Dear Neighbor,

Last Wednesday was a shocking day in America. After all the unprecedented events of 2020, I think we all had high hopes that changing the calendar would mean getting back to normal. Instead, we witnessed something so abnormal that it had never occurred to me to ever be a possibility. Seeing the U.S. Capitol building overrun was surreal and, frankly, frightening. I hadn’t felt like this since September 11, 2001.

Thankfully, the certification of the presidential election results eventually went forward, and the President has finally conceded. We again have hope for a peaceful transition of power on January 20. I don’t know about you, but my feelings about this are not completely resolved. I still have questions about how we can strengthen our democracy and how we can unite as a country after all the recent events. We will be recovering and rebuilding for a long time.

Read more here.

Join me on Wednesday, January 27, for Virtual State of the District! The event will start at 5:30 PM. Register here.

14th Annual Winter Rose Garden Pruning Dates

For the past 13 years, the Friends of the San Jose Rose Garden has lead the pruning of the Municipal Rose Garden. You can sign up for the following shifts:

January 8, 9, 10 and January 15, 16, 17. Shifts are 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

Shifts are limited to 30 participants. Eventbrite registration here.

The Three Creeks Trail Los Gatos Creek Pedestrian Bridge is now open! Learn about the development here. Funding for paving and landscaping the trail from Coe to the bridge will be allocated at today's Council meeting. I am working with the Parks Department to get that done this year.

Get outside and take a walk on the new bridge!

Photo Credit: San Jose Trails

Although the holidays are over, I wanted to recognize District 6 residents Mark and Jen Diaz on Cherry Avenue in Willow Glen. They started the Holiday Arches on their street back in 2013 as a theme for their block to be involved with the growing holiday lights tradition. Mark also helps residents on other streets build their own!

His favorite part of the holiday tradition is watching new themes pop up on other streets every year and imagining the neighborhood collaboration and teamwork that goes into designing and building the decorations. He says the amount of effort to bring each theme to life is truly amazing to witness. In some small way, he hopes that he has inspired a sense of community, togetherness, and creativity to the neighborhood during the holiday season.

Join me on Wednesdays for office hours! Office hours are on Facebook Live at 5:30 PM. Reminder: Send your questions in advance to district6@sanjoseca.gov.

Our next guest will be the owners of Red Dot Fitness! Join us on Wednesday, January 13 at 5:30 PM. They will provide guidance for health and wellness post holidays and amidst the challenges the pandemic has presented specific to exercise, nutrition, and lifestyle.

Park Station Hashery, a new neighborhood eatery, blends history with community connection. It’s nestled on the corner of Park Avenue and Naglee in the heart of Rose Garden. The restaurant gets its name from Park Avenue and the building’s history as a gas station.

Chef Luis Silva of Naglee Park Garage fame, and business partner Long Nguyen, wanted a building that fit in with the history of San Jose. Silva brings inventive cuisine through his distinct, approachable menu. Learn more about the history of Park Station Hashery and view menus here.

Support local business!

Photography by: Daniel Garcia

Join me in supporting county mental health! The virtual COVID Community Care event on Saturday, January 23rd at 4:00 PM will fundraise and bring awareness to local needs and services. Attendees will learn about resources made available by local community mental health organizations, as well as experience engaging mindfulness activities.

Register here.

Pre-pandemic, food assistance in Silicon Valley typically amounted to around 210 – 233 million meals per year, serving an estimated 720,000 – 800,000 people. Four months into the U.S. pandemic crisis, an estimated 11% of Silicon Valley adults and 9% of children “sometimes” or “often” had too little to eat.

If you are able to donate or volunteer, please consider doing so.

More information here.

SJPL is working hard to provide Digital Literacy Workshops (beginning computer classes) to as many community members as possible. Learn the new skills needed to navigate the digital world with a short 4-week workshop! This workshop will walk users through the basics of digital devices, online safety, user privacy, and how to access other online programs and services.

Call (408) 256-3319 or email sjplflc@gmail.com for more information and registration.

After a 10-month suspension, the City will start enforcing street sweeping parking restrictions again. Since November, parking compliance officers have placed over 47,000 warning flyers on vehicles parked in street sweeping zones. Vehicles in those zones have received flyers at least twice. Street sweeping is an important service that keeps fine particulates and small debris out of our local creeks and rivers. Street sweepers may pass through an area more than once, so please keep your vehicles off the streets during the times listed on street signs. For more details, read here.

The Caltrain Board of Directors voted today to make changes to the agency’s bike parking fees and the price of the 2021 Go Pass that will make the system more accessible and equitable.

Caltrain is in the process of installing electronic bicycle lockers throughout the system. The standard fee for a locker will be $.05 per hour, which will be available on a first come, first served basis. In the past, Caltrain rented lockers out to bike riders at a rate of $33 for six months, but research has shown that on demand lockers would better suit their needs. More information about accessing and using the e-lockers is available at www.bikelink.org.

Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Caltrain extended the 2020 Go Pass to be valid through March 2021. The 2021 Go Pass will be sold at a 25% discount to a pro-rated cost, to account for the shorter duration of the 2021 Go Pass, as well as continued uncertainty related to commuting patterns and usage of the passes. The new policy now allows Go Pass purchasers to distribute unused Go Passes to on-site contracted staff, part-time employees, graduate and post-doctoral students, and qualified not-for-profit organizations, helping to encourage equity in the system. The proposal also provides a discount on the 2022 Go Pass for employers that purchase the 2021 Go Pass.

Your San José Clean Energy Bill Explained: As an SJCE customer, you will still receive one bill for your power service, sent by PG&E. Here are the main elements of your bill and what the charges are for. Use this worksheet to calculate your savings with SJCE.

Questions? Call us at (833) 432-2454 or email us.

Discount Programs: San José residents and businesses may be eligible for programs that offer savings on your electricity bill, home energy efficiency upgrades, and discounts on electric vehicles through State or Federal funding. Learn more about these programs and see if you qualify.

The City is proposing six new zoning districts that would help to create a more vibrant urban form in areas that are targeted for mixed-use development and high-density residential or commercial uses. The ordinance update and new zoning districts will help to streamline the development review process, and will bring the Zoning Ordinance into alignment with the Envision San José 2040 General Plan.

These proposed zoning districts are as follows:

1. Urban Village Commercial

2. Urban Village

3. Mixed Use Commercial

4. Mixed-Use Neighborhood

5. Urban Residential

6. Transit Residential

This preliminary draft is available for public review, the document is a working draft and subject to change. For an introduction to the contents and layout of the draft refer to the Orientation Video below for more information. You can also visit the website here for details.

Access to digital connectivity – a fast and reliable internet connection – has become an essential service for residents in San José. SJ Access helps households with little or no internet access get connected by partnering with school districts and businesses, installing outdoor Wi-Fi access at City libraries and community centers, and lending new and refurbished devices at no cost.

For details, visit here.

Learn more here.

San José residents, it’s easy & FREE to get rid of your junk! Click on the link below or visit here to make a free appointment.

The first COVID-19 vaccines have been authorized for use in the United States. Vaccinations have begun. These vaccines were tested among tens of thousands of volunteers to ensure that they are safe and effective. When you are eligible to get a dose of vaccine, the Public Health Department strongly recommends that you get one.

Please visit the link here for vaccine information for SCC.

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is creating a challenging business climate in San Jose and across the country. We are providing this page to serve as a centralized resource for employers, employees, small businesses and non-profits to discover critical information and help. To suggest an addition, email covid19sjbusiness@sanjoseca.gov.

We strongly suggest that interested businesses make contact with one of these trusted partners for free advice and help:

-Small Business Development Center https://nc.ecenterdirect.com/signup (408) 777-9311

-SCORE https://siliconvalley.score.org/ (408) 453-6237

-AnewAmerica https://www.anewamerica.org/en/ phone number/ (408) 326-2669

-Minority Business Development Agency https://www.asianinc.org/

Testing sites in Santa Clara County here. 

Many services available to all community members regardless of insurance status, ability to pay or immigration status

If you, a family member or someone you know has been impacted by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and need food assistance, health services, financial help, legal assistance or other support services, here are some available resources that can help. Many services are available to all members of our community, regardless of ability to pay or immigration status.

Resources here.

Now is the time for residents, businesses, and government to partner together to help. Donate, volunteer and read more here. 

Off the Grid is partnering with the City of San Jose to roll out the COVID Food Relief Program. This Program delivers free weekly local groceries and prepared meals to residents who have faced financial hardship or are at high risk for severe illness due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sign-up here.

I am very concerned about people's mental and emotional health during this time and want to share any resources that may help. Read here.