Santa Clara County cracks down on massage parlors - San Jose Mercury News

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SAN JOSE -- Armed with new powers under a recent state law, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office is spearheading a crackdown on massage parlors that has already resulted in the closure of one Bascom Avenue business.

The law, passed in 2014, gives local jurisdictions the option of requiring massage parlors to obtain a permit from a law enforcement agency and submit to inspections. Santa Clara County has already adopted such a policy for the unincorporated areas, and the city of San Jose is planning its own ordinance, said Alisha Schoen, one of the district attorney's community prosecutors.

"The purpose of the ordinance is to make sure these businesses are not operating as fronts for prostitution," said Schoen, who estimated there are 170 to 200 massage parlors in San Jose. "Any massage parlor that cannot or will not obtain a proper permit should close today."

Earlier this month, Rose Massage on Bascom Avenue, near Interstate 280 in unincorporated San Jose, closed down after Schoen informed the owner that she had to undergo a background check to get a permit. Five other massage parlors in the same area remain under investigation, she said.

Massage parlors mushroomed statewide after the Legislature passed a law seven years ago that restricted cities or counties from regulating them.

The new law does not change the certification process for individual massage therapists. They continue to obtain their licenses from the California Massage Therapy Council.

Not all massage parlors offer illicit sexual activity, but some do. Telltale signs include covered or opaque windows, late hours of operation, parking in the rear only and scantily clad women, Schoen said.

Schoen is working with county lawyers, planning officials and the Sheriff's Office.

"Our goal is to make Santa Clara County an inhospitable environment for this activity," she said.

Contact Tracey Kaplan at 408-278-3482. Follow her at Twitter.com @tkaplanreport.