MARCH 2018
Dear neighbors,
Some believe that we in California do not experience much differences between our seasons. I believe that Spring's arrival in just a few weeks reminds us about the importance of renewal.

Something I learned very quickly as a Councilmember is that the difficult yet important issues we face require unceasing renewal in commitment and effort. This renewal of commitment is certainly held in high regard by my office. I can assure you that we are continuously working towards addressing our City’s challenging issues over the next months and years. As your representative and your voice on the City Council, I am eager to listen, learn, and engage ALL residents so that we may find solutions.

Another thing I have learned is that the role the community plays is a vital one. It is certainly the case that in our diverse community, we have diverse opinions -- but one thing we have in common is that we all care about our city. The disagreements we have are not about whether we SHOULD solve the issues, but HOW to solve them. We are on the same team, in the same community, and hopefully we exemplify the same honest commitment to finding solutions. If we do not share this value, we are doomed to fail.

Given the polarized and acrimonious state of the national political discourse, let us be the local example of how decisions are made and how compromise is struck. Let us renew our commitment to one another. Let us not go down the path of division, falsities, and personal attacks. We must rise above the name calling to truly move our city forward. To that, I am and will continue to be committed.
 
In community,
 
Sergio Jimenez

CONNECT, ENGAGE AND BE INFORMED.
#SJD2SJ
D2 News: Updates & Accomplishments
We are excited for this time of the year -- a time to join forces, clean up trash, strengthen our community, and beautify our City! My District 2 Team would like to invite you to:

THE GREAT AMERICAN LITTER PICK UP (GALPU) 2018
Saturday, April 21, 2018
8:00 AM – 12:30 PM
(With free breakfast refreshments & lunch!)

Meeting locations in District 2:
Oak Grove High School
Santa Teresa High School (In partnership with the awesome Trash Punx !)
St. Gabriel Cathedral (In partnership with the Hellyer-Christopher N.A.)

Volunteer to join us at one of our three meeting locations: REGISTER ON EVENTBRITE
Want to host your own site in your neighborhood? Email: District2@sanjoseca.gov

We will provide: 
Free coffee, water & refreshments
Free lunch (volunteers from all three locations will meet at Oak Grove HS for lunch)
Litter pick up sticks
Trash bags
Gloves

Please bring:
Comfortable clothing
Closed-toe shoes
Sunscreen/hat/sunglasses

While we will celebrate Earth Day by beautifying our community, we will also be turning GALPU into a friendly, city-wide competition with other Council Districts :D
  1. Let's have the largest number of District 2 volunteers of all ages!
  2. Let's have the largest number of District 2 high school student volunteers! The school in the City with the highest number of student volunteers will win a grant from the Mayor's Office! (Congratulations again to Oak Grove High School for winning the 2017 GALPU competition!)
  3. Let's show our District 2 pride and encourage all our neighbors to participate! The City will be counting the number of volunteers not only on GALPU (on Saturday, April 21), but throughout the entire month of April! So if you are unable to volunteer on Saturday, April 21, any clean up event held in the month of April counts!


(Registration is important to let our office know how much food & pick up materials to provide for all of our volunteers at each site!)
Celebrating successful RLEI community initiatives and partnerships
It has been a rewarding year as the Responsible Landlord Engagement Initiative (RLEI) champion, but the gavel has officially been passed to Councilmember Sylvia Arenas! We also had a chance to award our community honorees at our RLEI Recognition event.

In the past year, my office and RLEI were able to complete successful initiatives in our community, thanks to our strong partnership with our residents and other City departments. Two notable District 2 projects were abating and cleaning blighted homes on Paddon Circle and Tenant Avenue.
Hanging out with Elvis and senior citizens
My team had a blast co-hosting the 11th Annual Senior Winter Walk & Resource Fair with Councilmembers Johnny Khamis and Don Rocha! After circling a lap around Westfield Oakridge Mall, I got to catch up with residents (with Elvis in the back) as we all learned about senior health and wellness.
Sharing the best -- as well as the most challenging -- aspects of civic leadership with APALI
As a proud alum, I had the pleasure of hosting APALI - Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute at City Hall for their Civic Leadership Program.

I had the opportunity to talk about how my interest in civic engagement and aspiration to hold public office drove me to where I am today. As an immigrant, I didn’t have much civic education. About 10 years ago, my eyes were opened to what was possible. I heard Assemblymember Paul Fong speak and realized that if a down-to-earth individual could hold public office, I could too. I started building relationships with my neighbors, learning my District’s most pressing issues, getting a better understanding of my community, and humbly witnessing the Neighborhood Association I instituted take flight.
 
I also talked about some of my current values as a City Councilmember. Growing up, I did not have many resources or mentors. One thing I did have was stability: A safe place to stay with a roof over my head, even if this place was my family’s living room floor. As an elected official working in the best interest of the City’s diverse residents, giving others the opportunity to have stability is important to me. being set and firm in my values is what drives me in my role. 

I was asked insightful questions from APALI’s emerging leaders — I’ll let this beautiful illustration by APALI fellow Angel Trazo summarize my time with this leadership class!
Coffee with the Chief: You asked questions, we have answers!

At D2's Coffee with the Chief event in February, more than 100 of you joined us to get to know San José Police Chief Eddie Garcia and hear about the Police Department's growing forces as well as plans to activate the Southside Substation. Although he was able to answer many of the community's questions, time restraints did not allow us to get through all of them. As promised, here is the Coffee with the Chief Q&A, where you will find complete answers and resources to all the questions we received at our event.

In addition, you may revisit highlights from Police Chief Eddie Garcia's speech from our D2 February Newsletter.
Important mobile home decisions to be discussed at City Council on March 13th

If you live in a mobile home or know someone who does, I encourage you to attend tomorrow's San José City Council meeting on Tuesday, March 13 at 6:00 p.m. We will be discussing decisions that will affect the future of mobile home parks and the approximately 35,000 San Jose residents who live in them.

I have co-authored memoranda on the the following two mobile home related items because I believe that we must protect our affordable housing stock with the same vigor we protect our threatened employment lands.

Let us continue to work on solutions that ensure our City remains a home to all of our residents, regardless of income level.

1. Item 4.1: Mobile Home Opt-In Stay In Business Update:  View my memorandum

At this meeting the City Council will review staff analysis of the Opt-In/Stay concept, an idea to provide incentives to mobile home park owners in exchange for continuous operation over a period of time. On November 27, 2017, the Community and Economic Development (CED) Council Committee recommended that staff stop working on this concept. 

On March 13, the City Council will direct staff to either stop or continue working on this concept. For questions on this item, please contact Rachel VanderVeen at rachel.vanderveen@sanjoseca.gov, or by calling 408-535-8231.


2. Item 10.3: General Plan Land Use Overlay for Mobile Home Parks and Recommendations from the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley:  View my memorandum

At this meeting the City Council will review the staff analysis and provide direction on potential land use changes and General Plan text changes to preserve mobile home parks. For questions on this item, please contact Jared Hart at jared.hart@sanjoseca.gov, or by calling 408-535-7896.


Both items will be heard on Tuesday, March 13 at 6:00 p.m. in the:
City Council Chambers
200 East Santa Clara Street
San José, CA 95113

Parking under City Hall can be validated in the Council Chambers.
Elimination of District 2 Bridge Housing Community Candidate Site

The Bridge Housing Community (BHC) candidate site in District 2 on Hellyer Ave. and Silicon Valley Blvd. is NO LONGER UNDER CONSIDERATION.  There are currently NO BHC candidate sites in District 2.  

For complete details, background, and information, please view my statement, released March 5, 2018 .

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

  1. Please visit my website: Homelessness in District 2
  2. To receive the latest updates: Sign up for my newsletter
  3. Memorandum from the Housing Department: Elimination of Council District 2 Bridge Housing Community Candidate Site
  4. Memorandum from the Housing Department: Top Three Candidate Sites for Bridge Housing Communities
  5. Bridge Housing Communities FAQ's 
  6. The City of San José's Housing Department website: Bridge Housing Communities
A Look at More Community Stories
I was happy to meet community members at two Avenue One Neighborhood Watch Meetings, where residents were engaged in learning about public safety. Thank you for partnering with the City to make our community an even better place!
D2 and You: Upcoming Events
Please click on the photos/flyers below for more information:
SAVE THE DATE FOR THESE EVENTS IN D2!

Earthquakes Soccer Clinic
Sunday, March 25, 2018
12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Ramac Park

Easter Egg Hunt hosted by Councilmember Jimenez and Supervisor Cortese
Saturday, March 31, 2018
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Hellyer County Park
For Your Information
Need to report abandoned vehicles, street light outages, and more? Use MySanJose: Our quick & easy tool to request City services

Want to get that pothole or street light fixed? Need to report graffiti, illegal dumping or an abandoned vehicle? Have a different question for the City? With the new state-of-the-art MySanJose  app  and  website , it is now a breeze to file and track a City service request or reach one of our customer representatives. It is super easy to use – see our zippy  tutorial

Download the MySanJose app today:  www.sanjoseca.gov/mysanjose
Please don't leave your large items on the side of the road. It's easy & FREE to get rid of your junk!

San José residents can schedule FREE appointments to have large items (such as mattresses, sofas, refrigerators, tires, and  more ) picked up by their recycling collection company. 


Schedule a free junk pickup appointment: 

Call your recycling company to schedule your pickup. Use the Residential Services Lookup   to find your recycling collection company.

Once you have successfully scheduled your appointment, please see the   list of acceptable junk pickup items   for specific dimensions and set out instructions.

Thank you for keeping our City clean and combating illegal dumping!

Recycling large items keeps them out of the landfill, helps San José achieve its   Zero Waste goal , and helps   Beautify SJ .

Learn how to   report and prevent illegal dumping . Let's work together to stop trash that is illegally dumped in public spaces, sidewalks, streets, etc.!
Blossom Hill Rd. and Snell Ave. development

Our office has received a number of inquiries regarding the businesses that will occupy the development project under construction at the intersection of Blossom Hill Road and Snell Avenue. 

This building -- approximately 8,000 square feet of retail space -- is projected to include a Sprint store, a National Dental Tenant, and one other tenant. You may find more details at Meacham/Oppenheimer CORFAC International's website and informational PDF.
Serve your community by joining a board or commission

City boards and commissions provide input, guidance, and recommendations on key decisions affecting San José. Current vacancies on a number of City boards and commissions provide our community members with an opportunity to provide service and leadership in San José.

Residents are sought to serve on Arts Commission, Housing and Community Development Commission, Human Services Commission, Planning Commission, Youth Commission, and more. View all current vacancies and application deadlines .
Immigrant Resources
Immigration Legal Services Referral List: Community Organizations and Private Attorneys

List of organizations that provide free Removal Defense Services: From the California Department of Social Services (CDSS)

California Local Rapid Response Hotlines

From Ready California: Changing immigration enforcement tactics and targets have unnerved many California residents. Visit Ready California's website for points of contact to report immigration enforcement actions.

Please ONLY use these numbers to report ICE activity and Enforcement Actions.
Please use websites to find out how to make informational inquiries.

Santa Clara County Rapid Response Network
Region Covered: Santa Clara County
408-290-1144

Resources for DACA applicants and recipients

From the Dream Resource Center : As of January 13, 2018 the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will be taking in Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewal applications. This means If you're a DACA recipient and your permit expired on or after September 5, 2016, you may send your renewal application. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ( USCIS ) will not accept any first-time DACA applications. This announcement come after the January 9 court-ordered injunction that ordered the Trump Administration to accept DACA renewals. USCIS will accept DACA renewal applications until further notice. The National Law Immigration Center recommends applicants to speak to an immigration attorney for renewals under the latest policy. 

More information about DACA Clinics:

Santa Clara County is hosting its second New Americans Fellowship program and invites all eligible applicants to apply. The fellowship is a full-time, 10-week paid internship opportunity during Summer 2018. Selected fellows will work on a research and/or community engagement project focused on immigrant integration. Fellows will be placed at a county agency, department, board office, or participating non-profit organization.

Application Requirements:
•            Current DACA recipients who live, or work in Santa Clara County
(MUST HAVE A CURRENTLY VALID DACA AND EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION CARD)
•            Undergraduate or graduate student or recent graduate
•            Those seeking to be involved in social justice for the immigrant community

All applications must be turned in by March 16, 2018. Selected fellows will be notified on May 1, 2018. The fellowship will start no later than June 11, 2018 and end ten weeks after the program begins.
Fellows will be compensated at an hourly rate of $20 and will be provided letter(s) of recommendation upon request.

To apply:
•            Download application at http://tinyurl.com/NAFellowship2018-v2
•            Provide 1-3 letter(s) of recommendation from individuals or organization you have worked or collaborated with that can provide insight to your public service activities and leadership skills
•            Provide transcript(s) of all colleges you have attended
•            Submit application, letter(s) of recommendation and college transcript(s) to immigrant.relations@ceo.sccgov.org

For all inquiries, email immigrant.relations@ceo.sccgov.org or Miguel Santiago at miguel.santiago@ceo.scc.gov.org
Community Resources
Get involved: District 2 Neighborhood Associations

Neighborhood Associations are groups of community members who meet and collaborate to work towards common goals such as: beautification/clean-up efforts, safety enhancements, and social events. N.A.'s serve as a connection between the community and City Hall. We are here to support N.A.'s by providing direction, resources, grants, help with outreach, models for success, and more.

View the interactive map of D2 N.A's on my website to find your N.A. or work with my office to start a N.A. in your area!
Beyond San José: Get the latest news from your other elected officials

Read your Santa Clara County Supervisor Mike Wasserman's Newsletter

Read your Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese's Newsletter

Read your California State Assemblymember Ash Kalra's News/Updates

Read your California State Assemblymember Mark Stone's News/Updates



Know your City: Department of Public Works

The Development Services Division of Public Works is responsible for ensuring that new development projects comply with applicable regulations and provide the necessary public infrastructure including, but not limited to: streets, sidewalks, storm and sanitary sewers, streetlights, landscaping in frontages and street islands, and traffic signals. 

In addition to reviewing, approving and inspecting the public infrastructure necessary for new development, our division is also responsible for the following services:

Students, get involved! My District 2 Team is looking for interns!

Join our team and make a difference in the community! The Office of Councilmember Sergio Jimenez welcomes college or graduate school students interested community engagement, public service, policy research, and local government to apply for our District 2 Internship. 

This unpaid internship provides students with an immersive experience in day-to-day operations of a city council office that serves almost 100,000 residents. 

Student interns are expected to:
Communicate effectively with others
Adapt and work in a fast-paced environment
Have a willingness to learn and apply academic training to required job assignments
Commit a minimum of 15 hours per week

How to apply:
To be considered for the District 2 Internship, please:
1. Complete the District 2 Internship Form 
2. Upload your District 2 Internship Form, along with your Resume and Cover Letter, to the District 2 Internship Application
Sergio's Office Hours 

Come ask questions, share concerns, or simply have a conversation! Let's make District 2 an even better place to live, work, and play. 

Meetings are first come first serve, and time may be limited to 15 minutes per person depending on the number of attendees.

1st Saturday of the month
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Edenvale Library, Study Room B

3rd Monday of the month
5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Santa Teresa Library, Study Room B
City Resources

Report on MySanJose :

Graffiti (866) 249-0543
Illegal Dumping (408) 794-1900
Potholes (408) 794-1900
Streetlight Outages (408) 794-1903
Speak with a live Customer Service Representative (408) 535-3500

Additional Resources:

(408) 975-1440 

(408) 535-7770

(408) 534-2900

(408) 793-5510 


Vanessa Sandoval – Chief of Staff
Helen Chapman – Policy & Legislative Advisor
Maribel Villarreal  – Policy & Legislative Analyst
Lucas Ramirez  – Policy & Legislative Analyst
Laura Nguyen – Community Relations & Web Coordinator
Kimberly Hernandez  – Executive Assistant

San José District 2 | Office of Councilmember Sergio Jimenez