moves slowly. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Labor organizing and trying to directly create power against the people at the top that are making a lot of the decisions is one of the most impactful things that we can be doing,” Carroll said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Now in his late 30s and working as a product manager at Google, the self-identified cat dad said that he kept politics out of the office until 2023 — when Israel launched a full-scale military campaign in Gaza, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11971467/protesting-project-nimbus-what-rights-do-silicon-valley-employees-have\">using Google technology\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Now in his late 30s and working as a product manager at Google, the self-identified cat dad said that he kept politics out of the office until 2023 — when Israel launched a full-scale military campaign in Gaza, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11971467/protesting-project-nimbus-what-rights-do-silicon-valley-employees-have\">using Google technology\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There were “things in the industry I wasn’t totally stoked about, but I hadn’t really been super engaged around them as a worker,” Carroll said. After seeing “what Google and Amazon were doing to support the genocide in Gaza,” Carroll said he started trying “to improve the industry and how my work was being used.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>There were “things in the industry I wasn’t totally stoked about, but I hadn’t really been super engaged around them as a worker,” Carroll said. After seeing “what Google and Amazon were doing to support the genocide in Gaza,” Carroll said he started trying “to improve the industry and how my work was being used.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2259952730.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12079890\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A sign is posted at Google headquarters in Mountain View, California, on Feb. 4, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He decided to join the Tech Workers Coalition, a group fighting for “better working conditions and a real say in how the technology [they] build impacts our communities and the world,” according to their \u003ca href=\"https://techworkerscoalition.org/bay-area/\">website\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Since joining, Carroll said the Bay Area chapter has focused on building “worker consciousness” among tech workers and connecting them to advocacy campaigns around issues that the industry has an impact on — from Flock cameras to artificial intelligence. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Since joining, Carroll said the Bay Area chapter has focused on building “worker consciousness” among tech workers and connecting them to advocacy campaigns around issues that the industry has an impact on — from Flock cameras to artificial intelligence. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For decades, high compensation, strong upward mobility and a culture of individual achievement have helped keep Silicon Valley’s white-collar workers largely detached from organized labor. But as artificial intelligence rapidly changes the nature of technical work, organizers say more tech employees are reconsidering their position in the industry, and following in the footsteps of labor organizers past.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For decades, high compensation, strong upward mobility and a culture of individual achievement have helped keep Silicon Valley’s white-collar workers largely detached from organized labor. But as artificial intelligence rapidly changes the nature of technical work, organizers say more tech employees are reconsidering their position in the industry, and following in the footsteps of labor organizers past.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While some tech workers are wondering how they’ll spend their IPO windfalls, others are experiencing all too familiar AI anxieties: Will AI change our jobs? Will it eliminate them? Will it eliminate us all?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While some tech workers are wondering how they’ll spend their IPO windfalls, others are experiencing all too familiar AI anxieties: Will AI change our jobs? Will it eliminate them? Will it eliminate us all?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Last month, employees at frontier AI labs Anthropic and Google drew widespread attention to AI safety issues by \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/two-ai-researchers-leave-anthropic-google-safety-concerns-rcna597086\">quitting\u003c/a> over concerns that their companies cannot control the technology. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Last month, employees at frontier AI labs Anthropic and Google drew widespread attention to AI safety issues by \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/two-ai-researchers-leave-anthropic-google-safety-concerns-rcna597086\">quitting\u003c/a> over concerns that their companies cannot control the technology. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Carroll said he does not discount AI’s existential risk, but he remains more concerned by its “immediate and material harms in terms of labor displacement and social impacts and environmental impacts and surveillance and weaponization — all the things that are happening now.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Carroll said he does not discount AI’s existential risk, but he remains more concerned by its “immediate and material harms in terms of labor displacement and social impacts and environmental impacts and surveillance and weaponization — all the things that are happening now.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GavinNewsomGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102341\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GavinNewsomGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GavinNewsomGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GavinNewsomGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at Google’s San Francisco office about “Creating an AI-Ready Workforce,” a new joint effort with some of the world’s leading tech companies to help better prepare California’s students and workers for the next generation of technology, in San Francisco on Aug. 7, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jeremy Bernick, an Arizona-based attorney and member of the Communications Workers of America, a national union that represents workers at Alphabet and Wikimedia, said they are worried about senior management pushing AI onto junior employees. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Jeremy Bernick, an Arizona-based attorney and member of the Communications Workers of America, a national union that represents workers at Alphabet and Wikimedia, said they are worried about senior management pushing AI onto junior employees. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“A lot of us are thinking, no, it actually degrades or slows down our work processes,” Bernick said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bernick said there’s some fear that companies will use “token tracking,” a method to see how often each employee uses AI, and other forms of surveillance as part of performance reviews.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Bernick said there’s some fear that companies will use “token tracking,” a method to see how often each employee uses AI, and other forms of surveillance as part of performance reviews.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As these concerns grew, Bernick said that CWA formed an AI advisory committee and has released an AI bargaining toolkit for workers. In September, white-collar workers at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12092335/staff-of-san-francisco-based-wikipedia-demand-union-recognition-raise-concerns-over-ai\">Wikimedia\u003c/a> voted to form a union, and \u003ca href=\"https://cwa-union.org/news/releases/blizzard-entertainment-workers-ratify-historic-video-game-contracts-cwa\">Blizzard Entertainment\u003c/a> ratified their union contract — both drives have mentioned AI usage. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As these concerns grew, Bernick said that CWA formed an AI advisory committee and has released an AI bargaining toolkit for workers. In September, white-collar workers at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12092335/staff-of-san-francisco-based-wikipedia-demand-union-recognition-raise-concerns-over-ai\">Wikimedia\u003c/a> voted to form a union, and \u003ca href=\"https://cwa-union.org/news/releases/blizzard-entertainment-workers-ratify-historic-video-game-contracts-cwa\">Blizzard Entertainment\u003c/a> ratified their union contract — both drives have mentioned AI usage. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While many engineers have adopted AI into their workflow, others said that AI makes their previously creative and intellectually stimulating job more rote and less impactful. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While many engineers have adopted AI into their workflow, others said that AI makes their previously creative and intellectually stimulating job more rote and less impactful. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261004_SILICONVALLEYUNION_GC-3-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102878\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261004_SILICONVALLEYUNION_GC-3-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261004_SILICONVALLEYUNION_GC-3-KQED-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261004_SILICONVALLEYUNION_GC-3-KQED-1536x1068.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Joshua Carroll, a tech worker at Google and core organizer of Tech Workers Coalition, poses for a portrait at his home in Oakland on Oct. 4, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261004_SILICONVALLEYUNION_GC-3-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102878\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Joshua Carroll, a tech worker at Google and core organizer of Tech Workers Coalition, poses for a portrait at his home in Oakland on Oct. 4, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We can see how our control and influence over actual product decisions — and the impact on society — is likely to degrade and is degrading,” Carroll said. He described a shift from making decisions to “shoveling data” — where workers are asked to put information into AI systems and let the machines do the rest. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This change in the nature of their work and the rapid advancement of AI models has coincided with massive \u003ca href=\"https://siepr.stanford.edu/publications/policy-brief/what-really-happening-jobs-separating-ai-hype-reality\">restructuring\u003c/a> in the industry. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Already, software companies have laid off tens of thousands of employees, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084655/after-meta-layoffs-newsom-signs-ai-order-to-protect-workers-and-jobs\">citing\u003c/a> a desire to shift spending towards “AI-focused employees and data center construction.” While more employees were laid off in 2023 than 2026, this year saw a rise in layoffs directly attributed to AI, according to \u003ca href=\"https://layoffs.fyi/\">layoffs.fyi\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Already, software companies have laid off tens of thousands of employees, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084655/after-meta-layoffs-newsom-signs-ai-order-to-protect-workers-and-jobs\">citing\u003c/a> a desire to shift spending towards “AI-focused employees and data center construction.” While more employees were laid off in 2023 than 2026, this year saw a rise in layoffs directly attributed to AI, according to \u003ca href=\"https://layoffs.fyi/\">layoffs.fyi\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A 2026 AI Index report from \u003ca href=\"https://hai.stanford.edu/ai-index/2026-ai-index-report\">Stanford University\u003c/a> found that one-third of organizations surveyed anticipate there will be more job reductions in the near future and that employment for entry-level software developers fell 20% from 2024. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I think this is the first era in recent memory outside of maybe the ‘70s and ‘80s where there’s been a real, legitimate fear of actual labor displacement,” Bernick said. “Unions are a really good way to combat that.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While some tech workers are organizing to protect their jobs, others are turning to collective bargaining as a way to challenge their company’s political decisions. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Alex Samburov, a member of the Alphabet Workers Union, has been organizing the \u003ca href=\"https://www.googlers-against-ice.com/\">Googlers Against ICE Campaign,\u003c/a> which opposes their employer’s partnerships with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The campaign specifically calls out the use of AI by federal agencies for “workforce enablement” and “improving operational efficiency,” among other tools, according to the petition. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Alex Samburov, a member of the Alphabet Workers Union, has been organizing the \u003ca href=\"https://www.googlers-against-ice.com/\">Googlers Against ICE Campaign,\u003c/a> which opposes their employer’s partnerships with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The campaign specifically calls out the use of AI by federal agencies for “workforce enablement” and “improving operational efficiency,” among other tools, according to the petition. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Samburov, a Russian immigrant, said he joined Google in 2019 right after the tech giant canceled a contract with the Department of Defense for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11668872/google-employees-quit-in-protest-over-military-artificial-intelligence-program\">Project Maven\u003c/a> — a U.S. program that uses AI to help drones distinguish between people and objects — following pressure from employees. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SILICONVALLEYUNION-05-BL-KQED-42cdf772.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103634\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SILICONVALLEYUNION-05-BL-KQED-42cdf772.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SILICONVALLEYUNION-05-BL-KQED-42cdf772-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SILICONVALLEYUNION-05-BL-KQED-42cdf772-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Alex Samburov, a software engineer at Google, stands at the Google offices in San Francisco on Oct. 8, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SILICONVALLEYUNION-05-BL-KQED-42cdf772.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103634\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Alex Samburov, a software engineer at Google, stands at the Google offices in San Francisco on Oct. 8, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“That’s the company culture that attracted me to Google,” Samburov said. “Every day I meet more people who care about these issues, meet people who are willing to risk their employment. Some of them are willing to take a risk despite being immigrants like myself.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Samburov said that workers within Google have the most leverage to change the company. He said that creates an obligation to check how the company uses his labor. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We have seen Google demonstrate that the organization doesn’t care about much else. Users don’t really have leverage in this relationship and American voters don’t seem to have much leverage either,” Samburov said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We have seen Google demonstrate that the organization doesn’t care about much else. Users don’t really have leverage in this relationship and American voters don’t seem to have much leverage either,” Samburov said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The campaign reached 1,700 signatures last month and has since been formally endorsed by the union. Google declined to make anyone available to comment. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But organizing around these political and ethical questions has become more difficult as layoffs make workers feel more vulnerable, Carroll said. Unions can be helpful here, he said, because they can provide the structure, protections and democratic processes to help workers advocate. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But organizing around these political and ethical questions has become more difficult as layoffs make workers feel more vulnerable, Carroll said. Unions can be helpful here, he said, because they can provide the structure, protections and democratic processes to help workers advocate. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The workers are the ones building and maintaining the internet, AI, social media and everything in-between, Carroll said, but a lot of decisions are being put on them from the top down. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If we can come together to see a different direction … there’s a lot of power there,” Carroll said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "Silicon Valley’s long history of resistance to unions ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The idea of tech workers organizing collectively is still unusual in Silicon Valley. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Alphabet Workers Union, one of the most prominent tech unions, represents \u003ca href=\"https://www.alphabetworkersunion.org/faqs\">“over a thousand”\u003c/a> employees out of roughly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091358/4500-google-employees-demand-job-security-amid-big-tech-layoffs\">190,000\u003c/a> employees and is not yet registered with the National Labor Relations Board. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Alphabet Workers Union, one of the most prominent tech unions, represents \u003ca href=\"https://www.alphabetworkersunion.org/faqs\">“over a thousand”\u003c/a> employees out of roughly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091358/4500-google-employees-demand-job-security-amid-big-tech-layoffs\">190,000\u003c/a> employees and is not yet registered with the National Labor Relations Board. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Nationally, just 3.7% of workers in “computer and mathematical occupations” are unionized, compared to 10% of workers across other industries according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat42.htm\">Bureau of Labor Statistics\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Nationally, just 3.7% of workers in “computer and mathematical occupations” are unionized, compared to 10% of workers across other industries according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat42.htm\">Bureau of Labor Statistics\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/GoogleWorkers201207121920.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10638229\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/GoogleWorkers201207121920.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/GoogleWorkers201207121920-400x225.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/GoogleWorkers201207121920-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/GoogleWorkers201207121920-1440x810.jpg 1440w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/GoogleWorkers201207121920-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/GoogleWorkers201207121920-960x540.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Google employees walk around campus on Aug. 10, 2015.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (David Paul Morris/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Margaret O’Mara, a historian and author of \u003cem>The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America\u003c/em>, said that disparity has deep roots. Silicon Valley companies gave their white-collar workers incentives to negotiate with management directly, rather than at the bargaining table. And at the same time, Silicon Valley companies developed aggressive strategies for keeping their workplaces union-free. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While U.S. union membership \u003ca href=\"https://home.treasury.gov/news/featured-stories/labor-unions-and-the-us-economy\">peaked\u003c/a> around 1950 — with over 30% of the American workforce carrying a union card at the time — O’Mara said that the management in the Valley was “pretty strongly anti-union.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“From Hewlett-Packard forward, there was an idea that if you had a union in your company, that was a sign that management was doing it wrong,” O’Mara said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Founded in 1939, Hewlett-Packard pioneered some of the systems that keep tech employees aligned with their management even today, O’Mara said, such as stock options. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While stock options, the ability to buy shares of the company at a reduced price, had long been an option for management, HP opened them up and turned them into “a way to deliver employee benefits that was kind of different from the way a standardized, unionized shop would work,” O’Mara said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The relationship between employers and workers was different on the factory floor.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>David Bacon, a former engineering technician and union organizer at National Semiconductor, said that the companies were “laboratories for keeping themselves union-free.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They did this by a number of means,” Bacon said, “for instance, ensuring that the production workforce in the semiconductor plants [was] made up of immigrants and a huge majority of women,” who managers could intimidate because they were more “vulnerable.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bacon also said he and other union organizers were fired and blacklisted.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The result was a workplace culture in which unionization could seem unnecessary, or even antithetical to the work, for some and dangerous for others. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Carroll said that talking to his coworkers about unionizing today often involves a lot of education. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He often has to explain to them, he said, that “it would be illegal for the companies to retaliate or discriminate against us for [organizing around working conditions].”\u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "The future of AI workers?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The future of AI workers?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As organizers like Carroll, Bernick and Samburov push for unionization, some experts question whether the current wave of AI and political anxiety will translate into meaningful union drives.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lenny Siegel, former mayor of Mountain View and a longtime activist, said that he does not believe AI alone will push tech workers to unionize. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Unless the AI bubble pops, Siegel said he is “not expecting people [in Silicon Valley] to have trouble negotiating individually for bread and butter issues.” Without the need to collectively bargain, unionization is unlikely — especially given the \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/trump-says-skilled-foreign-workers-take-jobs-away-from-americans-its-not-that-simple-experts-say\">high concentration\u003c/a> of tech employees on H1B visas who risk losing everything if their company decides to retaliate. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While Siegel does not believe he’ll see software engineers on the picket line anytime soon, he agrees that organizing around political issues will continue.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There have always been progressive tech workers in the Valley,” Siegel said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the ’90s, Siegel belonged to a group called Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, which he described as a “collection of tech professionals who got together and effectively, because of their expertise, had an impact on policy.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The group formed in \u003ca href=\"http://cpsr.org/about/history/\">1981\u003c/a> and opposed the use of computing technology for military applications, including the \u003ca href=\"http://cpsr.org/prevsite/publications/newsletters/old/1980s/Fall1986.txt/\">Strategic Computing Initiative,\u003c/a> an early artificial intelligence project funded by the Department of Defense. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The group formed in \u003ca href=\"http://cpsr.org/about/history/\">1981\u003c/a> and opposed the use of computing technology for military applications, including the \u003ca href=\"http://cpsr.org/prevsite/publications/newsletters/old/1980s/Fall1986.txt/\">Strategic Computing Initiative,\u003c/a> an early artificial intelligence project funded by the Department of Defense. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While political engagement among techies may not be new, Carroll said building power within the workplace helps give workers the security they need to speak out. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We need to feel like our jobs are safe in order to feel comfortable working on and talking about some of these other issues,” Carroll said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Joshua Carroll entered the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/technology\">tech world\u003c/a> as a “bright-eyed and bushy-tailed” product manager at Microsoft. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I was really excited about the mission of the company,” Carroll said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Now in his late 30s and working as a product manager at Google, the self-identified cat dad said that he kept politics out of the office until 2023 — when Israel launched a full-scale military campaign in Gaza, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11971467/protesting-project-nimbus-what-rights-do-silicon-valley-employees-have\">using Google technology\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There were “things in the industry I wasn’t totally stoked about, but I hadn’t really been super engaged around them as a worker,” Carroll said. After seeing “what Google and Amazon were doing to support the genocide in Gaza,” Carroll said he started trying “to improve the industry and how my work was being used.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1980\" height=\"1374\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2259952730.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12079890\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2259952730.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2259952730-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2259952730-1536x1066.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1980px) 100vw, 1980px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A sign is posted at Google headquarters in Mountain View, California, on Feb. 4, 2026. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He decided to join the Tech Workers Coalition, a group fighting for “better working conditions and a real say in how the technology [they] build impacts our communities and the world,” according to their \u003ca href=\"https://techworkerscoalition.org/bay-area/\">website\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since joining, Carroll said the Bay Area chapter has focused on building “worker consciousness” among tech workers and connecting them to advocacy campaigns around issues that the industry has an impact on — from Flock cameras to artificial intelligence. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For decades, high compensation, strong upward mobility and a culture of individual achievement have helped keep Silicon Valley’s white-collar workers largely detached from organized labor. But as artificial intelligence rapidly changes the nature of technical work, organizers say more tech employees are reconsidering their position in the industry, and following in the footsteps of labor organizers past.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">AI anxieties \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While some tech workers are wondering how they’ll spend their IPO windfalls, others are experiencing all too familiar AI anxieties: Will AI change our jobs? Will it eliminate them? Will it eliminate us all?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Last month, employees at frontier AI labs Anthropic and Google drew widespread attention to AI safety issues by \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/two-ai-researchers-leave-anthropic-google-safety-concerns-rcna597086\">quitting\u003c/a> over concerns that their companies cannot control the technology. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Carroll said he does not discount AI’s existential risk, but he remains more concerned by its “immediate and material harms in terms of labor displacement and social impacts and environmental impacts and surveillance and weaponization — all the things that are happening now.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GavinNewsomGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102341\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GavinNewsomGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GavinNewsomGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GavinNewsomGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at Google’s San Francisco office about “Creating an AI-Ready Workforce,” a new joint effort with some of the world’s leading tech companies to help better prepare California’s students and workers for the next generation of technology, in San Francisco on Aug. 7, 2025. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jeremy Bernick, an Arizona-based attorney and member of the Communications Workers of America, a national union that represents workers at Alphabet and Wikimedia, said they are worried about senior management pushing AI onto junior employees. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“A lot of us are thinking, no, it actually degrades or slows down our work processes,” Bernick said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bernick said there’s some fear that companies will use “token tracking,” a method to see how often each employee uses AI, and other forms of surveillance as part of performance reviews.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As these concerns grew, Bernick said that CWA formed an AI advisory committee and has released an AI bargaining toolkit for workers. In September, white-collar workers at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12092335/staff-of-san-francisco-based-wikipedia-demand-union-recognition-raise-concerns-over-ai\">Wikimedia\u003c/a> voted to form a union, and \u003ca href=\"https://cwa-union.org/news/releases/blizzard-entertainment-workers-ratify-historic-video-game-contracts-cwa\">Blizzard Entertainment\u003c/a> ratified their union contract — both drives have mentioned AI usage. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While many engineers have adopted AI into their workflow, others said that AI makes their previously creative and intellectually stimulating job more rote and less impactful. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1390\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261004_SILICONVALLEYUNION_GC-3-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102878\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261004_SILICONVALLEYUNION_GC-3-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261004_SILICONVALLEYUNION_GC-3-KQED-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261004_SILICONVALLEYUNION_GC-3-KQED-1536x1068.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Joshua Carroll, a tech worker at Google and core organizer of Tech Workers Coalition, poses for a portrait at his home in Oakland on Oct. 4, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We can see how our control and influence over actual product decisions — and the impact on society — is likely to degrade and is degrading,” Carroll said. He described a shift from making decisions to “shoveling data” — where workers are asked to put information into AI systems and let the machines do the rest. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This change in the nature of their work and the rapid advancement of AI models has coincided with massive \u003ca href=\"https://siepr.stanford.edu/publications/policy-brief/what-really-happening-jobs-separating-ai-hype-reality\">restructuring\u003c/a> in the industry. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Already, software companies have laid off tens of thousands of employees, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084655/after-meta-layoffs-newsom-signs-ai-order-to-protect-workers-and-jobs\">citing\u003c/a> a desire to shift spending towards “AI-focused employees and data center construction.” While more employees were laid off in 2023 than 2026, this year saw a rise in layoffs directly attributed to AI, according to \u003ca href=\"https://layoffs.fyi/\">layoffs.fyi\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A 2026 AI Index report from \u003ca href=\"https://hai.stanford.edu/ai-index/2026-ai-index-report\">Stanford University\u003c/a> found that one-third of organizations surveyed anticipate there will be more job reductions in the near future and that employment for entry-level software developers fell 20% from 2024. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think this is the first era in recent memory outside of maybe the ‘70s and ‘80s where there’s been a real, legitimate fear of actual labor displacement,” Bernick said. “Unions are a really good way to combat that.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Political problems\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While some tech workers are organizing to protect their jobs, others are turning to collective bargaining as a way to challenge their company’s political decisions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Alex Samburov, a member of the Alphabet Workers Union, has been organizing the \u003ca href=\"https://www.googlers-against-ice.com/\">Googlers Against ICE Campaign,\u003c/a> which opposes their employer’s partnerships with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The campaign specifically calls out the use of AI by federal agencies for “workforce enablement” and “improving operational efficiency,” among other tools, according to the petition. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Samburov, a Russian immigrant, said he joined Google in 2019 right after the tech giant canceled a contract with the Department of Defense for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11668872/google-employees-quit-in-protest-over-military-artificial-intelligence-program\">Project Maven\u003c/a> — a U.S. program that uses AI to help drones distinguish between people and objects — following pressure from employees. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SILICONVALLEYUNION-05-BL-KQED-42cdf772.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103634\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SILICONVALLEYUNION-05-BL-KQED-42cdf772.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SILICONVALLEYUNION-05-BL-KQED-42cdf772-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SILICONVALLEYUNION-05-BL-KQED-42cdf772-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Alex Samburov, a software engineer at Google, stands at the Google offices in San Francisco on Oct. 8, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That’s the company culture that attracted me to Google,” Samburov said. “Every day I meet more people who care about these issues, meet people who are willing to risk their employment. Some of them are willing to take a risk despite being immigrants like myself.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Samburov said that workers within Google have the most leverage to change the company. He said that creates an obligation to check how the company uses his labor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have seen Google demonstrate that the organization doesn’t care about much else. Users don’t really have leverage in this relationship and American voters don’t seem to have much leverage either,” Samburov said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The campaign reached 1,700 signatures last month and has since been formally endorsed by the union. Google declined to make anyone available to comment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But organizing around these political and ethical questions has become more difficult as layoffs make workers feel more vulnerable, Carroll said. Unions can be helpful here, he said, because they can provide the structure, protections and democratic processes to help workers advocate. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The workers are the ones building and maintaining the internet, AI, social media and everything in-between, Carroll said, but a lot of decisions are being put on them from the top down. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If we can come together to see a different direction … there’s a lot of power there,” Carroll said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Silicon Valley’s long history of resistance to unions \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The idea of tech workers organizing collectively is still unusual in Silicon Valley. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Alphabet Workers Union, one of the most prominent tech unions, represents \u003ca href=\"https://www.alphabetworkersunion.org/faqs\">“over a thousand”\u003c/a> employees out of roughly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091358/4500-google-employees-demand-job-security-amid-big-tech-layoffs\">190,000\u003c/a> employees and is not yet registered with the National Labor Relations Board. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nationally, just 3.7% of workers in “computer and mathematical occupations” are unionized, compared to 10% of workers across other industries according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat42.htm\">Bureau of Labor Statistics\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/GoogleWorkers201207121920.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10638229\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/GoogleWorkers201207121920.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/GoogleWorkers201207121920-400x225.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/GoogleWorkers201207121920-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/GoogleWorkers201207121920-1440x810.jpg 1440w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/GoogleWorkers201207121920-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/GoogleWorkers201207121920-960x540.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Google employees walk around campus on Aug. 10, 2015. (David Paul Morris/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Margaret O’Mara, a historian and author of \u003cem>The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America\u003c/em>, said that disparity has deep roots. Silicon Valley companies gave their white-collar workers incentives to negotiate with management directly, rather than at the bargaining table. And at the same time, Silicon Valley companies developed aggressive strategies for keeping their workplaces union-free. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While U.S. union membership \u003ca href=\"https://home.treasury.gov/news/featured-stories/labor-unions-and-the-us-economy\">peaked\u003c/a> around 1950 — with over 30% of the American workforce carrying a union card at the time — O’Mara said that the management in the Valley was “pretty strongly anti-union.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“From Hewlett-Packard forward, there was an idea that if you had a union in your company, that was a sign that management was doing it wrong,” O’Mara said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Founded in 1939, Hewlett-Packard pioneered some of the systems that keep tech employees aligned with their management even today, O’Mara said, such as stock options. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While stock options, the ability to buy shares of the company at a reduced price, had long been an option for management, HP opened them up and turned them into “a way to deliver employee benefits that was kind of different from the way a standardized, unionized shop would work,” O’Mara said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The relationship between employers and workers was different on the factory floor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>David Bacon, a former engineering technician and union organizer at National Semiconductor, said that the companies were “laboratories for keeping themselves union-free.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They did this by a number of means,” Bacon said, “for instance, ensuring that the production workforce in the semiconductor plants [was] made up of immigrants and a huge majority of women,” who managers could intimidate because they were more “vulnerable.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bacon also said he and other union organizers were fired and blacklisted.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The result was a workplace culture in which unionization could seem unnecessary, or even antithetical to the work, for some and dangerous for others. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Carroll said that talking to his coworkers about unionizing today often involves a lot of education. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He often has to explain to them, he said, that “it would be illegal for the companies to retaliate or discriminate against us for [organizing around working conditions].”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The future of AI workers?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As organizers like Carroll, Bernick and Samburov push for unionization, some experts question whether the current wave of AI and political anxiety will translate into meaningful union drives.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lenny Siegel, former mayor of Mountain View and a longtime activist, said that he does not believe AI alone will push tech workers to unionize. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Unless the AI bubble pops, Siegel said he is “not expecting people [in Silicon Valley] to have trouble negotiating individually for bread and butter issues.” Without the need to collectively bargain, unionization is unlikely — especially given the \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/trump-says-skilled-foreign-workers-take-jobs-away-from-americans-its-not-that-simple-experts-say\">high concentration\u003c/a> of tech employees on H1B visas who risk losing everything if their company decides to retaliate. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1379\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/DonaldTrumpGetty1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066914\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/DonaldTrumpGetty1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/DonaldTrumpGetty1-160x110.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/DonaldTrumpGetty1-1536x1059.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. President Donald Trump displays a signed executive order in the Oval Office of the White House on Dec. 11, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The executive order curbs states’ ability to regulate artificial intelligence, something for which the tech industry has been lobbying. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Siegel does not believe he’ll see software engineers on the picket line anytime soon, he agrees that organizing around political issues will continue.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There have always been progressive tech workers in the Valley,” Siegel said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the ’90s, Siegel belonged to a group called Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, which he described as a “collection of tech professionals who got together and effectively, because of their expertise, had an impact on policy.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The group formed in \u003ca href=\"http://cpsr.org/about/history/\">1981\u003c/a> and opposed the use of computing technology for military applications, including the \u003ca href=\"http://cpsr.org/prevsite/publications/newsletters/old/1980s/Fall1986.txt/\">Strategic Computing Initiative,\u003c/a> an early artificial intelligence project funded by the Department of Defense. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While political engagement among techies may not be new, Carroll said building power within the workplace helps give workers the security they need to speak out. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We need to feel like our jobs are safe in order to feel comfortable working on and talking about some of these other issues,” Carroll said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Carroll, the effort to build solidarity with his coworkers and colleagues across the industry has been worth it, even if it moves slowly. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Labor organizing and trying to directly create power against the people at the top that are making a lot of the decisions is one of the most impactful things that we can be doing,” Carroll said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "santa-clara-californias-capital-of-data-centers-weighs-more-regulations",
"title": "Santa Clara, California’s Capital of Data Centers, Weighs More Regulations",
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"headTitle": "Santa Clara, California’s Capital of Data Centers, Weighs More Regulations | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>As controversy over \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099195/full-on-backlash-against-data-centers-occurring-as-san-jose-courts-them\">data centers\u003c/a> swells in communities around the Bay Area and the nation, Santa Clara leaders are pushing to beef up the city’s regulations and standards for future data center development.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an hourslong and at times tense discussion that began Tuesday night and stretched to nearly 1 a.m. Wednesday, the Santa Clara City Council directed city staff to prioritize tightening air pollution and water use regulations for new data centers in the city as they take a more comprehensive look at all city policies related to data centers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The midsize Silicon Valley city of 130,000 people has quietly become the data center capital of California, in large part thanks to its own electric utility, Silicon Valley Power, which sells watts at much lower prices than PG&E. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Blue trucks with 'pg and e' logo on them sit parked in a lot with the white and black blurry pattern of a fence in the foreground\" class=\"wp-image-11943199\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">PG&E trucks sit inside a Mission District facility owned by the utility. (Sheraz Sadiq/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Santa Clara has nearly 60 data centers currently, generating about $35 million in revenue for the city last year. The money, which comes from electricity payments and property and sales taxes, accounts for almost 10% of the city’s general fund, or nearly enough to cover the entire annual budget for its Parks & Recreation and Library departments combined, according to city staff. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city already requires data centers built after December 2022 to use the equivalent of carbon-neutral power, through purchasing offsets, encourages the use of recycled water and asks developers to expand recycled water infrastructure during buildouts, city staff said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But some council members aren’t sure the city should continue permitting the structures, as they weighed out financial benefits against concerns over pollution from generators, water use, artificial intelligence and the need to expand the city’s maxed-out grid. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Councilmember Karen Hardy, who is running for mayor, said after reading a staff report about the city’s current data center regulations, she feels the city has taken a “loosey-goosey” approach to handling development of the hulking facilities, and is proposing a temporary moratorium. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve been happy about data centers in the past, but now I am uncomfortable with some of the realities that we’ve looked at and some of realities we have uncovered by the questions we have asked,” Hardy said at the meeting. “We need to put the brakes on all of this until we have done the work and have something that we can present to our residents to make certain they understand that we are protecting their water and their air quality.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The council’s discussion took place on the same night leaders of San Francisco and Oakland each approved temporary moratoriums against data centers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Councilmember Suds Jain, citing a previously approved application for a data center in the city that would use only about two homes’ worth of water a year for backup cooling, said the city should set much more stringent water use requirements and put similar limits on the books fast, even if it means adopting them one at a time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We need to have these guardrails in place to protect our residents,” he said. “Why are we waiting so long?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>City staff suggested the targets touted in that project’s environmental impact documents may not actually be achievable in the field, or by other data centers, which frustrated Jain. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“But that’s their [Environmental Impact Report]. So if they violate the EIR, what do we do?” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Santa Clara is already in a holding pattern of sorts for data centers, as the city stopped accepting power hookup applications from data center developers in 2023 because Silicon Valley Power could not provide any more electricity to large users. The utility is in the midst of a $450 million power infrastructure upgrade, including receiving station changes and battery storage projects, which isn’t expected to be fully complete until 2030. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>However, the pause on powering up new data centers is not the same as a complete moratorium, city staff said. While the city’s power company will not accept new applications for data centers, a developer could still apply for and seek land use entitlements from the city to prepare for a future data center, staff told the council. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102826\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">One of CoreSite’s data centers in Santa Clara is seen on Stender Way Oct. 2, 2026. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There are two previously approved data centers under construction currently, and eight more in the pipeline that were approved for power hookups before the 2023 cutoff, which are awaiting electricity from the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ratepayers have seen several increases in power rates, and Councilmember Kevin Park, also running for mayor, estimated costs have ballooned nearly 60% over the past several years, though City Manager Jōvan Grogan said the city still charges 58% less than PG&E. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About 54% of Santa Clara’s power is used by data centers, and about 95% of the power in the city is consumed by commercial and industrial customers overall, according to the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Let’s be honest, the residents aren’t the reason why we need to build the new infrastructure,” Park said. “I don’t think the residents should be on the hook for any of that cost. If we’re going to put in requirements, the requirements should be data center developers; they pay their way,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Park broadly questioned the benefit of having more data centers in the city, and called the estimated $4 million in affordable housing funds the city has received from data center developers since 2019 “rookie numbers” that were the equivalent of “throwing bricks into the Grand Canyon.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said the question of whether the city should continue to pursue more data center development should be put to a vote of residents, and also backed the idea of a moratorium until more regulation is in place around generative AI.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Let’s give the people a voice in this matter. Do we want more data centers?” he said. “We’re doing this for AI … We’re doing it for a technology that has no guardrails.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>City staff is planning to bring back a wholesale look at data center regulations by summer or fall of next year, but the council asked that proposals for water and air regulations come back sooner.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Blue trucks with 'pg and e' logo on them sit parked in a lot with the white and black blurry pattern of a fence in the foreground\" class=\"wp-image-11943199\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">PG&E trucks sit inside a Mission District facility owned by the utility.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Sheraz Sadiq/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Santa Clara has nearly 60 data centers currently, generating about $35 million in revenue for the city last year. The money, which comes from electricity payments and property and sales taxes, accounts for almost 10% of the city’s general fund, or nearly enough to cover the entire annual budget for its Parks & Recreation and Library departments combined, according to city staff. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Santa Clara has nearly 60 data centers currently, generating about $35 million in revenue for the city last year. The money, which comes from electricity payments and property and sales taxes, accounts for almost 10% of the city’s general fund, or nearly enough to cover the entire annual budget for its Parks & Recreation and Library departments combined, according to city staff. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city already requires data centers built after December 2022 to use the equivalent of carbon-neutral power, through purchasing offsets, encourages the use of recycled water and asks developers to expand recycled water infrastructure during buildouts, city staff said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The city already requires data centers built after December 2022 to use the equivalent of carbon-neutral power, through purchasing offsets, encourages the use of recycled water and asks developers to expand recycled water infrastructure during buildouts, city staff said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But some council members aren’t sure the city should continue permitting the structures, as they weighed out financial benefits against concerns over pollution from generators, water use, artificial intelligence and the need to expand the city’s maxed-out grid. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But some council members aren’t sure the city should continue permitting the structures, as they weighed out financial benefits against concerns over pollution from generators, water use, artificial intelligence and the need to expand the city’s maxed-out grid. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Councilmember Karen Hardy, who is running for mayor, said after reading a staff report about the city’s current data center regulations, she feels the city has taken a “loosey-goosey” approach to handling development of the hulking facilities, and is proposing a temporary moratorium. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Councilmember Karen Hardy, who is running for mayor, said after reading a staff report about the city’s current data center regulations, she feels the city has taken a “loosey-goosey” approach to handling development of the hulking facilities, and is proposing a temporary moratorium. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’ve been happy about data centers in the past, but now I am uncomfortable with some of the realities that we’ve looked at and some of realities we have uncovered by the questions we have asked,” Hardy said at the meeting. “We need to put the brakes on all of this until we have done the work and have something that we can present to our residents to make certain they understand that we are protecting their water and their air quality.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I’ve been happy about data centers in the past, but now I am uncomfortable with some of the realities that we’ve looked at and some of realities we have uncovered by the questions we have asked,” Hardy said at the meeting. “We need to put the brakes on all of this until we have done the work and have something that we can present to our residents to make certain they understand that we are protecting their water and their air quality.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The council’s discussion took place on the same night leaders of San Francisco and Oakland each approved temporary moratoriums against data centers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Councilmember Suds Jain, citing a previously approved application for a data center in the city that would use only about two homes’ worth of water a year for backup cooling, said the city should set much more stringent water use requirements and put similar limits on the books fast, even if it means adopting them one at a time. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Councilmember Suds Jain, citing a previously approved application for a data center in the city that would use only about two homes’ worth of water a year for backup cooling, said the city should set much more stringent water use requirements and put similar limits on the books fast, even if it means adopting them one at a time. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We need to have these guardrails in place to protect our residents,” he said. “Why are we waiting so long?”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We need to have these guardrails in place to protect our residents,” he said. “Why are we waiting so long?”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>City staff suggested the targets touted in that project’s environmental impact documents may not actually be achievable in the field, or by other data centers, which frustrated Jain. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>City staff suggested the targets touted in that project’s environmental impact documents may not actually be achievable in the field, or by other data centers, which frustrated Jain. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“But that’s their [Environmental Impact Report]. So if they violate the EIR, what do we do?” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“But that’s their [Environmental Impact Report]. So if they violate the EIR, what do we do?” he said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Santa Clara is already in a holding pattern of sorts for data centers, as the city stopped accepting power hookup applications from data center developers in 2023 because Silicon Valley Power could not provide any more electricity to large users. The utility is in the midst of a $450 million power infrastructure upgrade, including receiving station changes and battery storage projects, which isn’t expected to be fully complete until 2030. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But Santa Clara is already in a holding pattern of sorts for data centers, as the city stopped accepting power hookup applications from data center developers in 2023 because Silicon Valley Power could not provide any more electricity to large users. The utility is in the midst of a $450 million power infrastructure upgrade, including receiving station changes and battery storage projects, which isn’t expected to be fully complete until 2030. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>However, the pause on powering up new data centers is not the same as a complete moratorium, city staff said. While the city’s power company will not accept new applications for data centers, a developer could still apply for and seek land use entitlements from the city to prepare for a future data center, staff told the council. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>However, the pause on powering up new data centers is not the same as a complete moratorium, city staff said. While the city’s power company will not accept new applications for data centers, a developer could still apply for and seek land use entitlements from the city to prepare for a future data center, staff told the council. \u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102826\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">One of CoreSite’s data centers in Santa Clara is seen on Stender Way Oct. 2, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102826\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">One of CoreSite’s data centers in Santa Clara is seen on Stender Way Oct. 2, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There are two previously approved data centers under construction currently, and eight more in the pipeline that were approved for power hookups before the 2023 cutoff, which are awaiting electricity from the city. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>There are two previously approved data centers under construction currently, and eight more in the pipeline that were approved for power hookups before the 2023 cutoff, which are awaiting electricity from the city. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ratepayers have seen several increases in power rates, and Councilmember Kevin Park, also running for mayor, estimated costs have ballooned nearly 60% over the past several years, though City Manager Jōvan Grogan said the city still charges 58% less than PG&E. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Ratepayers have seen several increases in power rates, and Councilmember Kevin Park, also running for mayor, estimated costs have ballooned nearly 60% over the past several years, though City Manager Jōvan Grogan said the city still charges 58% less than PG&E. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>About 54% of Santa Clara’s power is used by data centers, and about 95% of the power in the city is consumed by commercial and industrial customers overall, according to the city. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>About 54% of Santa Clara’s power is used by data centers, and about 95% of the power in the city is consumed by commercial and industrial customers overall, according to the city. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Let’s be honest, the residents aren’t the reason why we need to build the new infrastructure,” Park said. “I don’t think the residents should be on the hook for any of that cost. If we’re going to put in requirements, the requirements should be data center developers; they pay their way,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Let’s be honest, the residents aren’t the reason why we need to build the new infrastructure,” Park said. “I don’t think the residents should be on the hook for any of that cost. If we’re going to put in requirements, the requirements should be data center developers; they pay their way,” he said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Park broadly questioned the benefit of having more data centers in the city, and called the estimated $4 million in affordable housing funds the city has received from data center developers since 2019 “rookie numbers” that were the equivalent of “throwing bricks into the Grand Canyon.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Park broadly questioned the benefit of having more data centers in the city, and called the estimated $4 million in affordable housing funds the city has received from data center developers since 2019 “rookie numbers” that were the equivalent of “throwing bricks into the Grand Canyon.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He said the question of whether the city should continue to pursue more data center development should be put to a vote of residents, and also backed the idea of a moratorium until more regulation is in place around generative AI.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>He said the question of whether the city should continue to pursue more data center development should be put to a vote of residents, and also backed the idea of a moratorium until more regulation is in place around generative AI.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Let’s give the people a voice in this matter. Do we want more data centers?” he said. “We’re doing this for AI … We’re doing it for a technology that has no guardrails.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Let’s give the people a voice in this matter. Do we want more data centers?” he said. “We’re doing this for AI … We’re doing it for a technology that has no guardrails.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>City staff is planning to bring back a wholesale look at data center regulations by summer or fall of next year, but the council asked that proposals for water and air regulations come back sooner.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Santa Clara’s City Council pushed for more stringent water and air pollution regulations for new data centers. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>As controversy over \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099195/full-on-backlash-against-data-centers-occurring-as-san-jose-courts-them\">data centers\u003c/a> swells in communities around the Bay Area and the nation, Santa Clara leaders are pushing to beef up the city’s regulations and standards for future data center development.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an hourslong and at times tense discussion that began Tuesday night and stretched to nearly 1 a.m. Wednesday, the Santa Clara City Council directed city staff to prioritize tightening air pollution and water use regulations for new data centers in the city as they take a more comprehensive look at all city policies related to data centers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The midsize Silicon Valley city of 130,000 people has quietly become the data center capital of California, in large part thanks to its own electric utility, Silicon Valley Power, which sells watts at much lower prices than PG&E. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Blue trucks with 'pg and e' logo on them sit parked in a lot with the white and black blurry pattern of a fence in the foreground\" class=\"wp-image-11943199\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">PG&E trucks sit inside a Mission District facility owned by the utility. (Sheraz Sadiq/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Santa Clara has nearly 60 data centers currently, generating about $35 million in revenue for the city last year. The money, which comes from electricity payments and property and sales taxes, accounts for almost 10% of the city’s general fund, or nearly enough to cover the entire annual budget for its Parks & Recreation and Library departments combined, according to city staff. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city already requires data centers built after December 2022 to use the equivalent of carbon-neutral power, through purchasing offsets, encourages the use of recycled water and asks developers to expand recycled water infrastructure during buildouts, city staff said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But some council members aren’t sure the city should continue permitting the structures, as they weighed out financial benefits against concerns over pollution from generators, water use, artificial intelligence and the need to expand the city’s maxed-out grid. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Councilmember Karen Hardy, who is running for mayor, said after reading a staff report about the city’s current data center regulations, she feels the city has taken a “loosey-goosey” approach to handling development of the hulking facilities, and is proposing a temporary moratorium. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve been happy about data centers in the past, but now I am uncomfortable with some of the realities that we’ve looked at and some of realities we have uncovered by the questions we have asked,” Hardy said at the meeting. “We need to put the brakes on all of this until we have done the work and have something that we can present to our residents to make certain they understand that we are protecting their water and their air quality.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The council’s discussion took place on the same night leaders of San Francisco and Oakland each approved temporary moratoriums against data centers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Councilmember Suds Jain, citing a previously approved application for a data center in the city that would use only about two homes’ worth of water a year for backup cooling, said the city should set much more stringent water use requirements and put similar limits on the books fast, even if it means adopting them one at a time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We need to have these guardrails in place to protect our residents,” he said. “Why are we waiting so long?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>City staff suggested the targets touted in that project’s environmental impact documents may not actually be achievable in the field, or by other data centers, which frustrated Jain. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“But that’s their [Environmental Impact Report]. So if they violate the EIR, what do we do?” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Santa Clara is already in a holding pattern of sorts for data centers, as the city stopped accepting power hookup applications from data center developers in 2023 because Silicon Valley Power could not provide any more electricity to large users. The utility is in the midst of a $450 million power infrastructure upgrade, including receiving station changes and battery storage projects, which isn’t expected to be fully complete until 2030. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>However, the pause on powering up new data centers is not the same as a complete moratorium, city staff said. While the city’s power company will not accept new applications for data centers, a developer could still apply for and seek land use entitlements from the city to prepare for a future data center, staff told the council. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102826\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">One of CoreSite’s data centers in Santa Clara is seen on Stender Way Oct. 2, 2026. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There are two previously approved data centers under construction currently, and eight more in the pipeline that were approved for power hookups before the 2023 cutoff, which are awaiting electricity from the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ratepayers have seen several increases in power rates, and Councilmember Kevin Park, also running for mayor, estimated costs have ballooned nearly 60% over the past several years, though City Manager Jōvan Grogan said the city still charges 58% less than PG&E. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About 54% of Santa Clara’s power is used by data centers, and about 95% of the power in the city is consumed by commercial and industrial customers overall, according to the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Let’s be honest, the residents aren’t the reason why we need to build the new infrastructure,” Park said. “I don’t think the residents should be on the hook for any of that cost. If we’re going to put in requirements, the requirements should be data center developers; they pay their way,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Park broadly questioned the benefit of having more data centers in the city, and called the estimated $4 million in affordable housing funds the city has received from data center developers since 2019 “rookie numbers” that were the equivalent of “throwing bricks into the Grand Canyon.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said the question of whether the city should continue to pursue more data center development should be put to a vote of residents, and also backed the idea of a moratorium until more regulation is in place around generative AI.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Let’s give the people a voice in this matter. Do we want more data centers?” he said. “We’re doing this for AI … We’re doing it for a technology that has no guardrails.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>City staff is planning to bring back a wholesale look at data center regulations by summer or fall of next year, but the council asked that proposals for water and air regulations come back sooner.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "fifa-world-cup-matches-bring-850-million-to-bay-area-report-says",
"title": "FIFA World Cup Matches Bring $850 Million to Bay Area, Report Says",
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"headTitle": "FIFA World Cup Matches Bring $850 Million to Bay Area, Report Says | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/world-cup\">FIFA World Cup\u003c/a> generated roughly $850 million in economic impact in the Bay Area, according to a new report released by regional organizers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report was unveiled Thursday by the Bay Area Host Committee, a nonprofit formed to bring major sporting events to the region, with a board of directors made up of heads of local professional sports teams, whose venues often host events or play supporting roles.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The estimated figure is based on metrics evaluating spending by visitors, teams and companies on things like hotels, food, transportation and events, and the wages earned by workers in the region related to the World Cup. The report was prepared for the host committee by Boston Consulting Group. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Hosting FIFA World Cup 2026 elevated our global reputation, strengthened community bonds and will pay dividends for years to come,” Zaileen Janmohamed, the president & CEO of the host committee, said in a statement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-41-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12089715\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-41-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-41-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-41-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fans leave the FIFA World Cup game between the USA and Bosnia-Herzegovina at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on July 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The world’s attention on our region showcased the Bay Area as a premier destination for major international events, brought neighbors together through watch parties and shared celebration, and will continue to fuel future tourism as visitors who experienced our hospitality choose to return and recommend the Bay to friends and family,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report said the lion’s share of the impacts — about $410 million — were seen in Santa Clara County. Levi’s Stadium, in the city of Santa Clara, was designated as the sole venue for all \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089303/us-fans-geared-up-for-teams-bay-area-world-cup-match-against-bosnia\">six World Cup matches\u003c/a> played in Northern California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The stadium was stripped of its branding under FIFA rules, and temporarily dubbed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086949/levis-stadium-is-no-more-san-francisco-bay-area-stadium-hosts-world-cup\">San Francisco Bay Area Stadium\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About $240 million of the boost was felt in San Francisco County, and the remaining $200 million was spread among eight other Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma, according to the report. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The matches and supporting events and celebrations supported “approximately 5,100 jobs across the region and drew an estimated 240,000 visitors from outside the Bay Area, underscoring the tournament’s reach across the region’s hospitality, retail and service sectors,” the host committee’s statement said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The $850 million figure exceeded the committee’s previous projections for economic impact, which the organization pegged at $480 million to $630 million. It attributed the increase to higher-than-anticipated daily visitor spending.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The world saw what we’ve known all along — the Bay Area is a world-class sports [region] that excels in bringing people together, welcoming fans from around the globe and delivering an extraordinary World Cup experience,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This success was a true team effort, and I could not be more excited for the major sports events to come in the Bay Area.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The combined events of the 2025 NBA All-Star Game at Chase Center in San Francisco, and Super Bowl LX and the World Cup matches at Levi’s Stadium, generated roughly $1.9 billion for the region in total, according to the host committee. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>However, the eye-popping totals proffered by organizations like the host committee are frequently called into question by economics experts and academics. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Roger Noll, a professor emeritus of economics at Stanford University, previously characterized the estimates in such reports as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086953/the-world-cup-has-arrived-in-the-san-francisco-bay-area-is-anyone-else-coming\">“grossly overstated”\u003c/a> and said they serve mainly as public relations or advertising to help justify the large logistical lift, interruptions to public life and costs of hosting major events in the region. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report prepared for the Super Bowl and other similar events often do not account for mitigating factors, such as the “substitution effect” of people who choose not to visit the Bay Area for business or tourism when major events are held here to avoid higher hotel prices and congestion, he said previously.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But for events like the World Cup, with multiple matches with days in between each, Noll said visitors would likely stay for longer and spend money here. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WorldCupUSALevis-01-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091977\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WorldCupUSALevis-01-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WorldCupUSALevis-01-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WorldCupUSALevis-01-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. national men’s team soccer fans walk toward the San Francisco Bay Area stadium for the FIFA World Cup game between the USA and Bosnia-Herzegovina in Santa Clara, California, on July 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The boost from the World Cup was undeniable in downtown San José, where the San José Earthquakes hosted a watch party for all 104 matches over 39 days at San Pedro Square Market. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Closed streets and massive viewing screens, along with special permission from the city to allow outdoor drinking, drew thousands of people into the area for matches. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mayor Matt Mahan’s office said the watch parties, activities and entertainment options in downtown brought 1 million cumulative visits to the area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While most of the celebrations were peaceful, police reported some \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089204/1-dead-1-critically-hurt-in-downtown-san-jose-shooting\">shootings\u003c/a> and stabbings in the area following some of the events, and huge crowds forced organizers to relocate one viewing party to nearby Discovery Meadow to allow for more space. World Cup events were also canceled at Spark Social in San Francisco after a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089502/world-cup-commotion-in-san-jose-2-stabbed-several-arrests-after-mexico-win\">shooting\u003c/a> in the Mission Bay neighborhood. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In June, the Bay Area Host Committee \u003ca href=\"https://bayareahostcommittee.com/newsroom/bay-area-host-committee-launches-leadership-council-to-cement-the-future-of-a-permanent-sustainable-sports-commission\">launched\u003c/a> a Leadership Council and Corporate Membership Program in support of turning the committee into a “permanent, sustainable sports commission that will secure, support and celebrate major sporting events in the region for decades to come.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The region is set to host the WNBA All-Star Game in 2027 at Chase Center, and the MLB All-Star Game will return to Oracle Park in 2028. Janmohamed said, with the coming events, “We will continue the incredible momentum of the past two years and directly increase positive economic impact for the Bay.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The matches and supporting events and celebrations supported “approximately 5,100 jobs across the region and drew an estimated 240,000 visitors from outside the Bay Area, underscoring the tournament’s reach across the region’s hospitality, retail and service sectors,” the host committee’s statement said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The $850 million figure exceeded the committee’s previous projections for economic impact, which the organization pegged at $480 million to $630 million. It attributed the increase to higher-than-anticipated daily visitor spending.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The world saw what we’ve known all along — the Bay Area is a world-class sports [region] that excels in bringing people together, welcoming fans from around the globe and delivering an extraordinary World Cup experience,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The world saw what we’ve known all along — the Bay Area is a world-class sports [region] that excels in bringing people together, welcoming fans from around the globe and delivering an extraordinary World Cup experience,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This success was a true team effort, and I could not be more excited for the major sports events to come in the Bay Area.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The combined events of the 2025 NBA All-Star Game at Chase Center in San Francisco, and Super Bowl LX and the World Cup matches at Levi’s Stadium, generated roughly $1.9 billion for the region in total, according to the host committee. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>However, the eye-popping totals proffered by organizations like the host committee are frequently called into question by economics experts and academics. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Roger Noll, a professor emeritus of economics at Stanford University, previously characterized the estimates in such reports as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086953/the-world-cup-has-arrived-in-the-san-francisco-bay-area-is-anyone-else-coming\">“grossly overstated”\u003c/a> and said they serve mainly as public relations or advertising to help justify the large logistical lift, interruptions to public life and costs of hosting major events in the region. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The report prepared for the Super Bowl and other similar events often do not account for mitigating factors, such as the “substitution effect” of people who choose not to visit the Bay Area for business or tourism when major events are held here to avoid higher hotel prices and congestion, he said previously.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But for events like the World Cup, with multiple matches with days in between each, Noll said visitors would likely stay for longer and spend money here. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The boost from the World Cup was undeniable in downtown San José, where the San José Earthquakes hosted a watch party for all 104 matches over 39 days at San Pedro Square Market. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mayor Matt Mahan’s office said the watch parties, activities and entertainment options in downtown brought 1 million cumulative visits to the area. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While most of the celebrations were peaceful, police reported some \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089204/1-dead-1-critically-hurt-in-downtown-san-jose-shooting\">shootings\u003c/a> and stabbings in the area following some of the events, and huge crowds forced organizers to relocate one viewing party to nearby Discovery Meadow to allow for more space. World Cup events were also canceled at Spark Social in San Francisco after a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089502/world-cup-commotion-in-san-jose-2-stabbed-several-arrests-after-mexico-win\">shooting\u003c/a> in the Mission Bay neighborhood. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In June, the Bay Area Host Committee \u003ca href=\"https://bayareahostcommittee.com/newsroom/bay-area-host-committee-launches-leadership-council-to-cement-the-future-of-a-permanent-sustainable-sports-commission\">launched\u003c/a> a Leadership Council and Corporate Membership Program in support of turning the committee into a “permanent, sustainable sports commission that will secure, support and celebrate major sporting events in the region for decades to come.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The region is set to host the WNBA All-Star Game in 2027 at Chase Center, and the MLB All-Star Game will return to Oracle Park in 2028. Janmohamed said, with the coming events, “We will continue the incredible momentum of the past two years and directly increase positive economic impact for the Bay.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The FIFA World Cup brought matches, team base camps, fan watch parties and events to the region. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/world-cup\">FIFA World Cup\u003c/a> generated roughly $850 million in economic impact in the Bay Area, according to a new report released by regional organizers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report was unveiled Thursday by the Bay Area Host Committee, a nonprofit formed to bring major sporting events to the region, with a board of directors made up of heads of local professional sports teams, whose venues often host events or play supporting roles.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The estimated figure is based on metrics evaluating spending by visitors, teams and companies on things like hotels, food, transportation and events, and the wages earned by workers in the region related to the World Cup. The report was prepared for the host committee by Boston Consulting Group. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Hosting FIFA World Cup 2026 elevated our global reputation, strengthened community bonds and will pay dividends for years to come,” Zaileen Janmohamed, the president & CEO of the host committee, said in a statement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-41-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12089715\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-41-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-41-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-41-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fans leave the FIFA World Cup game between the USA and Bosnia-Herzegovina at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on July 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The world’s attention on our region showcased the Bay Area as a premier destination for major international events, brought neighbors together through watch parties and shared celebration, and will continue to fuel future tourism as visitors who experienced our hospitality choose to return and recommend the Bay to friends and family,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report said the lion’s share of the impacts — about $410 million — were seen in Santa Clara County. Levi’s Stadium, in the city of Santa Clara, was designated as the sole venue for all \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089303/us-fans-geared-up-for-teams-bay-area-world-cup-match-against-bosnia\">six World Cup matches\u003c/a> played in Northern California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The stadium was stripped of its branding under FIFA rules, and temporarily dubbed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086949/levis-stadium-is-no-more-san-francisco-bay-area-stadium-hosts-world-cup\">San Francisco Bay Area Stadium\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About $240 million of the boost was felt in San Francisco County, and the remaining $200 million was spread among eight other Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma, according to the report. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The matches and supporting events and celebrations supported “approximately 5,100 jobs across the region and drew an estimated 240,000 visitors from outside the Bay Area, underscoring the tournament’s reach across the region’s hospitality, retail and service sectors,” the host committee’s statement said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The $850 million figure exceeded the committee’s previous projections for economic impact, which the organization pegged at $480 million to $630 million. It attributed the increase to higher-than-anticipated daily visitor spending.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The world saw what we’ve known all along — the Bay Area is a world-class sports [region] that excels in bringing people together, welcoming fans from around the globe and delivering an extraordinary World Cup experience,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This success was a true team effort, and I could not be more excited for the major sports events to come in the Bay Area.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The combined events of the 2025 NBA All-Star Game at Chase Center in San Francisco, and Super Bowl LX and the World Cup matches at Levi’s Stadium, generated roughly $1.9 billion for the region in total, according to the host committee. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>However, the eye-popping totals proffered by organizations like the host committee are frequently called into question by economics experts and academics. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Roger Noll, a professor emeritus of economics at Stanford University, previously characterized the estimates in such reports as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086953/the-world-cup-has-arrived-in-the-san-francisco-bay-area-is-anyone-else-coming\">“grossly overstated”\u003c/a> and said they serve mainly as public relations or advertising to help justify the large logistical lift, interruptions to public life and costs of hosting major events in the region. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report prepared for the Super Bowl and other similar events often do not account for mitigating factors, such as the “substitution effect” of people who choose not to visit the Bay Area for business or tourism when major events are held here to avoid higher hotel prices and congestion, he said previously.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But for events like the World Cup, with multiple matches with days in between each, Noll said visitors would likely stay for longer and spend money here. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WorldCupUSALevis-01-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091977\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WorldCupUSALevis-01-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WorldCupUSALevis-01-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WorldCupUSALevis-01-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. national men’s team soccer fans walk toward the San Francisco Bay Area stadium for the FIFA World Cup game between the USA and Bosnia-Herzegovina in Santa Clara, California, on July 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The boost from the World Cup was undeniable in downtown San José, where the San José Earthquakes hosted a watch party for all 104 matches over 39 days at San Pedro Square Market. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Closed streets and massive viewing screens, along with special permission from the city to allow outdoor drinking, drew thousands of people into the area for matches. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mayor Matt Mahan’s office said the watch parties, activities and entertainment options in downtown brought 1 million cumulative visits to the area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While most of the celebrations were peaceful, police reported some \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089204/1-dead-1-critically-hurt-in-downtown-san-jose-shooting\">shootings\u003c/a> and stabbings in the area following some of the events, and huge crowds forced organizers to relocate one viewing party to nearby Discovery Meadow to allow for more space. World Cup events were also canceled at Spark Social in San Francisco after a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089502/world-cup-commotion-in-san-jose-2-stabbed-several-arrests-after-mexico-win\">shooting\u003c/a> in the Mission Bay neighborhood. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In June, the Bay Area Host Committee \u003ca href=\"https://bayareahostcommittee.com/newsroom/bay-area-host-committee-launches-leadership-council-to-cement-the-future-of-a-permanent-sustainable-sports-commission\">launched\u003c/a> a Leadership Council and Corporate Membership Program in support of turning the committee into a “permanent, sustainable sports commission that will secure, support and celebrate major sporting events in the region for decades to come.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The region is set to host the WNBA All-Star Game in 2027 at Chase Center, and the MLB All-Star Game will return to Oracle Park in 2028. Janmohamed said, with the coming events, “We will continue the incredible momentum of the past two years and directly increase positive economic impact for the Bay.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "why-one-of-the-last-stone-fruit-growers-in-the-valley-of-hearts-delight-is-downsizing",
"title": "Why One of the Last Stone Fruit Growers in the Valley of Heart's Delight Is Downsizing",
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"headTitle": "Why One of the Last Stone Fruit Growers in the Valley of Heart’s Delight Is Downsizing | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>If you grew up in the Bay Area, you may already know the story of the Valley of Heart’s Delight. Before Silicon Valley took root in the Santa Clara Valley, immigrants from all over the world planted close to 100,000 acres of fruit trees and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957868/from-fruit-picker-to-political-trailblazer-the-92-year-old-madrina-of-east-san-jose\">picked, processed and shipped\u003c/a> the apricots, peaches, plums and more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nearly all of that is gone now, paved over and replaced with suburbs and office parks. Just a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11676561/to-survive-as-a-fruit-farmer-in-silicon-valley-you-need-to-grow-tastier-fruit\">handful of fruit farmers remain\u003c/a>, and they’re aging out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Andy Mariani, one of that last handful, is 80 years old. He told KQED he’s tired of losing money year after year and struggling to make payroll. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It doesn’t work anymore. It’s no longer economically viable to have this farm,” Mariani said, sitting in a gazebo to one side of the farm store. Somewhere nearby, chickens interrupted him periodically to proclaim for all the world to hear they just laid another egg. We gazed out across the parking lot to neat rows of fruit trees and flowering bushes designed to draw in hummingbirds, bees and other pollinators.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1502\" height=\"2000\" data-id=\"12101636\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260928-Last-Stone-Fruit-Growers-RM-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101636\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260928-Last-Stone-Fruit-Growers-RM-KQED.jpg 1502w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260928-Last-Stone-Fruit-Growers-RM-KQED-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260928-Last-Stone-Fruit-Growers-RM-KQED-1154x1536.jpg 1154w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1502px) 100vw, 1502px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Stone fruit on sale at the farm store at Andy’s Orchard in Morgan Hill on July 16, 2021. (Rachael Myrow/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12095049\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-22-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095049\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-22-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-22-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-22-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A quiet moment in the farm store at Andy’s Orchard in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. Bay Area customers come from far and wide during the summer, when stone fruit is in season. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mariani knows a lot about fruit farming, and he wants to write a book about it while he still can. He is not giving up on fruit farming altogether, but the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11676561/to-survive-as-a-fruit-farmer-in-silicon-valley-you-need-to-grow-tastier-fruit\">family farm\u003c/a> in Morgan Hill, the one with the little farm store and the summer fruit-picking events that fill the rows with laughing, running children, has one more growing season before he hands the property to a real estate developer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As first reported by the \u003ca href=\"https://morganhilltimes.com/study-underway-for-376-home-project-on-andys-orchard-property/\">\u003cem>Morgan Hill Times\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, Mariani has signed an option agreement with a Southern California firm marketing a 376-home subdivision on the 58-acre property. A draft environmental impact report for the project is expected this fall, followed by a public review period. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s organized opposition. State housing law puts a heavy finger on the scale, generally forcing local governments to approve qualifying developments. But Green Foothills, one of several environmental groups opposing the project, argues that Santa Clara County officials can still say no here, because the law makes an exception when a site lacks adequate water or wastewater facilities, and the developer would have to drill new wells and build a new on-site wastewater system.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mariani is not “hanging up his shears” just yet, as a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/14/business/andys-orchard-silicon-valley.html\">\u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em> article\u003c/a> implied. He still intends to farm 20 acres of land he leases now nearby. But he said he understands that word of his soft-retirement has set off a panic among his super fans here in the Bay Area and beyond.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Back in August, during the height of stone fruit season, Mary Balmana drove all the way down from San Francisco — a two-hour drive, each way — to stock up on cherries, apricots and peaches, like the August Flame peach and the Cal Red.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095047\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A peach ripens on a tree at Andy’s Orchard in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. Tree-ripened fruit is more delicate and finicky to grow than most varieties sold today. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“I don’t have to peel them because it’s so luscious,” she said. “It’s tender, sweet beyond belief, and it just speaks for itself. I don’t have to do anything to it. It tastes like the peaches that I grew up with that we used to pick from a neighbor’s farm, you know, when we would go visit.”\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Balmana spotted Mariani in the store, she asked to have a photo taken with him.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In many ways, Mariani’s family history mirrors the last century of the Valley of Heart’s Delight. \u003ca href=\"https://andysorchard.com/about-us/\">His father came to the Santa Clara Valley\u003c/a> from a little island off the coast of Croatia in 1931. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He was hardly the first to grow apricots in Cupertino. Spanish mission fathers planted trees in the region as early as the mid-1700s, and after the Gold Rush and the railroads in the 19th century, the Santa Clara Valley became a world-famous producer of dried and canned stone fruits.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s ancient history, submerged beneath the Pacific Ocean, left a legacy of fertile soil for farming. Add to that the cool nights of the Santa Clara Valley, especially in winter, and you have a region second to none for stone fruit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was great for decades and decades,” said Mariani, who took over the family farming operation with his brother after their father retired. “But then, like in the 1980s, the United States started importing Turkish apricots, and they were coming in very cheap, because of cheap labor in Turkey.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The brothers realized they had to diversify beyond the once famous Blenheim apricot, an heirloom variety that boasts flesh perfectly balanced between sweet and tart. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Blenheim’s popularity was also at risk because, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/11/08/164696316/tracking-the-elusive-chocolate-persimmon\">many heirloom fruits\u003c/a>, the soft, small apricot is too delicate for mass shipping. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an industry that, in a bid for growth, shifted to cold storage and steroidal, uniform fruits picked green and hard, the Marianis decided to go in a different direction. They specialized in fruit consumers, including professional chefs, who would pay more for them as they grew rarer and harder to find. That included heirloom fruit, like the Blenheim, and new varieties, like Baby Crawford peaches. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The brothers also decided to steer clear of competing with industrial agriculture by focusing on flavor, even though it leads to a highly perishable product that must be consumed in a matter of days, not weeks or months. “The last few days that the fruit is on the tree is when it increases tremendously in flavor, sugar content, and juiciness,” Mariani said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As other farmers packed up and left the Santa Clara Valley, Mariani leaned into new ways to make money: selling to chefs at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.laweekly.com/fruit-detective-david-karp-and-andy-mariani-now-at-the-santa-monica-farmers-market/\">Santa Monica Farmers Market\u003c/a> down south, educational \u003ca href=\"https://andysorchard.com/event-calendar/\">fruit picking tours and tastings\u003c/a>, as well as selling pies and other goodies at the farm’s retail store. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“A lot of people can farm at 80; fewer at 90,” said David Karp, a pomologist at UC Riverside’s botany department and Mariani’s business partner. The two recently traveled together to visit Mariani’s relatives in Croatia.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095044\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fruit orchardist Andy Mariani drives through his farm, Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Karp confirms that climate change and urbanization are gradually forcing the Valley of Heart’s Delight into the history books, even though Mariani will continue farming for the time being. Karp noted they stopped selling summer fruit at the Santa Monica Farmers Market a month early this year, in July instead of August. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He has no doubt that whatever crops emerge next summer, the fruit will sell out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot more demand for Andy’s fruit than there is fruit,” Karp said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even though fresh fruit fans have proven willing to pay more, rising costs still make it challenging to run an operation like Andy’s Orchard.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12095045\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-16-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095045\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-16-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-16-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-16-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A worker picks peaches at Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. Even though foodies are willing to pay more for Mariani’s fruit, he notes that it costs more to grow that kind of fruit, too. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12095046\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-17-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095046\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-17-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-17-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-17-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fruit orchardist Andy Mariani at his farm, Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We pay more than minimum wage because our people are skilled,” Mariani said. “We have workers that have worked for us for over 40 years, and so they know the orchard as well as I do, and because of that skill level, we pay ‘em well. And they’re in Silicon Valley, too. They need to get more money because it’s an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11943634/bay-area-land-is-so-expensive-how-do-urban-farms-survive%20https://morganhilltimes.com/study-underway-for-376-home-project-on-andys-orchard-property/\">expensive place to live\u003c/a>. They get free rent, actually, but on the other hand, it’s still expensive.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s only getting more so with each Silicon Valley boom. Where once the Marianis were one farming family among many, they have grown more and more isolated as the decades passed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re basically surrounded by urban development now. We’re just a little piece of the jigsaw puzzle that hasn’t been put in yet,” he said, waving his hand to gesture at the neat rows of fruit trees in front of the farm store. Between this property and the nearest freeway exit, most of the land is paved over with housing developments, retail malls and office buildings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12001249/what-are-heat-islands-and-where-are-they-in-the-bay-area\">Paved land is also hotter land\u003c/a>, which is growing hotter thanks to climate change. In addition to the growing threat from oak root fungus and ravenous squirrels, Mariani said crops are shrinking because the winters and the nights aren’t as cool as they used to be. This year, he said, was the orchard’s worst on record. Cherries came in at about 5% of a normal harvest, and his signature Baby Crawford peach crop failed almost completely.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095048\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fruit orchardist Andy Mariani at his farm, Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“It comes to the point where you wonder what you’re doing, even though you love what you are doing. I think it’s time for me to downscale, and continue doing where my passion is, right?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Modern society seems to define progress as escaping physical work, even when that work leads to something very special,” he wrote in a recent newsletter. “Our once picturesque agricultural landscape that defined the valley was not simply replaced by what we call progress. Within that landscape there was also a culture, a special way of life. Unfortunately, as evidenced over several decades now, that way of life became increasingly difficult to financially sustain as the region transformed.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Proud of his life’s work and that of his ancestors, Mariani bristles at the idea of keeping the orchard going just for show, standing around, as he put it, “with my bib overalls and this and that.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’d become a caricature of myself,” Mariani said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mariani added there are plans to develop a year-round indoor farmers market in Morgan Hill, a project he’s keen to participate in. In the meantime, for his super fans, there’s one more growing season in store for Andy’s Orchard.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It doesn’t work anymore. It’s no longer economically viable to have this farm,” Mariani said, sitting in a gazebo to one side of the farm store. Somewhere nearby, chickens interrupted him periodically to proclaim for all the world to hear they just laid another egg. We gazed out across the parking lot to neat rows of fruit trees and flowering bushes designed to draw in hummingbirds, bees and other pollinators.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mariani knows a lot about fruit farming, and he wants to write a book about it while he still can. He is not giving up on fruit farming altogether, but the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11676561/to-survive-as-a-fruit-farmer-in-silicon-valley-you-need-to-grow-tastier-fruit\">family farm\u003c/a> in Morgan Hill, the one with the little farm store and the summer fruit-picking events that fill the rows with laughing, running children, has one more growing season before he hands the property to a real estate developer.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Mariani knows a lot about fruit farming, and he wants to write a book about it while he still can. He is not giving up on fruit farming altogether, but the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11676561/to-survive-as-a-fruit-farmer-in-silicon-valley-you-need-to-grow-tastier-fruit\">family farm\u003c/a> in Morgan Hill, the one with the little farm store and the summer fruit-picking events that fill the rows with laughing, running children, has one more growing season before he hands the property to a real estate developer.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As first reported by the \u003ca href=\"https://morganhilltimes.com/study-underway-for-376-home-project-on-andys-orchard-property/\">\u003cem>Morgan Hill Times\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, Mariani has signed an option agreement with a Southern California firm marketing a 376-home subdivision on the 58-acre property. A draft environmental impact report for the project is expected this fall, followed by a public review period. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As first reported by the \u003ca href=\"https://morganhilltimes.com/study-underway-for-376-home-project-on-andys-orchard-property/\">\u003cem>Morgan Hill Times\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, Mariani has signed an option agreement with a Southern California firm marketing a 376-home subdivision on the 58-acre property. A draft environmental impact report for the project is expected this fall, followed by a public review period. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There’s organized opposition. State housing law puts a heavy finger on the scale, generally forcing local governments to approve qualifying developments. But Green Foothills, one of several environmental groups opposing the project, argues that Santa Clara County officials can still say no here, because the law makes an exception when a site lacks adequate water or wastewater facilities, and the developer would have to drill new wells and build a new on-site wastewater system.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>There’s organized opposition. State housing law puts a heavy finger on the scale, generally forcing local governments to approve qualifying developments. But Green Foothills, one of several environmental groups opposing the project, argues that Santa Clara County officials can still say no here, because the law makes an exception when a site lacks adequate water or wastewater facilities, and the developer would have to drill new wells and build a new on-site wastewater system.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mariani is not “hanging up his shears” just yet, as a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/14/business/andys-orchard-silicon-valley.html\">\u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em> article\u003c/a> implied. He still intends to farm 20 acres of land he leases now nearby. But he said he understands that word of his soft-retirement has set off a panic among his super fans here in the Bay Area and beyond.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Mariani is not “hanging up his shears” just yet, as a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/14/business/andys-orchard-silicon-valley.html\">\u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em> article\u003c/a> implied. He still intends to farm 20 acres of land he leases now nearby. But he said he understands that word of his soft-retirement has set off a panic among his super fans here in the Bay Area and beyond.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Back in August, during the height of stone fruit season, Mary Balmana drove all the way down from San Francisco — a two-hour drive, each way — to stock up on cherries, apricots and peaches, like the August Flame peach and the Cal Red.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Back in August, during the height of stone fruit season, Mary Balmana drove all the way down from San Francisco — a two-hour drive, each way — to stock up on cherries, apricots and peaches, like the August Flame peach and the Cal Red.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095047\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A peach ripens on a tree at Andy’s Orchard in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. Tree-ripened fruit is more delicate and finicky to grow than most varieties sold today. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095047\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A peach ripens on a tree at Andy’s Orchard in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. Tree-ripened fruit is more delicate and finicky to grow than most varieties sold today. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I don’t have to peel them because it’s so luscious,” she said. “It’s tender, sweet beyond belief, and it just speaks for itself. I don’t have to do anything to it. It tastes like the peaches that I grew up with that we used to pick from a neighbor’s farm, you know, when we would go visit.”\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I don’t have to peel them because it’s so luscious,” she said. “It’s tender, sweet beyond belief, and it just speaks for itself. I don’t have to do anything to it. It tastes like the peaches that I grew up with that we used to pick from a neighbor’s farm, you know, when we would go visit.”\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When Balmana spotted Mariani in the store, she asked to have a photo taken with him.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In many ways, Mariani’s family history mirrors the last century of the Valley of Heart’s Delight. \u003ca href=\"https://andysorchard.com/about-us/\">His father came to the Santa Clara Valley\u003c/a> from a little island off the coast of Croatia in 1931. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In many ways, Mariani’s family history mirrors the last century of the Valley of Heart’s Delight. \u003ca href=\"https://andysorchard.com/about-us/\">His father came to the Santa Clara Valley\u003c/a> from a little island off the coast of Croatia in 1931. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He was hardly the first to grow apricots in Cupertino. Spanish mission fathers planted trees in the region as early as the mid-1700s, and after the Gold Rush and the railroads in the 19th century, the Santa Clara Valley became a world-famous producer of dried and canned stone fruits.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>He was hardly the first to grow apricots in Cupertino. Spanish mission fathers planted trees in the region as early as the mid-1700s, and after the Gold Rush and the railroads in the 19th century, the Santa Clara Valley became a world-famous producer of dried and canned stone fruits.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California’s ancient history, submerged beneath the Pacific Ocean, left a legacy of fertile soil for farming. Add to that the cool nights of the Santa Clara Valley, especially in winter, and you have a region second to none for stone fruit.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>California’s ancient history, submerged beneath the Pacific Ocean, left a legacy of fertile soil for farming. Add to that the cool nights of the Santa Clara Valley, especially in winter, and you have a region second to none for stone fruit.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It was great for decades and decades,” said Mariani, who took over the family farming operation with his brother after their father retired. “But then, like in the 1980s, the United States started importing Turkish apricots, and they were coming in very cheap, because of cheap labor in Turkey.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It was great for decades and decades,” said Mariani, who took over the family farming operation with his brother after their father retired. “But then, like in the 1980s, the United States started importing Turkish apricots, and they were coming in very cheap, because of cheap labor in Turkey.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The brothers realized they had to diversify beyond the once famous Blenheim apricot, an heirloom variety that boasts flesh perfectly balanced between sweet and tart. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Blenheim’s popularity was also at risk because, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/11/08/164696316/tracking-the-elusive-chocolate-persimmon\">many heirloom fruits\u003c/a>, the soft, small apricot is too delicate for mass shipping. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Blenheim’s popularity was also at risk because, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/11/08/164696316/tracking-the-elusive-chocolate-persimmon\">many heirloom fruits\u003c/a>, the soft, small apricot is too delicate for mass shipping. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In an industry that, in a bid for growth, shifted to cold storage and steroidal, uniform fruits picked green and hard, the Marianis decided to go in a different direction. They specialized in fruit consumers, including professional chefs, who would pay more for them as they grew rarer and harder to find. That included heirloom fruit, like the Blenheim, and new varieties, like Baby Crawford peaches. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In an industry that, in a bid for growth, shifted to cold storage and steroidal, uniform fruits picked green and hard, the Marianis decided to go in a different direction. They specialized in fruit consumers, including professional chefs, who would pay more for them as they grew rarer and harder to find. That included heirloom fruit, like the Blenheim, and new varieties, like Baby Crawford peaches. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The brothers also decided to steer clear of competing with industrial agriculture by focusing on flavor, even though it leads to a highly perishable product that must be consumed in a matter of days, not weeks or months. “The last few days that the fruit is on the tree is when it increases tremendously in flavor, sugar content, and juiciness,” Mariani said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The brothers also decided to steer clear of competing with industrial agriculture by focusing on flavor, even though it leads to a highly perishable product that must be consumed in a matter of days, not weeks or months. “The last few days that the fruit is on the tree is when it increases tremendously in flavor, sugar content, and juiciness,” Mariani said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As other farmers packed up and left the Santa Clara Valley, Mariani leaned into new ways to make money: selling to chefs at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.laweekly.com/fruit-detective-david-karp-and-andy-mariani-now-at-the-santa-monica-farmers-market/\">Santa Monica Farmers Market\u003c/a> down south, educational \u003ca href=\"https://andysorchard.com/event-calendar/\">fruit picking tours and tastings\u003c/a>, as well as selling pies and other goodies at the farm’s retail store. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As other farmers packed up and left the Santa Clara Valley, Mariani leaned into new ways to make money: selling to chefs at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.laweekly.com/fruit-detective-david-karp-and-andy-mariani-now-at-the-santa-monica-farmers-market/\">Santa Monica Farmers Market\u003c/a> down south, educational \u003ca href=\"https://andysorchard.com/event-calendar/\">fruit picking tours and tastings\u003c/a>, as well as selling pies and other goodies at the farm’s retail store. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“A lot of people can farm at 80; fewer at 90,” said David Karp, a pomologist at UC Riverside’s botany department and Mariani’s business partner. The two recently traveled together to visit Mariani’s relatives in Croatia.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“A lot of people can farm at 80; fewer at 90,” said David Karp, a pomologist at UC Riverside’s botany department and Mariani’s business partner. The two recently traveled together to visit Mariani’s relatives in Croatia.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095044\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fruit orchardist Andy Mariani drives through his farm, Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095044\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fruit orchardist Andy Mariani drives through his farm, Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Karp confirms that climate change and urbanization are gradually forcing the Valley of Heart’s Delight into the history books, even though Mariani will continue farming for the time being. Karp noted they stopped selling summer fruit at the Santa Monica Farmers Market a month early this year, in July instead of August. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot more demand for Andy’s fruit than there is fruit,” Karp said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Even though fresh fruit fans have proven willing to pay more, rising costs still make it challenging to run an operation like Andy’s Orchard.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-16-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095045\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A worker picks peaches at Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. Even though foodies are willing to pay more for Mariani’s fruit, he notes that it costs more to grow that kind of fruit, too. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We pay more than minimum wage because our people are skilled,” Mariani said. “We have workers that have worked for us for over 40 years, and so they know the orchard as well as I do, and because of that skill level, we pay ‘em well. And they’re in Silicon Valley, too. They need to get more money because it’s an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11943634/bay-area-land-is-so-expensive-how-do-urban-farms-survive%20https://morganhilltimes.com/study-underway-for-376-home-project-on-andys-orchard-property/\">expensive place to live\u003c/a>. They get free rent, actually, but on the other hand, it’s still expensive.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We pay more than minimum wage because our people are skilled,” Mariani said. “We have workers that have worked for us for over 40 years, and so they know the orchard as well as I do, and because of that skill level, we pay ‘em well. And they’re in Silicon Valley, too. They need to get more money because it’s an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11943634/bay-area-land-is-so-expensive-how-do-urban-farms-survive%20https://morganhilltimes.com/study-underway-for-376-home-project-on-andys-orchard-property/\">expensive place to live\u003c/a>. They get free rent, actually, but on the other hand, it’s still expensive.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s only getting more so with each Silicon Valley boom. Where once the Marianis were one farming family among many, they have grown more and more isolated as the decades passed. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re basically surrounded by urban development now. We’re just a little piece of the jigsaw puzzle that hasn’t been put in yet,” he said, waving his hand to gesture at the neat rows of fruit trees in front of the farm store. Between this property and the nearest freeway exit, most of the land is paved over with housing developments, retail malls and office buildings.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’re basically surrounded by urban development now. We’re just a little piece of the jigsaw puzzle that hasn’t been put in yet,” he said, waving his hand to gesture at the neat rows of fruit trees in front of the farm store. Between this property and the nearest freeway exit, most of the land is paved over with housing developments, retail malls and office buildings.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12001249/what-are-heat-islands-and-where-are-they-in-the-bay-area\">Paved land is also hotter land\u003c/a>, which is growing hotter thanks to climate change. In addition to the growing threat from oak root fungus and ravenous squirrels, Mariani said crops are shrinking because the winters and the nights aren’t as cool as they used to be. This year, he said, was the orchard’s worst on record. Cherries came in at about 5% of a normal harvest, and his signature Baby Crawford peach crop failed almost completely.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12001249/what-are-heat-islands-and-where-are-they-in-the-bay-area\">Paved land is also hotter land\u003c/a>, which is growing hotter thanks to climate change. In addition to the growing threat from oak root fungus and ravenous squirrels, Mariani said crops are shrinking because the winters and the nights aren’t as cool as they used to be. This year, he said, was the orchard’s worst on record. Cherries came in at about 5% of a normal harvest, and his signature Baby Crawford peach crop failed almost completely.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095048\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fruit orchardist Andy Mariani at his farm, Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095048\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fruit orchardist Andy Mariani at his farm, Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It comes to the point where you wonder what you’re doing, even though you love what you are doing. I think it’s time for me to downscale, and continue doing where my passion is, right?”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It comes to the point where you wonder what you’re doing, even though you love what you are doing. I think it’s time for me to downscale, and continue doing where my passion is, right?”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Modern society seems to define progress as escaping physical work, even when that work leads to something very special,” he wrote in a recent newsletter. “Our once picturesque agricultural landscape that defined the valley was not simply replaced by what we call progress. Within that landscape there was also a culture, a special way of life. Unfortunately, as evidenced over several decades now, that way of life became increasingly difficult to financially sustain as the region transformed.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Modern society seems to define progress as escaping physical work, even when that work leads to something very special,” he wrote in a recent newsletter. “Our once picturesque agricultural landscape that defined the valley was not simply replaced by what we call progress. Within that landscape there was also a culture, a special way of life. Unfortunately, as evidenced over several decades now, that way of life became increasingly difficult to financially sustain as the region transformed.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Proud of his life’s work and that of his ancestors, Mariani bristles at the idea of keeping the orchard going just for show, standing around, as he put it, “with my bib overalls and this and that.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Proud of his life’s work and that of his ancestors, Mariani bristles at the idea of keeping the orchard going just for show, standing around, as he put it, “with my bib overalls and this and that.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’d become a caricature of myself,” Mariani said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mariani added there are plans to develop a year-round indoor farmers market in Morgan Hill, a project he’s keen to participate in. In the meantime, for his super fans, there’s one more growing season in store for Andy’s Orchard.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Mariani added there are plans to develop a year-round indoor farmers market in Morgan Hill, a project he’s keen to participate in. In the meantime, for his super fans, there’s one more growing season in store for Andy’s Orchard.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Warming winters, an old soil fungus and the relentless suburban spread of Silicon Valley have finally caught up with one of the last fruit farmers in the Valley of Heart's Delight. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>If you grew up in the Bay Area, you may already know the story of the Valley of Heart’s Delight. Before Silicon Valley took root in the Santa Clara Valley, immigrants from all over the world planted close to 100,000 acres of fruit trees and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957868/from-fruit-picker-to-political-trailblazer-the-92-year-old-madrina-of-east-san-jose\">picked, processed and shipped\u003c/a> the apricots, peaches, plums and more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nearly all of that is gone now, paved over and replaced with suburbs and office parks. Just a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11676561/to-survive-as-a-fruit-farmer-in-silicon-valley-you-need-to-grow-tastier-fruit\">handful of fruit farmers remain\u003c/a>, and they’re aging out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Andy Mariani, one of that last handful, is 80 years old. He told KQED he’s tired of losing money year after year and struggling to make payroll. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It doesn’t work anymore. It’s no longer economically viable to have this farm,” Mariani said, sitting in a gazebo to one side of the farm store. Somewhere nearby, chickens interrupted him periodically to proclaim for all the world to hear they just laid another egg. We gazed out across the parking lot to neat rows of fruit trees and flowering bushes designed to draw in hummingbirds, bees and other pollinators.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1502\" height=\"2000\" data-id=\"12101636\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260928-Last-Stone-Fruit-Growers-RM-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101636\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260928-Last-Stone-Fruit-Growers-RM-KQED.jpg 1502w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260928-Last-Stone-Fruit-Growers-RM-KQED-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260928-Last-Stone-Fruit-Growers-RM-KQED-1154x1536.jpg 1154w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1502px) 100vw, 1502px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Stone fruit on sale at the farm store at Andy’s Orchard in Morgan Hill on July 16, 2021. (Rachael Myrow/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12095049\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-22-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095049\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-22-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-22-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-22-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A quiet moment in the farm store at Andy’s Orchard in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. Bay Area customers come from far and wide during the summer, when stone fruit is in season. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mariani knows a lot about fruit farming, and he wants to write a book about it while he still can. He is not giving up on fruit farming altogether, but the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11676561/to-survive-as-a-fruit-farmer-in-silicon-valley-you-need-to-grow-tastier-fruit\">family farm\u003c/a> in Morgan Hill, the one with the little farm store and the summer fruit-picking events that fill the rows with laughing, running children, has one more growing season before he hands the property to a real estate developer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As first reported by the \u003ca href=\"https://morganhilltimes.com/study-underway-for-376-home-project-on-andys-orchard-property/\">\u003cem>Morgan Hill Times\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, Mariani has signed an option agreement with a Southern California firm marketing a 376-home subdivision on the 58-acre property. A draft environmental impact report for the project is expected this fall, followed by a public review period. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s organized opposition. State housing law puts a heavy finger on the scale, generally forcing local governments to approve qualifying developments. But Green Foothills, one of several environmental groups opposing the project, argues that Santa Clara County officials can still say no here, because the law makes an exception when a site lacks adequate water or wastewater facilities, and the developer would have to drill new wells and build a new on-site wastewater system.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mariani is not “hanging up his shears” just yet, as a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/14/business/andys-orchard-silicon-valley.html\">\u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em> article\u003c/a> implied. He still intends to farm 20 acres of land he leases now nearby. But he said he understands that word of his soft-retirement has set off a panic among his super fans here in the Bay Area and beyond.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Back in August, during the height of stone fruit season, Mary Balmana drove all the way down from San Francisco — a two-hour drive, each way — to stock up on cherries, apricots and peaches, like the August Flame peach and the Cal Red.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095047\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A peach ripens on a tree at Andy’s Orchard in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. Tree-ripened fruit is more delicate and finicky to grow than most varieties sold today. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“I don’t have to peel them because it’s so luscious,” she said. “It’s tender, sweet beyond belief, and it just speaks for itself. I don’t have to do anything to it. It tastes like the peaches that I grew up with that we used to pick from a neighbor’s farm, you know, when we would go visit.”\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Balmana spotted Mariani in the store, she asked to have a photo taken with him.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In many ways, Mariani’s family history mirrors the last century of the Valley of Heart’s Delight. \u003ca href=\"https://andysorchard.com/about-us/\">His father came to the Santa Clara Valley\u003c/a> from a little island off the coast of Croatia in 1931. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He was hardly the first to grow apricots in Cupertino. Spanish mission fathers planted trees in the region as early as the mid-1700s, and after the Gold Rush and the railroads in the 19th century, the Santa Clara Valley became a world-famous producer of dried and canned stone fruits.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s ancient history, submerged beneath the Pacific Ocean, left a legacy of fertile soil for farming. Add to that the cool nights of the Santa Clara Valley, especially in winter, and you have a region second to none for stone fruit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was great for decades and decades,” said Mariani, who took over the family farming operation with his brother after their father retired. “But then, like in the 1980s, the United States started importing Turkish apricots, and they were coming in very cheap, because of cheap labor in Turkey.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The brothers realized they had to diversify beyond the once famous Blenheim apricot, an heirloom variety that boasts flesh perfectly balanced between sweet and tart. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Blenheim’s popularity was also at risk because, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/11/08/164696316/tracking-the-elusive-chocolate-persimmon\">many heirloom fruits\u003c/a>, the soft, small apricot is too delicate for mass shipping. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an industry that, in a bid for growth, shifted to cold storage and steroidal, uniform fruits picked green and hard, the Marianis decided to go in a different direction. They specialized in fruit consumers, including professional chefs, who would pay more for them as they grew rarer and harder to find. That included heirloom fruit, like the Blenheim, and new varieties, like Baby Crawford peaches. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The brothers also decided to steer clear of competing with industrial agriculture by focusing on flavor, even though it leads to a highly perishable product that must be consumed in a matter of days, not weeks or months. “The last few days that the fruit is on the tree is when it increases tremendously in flavor, sugar content, and juiciness,” Mariani said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As other farmers packed up and left the Santa Clara Valley, Mariani leaned into new ways to make money: selling to chefs at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.laweekly.com/fruit-detective-david-karp-and-andy-mariani-now-at-the-santa-monica-farmers-market/\">Santa Monica Farmers Market\u003c/a> down south, educational \u003ca href=\"https://andysorchard.com/event-calendar/\">fruit picking tours and tastings\u003c/a>, as well as selling pies and other goodies at the farm’s retail store. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“A lot of people can farm at 80; fewer at 90,” said David Karp, a pomologist at UC Riverside’s botany department and Mariani’s business partner. The two recently traveled together to visit Mariani’s relatives in Croatia.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095044\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fruit orchardist Andy Mariani drives through his farm, Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Karp confirms that climate change and urbanization are gradually forcing the Valley of Heart’s Delight into the history books, even though Mariani will continue farming for the time being. Karp noted they stopped selling summer fruit at the Santa Monica Farmers Market a month early this year, in July instead of August. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He has no doubt that whatever crops emerge next summer, the fruit will sell out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot more demand for Andy’s fruit than there is fruit,” Karp said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even though fresh fruit fans have proven willing to pay more, rising costs still make it challenging to run an operation like Andy’s Orchard.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12095045\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-16-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095045\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-16-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-16-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-16-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A worker picks peaches at Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. Even though foodies are willing to pay more for Mariani’s fruit, he notes that it costs more to grow that kind of fruit, too. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12095046\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-17-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095046\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-17-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-17-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-17-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fruit orchardist Andy Mariani at his farm, Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We pay more than minimum wage because our people are skilled,” Mariani said. “We have workers that have worked for us for over 40 years, and so they know the orchard as well as I do, and because of that skill level, we pay ‘em well. And they’re in Silicon Valley, too. They need to get more money because it’s an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11943634/bay-area-land-is-so-expensive-how-do-urban-farms-survive%20https://morganhilltimes.com/study-underway-for-376-home-project-on-andys-orchard-property/\">expensive place to live\u003c/a>. They get free rent, actually, but on the other hand, it’s still expensive.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s only getting more so with each Silicon Valley boom. Where once the Marianis were one farming family among many, they have grown more and more isolated as the decades passed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re basically surrounded by urban development now. We’re just a little piece of the jigsaw puzzle that hasn’t been put in yet,” he said, waving his hand to gesture at the neat rows of fruit trees in front of the farm store. Between this property and the nearest freeway exit, most of the land is paved over with housing developments, retail malls and office buildings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12001249/what-are-heat-islands-and-where-are-they-in-the-bay-area\">Paved land is also hotter land\u003c/a>, which is growing hotter thanks to climate change. In addition to the growing threat from oak root fungus and ravenous squirrels, Mariani said crops are shrinking because the winters and the nights aren’t as cool as they used to be. This year, he said, was the orchard’s worst on record. Cherries came in at about 5% of a normal harvest, and his signature Baby Crawford peach crop failed almost completely.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095048\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fruit orchardist Andy Mariani at his farm, Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“It comes to the point where you wonder what you’re doing, even though you love what you are doing. I think it’s time for me to downscale, and continue doing where my passion is, right?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Modern society seems to define progress as escaping physical work, even when that work leads to something very special,” he wrote in a recent newsletter. “Our once picturesque agricultural landscape that defined the valley was not simply replaced by what we call progress. Within that landscape there was also a culture, a special way of life. Unfortunately, as evidenced over several decades now, that way of life became increasingly difficult to financially sustain as the region transformed.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Proud of his life’s work and that of his ancestors, Mariani bristles at the idea of keeping the orchard going just for show, standing around, as he put it, “with my bib overalls and this and that.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’d become a caricature of myself,” Mariani said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mariani added there are plans to develop a year-round indoor farmers market in Morgan Hill, a project he’s keen to participate in. In the meantime, for his super fans, there’s one more growing season in store for Andy’s Orchard.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "santa-clara-county-sues-restaurant-owners-under-new-wage-theft-law",
"title": "Santa Clara County Sues Restaurant Owners Under New Wage-Theft Law",
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"headTitle": "Santa Clara County Sues Restaurant Owners Under New Wage-Theft Law | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>In a novel move aimed at curbing wage theft, attorneys for Santa Clara County are seeking stiff penalties from local restaurant employers who allegedly evaded for more than a decade state regulators’ orders to pay employees.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28698686-complaint-liangs-village-filed/\">lawsuit\u003c/a>, which county officials said is one of the first of its kind, wields a recently passed state law that encourages local governments to help tackle a pervasive problem: business owners who owe wages but never pay, leaving thousands of workers statewide without restitution.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It signals to the employer community that there are civil prosecutors out there that will track you down,” said Tony LoPresti, Santa Clara County counsel. His office filed the complaint on Tuesday in Santa Clara County Superior Court, arguing that the defendants profited from unlawful practices that gave them an unfair advantage over law-abiding employers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We want them to comply with the law while they are operating, and we want them to make the workers who they stole from whole,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099677\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Santa Clara County Counsel Tony LoPresti speaks during a press conference in San José on Sept. 14, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>California workers lose billions of dollars annually to paycheck violations, an amount that’s estimated to \u003ca href=\"https://www.epi.org/publication/wage-theft-bigger-problem-forms-theft-workers/\">be larger\u003c/a> than other types of robberies. Just one kind of wage theft, failure to pay the minimum wage, costs workers in San José, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego metro areas more than $2.3 billion annually, according to a 2024 \u003ca href=\"https://www.smlr.rutgers.edu/news-events/smlr-news/minimum-wage-theft-rises-sharply-california\">Rutgers University \u003c/a>study. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The California Labor Commissioner’s Office, tasked with enforcing state labor laws, investigates worker complaints and helps recover owed wages. But winning a case, often after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11906889/california-workers-face-years-long-waits-for-justice-in-wage-theft-cases-state-data-shows\">a yearslong wait\u003c/a> due to agency backlogs and short staffing, is no guarantee of collecting payment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When the Labor Commissioner’s Office and public prosecutors work together, we strengthen accountability and expand access to justice for workers,” California Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower said in a statement. “Enforcing judgments is a critical part of ensuring workers are paid the wages they are owed and their rights are protected.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many businesses skirt settling wage judgments by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979626/workers-lost-millions-to-californias-worst-known-wage-thief-and-hes-still-in-business\">hiding assets\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958124/santa-clara-county-pushes-food-businesses-to-pay-worker-wages-or-lose-permits\">closing operations\u003c/a> and reopening under a new name — a “shell game” that has become rampant, according to LoPresti. In Santa Clara County, hundreds of employers failed to settle $23.3 million in judgments between 2013 and 2024, according to a county analysis of Labor Commissioner data. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California lawmakers have responded to the problem by stiffening penalties for employers who fail to settle those debts and increasing the authority of the state — as well as public civil prosecutors — to recover unpaid wages.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB261\">SB 261\u003c/a>, a bill that went into effect this year, makes noncompliant businesses liable for up to three times the amount of an outstanding wage judgment plus attorney’s fees, which LoPresti said would help cover the costs of investigating and litigating these cases. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Suddenly a business is running this huge financial risk in not paying its wage theft judgment,” said LoPresti, who pushed for the change as chair of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.calcivilprosecutors.org/about/\">Civil Prosecutors Coalition\u003c/a>, an association of city and county attorneys in California that collaborates on litigation strategies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the Santa Clara County Counsel’s complaint, the owners of a Cupertino-based Taiwanese restaurant could be liable for more than $800,000 after ignoring wage-theft judgments first recorded by the state in 2013. The county said the seven impacted cooks and kitchen employees were required to work 12-hour days with minimal breaks, and irregular pay periods.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2019, the Labor Commissioner’s Office ordered Liang’s Kitchen Cupertino to halt operations until the business addressed an initial $93,000 debt plus ongoing late fines. But the family owners instead shuttered their restaurant and reopened out of the same location under the name Liang’s Village, which became a busy establishment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Santa Clara County has a first-in-the-nation \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958124/santa-clara-county-pushes-food-businesses-to-pay-worker-wages-or-lose-permits\">program\u003c/a> that can suspend a restaurant’s permit to operate until it settles wage violations, but it only works when the business name matches the one in Labor Commissioner records. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Liang family could not be reached for comment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The employers’ alleged brazen actions illustrate the kind of “shady maneuvers” some unscrupulous employers use to avoid paying workers the money they are owed, said Terri Gerstein, a former labor bureau chief at the New York State Attorney General’s Office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12037905\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Santa Clara County Superior Court in San José on March 24, 2025. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“This kind of lawsuit is important because it shows the commitment of the county to take action on behalf of workers, sending a strong message to employers that they have to comply with the law, and that if they don’t, the county is going to do something about it,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The legal action comes as local governments have stepped up efforts to protect workers’ rights, and state and federal labor enforcement agencies continue to struggle with underfunding and shortstaffing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Francisco became the nation’s first city to establish a municipal labor department to investigate workplace complaints 25 years ago. Now, dozens of cities and counties nationwide — including San Diego, Seattle, Austin and Cleveland — have similar initiatives. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The push to protect workers locally from abuses has grown under the employer-friendly first and current Trump administrations, said Gerstein, who now runs New York University’s Wagner Labor Initiative. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She pointed to New York City officials’ recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcnewyork.com/new-york-city/doordash-settlement-nyc-how-pay/6550655/\">announcement\u003c/a> that DoorDash agreed to pay $131 million to settle claims that the company underpaid 260,000 delivery workers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Cities and counties getting involved has made a very big difference for the workers themselves involved in these cases, for employers in these communities,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28698686-complaint-liangs-village-filed/\">lawsuit\u003c/a>, which county officials said is one of the first of its kind, wields a recently passed state law that encourages local governments to help tackle a pervasive problem: business owners who owe wages but never pay, leaving thousands of workers statewide without restitution.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It signals to the employer community that there are civil prosecutors out there that will track you down,” said Tony LoPresti, Santa Clara County counsel. His office filed the complaint on Tuesday in Santa Clara County Superior Court, arguing that the defendants profited from unlawful practices that gave them an unfair advantage over law-abiding employers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We want them to comply with the law while they are operating, and we want them to make the workers who they stole from whole,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099677\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Santa Clara County Counsel Tony LoPresti speaks during a press conference in San José on Sept. 14, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California workers lose billions of dollars annually to paycheck violations, an amount that’s estimated to \u003ca href=\"https://www.epi.org/publication/wage-theft-bigger-problem-forms-theft-workers/\">be larger\u003c/a> than other types of robberies. Just one kind of wage theft, failure to pay the minimum wage, costs workers in San José, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego metro areas more than $2.3 billion annually, according to a 2024 \u003ca href=\"https://www.smlr.rutgers.edu/news-events/smlr-news/minimum-wage-theft-rises-sharply-california\">Rutgers University \u003c/a>study. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The California Labor Commissioner’s Office, tasked with enforcing state labor laws, investigates worker complaints and helps recover owed wages. But winning a case, often after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11906889/california-workers-face-years-long-waits-for-justice-in-wage-theft-cases-state-data-shows\">a yearslong wait\u003c/a> due to agency backlogs and short staffing, is no guarantee of collecting payment. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The California Labor Commissioner’s Office, tasked with enforcing state labor laws, investigates worker complaints and helps recover owed wages. But winning a case, often after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11906889/california-workers-face-years-long-waits-for-justice-in-wage-theft-cases-state-data-shows\">a yearslong wait\u003c/a> due to agency backlogs and short staffing, is no guarantee of collecting payment. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When the Labor Commissioner’s Office and public prosecutors work together, we strengthen accountability and expand access to justice for workers,” California Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower said in a statement. “Enforcing judgments is a critical part of ensuring workers are paid the wages they are owed and their rights are protected.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“When the Labor Commissioner’s Office and public prosecutors work together, we strengthen accountability and expand access to justice for workers,” California Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower said in a statement. “Enforcing judgments is a critical part of ensuring workers are paid the wages they are owed and their rights are protected.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Many businesses skirt settling wage judgments by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979626/workers-lost-millions-to-californias-worst-known-wage-thief-and-hes-still-in-business\">hiding assets\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958124/santa-clara-county-pushes-food-businesses-to-pay-worker-wages-or-lose-permits\">closing operations\u003c/a> and reopening under a new name — a “shell game” that has become rampant, according to LoPresti. In Santa Clara County, hundreds of employers failed to settle $23.3 million in judgments between 2013 and 2024, according to a county analysis of Labor Commissioner data. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Many businesses skirt settling wage judgments by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979626/workers-lost-millions-to-californias-worst-known-wage-thief-and-hes-still-in-business\">hiding assets\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958124/santa-clara-county-pushes-food-businesses-to-pay-worker-wages-or-lose-permits\">closing operations\u003c/a> and reopening under a new name — a “shell game” that has become rampant, according to LoPresti. In Santa Clara County, hundreds of employers failed to settle $23.3 million in judgments between 2013 and 2024, according to a county analysis of Labor Commissioner data. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California lawmakers have responded to the problem by stiffening penalties for employers who fail to settle those debts and increasing the authority of the state — as well as public civil prosecutors — to recover unpaid wages.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>California lawmakers have responded to the problem by stiffening penalties for employers who fail to settle those debts and increasing the authority of the state — as well as public civil prosecutors — to recover unpaid wages.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB261\">SB 261\u003c/a>, a bill that went into effect this year, makes noncompliant businesses liable for up to three times the amount of an outstanding wage judgment plus attorney’s fees, which LoPresti said would help cover the costs of investigating and litigating these cases. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB261\">SB 261\u003c/a>, a bill that went into effect this year, makes noncompliant businesses liable for up to three times the amount of an outstanding wage judgment plus attorney’s fees, which LoPresti said would help cover the costs of investigating and litigating these cases. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Suddenly a business is running this huge financial risk in not paying its wage theft judgment,” said LoPresti, who pushed for the change as chair of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.calcivilprosecutors.org/about/\">Civil Prosecutors Coalition\u003c/a>, an association of city and county attorneys in California that collaborates on litigation strategies. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to the Santa Clara County Counsel’s complaint, the owners of a Cupertino-based Taiwanese restaurant could be liable for more than $800,000 after ignoring wage-theft judgments first recorded by the state in 2013. The county said the seven impacted cooks and kitchen employees were required to work 12-hour days with minimal breaks, and irregular pay periods.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>According to the Santa Clara County Counsel’s complaint, the owners of a Cupertino-based Taiwanese restaurant could be liable for more than $800,000 after ignoring wage-theft judgments first recorded by the state in 2013. The county said the seven impacted cooks and kitchen employees were required to work 12-hour days with minimal breaks, and irregular pay periods.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In 2019, the Labor Commissioner’s Office ordered Liang’s Kitchen Cupertino to halt operations until the business addressed an initial $93,000 debt plus ongoing late fines. But the family owners instead shuttered their restaurant and reopened out of the same location under the name Liang’s Village, which became a busy establishment.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In 2019, the Labor Commissioner’s Office ordered Liang’s Kitchen Cupertino to halt operations until the business addressed an initial $93,000 debt plus ongoing late fines. But the family owners instead shuttered their restaurant and reopened out of the same location under the name Liang’s Village, which became a busy establishment.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Santa Clara County has a first-in-the-nation \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958124/santa-clara-county-pushes-food-businesses-to-pay-worker-wages-or-lose-permits\">program\u003c/a> that can suspend a restaurant’s permit to operate until it settles wage violations, but it only works when the business name matches the one in Labor Commissioner records. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Santa Clara County has a first-in-the-nation \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958124/santa-clara-county-pushes-food-businesses-to-pay-worker-wages-or-lose-permits\">program\u003c/a> that can suspend a restaurant’s permit to operate until it settles wage violations, but it only works when the business name matches the one in Labor Commissioner records. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Liang family could not be reached for comment. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The employers’ alleged brazen actions illustrate the kind of “shady maneuvers” some unscrupulous employers use to avoid paying workers the money they are owed, said Terri Gerstein, a former labor bureau chief at the New York State Attorney General’s Office.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The employers’ alleged brazen actions illustrate the kind of “shady maneuvers” some unscrupulous employers use to avoid paying workers the money they are owed, said Terri Gerstein, a former labor bureau chief at the New York State Attorney General’s Office.\u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12037905\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Santa Clara County Superior Court in San José on March 24, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This kind of lawsuit is important because it shows the commitment of the county to take action on behalf of workers, sending a strong message to employers that they have to comply with the law, and that if they don’t, the county is going to do something about it,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This kind of lawsuit is important because it shows the commitment of the county to take action on behalf of workers, sending a strong message to employers that they have to comply with the law, and that if they don’t, the county is going to do something about it,” she said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The legal action comes as local governments have stepped up efforts to protect workers’ rights, and state and federal labor enforcement agencies continue to struggle with underfunding and shortstaffing. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The legal action comes as local governments have stepped up efforts to protect workers’ rights, and state and federal labor enforcement agencies continue to struggle with underfunding and shortstaffing. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Francisco became the nation’s first city to establish a municipal labor department to investigate workplace complaints 25 years ago. Now, dozens of cities and counties nationwide — including San Diego, Seattle, Austin and Cleveland — have similar initiatives. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>San Francisco became the nation’s first city to establish a municipal labor department to investigate workplace complaints 25 years ago. Now, dozens of cities and counties nationwide — including San Diego, Seattle, Austin and Cleveland — have similar initiatives. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The push to protect workers locally from abuses has grown under the employer-friendly first and current Trump administrations, said Gerstein, who now runs New York University’s Wagner Labor Initiative. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The push to protect workers locally from abuses has grown under the employer-friendly first and current Trump administrations, said Gerstein, who now runs New York University’s Wagner Labor Initiative. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She pointed to New York City officials’ recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcnewyork.com/new-york-city/doordash-settlement-nyc-how-pay/6550655/\">announcement\u003c/a> that DoorDash agreed to pay $131 million to settle claims that the company underpaid 260,000 delivery workers.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She pointed to New York City officials’ recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcnewyork.com/new-york-city/doordash-settlement-nyc-how-pay/6550655/\">announcement\u003c/a> that DoorDash agreed to pay $131 million to settle claims that the company underpaid 260,000 delivery workers.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Cities and counties getting involved has made a very big difference for the workers themselves involved in these cases, for employers in these communities,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The lawsuit on Tuesday against a local restaurant employer is one of the first under a state law that went into effect this year, according to county officials. ",
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"title": "Santa Clara County Sues Restaurant Owners Under New Wage-Theft Law | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>In a novel move aimed at curbing wage theft, attorneys for Santa Clara County are seeking stiff penalties from local restaurant employers who allegedly evaded for more than a decade state regulators’ orders to pay employees.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28698686-complaint-liangs-village-filed/\">lawsuit\u003c/a>, which county officials said is one of the first of its kind, wields a recently passed state law that encourages local governments to help tackle a pervasive problem: business owners who owe wages but never pay, leaving thousands of workers statewide without restitution.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It signals to the employer community that there are civil prosecutors out there that will track you down,” said Tony LoPresti, Santa Clara County counsel. His office filed the complaint on Tuesday in Santa Clara County Superior Court, arguing that the defendants profited from unlawful practices that gave them an unfair advantage over law-abiding employers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We want them to comply with the law while they are operating, and we want them to make the workers who they stole from whole,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099677\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Santa Clara County Counsel Tony LoPresti speaks during a press conference in San José on Sept. 14, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>California workers lose billions of dollars annually to paycheck violations, an amount that’s estimated to \u003ca href=\"https://www.epi.org/publication/wage-theft-bigger-problem-forms-theft-workers/\">be larger\u003c/a> than other types of robberies. Just one kind of wage theft, failure to pay the minimum wage, costs workers in San José, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego metro areas more than $2.3 billion annually, according to a 2024 \u003ca href=\"https://www.smlr.rutgers.edu/news-events/smlr-news/minimum-wage-theft-rises-sharply-california\">Rutgers University \u003c/a>study. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The California Labor Commissioner’s Office, tasked with enforcing state labor laws, investigates worker complaints and helps recover owed wages. But winning a case, often after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11906889/california-workers-face-years-long-waits-for-justice-in-wage-theft-cases-state-data-shows\">a yearslong wait\u003c/a> due to agency backlogs and short staffing, is no guarantee of collecting payment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When the Labor Commissioner’s Office and public prosecutors work together, we strengthen accountability and expand access to justice for workers,” California Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower said in a statement. “Enforcing judgments is a critical part of ensuring workers are paid the wages they are owed and their rights are protected.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many businesses skirt settling wage judgments by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979626/workers-lost-millions-to-californias-worst-known-wage-thief-and-hes-still-in-business\">hiding assets\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958124/santa-clara-county-pushes-food-businesses-to-pay-worker-wages-or-lose-permits\">closing operations\u003c/a> and reopening under a new name — a “shell game” that has become rampant, according to LoPresti. In Santa Clara County, hundreds of employers failed to settle $23.3 million in judgments between 2013 and 2024, according to a county analysis of Labor Commissioner data. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California lawmakers have responded to the problem by stiffening penalties for employers who fail to settle those debts and increasing the authority of the state — as well as public civil prosecutors — to recover unpaid wages.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB261\">SB 261\u003c/a>, a bill that went into effect this year, makes noncompliant businesses liable for up to three times the amount of an outstanding wage judgment plus attorney’s fees, which LoPresti said would help cover the costs of investigating and litigating these cases. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Suddenly a business is running this huge financial risk in not paying its wage theft judgment,” said LoPresti, who pushed for the change as chair of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.calcivilprosecutors.org/about/\">Civil Prosecutors Coalition\u003c/a>, an association of city and county attorneys in California that collaborates on litigation strategies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the Santa Clara County Counsel’s complaint, the owners of a Cupertino-based Taiwanese restaurant could be liable for more than $800,000 after ignoring wage-theft judgments first recorded by the state in 2013. The county said the seven impacted cooks and kitchen employees were required to work 12-hour days with minimal breaks, and irregular pay periods.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2019, the Labor Commissioner’s Office ordered Liang’s Kitchen Cupertino to halt operations until the business addressed an initial $93,000 debt plus ongoing late fines. But the family owners instead shuttered their restaurant and reopened out of the same location under the name Liang’s Village, which became a busy establishment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Santa Clara County has a first-in-the-nation \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958124/santa-clara-county-pushes-food-businesses-to-pay-worker-wages-or-lose-permits\">program\u003c/a> that can suspend a restaurant’s permit to operate until it settles wage violations, but it only works when the business name matches the one in Labor Commissioner records. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Liang family could not be reached for comment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The employers’ alleged brazen actions illustrate the kind of “shady maneuvers” some unscrupulous employers use to avoid paying workers the money they are owed, said Terri Gerstein, a former labor bureau chief at the New York State Attorney General’s Office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12037905\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Santa Clara County Superior Court in San José on March 24, 2025. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“This kind of lawsuit is important because it shows the commitment of the county to take action on behalf of workers, sending a strong message to employers that they have to comply with the law, and that if they don’t, the county is going to do something about it,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The legal action comes as local governments have stepped up efforts to protect workers’ rights, and state and federal labor enforcement agencies continue to struggle with underfunding and shortstaffing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Francisco became the nation’s first city to establish a municipal labor department to investigate workplace complaints 25 years ago. Now, dozens of cities and counties nationwide — including San Diego, Seattle, Austin and Cleveland — have similar initiatives. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The push to protect workers locally from abuses has grown under the employer-friendly first and current Trump administrations, said Gerstein, who now runs New York University’s Wagner Labor Initiative. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She pointed to New York City officials’ recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcnewyork.com/new-york-city/doordash-settlement-nyc-how-pay/6550655/\">announcement\u003c/a> that DoorDash agreed to pay $131 million to settle claims that the company underpaid 260,000 delivery workers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Cities and counties getting involved has made a very big difference for the workers themselves involved in these cases, for employers in these communities,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "san-jose-leaders-consider-increasing-parking-rates",
"title": "San José Leaders Back Off Parking Rate Increase",
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"headTitle": "San José Leaders Back Off Parking Rate Increase | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> City Council balked at raising parking meter rates and extending parking enforcement hours over broad concerns about the potential harm to downtown businesses and workers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After a nearly two-hour meeting, city leaders chose instead Tuesday to increase special event and hourly rates for city parking garages, but to leave city meters at their current rate of $2 per hour, with parking enforcement hours continuing to end at 6 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Councilmember George Casey said the proposed policy change didn’t seem to consider the impact on small businesses downtown, which often operate on thin margins, and whose customers and employees often rely on metered parking. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“These small business owners have come into our downtown where we don’t, frankly, have the critical mass we’d like to see. And when we take steps that would negatively impact their businesses, I take umbrage with it,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The decision follows months of discussion and outreach by city staff prompted by a backlash in June, when San José quietly tried to double parking meter rates as part of the annual budget, much to the chagrin of downtown business advocates, restaurant and bar owners and workers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088568\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A parking meter in San José on June 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an effort to help shore up ongoing budget deficits, and to account for the rising cost of providing parking infrastructure, city transportation officials this month proposed a phased plan that would bump the city’s downtown parking meters rates to $3 per hour next year, and $4 per hour beginning in 2030. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Outside of downtown, rates would have increased from $2 per hour to $3 per hour in 2030, and the hours downtown meters are active would have extended until 9 p.m. beginning in 2028, according to city reports. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city has pulled $1.2 million from parking funds to help support the city’s general fund, a move approved by the council to help close a $50 million shortfall in the current budget, and expects to continue redirecting a similar amount to the general fund in coming years. City officials also said some of the additional revenue would go back into making upgrades to parking structures and upgrading meters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brendan Rawson, the director of San Jose Jazz, referenced a 2026 City Pulse report from \u003ca href=\"https://www.gensler.com/doc/research-city-pulse-survey-2026.pdf\">Gensler\u003c/a>, saying that San José’s downtown ranked near the bottom in several categories including vibrancy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Parking is the gatekeeper issue that holds many residents back from even giving downtown a try. This proposal to raid the parking fund in order to pay for a recurring general fund deficit is penny-wise and pound-foolish,” Rawson told the council at the meeting. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After two different split votes, with Mayor Matt Mahan absent, the council couldn’t come to an agreement on any meter rate increases, including a compromise proposal from Councilmember Anthony Tordillos, who suggested limiting increases to just $3. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think part of what has made this process challenging is that we’re trying to balance a number of goals, some of which feel like they are competing with one another,” Tordillos said, noting the need for revenue to support the general fund, parking facilities maintenance and future improvements, and the need to protect businesses who are still in a long tail of post-pandemic recovery. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The council ultimately supported portions of a plan from Tordillos that directed staff to come back next year with a detailed parking analysis, and a pathway to lessen the transfer of parking funds to the general fund in the future. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city hasn’t raised downtown parking meter rates since 2014, according to Colin Heyne, a spokesperson for San José’s Department of Transportation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We know people don’t want to pay more for parking. So this is something that we’ve just dealt with for many years, even as costs have gone up,” Heyne said. “But with this budget deficit, we felt it was finally time to pull the bandage off.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088569\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A parking sign in San José on June 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>City officials tried to approve a quicker doubling of parking meter rates in the downtown core in June, with an item tucked into the consent calendar section of a City Council meeting agenda, a portion of the agenda for items that are considered routine and typically not discussed in depth. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But residents, business owners and the San José Downtown Association raised concerns, and said they weren’t consulted about such a change. The council ultimately put the idea on hold, and asked transportation staff to come up with a different plan, resulting in the phased proposal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Much of the frustration from business owners, advocates and downtown residents stemmed from what they described as a poor process with limited outreach and consideration of the impacts. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Alan “Gumby” Marques, a longtime downtown business owner and former downtown association interim president, told the council he couldn’t support what appeared to be a tax on businesses in the area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This process has been broken. If there was anything that ever demonstrated that San José was an opaque black box, this process has made that so,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088567\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A parking compliance vehicle in San José on June 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Parking enforcement officers have also seen increases in drivers parking their cars in 2-hour restricted spots well beyond those time limits, by continually feeding the meter, officials said. The city wanted to increase prices in part to encourage more turnover downtown for curbside spots near businesses, which are considered “premier customer parking,” Heyne said, and push people who need to park for longer times to city garages, which would cost less per hour. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tamiko Rast, vice chair of the city’s Downtown Parking Board, and CEO of the Japantown Business Association, vocally opposed extending the hours and supported higher hikes on city garage event rates. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>However, Rast said many people do not park in city garages currently because they feel that they aren’t clean or as safe as curbside parking. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If people feel safe coming to our garages and they have a clean walkway up the stairwells, I don’t think the price is going to matter as much as you would think. But right now, it’s a combination of a higher price and low quality that I think people will notice,” she said, noting some garages, like The Globe garage on South Third Street, smell like urine or other unpleasant odors. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the proposal the council shot down was to widen the hours that parking meters are active and require payment. Meters in the city are currently active Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., but the city’s plan would have extended the downtown enforcement time until 9 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088566\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Parking meters in San José on June 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brian Kurtz, CEO of the San José Downtown Association, said the area has not rebounded nearly enough since the pandemic to justify the changes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The idea of increasing parking rates and adding additional barriers of entry for the same visitors that we’re attempting to attract in downtown, I think it’s detrimental to downtown’s progress at the end of the day,” Kurtz said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Heyne said the city planned to use some of the revenue from the increased rates to help pay for a series of ongoing maintenance needs and targeted improvements, including parking garage painting, floor resurfacing and lighting, expanding of security patrols and the installation of an additional elevator at the Second and San Carlos garage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One portion of the city proposal that found broad support from the downtown association and the council is a plan to expand a program for some lower-wage downtown employees to receive discounted monthly parking at city garages, in an attempt to help protect workers from the pinch of higher parking costs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://parksj.org/info-for-businesses/\">program\u003c/a> currently offers a half-price discount on city parking garage monthly permit rates to employees working in meter districts who earn no more than 30% over the minimum wage of $18.45 per hour. Under the proposal, the city program would expand to include people who earn up to 50% more than minimum wage, and would exclude tips from the threshold. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re hoping that one outcome of this whole process is that more people are aware of this program and more people take advantage of it,” Heyne said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After a nearly two-hour meeting, city leaders chose instead Tuesday to increase special event and hourly rates for city parking garages, but to leave city meters at their current rate of $2 per hour, with parking enforcement hours continuing to end at 6 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>After a nearly two-hour meeting, city leaders chose instead Tuesday to increase special event and hourly rates for city parking garages, but to leave city meters at their current rate of $2 per hour, with parking enforcement hours continuing to end at 6 p.m.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Councilmember George Casey said the proposed policy change didn’t seem to consider the impact on small businesses downtown, which often operate on thin margins, and whose customers and employees often rely on metered parking. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Councilmember George Casey said the proposed policy change didn’t seem to consider the impact on small businesses downtown, which often operate on thin margins, and whose customers and employees often rely on metered parking. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“These small business owners have come into our downtown where we don’t, frankly, have the critical mass we’d like to see. And when we take steps that would negatively impact their businesses, I take umbrage with it,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“These small business owners have come into our downtown where we don’t, frankly, have the critical mass we’d like to see. And when we take steps that would negatively impact their businesses, I take umbrage with it,” he said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The decision follows months of discussion and outreach by city staff prompted by a backlash in June, when San José quietly tried to double parking meter rates as part of the annual budget, much to the chagrin of downtown business advocates, restaurant and bar owners and workers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The decision follows months of discussion and outreach by city staff prompted by a backlash in June, when San José quietly tried to double parking meter rates as part of the annual budget, much to the chagrin of downtown business advocates, restaurant and bar owners and workers. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088568\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A parking meter in San José on June 23, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In an effort to help shore up ongoing budget deficits, and to account for the rising cost of providing parking infrastructure, city transportation officials this month proposed a phased plan that would bump the city’s downtown parking meters rates to $3 per hour next year, and $4 per hour beginning in 2030. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In an effort to help shore up ongoing budget deficits, and to account for the rising cost of providing parking infrastructure, city transportation officials this month proposed a phased plan that would bump the city’s downtown parking meters rates to $3 per hour next year, and $4 per hour beginning in 2030. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Outside of downtown, rates would have increased from $2 per hour to $3 per hour in 2030, and the hours downtown meters are active would have extended until 9 p.m. beginning in 2028, according to city reports. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Outside of downtown, rates would have increased from $2 per hour to $3 per hour in 2030, and the hours downtown meters are active would have extended until 9 p.m. beginning in 2028, according to city reports. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city has pulled $1.2 million from parking funds to help support the city’s general fund, a move approved by the council to help close a $50 million shortfall in the current budget, and expects to continue redirecting a similar amount to the general fund in coming years. City officials also said some of the additional revenue would go back into making upgrades to parking structures and upgrading meters. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The city has pulled $1.2 million from parking funds to help support the city’s general fund, a move approved by the council to help close a $50 million shortfall in the current budget, and expects to continue redirecting a similar amount to the general fund in coming years. City officials also said some of the additional revenue would go back into making upgrades to parking structures and upgrading meters. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Brendan Rawson, the director of San Jose Jazz, referenced a 2026 City Pulse report from \u003ca href=\"https://www.gensler.com/doc/research-city-pulse-survey-2026.pdf\">Gensler\u003c/a>, saying that San José’s downtown ranked near the bottom in several categories including vibrancy. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Parking is the gatekeeper issue that holds many residents back from even giving downtown a try. This proposal to raid the parking fund in order to pay for a recurring general fund deficit is penny-wise and pound-foolish,” Rawson told the council at the meeting. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Parking is the gatekeeper issue that holds many residents back from even giving downtown a try. This proposal to raid the parking fund in order to pay for a recurring general fund deficit is penny-wise and pound-foolish,” Rawson told the council at the meeting. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After two different split votes, with Mayor Matt Mahan absent, the council couldn’t come to an agreement on any meter rate increases, including a compromise proposal from Councilmember Anthony Tordillos, who suggested limiting increases to just $3. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>After two different split votes, with Mayor Matt Mahan absent, the council couldn’t come to an agreement on any meter rate increases, including a compromise proposal from Councilmember Anthony Tordillos, who suggested limiting increases to just $3. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I think part of what has made this process challenging is that we’re trying to balance a number of goals, some of which feel like they are competing with one another,” Tordillos said, noting the need for revenue to support the general fund, parking facilities maintenance and future improvements, and the need to protect businesses who are still in a long tail of post-pandemic recovery. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I think part of what has made this process challenging is that we’re trying to balance a number of goals, some of which feel like they are competing with one another,” Tordillos said, noting the need for revenue to support the general fund, parking facilities maintenance and future improvements, and the need to protect businesses who are still in a long tail of post-pandemic recovery. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The council ultimately supported portions of a plan from Tordillos that directed staff to come back next year with a detailed parking analysis, and a pathway to lessen the transfer of parking funds to the general fund in the future. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The council ultimately supported portions of a plan from Tordillos that directed staff to come back next year with a detailed parking analysis, and a pathway to lessen the transfer of parking funds to the general fund in the future. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city hasn’t raised downtown parking meter rates since 2014, according to Colin Heyne, a spokesperson for San José’s Department of Transportation. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The city hasn’t raised downtown parking meter rates since 2014, according to Colin Heyne, a spokesperson for San José’s Department of Transportation. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We know people don’t want to pay more for parking. So this is something that we’ve just dealt with for many years, even as costs have gone up,” Heyne said. “But with this budget deficit, we felt it was finally time to pull the bandage off.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We know people don’t want to pay more for parking. So this is something that we’ve just dealt with for many years, even as costs have gone up,” Heyne said. “But with this budget deficit, we felt it was finally time to pull the bandage off.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088569\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A parking sign in San José on June 23, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>City officials tried to approve a quicker doubling of parking meter rates in the downtown core in June, with an item tucked into the consent calendar section of a City Council meeting agenda, a portion of the agenda for items that are considered routine and typically not discussed in depth. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>City officials tried to approve a quicker doubling of parking meter rates in the downtown core in June, with an item tucked into the consent calendar section of a City Council meeting agenda, a portion of the agenda for items that are considered routine and typically not discussed in depth. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But residents, business owners and the San José Downtown Association raised concerns, and said they weren’t consulted about such a change. The council ultimately put the idea on hold, and asked transportation staff to come up with a different plan, resulting in the phased proposal. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But residents, business owners and the San José Downtown Association raised concerns, and said they weren’t consulted about such a change. The council ultimately put the idea on hold, and asked transportation staff to come up with a different plan, resulting in the phased proposal. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Much of the frustration from business owners, advocates and downtown residents stemmed from what they described as a poor process with limited outreach and consideration of the impacts. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Much of the frustration from business owners, advocates and downtown residents stemmed from what they described as a poor process with limited outreach and consideration of the impacts. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Alan “Gumby” Marques, a longtime downtown business owner and former downtown association interim president, told the council he couldn’t support what appeared to be a tax on businesses in the area. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Alan “Gumby” Marques, a longtime downtown business owner and former downtown association interim president, told the council he couldn’t support what appeared to be a tax on businesses in the area. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This process has been broken. If there was anything that ever demonstrated that San José was an opaque black box, this process has made that so,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This process has been broken. If there was anything that ever demonstrated that San José was an opaque black box, this process has made that so,” he said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088567\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A parking compliance vehicle in San José on June 23, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088567\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A parking compliance vehicle in San José on June 23, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Parking enforcement officers have also seen increases in drivers parking their cars in 2-hour restricted spots well beyond those time limits, by continually feeding the meter, officials said. The city wanted to increase prices in part to encourage more turnover downtown for curbside spots near businesses, which are considered “premier customer parking,” Heyne said, and push people who need to park for longer times to city garages, which would cost less per hour. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Parking enforcement officers have also seen increases in drivers parking their cars in 2-hour restricted spots well beyond those time limits, by continually feeding the meter, officials said. The city wanted to increase prices in part to encourage more turnover downtown for curbside spots near businesses, which are considered “premier customer parking,” Heyne said, and push people who need to park for longer times to city garages, which would cost less per hour. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tamiko Rast, vice chair of the city’s Downtown Parking Board, and CEO of the Japantown Business Association, vocally opposed extending the hours and supported higher hikes on city garage event rates. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Tamiko Rast, vice chair of the city’s Downtown Parking Board, and CEO of the Japantown Business Association, vocally opposed extending the hours and supported higher hikes on city garage event rates. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>However, Rast said many people do not park in city garages currently because they feel that they aren’t clean or as safe as curbside parking. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>However, Rast said many people do not park in city garages currently because they feel that they aren’t clean or as safe as curbside parking. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If people feel safe coming to our garages and they have a clean walkway up the stairwells, I don’t think the price is going to matter as much as you would think. But right now, it’s a combination of a higher price and low quality that I think people will notice,” she said, noting some garages, like The Globe garage on South Third Street, smell like urine or other unpleasant odors. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“If people feel safe coming to our garages and they have a clean walkway up the stairwells, I don’t think the price is going to matter as much as you would think. But right now, it’s a combination of a higher price and low quality that I think people will notice,” she said, noting some garages, like The Globe garage on South Third Street, smell like urine or other unpleasant odors. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the proposal the council shot down was to widen the hours that parking meters are active and require payment. Meters in the city are currently active Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., but the city’s plan would have extended the downtown enforcement time until 9 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the proposal the council shot down was to widen the hours that parking meters are active and require payment. Meters in the city are currently active Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., but the city’s plan would have extended the downtown enforcement time until 9 p.m.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088566\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Parking meters in San José on June 23, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088566\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Parking meters in San José on June 23, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Brian Kurtz, CEO of the San José Downtown Association, said the area has not rebounded nearly enough since the pandemic to justify the changes.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Brian Kurtz, CEO of the San José Downtown Association, said the area has not rebounded nearly enough since the pandemic to justify the changes.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The idea of increasing parking rates and adding additional barriers of entry for the same visitors that we’re attempting to attract in downtown, I think it’s detrimental to downtown’s progress at the end of the day,” Kurtz said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The idea of increasing parking rates and adding additional barriers of entry for the same visitors that we’re attempting to attract in downtown, I think it’s detrimental to downtown’s progress at the end of the day,” Kurtz said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Heyne said the city planned to use some of the revenue from the increased rates to help pay for a series of ongoing maintenance needs and targeted improvements, including parking garage painting, floor resurfacing and lighting, expanding of security patrols and the installation of an additional elevator at the Second and San Carlos garage.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Heyne said the city planned to use some of the revenue from the increased rates to help pay for a series of ongoing maintenance needs and targeted improvements, including parking garage painting, floor resurfacing and lighting, expanding of security patrols and the installation of an additional elevator at the Second and San Carlos garage.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One portion of the city proposal that found broad support from the downtown association and the council is a plan to expand a program for some lower-wage downtown employees to receive discounted monthly parking at city garages, in an attempt to help protect workers from the pinch of higher parking costs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>One portion of the city proposal that found broad support from the downtown association and the council is a plan to expand a program for some lower-wage downtown employees to receive discounted monthly parking at city garages, in an attempt to help protect workers from the pinch of higher parking costs. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://parksj.org/info-for-businesses/\">program\u003c/a> currently offers a half-price discount on city parking garage monthly permit rates to employees working in meter districts who earn no more than 30% over the minimum wage of $18.45 per hour. Under the proposal, the city program would expand to include people who earn up to 50% more than minimum wage, and would exclude tips from the threshold. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://parksj.org/info-for-businesses/\">program\u003c/a> currently offers a half-price discount on city parking garage monthly permit rates to employees working in meter districts who earn no more than 30% over the minimum wage of $18.45 per hour. Under the proposal, the city program would expand to include people who earn up to 50% more than minimum wage, and would exclude tips from the threshold. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re hoping that one outcome of this whole process is that more people are aware of this program and more people take advantage of it,” Heyne said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’re hoping that one outcome of this whole process is that more people are aware of this program and more people take advantage of it,” Heyne said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "The San José City Council opposed increasing parking meter rates over concerns about impacts on downtown businesses. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> City Council balked at raising parking meter rates and extending parking enforcement hours over broad concerns about the potential harm to downtown businesses and workers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After a nearly two-hour meeting, city leaders chose instead Tuesday to increase special event and hourly rates for city parking garages, but to leave city meters at their current rate of $2 per hour, with parking enforcement hours continuing to end at 6 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Councilmember George Casey said the proposed policy change didn’t seem to consider the impact on small businesses downtown, which often operate on thin margins, and whose customers and employees often rely on metered parking. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“These small business owners have come into our downtown where we don’t, frankly, have the critical mass we’d like to see. And when we take steps that would negatively impact their businesses, I take umbrage with it,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The decision follows months of discussion and outreach by city staff prompted by a backlash in June, when San José quietly tried to double parking meter rates as part of the annual budget, much to the chagrin of downtown business advocates, restaurant and bar owners and workers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088568\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A parking meter in San José on June 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an effort to help shore up ongoing budget deficits, and to account for the rising cost of providing parking infrastructure, city transportation officials this month proposed a phased plan that would bump the city’s downtown parking meters rates to $3 per hour next year, and $4 per hour beginning in 2030. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Outside of downtown, rates would have increased from $2 per hour to $3 per hour in 2030, and the hours downtown meters are active would have extended until 9 p.m. beginning in 2028, according to city reports. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city has pulled $1.2 million from parking funds to help support the city’s general fund, a move approved by the council to help close a $50 million shortfall in the current budget, and expects to continue redirecting a similar amount to the general fund in coming years. City officials also said some of the additional revenue would go back into making upgrades to parking structures and upgrading meters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brendan Rawson, the director of San Jose Jazz, referenced a 2026 City Pulse report from \u003ca href=\"https://www.gensler.com/doc/research-city-pulse-survey-2026.pdf\">Gensler\u003c/a>, saying that San José’s downtown ranked near the bottom in several categories including vibrancy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Parking is the gatekeeper issue that holds many residents back from even giving downtown a try. This proposal to raid the parking fund in order to pay for a recurring general fund deficit is penny-wise and pound-foolish,” Rawson told the council at the meeting. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After two different split votes, with Mayor Matt Mahan absent, the council couldn’t come to an agreement on any meter rate increases, including a compromise proposal from Councilmember Anthony Tordillos, who suggested limiting increases to just $3. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think part of what has made this process challenging is that we’re trying to balance a number of goals, some of which feel like they are competing with one another,” Tordillos said, noting the need for revenue to support the general fund, parking facilities maintenance and future improvements, and the need to protect businesses who are still in a long tail of post-pandemic recovery. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The council ultimately supported portions of a plan from Tordillos that directed staff to come back next year with a detailed parking analysis, and a pathway to lessen the transfer of parking funds to the general fund in the future. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city hasn’t raised downtown parking meter rates since 2014, according to Colin Heyne, a spokesperson for San José’s Department of Transportation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We know people don’t want to pay more for parking. So this is something that we’ve just dealt with for many years, even as costs have gone up,” Heyne said. “But with this budget deficit, we felt it was finally time to pull the bandage off.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088569\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A parking sign in San José on June 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>City officials tried to approve a quicker doubling of parking meter rates in the downtown core in June, with an item tucked into the consent calendar section of a City Council meeting agenda, a portion of the agenda for items that are considered routine and typically not discussed in depth. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But residents, business owners and the San José Downtown Association raised concerns, and said they weren’t consulted about such a change. The council ultimately put the idea on hold, and asked transportation staff to come up with a different plan, resulting in the phased proposal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Much of the frustration from business owners, advocates and downtown residents stemmed from what they described as a poor process with limited outreach and consideration of the impacts. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Alan “Gumby” Marques, a longtime downtown business owner and former downtown association interim president, told the council he couldn’t support what appeared to be a tax on businesses in the area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This process has been broken. If there was anything that ever demonstrated that San José was an opaque black box, this process has made that so,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088567\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A parking compliance vehicle in San José on June 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Parking enforcement officers have also seen increases in drivers parking their cars in 2-hour restricted spots well beyond those time limits, by continually feeding the meter, officials said. The city wanted to increase prices in part to encourage more turnover downtown for curbside spots near businesses, which are considered “premier customer parking,” Heyne said, and push people who need to park for longer times to city garages, which would cost less per hour. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tamiko Rast, vice chair of the city’s Downtown Parking Board, and CEO of the Japantown Business Association, vocally opposed extending the hours and supported higher hikes on city garage event rates. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>However, Rast said many people do not park in city garages currently because they feel that they aren’t clean or as safe as curbside parking. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If people feel safe coming to our garages and they have a clean walkway up the stairwells, I don’t think the price is going to matter as much as you would think. But right now, it’s a combination of a higher price and low quality that I think people will notice,” she said, noting some garages, like The Globe garage on South Third Street, smell like urine or other unpleasant odors. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the proposal the council shot down was to widen the hours that parking meters are active and require payment. Meters in the city are currently active Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., but the city’s plan would have extended the downtown enforcement time until 9 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088566\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Parking meters in San José on June 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brian Kurtz, CEO of the San José Downtown Association, said the area has not rebounded nearly enough since the pandemic to justify the changes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The idea of increasing parking rates and adding additional barriers of entry for the same visitors that we’re attempting to attract in downtown, I think it’s detrimental to downtown’s progress at the end of the day,” Kurtz said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Heyne said the city planned to use some of the revenue from the increased rates to help pay for a series of ongoing maintenance needs and targeted improvements, including parking garage painting, floor resurfacing and lighting, expanding of security patrols and the installation of an additional elevator at the Second and San Carlos garage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One portion of the city proposal that found broad support from the downtown association and the council is a plan to expand a program for some lower-wage downtown employees to receive discounted monthly parking at city garages, in an attempt to help protect workers from the pinch of higher parking costs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://parksj.org/info-for-businesses/\">program\u003c/a> currently offers a half-price discount on city parking garage monthly permit rates to employees working in meter districts who earn no more than 30% over the minimum wage of $18.45 per hour. Under the proposal, the city program would expand to include people who earn up to 50% more than minimum wage, and would exclude tips from the threshold. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re hoping that one outcome of this whole process is that more people are aware of this program and more people take advantage of it,” Heyne said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "santa-clara-county-placed-children-in-foster-care-without-safety-checks",
"title": "Santa Clara County Placed Children in Foster Care Without Safety Checks",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/santa-clara-county\">Santa Clara County’s\u003c/a> child welfare agency failed to follow common safety checks before placing vulnerable children in foster homes, according to a state investigation released this week. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Investigators with the California Department of Social Services found “significant systemic gaps in documentation and timeliness across required emergency placement procedures,” the report states, including that only 10% of emergency placements complied with state law. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another finding was that about half of background checks on foster parents were conducted only after children were placed in their care. State officials also found that workers often didn’t include evidence of criminal records when checking potential foster parents and extended family members. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260420-SCCDAANNOUNCEMENT-09-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080614\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260420-SCCDAANNOUNCEMENT-09-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260420-SCCDAANNOUNCEMENT-09-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260420-SCCDAANNOUNCEMENT-09-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">District Attorney Jeff Rosen speaks on April 20, 2026, outside the Santa Clara County Juvenile Court in San José where prosecutors announced charges against a San José teen accused of killing his 2-year-old foster brother, Jaxon Juarez. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The county’s Department of Family and Children’s Services was already facing scrutiny — a 3-month-old under the department’s care had died of a fentanyl overdose in 2023 — when \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081114/state-oversight-expanded-for-child-welfare-agency-after-toddler-death\">2-year-old Jaxon Juarez\u003c/a> died in the home of a foster parent in April. Juarez’s foster mother was previously convicted of felony child endangerment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That summer, county officials announced it was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089481/santa-clara-county-plans-to-fire-social-workers-after-foster-care-toddler-death\">firing four social workers\u003c/a> related to the case after three had already resigned. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After Jaxon’s death, county officials requested that the state investigate the handling of that case. State investigators elected to review 55 foster care cases, 60 emergency placements and 13 resource-family approvals from April 2025 through May 2026. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They found safety concerns in 20 cases. Those included caregiver neglect, unsafe unauthorized people living in the home, children with behavioral crises and unsupervised contact with a parent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The state was also concerned about Santa Clara County using “extended visits” — or placing children temporarily with relatives or nonrelative family kinship caregivers — in its emergency-assessment criteria while the formal-approval processes are being finalized.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a letter to county officials, Angie Schwartz, deputy director of California’s Children and Family Services Division, wrote that investigators found the need for “continued intervention and monitoring” to “ensure that state child welfare laws and regulations are followed to keep children safe.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>James R. Williams, Santa Clara’s County executive, said the county is “taking a systematic look at every aspect” of the department and implementing every recommendation from the state, in a statement to KQED. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said the county has already established a new compliance office, “which will provide dedicated in-house capacity for ongoing, thorough case reviews and help ensure consistent compliance and documentation become standard operating procedure as we take every step we can to keep kids safe.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The state gave the county until Oct. 7 to respond to the findings and a deadline of Nov. 13 to submit an updated corrective action plan.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, state officials are also monitoring Alameda County’s Department of Children and Family Services, which reportedly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12057446/report-cites-delays-missed-warnings-in-alameda-county-child-welfare-cases\">fails to investigate allegations of child abuse\u003c/a> and neglect in a timely manner.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/santa-clara-county\">Santa Clara County’s\u003c/a> child welfare agency failed to follow common safety checks before placing vulnerable children in foster homes, according to a state investigation released this week. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/santa-clara-county\">Santa Clara County’s\u003c/a> child welfare agency failed to follow common safety checks before placing vulnerable children in foster homes, according to a state investigation released this week. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Investigators with the California Department of Social Services found “significant systemic gaps in documentation and timeliness across required emergency placement procedures,” the report states, including that only 10% of emergency placements complied with state law. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Investigators with the California Department of Social Services found “significant systemic gaps in documentation and timeliness across required emergency placement procedures,” the report states, including that only 10% of emergency placements complied with state law. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Another finding was that about half of background checks on foster parents were conducted only after children were placed in their care. State officials also found that workers often didn’t include evidence of criminal records when checking potential foster parents and extended family members. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Another finding was that about half of background checks on foster parents were conducted only after children were placed in their care. State officials also found that workers often didn’t include evidence of criminal records when checking potential foster parents and extended family members. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260420-SCCDAANNOUNCEMENT-09-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080614\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260420-SCCDAANNOUNCEMENT-09-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260420-SCCDAANNOUNCEMENT-09-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260420-SCCDAANNOUNCEMENT-09-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">District Attorney Jeff Rosen speaks on April 20, 2026, outside the Santa Clara County Juvenile Court in San José where prosecutors announced charges against a San José teen accused of killing his 2-year-old foster brother, Jaxon Juarez.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The county’s Department of Family and Children’s Services was already facing scrutiny — a 3-month-old under the department’s care had died of a fentanyl overdose in 2023 — when \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081114/state-oversight-expanded-for-child-welfare-agency-after-toddler-death\">2-year-old Jaxon Juarez\u003c/a> died in the home of a foster parent in April. Juarez’s foster mother was previously convicted of felony child endangerment.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The county’s Department of Family and Children’s Services was already facing scrutiny — a 3-month-old under the department’s care had died of a fentanyl overdose in 2023 — when \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081114/state-oversight-expanded-for-child-welfare-agency-after-toddler-death\">2-year-old Jaxon Juarez\u003c/a> died in the home of a foster parent in April. Juarez’s foster mother was previously convicted of felony child endangerment.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That summer, county officials announced it was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089481/santa-clara-county-plans-to-fire-social-workers-after-foster-care-toddler-death\">firing four social workers\u003c/a> related to the case after three had already resigned. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That summer, county officials announced it was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089481/santa-clara-county-plans-to-fire-social-workers-after-foster-care-toddler-death\">firing four social workers\u003c/a> related to the case after three had already resigned. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After Jaxon’s death, county officials requested that the state investigate the handling of that case. State investigators elected to review 55 foster care cases, 60 emergency placements and 13 resource-family approvals from April 2025 through May 2026. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>After Jaxon’s death, county officials requested that the state investigate the handling of that case. State investigators elected to review 55 foster care cases, 60 emergency placements and 13 resource-family approvals from April 2025 through May 2026. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>They found safety concerns in 20 cases. Those included caregiver neglect, unsafe unauthorized people living in the home, children with behavioral crises and unsupervised contact with a parent.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The state was also concerned about Santa Clara County using “extended visits” — or placing children temporarily with relatives or nonrelative family kinship caregivers — in its emergency-assessment criteria while the formal-approval processes are being finalized.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The state was also concerned about Santa Clara County using “extended visits” — or placing children temporarily with relatives or nonrelative family kinship caregivers — in its emergency-assessment criteria while the formal-approval processes are being finalized.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a letter to county officials, Angie Schwartz, deputy director of California’s Children and Family Services Division, wrote that investigators found the need for “continued intervention and monitoring” to “ensure that state child welfare laws and regulations are followed to keep children safe.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>James R. Williams, Santa Clara’s County executive, said the county is “taking a systematic look at every aspect” of the department and implementing every recommendation from the state, in a statement to KQED. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>James R. Williams, Santa Clara’s County executive, said the county is “taking a systematic look at every aspect” of the department and implementing every recommendation from the state, in a statement to KQED. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He said the county has already established a new compliance office, “which will provide dedicated in-house capacity for ongoing, thorough case reviews and help ensure consistent compliance and documentation become standard operating procedure as we take every step we can to keep kids safe.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>He said the county has already established a new compliance office, “which will provide dedicated in-house capacity for ongoing, thorough case reviews and help ensure consistent compliance and documentation become standard operating procedure as we take every step we can to keep kids safe.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The state gave the county until Oct. 7 to respond to the findings and a deadline of Nov. 13 to submit an updated corrective action plan.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, state officials are also monitoring Alameda County’s Department of Children and Family Services, which reportedly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12057446/report-cites-delays-missed-warnings-in-alameda-county-child-welfare-cases\">fails to investigate allegations of child abuse\u003c/a> and neglect in a timely manner.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, state officials are also monitoring Alameda County’s Department of Children and Family Services, which reportedly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12057446/report-cites-delays-missed-warnings-in-alameda-county-child-welfare-cases\">fails to investigate allegations of child abuse\u003c/a> and neglect in a timely manner.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "The state investigation follows the death of 2-year-old Jaxon Juarez, placed with a guardian who had a prior child-endangerment conviction.\n",
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"title": "Santa Clara County Placed Children in Foster Care Without Safety Checks | KQED",
"description": "The state investigation follows the death of 2-year-old Jaxon Juarez, placed with a guardian who had a prior child-endangerment conviction.\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/santa-clara-county\">Santa Clara County’s\u003c/a> child welfare agency failed to follow common safety checks before placing vulnerable children in foster homes, according to a state investigation released this week. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Investigators with the California Department of Social Services found “significant systemic gaps in documentation and timeliness across required emergency placement procedures,” the report states, including that only 10% of emergency placements complied with state law. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another finding was that about half of background checks on foster parents were conducted only after children were placed in their care. State officials also found that workers often didn’t include evidence of criminal records when checking potential foster parents and extended family members. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260420-SCCDAANNOUNCEMENT-09-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080614\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260420-SCCDAANNOUNCEMENT-09-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260420-SCCDAANNOUNCEMENT-09-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260420-SCCDAANNOUNCEMENT-09-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">District Attorney Jeff Rosen speaks on April 20, 2026, outside the Santa Clara County Juvenile Court in San José where prosecutors announced charges against a San José teen accused of killing his 2-year-old foster brother, Jaxon Juarez. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The county’s Department of Family and Children’s Services was already facing scrutiny — a 3-month-old under the department’s care had died of a fentanyl overdose in 2023 — when \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081114/state-oversight-expanded-for-child-welfare-agency-after-toddler-death\">2-year-old Jaxon Juarez\u003c/a> died in the home of a foster parent in April. Juarez’s foster mother was previously convicted of felony child endangerment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That summer, county officials announced it was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089481/santa-clara-county-plans-to-fire-social-workers-after-foster-care-toddler-death\">firing four social workers\u003c/a> related to the case after three had already resigned. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After Jaxon’s death, county officials requested that the state investigate the handling of that case. State investigators elected to review 55 foster care cases, 60 emergency placements and 13 resource-family approvals from April 2025 through May 2026. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They found safety concerns in 20 cases. Those included caregiver neglect, unsafe unauthorized people living in the home, children with behavioral crises and unsupervised contact with a parent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The state was also concerned about Santa Clara County using “extended visits” — or placing children temporarily with relatives or nonrelative family kinship caregivers — in its emergency-assessment criteria while the formal-approval processes are being finalized.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a letter to county officials, Angie Schwartz, deputy director of California’s Children and Family Services Division, wrote that investigators found the need for “continued intervention and monitoring” to “ensure that state child welfare laws and regulations are followed to keep children safe.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>James R. Williams, Santa Clara’s County executive, said the county is “taking a systematic look at every aspect” of the department and implementing every recommendation from the state, in a statement to KQED. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said the county has already established a new compliance office, “which will provide dedicated in-house capacity for ongoing, thorough case reviews and help ensure consistent compliance and documentation become standard operating procedure as we take every step we can to keep kids safe.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The state gave the county until Oct. 7 to respond to the findings and a deadline of Nov. 13 to submit an updated corrective action plan.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, state officials are also monitoring Alameda County’s Department of Children and Family Services, which reportedly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12057446/report-cites-delays-missed-warnings-in-alameda-county-child-welfare-cases\">fails to investigate allegations of child abuse\u003c/a> and neglect in a timely manner.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "melkam-enkutatash-san-jose-welcomes-the-ethiopian-new-year",
"title": "‘Melkam Enkutatash!’ San José Welcomes the Ethiopian New Year",
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"headTitle": "‘Melkam Enkutatash!’ San José Welcomes the Ethiopian New Year | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Dressed from head to toe in resplendent yellow, Semert Haile passed out flowers as she walked through \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a>’s Arena Green East Park. “Melkam Enkutatash!” she greeted everyone. “Happy Ethiopian New Year!”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And not even the roaring of airplanes taking off from San José Mineta International Airport nearby was enough to drown out the sound of music and children’s laughter at this Ethiopian New Year celebration. This Enkutatash event was first held in the South Bay in 1991. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Organized by the nonprofit Ethiopian Community Services, Sunday’s celebration drew thousands — both Ethiopian residents and supporters — in a testament to the growing strength of the Ethiopian diaspora in the Bay Area’s biggest city.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-01017_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099609\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-01017_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-01017_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-01017_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Children play together at an Ethiopian New Year celebration at Guadalupe River Park in San José on Sept. 13, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-7 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12099605\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00295_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099605\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00295_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00295_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00295_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An attendee wears a yellow flower, also known as adey ababa, which blooms during the New Year, on their sleeve at an Ethiopian New Year celebration at Guadalupe River Park in San José on Sept. 13, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12099602\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00069_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099602\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00069_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00069_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00069_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Children play soccer at an Ethiopian New Year celebration at Guadalupe River Park in San José on Sept. 13, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Just like the Western Gregorian calendar, the Ethiopian Ge’ez calendar is \u003ca href=\"https://ethiopianembassy.org/ethiopian-time/\">based on the year\u003c/a> of Jesus Christ’s birth. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Because the Gregorian and Ge’ez calendars differ on Christ’s exact birth year, however, this Enkutatash marks the beginning of the year 2019.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are seven years behind in Ethiopia,” Haile joked.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘Shout out to our community’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Haile was not the only one dressed in yellow on Sunday. Hundreds of families from all over the South Bay showed up wearing shirts, headbands and traditional \u003ca href=\"https://www.pinterest.com/erichick/habesha-dresses/\">habesha dresses\u003c/a> embellished with intricate gold patterns. Many designs feature a yellow flower, similar to those that Haile gave away.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While it may resemble a sunflower, this is adey abeba — a flower native to Ethiopia that blooms at the end of the rainy summer season, marking both the start of September and the new year.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Back in Ethiopia, the children go door to door giving these flowers as a gift,” Haile reminisced. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00113_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099603\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00113_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00113_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00113_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Semert Haile poses for a portrait at an Ethiopian New Year celebration at Guadalupe River Park in San José on Sept. 13, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-8 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12099607\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00638_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099607\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00638_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00638_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00638_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A child waves an adey ababa flower during a singing performance at an Ethiopian New Year celebration at Guadalupe River Park in San José on Sept. 13, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12099606\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00516_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099606\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00516_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00516_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00516_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Children celebrate Ethiopian New Year on a stage at Guadalupe River Park in San José on Sept. 13, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s been more than 20 years since she left her home in the capital city of Addis Ababa. Coming to California was a great opportunity, she said — but also somewhat of an isolating experience. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When it’s the New Year, everybody’s together each day. Everyone eats together. The house is warm,” she said. “Here, you have to be invited by other people [to celebrate the New Year].”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That’s why Haile and other leaders of the nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://ecssanjose.org/\">Ethiopian Community Services\u003c/a> started a public Enkutatash celebration in San José decades ago. It’s an opportunity for Ethiopians who have recently arrived to meet new people and not experience the same isolation she once felt, Haile said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When they come to the U.S., they maybe get lost. They miss all their support groups,” she said. “You don’t know what others are going through while they’re trying to adjust to Western culture.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Haile quickly gathered hundreds of children to the stage to sing “Abebayehosh,” a traditional song celebrating the new year in Amharic — one of the many languages spoken in Ethiopia.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The kids who were not on stage were playing soccer nearby in the park. Many are part of Maleda Youth Soccer Club, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091408/maleda-where-san-joses-brightest-soccer-stars-get-started\">created in 2004\u003c/a> by Ethiopian families in the South Bay who wanted a safe place for their kids to both play and learn more about their heritage. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Among the club’s alumni is professional soccer player Naomi Girma — currently center back for England’s Women’s Super League club Chelsea FC and a strong contender for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team. Girma grew up in San José and credits Maleda for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13988410/naomi-girma-us-womens-soccer-star-returns-san-jose\">helping kick-start\u003c/a> her passion for soccer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The community works hard to make sure younger generations know their heritage, Hawi Desda said. Growing up in East Palo Alto, she would travel across the Bay Area to different religious and athletic events led by other Ethiopian families. Now, Desda lives in San José and was attending the Enkutatash celebration with friends she met at church. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s so many events for folks growing up within the diaspora that don’t have access to what’s happening back in Ethiopia,” she said. “Shout out to our community for creating such spaces for young people to be in community with each other.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘Like home away from home’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For more than 40 years, the Bay Area has been home to this thriving Ethiopian community that reflects the country’s immense cultural, ethnic and linguistic diversity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many families who first moved to the region in the ’80s and ’90s were fleeing Ethiopia’s civil war and found economic opportunities in Silicon Valley, building the electronic components for personal computers during the first dot-com boom. Other families brought with them cherished family recipes and opened restaurants, helping to make the Bay Area one of the country’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13905230/zeni-ethiopian-restaurant-san-jose\">top hubs for Ethiopian cuisine\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even folks visiting from far away were impressed by Sunday’s celebrations. “It’s like home away from home,” said Samry Derje, who was visiting San José from northern Virginia, part of the greater Washington, D.C., metropolitan area — another \u003ca href=\"https://wamu.org/story/16/04/21/how_did_the_dc_region_become_home_to_the_largest_population_of_ethiopians_in_the_us/\">major Ethiopian enclave\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-9 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12099604\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00258_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099604\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00258_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00258_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00258_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Genet Hailegiogirgis and her daughter pose for a portrait wearing matching outfits at an Ethiopian New Year celebration at Guadalupe River Park in San José on Sept. 13, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12099601\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00006_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099601\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00006_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00006_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00006_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Alex Feke (left) and his daughters pose for a portrait with the Ethiopian flag at an Ethiopian New Year celebration at Guadalupe River Park in San José on Sept. 13, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to city officials, there are more than 25,000 people of Ethiopian origin living in San José. Across Santa Clara County, that number is estimated to rise to over 30,000. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What I love about the community is how tight-knit it is,” said San José Mayor Matt Mahan, who also spoke at the celebration. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Many of us in America live much more isolated lives, and the sense of community and the way that people care for each other is really beautiful,” he added. “There’s a lot to learn here.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the sun started to set over the celebrations, Arena Green East and the Guadalupe River flowing nearby shone with a yellow that rivaled the adey abeba flower.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And as families said their goodbyes and began to leave for home, Haile made sure to remind them: “See you next year!”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Dressed from head to toe in resplendent yellow, Semert Haile passed out flowers as she walked through \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a>’s Arena Green East Park. “Melkam Enkutatash!” she greeted everyone. “Happy Ethiopian New Year!”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And not even the roaring of airplanes taking off from San José Mineta International Airport nearby was enough to drown out the sound of music and children’s laughter at this Ethiopian New Year celebration. This Enkutatash event was first held in the South Bay in 1991. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Organized by the nonprofit Ethiopian Community Services, Sunday’s celebration drew thousands — both Ethiopian residents and supporters — in a testament to the growing strength of the Ethiopian diaspora in the Bay Area’s biggest city.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Organized by the nonprofit Ethiopian Community Services, Sunday’s celebration drew thousands — both Ethiopian residents and supporters — in a testament to the growing strength of the Ethiopian diaspora in the Bay Area’s biggest city.\u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-01017_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099609\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Children play together at an Ethiopian New Year celebration at Guadalupe River Park in San José on Sept. 13, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00295_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099605\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An attendee wears a yellow flower, also known as adey ababa, which blooms during the New Year, on their sleeve at an Ethiopian New Year celebration at Guadalupe River Park in San José on Sept. 13, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Just like the Western Gregorian calendar, the Ethiopian Ge’ez calendar is \u003ca href=\"https://ethiopianembassy.org/ethiopian-time/\">based on the year\u003c/a> of Jesus Christ’s birth. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Just like the Western Gregorian calendar, the Ethiopian Ge’ez calendar is \u003ca href=\"https://ethiopianembassy.org/ethiopian-time/\">based on the year\u003c/a> of Jesus Christ’s birth. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Because the Gregorian and Ge’ez calendars differ on Christ’s exact birth year, however, this Enkutatash marks the beginning of the year 2019.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We are seven years behind in Ethiopia,” Haile joked.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Haile was not the only one dressed in yellow on Sunday. Hundreds of families from all over the South Bay showed up wearing shirts, headbands and traditional \u003ca href=\"https://www.pinterest.com/erichick/habesha-dresses/\">habesha dresses\u003c/a> embellished with intricate gold patterns. Many designs feature a yellow flower, similar to those that Haile gave away.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Haile was not the only one dressed in yellow on Sunday. Hundreds of families from all over the South Bay showed up wearing shirts, headbands and traditional \u003ca href=\"https://www.pinterest.com/erichick/habesha-dresses/\">habesha dresses\u003c/a> embellished with intricate gold patterns. Many designs feature a yellow flower, similar to those that Haile gave away.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While it may resemble a sunflower, this is adey abeba — a flower native to Ethiopia that blooms at the end of the rainy summer season, marking both the start of September and the new year.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Back in Ethiopia, the children go door to door giving these flowers as a gift,” Haile reminisced. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00113_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099603\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00113_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00113_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00113_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Semert Haile poses for a portrait at an Ethiopian New Year celebration at Guadalupe River Park in San José on Sept. 13, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s been more than 20 years since she left her home in the capital city of Addis Ababa. Coming to California was a great opportunity, she said — but also somewhat of an isolating experience. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When it’s the New Year, everybody’s together each day. Everyone eats together. The house is warm,” she said. “Here, you have to be invited by other people [to celebrate the New Year].”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That’s why Haile and other leaders of the nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://ecssanjose.org/\">Ethiopian Community Services\u003c/a> started a public Enkutatash celebration in San José decades ago. It’s an opportunity for Ethiopians who have recently arrived to meet new people and not experience the same isolation she once felt, Haile said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When they come to the U.S., they maybe get lost. They miss all their support groups,” she said. “You don’t know what others are going through while they’re trying to adjust to Western culture.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Haile quickly gathered hundreds of children to the stage to sing “Abebayehosh,” a traditional song celebrating the new year in Amharic — one of the many languages spoken in Ethiopia.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The kids who were not on stage were playing soccer nearby in the park. Many are part of Maleda Youth Soccer Club, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091408/maleda-where-san-joses-brightest-soccer-stars-get-started\">created in 2004\u003c/a> by Ethiopian families in the South Bay who wanted a safe place for their kids to both play and learn more about their heritage. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Among the club’s alumni is professional soccer player Naomi Girma — currently center back for England’s Women’s Super League club Chelsea FC and a strong contender for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team. Girma grew up in San José and credits Maleda for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13988410/naomi-girma-us-womens-soccer-star-returns-san-jose\">helping kick-start\u003c/a> her passion for soccer.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The community works hard to make sure younger generations know their heritage, Hawi Desda said. Growing up in East Palo Alto, she would travel across the Bay Area to different religious and athletic events led by other Ethiopian families. Now, Desda lives in San José and was attending the Enkutatash celebration with friends she met at church. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The community works hard to make sure younger generations know their heritage, Hawi Desda said. Growing up in East Palo Alto, she would travel across the Bay Area to different religious and athletic events led by other Ethiopian families. Now, Desda lives in San José and was attending the Enkutatash celebration with friends she met at church. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There’s so many events for folks growing up within the diaspora that don’t have access to what’s happening back in Ethiopia,” she said. “Shout out to our community for creating such spaces for young people to be in community with each other.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For more than 40 years, the Bay Area has been home to this thriving Ethiopian community that reflects the country’s immense cultural, ethnic and linguistic diversity.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Many families who first moved to the region in the ’80s and ’90s were fleeing Ethiopia’s civil war and found economic opportunities in Silicon Valley, building the electronic components for personal computers during the first dot-com boom. Other families brought with them cherished family recipes and opened restaurants, helping to make the Bay Area one of the country’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13905230/zeni-ethiopian-restaurant-san-jose\">top hubs for Ethiopian cuisine\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Many families who first moved to the region in the ’80s and ’90s were fleeing Ethiopia’s civil war and found economic opportunities in Silicon Valley, building the electronic components for personal computers during the first dot-com boom. Other families brought with them cherished family recipes and opened restaurants, helping to make the Bay Area one of the country’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13905230/zeni-ethiopian-restaurant-san-jose\">top hubs for Ethiopian cuisine\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Even folks visiting from far away were impressed by Sunday’s celebrations. “It’s like home away from home,” said Samry Derje, who was visiting San José from northern Virginia, part of the greater Washington, D.C., metropolitan area — another \u003ca href=\"https://wamu.org/story/16/04/21/how_did_the_dc_region_become_home_to_the_largest_population_of_ethiopians_in_the_us/\">major Ethiopian enclave\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00258_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099604\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Genet Hailegiogirgis and her daughter pose for a portrait wearing matching outfits at an Ethiopian New Year celebration at Guadalupe River Park in San José on Sept. 13, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00006_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099601\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Alex Feke (left) and his daughters pose for a portrait with the Ethiopian flag at an Ethiopian New Year celebration at Guadalupe River Park in San José on Sept. 13, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to city officials, there are more than 25,000 people of Ethiopian origin living in San José. Across Santa Clara County, that number is estimated to rise to over 30,000. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“What I love about the community is how tight-knit it is,” said San José Mayor Matt Mahan, who also spoke at the celebration. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Many of us in America live much more isolated lives, and the sense of community and the way that people care for each other is really beautiful,” he added. “There’s a lot to learn here.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As the sun started to set over the celebrations, Arena Green East and the Guadalupe River flowing nearby shone with a yellow that rivaled the adey abeba flower.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And as families said their goodbyes and began to leave for home, Haile made sure to remind them: “See you next year!”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Thousands showed up to the South Bay’s celebration this weekend, with plenty of music, soccer and adey abeba — the flower traditionally used to mark the occasion.\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Dressed from head to toe in resplendent yellow, Semert Haile passed out flowers as she walked through \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a>’s Arena Green East Park. “Melkam Enkutatash!” she greeted everyone. “Happy Ethiopian New Year!”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And not even the roaring of airplanes taking off from San José Mineta International Airport nearby was enough to drown out the sound of music and children’s laughter at this Ethiopian New Year celebration. This Enkutatash event was first held in the South Bay in 1991. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Organized by the nonprofit Ethiopian Community Services, Sunday’s celebration drew thousands — both Ethiopian residents and supporters — in a testament to the growing strength of the Ethiopian diaspora in the Bay Area’s biggest city.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-01017_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099609\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-01017_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-01017_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-01017_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Children play together at an Ethiopian New Year celebration at Guadalupe River Park in San José on Sept. 13, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-7 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12099605\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00295_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099605\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00295_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00295_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00295_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An attendee wears a yellow flower, also known as adey ababa, which blooms during the New Year, on their sleeve at an Ethiopian New Year celebration at Guadalupe River Park in San José on Sept. 13, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12099602\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00069_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099602\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00069_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00069_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00069_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Children play soccer at an Ethiopian New Year celebration at Guadalupe River Park in San José on Sept. 13, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Just like the Western Gregorian calendar, the Ethiopian Ge’ez calendar is \u003ca href=\"https://ethiopianembassy.org/ethiopian-time/\">based on the year\u003c/a> of Jesus Christ’s birth. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Because the Gregorian and Ge’ez calendars differ on Christ’s exact birth year, however, this Enkutatash marks the beginning of the year 2019.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are seven years behind in Ethiopia,” Haile joked.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘Shout out to our community’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Haile was not the only one dressed in yellow on Sunday. Hundreds of families from all over the South Bay showed up wearing shirts, headbands and traditional \u003ca href=\"https://www.pinterest.com/erichick/habesha-dresses/\">habesha dresses\u003c/a> embellished with intricate gold patterns. Many designs feature a yellow flower, similar to those that Haile gave away.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While it may resemble a sunflower, this is adey abeba — a flower native to Ethiopia that blooms at the end of the rainy summer season, marking both the start of September and the new year.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Back in Ethiopia, the children go door to door giving these flowers as a gift,” Haile reminisced. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00113_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099603\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00113_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00113_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00113_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Semert Haile poses for a portrait at an Ethiopian New Year celebration at Guadalupe River Park in San José on Sept. 13, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-8 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12099607\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00638_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099607\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00638_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00638_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00638_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A child waves an adey ababa flower during a singing performance at an Ethiopian New Year celebration at Guadalupe River Park in San José on Sept. 13, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12099606\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00516_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099606\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00516_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00516_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00516_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Children celebrate Ethiopian New Year on a stage at Guadalupe River Park in San José on Sept. 13, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s been more than 20 years since she left her home in the capital city of Addis Ababa. Coming to California was a great opportunity, she said — but also somewhat of an isolating experience. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When it’s the New Year, everybody’s together each day. Everyone eats together. The house is warm,” she said. “Here, you have to be invited by other people [to celebrate the New Year].”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That’s why Haile and other leaders of the nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://ecssanjose.org/\">Ethiopian Community Services\u003c/a> started a public Enkutatash celebration in San José decades ago. It’s an opportunity for Ethiopians who have recently arrived to meet new people and not experience the same isolation she once felt, Haile said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When they come to the U.S., they maybe get lost. They miss all their support groups,” she said. “You don’t know what others are going through while they’re trying to adjust to Western culture.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Haile quickly gathered hundreds of children to the stage to sing “Abebayehosh,” a traditional song celebrating the new year in Amharic — one of the many languages spoken in Ethiopia.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The kids who were not on stage were playing soccer nearby in the park. Many are part of Maleda Youth Soccer Club, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091408/maleda-where-san-joses-brightest-soccer-stars-get-started\">created in 2004\u003c/a> by Ethiopian families in the South Bay who wanted a safe place for their kids to both play and learn more about their heritage. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Among the club’s alumni is professional soccer player Naomi Girma — currently center back for England’s Women’s Super League club Chelsea FC and a strong contender for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team. Girma grew up in San José and credits Maleda for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13988410/naomi-girma-us-womens-soccer-star-returns-san-jose\">helping kick-start\u003c/a> her passion for soccer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The community works hard to make sure younger generations know their heritage, Hawi Desda said. Growing up in East Palo Alto, she would travel across the Bay Area to different religious and athletic events led by other Ethiopian families. Now, Desda lives in San José and was attending the Enkutatash celebration with friends she met at church. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s so many events for folks growing up within the diaspora that don’t have access to what’s happening back in Ethiopia,” she said. “Shout out to our community for creating such spaces for young people to be in community with each other.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘Like home away from home’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For more than 40 years, the Bay Area has been home to this thriving Ethiopian community that reflects the country’s immense cultural, ethnic and linguistic diversity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many families who first moved to the region in the ’80s and ’90s were fleeing Ethiopia’s civil war and found economic opportunities in Silicon Valley, building the electronic components for personal computers during the first dot-com boom. Other families brought with them cherished family recipes and opened restaurants, helping to make the Bay Area one of the country’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13905230/zeni-ethiopian-restaurant-san-jose\">top hubs for Ethiopian cuisine\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even folks visiting from far away were impressed by Sunday’s celebrations. “It’s like home away from home,” said Samry Derje, who was visiting San José from northern Virginia, part of the greater Washington, D.C., metropolitan area — another \u003ca href=\"https://wamu.org/story/16/04/21/how_did_the_dc_region_become_home_to_the_largest_population_of_ethiopians_in_the_us/\">major Ethiopian enclave\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-9 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12099604\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00258_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099604\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00258_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00258_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00258_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Genet Hailegiogirgis and her daughter pose for a portrait wearing matching outfits at an Ethiopian New Year celebration at Guadalupe River Park in San José on Sept. 13, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12099601\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00006_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099601\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00006_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00006_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260913-ethiopiannewyear-00006_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Alex Feke (left) and his daughters pose for a portrait with the Ethiopian flag at an Ethiopian New Year celebration at Guadalupe River Park in San José on Sept. 13, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to city officials, there are more than 25,000 people of Ethiopian origin living in San José. Across Santa Clara County, that number is estimated to rise to over 30,000. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What I love about the community is how tight-knit it is,” said San José Mayor Matt Mahan, who also spoke at the celebration. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Many of us in America live much more isolated lives, and the sense of community and the way that people care for each other is really beautiful,” he added. “There’s a lot to learn here.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the sun started to set over the celebrations, Arena Green East and the Guadalupe River flowing nearby shone with a yellow that rivaled the adey abeba flower.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And as families said their goodbyes and began to leave for home, Haile made sure to remind them: “See you next year!”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "full-on-backlash-against-data-centers-occurring-as-san-jose-courts-them",
"title": "‘Full-on Backlash’ Against Data Centers Occurring as San José Courts Them",
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"headTitle": "‘Full-on Backlash’ Against Data Centers Occurring as San José Courts Them | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/santa-clara\">Santa Clara\u003c/a> has quietly become California’s data center capital. The sleepy suburb known for its quiet streets and professional football stadium is home to 60 data centers — more than any other city on the West Coast. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cheap electricity sold by the city’s own power company has for years attracted major tech firms and data center developers seeking millions of dollars in savings over PG&E rates as they build out the hulking, cube-like structures full of computers, networking and cooling equipment. The city and its planners have also made it easy on developers seeking guidance and approvals, which are largely handled by the city’s planning commission. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But now some local lawmakers are raising concerns. Kevin Park, a council member and tech worker who is running for mayor, said the city has gone too far, as the power company’s supply is strained and it has raised rates on residents to pay for major infrastructure upgrades. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Let’s stop building data centers. And the water and the electricity and all the things that we’ll save, let’s use them for other things,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the current artificial intelligence boom fuels rising demand for data centers in Silicon Valley, concern about their effects on the environment, resources and surrounding communities has burst into public discourse and turned the issue into a political hot potato. Local lawmakers are now scrambling to weigh constituents’ concerns against the prospect of embracing the economic windfall proponents say data centers can bring.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098431\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-07-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-07-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-07-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Buildings in the Alviso neighborhood of San José that Google plans to modify to operate in a capacity similar to a data center on Sept. 3, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While South Bay cities have so far not enacted temporary moratoriums like the one-year ban Oakley in the East Bay recently passed, some places, like Gilroy, have tightened data center approvals amid pushback to the massive buildings seemingly rising overnight. Statewide polling suggests most residents oppose building data centers to support the AI industry in their area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even in a city like Santa Clara, which has long leaned on data centers as a driver of revenue, some politicians, like Park, are calling for a halt. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If we took down a single mid-size data center using 20 to 40 megawatts of power, we could actually double the population of the city and not need a single additional watt of power,” Park said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city, which has about 130,000 residents, is also home to tech behemoths like Nvidia, whose advanced processing units and software are at the center of the AI race and data center growth. “I don’t think people understand that’s the scale we’re talking about. Every large data center we put in can use the entire electric capacity of a city,” he said. “This is something we need to think about.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But lawmakers in neighboring San José are taking a different approach from what Park is proposing, leaning into the AI industry’s demand for larger, more energy-intensive data centers even as they try to assuage residents’ concerns. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San José, with nearly 1 million residents, has for more than a year been actively courting data center development, hoping to provide a stable injection of property and utility taxes into city coffers. Officials say the city, historically a sprawling bedroom community that struggled to generate commercial revenue, currently has about 20 operating data centers. The projects require a special use permit, which must be approved at a public hearing. A planning commission or city council meeting is not always required. But for some projects with a significant environmental impact, the city council would make the final decision.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Last summer, San José Mayor Matt Mahan \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12049830/san-jose-and-pge-strike-deal-to-attract-data-centers-to-south-bay\">announced a deal\u003c/a> with PG&E that would guarantee power availability and quick connections for 10 major projects in the coming years. In a statement, the city said the pact would position San José as the “West Coast’s premier destination for data center development.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city launched “\u003ca href=\"https://www.sjeconomy.com/how-we-help/programs-and-services/powering-san-jos-energy-infrastructure-for-data-centers\">concierge-style support\u003c/a>” for data center developers, made dozens of individual pitches and participated in industry events and conferences, leading to a near doubling of interest in \u003ca href=\"https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/planning-building-code-enforcement/planning-division/data-center-and-other-large-energy-use-projects\">data center development\u003c/a> in the city by earlier this year, staff reports say.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the city’s efforts to go all-in on data centers and other large energy-use projects have prompted fierce pushback.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think we’re in a full-on backlash against the buildout of the data centers, and not just in California, but in the country and really worldwide,” said Irina Raicu, the director of the Internet Ethics Program at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In part because of the trade-offs that these buildings require, in part because of lack of information and the way people have been surprised in so many places by the apparition of these big centers,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098429\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-05-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Homes in the south San José neighborhood near the lot intended to house a data center on Silver Creek Valley Road on Sept. 3, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In North San José’s small Alviso neighborhood, a historically underserved portion of the city that has been heavily developed with tech campuses, corporate offices and research facilities, officials are expecting the buildout of at least three major data centers and large energy-use projects. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Google is proposing to demolish an existing warehouse and build research and development facilities expected to draw about 250 megawatts of power. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“For context, 250 MW is larger than the average demand of all of Marin County in 2024, and about half the overall average demand of San Mateo County,” the California Public Utilities Commission \u003ca href=\"https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M607/K718/607718746.PDF\">said\u003c/a> in its review of the project. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Not far away, Microsoft is already building a 99-megawatt data center with 224 natural gas generators to provide continual power when there are outages or the grid is overloaded. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And on 159 acres of land used as a buffer between a wastewater facility jointly owned by San José and Santa Clara, the city has entered into an \u003ca href=\"https://sanjose.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=14917877&GUID=45941F3A-0A60-42A1-8F04-B09281C6E2F3\">exclusive negotiating agreement\u003c/a> with Prologis, which is proposing a facility that in total would use 496 megawatts of electricity across data centers and research facilities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098430\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-06-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ellina Yin stands outside a pair of buildings in the Alviso neighborhood of San José that Google plans to modify to operate similar to a data center on Sept. 3, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Based on those power estimates, the group of Alviso facilities at full capacity could use more energy daily than the \u003ca href=\"https://www.siliconvalleypower.com/home/showpublisheddocument/89484/639130534329930000\">entire city of Santa Clara\u003c/a> — with its dozens of data centers — currently does, said San José resident Ellina Yin, who has tracked data center development closely. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“So we’re putting an entire city’s worth of data centers in this tiny neighborhood, and the public health implications are unstudied. We don’t really understand what the future impacts could be,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A community listening session in San José last month turned out hundreds of people, most expressing concern about data centers and some calling for a moratorium on accepting applications from developers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mahan, a former tech worker, has said in the past that rejecting data center development outright would be akin to burying “our heads in the sand.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some residents said they sense a disconnect between what people are telling elected leaders and what policies are being advanced. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-3_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099272\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-3_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-3_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-3_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San José Mayor Matt Mahan takes notes during the city’s first community listening session focused on data centers on Aug. 19, 2026, at City Hall. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They don’t seem to care about the fact that a lot of people just really don’t want this in their backyard,” said Ken Thompson, a South San José resident who lives steps away from a proposed data center. “If the community doesn’t want it, if the local area around it doesn’t want it, then why are we forcing it upon them?” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mahan doesn’t see it that way. Instead, the city has taken a build-the-airplane-while-flying-it approach, holding community meetings to gather feedback that will inform a planned beefing up of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095008/san-jose-weighs-data-center-benefits-as-residents-raise-environmental-concerns\">regulations and standards\u003c/a> for data center proposals.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re going to set, with input from the community over the coming months, some of the highest, strictest standards in every category of concern we’ve heard,” Mahan said in an interview. “Labor standards, environmental protection, rate-payer protection, aesthetics and other community engagement and community benefits.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>City officials expect to present the City Council with the new standards by the end of the year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It is much more important that we regulate Big Tech to get this right than to simply say ‘no’ and make it somebody else’s problem and lose the ability to shape this investment,” Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098432\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-08-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-08-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-08-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Notice of Development Proposal is posted outside a building in the Alviso neighborhood of San José that Google plans to modify to operate similar to a data center on Sept. 3, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, business and industry trade groups representing the biggest tech companies and data center developers say data centers are paramount to the success of the digital economy, Silicon Valley’s continued status as an innovation engine and American dominance in AI technologies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If California is not positioned to continue rapidly deploying and scaling AI technology … if our state general fund, if our local community economies are not able to garner the benefits of this, it will go elsewhere,” said Ahmad Thomas, the CEO of Silicon Valley Leadership Group.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think the next 30 to 40 years of economic supremacy globally is going to be determined by who gets this right,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thomas said the data centers proposed in the Silicon Valley region are being developed responsibly, making use of renewable energy, recycled water, and offering community benefits. He said it’s a template all data center development should follow, and might assuage some concerns and fears. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our thesis is that listening to the community leads to better innovation. That has always been our working approach,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098428\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-04-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-04-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A lot on Silver Creek Valley Road in south San José, which is intended to house a data center, on Sept. 3, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Khara Boender, a spokesperson for the western division of the industry trade group Data Center Coalition, said data center backers want to be good neighbors. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The industry is committed to paying for its full cost of service for electricity and the underlying infrastructure that it uses,” Boender said. “The industry is committed to responsible water use, and has made different investments in restoration and replenishment projects.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The buildings, which as recently as several years ago were much smaller and drew significantly smaller energy loads, were previously primarily used to house and exchange information across the internet, and later came to support all kinds of daily needs of a modern world, like social media, streaming services and video communication services for meetings and telehealth. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They support the very fabric of our digital lives and every aspect of that,” said Dr. Andrew Chien, a professor of computer science at the University of Chicago. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But newer data centers are packed with high-energy processing and computing elements that are increasingly used for AI, both to do the complex computational work needed to power AI chatbots and agents, and to train massive AI models and systems that are at the forefront of the technology.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chien said because AI is a fundamentally different way to deliver services, it has drastically increased the need for data centers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Traditionally with computing, a service like email or like social media, it’s mostly taking a piece of digital data and serving it up or maybe organizing a little bit and then serving it up. But when you talk to a chatbot, or you ask Claude to go do some complicated analysis or Gemini or ChatGPT, you actually trigger a gigantic number of numerical computations,” Chien said. “So there’s dramatically more energy required to do that. So it’s not only the growth of AI, it’s the fact that AI is a hugely energy-intensive way of delivering this intelligence.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The rapid growth of data center proposals and industry bullishness have been met with growing grassroots resistance in Silicon Valley, led in part by Yin, the San José resident. One major factor fueling the resistance is a striking lack of clear information about how much power, water and other resources data centers use.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yin said the financial and technological imperatives espoused by data center proponents shouldn’t trump the need for updated regulations and deeper understanding about the long-term, cumulative impacts across the region on things like air and water, which take time to develop. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The scale that we’re seeing them be built out nationally is just, it’s overwhelming. I’ve never seen anything like it in my lifetime. And I feel like there’s just a lack of due diligence that we cannot repeat from previous generations,” Yin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They are leaving that to the burden of future generations to deal with, just as when cell phones came, and we didn’t understand social media, and now look at the state of child development and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096647/why-metas-landmark-settlement-could-be-social-medias-big-tobacco-moment\">impact of social media\u003c/a> on the youth,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She pointed to the collection of Superfund polluted \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/futureofyou/388730/silicon-valleys-toxic-past-haunts-sunnyvale-neighborhood\">sites across Santa Clara County\u003c/a>, created by years of toxic material mismanagement in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11630861/how-silicon-valley-industry-polluted-the-sylvan-california-dream\">semiconductor industry\u003c/a> that flourished there decades ago, or the global plastics industry. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-03-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098427\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-03-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-03-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-03-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A lot on Silver Creek Valley Road in south San José, which is intended to house a data center, on Sept. 3, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We didn’t know any better. And now it’s in our bodies, it’s in our water, and the plastics industry did not come running to save us and to do all the reparations of correcting the damage that they caused. And so I don’t think I can trust that the AI industry is going to come and do the reparation of the impacts that they’re going to cause,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Raicu, the director of the Internet Ethics program, co-authored \u003ca href=\"https://www.next10.org/sites/default/files/2026-05/Data-Centers-Water-Use-Report.pdf\">a report\u003c/a> on data centers and water use, and said the overall lack of clear information about the resource consumption of data centers by the companies proposing and operating them is striking, and more disclosure should be required. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some reports, like one out of \u003ca href=\"https://jlarc.virginia.gov/pdfs/reports/Rpt598.pdf\">Virginia\u003c/a>, which has the highest concentration of data centers in the country, say many there use as much water as large office buildings each year, between 4 million gallons and 10 million gallons. But others use far more, including one that uses 243 million gallons. The picture both locally and nationally isn’t always clear or comprehensive, Raicu said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We don’t know how much energy and how much water data centers are using. And the demands are going to be different at the scale that we’re talking about for these new kinds of data centers,” she said, noting that \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2026/09/sam-altman-almonds-chatgpt-water-california/\">researchers\u003c/a> have advocated for more detailed information. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The fact that it’s been such a multi-year battle in which only now are some companies voluntarily starting to disclose, data center by data center, what’s actually being used, that’s a big reason we’re seeing the pushback and the distrust,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-2_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099292\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-2_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-2_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-2_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ted Smith, a San José resident, expresses concerns about the impact of data centers during the city’s first community listening session focused on data centers on Aug. 19, 2026, at City Hall. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill last year that would have required water use disclosure by data center developers, and has another similar bill on his desk \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097457/the-data-center-backlash-is-here-and-big-tech-is-spending-big-to-combat-it\">this year\u003c/a>, along with a raft of other bills aimed at drawing more information from data center proponents and protecting electricity customers from paying higher rates in connection with them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thompson, the South San José resident, who lives in a small house on a former orchard, said he initially got involved in the push against data centers when he found out one could rise just steps from his home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prologis is proposing a three-story, 99-megawatt data center that would include 44 diesel generators for backup power on Silver Creek Valley Road. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thompson said city officials told him current air quality regulations would limit the number of hours per year the center would be allowed to operate the generators, which produce toxic compounds when running during power outages.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“But if the penalty for [exceeding] that is a fine, then I have a sneaking suspicion that that’s not going to stop them … because the money that they make is going to be more than the fine,” Thompson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The proposed site is next to a hiking trail and a city park, and less than a quarter-mile east of single-family home neighborhoods. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thompson said he opposes this data center and others like it because of the potential diesel emissions and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/17/us/data-centers-noise-pollution.html\">constant low-frequency sounds\u003c/a> they can emit that he worries could harm people or wildlife in the area next to Coyote Creek and the foothills. He’s also concerned about a more AI-driven world threatening workers and art, and perpetuating surveillance technology like the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064587/civil-liberties-groups-sue-san-jose-over-license-plate-reader-use\">license plate readers\u003c/a> mounted all over the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He participated in the community listening session and a small-group discussion facilitated by the city recently.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“One of the things I found most interesting was they were also focusing on the fact that old data centers used to be just these hideous boxes and we’re going to try and regulate them to be more beautiful,” Thompson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The funny thing to me is, it doesn’t matter to me what the color of the gun that’s pointed to my head is going to be,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Raicu thinks holistic conversations about how data centers are built, where they make sense and how they affect society need to be top priorities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“None of this is just a force of nature. These are decisions made by human beings. Regulations can be passed. There can be a lot more money spent on making more sustainable technology. There could be delays put in place as to whether you deploy something at this kind of scale,” she said. “All of that is just human decisions.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED Correspondent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/gmarzorati\">Guy Marzorati\u003c/a> contributed to this story. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/santa-clara\">Santa Clara\u003c/a> has quietly become California’s data center capital. The sleepy suburb known for its quiet streets and professional football stadium is home to 60 data centers — more than any other city on the West Coast. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/santa-clara\">Santa Clara\u003c/a> has quietly become California’s data center capital. The sleepy suburb known for its quiet streets and professional football stadium is home to 60 data centers — more than any other city on the West Coast. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Cheap electricity sold by the city’s own power company has for years attracted major tech firms and data center developers seeking millions of dollars in savings over PG&E rates as they build out the hulking, cube-like structures full of computers, networking and cooling equipment. The city and its planners have also made it easy on developers seeking guidance and approvals, which are largely handled by the city’s planning commission. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Cheap electricity sold by the city’s own power company has for years attracted major tech firms and data center developers seeking millions of dollars in savings over PG&E rates as they build out the hulking, cube-like structures full of computers, networking and cooling equipment. The city and its planners have also made it easy on developers seeking guidance and approvals, which are largely handled by the city’s planning commission. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But now some local lawmakers are raising concerns. Kevin Park, a council member and tech worker who is running for mayor, said the city has gone too far, as the power company’s supply is strained and it has raised rates on residents to pay for major infrastructure upgrades. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But now some local lawmakers are raising concerns. Kevin Park, a council member and tech worker who is running for mayor, said the city has gone too far, as the power company’s supply is strained and it has raised rates on residents to pay for major infrastructure upgrades. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Let’s stop building data centers. And the water and the electricity and all the things that we’ll save, let’s use them for other things,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Let’s stop building data centers. And the water and the electricity and all the things that we’ll save, let’s use them for other things,” he said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As the current artificial intelligence boom fuels rising demand for data centers in Silicon Valley, concern about their effects on the environment, resources and surrounding communities has burst into public discourse and turned the issue into a political hot potato. Local lawmakers are now scrambling to weigh constituents’ concerns against the prospect of embracing the economic windfall proponents say data centers can bring.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As the current artificial intelligence boom fuels rising demand for data centers in Silicon Valley, concern about their effects on the environment, resources and surrounding communities has burst into public discourse and turned the issue into a political hot potato. Local lawmakers are now scrambling to weigh constituents’ concerns against the prospect of embracing the economic windfall proponents say data centers can bring.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098431\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-07-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-07-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-07-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Buildings in the Alviso neighborhood of San José that Google plans to modify to operate in a capacity similar to a data center on Sept. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While South Bay cities have so far not enacted temporary moratoriums like the one-year ban Oakley in the East Bay recently passed, some places, like Gilroy, have tightened data center approvals amid pushback to the massive buildings seemingly rising overnight. Statewide polling suggests most residents oppose building data centers to support the AI industry in their area. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Even in a city like Santa Clara, which has long leaned on data centers as a driver of revenue, some politicians, like Park, are calling for a halt. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If we took down a single mid-size data center using 20 to 40 megawatts of power, we could actually double the population of the city and not need a single additional watt of power,” Park said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“If we took down a single mid-size data center using 20 to 40 megawatts of power, we could actually double the population of the city and not need a single additional watt of power,” Park said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city, which has about 130,000 residents, is also home to tech behemoths like Nvidia, whose advanced processing units and software are at the center of the AI race and data center growth. “I don’t think people understand that’s the scale we’re talking about. Every large data center we put in can use the entire electric capacity of a city,” he said. “This is something we need to think about.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But lawmakers in neighboring San José are taking a different approach from what Park is proposing, leaning into the AI industry’s demand for larger, more energy-intensive data centers even as they try to assuage residents’ concerns. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San José, with nearly 1 million residents, has for more than a year been actively courting data center development, hoping to provide a stable injection of property and utility taxes into city coffers. Officials say the city, historically a sprawling bedroom community that struggled to generate commercial revenue, currently has about 20 operating data centers. The projects require a special use permit, which must be approved at a public hearing. A planning commission or city council meeting is not always required. But for some projects with a significant environmental impact, the city council would make the final decision.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>San José, with nearly 1 million residents, has for more than a year been actively courting data center development, hoping to provide a stable injection of property and utility taxes into city coffers. Officials say the city, historically a sprawling bedroom community that struggled to generate commercial revenue, currently has about 20 operating data centers. The projects require a special use permit, which must be approved at a public hearing. A planning commission or city council meeting is not always required. But for some projects with a significant environmental impact, the city council would make the final decision.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Last summer, San José Mayor Matt Mahan \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12049830/san-jose-and-pge-strike-deal-to-attract-data-centers-to-south-bay\">announced a deal\u003c/a> with PG&E that would guarantee power availability and quick connections for 10 major projects in the coming years. In a statement, the city said the pact would position San José as the “West Coast’s premier destination for data center development.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Last summer, San José Mayor Matt Mahan \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12049830/san-jose-and-pge-strike-deal-to-attract-data-centers-to-south-bay\">announced a deal\u003c/a> with PG&E that would guarantee power availability and quick connections for 10 major projects in the coming years. In a statement, the city said the pact would position San José as the “West Coast’s premier destination for data center development.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city launched “\u003ca href=\"https://www.sjeconomy.com/how-we-help/programs-and-services/powering-san-jos-energy-infrastructure-for-data-centers\">concierge-style support\u003c/a>” for data center developers, made dozens of individual pitches and participated in industry events and conferences, leading to a near doubling of interest in \u003ca href=\"https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/planning-building-code-enforcement/planning-division/data-center-and-other-large-energy-use-projects\">data center development\u003c/a> in the city by earlier this year, staff reports say.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The city launched “\u003ca href=\"https://www.sjeconomy.com/how-we-help/programs-and-services/powering-san-jos-energy-infrastructure-for-data-centers\">concierge-style support\u003c/a>” for data center developers, made dozens of individual pitches and participated in industry events and conferences, leading to a near doubling of interest in \u003ca href=\"https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/planning-building-code-enforcement/planning-division/data-center-and-other-large-energy-use-projects\">data center development\u003c/a> in the city by earlier this year, staff reports say.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the city’s efforts to go all-in on data centers and other large energy-use projects have prompted fierce pushback.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But the city’s efforts to go all-in on data centers and other large energy-use projects have prompted fierce pushback.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I think we’re in a full-on backlash against the buildout of the data centers, and not just in California, but in the country and really worldwide,” said Irina Raicu, the director of the Internet Ethics Program at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I think we’re in a full-on backlash against the buildout of the data centers, and not just in California, but in the country and really worldwide,” said Irina Raicu, the director of the Internet Ethics Program at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“In part because of the trade-offs that these buildings require, in part because of lack of information and the way people have been surprised in so many places by the apparition of these big centers,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“In part because of the trade-offs that these buildings require, in part because of lack of information and the way people have been surprised in so many places by the apparition of these big centers,” she said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098429\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-05-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Homes in the south San José neighborhood near the lot intended to house a data center on Silver Creek Valley Road on Sept. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098429\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Homes in the south San José neighborhood near the lot intended to house a data center on Silver Creek Valley Road on Sept. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In North San José’s small Alviso neighborhood, a historically underserved portion of the city that has been heavily developed with tech campuses, corporate offices and research facilities, officials are expecting the buildout of at least three major data centers and large energy-use projects. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In North San José’s small Alviso neighborhood, a historically underserved portion of the city that has been heavily developed with tech campuses, corporate offices and research facilities, officials are expecting the buildout of at least three major data centers and large energy-use projects. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Google is proposing to demolish an existing warehouse and build research and development facilities expected to draw about 250 megawatts of power. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Google is proposing to demolish an existing warehouse and build research and development facilities expected to draw about 250 megawatts of power. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“For context, 250 MW is larger than the average demand of all of Marin County in 2024, and about half the overall average demand of San Mateo County,” the California Public Utilities Commission \u003ca href=\"https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M607/K718/607718746.PDF\">said\u003c/a> in its review of the project. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“For context, 250 MW is larger than the average demand of all of Marin County in 2024, and about half the overall average demand of San Mateo County,” the California Public Utilities Commission \u003ca href=\"https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M607/K718/607718746.PDF\">said\u003c/a> in its review of the project. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Not far away, Microsoft is already building a 99-megawatt data center with 224 natural gas generators to provide continual power when there are outages or the grid is overloaded. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Not far away, Microsoft is already building a 99-megawatt data center with 224 natural gas generators to provide continual power when there are outages or the grid is overloaded. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And on 159 acres of land used as a buffer between a wastewater facility jointly owned by San José and Santa Clara, the city has entered into an \u003ca href=\"https://sanjose.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=14917877&GUID=45941F3A-0A60-42A1-8F04-B09281C6E2F3\">exclusive negotiating agreement\u003c/a> with Prologis, which is proposing a facility that in total would use 496 megawatts of electricity across data centers and research facilities. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And on 159 acres of land used as a buffer between a wastewater facility jointly owned by San José and Santa Clara, the city has entered into an \u003ca href=\"https://sanjose.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=14917877&GUID=45941F3A-0A60-42A1-8F04-B09281C6E2F3\">exclusive negotiating agreement\u003c/a> with Prologis, which is proposing a facility that in total would use 496 megawatts of electricity across data centers and research facilities. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098430\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-06-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ellina Yin stands outside a pair of buildings in the Alviso neighborhood of San José that Google plans to modify to operate similar to a data center on Sept. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098430\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ellina Yin stands outside a pair of buildings in the Alviso neighborhood of San José that Google plans to modify to operate similar to a data center on Sept. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Based on those power estimates, the group of Alviso facilities at full capacity could use more energy daily than the \u003ca href=\"https://www.siliconvalleypower.com/home/showpublisheddocument/89484/639130534329930000\">entire city of Santa Clara\u003c/a> — with its dozens of data centers — currently does, said San José resident Ellina Yin, who has tracked data center development closely. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Based on those power estimates, the group of Alviso facilities at full capacity could use more energy daily than the \u003ca href=\"https://www.siliconvalleypower.com/home/showpublisheddocument/89484/639130534329930000\">entire city of Santa Clara\u003c/a> — with its dozens of data centers — currently does, said San José resident Ellina Yin, who has tracked data center development closely. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“So we’re putting an entire city’s worth of data centers in this tiny neighborhood, and the public health implications are unstudied. We don’t really understand what the future impacts could be,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“So we’re putting an entire city’s worth of data centers in this tiny neighborhood, and the public health implications are unstudied. We don’t really understand what the future impacts could be,” she said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A community listening session in San José last month turned out hundreds of people, most expressing concern about data centers and some calling for a moratorium on accepting applications from developers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A community listening session in San José last month turned out hundreds of people, most expressing concern about data centers and some calling for a moratorium on accepting applications from developers. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mahan, a former tech worker, has said in the past that rejecting data center development outright would be akin to burying “our heads in the sand.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Mahan, a former tech worker, has said in the past that rejecting data center development outright would be akin to burying “our heads in the sand.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some residents said they sense a disconnect between what people are telling elected leaders and what policies are being advanced. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Some residents said they sense a disconnect between what people are telling elected leaders and what policies are being advanced. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-3_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099272\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-3_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-3_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-3_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San José Mayor Matt Mahan takes notes during the city’s first community listening session focused on data centers on Aug. 19, 2026, at City Hall.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-3_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099272\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San José Mayor Matt Mahan takes notes during the city’s first community listening session focused on data centers on Aug. 19, 2026, at City Hall.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They don’t seem to care about the fact that a lot of people just really don’t want this in their backyard,” said Ken Thompson, a South San José resident who lives steps away from a proposed data center. “If the community doesn’t want it, if the local area around it doesn’t want it, then why are we forcing it upon them?” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“They don’t seem to care about the fact that a lot of people just really don’t want this in their backyard,” said Ken Thompson, a South San José resident who lives steps away from a proposed data center. “If the community doesn’t want it, if the local area around it doesn’t want it, then why are we forcing it upon them?” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mahan doesn’t see it that way. Instead, the city has taken a build-the-airplane-while-flying-it approach, holding community meetings to gather feedback that will inform a planned beefing up of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095008/san-jose-weighs-data-center-benefits-as-residents-raise-environmental-concerns\">regulations and standards\u003c/a> for data center proposals.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Mahan doesn’t see it that way. Instead, the city has taken a build-the-airplane-while-flying-it approach, holding community meetings to gather feedback that will inform a planned beefing up of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095008/san-jose-weighs-data-center-benefits-as-residents-raise-environmental-concerns\">regulations and standards\u003c/a> for data center proposals.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re going to set, with input from the community over the coming months, some of the highest, strictest standards in every category of concern we’ve heard,” Mahan said in an interview. “Labor standards, environmental protection, rate-payer protection, aesthetics and other community engagement and community benefits.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’re going to set, with input from the community over the coming months, some of the highest, strictest standards in every category of concern we’ve heard,” Mahan said in an interview. “Labor standards, environmental protection, rate-payer protection, aesthetics and other community engagement and community benefits.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>City officials expect to present the City Council with the new standards by the end of the year. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>City officials expect to present the City Council with the new standards by the end of the year. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It is much more important that we regulate Big Tech to get this right than to simply say ‘no’ and make it somebody else’s problem and lose the ability to shape this investment,” Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It is much more important that we regulate Big Tech to get this right than to simply say ‘no’ and make it somebody else’s problem and lose the ability to shape this investment,” Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098432\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-08-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-08-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-08-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Notice of Development Proposal is posted outside a building in the Alviso neighborhood of San José that Google plans to modify to operate similar to a data center on Sept. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, business and industry trade groups representing the biggest tech companies and data center developers say data centers are paramount to the success of the digital economy, Silicon Valley’s continued status as an innovation engine and American dominance in AI technologies. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If California is not positioned to continue rapidly deploying and scaling AI technology … if our state general fund, if our local community economies are not able to garner the benefits of this, it will go elsewhere,” said Ahmad Thomas, the CEO of Silicon Valley Leadership Group.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“If California is not positioned to continue rapidly deploying and scaling AI technology … if our state general fund, if our local community economies are not able to garner the benefits of this, it will go elsewhere,” said Ahmad Thomas, the CEO of Silicon Valley Leadership Group.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I think the next 30 to 40 years of economic supremacy globally is going to be determined by who gets this right,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thomas said the data centers proposed in the Silicon Valley region are being developed responsibly, making use of renewable energy, recycled water, and offering community benefits. He said it’s a template all data center development should follow, and might assuage some concerns and fears. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Thomas said the data centers proposed in the Silicon Valley region are being developed responsibly, making use of renewable energy, recycled water, and offering community benefits. He said it’s a template all data center development should follow, and might assuage some concerns and fears. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Our thesis is that listening to the community leads to better innovation. That has always been our working approach,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098428\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-04-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-04-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A lot on Silver Creek Valley Road in south San José, which is intended to house a data center, on Sept. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Khara Boender, a spokesperson for the western division of the industry trade group Data Center Coalition, said data center backers want to be good neighbors. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The industry is committed to paying for its full cost of service for electricity and the underlying infrastructure that it uses,” Boender said. “The industry is committed to responsible water use, and has made different investments in restoration and replenishment projects.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The buildings, which as recently as several years ago were much smaller and drew significantly smaller energy loads, were previously primarily used to house and exchange information across the internet, and later came to support all kinds of daily needs of a modern world, like social media, streaming services and video communication services for meetings and telehealth. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The buildings, which as recently as several years ago were much smaller and drew significantly smaller energy loads, were previously primarily used to house and exchange information across the internet, and later came to support all kinds of daily needs of a modern world, like social media, streaming services and video communication services for meetings and telehealth. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They support the very fabric of our digital lives and every aspect of that,” said Dr. Andrew Chien, a professor of computer science at the University of Chicago. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But newer data centers are packed with high-energy processing and computing elements that are increasingly used for AI, both to do the complex computational work needed to power AI chatbots and agents, and to train massive AI models and systems that are at the forefront of the technology.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But newer data centers are packed with high-energy processing and computing elements that are increasingly used for AI, both to do the complex computational work needed to power AI chatbots and agents, and to train massive AI models and systems that are at the forefront of the technology.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chien said because AI is a fundamentally different way to deliver services, it has drastically increased the need for data centers.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Traditionally with computing, a service like email or like social media, it’s mostly taking a piece of digital data and serving it up or maybe organizing a little bit and then serving it up. But when you talk to a chatbot, or you ask Claude to go do some complicated analysis or Gemini or ChatGPT, you actually trigger a gigantic number of numerical computations,” Chien said. “So there’s dramatically more energy required to do that. So it’s not only the growth of AI, it’s the fact that AI is a hugely energy-intensive way of delivering this intelligence.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Traditionally with computing, a service like email or like social media, it’s mostly taking a piece of digital data and serving it up or maybe organizing a little bit and then serving it up. But when you talk to a chatbot, or you ask Claude to go do some complicated analysis or Gemini or ChatGPT, you actually trigger a gigantic number of numerical computations,” Chien said. “So there’s dramatically more energy required to do that. So it’s not only the growth of AI, it’s the fact that AI is a hugely energy-intensive way of delivering this intelligence.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The rapid growth of data center proposals and industry bullishness have been met with growing grassroots resistance in Silicon Valley, led in part by Yin, the San José resident. One major factor fueling the resistance is a striking lack of clear information about how much power, water and other resources data centers use.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The rapid growth of data center proposals and industry bullishness have been met with growing grassroots resistance in Silicon Valley, led in part by Yin, the San José resident. One major factor fueling the resistance is a striking lack of clear information about how much power, water and other resources data centers use.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yin said the financial and technological imperatives espoused by data center proponents shouldn’t trump the need for updated regulations and deeper understanding about the long-term, cumulative impacts across the region on things like air and water, which take time to develop. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Yin said the financial and technological imperatives espoused by data center proponents shouldn’t trump the need for updated regulations and deeper understanding about the long-term, cumulative impacts across the region on things like air and water, which take time to develop. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The scale that we’re seeing them be built out nationally is just, it’s overwhelming. I’ve never seen anything like it in my lifetime. And I feel like there’s just a lack of due diligence that we cannot repeat from previous generations,” Yin said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The scale that we’re seeing them be built out nationally is just, it’s overwhelming. I’ve never seen anything like it in my lifetime. And I feel like there’s just a lack of due diligence that we cannot repeat from previous generations,” Yin said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They are leaving that to the burden of future generations to deal with, just as when cell phones came, and we didn’t understand social media, and now look at the state of child development and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096647/why-metas-landmark-settlement-could-be-social-medias-big-tobacco-moment\">impact of social media\u003c/a> on the youth,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“They are leaving that to the burden of future generations to deal with, just as when cell phones came, and we didn’t understand social media, and now look at the state of child development and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096647/why-metas-landmark-settlement-could-be-social-medias-big-tobacco-moment\">impact of social media\u003c/a> on the youth,” she said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She pointed to the collection of Superfund polluted \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/futureofyou/388730/silicon-valleys-toxic-past-haunts-sunnyvale-neighborhood\">sites across Santa Clara County\u003c/a>, created by years of toxic material mismanagement in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11630861/how-silicon-valley-industry-polluted-the-sylvan-california-dream\">semiconductor industry\u003c/a> that flourished there decades ago, or the global plastics industry. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She pointed to the collection of Superfund polluted \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/futureofyou/388730/silicon-valleys-toxic-past-haunts-sunnyvale-neighborhood\">sites across Santa Clara County\u003c/a>, created by years of toxic material mismanagement in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11630861/how-silicon-valley-industry-polluted-the-sylvan-california-dream\">semiconductor industry\u003c/a> that flourished there decades ago, or the global plastics industry. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-03-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098427\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-03-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-03-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-03-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A lot on Silver Creek Valley Road in south San José, which is intended to house a data center, on Sept. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We didn’t know any better. And now it’s in our bodies, it’s in our water, and the plastics industry did not come running to save us and to do all the reparations of correcting the damage that they caused. And so I don’t think I can trust that the AI industry is going to come and do the reparation of the impacts that they’re going to cause,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Raicu, the director of the Internet Ethics program, co-authored \u003ca href=\"https://www.next10.org/sites/default/files/2026-05/Data-Centers-Water-Use-Report.pdf\">a report\u003c/a> on data centers and water use, and said the overall lack of clear information about the resource consumption of data centers by the companies proposing and operating them is striking, and more disclosure should be required. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some reports, like one out of \u003ca href=\"https://jlarc.virginia.gov/pdfs/reports/Rpt598.pdf\">Virginia\u003c/a>, which has the highest concentration of data centers in the country, say many there use as much water as large office buildings each year, between 4 million gallons and 10 million gallons. But others use far more, including one that uses 243 million gallons. The picture both locally and nationally isn’t always clear or comprehensive, Raicu said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Some reports, like one out of \u003ca href=\"https://jlarc.virginia.gov/pdfs/reports/Rpt598.pdf\">Virginia\u003c/a>, which has the highest concentration of data centers in the country, say many there use as much water as large office buildings each year, between 4 million gallons and 10 million gallons. But others use far more, including one that uses 243 million gallons. The picture both locally and nationally isn’t always clear or comprehensive, Raicu said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We don’t know how much energy and how much water data centers are using. And the demands are going to be different at the scale that we’re talking about for these new kinds of data centers,” she said, noting that \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2026/09/sam-altman-almonds-chatgpt-water-california/\">researchers\u003c/a> have advocated for more detailed information. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The fact that it’s been such a multi-year battle in which only now are some companies voluntarily starting to disclose, data center by data center, what’s actually being used, that’s a big reason we’re seeing the pushback and the distrust,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-2_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099292\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-2_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-2_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-2_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ted Smith, a San José resident, expresses concerns about the impact of data centers during the city’s first community listening session focused on data centers on Aug. 19, 2026, at City Hall.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-2_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099292\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ted Smith, a San José resident, expresses concerns about the impact of data centers during the city’s first community listening session focused on data centers on Aug. 19, 2026, at City Hall.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill last year that would have required water use disclosure by data center developers, and has another similar bill on his desk \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097457/the-data-center-backlash-is-here-and-big-tech-is-spending-big-to-combat-it\">this year\u003c/a>, along with a raft of other bills aimed at drawing more information from data center proponents and protecting electricity customers from paying higher rates in connection with them. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill last year that would have required water use disclosure by data center developers, and has another similar bill on his desk \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097457/the-data-center-backlash-is-here-and-big-tech-is-spending-big-to-combat-it\">this year\u003c/a>, along with a raft of other bills aimed at drawing more information from data center proponents and protecting electricity customers from paying higher rates in connection with them. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thompson, the South San José resident, who lives in a small house on a former orchard, said he initially got involved in the push against data centers when he found out one could rise just steps from his home. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Thompson, the South San José resident, who lives in a small house on a former orchard, said he initially got involved in the push against data centers when he found out one could rise just steps from his home. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Prologis is proposing a three-story, 99-megawatt data center that would include 44 diesel generators for backup power on Silver Creek Valley Road. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Prologis is proposing a three-story, 99-megawatt data center that would include 44 diesel generators for backup power on Silver Creek Valley Road. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thompson said city officials told him current air quality regulations would limit the number of hours per year the center would be allowed to operate the generators, which produce toxic compounds when running during power outages.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“But if the penalty for [exceeding] that is a fine, then I have a sneaking suspicion that that’s not going to stop them … because the money that they make is going to be more than the fine,” Thompson said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“But if the penalty for [exceeding] that is a fine, then I have a sneaking suspicion that that’s not going to stop them … because the money that they make is going to be more than the fine,” Thompson said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The proposed site is next to a hiking trail and a city park, and less than a quarter-mile east of single-family home neighborhoods. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thompson said he opposes this data center and others like it because of the potential diesel emissions and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/17/us/data-centers-noise-pollution.html\">constant low-frequency sounds\u003c/a> they can emit that he worries could harm people or wildlife in the area next to Coyote Creek and the foothills. He’s also concerned about a more AI-driven world threatening workers and art, and perpetuating surveillance technology like the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064587/civil-liberties-groups-sue-san-jose-over-license-plate-reader-use\">license plate readers\u003c/a> mounted all over the city. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Thompson said he opposes this data center and others like it because of the potential diesel emissions and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/17/us/data-centers-noise-pollution.html\">constant low-frequency sounds\u003c/a> they can emit that he worries could harm people or wildlife in the area next to Coyote Creek and the foothills. He’s also concerned about a more AI-driven world threatening workers and art, and perpetuating surveillance technology like the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064587/civil-liberties-groups-sue-san-jose-over-license-plate-reader-use\">license plate readers\u003c/a> mounted all over the city. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He participated in the community listening session and a small-group discussion facilitated by the city recently.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>He participated in the community listening session and a small-group discussion facilitated by the city recently.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“One of the things I found most interesting was they were also focusing on the fact that old data centers used to be just these hideous boxes and we’re going to try and regulate them to be more beautiful,” Thompson said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“One of the things I found most interesting was they were also focusing on the fact that old data centers used to be just these hideous boxes and we’re going to try and regulate them to be more beautiful,” Thompson said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The funny thing to me is, it doesn’t matter to me what the color of the gun that’s pointed to my head is going to be,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“The funny thing to me is, it doesn’t matter to me what the color of the gun that’s pointed to my head is going to be,” he said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Raicu thinks holistic conversations about how data centers are built, where they make sense and how they affect society need to be top priorities. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“None of this is just a force of nature. These are decisions made by human beings. Regulations can be passed. There can be a lot more money spent on making more sustainable technology. There could be delays put in place as to whether you deploy something at this kind of scale,” she said. “All of that is just human decisions.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“None of this is just a force of nature. These are decisions made by human beings. Regulations can be passed. There can be a lot more money spent on making more sustainable technology. There could be delays put in place as to whether you deploy something at this kind of scale,” she said. “All of that is just human decisions.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED Correspondent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/gmarzorati\">Guy Marzorati\u003c/a> contributed to this story. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED Correspondent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/gmarzorati\">Guy Marzorati\u003c/a> contributed to this story. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/santa-clara\">Santa Clara\u003c/a> has quietly become California’s data center capital. The sleepy suburb known for its quiet streets and professional football stadium is home to 60 data centers — more than any other city on the West Coast. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cheap electricity sold by the city’s own power company has for years attracted major tech firms and data center developers seeking millions of dollars in savings over PG&E rates as they build out the hulking, cube-like structures full of computers, networking and cooling equipment. The city and its planners have also made it easy on developers seeking guidance and approvals, which are largely handled by the city’s planning commission. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But now some local lawmakers are raising concerns. Kevin Park, a council member and tech worker who is running for mayor, said the city has gone too far, as the power company’s supply is strained and it has raised rates on residents to pay for major infrastructure upgrades. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Let’s stop building data centers. And the water and the electricity and all the things that we’ll save, let’s use them for other things,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the current artificial intelligence boom fuels rising demand for data centers in Silicon Valley, concern about their effects on the environment, resources and surrounding communities has burst into public discourse and turned the issue into a political hot potato. Local lawmakers are now scrambling to weigh constituents’ concerns against the prospect of embracing the economic windfall proponents say data centers can bring.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098431\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-07-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-07-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-07-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Buildings in the Alviso neighborhood of San José that Google plans to modify to operate in a capacity similar to a data center on Sept. 3, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While South Bay cities have so far not enacted temporary moratoriums like the one-year ban Oakley in the East Bay recently passed, some places, like Gilroy, have tightened data center approvals amid pushback to the massive buildings seemingly rising overnight. Statewide polling suggests most residents oppose building data centers to support the AI industry in their area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even in a city like Santa Clara, which has long leaned on data centers as a driver of revenue, some politicians, like Park, are calling for a halt. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If we took down a single mid-size data center using 20 to 40 megawatts of power, we could actually double the population of the city and not need a single additional watt of power,” Park said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city, which has about 130,000 residents, is also home to tech behemoths like Nvidia, whose advanced processing units and software are at the center of the AI race and data center growth. “I don’t think people understand that’s the scale we’re talking about. Every large data center we put in can use the entire electric capacity of a city,” he said. “This is something we need to think about.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But lawmakers in neighboring San José are taking a different approach from what Park is proposing, leaning into the AI industry’s demand for larger, more energy-intensive data centers even as they try to assuage residents’ concerns. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San José, with nearly 1 million residents, has for more than a year been actively courting data center development, hoping to provide a stable injection of property and utility taxes into city coffers. Officials say the city, historically a sprawling bedroom community that struggled to generate commercial revenue, currently has about 20 operating data centers. The projects require a special use permit, which must be approved at a public hearing. A planning commission or city council meeting is not always required. But for some projects with a significant environmental impact, the city council would make the final decision.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Last summer, San José Mayor Matt Mahan \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12049830/san-jose-and-pge-strike-deal-to-attract-data-centers-to-south-bay\">announced a deal\u003c/a> with PG&E that would guarantee power availability and quick connections for 10 major projects in the coming years. In a statement, the city said the pact would position San José as the “West Coast’s premier destination for data center development.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city launched “\u003ca href=\"https://www.sjeconomy.com/how-we-help/programs-and-services/powering-san-jos-energy-infrastructure-for-data-centers\">concierge-style support\u003c/a>” for data center developers, made dozens of individual pitches and participated in industry events and conferences, leading to a near doubling of interest in \u003ca href=\"https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/planning-building-code-enforcement/planning-division/data-center-and-other-large-energy-use-projects\">data center development\u003c/a> in the city by earlier this year, staff reports say.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the city’s efforts to go all-in on data centers and other large energy-use projects have prompted fierce pushback.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think we’re in a full-on backlash against the buildout of the data centers, and not just in California, but in the country and really worldwide,” said Irina Raicu, the director of the Internet Ethics Program at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In part because of the trade-offs that these buildings require, in part because of lack of information and the way people have been surprised in so many places by the apparition of these big centers,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098429\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-05-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Homes in the south San José neighborhood near the lot intended to house a data center on Silver Creek Valley Road on Sept. 3, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In North San José’s small Alviso neighborhood, a historically underserved portion of the city that has been heavily developed with tech campuses, corporate offices and research facilities, officials are expecting the buildout of at least three major data centers and large energy-use projects. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Google is proposing to demolish an existing warehouse and build research and development facilities expected to draw about 250 megawatts of power. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“For context, 250 MW is larger than the average demand of all of Marin County in 2024, and about half the overall average demand of San Mateo County,” the California Public Utilities Commission \u003ca href=\"https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M607/K718/607718746.PDF\">said\u003c/a> in its review of the project. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Not far away, Microsoft is already building a 99-megawatt data center with 224 natural gas generators to provide continual power when there are outages or the grid is overloaded. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And on 159 acres of land used as a buffer between a wastewater facility jointly owned by San José and Santa Clara, the city has entered into an \u003ca href=\"https://sanjose.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=14917877&GUID=45941F3A-0A60-42A1-8F04-B09281C6E2F3\">exclusive negotiating agreement\u003c/a> with Prologis, which is proposing a facility that in total would use 496 megawatts of electricity across data centers and research facilities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098430\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-06-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ellina Yin stands outside a pair of buildings in the Alviso neighborhood of San José that Google plans to modify to operate similar to a data center on Sept. 3, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Based on those power estimates, the group of Alviso facilities at full capacity could use more energy daily than the \u003ca href=\"https://www.siliconvalleypower.com/home/showpublisheddocument/89484/639130534329930000\">entire city of Santa Clara\u003c/a> — with its dozens of data centers — currently does, said San José resident Ellina Yin, who has tracked data center development closely. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“So we’re putting an entire city’s worth of data centers in this tiny neighborhood, and the public health implications are unstudied. We don’t really understand what the future impacts could be,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A community listening session in San José last month turned out hundreds of people, most expressing concern about data centers and some calling for a moratorium on accepting applications from developers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mahan, a former tech worker, has said in the past that rejecting data center development outright would be akin to burying “our heads in the sand.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some residents said they sense a disconnect between what people are telling elected leaders and what policies are being advanced. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-3_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099272\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-3_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-3_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-3_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San José Mayor Matt Mahan takes notes during the city’s first community listening session focused on data centers on Aug. 19, 2026, at City Hall. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They don’t seem to care about the fact that a lot of people just really don’t want this in their backyard,” said Ken Thompson, a South San José resident who lives steps away from a proposed data center. “If the community doesn’t want it, if the local area around it doesn’t want it, then why are we forcing it upon them?” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mahan doesn’t see it that way. Instead, the city has taken a build-the-airplane-while-flying-it approach, holding community meetings to gather feedback that will inform a planned beefing up of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095008/san-jose-weighs-data-center-benefits-as-residents-raise-environmental-concerns\">regulations and standards\u003c/a> for data center proposals.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re going to set, with input from the community over the coming months, some of the highest, strictest standards in every category of concern we’ve heard,” Mahan said in an interview. “Labor standards, environmental protection, rate-payer protection, aesthetics and other community engagement and community benefits.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>City officials expect to present the City Council with the new standards by the end of the year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It is much more important that we regulate Big Tech to get this right than to simply say ‘no’ and make it somebody else’s problem and lose the ability to shape this investment,” Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098432\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-08-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-08-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-08-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Notice of Development Proposal is posted outside a building in the Alviso neighborhood of San José that Google plans to modify to operate similar to a data center on Sept. 3, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, business and industry trade groups representing the biggest tech companies and data center developers say data centers are paramount to the success of the digital economy, Silicon Valley’s continued status as an innovation engine and American dominance in AI technologies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If California is not positioned to continue rapidly deploying and scaling AI technology … if our state general fund, if our local community economies are not able to garner the benefits of this, it will go elsewhere,” said Ahmad Thomas, the CEO of Silicon Valley Leadership Group.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think the next 30 to 40 years of economic supremacy globally is going to be determined by who gets this right,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thomas said the data centers proposed in the Silicon Valley region are being developed responsibly, making use of renewable energy, recycled water, and offering community benefits. He said it’s a template all data center development should follow, and might assuage some concerns and fears. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our thesis is that listening to the community leads to better innovation. That has always been our working approach,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098428\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-04-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-04-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A lot on Silver Creek Valley Road in south San José, which is intended to house a data center, on Sept. 3, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Khara Boender, a spokesperson for the western division of the industry trade group Data Center Coalition, said data center backers want to be good neighbors. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The industry is committed to paying for its full cost of service for electricity and the underlying infrastructure that it uses,” Boender said. “The industry is committed to responsible water use, and has made different investments in restoration and replenishment projects.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The buildings, which as recently as several years ago were much smaller and drew significantly smaller energy loads, were previously primarily used to house and exchange information across the internet, and later came to support all kinds of daily needs of a modern world, like social media, streaming services and video communication services for meetings and telehealth. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They support the very fabric of our digital lives and every aspect of that,” said Dr. Andrew Chien, a professor of computer science at the University of Chicago. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But newer data centers are packed with high-energy processing and computing elements that are increasingly used for AI, both to do the complex computational work needed to power AI chatbots and agents, and to train massive AI models and systems that are at the forefront of the technology.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chien said because AI is a fundamentally different way to deliver services, it has drastically increased the need for data centers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Traditionally with computing, a service like email or like social media, it’s mostly taking a piece of digital data and serving it up or maybe organizing a little bit and then serving it up. But when you talk to a chatbot, or you ask Claude to go do some complicated analysis or Gemini or ChatGPT, you actually trigger a gigantic number of numerical computations,” Chien said. “So there’s dramatically more energy required to do that. So it’s not only the growth of AI, it’s the fact that AI is a hugely energy-intensive way of delivering this intelligence.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The rapid growth of data center proposals and industry bullishness have been met with growing grassroots resistance in Silicon Valley, led in part by Yin, the San José resident. One major factor fueling the resistance is a striking lack of clear information about how much power, water and other resources data centers use.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yin said the financial and technological imperatives espoused by data center proponents shouldn’t trump the need for updated regulations and deeper understanding about the long-term, cumulative impacts across the region on things like air and water, which take time to develop. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The scale that we’re seeing them be built out nationally is just, it’s overwhelming. I’ve never seen anything like it in my lifetime. And I feel like there’s just a lack of due diligence that we cannot repeat from previous generations,” Yin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They are leaving that to the burden of future generations to deal with, just as when cell phones came, and we didn’t understand social media, and now look at the state of child development and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096647/why-metas-landmark-settlement-could-be-social-medias-big-tobacco-moment\">impact of social media\u003c/a> on the youth,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She pointed to the collection of Superfund polluted \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/futureofyou/388730/silicon-valleys-toxic-past-haunts-sunnyvale-neighborhood\">sites across Santa Clara County\u003c/a>, created by years of toxic material mismanagement in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11630861/how-silicon-valley-industry-polluted-the-sylvan-california-dream\">semiconductor industry\u003c/a> that flourished there decades ago, or the global plastics industry. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-03-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098427\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-03-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-03-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-03-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A lot on Silver Creek Valley Road in south San José, which is intended to house a data center, on Sept. 3, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We didn’t know any better. And now it’s in our bodies, it’s in our water, and the plastics industry did not come running to save us and to do all the reparations of correcting the damage that they caused. And so I don’t think I can trust that the AI industry is going to come and do the reparation of the impacts that they’re going to cause,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Raicu, the director of the Internet Ethics program, co-authored \u003ca href=\"https://www.next10.org/sites/default/files/2026-05/Data-Centers-Water-Use-Report.pdf\">a report\u003c/a> on data centers and water use, and said the overall lack of clear information about the resource consumption of data centers by the companies proposing and operating them is striking, and more disclosure should be required. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some reports, like one out of \u003ca href=\"https://jlarc.virginia.gov/pdfs/reports/Rpt598.pdf\">Virginia\u003c/a>, which has the highest concentration of data centers in the country, say many there use as much water as large office buildings each year, between 4 million gallons and 10 million gallons. But others use far more, including one that uses 243 million gallons. The picture both locally and nationally isn’t always clear or comprehensive, Raicu said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We don’t know how much energy and how much water data centers are using. And the demands are going to be different at the scale that we’re talking about for these new kinds of data centers,” she said, noting that \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2026/09/sam-altman-almonds-chatgpt-water-california/\">researchers\u003c/a> have advocated for more detailed information. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The fact that it’s been such a multi-year battle in which only now are some companies voluntarily starting to disclose, data center by data center, what’s actually being used, that’s a big reason we’re seeing the pushback and the distrust,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-2_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099292\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-2_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-2_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260819-SJDATALISTEN-JG-2_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ted Smith, a San José resident, expresses concerns about the impact of data centers during the city’s first community listening session focused on data centers on Aug. 19, 2026, at City Hall. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill last year that would have required water use disclosure by data center developers, and has another similar bill on his desk \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097457/the-data-center-backlash-is-here-and-big-tech-is-spending-big-to-combat-it\">this year\u003c/a>, along with a raft of other bills aimed at drawing more information from data center proponents and protecting electricity customers from paying higher rates in connection with them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thompson, the South San José resident, who lives in a small house on a former orchard, said he initially got involved in the push against data centers when he found out one could rise just steps from his home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prologis is proposing a three-story, 99-megawatt data center that would include 44 diesel generators for backup power on Silver Creek Valley Road. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thompson said city officials told him current air quality regulations would limit the number of hours per year the center would be allowed to operate the generators, which produce toxic compounds when running during power outages.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“But if the penalty for [exceeding] that is a fine, then I have a sneaking suspicion that that’s not going to stop them … because the money that they make is going to be more than the fine,” Thompson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The proposed site is next to a hiking trail and a city park, and less than a quarter-mile east of single-family home neighborhoods. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thompson said he opposes this data center and others like it because of the potential diesel emissions and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/17/us/data-centers-noise-pollution.html\">constant low-frequency sounds\u003c/a> they can emit that he worries could harm people or wildlife in the area next to Coyote Creek and the foothills. He’s also concerned about a more AI-driven world threatening workers and art, and perpetuating surveillance technology like the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064587/civil-liberties-groups-sue-san-jose-over-license-plate-reader-use\">license plate readers\u003c/a> mounted all over the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He participated in the community listening session and a small-group discussion facilitated by the city recently.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“One of the things I found most interesting was they were also focusing on the fact that old data centers used to be just these hideous boxes and we’re going to try and regulate them to be more beautiful,” Thompson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The funny thing to me is, it doesn’t matter to me what the color of the gun that’s pointed to my head is going to be,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Raicu thinks holistic conversations about how data centers are built, where they make sense and how they affect society need to be top priorities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“None of this is just a force of nature. These are decisions made by human beings. Regulations can be passed. There can be a lot more money spent on making more sustainable technology. There could be delays put in place as to whether you deploy something at this kind of scale,” she said. “All of that is just human decisions.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED Correspondent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/gmarzorati\">Guy Marzorati\u003c/a> contributed to this story. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "how-to-show-up-for-your-community-this-hispanic-heritage-month",
"title": "How to Show Up for Your Community This Hispanic Heritage Month",
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"headTitle": "How to Show Up for Your Community This Hispanic Heritage Month | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was reported for K Onda KQED, a monthly newsletter focused on the Bay Area’s Latinx community. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/newsletters/k-onda\">\u003cem>Click here to subscribe.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tucked inside a compact shop near the corner of 25th and Mission streets in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>, Mission Lotería is evolving from promoting local businesses into a small business of its own.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The organization, which started in 2019, plans to open its first storefront on Sept. 10 at 2884 Mission St., selling giftable items such as hand-painted clay coffee mugs, purses designed by a Colombian artist, clothing, and stationery and cards designed by Bay Area artists. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What began years ago as a creative campaign celebrating the Mission, supporting neighborhood businesses, and bringing our community together has grown into more than we could have imagined,” said Luis Quiroz, founder of Mission Lotería. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The store’s opening coincides with the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, which spans from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I intentionally planned the store opening just before Hispanic Heritage Month so that we could lean into the festivities that were to come and be able to highlight the Latino voices and the Latino artists that are going to be featured here.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-KOndaSeptember-01-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098318\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-KOndaSeptember-01-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-KOndaSeptember-01-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-KOndaSeptember-01-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lotería art at Mission Lotería’s new storefront in San Francisco on Sept. 3, 2026. The space will serve as a home for community events, workshops and local art. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mission Lotería takes inspiration from Lotería, a beloved bingo-style board game from Mexico known for iconic images such as a cactus plant, a woman in a small boat on Lake Chapala, a man carrying a large globe on his back and a radiant sun. Quiroz, 36, created the marketing platform to support local artists and small businesses by organizing community events and neighborhood tours. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I want people to visit Mission Lotería and then venture into a cafe shop or a taqueria or a restaurant or another brick-and-mortar store,” Quiroz said. “It’s the starting point to bring them to the other parts of the Mission.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The organization provides a template for how to support Latino businesses with intention and thoughtfulness, especially at a time when the Trump administration \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087915/bay-area-cities-ask-us-judge-to-block-trump-from-cutting-funds-over-dei-immigration\">vigorously attacks diversity initiatives\u003c/a> and has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097313/northern-california-ice-arrests-surged-this-summer\">launched a deportation apparatus\u003c/a> that has largely targeted Latino immigrants and hurts Latine communities nationwide.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“To be sitting here and about to open a storefront in the Mission, in the Latino cultural district of San Francisco,” said Quiroz, who was previously undocumented. “It’s my way of resisting. They’re not going to hold me down. They’re not going to hold us down. We’re here, we’re here to stay, and we’re out here. We’re thriving.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This year’s Hispanic Heritage Month presents an opportunity for Latinos to support businesses, organizations and community members who have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096833/how-immigration-raids-are-affecting-children-in-los-angeles\">felt the toll\u003c/a> of the administration’s anti-immigration policies that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101913621/the-psychological-toll-of-trumps-immigration-policies-on-bay-area-latinos\">have had a chilling effect\u003c/a>, with immigrants staying home, shopping less, attending fewer public events and even being afraid to speak Spanish in public. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This has also been a challenging year for many Latinx-owned businesses between the fear immigrants are feeling and higher costs of doing business, said Alicia Villanueva, owner and founder of Hayward-based Alicia’s Tamales Los Mayas.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Seeing \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073728/us-citizen-army-veteran-detained-by-ice-sues-for-damages-in-federal-court\">hardworking people\u003c/a> picked up off the street, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094994/detained-at-green-card-interview-how-a-bay-area-family-is-healing-from-sudden-separation?utm_medium=email&utm_source=engagingnetworks&utm_campaign=20260814_NewsDaily_Newsletter_SponsorBlock&utm_content=20260814_NewsDaily_Newsletter_SponsorBlock+8642121190\">families being separated\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12028303/ice-arrest-left-bay-area-man-hospitalized-struggling-breathe-attorney-says\">parents being detained\u003c/a> and leaving children behind is demoralizing, she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I am a citizen now, since last year, and I still feel this trauma,” she said. “Like when I’m driving, and I see the police or something — it scares me.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For many food vendors, Hispanic Heritage Month is one of the busiest times of the year, Villanueva said, but this year is different because the community needs a morale boost.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We really celebrate our cultures, our cuisine and all these traditions that we bring from our countries,” she said. “To keep our traditions alive is one of the responsibilities that we have for future generations.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-KOndaSeptember-06-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098323\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-KOndaSeptember-06-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-KOndaSeptember-06-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-KOndaSeptember-06-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Concha candles and mugs for sale at Mission Lotería’s new storefront in San Francisco on Sept. 3, 2026. The space will serve as a home for community events, workshops and local art. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Villanueva said it pains her to see immigrants living in fear and suffering, especially since she understands the desire to come to the United States to work and advance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She started her company in 2010 after selling tamales door to door. She joined a business incubator program for entrepreneurs at San Francisco-based La Cocina that helped her establish a wholesale and catering business and secure capital to grow. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sixteen years later, Villanueva employs 21 workers who cater events, sell food to retail stores, provide passenger meals for Alaska Airlines and make school lunches for students throughout Northern California. Her next goal is national distribution, the 65-year-old said. She embodies an ethos of permanent optimism that many immigrants espouse. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The time is really hard,” Villanueva said. “But if you have your passion, your dreams, no matter what, just keep going. Don’t be afraid.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, for many Latines, Hispanic Heritage Month can come off as cringe. Corporations use it as a time to pander to Latinos and perform solidarity with clichés such as adding pictures of tacos to non-food-related content or putting the Spanish letter ñ where it doesn’t belong. So it’s no wonder why many people tend to snub their noses at seasonal, tone-deaf marketing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What I can appreciate about Hispanic Heritage Month is the opportunity to unapologetically lean into the beauty, strength and value of Latino culture. Lately, I have been hearing the phrase, “Solo el pueblo salva al pueblo” (Only the community will save the community), which reminds me that celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month might include sharing our culture with others — but it’s most important to show up for ourselves. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We think about Latinx heritage 365 days a year,” said Josiah Alderete, co-owner of Medicine for Nightmares in San Francisco. The bookstore is Black- and Latino-owned and has made a point to stock books written by and about people of color from its inception five years ago — not just for affinity months. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m always thrilled people celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, but the truth is, we are always celebrating it,” he said. “You can come in here and see yourself 12 months of the year.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Practical ways to show up this Hispanic Heritage Month: \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Attend Hispanic Heritage Month events \u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cities and organizations across the Bay Area are planning festivities to honor and celebrate Latine residents and culture, which has turned into an act of resistance. (Check out K Onda’s comprehensive guide.) \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Over the last year, several event organizers have said they were advised against holding large public gatherings like festivals for fear of ICE showing up and detaining people. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But most organizers decided that offering joy, reinforcing culture and coming together was more important than giving in to fear. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12030084\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dolls for sale at Luz de Luna, a gift store on 24th Street in San Francisco, on March 5, 2025. Owner Denise Gonzales says about 70% of the products sold in store are imported from Mexico. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Prioritize shopping at Latino-owned businesses, especially small ones\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I covered retail and consumer issues many years ago, and the biggest lesson I learned was that consumers have way more power than they know. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Every dollar people spend fuels someone’s bottom line, so choose where you shop wisely, because our spending power picks winners and losers every day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That’s why I don’t feel bad buying an artisan or locally made item such as soaps, honey, produce from a farmer’s market or a handmade gift, even if I could have found something cheaper at a big-box store. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When I buy a cup of fruit from a street vendor, I feel good about buying a healthy snack and supporting someone who is often depending on that day’s sales to survive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Read more books about Latin American identity and history by Latino authors\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For a dose of cultural criticism and an exploration of how personal histories intersect with mainstream culture, I recommend \u003ca href=\"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/704670/magicalrealism-by-vanessa-angelica-villarreal/\">\u003cem>Magical/Realism: Essays on Music, Memory, Fantasy, and Borders\u003c/em> by Vanessa Angélica Villarreal\u003c/a>, which I recently read and found evocative. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other books to check out: \u003ca href=\"https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Migrant-Heart/Reyna-Grande/9781668055274\">\u003cem>Migrant Heart\u003c/em> by Reyna Grande\u003c/a>, a true gem of a writer who makes her home in Northern California, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Keeper-of-My-Kin/Ada-Ferrer/9781668025659\">\u003cem>Keeper of My Kin: Memoir of an Immigrant Daughter\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by Ada Ferrer, who appeared \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101913858/a-family-divided-by-cubas-revolution\">on Forum earlier this year\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And, here are some recommendations from Alderete, of Medicine for Nightmares: the young adult novel, \u003ca href=\"https://www.harpercollins.com/products/estela-undrowning-rene-pena-govea\">\u003cem>Estela, Undrowning\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by San Francisco writer and educator \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101913189/local-ya-novels-tell-san-francisco-stories\">René Peña-Govea\u003c/a>; the poetry collection \u003ca href=\"https://unpress.nevada.edu/9781647792183/where-heaven-sinks/\">\u003cem>When Heaven Sinks\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by María Esquinca (who coincidently is a former KQED colleague); the nonfiction book \u003ca href=\"https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324004370\">\u003cem>Bad Mexicans: Race, Empire & Revolution in the Borderlands\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by Kelly Lytle Hernández; and the memoir \u003ca href=\"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/803724/terrestre-spanish-edition-by-cristina-rivera-garza/\">\u003cem>Terrestre\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and scholar Cristina Rivera Garza.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was reported for K Onda KQED, a monthly newsletter focused on the Bay Area’s Latinx community. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/newsletters/k-onda\">\u003cem>Click here to subscribe.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tucked inside a compact shop near the corner of 25th and Mission streets in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>, Mission Lotería is evolving from promoting local businesses into a small business of its own.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Tucked inside a compact shop near the corner of 25th and Mission streets in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>, Mission Lotería is evolving from promoting local businesses into a small business of its own.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The organization, which started in 2019, plans to open its first storefront on Sept. 10 at 2884 Mission St., selling giftable items such as hand-painted clay coffee mugs, purses designed by a Colombian artist, clothing, and stationery and cards designed by Bay Area artists. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The organization, which started in 2019, plans to open its first storefront on Sept. 10 at 2884 Mission St., selling giftable items such as hand-painted clay coffee mugs, purses designed by a Colombian artist, clothing, and stationery and cards designed by Bay Area artists. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“What began years ago as a creative campaign celebrating the Mission, supporting neighborhood businesses, and bringing our community together has grown into more than we could have imagined,” said Luis Quiroz, founder of Mission Lotería. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“What began years ago as a creative campaign celebrating the Mission, supporting neighborhood businesses, and bringing our community together has grown into more than we could have imagined,” said Luis Quiroz, founder of Mission Lotería. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The store’s opening coincides with the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, which spans from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I intentionally planned the store opening just before Hispanic Heritage Month so that we could lean into the festivities that were to come and be able to highlight the Latino voices and the Latino artists that are going to be featured here.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I intentionally planned the store opening just before Hispanic Heritage Month so that we could lean into the festivities that were to come and be able to highlight the Latino voices and the Latino artists that are going to be featured here.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mission Lotería takes inspiration from Lotería, a beloved bingo-style board game from Mexico known for iconic images such as a cactus plant, a woman in a small boat on Lake Chapala, a man carrying a large globe on his back and a radiant sun. Quiroz, 36, created the marketing platform to support local artists and small businesses by organizing community events and neighborhood tours. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I want people to visit Mission Lotería and then venture into a cafe shop or a taqueria or a restaurant or another brick-and-mortar store,” Quiroz said. “It’s the starting point to bring them to the other parts of the Mission.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The organization provides a template for how to support Latino businesses with intention and thoughtfulness, especially at a time when the Trump administration \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087915/bay-area-cities-ask-us-judge-to-block-trump-from-cutting-funds-over-dei-immigration\">vigorously attacks diversity initiatives\u003c/a> and has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097313/northern-california-ice-arrests-surged-this-summer\">launched a deportation apparatus\u003c/a> that has largely targeted Latino immigrants and hurts Latine communities nationwide.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The organization provides a template for how to support Latino businesses with intention and thoughtfulness, especially at a time when the Trump administration \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087915/bay-area-cities-ask-us-judge-to-block-trump-from-cutting-funds-over-dei-immigration\">vigorously attacks diversity initiatives\u003c/a> and has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097313/northern-california-ice-arrests-surged-this-summer\">launched a deportation apparatus\u003c/a> that has largely targeted Latino immigrants and hurts Latine communities nationwide.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“To be sitting here and about to open a storefront in the Mission, in the Latino cultural district of San Francisco,” said Quiroz, who was previously undocumented. “It’s my way of resisting. They’re not going to hold me down. They’re not going to hold us down. We’re here, we’re here to stay, and we’re out here. We’re thriving.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This year’s Hispanic Heritage Month presents an opportunity for Latinos to support businesses, organizations and community members who have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096833/how-immigration-raids-are-affecting-children-in-los-angeles\">felt the toll\u003c/a> of the administration’s anti-immigration policies that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101913621/the-psychological-toll-of-trumps-immigration-policies-on-bay-area-latinos\">have had a chilling effect\u003c/a>, with immigrants staying home, shopping less, attending fewer public events and even being afraid to speak Spanish in public. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This year’s Hispanic Heritage Month presents an opportunity for Latinos to support businesses, organizations and community members who have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096833/how-immigration-raids-are-affecting-children-in-los-angeles\">felt the toll\u003c/a> of the administration’s anti-immigration policies that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101913621/the-psychological-toll-of-trumps-immigration-policies-on-bay-area-latinos\">have had a chilling effect\u003c/a>, with immigrants staying home, shopping less, attending fewer public events and even being afraid to speak Spanish in public. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This has also been a challenging year for many Latinx-owned businesses between the fear immigrants are feeling and higher costs of doing business, said Alicia Villanueva, owner and founder of Hayward-based Alicia’s Tamales Los Mayas.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This has also been a challenging year for many Latinx-owned businesses between the fear immigrants are feeling and higher costs of doing business, said Alicia Villanueva, owner and founder of Hayward-based Alicia’s Tamales Los Mayas.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Seeing \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073728/us-citizen-army-veteran-detained-by-ice-sues-for-damages-in-federal-court\">hardworking people\u003c/a> picked up off the street, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094994/detained-at-green-card-interview-how-a-bay-area-family-is-healing-from-sudden-separation?utm_medium=email&utm_source=engagingnetworks&utm_campaign=20260814_NewsDaily_Newsletter_SponsorBlock&utm_content=20260814_NewsDaily_Newsletter_SponsorBlock+8642121190\">families being separated\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12028303/ice-arrest-left-bay-area-man-hospitalized-struggling-breathe-attorney-says\">parents being detained\u003c/a> and leaving children behind is demoralizing, she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Seeing \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073728/us-citizen-army-veteran-detained-by-ice-sues-for-damages-in-federal-court\">hardworking people\u003c/a> picked up off the street, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094994/detained-at-green-card-interview-how-a-bay-area-family-is-healing-from-sudden-separation?utm_medium=email&utm_source=engagingnetworks&utm_campaign=20260814_NewsDaily_Newsletter_SponsorBlock&utm_content=20260814_NewsDaily_Newsletter_SponsorBlock+8642121190\">families being separated\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12028303/ice-arrest-left-bay-area-man-hospitalized-struggling-breathe-attorney-says\">parents being detained\u003c/a> and leaving children behind is demoralizing, she said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I am a citizen now, since last year, and I still feel this trauma,” she said. “Like when I’m driving, and I see the police or something — it scares me.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I am a citizen now, since last year, and I still feel this trauma,” she said. “Like when I’m driving, and I see the police or something — it scares me.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For many food vendors, Hispanic Heritage Month is one of the busiest times of the year, Villanueva said, but this year is different because the community needs a morale boost.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For many food vendors, Hispanic Heritage Month is one of the busiest times of the year, Villanueva said, but this year is different because the community needs a morale boost.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We really celebrate our cultures, our cuisine and all these traditions that we bring from our countries,” she said. “To keep our traditions alive is one of the responsibilities that we have for future generations.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We really celebrate our cultures, our cuisine and all these traditions that we bring from our countries,” she said. “To keep our traditions alive is one of the responsibilities that we have for future generations.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-KOndaSeptember-06-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098323\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-KOndaSeptember-06-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-KOndaSeptember-06-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-KOndaSeptember-06-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Concha candles and mugs for sale at Mission Lotería’s new storefront in San Francisco on Sept. 3, 2026. The space will serve as a home for community events, workshops and local art.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-KOndaSeptember-06-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098323\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Concha candles and mugs for sale at Mission Lotería’s new storefront in San Francisco on Sept. 3, 2026. The space will serve as a home for community events, workshops and local art.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Villanueva said it pains her to see immigrants living in fear and suffering, especially since she understands the desire to come to the United States to work and advance. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She started her company in 2010 after selling tamales door to door. She joined a business incubator program for entrepreneurs at San Francisco-based La Cocina that helped her establish a wholesale and catering business and secure capital to grow. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She started her company in 2010 after selling tamales door to door. She joined a business incubator program for entrepreneurs at San Francisco-based La Cocina that helped her establish a wholesale and catering business and secure capital to grow. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sixteen years later, Villanueva employs 21 workers who cater events, sell food to retail stores, provide passenger meals for Alaska Airlines and make school lunches for students throughout Northern California. Her next goal is national distribution, the 65-year-old said. She embodies an ethos of permanent optimism that many immigrants espouse. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Sixteen years later, Villanueva employs 21 workers who cater events, sell food to retail stores, provide passenger meals for Alaska Airlines and make school lunches for students throughout Northern California. Her next goal is national distribution, the 65-year-old said. She embodies an ethos of permanent optimism that many immigrants espouse. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The time is really hard,” Villanueva said. “But if you have your passion, your dreams, no matter what, just keep going. Don’t be afraid.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The time is really hard,” Villanueva said. “But if you have your passion, your dreams, no matter what, just keep going. Don’t be afraid.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Still, for many Latines, Hispanic Heritage Month can come off as cringe. Corporations use it as a time to pander to Latinos and perform solidarity with clichés such as adding pictures of tacos to non-food-related content or putting the Spanish letter ñ where it doesn’t belong. So it’s no wonder why many people tend to snub their noses at seasonal, tone-deaf marketing. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Still, for many Latines, Hispanic Heritage Month can come off as cringe. Corporations use it as a time to pander to Latinos and perform solidarity with clichés such as adding pictures of tacos to non-food-related content or putting the Spanish letter ñ where it doesn’t belong. So it’s no wonder why many people tend to snub their noses at seasonal, tone-deaf marketing. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>What I can appreciate about Hispanic Heritage Month is the opportunity to unapologetically lean into the beauty, strength and value of Latino culture. Lately, I have been hearing the phrase, “Solo el pueblo salva al pueblo” (Only the community will save the community), which reminds me that celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month might include sharing our culture with others — but it’s most important to show up for ourselves. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>What I can appreciate about Hispanic Heritage Month is the opportunity to unapologetically lean into the beauty, strength and value of Latino culture. Lately, I have been hearing the phrase, “Solo el pueblo salva al pueblo” (Only the community will save the community), which reminds me that celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month might include sharing our culture with others — but it’s most important to show up for ourselves. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We think about Latinx heritage 365 days a year,” said Josiah Alderete, co-owner of Medicine for Nightmares in San Francisco. The bookstore is Black- and Latino-owned and has made a point to stock books written by and about people of color from its inception five years ago — not just for affinity months. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We think about Latinx heritage 365 days a year,” said Josiah Alderete, co-owner of Medicine for Nightmares in San Francisco. The bookstore is Black- and Latino-owned and has made a point to stock books written by and about people of color from its inception five years ago — not just for affinity months. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’m always thrilled people celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, but the truth is, we are always celebrating it,” he said. “You can come in here and see yourself 12 months of the year.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“I’m always thrilled people celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, but the truth is, we are always celebrating it,” he said. “You can come in here and see yourself 12 months of the year.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Practical ways to show up this Hispanic Heritage Month: ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Practical ways to show up this Hispanic Heritage Month: \u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Practical ways to show up this Hispanic Heritage Month: \u003c/h2>\n"
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"text": "Attend Hispanic Heritage Month events "
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Attend Hispanic Heritage Month events \u003c/h3>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Cities and organizations across the Bay Area are planning festivities to honor and celebrate Latine residents and culture, which has turned into an act of resistance. (Check out K Onda’s comprehensive guide.) \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Cities and organizations across the Bay Area are planning festivities to honor and celebrate Latine residents and culture, which has turned into an act of resistance. (Check out K Onda’s comprehensive guide.) \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Over the last year, several event organizers have said they were advised against holding large public gatherings like festivals for fear of ICE showing up and detaining people. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Over the last year, several event organizers have said they were advised against holding large public gatherings like festivals for fear of ICE showing up and detaining people. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But most organizers decided that offering joy, reinforcing culture and coming together was more important than giving in to fear. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But most organizers decided that offering joy, reinforcing culture and coming together was more important than giving in to fear. \u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12030084\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dolls for sale at Luz de Luna, a gift store on 24th Street in San Francisco, on March 5, 2025. Owner Denise Gonzales says about 70% of the products sold in store are imported from Mexico.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12030084\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dolls for sale at Luz de Luna, a gift store on 24th Street in San Francisco, on March 5, 2025. Owner Denise Gonzales says about 70% of the products sold in store are imported from Mexico.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"text": "Prioritize shopping at Latino-owned businesses, especially small ones"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Prioritize shopping at Latino-owned businesses, especially small ones\u003c/h3>\n",
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"\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Prioritize shopping at Latino-owned businesses, especially small ones\u003c/h3>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>I covered retail and consumer issues many years ago, and the biggest lesson I learned was that consumers have way more power than they know. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>I covered retail and consumer issues many years ago, and the biggest lesson I learned was that consumers have way more power than they know. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Every dollar people spend fuels someone’s bottom line, so choose where you shop wisely, because our spending power picks winners and losers every day. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Every dollar people spend fuels someone’s bottom line, so choose where you shop wisely, because our spending power picks winners and losers every day. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That’s why I don’t feel bad buying an artisan or locally made item such as soaps, honey, produce from a farmer’s market or a handmade gift, even if I could have found something cheaper at a big-box store. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That’s why I don’t feel bad buying an artisan or locally made item such as soaps, honey, produce from a farmer’s market or a handmade gift, even if I could have found something cheaper at a big-box store. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When I buy a cup of fruit from a street vendor, I feel good about buying a healthy snack and supporting someone who is often depending on that day’s sales to survive. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>When I buy a cup of fruit from a street vendor, I feel good about buying a healthy snack and supporting someone who is often depending on that day’s sales to survive. \u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Read more books about Latin American identity and history by Latino authors "
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Read more books about Latin American identity and history by Latino authors\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For a dose of cultural criticism and an exploration of how personal histories intersect with mainstream culture, I recommend \u003ca href=\"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/704670/magicalrealism-by-vanessa-angelica-villarreal/\">\u003cem>Magical/Realism: Essays on Music, Memory, Fantasy, and Borders\u003c/em> by Vanessa Angélica Villarreal\u003c/a>, which I recently read and found evocative. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For a dose of cultural criticism and an exploration of how personal histories intersect with mainstream culture, I recommend \u003ca href=\"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/704670/magicalrealism-by-vanessa-angelica-villarreal/\">\u003cem>Magical/Realism: Essays on Music, Memory, Fantasy, and Borders\u003c/em> by Vanessa Angélica Villarreal\u003c/a>, which I recently read and found evocative. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Other books to check out: \u003ca href=\"https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Migrant-Heart/Reyna-Grande/9781668055274\">\u003cem>Migrant Heart\u003c/em> by Reyna Grande\u003c/a>, a true gem of a writer who makes her home in Northern California, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Keeper-of-My-Kin/Ada-Ferrer/9781668025659\">\u003cem>Keeper of My Kin: Memoir of an Immigrant Daughter\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by Ada Ferrer, who appeared \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101913858/a-family-divided-by-cubas-revolution\">on Forum earlier this year\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Other books to check out: \u003ca href=\"https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Migrant-Heart/Reyna-Grande/9781668055274\">\u003cem>Migrant Heart\u003c/em> by Reyna Grande\u003c/a>, a true gem of a writer who makes her home in Northern California, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Keeper-of-My-Kin/Ada-Ferrer/9781668025659\">\u003cem>Keeper of My Kin: Memoir of an Immigrant Daughter\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by Ada Ferrer, who appeared \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101913858/a-family-divided-by-cubas-revolution\">on Forum earlier this year\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And, here are some recommendations from Alderete, of Medicine for Nightmares: the young adult novel, \u003ca href=\"https://www.harpercollins.com/products/estela-undrowning-rene-pena-govea\">\u003cem>Estela, Undrowning\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by San Francisco writer and educator \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101913189/local-ya-novels-tell-san-francisco-stories\">René Peña-Govea\u003c/a>; the poetry collection \u003ca href=\"https://unpress.nevada.edu/9781647792183/where-heaven-sinks/\">\u003cem>When Heaven Sinks\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by María Esquinca (who coincidently is a former KQED colleague); the nonfiction book \u003ca href=\"https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324004370\">\u003cem>Bad Mexicans: Race, Empire & Revolution in the Borderlands\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by Kelly Lytle Hernández; and the memoir \u003ca href=\"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/803724/terrestre-spanish-edition-by-cristina-rivera-garza/\">\u003cem>Terrestre\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and scholar Cristina Rivera Garza.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And, here are some recommendations from Alderete, of Medicine for Nightmares: the young adult novel, \u003ca href=\"https://www.harpercollins.com/products/estela-undrowning-rene-pena-govea\">\u003cem>Estela, Undrowning\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by San Francisco writer and educator \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101913189/local-ya-novels-tell-san-francisco-stories\">René Peña-Govea\u003c/a>; the poetry collection \u003ca href=\"https://unpress.nevada.edu/9781647792183/where-heaven-sinks/\">\u003cem>When Heaven Sinks\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by María Esquinca (who coincidently is a former KQED colleague); the nonfiction book \u003ca href=\"https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324004370\">\u003cem>Bad Mexicans: Race, Empire & Revolution in the Borderlands\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by Kelly Lytle Hernández; and the memoir \u003ca href=\"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/803724/terrestre-spanish-edition-by-cristina-rivera-garza/\">\u003cem>Terrestre\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and scholar Cristina Rivera Garza.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "This Hispanic Heritage Month, support your community with intention and thoughtfulness. \n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was reported for K Onda KQED, a monthly newsletter focused on the Bay Area’s Latinx community. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/newsletters/k-onda\">\u003cem>Click here to subscribe.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tucked inside a compact shop near the corner of 25th and Mission streets in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>, Mission Lotería is evolving from promoting local businesses into a small business of its own.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The organization, which started in 2019, plans to open its first storefront on Sept. 10 at 2884 Mission St., selling giftable items such as hand-painted clay coffee mugs, purses designed by a Colombian artist, clothing, and stationery and cards designed by Bay Area artists. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What began years ago as a creative campaign celebrating the Mission, supporting neighborhood businesses, and bringing our community together has grown into more than we could have imagined,” said Luis Quiroz, founder of Mission Lotería. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The store’s opening coincides with the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, which spans from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I intentionally planned the store opening just before Hispanic Heritage Month so that we could lean into the festivities that were to come and be able to highlight the Latino voices and the Latino artists that are going to be featured here.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-KOndaSeptember-01-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098318\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-KOndaSeptember-01-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-KOndaSeptember-01-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-KOndaSeptember-01-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lotería art at Mission Lotería’s new storefront in San Francisco on Sept. 3, 2026. The space will serve as a home for community events, workshops and local art. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mission Lotería takes inspiration from Lotería, a beloved bingo-style board game from Mexico known for iconic images such as a cactus plant, a woman in a small boat on Lake Chapala, a man carrying a large globe on his back and a radiant sun. Quiroz, 36, created the marketing platform to support local artists and small businesses by organizing community events and neighborhood tours. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I want people to visit Mission Lotería and then venture into a cafe shop or a taqueria or a restaurant or another brick-and-mortar store,” Quiroz said. “It’s the starting point to bring them to the other parts of the Mission.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The organization provides a template for how to support Latino businesses with intention and thoughtfulness, especially at a time when the Trump administration \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087915/bay-area-cities-ask-us-judge-to-block-trump-from-cutting-funds-over-dei-immigration\">vigorously attacks diversity initiatives\u003c/a> and has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097313/northern-california-ice-arrests-surged-this-summer\">launched a deportation apparatus\u003c/a> that has largely targeted Latino immigrants and hurts Latine communities nationwide.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“To be sitting here and about to open a storefront in the Mission, in the Latino cultural district of San Francisco,” said Quiroz, who was previously undocumented. “It’s my way of resisting. They’re not going to hold me down. They’re not going to hold us down. We’re here, we’re here to stay, and we’re out here. We’re thriving.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This year’s Hispanic Heritage Month presents an opportunity for Latinos to support businesses, organizations and community members who have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096833/how-immigration-raids-are-affecting-children-in-los-angeles\">felt the toll\u003c/a> of the administration’s anti-immigration policies that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101913621/the-psychological-toll-of-trumps-immigration-policies-on-bay-area-latinos\">have had a chilling effect\u003c/a>, with immigrants staying home, shopping less, attending fewer public events and even being afraid to speak Spanish in public. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This has also been a challenging year for many Latinx-owned businesses between the fear immigrants are feeling and higher costs of doing business, said Alicia Villanueva, owner and founder of Hayward-based Alicia’s Tamales Los Mayas.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Seeing \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073728/us-citizen-army-veteran-detained-by-ice-sues-for-damages-in-federal-court\">hardworking people\u003c/a> picked up off the street, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094994/detained-at-green-card-interview-how-a-bay-area-family-is-healing-from-sudden-separation?utm_medium=email&utm_source=engagingnetworks&utm_campaign=20260814_NewsDaily_Newsletter_SponsorBlock&utm_content=20260814_NewsDaily_Newsletter_SponsorBlock+8642121190\">families being separated\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12028303/ice-arrest-left-bay-area-man-hospitalized-struggling-breathe-attorney-says\">parents being detained\u003c/a> and leaving children behind is demoralizing, she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I am a citizen now, since last year, and I still feel this trauma,” she said. “Like when I’m driving, and I see the police or something — it scares me.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For many food vendors, Hispanic Heritage Month is one of the busiest times of the year, Villanueva said, but this year is different because the community needs a morale boost.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We really celebrate our cultures, our cuisine and all these traditions that we bring from our countries,” she said. “To keep our traditions alive is one of the responsibilities that we have for future generations.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-KOndaSeptember-06-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098323\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-KOndaSeptember-06-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-KOndaSeptember-06-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-KOndaSeptember-06-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Concha candles and mugs for sale at Mission Lotería’s new storefront in San Francisco on Sept. 3, 2026. The space will serve as a home for community events, workshops and local art. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Villanueva said it pains her to see immigrants living in fear and suffering, especially since she understands the desire to come to the United States to work and advance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She started her company in 2010 after selling tamales door to door. She joined a business incubator program for entrepreneurs at San Francisco-based La Cocina that helped her establish a wholesale and catering business and secure capital to grow. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sixteen years later, Villanueva employs 21 workers who cater events, sell food to retail stores, provide passenger meals for Alaska Airlines and make school lunches for students throughout Northern California. Her next goal is national distribution, the 65-year-old said. She embodies an ethos of permanent optimism that many immigrants espouse. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The time is really hard,” Villanueva said. “But if you have your passion, your dreams, no matter what, just keep going. Don’t be afraid.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, for many Latines, Hispanic Heritage Month can come off as cringe. Corporations use it as a time to pander to Latinos and perform solidarity with clichés such as adding pictures of tacos to non-food-related content or putting the Spanish letter ñ where it doesn’t belong. So it’s no wonder why many people tend to snub their noses at seasonal, tone-deaf marketing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What I can appreciate about Hispanic Heritage Month is the opportunity to unapologetically lean into the beauty, strength and value of Latino culture. Lately, I have been hearing the phrase, “Solo el pueblo salva al pueblo” (Only the community will save the community), which reminds me that celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month might include sharing our culture with others — but it’s most important to show up for ourselves. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We think about Latinx heritage 365 days a year,” said Josiah Alderete, co-owner of Medicine for Nightmares in San Francisco. The bookstore is Black- and Latino-owned and has made a point to stock books written by and about people of color from its inception five years ago — not just for affinity months. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m always thrilled people celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, but the truth is, we are always celebrating it,” he said. “You can come in here and see yourself 12 months of the year.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Practical ways to show up this Hispanic Heritage Month: \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Attend Hispanic Heritage Month events \u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cities and organizations across the Bay Area are planning festivities to honor and celebrate Latine residents and culture, which has turned into an act of resistance. (Check out K Onda’s comprehensive guide.) \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Over the last year, several event organizers have said they were advised against holding large public gatherings like festivals for fear of ICE showing up and detaining people. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But most organizers decided that offering joy, reinforcing culture and coming together was more important than giving in to fear. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12030084\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250305_TariffsImpact_GC-10_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dolls for sale at Luz de Luna, a gift store on 24th Street in San Francisco, on March 5, 2025. Owner Denise Gonzales says about 70% of the products sold in store are imported from Mexico. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Prioritize shopping at Latino-owned businesses, especially small ones\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I covered retail and consumer issues many years ago, and the biggest lesson I learned was that consumers have way more power than they know. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Every dollar people spend fuels someone’s bottom line, so choose where you shop wisely, because our spending power picks winners and losers every day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That’s why I don’t feel bad buying an artisan or locally made item such as soaps, honey, produce from a farmer’s market or a handmade gift, even if I could have found something cheaper at a big-box store. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When I buy a cup of fruit from a street vendor, I feel good about buying a healthy snack and supporting someone who is often depending on that day’s sales to survive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Read more books about Latin American identity and history by Latino authors\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For a dose of cultural criticism and an exploration of how personal histories intersect with mainstream culture, I recommend \u003ca href=\"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/704670/magicalrealism-by-vanessa-angelica-villarreal/\">\u003cem>Magical/Realism: Essays on Music, Memory, Fantasy, and Borders\u003c/em> by Vanessa Angélica Villarreal\u003c/a>, which I recently read and found evocative. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other books to check out: \u003ca href=\"https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Migrant-Heart/Reyna-Grande/9781668055274\">\u003cem>Migrant Heart\u003c/em> by Reyna Grande\u003c/a>, a true gem of a writer who makes her home in Northern California, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Keeper-of-My-Kin/Ada-Ferrer/9781668025659\">\u003cem>Keeper of My Kin: Memoir of an Immigrant Daughter\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by Ada Ferrer, who appeared \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101913858/a-family-divided-by-cubas-revolution\">on Forum earlier this year\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And, here are some recommendations from Alderete, of Medicine for Nightmares: the young adult novel, \u003ca href=\"https://www.harpercollins.com/products/estela-undrowning-rene-pena-govea\">\u003cem>Estela, Undrowning\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by San Francisco writer and educator \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101913189/local-ya-novels-tell-san-francisco-stories\">René Peña-Govea\u003c/a>; the poetry collection \u003ca href=\"https://unpress.nevada.edu/9781647792183/where-heaven-sinks/\">\u003cem>When Heaven Sinks\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by María Esquinca (who coincidently is a former KQED colleague); the nonfiction book \u003ca href=\"https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324004370\">\u003cem>Bad Mexicans: Race, Empire & Revolution in the Borderlands\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by Kelly Lytle Hernández; and the memoir \u003ca href=\"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/803724/terrestre-spanish-edition-by-cristina-rivera-garza/\">\u003cem>Terrestre\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and scholar Cristina Rivera Garza.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "santa-clara-county-school-district-leaders-stand-against-ice-facility-in-gilroy",
"title": "Santa Clara County School District Leaders Stand Against ICE Facility in Gilroy",
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"headTitle": "Santa Clara County School District Leaders Stand Against ICE Facility in Gilroy | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Educators from across the South Bay and Peninsula are opposing construction of a controversial new \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083600/santa-clara-county-leaders-say-theyll-fight-planned-ice-facility-in-gilroy\">immigration detention facility\u003c/a> in Gilroy, California, warning it will disrupt K-12 education in their districts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Wednesday afternoon at Santa Clara County’s offices in San José, representatives from 27 Bay Area school districts voiced their concerns about how increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence in the community could harm student and parent engagement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Carmen García, the superintendent for Morgan Hill Unified School District, said her district is located only 10 miles away from the project site at 7240 Holsclaw Rd., and most of the students in her district live in mixed-status families. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-01.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098233\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-01.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A press conference attendee holds a flyer, reaffirming that school districts across the South Bay and Peninsula do not want ICE near campuses, at the Santa Clara County Government Center on Sept. 2, 2026. (Alina Ta/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12098235\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-03.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098235\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-03.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-03-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-03-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Morgan Hill Unified School District Superintendent Carmen Garcia speaks at a press conference, opposing the construction of an immigration detention facility near her school district, at the Santa Clara County Government Center on Sept. 2, 2026. (Alina Ta/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12098234\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-02.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098234\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-02.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-02-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-02-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gilroy Unified School District Board President Tuyen Fiack speaks during a press conference, opposing the construction of an immigration detention facility, at the Santa Clara County Government Center on Sept. 2, 2026. (Alina Ta/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When basic needs are not met, when students do not feel safe, they’re chronically stuck at the stress level, and there is an effective filter that literally covers their brain that prevents them from learning,” García said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Earlier this summer, the federal government \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12090807/ice-will-pause-construction-on-controversial-south-bay-detention-facility\">agreed to pause construction\u003c/a> on the Gilroy facility until Sept. 9, one day after a federal judge is set to hear arguments from both the county and the Department of Homeland Security to decide if the project will continue. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The court will decide in October if construction can resume, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.docketbird.com/court-documents/County-of-Santa-Clara-et-al-v-United-States-Immigration-Customs-Enforcement-et-al/ORDER-Granting-AS-MODIFIED-40-Stipulation-Regarding-Briefing-Schedule-for-Preliminary-Injunction-Motion-Signed-by-Judge-Eumi-K-Lee-Main-Document-41-replaced-on-7-13-2026/cand-5:2026-cv-05604-00041\">court\u003c/a> records.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2023, over 300,000 residents living in Santa Clara County were undocumented or lived with an undocumented family, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.immigrantdataca.org/indicators/mixed-status-families?geo=04000000000006085\">California Immigrant Data Portal\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tuyen Fiack, president of the Gilroy Unified School District, said increased ICE activity also decreases parent engagement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When parents are afraid to attend a school meeting, participate in a conference, access services or engage with their child’s school, that affects the entire educational community,” Fiack said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said this facility impacts students and parents in her community, as well as those in neighboring cities and counties.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our students do not live their lives according to district boundaries,” Fiack said. “Families live in Gilroy and work in San José. 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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Educators from across the South Bay and Peninsula are opposing construction of a controversial new \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083600/santa-clara-county-leaders-say-theyll-fight-planned-ice-facility-in-gilroy\">immigration detention facility\u003c/a> in Gilroy, California, warning it will disrupt K-12 education in their districts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Wednesday afternoon at Santa Clara County’s offices in San José, representatives from 27 Bay Area school districts voiced their concerns about how increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence in the community could harm student and parent engagement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Carmen García, the superintendent for Morgan Hill Unified School District, said her district is located only 10 miles away from the project site at 7240 Holsclaw Rd., and most of the students in her district live in mixed-status families. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-01.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098233\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-01.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A press conference attendee holds a flyer, reaffirming that school districts across the South Bay and Peninsula do not want ICE near campuses, at the Santa Clara County Government Center on Sept. 2, 2026. (Alina Ta/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12098235\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-03.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098235\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-03.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-03-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-03-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Morgan Hill Unified School District Superintendent Carmen Garcia speaks at a press conference, opposing the construction of an immigration detention facility near her school district, at the Santa Clara County Government Center on Sept. 2, 2026. (Alina Ta/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12098234\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-02.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098234\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-02.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-02-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SJ-ICE-02-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gilroy Unified School District Board President Tuyen Fiack speaks during a press conference, opposing the construction of an immigration detention facility, at the Santa Clara County Government Center on Sept. 2, 2026. (Alina Ta/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When basic needs are not met, when students do not feel safe, they’re chronically stuck at the stress level, and there is an effective filter that literally covers their brain that prevents them from learning,” García said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Earlier this summer, the federal government \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12090807/ice-will-pause-construction-on-controversial-south-bay-detention-facility\">agreed to pause construction\u003c/a> on the Gilroy facility until Sept. 9, one day after a federal judge is set to hear arguments from both the county and the Department of Homeland Security to decide if the project will continue. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The court will decide in October if construction can resume, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.docketbird.com/court-documents/County-of-Santa-Clara-et-al-v-United-States-Immigration-Customs-Enforcement-et-al/ORDER-Granting-AS-MODIFIED-40-Stipulation-Regarding-Briefing-Schedule-for-Preliminary-Injunction-Motion-Signed-by-Judge-Eumi-K-Lee-Main-Document-41-replaced-on-7-13-2026/cand-5:2026-cv-05604-00041\">court\u003c/a> records.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2023, over 300,000 residents living in Santa Clara County were undocumented or lived with an undocumented family, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.immigrantdataca.org/indicators/mixed-status-families?geo=04000000000006085\">California Immigrant Data Portal\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tuyen Fiack, president of the Gilroy Unified School District, said increased ICE activity also decreases parent engagement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When parents are afraid to attend a school meeting, participate in a conference, access services or engage with their child’s school, that affects the entire educational community,” Fiack said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said this facility impacts students and parents in her community, as well as those in neighboring cities and counties.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our students do not live their lives according to district boundaries,” Fiack said. “Families live in Gilroy and work in San José. They have grandparents in Morgan Hill, cousins in East San José, friends in Mountain View, and relatives throughout this county. Our communities are interconnected.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "ex-google-engineer-gets-nearly-1-year-for-stealing-ai-secrets",
"title": "Ex-Google Engineer Gets Nearly 1 Year for Stealing AI Secrets",
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"headTitle": "Ex-Google Engineer Gets Nearly 1 Year for Stealing AI Secrets | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>A former \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/google\">Google\u003c/a> software engineer found guilty of stealing the tech giant’s trade secrets was sentenced to just under a year in prison Tuesday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria called Linwei Ding’s theft of proprietary information a “systematic, brazen effort to steal Google’s property,” during Tuesday’s sentencing in San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He knew very well what he was doing. He hurt people along the way,” Chhabria added.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In January, a San Francisco jury found Ding, then 38, guilty of seven counts of theft of proprietary information related to Google’s artificial intelligence efforts and economic espionage, based on charges that he intended to use that information to benefit China.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1980\" height=\"1374\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2259952730.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12079890\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2259952730.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2259952730-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2259952730-1536x1066.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1980px) 100vw, 1980px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A sign is posted at Google headquarters in Mountain View, California, on Feb. 4, 2026. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chhabria vacated the espionage conviction in August, finding that a reasonable jury would have had insufficient evidence to find Ding guilty. Ding came to the U.S. to pursue a master’s degree in 2010. He worked at multiple tech companies in the Silicon Valley before Google hired him as a software engineer in 2019.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He became a lawful permanent resident in 2021. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At trial in January, the prosecution showed that Ding uploaded more than 500 confidential files over a course of a year from Google’s network to a personal Google Cloud account.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors said the files included trade secrets related to Google’s hardware infrastructure and software for supercomputing data centers to train large AI models. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors also laid out Ding’s ties to multiple technology companies in China purportedly working on related AI efforts amid the U.S. and China’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c145enxln0go\">race\u003c/a> to dominate the industry. They said Ding stole and copied trade secrets with the intention of benefitting the Chinese government. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Months after Ding began uploading confidential information to his personal Cloud, prosecutors said an early-stage technology company in China offered him chief technology officer position.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ding visited the company, Rongshu, in late 2022 and began participating in investor meetings around December. In 2023, Ding founded Zhisuan, his own technology company based in China, which proposed to train large AI models.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ding’s indictment quotes a Zhisuan document Ding circulated in November 2023 as touting: “We have experience with Google’s ten-thousand-card computational power platform; we just need to replicate and upgrade it and then further develop a computational power platform suited to China’s national conditions.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GoogleQuantumAI_WillowChip_Closeup04.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12019335\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GoogleQuantumAI_WillowChip_Closeup04.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GoogleQuantumAI_WillowChip_Closeup04-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GoogleQuantumAI_WillowChip_Closeup04-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GoogleQuantumAI_WillowChip_Closeup04-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GoogleQuantumAI_WillowChip_Closeup04-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GoogleQuantumAI_WillowChip_Closeup04-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Google’s quantum computer chip, Willow. (Courtesy of Google Quantum AI)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In late 2023, Ding also applied to a Chinese government program that aimed to attract technological talent to China with funding and investments, according to the court documents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ding never told Google about his affiliation with either company, prosecutors said, and he had an intern swipe his Google identification card multiple times when he was in China pitching Zhisuan, “to make it appear as though he was working from his office.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Ding was initially found guilty of both the trade-secrets and espionage counts, Chhabria made the rare move to overturn the latter in August.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In his order to partially acquit Ding, Chhabria wrote: “The evidence was insufficient for a rational jury to conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that Ding knew or intended during the May 2022–April 2023 timeframe that his actions would benefit the Chinese government.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys requested a more lenient sentence of three months in home confinement so that Ding could continue to be the primary caregiver for his 8-year-old son, and, they argued, because he had already been punished by the case and conviction.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Mr. Ding will never again hold a position of trust at a technology company,” the sentencing memo states. “His convictions and the publicity surrounding them have foreclosed the career he went to school for, enjoyed, and at which he thrived. Zhisuan is defunct, and Mr. Ding faces possible removal from the United States.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1980\" height=\"1320\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2266645921.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12079043\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2266645921.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2266645921-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2266645921-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1980px) 100vw, 1980px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Close-up of Google Gemini logo branding on shared bike basket in San Francisco on March 12, 2026. (Smith Collection/Gado via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ding’s defense also argued that his circumstances — including widespread press coverage and professional, personal and financial “ruin” — were also sufficient to deter others from taking similar actions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Chhabria said that a sentence between zero and six months didn’t capture the crime that Ding committed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If you think about it from the standpoint of the seriousness of his offense … whether you think about it from standpoint of general deterrence or specific deterrence — the idea of a noncustodial sentence is hard to swallow for me,” Chhabria said, before handing down the sentence. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ding will also be subject to two years of supervised release after his prison term, and he owes restitution of more than $189,000, plus a $25,000 fine.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/nvoynovskaya\">\u003cem>Nastia Voynovskaya\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Prosecutors said the files included trade secrets related to Google’s hardware infrastructure and software for supercomputing data centers to train large AI models. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Prosecutors also laid out Ding’s ties to multiple technology companies in China purportedly working on related AI efforts amid the U.S. and China’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c145enxln0go\">race\u003c/a> to dominate the industry. They said Ding stole and copied trade secrets with the intention of benefitting the Chinese government. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ding visited the company, Rongshu, in late 2022 and began participating in investor meetings around December. In 2023, Ding founded Zhisuan, his own technology company based in China, which proposed to train large AI models.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ding’s indictment quotes a Zhisuan document Ding circulated in November 2023 as touting: “We have experience with Google’s ten-thousand-card computational power platform; we just need to replicate and upgrade it and then further develop a computational power platform suited to China’s national conditions.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "A federal judge in San Francisco said the sentence reflected the “seriousness” of stealing proprietary information related to training large AI models.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>A former \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/google\">Google\u003c/a> software engineer found guilty of stealing the tech giant’s trade secrets was sentenced to just under a year in prison Tuesday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria called Linwei Ding’s theft of proprietary information a “systematic, brazen effort to steal Google’s property,” during Tuesday’s sentencing in San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He knew very well what he was doing. He hurt people along the way,” Chhabria added.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In January, a San Francisco jury found Ding, then 38, guilty of seven counts of theft of proprietary information related to Google’s artificial intelligence efforts and economic espionage, based on charges that he intended to use that information to benefit China.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1980\" height=\"1374\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2259952730.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12079890\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2259952730.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2259952730-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2259952730-1536x1066.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1980px) 100vw, 1980px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A sign is posted at Google headquarters in Mountain View, California, on Feb. 4, 2026. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chhabria vacated the espionage conviction in August, finding that a reasonable jury would have had insufficient evidence to find Ding guilty. Ding came to the U.S. to pursue a master’s degree in 2010. He worked at multiple tech companies in the Silicon Valley before Google hired him as a software engineer in 2019.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He became a lawful permanent resident in 2021. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At trial in January, the prosecution showed that Ding uploaded more than 500 confidential files over a course of a year from Google’s network to a personal Google Cloud account.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors said the files included trade secrets related to Google’s hardware infrastructure and software for supercomputing data centers to train large AI models. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors also laid out Ding’s ties to multiple technology companies in China purportedly working on related AI efforts amid the U.S. and China’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c145enxln0go\">race\u003c/a> to dominate the industry. They said Ding stole and copied trade secrets with the intention of benefitting the Chinese government. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Months after Ding began uploading confidential information to his personal Cloud, prosecutors said an early-stage technology company in China offered him chief technology officer position.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ding visited the company, Rongshu, in late 2022 and began participating in investor meetings around December. In 2023, Ding founded Zhisuan, his own technology company based in China, which proposed to train large AI models.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ding’s indictment quotes a Zhisuan document Ding circulated in November 2023 as touting: “We have experience with Google’s ten-thousand-card computational power platform; we just need to replicate and upgrade it and then further develop a computational power platform suited to China’s national conditions.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GoogleQuantumAI_WillowChip_Closeup04.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12019335\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GoogleQuantumAI_WillowChip_Closeup04.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GoogleQuantumAI_WillowChip_Closeup04-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GoogleQuantumAI_WillowChip_Closeup04-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GoogleQuantumAI_WillowChip_Closeup04-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GoogleQuantumAI_WillowChip_Closeup04-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GoogleQuantumAI_WillowChip_Closeup04-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Google’s quantum computer chip, Willow. (Courtesy of Google Quantum AI)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In late 2023, Ding also applied to a Chinese government program that aimed to attract technological talent to China with funding and investments, according to the court documents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ding never told Google about his affiliation with either company, prosecutors said, and he had an intern swipe his Google identification card multiple times when he was in China pitching Zhisuan, “to make it appear as though he was working from his office.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Ding was initially found guilty of both the trade-secrets and espionage counts, Chhabria made the rare move to overturn the latter in August.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In his order to partially acquit Ding, Chhabria wrote: “The evidence was insufficient for a rational jury to conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that Ding knew or intended during the May 2022–April 2023 timeframe that his actions would benefit the Chinese government.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys requested a more lenient sentence of three months in home confinement so that Ding could continue to be the primary caregiver for his 8-year-old son, and, they argued, because he had already been punished by the case and conviction.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Mr. Ding will never again hold a position of trust at a technology company,” the sentencing memo states. “His convictions and the publicity surrounding them have foreclosed the career he went to school for, enjoyed, and at which he thrived. Zhisuan is defunct, and Mr. Ding faces possible removal from the United States.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1980\" height=\"1320\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2266645921.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12079043\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2266645921.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2266645921-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2266645921-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1980px) 100vw, 1980px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Close-up of Google Gemini logo branding on shared bike basket in San Francisco on March 12, 2026. (Smith Collection/Gado via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ding’s defense also argued that his circumstances — including widespread press coverage and professional, personal and financial “ruin” — were also sufficient to deter others from taking similar actions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Chhabria said that a sentence between zero and six months didn’t capture the crime that Ding committed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If you think about it from the standpoint of the seriousness of his offense … whether you think about it from standpoint of general deterrence or specific deterrence — the idea of a noncustodial sentence is hard to swallow for me,” Chhabria said, before handing down the sentence. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ding will also be subject to two years of supervised release after his prison term, and he owes restitution of more than $189,000, plus a $25,000 fine.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/nvoynovskaya\">\u003cem>Nastia Voynovskaya\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"info": "Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?",
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},
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"id": "baycurious",
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"tagline": "Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time",
"info": "KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.",
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},
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},
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"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
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"order": 8
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"tagline": "Your state, your stories",
"info": "Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.",
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"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
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"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
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"order": 1
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"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
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"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
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"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"order": 9
},
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"meta": {
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"source": "WNYC"
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"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
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"hidden-brain": {
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"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
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"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
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"source": "NPR"
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"how-i-built-this": {
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"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
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"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
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"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
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"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
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"order": 18
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},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
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},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
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"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
}
},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
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"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
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