San Jose, in the Santa Clara Valley, began life way back in 1777 as a farming community, and during the Spanish colonial and Mexican periods supplied cattle, vegetables, and wheat to the military garrisons in San Francisco and Monterey. 
When America occupied California in 1846 San Jose was for a short time the state capital, but this didn’t last, Sacramento becoming the capital in 1854. With the arrival of the railroad in 1864, it was much easier to transport goods to San Francisco, and the area developed into orchards and fruit processing.
This remained the case until 1940, but during and after the war there was a huge growth in the manufacture of motor vehicles, electrical goods, and aircraft parts. Many large companies located their factories in San Jose, and as computers were born, San Jose became the center of Silicon Valley as it is now known. Between 1960 and 2000 – only 40 years, the area of the city tripled, and the population quadrupled, today being just over 1 million.
Today, of course, the city is noted for computer hardware, software, and internet business, although there is still a considerable amount of agriculture in the area – grapevines, mushrooms, cherries, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, cut flowers, and greenhouse plants being the major staples.
Most Short-Term Visitors Are Connected With The Computer Industry
Agriculture aside, most people who come to San Jose on business are connected with the computer industry, and of course many are on secondment to companies in the city and surrounds and need somewhere to live – sometimes for a month or two and sometimes for a year or more – and are looking for corporate housing near downtown San Jose. Why downtown? Because the area is presently under-used (although it is being rapidly developed) and is less expensive than nearby Cupertino and Palo Alto.
Despite the fact that it is under-used, don’t let that put you off looking for corporate housing near downtown San Jose. There is a multitude of cultures in San Jose, especially Japanese and Vietnamese. In fact, Little Saigon, as it is known, has one of the largest Vietnamese populations anywhere outside Vietnam itself, and there are plenty of lovely eateries.
There is also Japantown which, as you have guessed, is a Japanese area where you can find all sorts of Japanese goods such as chopsticks and fine silk kimonos.
At Key Housing, we can help you if you are looking for corporate housing near downtown San Jose. We have a choice of apartments and family homes, some fully serviced, and others more in the economy range, so we can help you whatever your budget. All of our corporate housing is comfortably furnished, has Wi-Fi, cable TV and a lot more benefits besides. Call us to discuss your requirements.
