Willow Glen residents are expressing bitter disappointment after a proposed seven-story residential building in their neighborhood gained a permit under a state law streamlining housing development.
The decision — made during the Dec. 3 San Jose Planning Director Hearing — clears the way for San Francisco-based Redco Development to build 126 apartments on a roughly one-acre lot at the southeast corner of Willow Street and Kotenberg Avenue. The building will include more than 1,600 square feet of retail space and will replace an existing liquor store.
The proposed development at 940 Willow St. has faced an organized opposition campaign since Redco first proposed it in 2023. Critics argue the seven-story building is out of character with the surrounding neighborhood, which is largely made up of single-family homes. They also warn the influx of more than 100 new residents would strain local resources…