San Jose officials said no fines had been imposed on a pastor’s food pantry after the city threatened penalties of up to $20,000 a day. Mayor Matt Mahan and Councilmember Anthony Tordillos said the city was working to help relocate Lighthouse Food Rescue & Distribution following public backlash.
Run by Pastor Ralph Olmos, the pantry provides free groceries to more than 1,000 people daily. In September, the city cited zoning violations and blocked sidewalks, ordering the nonprofit to move food distribution off the public sidewalk within 10 days and stop operating at its longtime 17th Street location within 60 days.
Officials said relocation efforts would also address neighbors’ concerns about sidewalk access. Olmos said he saw little chance of keeping the pantry at its current site, despite a city offer to help cover relocation costs.
Please note! Comments are published by readers. The opinions expressed may not reflect the position of the editorial team. USCT is not responsible for the content of readers' opinions and asks authors to observe moral standards, not to incite national or racial hatred, and to avoid rudeness. Think before you speak. You are responsible for your words! By publishing an opinion, you agree to the rules! If this request is ignored, USCT reserves the right to deprive the user of the ability to leave comments.