Google vs. San Jose Sharks: tech should not always take precedence

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Google’s deal with the City of San Jose to build a new campus should not go through because it will make rent skyrocket and displace low-income workers, not only because it will hinder the San Jose Sharks’ parking plans.

The NHL team opposes Google’s plan to build a campus near Diridon Station because it said the campus will make it hard for fans to park near the SAP center, where games are played.

But that is not the total cost.

The Google campus will bring an estimated 20,000 jobs to the area, but each of those employees will cause monthly rent hikes of an estimated $735 by 2030.

The proposed 800 units of affordable housing included in the development seem insufficient in comparison to the displacement caused by rent spikes.

Google doesn’t have the greatest track record with gentrification. San Francisco activists targeted the company when it drove up the rent to the point where only employees and the rich could afford it.

A company with such a history shouldn’t be trusted to develop in such a vital area of San Jose, even if it has set aside $150 million for a “Community Stabilization and Opportunity Fund. ”

Adding 20,000 new jobs will also increase traffic in an already congested area.

The SAP Center will only be able to offer about 4,000 spaces after Google’s campus is finished. This is roughly two-thirds of its current capacity.

Fans won’t be completely cut off from the Stadium, but many will have to park farther away or rely on other transportation. Fans with disabilities may miss games if spots fill up too quickly or they can’t access public transit.

Unless serious changes are made to the existing agreement, the harm Google’s mega-campus will do to downtown San Jose far outweighs the benefits.