A half-century of neglect: Alviso neighbors spar with city over deteriorating community

ONE NORTH SAN JOSE neighborhood has endured more than 50 years of neglect — and residents are fed up with false promises from city officials. They want to step in and improve their historic community.

Alviso residents woke up early Sunday morning to decorate the weathered community center with Christmas lights and holiday-themed ornaments only to find caution tape and orange barriers around empty plots of dirt in front of the community center. Residents said the landscaping had been torn out by San Jose parks officials in the city’s latest move to stop residents from planting trees and flowers on the land. But it didn’t deter them from hosting a holiday gathering in the evening with dozens of locals coming out to celebrate.