Roots2RealEstate

If your familiar with City Diner restaurant, then you know the dead shopping center it is located in.  The news on the street for quite some time was that the city is looking to redevelop this area and bring in new businesses; the proposed site may attract one of the biggest Whole Foods Market yet.  It one of the many ideas slung around in Nancy Pyle’s District 10 campaign to better serve the local residents by giving them what they want and need when it comes to their consumer shopping choices all the while reving up more $$$ in the City’s seventh largest district it has for incoming sales tax revenue. 

The idea was recently shot down at a City Council meeting on November 20th, the reason:  Liqueur.  Apparently, there seems to be too many liquor licenses in that zone, despite that the run down Rite-Aid (along with their current liquor license) is moving out.  The concern to those voting on the issue was that this may have a negative impact on the lower income apartment neighborhood that is adjacent to the proposed site. 

Now, I may be wrong here, but I’m sure Rite-Aid’s cheap generic vodka brand at $10. has more of an impact than a $12. bottle of organic wine.  I don’t know of any “hoods” where the beverage of choice is organic. 

There seems to be a larger political issue at hand here, for they have now pushed back the opportunity of Whole Foods coming to the Blossom Hill Road area.  This shopping center has been a sore spot for some time to the residents of Almaden Valley, I’m partial to them doing something to it that will help bring up the area despite the added congestion it will add to the intersection at Almaden Expressway.

Lastly, I’m a big time organic produce shopper and an everyday juicer kind of gal.  Intriqued, I asked the produce folks at the recently rennovated Lucky’s and Safeway markets that service this surrounding community about their plans to compete with the arrival of Whole Foods; shockingly they were unaware that they had some competition moving in.  I guess they would rather keep their heads in the lettuce section.

The San Jose Police Department has launched new software, CrimeReports.com  which allows residents to see exactly what types of incidents are occurring in different zip coded areas using Google’s heat maps.  It includes information about when the crime occurred and the current status of the case.  Very needed information when your deciding to make a move to a new neighborhood.  I love the fact that the Internet (and the folks at Google) makes us a closer and aware community by putting such relevant information out there;  Crime is inevitable, but we can ensure it will not pay.

Joann Landers, Willow Glen’s local blog writer/taxi driver put it best; “This information will either make me feel empowered, or it will scare the bejesus out of me”.

For me, it empowers and supports my thirst for knowledge about specific neighborhhoods.  I believe having such information readily available to the general public can be a huge benefit of stopping crime in its tracks.  It makes the community more aware of the issues that occur for specific areas and gives the average resident the opportunity to keep their eyes and ears open to such events.  As I have learned first hand, it is never wise to get directly involved when trying to stop a crime in progress, but it is beneficial to have your cell phone programmed to call SJPD’s “other emergency number, 311″ just in case.   

Recently my car and my hubby’s car was broken into, we learned later after talking to neighbors that we were one of several cars in and around the same month that it had happened to.  we didn’t report it since most neighborhood crime happen in sprees, instead my neighbors pulled together and launched hidden cameras. (So don’t even think about it thiefs!) - Word of advice, do yourself and your neighbors a favor keep an eye out and a light on.  

Residents can visit www.sjpd.org to learn more. By the way, San Jose is the first City nationwide to release this software product.

And, as with everything this web site also comes with a disclaimer: “No warranty or guarantee is made nor implied regarding the content, geographic accuracy, timeliness, completeness, sequence, or accuracy of any of the information provided herein. The reader should not rely on the data provided herein for any reason. The information is provided strictly as a courtesy to the public”.