San Jose may bar officials from signing nondisclosure agreements
San Jose is considering a ban on city officials signing nondisclosure agreements with developers, particularly for data center projects, to increase transparency. This policy development stems from growing community distrust and aims to protect public officials' ability to discuss developments publicly. The city is also working on uniform standards for data centers, with residents pushing for a moratorium on new facilities until these standards are finalized.
The city of San Jose is exploring a policy to prohibit councilmembers and potentially other city staff from signing nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) with developers, a move prompted by increasing community distrust regarding data center developments. The Rules and Open Government Committee unanimously voted to direct the city manager to create such a policy, aiming to establish a process for reviewing proprietary information without compromising public transparency.
District 5 Councilmember Peter Ortiz, a lead author of the proposal, emphasized that elected officials serve the public, not private companies, and should not be restricted from discussing major projects that shape San Jose's future. The discussion acknowledges a common industry practice where local governments, like those in Virginia's